they cease to be right sacraments of Christ Iesus And therefore it is that we flâ—â— the societie with the papisticall Church in participation of their sacraments first because their ministers are no ministers of Christ Iesus yea this is more horrible they suffer women whome the holie Ghost will not suffer to teach in the congregation â—o baptize and secondlie because they haue so adulterated both the one sacrament and the other with their owne inuentions that no parte of Christes action abideth in the originall puritie For oile salte spattle and such like in baptisme are but mens inuentions adoration veneration bearing through streetes and townes keeping of bread in boxes or boists are prophanation of Christes sacraments and no vse of the same For Christ Iesus saide Take eate c. Doe you this in rememberance of me By which words and charge he sanctitied bread and wine to be the Sacrament of his holy body and bloode to the end that the one should be eaten and that all should drinke of the other and not that they should be kept to be worshipped and honoured as God as the Papists haue done heretofore who also haue committed sacriledge stealing from the people the one part of the sacrament to wit the blessed cup. Moreouer that the sacraments be rightlie vsed it is required that the end cause for which sacraments were instituted be vnderstanded and obserued as well of the Minister as by the receiuers For if the opinion be changed in the receiuer the right vse ceaseth which is most euident by the reiection of the sacrifices as also if the teacher plainlie teach false doctrine which were odious and abhominable before God albeit they were his own ordinance because the wicked men vse them to another end then God hath ordained The same we affirme of the Sacraments in the Papistical Church in which we affirme the wholl action of the Lord Iesus to be adultered as well in the externall forme as in the end and opinion What Christ Iesus did and commaunded to be done is euident by the Euangelists and by Saint Paul what the Priest doth at his â—ulâ—â—r we neede not to rehearse The end and cause of Christes institution and why the selfe same should be vsed is expressed in these wordes Doe ye this in rememberance 〈◊〉 me As ofâ—e as you shall eate this breade and drinke of this â—uppe you shall shew foorth that is extoll preach magnifie and praise the Lordes death till he come But to what ende and in what opinion the Priestes saie their masse let the wordes of the same their owne Doctours and writings 〈◊〉 wit that they as mediatours betwixt Christ and his Church do offer vnto God the father a sacrifice propitiatory for the sinnes of the quick and the dead which doctrine as blasphemous to Christ Iesus and making derogation to the 〈◊〉 of his onelie sacrifice once offered for purgation of all those that shall be sanctified we vtterlie abhorre detest and renounce To whome sacraments appertaine WE confesse and acknowledge that baptisme apperteineth as wel to the infants of the faithfull as vnto them that be of age and discretion And so we damne the error of the Anabaptistes who denie baptisme to apperteine to children before they haue faith and vnderstanding But the supper of the Lord we confesse to appertein to such onelie as be of the housholde of saith and can trie examine themselues as well in their faith as in their dutie towardes their neighbours Such as eat and drink at that holie table without faith or being at dissention with their breethren do eat vnworthelie and therefore it is that in our Church our ministers take publike and particular examination of the knowledge and conuersation of such as are to be admitted to the table of the Lord Iesus Of the ciuill maigistrates WE confesse and acknowledge Empires kingdomes dominions and cities to be distincted and ordained by God the powers and authoritie in the same be â—t of Emperours in their empires of Kinges in their realmes Dukes and Princes in their dominions and of other magistrates in their cities to be Gods holy ordinance ordained for manifestation ofhis owne glorie and for the singular profitte and commoditie of mankinde so that whosoeuer goeth about to take away or to confound the whol state of ciuill pollicies now long established we affirme the same men not onelie to be enimies to mankinde but also wickedlie to fight against Gods expressed wil. We farther confesse acknowledge that such persons as are placed in authoritie are to be beloued honored feared and holden iâ— moste reuerent estimation because they are the lieueteâ—anâ—es of God in whose seates God himselfe doth sit and â—â—â—ge yea euen the iudges and Princes themselues to whome by God is giuen the sworde to the praise and defence of good men and to reuenge and punish all malefactours Moreouer to Kinges Princes Rulers and Magistrates we affi me that chiefelie and moste principallie the conseruation and purgation of the Religion appertaineth so that not onelie they are appointed for ciuill pollicie but also for manteinance of the true Religion and for suppressing of idolatrie and superstition whatsoeuer As in Dauid Iosaphat Ezcehias Iosias and others highlie commended for their zeale in that case maie be espied And therefore we confesse and auow that such as resist the supreame power doing that thing which appertaineth to his charge do resist gods ordinance and therefore cannot be guiltles And farther we affirme that whosoeuer denie vnto them their aide counsell and comforte whilest the Princes and rulers vigilantlie trauell in execution of their office that the same men denie their helpe support and counsell to God who by the presence of his lieftenant doth craue it of them The giftes freelie giuen to the Church ALbeit that the word of God truelie preached and the Sacraments rightlie ministered and discipline executed according to the word of God be the certaine and infallible signes of the true Church yet we meane not that euery particuler person ioyned with such company is an elect member of Christ Iesus For we acknowledge and confesse that darnell cockell and chaffe maie be sowen grow and in great aboundance lie in the middest of the wheat that is the reprobate maie be ioyned in the societie of the elect and maie externallie vse with them the benefites of the word and sacramentes But such being but temporall professors in mouth and not in heart doe fall backe and continue not to the end And therefore they haue no fruit of Christs death resurrection nor ascension but such as with heart vnfainedlie beleeue and with mouth boldlie confesse the Lord Iesus as before we haue said shall moste assuredlie receiue these giftes First in this life the remission of sinnes and that by onelie faith in Christes blood In so much that albeit sinne remaine and continuallie abide in these our mortall bodies yet it is not imputed vnto vs but is remitted and couered with Christes
Like vnto 〈◊〉 all things sinne onelie excepted As therfore we detest the hereâ—â— of Nestorius which maketh two Christes of one and dissolueth the vnion of the Person so doe we cursse the madnes 〈◊〉 Eutiches and of the Monophelites or Monophysickes who ouerthrow the proprietie of the humane nature Therefore we doe not teach that the diuine nature in Christ did suffer or that Christ according to his humane nature is yet in tâ—â— worlde and euen in euerie place For we doe neither thinke nor teach that the bodie of Christ ceased to be a true bodie after his glorifying or that it was deified and so deified that it put of it properties as touching bodie and soule and became altogether a diuine nature and began to be one substance alone And therefore we doe not allow or receiue the vnwittie subtilties and the intricate obscure and in constant disputations of Schuenkfeildius and such other vaine ianglers about this matter Neither are we Schuenkfeildians Moreouer we beleeue that our Lord Iesus Christ did truelâ— suffer and die for vs in the flesh as Peter saith We abhor the moste horrible madnes of the Iacobites and the Turkes which abandone the passion of our Lord. Yet we denie not but that the Lorde of glorie according to the saying of Paul was crucified for vs. For we doe reuerentlie and religiouslie receiue and vse the communication of proprieties drawen from the scriptures vsed of all antiquitie in expounding and reconciling places of scripture which at the first sight seeme to disagree one from another We beleeue and teach that the same Lorde Iesus Christ in that true flesh in which he was crucified and died rose againe from the dead and that he did not raise vp another flesh in steede of that which was buried nor tooke a spirit in steede of flesh but retained a true bodie Therefore whilest that his disciples thought that they did see the spirit of their Lord Christ he shewed them his handes and feete which were marked with the prints of the nailes wounds saying Behold my handes and my feete for I am he indeed Handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as yee see me haue We beleeue that our Lorde Iesus Christ in the same his flesh did ascend aboue all the visible heauens into the verie highest heauen that is to saie the seate of God and of the blessed spirits vnto the right hand of God the father which although it doe signifie an equall participation of glorie and maiestie yet it is also taken for a certaine place of which the Lorde speaking in the gospell saith That he will go and prepare a place for his Also the Aposâ—le Peter saith The heauens must containe Christ vntill the time of restoring of all thinges And out of heauen the same Christ will returne vnto iudgement euen then when wickednes shall chieflie reigne in the world and when Antichrist hauing corrupted true religion shall fil all things with superstition and impietie and shall moste cruellie destroie the Church with fire and bloodshed Now Christ shall returne to redeeme his and to abolish Antichrist by his comming and to iudge the quick and the dead For the dead shall arise and those which shall be found aliue in that daie which is vnknowne vnto all creatures shal be changed in the twinckling of an eye and all the faithfull shall be taken vp to meete Christ in the ayre that thenceforth they maie enter with him into heauen there to liue for euer But the vnbeleeuers or vngodlie shall descend with the deuils into hell there to burne for euer and neuer to be deliuered out of torments We therefore condemne all those which denie the true resurrection of the flesh and those which thinke amisse of the glorified bodies as did Ioannes Hierosolymitanus against whome Ierome wrote We also condemne those which thought both the deuils and al the wicked shall at the length be saued and haue an end of their torments For the Lorde himselfe hath absolutelie set it downe that Their fire is neuer quenched and their worme neuer dieth Moreouer we condemne the Iewish dreames that before the daie of iudgement there shall be a golden world in the earth and that the godly shal possesse the kingdomes of the world their wicked enemies being troade vnder foote For the Euangelicall truth Mat. 24. and 25. and Luke 18. the Apostolike doctrine in the 2. to the Thessalonians 2. in the 2. to Tim. 3. 4. ar found to teach farre otherwise Furthermore by his passion or death by al those things which he did and suffered for our sakes from the time of his comming in the flesh our Lord reconciled his heavenlâ— father vnto al the faithful purged their sinne spoiled death broke in sunder condemnation and hell and by his resuection from the dead he brought againe restored life arâ— immortalitie For he is our righteousnes life and resuection and to be short he is the fullnes and perfection the saluation and moste aboundant sufficiencie of al the faithfull For the Apostle saith So it pleaseth the Father that all fâ—â—nes should dwell in him And In him ye are complet Collos 1. and 2. For we teach and beleeue that this Iesus Christ our Lord is the onelie and eternall sauiour of mankinde yea and of the whole worlde in whome are saued by faith all that euer were saued before the lawe vnder the lawe and iâ— the time of the gospell and so manie as shall yet be saued to the end of the world For the Lord himselfe in the Gospell faith He that entereth not in by the dore vnto the shepfâ—lde but climeth vp an other waie he is a theefe and a robber I am the dore of the sheepe And also in another place of the same gospell he saith Abraham sawe my daies and reioyced And the Apostle Peter saith Neithere is there saluation in anie other but iâ— Christ for among men there is giuen no other name vnder heaâ—â— wherby they might be saâ—ed We beleue therfore that thorough the grace of our Lord Christ we shal be saucd euen as our fathers were For Paull faith That all our fathers did eate the same spiritual meate and dranke the same spiritual drinke for they dranke of the spiritual rocke that followed them and that rocke 〈◊〉 Christ And therefore we reade that Iohn said That Christ 〈◊〉 that lambe which was slaine from the beginning of the world And that Iohn Baptist witnesseth That Christ is that lambe of God that taketh awaie the sinnes of the world Wherfore we do plainly and openly professe preach that Iesus Christ is the onlie redeemer sauiour of the world the king and high priest the true and looked for Messias that holie and blessed one I saie whom all the shadowes of the law and the Prophesies of the Prophetes did prefigure and promise and that God did performe and
to saie our life For euen as corporal meat and drinke do not onelie refresh and strengthen our bodies but also do keepe them in life euen so the flesh of Christ deliuered his blood shed for vs do not only refresh strengthen our soules but also do preserue them aliue not because they be corporallie eaten dronken but for that they are communicated vnto vs spirituallie by the spirit of God the Lord saying The bread which I wil giue is my flesh which I wil giue for the life of this world also my flesh to wit corporally eaten profiteth nothing it is the spirit which giueth life And the words which I speake to you are spirit and life And as we must by eating receiue the meat into our bodies to the end that it maie work in vs and shew his force in our bodies because while it is without vs it profiteth vs not at all euen so it is necessarie that we receiue Christ by faith that he maie be made ours and that he maie liue in vs and we in him For he saith I am the bread of life he that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall not thirst anie more And also He that eateth me shall liue through me and he abideth in me and I in him By all which it appeareth manifestlie that by spirituall meat we meane not an Imaginarie but the verie bodie of the Lord Iesus giuen to vs which yet is receiued of the faithfull not corporallie but spiritually by faith in which point we do wholie follow the doctrine of our Lord and sauiour Christ In the 6. of Iohn And this eating of the flesh drinking of the blood of the Lord is so necessary to saluation that without it no man can be saued This spiritual eating drinking is also without the supper of the Lord euen so often as whersoeuer a man doth beleeue in Christ To which purpose that sentence of S. Austin doth happilie belong why dost thou prepare thy teeth belly Beleeue thou hast eaten Besides that former spirituall eating there is a sacramentall eating of the bodie of the Lord whereby the faithfull man is partaker not onelie spirituallie and internallie of the true bodie and blood of the Lord but also outwardlie by comming to the table of the Lorde doeth receiue the visible sacrament of the bodie and blood of the Lord True it is that a faithfull man by beleeuing did before receiue the food that giueth life and stil receiueth the same but yet when he receiueth the sacrament he receiueth something more For he goeth on in continuall communication of the bodie and blood of the Lord and his faith is dailie more and more kindled more strengthened and refreshed by the spirituall nourishment For while we liue faith hath continuall encreasings and he that outwardlie doth receiue the sacraments with a true faith the same doth receiue not the signe onely but also doth enioy as we haue said the thing it selfe Moreouer the same man doeth obey the Lordes institution and commaundement and with a ioyfull minde giueth thankes for his and the redemption of all mankinde and maketh a faithfull remembrance of the Lordes death and doth witnes the same before the Church of which bodie he is a member This also is sealed vp to those which receiue the sacraments that the body of the Lord was giuen his blood shed not onelie for men in generall but particularlie for euerie faithfull communicant whose meat and drink he is to life euerlasting But as for him that without faith commeth to this holy table of the Lord he is made partaker of the sacrament only but the matter of the sacrament from whence commeth life saluation he receiueth not at all And such men doe vnworthilie eat of the Lords table Now they which do vnworthelie eat of the Lords bread and drink of the Lordes cuppe they are giltie of the bodie and blood of the Lord and they eat and drink it to their Iudgement For when as they do not approch with true faith they reproach despite the death of Christ and therefore eat and drink condemnation to themselues We doe not then so ioyne the bodie of the Lorde and his bloode with the bread and wine as though we thought that the bread is the body of Christ more then after a sacramentall manner or that the bodie of Christ doth lie hid corporallie vnder the bread so as it ought to be worshipped vnder the formes of bread or yet that he which receiueth the signe receiueth the thing it selfe The bodie of Christ is in the heauens at the right hande of his Father And therefore our hearts are to be lifted vp on high not to be fixed on the bread neither is the Lorde to be worshipped in the bread though notwithstanding the Lord is not absent from his Church when as they celebrate the Supper The Sonne being absent from vs in the heauens is yet not withstanding present amongst vs effectuallie How much more Christ the sonne of righteousnes though in bodie he be absent from vs in the heauens yet is present amongst vs not corporallie but spirituallie by his liuelie operation and so he himselfe hath promised in his last supper to be present amongst vs. Iohn 14. 15. 16. Wherupon it followeth that we haue not the Supper without Christ and yet haue an vnbloodie and mysticall Supper euen as all antiquitie called it Moreouer we are admonished in the celebration of the supper of the Lord to be mindeful of the body wherof we are made members and that therfore we be at concord with all ourbrethren that we may liue holily not pollute our selues with wickednes and straunge religions but perseuering in the true faith to the ende of our life giue diligence to excell in holines of life It is therefore verie requisite that purposing to come to the supper of the Lord we do trie our selues according to the commaundement of the Apostle first with what faith we are indued whether we beleeue that Christ is come to saue sinners and to call them to repentance and whether each man beleeue that he is in the number of them that being deliuered by Christ are saued and whether he haue purposed to chaunge his wicked life to liue holilie and perseuére through Gods assistance in true religion and in concord with his brethren and to giue worthie thankes to God for his deliuerie c. We think that rite manner or forme of the Supper to be the moste simple and excellent which commeth nearest to the first institution of the Lorde and to the Apostles doctrine VVhich doth consist in declaring the worde of God in godlie prayers the action it selfe that the Lorde vsed and the repeating of it the eating of the Lordes body and drinking of his blood the wholsome remembrance of the Lords death and faithfull giuing of thanks and in an holie fellowship in the vnion of the bodie
of the Church We therefore disalow them which haue taken from the faithfull one part of the sacrament to wit the Lordes cuppe For these doe verie grieuouslie offend against the institution of the Lorde who saith drinke you all of this which he did not so plainlie saie of the bread VVhat manner of Masse it was that the Fathers vsed whether it were tollerable or intollerable we doe not now dispute But this we saie freelie that the Masse which is now vsed throughout the Romish Church for manie and moste iust causes is quite abolished out of our Churches which particularlie we will not now recite for breuities sake Truelie we could not like of it because that of a moste wholsome action they haue made a vaine spectacle also because it is made a meritorious matter and is said for monie likewise because that in it the Priest is saide to make the verie bodie of the Lorde and to offer the same reallie euen for the remission of the sinnes of the quicke and the dead Adde this also that they doe it for the honor worship and reuerence of the sainctes in heauen c. OVT OF THE FORMER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of the Lords Supper WE saie that the supper is a mystical thing wherein the Lord doth in deede offer vnto those that are his his body blood that is himselfe to this end that he may more more liue in them and they in him not that the bodie blood of the Lord are either naturallie vnited to bread and wine or be locallie here inclosed or be placed here by anie carnall presence but that bread and wine by the institution of the Lord are signes whereby the true communication of his bodie and blood is exhibited of the Lord himselfe by the ministerie of the Church not to be meate for the bellie which doth perish but to be nourishmet vnto eternal life We doe therefore vse this holie meat oftentimes because that beeing admonished hereby we doe with the eies of faith beholde the death and bloode of Christ crucified and meditating vpon our saluation not without a taste of heauenlie life and a true sense of life eternall we are refreshed with this spirituall liuelie inward foode with an vnspeakeable sweetnes and we doe reioyce with a ioye that cannot be expressed in wordes for that life which we haue found and â—e doe whollie and with al our strength powre out thankesgiuing for so wonderfull a benefit of Christ bestowed vpon vs. Therfore we are most vnworthelie charged of some who think that we do attribute very lâ—â—le to these holy signes For these thinges be holie and to be reuerenced as those which were instituted receiued of our high Priest Christ exhibiting vnto vs after their manner as we haue said the things signified giuing witnes of the things done representing verie difficult things vnto vs and by a certaine wonderfull Analogie of thinges signified bringing light to those moste euident mysteries Moreouer they minister aide helpe euen to faith it selfe and to conclude they doe serue in stead of an othe to binde him that is entered into the profession of Christianitie Thus holilie doe we thinke of the sacred signes But we doe alwaies attribute the force and vertue of quickning and sanctifying to him whoe is life it selfe to whome be praise for euer Amen Out of the declaration of the same confession Of the holie Supper of the Lord. THe Supper of the Lord is a Sacrament to wit the holie institution of the Lorde whereby he doth renue and witnes vnto vs his bountifullnes to wit the communion of his bodie and bloode and that by a visible signe For by bread and wine he doth declare vnto vs what he giueth namelie himselfe to be the nourishment of our life for he by his bodie and bloode doth feede vs to life eternall Therefore the verie gift of God that is the bodie and bloode of the Lord to wit the bodie of the Lord deliuered vnto death for vs and his blood shed for the remission of sinnes is the chiefest parte of this Sacrament For the bodie and bloode of Christ is thus made or prepared to be the liuelie meate of our soules The Sonne of god doth die in the flesh for vs that he might quicken vs he poureth out his bloode that he might clense vs from our sinnes To conclude he raiseth vp his bodie from the dead that our bodies maie receiue hope and strength to rise againe Thus therfore doth the Lorde offer himselfe to be eaten and possessed of vs and not a certaine false imagination of a man or an idle picture in his steade For beside him there is nothing in heauen or in earth that maie feede and satiate our soules Now we do indeed eat the bodie and we do indeed drink the blood of our Lorde but not so rawlie as the Papistes haue hitherto taught to wit the breade being chaunged into naturall flesh substantiallie that is corporallie or carnallie or the bodie being included in the bread but spirituallie that is after a spirituall manner and with a faithfull minde The Lorde is eaten indeed and with fruite by faith that now he maie liue wholie in his and his in him Moreouer these holie gifes of God which are not giuen of anie other then of the Lorde himselfe according to the institution of the Lord are represented vnto vs by visible signes to wit breade and wine and offered to our senses not that we should rest in them but that our weakenes maie be helped and we maie lift vp our heartes vnto the Lorde knowing that here we must thinke vpon greater thinges to wit not of eating bread or drinking wine but of receiuing the Lord himselfe with all his giftes by a faithfull minde Therefore when the guestes see the bread on the borde they set their 〈◊〉 vpon the bodie of Christ when they see the cuppe they set their mindes vpon the bloode of Christ when they see the breade broken and the wine poured out they consider how that the bodie of Christ was tormented and his bloode poured out for their sakes as by breade the bodies are nourished and strengthened as by wine the mindes are made merie so the godlie doe beleeue that by the bodie of the Lorde deliuered vnto death for them they are fed to euerlasting life also that by his blood poured out vpon the crosse their consciences are renewed to conclude they do feel the quickning power of Christ which doth confirme them In this sorte is the supper of the Lord accomplished spirituallie thus are the bread and wine a sacrament vnto vs and not bare and naked signes Hereupon now ariseth a verie great reioycing and thankesgiuing for so great benefits also apraising and confessing of the name of God here those workes which the Lorde once finished are renued and represented but especiallie the death of the Lorde is repeated which although it once hapned and now is past yet vnto the faithfull it is
as yet fresh and present For the remembrance of the death of Christ which we make in the Supper is farre more noble and holie then theirs whoe in some prophane banquet are mindfull of their companion when they drinke the wine that he gaue them For among these he that is absent worketh nothing but in this holie supper of the faithfull the Lorde is present and doth worke effectuallie by the spirit in the heartes of them as he whoe according to his promises is in the middest of them By these things it is most euident that in the holie supper we doe not take awaie our Lorde Christ from his Church nor denie that his bodie and bloode is there receiued to be our nourishment vnto life eternal but we together with our predecessours and the chiefe Prelates of our Religion did and as yet to this daie doe denie that the verie bodie of Christ is eaten carnallie or that it is present euerie where corporallie and after a naturall manner For we doe openlie confes according to the Scriptures and with al the holy Fathers that Iesus Christ our Lord left this world went to his Father and that he now sitteth at the right hande of his Father in heauenlie glorie from whence he shall neuer descend or be drawne downe into this earthlie and transitorie world For the true presence of Christ in the supper is heauenlie not earthlie or carnall Also we denie that the bread is turned into the bodie of Christ miraculously so that the bread should become the verybody of Christ naturallie and substantially yet after a spiritual manner To conclude we denie that the bodie of Christ is vnited with the signes by anie other then a mysticall meane whereof we haue spoken sufficientlie in the generall consideration of a sacrament Seeing therefore we haue expresselie saide and written with the holie Fathers Tertullian Hierome Ambrose and Augustine that the bread is a figure token and signe of the bodie of Christ and also that by bread and wine the bodie and blood of the Lord are signified This is it which we would make manifest to wit that the bread is not the verie bodie of the Lord but a token or a sacrament of his bodie And yet we doe not therefore speake these thinges as though we did simplie denie all kinde of the presence of Christ in the supper for that kinde of presence which now we haue confessed doth remaine true without anie preiudice to these kinde of speaches Morouer the word This in this sentence This is my bodie doth not onelie shew bread vnto our corpâ—rall eies but therewith also it sheweth the verie bodie 〈◊〉 Christ vnto the eies of our minde Also we confesse that this vse of the supper is so holy aâ—â— profitable that whosoeuer shall worthelie that is with â— true faith eate of this bread and drinke of this cuppe of thâ— Lorde he doth receiue heauenlie giftes from the Lord 〈◊〉 Whosoeuer shall eate of this breade and drinke of this cuppe â—â—worthelie that is without faith by which alone we are made partakers of the Lord and of saluation He doth 〈◊〉 and drinke iudgement vnto himselfe as Paull wrote to the Corinthians Wherefore we doe often put this diligentlie iâ—to the heades of our people that they take heede that none of them abuse the Lordes table but that euerie one examine himselfe and then eate of that breade and drinke of thâ—â— cuppe Also the Lords Supper is a badge vnto vs for as one lofe and one wine are made of manie graines and grapes so we being the wholl multitude of the faithfull are gathered together to be one bread and one bodie By this we testifie in an outward profession that we are redeemed by the bloode of Christ and made the members of Christ to whome we giue thankes in whome we are confederates and doe promise to performe mutuall dueties one toward another OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BASILL Of the Supper of the Lorde WE confesse that the Lord Iesus did institute his holie Supper that his holie passion might be remembred with thankesgiuing his death declared and Christian charitie and vnitie with true faith testified And as iâ— Baptisme wherin the washing away of our sins is offered by the Minister of the Church and yet is wrought onelie by the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost true water remaineth so also in the Supper of the Lord wherein together with the breade and wine of the Lord the true bodie and the true blood of Christ is offered by the Minister of the Church breade and wine remaineth Moreouer we doe firmelie beleeue that Christ himselfe is the meate of faithfull soules vnto life eternall and that our soules by faith in Christ crucified are fedde and moistned with the flesh and bloode of Christ so that we being members of his bodie as of our onelie head doe liue in him and he in vs wherein at the last daie through him and in him we shall rise againe to eternall ioye and blessednes And in the marginall note vpon these wordes Our soules For it is a spirituall meate and therefore it is receiued of a faithfull soule that is the soules are made full strong mightie peaceable quiet merie and liuelie to all thinges as the bodie is by the corporall meate Also vpon those wordes The members of the heade And so man is made a spirituall member of the bodie of Christ And in the margent vpon these wordes To be present to wit Sacramentallie and by a rememberance of faith which lifteth vp a mans minde to heauen and doth not pull downe Christ according to his humanitie from the right hande of God Now we doe not include into the bread and drinke of the Lord the natural true and substantial body of Christ which was borne of the pure Virgine Mary suffered for vs ascended into heauen Therefore we doe neither worship Christ in the signes of bread and wine which we doe commonlie call the Sacraments of the bodie and bloode of Christ but in heauen at the right hand of god the Father from whence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade OVT OF THE CONFSSION OF BOHEMIA Of the holie Supper of the Lord. CHAP. 13. IN the thirteenth place we teach touching the Supper of the Lord instituted in the new Testament that we must beleeue with the heart and professe with the mouth that it is a Sacrament instituted of Christ our Lord in his last Supper and that in expresse forme of wordes that is that concerning breade and wine he hath pronounced thaâ— they be his bodie and his bloode and that they were deliuered to his Apostles and so in like sort to the whol vniuersall Church for a monument of his death and that all men should lawfullie vse the participation thereof euen to the ende of the worlde Of this Sacrament the Euangelists doe write and especiallie Saint Paull whose wordes euen tâ— this daie are thus read in the
yea the wholl institution hereof appointed by Christ For which cause the Ministers of our Churches doe admitte none to this Sacrament neither giue it vnto anie but to such as are noted to come vnto it seriouslie and doe so much as in them lyeth prepare them-selues hereunto after such a manner as becommeth Christian godlines Now when the congregation doth come together to celebrate the vse of the Lordes Supper and be partakers therof then according to the example of the primitiue Church our ministers doe teach in their holie Sermons concerning Christ and concerning the grace which through him and in him is giuen to sinners and especiallie concerning his death the shedding of his blood and the redemption and saluation purchased thereby After that the wholl Church doth ioyne together in faithfull prayers vnto God to obtaine this that they may indeed vse this Sacrament worthelie Moreouer in the next place absolution from sinnes is lawfullie administred the wordes of the institution are rehearsed and the people by exhortation is stirred vp to a reuerent consideration of this mysterie and to a cheerefull and serious contemplation of the benefits of God the sacrament is reuerentlie with al godlines distributed and the people of the faithfull most commonlie falling downe on their knees doe receiue this sacrament with thanksgiuing with gladnes with singing of hymnes or holie songes and they shew forth the death of the Lord and admonish themselues of all his benefits to the confirmation of their faith in a true communion with Christ and his bodie And all this we do according to the meaning of those things which are commaunded in the holie Scripture especiallie according to the saying of Christ Do this in remembrance of me and Paul saith So often as ye shall eat of this bread and drinke of this cup ye shall shew forth the death of the Lord till he come OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION WE affirme that the holie Supper of the Lorde to wit the other Sacrament is a witnes to vs of 〈◊〉 vniting with our Lorde Iesus Christ because that he is not onelie once deade and raised vp againe from the deade for vs but also he doth in deede feede vs and nourish 〈◊〉 with his flesh and bloode that we beeing made one wiâ—â— him maie haue our life common with him For although he be now in heauen and shall remaine there till 〈◊〉 come to iudge the worlde yet we beleeue that by the secret and incomprehensible vertue of his Spirit he doâ—â— nourish and quicken vs with the substance of his bodie and blood being apprehended by faith But we saie that this is done spirituallie not that we maie counterfeit an imagination or thought in steade of the efficacie and truth but rather because this mysterie of our vnion with Christ is so high a thing that it surmounteth all our senses yea and the wholl order of nature to conclude because that it being diuine and heauenlie cannot be perceiued nor apprehended but by faith We beleeue as was saide before that as well in the Supper as in Baptisme God doth in deed that is truelie and effectuallie giue whatsoeuer he doth there sacramentallie represent and therefore with the signes we ioyne the true profession and fruition of that thing which is there offered vnto vs Therefore we affirme that they which do bring pure faith as it were a certaine vessell vnto the holie supper of the Lord doe indeed receiue that which there the signes doe witnes namelie that the bodie and blood of Iesus Christ are no lesse the meate and drinke of the soule then bread and wine are the meate of the bodie Also out of the 38. Art a litle after the beginning And also that that bread and wine which is giuen vs in the supper is indeed made vnto vs spirituall nourishment in as much as they doe offer vnto our eies to beholde that the flesh of Christ is oâ—â— meat and that his bloode is our drinke Therefore we reiect all those fantasticall heades which doe refuse these signes and tokens seeing that Christ our Lorde hath saide This is my bodie and This cuppe is my blood OVT OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION WE saie that Eucharistia that is to saie the Supper of the Lord is a Sacrament that is an euident Representation of the bodie and blood of Christ wherein is set as it were before our eies the death of Christ and his Resurrection and whatsoeuer he did whilest he was in his Mortall Bodie to the ende we maie giue him thankes for his death and for our deliuerance and that by the often receiuing of this Sacrament we maie dailie renew the remembrance thereof to the intent we being fedde with the bodie and blood of Christ maie be brought into the hope of the Resurrection and of euerlasting life and maie moste assuredlie beleeue that as our bodies be fedde with bread and wine so our soules be fedde with the bodie and blood of Christ To this Banquet we thinke the people of God ought to be earnestlie bidden that they maie all communicate among themselues and openlie declare and testifie both the godlie societie which is among them and also the hope which they haue in Christ Iesu For this cause if there had beene anie which would be but a looker on and abstaine from the holie Communion him did the olde Fathers and Bishops of Rome in the primitiue Church before priuate Masse came vp excommunicate as a wicked person and as a Pagane Neither was there anie 〈◊〉 at that time which did communicate alone whiles other looked on For so did Calixtus in times past decree That after the consecration was finished all should communicate except 〈◊〉 had rather stande without the Church doores For thâ—â— saith â—e did the Apostles appoint and the same the holie Church of Rome kâ—epâ—â—h still Moreouer when the people 〈◊〉 to â—he holie Communion the Sacrament ought to be giuen them in both kindes for so both Christ hath commaunded and the Apostles in euerie place haue ordeined and all the auncient Fathers and Catholique Byshops haue followed the same And who so doth contrarie to this he as Gelasius saith committeth Sacrilege And therefore we saie that our aduersaries at this daie who hauing violentlie thrust out and quite forbidden the holie Communion doe without the worde of God without the authoritie of anie auncient Councell without anie Catholique Father without any example of the primitiue Church yea and without reason also defend and maintaine their priuate Masses and the mangling of the Sacraments and doe this not onelie against the plaine expresse commaundement of Christ but also against all antiquitie doe wickedlie therein and are verie Churchrobbers We affirme that the bread and wine are the holie and heauenlie mysteries of the bodie and blood of Christ and that by them Christ himselfe being the true bread of eternall life is so presentlie giuen vnto vs as that by
also your eies doe witnes vnto you but that which your faith desireth to learne is this the bread is the bodie of Christ the cup is his blood Now as touching the vse of the Eucharist first although we do not not denie but that whol Christ is distributed as well in the breade as in the wine of the Eucharist yet we teach that the vse of either part ought to be common to the wholl Church For it is euident that Christ beeing nothing at all terrified by any dangers which afterward humane superstition inuented or by other deuises gaue vnto his Church both partes to be vsed Also it is euident that the auncient Church did vse both partes for many yeares And certaine writers doe clearelie witnes that they which doe receiue bread alone doe not receiue the wholl Sacrament Sacramentallie for so they speake that it is not possible to dâ—â—ide one and the selfe same mystery without great sacriledge Wherfore we thinke that the vse of both partes is in deede Catholike Apostolike that it is not lawful for any man at his pleasure to change this institution of Christ and a ceremony of such continuance in the auncient and true Church and to take awaie from the laitie as they call them one part of the Eucharist And it is to be marueiled at that they who professe themselues to defend the ceremonies of the auncient church should so farre swarue from the auncient church in this point Moreouer seeing that the worde Sacrifice iâ— verie large and doth generally signifie a holie worship we doe willinglie graunt that the true and lawfull vse of the Eucharist maie in this sense be called a Sacrifice howbeit the Eucharist according to the institution of Christ is so celebrated that therein the death of Christ is shewed forth and the sacrament of the bodie and bloode of Christ is distributed to the Church and so it is truely called an appliing of the meritte of the passion of Christ to wit to them which receiue the Sacrament Neither doe we condemne godlie lessons and praiers which vse to goe before and to follow consecration as they call it and the dispensation of the Eucharist yet in the meane time it is not lawfull for vs to dissemble or to alow of those errours which haue bene added to this holie 〈◊〉 rather by the ignorance of priuate men then by â—nie lawfull consent of the true Catholike Church One 〈…〉 this that of the worship which ought to be common 〈…〉 Church there is made a priuate action of one Priest 〈…〉 doeth alone to himselfe mumble vp the wordes of 〈…〉 Supper so also he alone doeth receiue the bread 〈…〉 For Christ did institute the Eucharist not that i◠〈…〉 priuate action of one man but that it should be a 〈…〉 of the Church Therefore to the right action of the Eucharist two thinges at the lest are requisite to wit the minister of the Eucharist whoe blesseth he to whom the Sacrament of the Eucharist is dispensed For when Christ did institute this Sacrament he did not eat thereof alone but he did dispense it to his Church which then was present with him saying Take ye eate ye c. And Drinke ye all of this c. This institution of Christ the auncient and true Catholique Church did so seuerelie obserue that it excommunicated them which being present whilest this holy Sacrament was administred would not communicate with others Anaclâ—â—us in his first Epistle saith After that consecration is finished let aâ—â— communicate except they had rather standâ— without the Church doores And he addeth For so both the Apostles appointed and the holy Church of Rome keepeth is still Also the Antiochian Councell cap. 2. saieth All those which come into the Church of God and heare the holy Scriptures but doe not communicate with the people in praier and can not abide to receiue the Sacrament of the Lord according to a certaine proper discipline these men must be cast out of the Church Dionysius in his booke De Eccles Hierarc saieth The Bishoppe when he hath praised the diuine giftes then he maketh the holie and moste excellent mysteries and those thinges which before he had praised being couered and hid vnder reuerent signes he bringeth into sight and reuerentlie shâ—wing forth the diuine giftes both he himselfe doth turne to the holy participation thereof and doth exhort the others to participate them to conclude when the holie communion is receiued and deliuered to all he rendering thankes doth make an end of these mysteries Therefore we thinke it necessarie to the retayning of the institution of Christ in the celebration of the Eucharist and that we maie follow the example of the auncient and true Catholique Church that the priuate Masses of the Priestes maie be abrogated and that the publique communion of the Lords Supper maie be restored Another errour is this that the Eucharist is such a sacrifice as ought to be offered daielie in the Church for the purging of the sinnes of the quicke and the dead and for the obtaining of other benefites both corporall and spiritual This error is euidently contrary to the Gospel of Christ which witnesseth That Christ by one oblation once onelie made hath made perfect for euer those that be sanctified And because that Christ by his passion and death hath purchased remission of sinnes for vs which also is declared vnto vs by the Gospell in the new Testament therefore it is not lawfull to sacrifice anie more for sinne for the Epistle to the Hebrews saith Where there is remission of sinnes there is no further oblation for sinne For whereas Christ saieth Doe this in remembrance of me he doth not commaund to offer his bodie and and bloode in the Supper vnto God but to the Church that the Church by eating the bodie and drinking the bloode of Christ and by shewing forth the benefit of his death may be admonished of that oblation of the bodie and bloode of Christ which was made once onelie on the Crosse for the purging of our sinnes For so Paull doeth interpret this saying of Christ saying So often as ye shall eate he doth not saie offer this breade and drinke this cuppe shew ye forth the death of the Lord till he come And truelie we confesse that the auncient Ecclesiasticall writers did call the Eucharist a sacrifice an oblation but they expounde themselues that by the name of Sacrifice they meane a remembrance a shewing forth or a preaching of that Sacrifice which Christ did once offer vpon the Crosse as also they call the memoriall of the Passeouer and of Pentecost the Paâ—seouer and Pentecost it selfe The third error is this that manie do thinke that the oblation as they cal it of the Eucharist is not of it selfe a propitiation for sinnes but that it doth apply the propitiation and merit of Christ to the quick and the dead But we haue alreadie shewed that the Eucharist properlie is
a general councell for plaine it is as they were men so haue some of them manifestlie erred and that in matters of great weight and importance So farre then as the Councel prooueth the determination and commaundement that it giueth by the plaine worde of God so soone doe we reuerence and embrace the same But if men vnder the name of a Councel pretende to forge vnto vs newe Articles of our faith or to make constitutions repugning to the worde of God then vtterlie we must refuse the same as the doctrine of Deuils which draweth our soules from the voice of our onelie God to follow the doctrine and constitutions of men The cause then why that generall Councels came together was neither to make anie perpetuall lawe which God before had not made neither yet to forge new articles of our beliefe neither to giue the word of God authoritie much lesse to make that to be his word or yet the true interpretation of the same which was not before his holie will expressed in his word But the cause of councels we meane of such as merit the name of Councels was partlie for confutation of heresies for giuing publike confession of their faith to the posteritie following which both they did by the authoritie of Gods written word and not by anie opinion of prerogatiue that they could not erre by reason of their generall assemblie And this we iudge to haue beene the chiefe cause of general Councells The other was for good pollicie and order to be constitute obserued in the Church wherein as in the house of God it becommeth all things to be done decentlie and in order Not that we thinke that one pollicie and one order in ceremonies can be appointed for all ages times and places for as ceremonies such as men haue deuised are but temporall so maie and ought they to be changed when they rather suffer superstition then that they edifie the Church vsing the same Of the Sacramentes AS the fathers vnder the law besides the veritie of the sacrifices had two cheefe Sacramentes to wit Circumcision and the Passeouer the despisers and contemners whereof were not reputed for Gods people so we acknowledge and confesse that we now in the time of the Gospell haue two chiefe Sacraments onelie instituted by the Lord Iesus and commaunded to be vsed of all those that will be reputed members of his bodie to wit Baptisme and the Supper or table of the Lord Iesus called the communion of his bodie and his bloode And these Sacramentes as well of the olde as of the new Testament now instituted of god not onelie to make a visible difference betwixt his people those that were without his league but also to exercise the faith of his children and by participation of the same Sacramentes to seale in their heartes the assurance of his promise and of that most blessed coniunction vnion and societie which the elect haue with their heade Christ Iesus And thus we vtterlie damne the vanitie of those that affirme sacramentes to be nothing else but naked and bare signes No we assuredlie beleeue that by baptisme we are ingrafted in Christ Iesus to be made partakers of his iustice by which our sins are couered and remitted And also that in the Supper rightlie vsed Christ Iesus is so ioyned with vs that he becommeth the verie nourishment food of our soules Not that we imagine any transâ—ubstantiation of the bread in Christs naturall bodie and of wine in his naturall blood as the Papists haue perniciously taught and damnablie beleeued but this vnion and coniunction which we haue with the bodie and blood of Christ Iesus in the right vse of the Sacramente is wrought by operation of the holie Ghost who by true faith carieth vs aboue all things that are visible carnal and earthlie and maketh vs to fâ—â—de vpon the bodie and bloode of Christ Iesus which was once broken and shed for vs which now is in heauen and appeareth in the presence of his father for vs and notwithstanding the farre distance of place which is betwixt his bodie now glorified in the heauen and vs now mortall in this earth yet we must assuredlie beleeue that the breade which we breake is the communion of Christs body and the cup which we blesse is the communion of his bloode so that we confesse and vndoubtedlie beleeue that the faithfull in the right vse of the Lords table doe so eate the bodie and drinke the bloode of the Lord Iesus that he remaineth in them and they in him Yea they are so made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones that as the eternall Godheade giueth to the flesh of Christ Iesus which of the owne condition and nature was mortall and corruptible life and immortalitie so doeth Christ Iesus his his flesh and bloode eaten and drunken by vs giue vnto vs the same prerogatiues Which albeit we confesse are neither giuen vnto vs at this time onelie neither yet by the proper power and vertue of the Sacrament onelie yet we affirme that the faithfull in the right vse of the Lordes table haue such coniunction with Christ Iesus as the naturall man cannot apprehend yea and further we affirme that albeit the faithfull oppressed by negligence and manly infirmitie doe not profit so much as they would in the verie instant action of the Supper yet shall it after bring fruite forth as liuelie seede sowne in good ground For the holie spirit which can neuer be deuided from the right institution of the Lord Iesus will not frustrate the faithfull of the fruite of that mysticall action but all this we saie commeth of true faith which apprehendeth Christ Iesus who onelie maketh his Sacraments effectuall vnto vs. And therefore whosoeuer slaundereth vs as that we affirme or beleeue Sacraments to be onely naked and bare signes doeth iniury vnto vs and speaketh against the manifest trueth But this liberallie and frankelie we confesse that we make distinction betwixt Christ Iesus in his eternal substance and betwixt the elementes in the sacramentall signes So that we will neither worship the signes in place of that which is signified by them neither yet do we despise interpret them as vnprofitable and vaine but doe vse them with all reuerence examining our selues diligentlie before that so we doe Because wee are assured by the mouth of the Apostle that such as eate of that bread drinke of that cup vnworthelie are guiltie of the bodie and of the bloode of Christ Iesus Of the right administration of the Sacramentes THat sacraments be rightlie ministred we iudge two thinges requisite the one that they be ministred by lawful ministers whome we affirme to be onely they that are appointed to the preaching of the word into whose mouthes God hath put some sermon of exhortation they being men lawfullie chosen there to by some Church The other that they be ministred in such elements and in such sort as God hath appointed else we affirme that
himselfe Christ Iesus into whose handes the Father hath deliuered al things And he hath instituted and appointed them for great and sauing causes and such as are necessarie for this Church and all those that beleeue to wit that like as by the preaching of the word so by the administration of the visible Sacraments and the mysteries thereof faith might be helped and furthered and that there might be an assured testimonie and confirmation of the fauourable and well pleased will of God towards vs and that they might giue witnes to that trueth which is signified by them and should reach it out as doth the word to be apprehended by faith and that the mindes of the faithfull in the receiuing of them should by faith receiue the grace and trueth whereof they be witnesses and applying it vnto them-selues shoulde make it their owne and confirme themselues therein and on the other side by giuing themselues to God should consecrate and as it were by an othe religiouslie binde them selues to serue him alone and as it were be ioyned together among themselues by the ioyning and knitting as of one spirit so also of one body to wit of the Church of the fellowship of saints and of loue And according to these thinges the Sacraments as in times past Circumcision was may be called the holie couenants of god with his Church and of the Church with God the minsters of faith and loue by which the ioyning and vnion of God and Christ our Lord with these beleeuing people and theirs againe with Christ is made and perfited and that among themselues in one spirituall bodie of the Church by which also euen as by the word Christ and his spirit do cause in the faithfull that is in those that vse them worthelie a pretious participation of his excellent merit neither doth he suffer them to be onelie bare and naked ministers and ceremonies but those things that they signifie and witnes outwardlie that doth he worke inwardlie to saluation profitablie and effectuallie that is he clenseth nourisheth satisfieth looseth payeth remitteth confirmeth They therefore which contemne these Sacraments and through stubbornnes will not suffer them to be of anie force with themselues and making small account of them do esteeme them as trifles or do otherwise abuse them contrarie to the institution will or commaundement of Christ all these do greeuouslie sinne against the author thereof who hath instituted them and make a verie great hazarde of their saluation But if some man would willinglie vse these sacraments according to the institution of Christ and yet cannot haue leaue either entirelie or withourt deceit so to do as he would as if peraduenture one that is taken be kept in prison or if one should be hindred by sicknes or should liue in strange countries among the enemies of the trueth such a man in such a case if he do whollie and truelie beleeue the holie Gospell maie by that faith be saued although he haue not the vse of the Sacramentes whereof Augustine vpon Iohn cap. 16. hath this worthie saying Beleeue and thou hast eaten seeing that the Sacraments are not necessarie to saluation but onelie by the addition of a certaine condition Also we teach this that the sacraments of themselues or by their owne vertue for the workes sake or for the onelie outward action that is for the bare participation receiuing and vse thereof can not giue grace nor a iustifying or quickening faith to any which before was not inwardlie quickened by the holie ghost and hath no good motion within him-selfe I saie the Sacraments can not giue to anie such either grace or iustifying and quickening faith and therefore they can not iustifie anie man nor inwardlie quicken or regenerate anie mans spirit for faith must goe before whereby the holie ghost doth inwardlie quicken and lighten man and stirre vp or cause good motions in the heart Without this faith there is neither anie iustification nor saluation neither do the Sacraments of or by themselues helpe anie whit hereunto as in the holy scripture manifest examples of this matter are found in manie places especially in Iudas who receiued the sacrament of the Lord Christ him-selfe did also execute the function of a preacher and yet he ceased not to remaine a Deuill an hypocrite and the lost sonne neither was he made better by the Sacrament or by the vse thereof neither did this profit his anie thing to saluation Also in Ananias and his wife who had beene baptized of the Apostles and had also without doubt receaued the Lords supper and yet notwithstanding they did continue in their wickednes iniustice and lies against the holy ghost the sacramētes did neither take away their wickednes nor giue thē the sauing or iustifying faith which maketh the heart the better by repenting giueth it to God an vpright and obedient heart and doth appeare the conscience Therefore the Sacramentes did not giue this conscience and this faith vnto them as Circumcision and the Sacrifices of the olde testament did not giue a liuelie and iustifying faith without the which faith those thus auailed nothing to eternall saluation or iustification And so doth Saint Paull speake of all these thinges in his Epistle to the Romanes and bringeth in the example of Abraham and doth witnes that he had faith and righteousnes which is auaileable with God before that he was circumcised 〈◊〉 like sorte he writeth of the people of Israel that they also wer◠baptized and they all did eat one and the same spirituall meat and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke but with manie of the God was not pleased And therfore euen in the aboundance of all these thinges they were thought vnworthie to be receiued they were reiected of God For if a dead man or one that is vnworthie do come to the Sacraments certainlie they do not giue him life and worthines but he that is such a one doth load himselfe with a far greater burthen of fault and sinne seeing that he is vnworthie the which thing the Apostle doth expresselie declare in the doctrine touching the Supper of the Lord where he saith whosoeuer doth eate of this bread or drinke of this cup of the Lord vnworthely he is guiltie of the bodie and blood of the Lord Also He doth eate and drinke iudgement to him-selfe Lastlie this also must be knowne that the veritie of the Sacraments doth neuer faile them so that they shoulde become not effectuall at anie time but in the institution of Christ they doe alwaies exercise their vertue and efficacie in witnessing sealing confirming vnto the worthie receiuers present grace and saluation but vnto the vnworthie their fault and condemnation whether they be administred by a good and honest Priest or by a close sinner For so long as the ouerthwartnes of such wicked hypocrites is not as yet publiquelie knowne neither punished more gentlie or seuerelie by the Ecclesiasticall
was sufficientlie confirmed by such miracles as that wounderfull gift of tongues did cease so also the ceremone of laying on of handes whereby that gift was giuen did altogether as touching this thing cease Otherwise of a shadowe we must make a general Sacrament of the Church and those that are sicke must be shadowed ouer because that manie were healed by the shadowe of Peter In like sort we must make a generall Sacrament of the laying one of napkines because that manie were healed of their diseases when Paulls napkins were layde vpon then and we must â—e vpon the dead because that Paule by stretâ—ching himselfe vpon a young man did raise him vp from death And yet the Pastours of Churches must not haue libertie to haue no regard to instruct children and youth iâ— that doctrine which is in deede Godlie but they must be forced hereunto to teach the Catechisme verie diligently OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Of Baptisme CHAP. 17. AS touching Baptisme we confesse that which the Scripture doth in diuerse places teach thereof that we by it are buried into the death of Christ made one body and doe put on Christ that it is the fonte of regeneration washeth awaie sinnes and saueth vs. But all these thinges we do so vnderstand as Saint Peter hath interpreted them where he saith To the figure whereof Baptisme that now is â—â—swering doth also saue vs not by putting awaie of the filthe of the flesh but the profession of a good conscience toward God For without faith it is impossible to please God And we are saued by grace and not by our workes And seeing that Baptisme is a Sacrament of that couenant which God hath made with those that be his promising that he will be their god the god of their seede and that he will be a reuenger of wronges and take them for his people to conclude seeing it is a token of the renuing of the Spirit which is wrought by Christ therfore our Preachers do teach that it is to be giuen to Infants also as well as that in times past vnder Moses they were circumcised For we are in deed the Children of Abraham and therefore that promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seed doth no lesse perteine vnto vs then it did to that auncient people THE FOVRTENTH SECTION OF THE HOLIE SVPPER OF the Lord. THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of the holie Supper of the Lord. CHAP. 21. THE Supper of the Lord which is also called the Lords table and the Eucharist that is a thanksgiuing is therefore commonlie called a supper because it was instituted of Christ in that his last supper and doth as yet represent the same and in it the faithfull are spirituallie fed and nourished For the author of the supper of the Lord is not an Angell or man but the verie sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ who did first of all consecrate it to his Church And the same blessing consecration doth stil remaine amongst all those who celebrate no other supper but onelie that which the Lord did institute at that do recite the words of the supper of the Lord and in all things looke vnto Christ onelie by a true faith at whose hands as it were they doe receiue that which they do receiue by the ministerie of the ministers of the Church The Lord by this sacred rite would haue that great benefit to be kept in fresh remembrance which he did for mankinde to weet that by giuing vp his bodie to death and shedding his blood he hath forgiuen vs all our sinnes and redemed vs from eternall death and the power of the deuill and doth now feede vs with his flesh and giueth vs his blood to drink which things being apprehended hended spirituallie by a true faith doe nourish vs vp to life euerlasting And this so great a benefit is renued so oft as the supper is celebrated For the Lord said Doe this in remembrance of me By this holy Supper also it is sealed vp vnto vs that the very body of Christ was truelie giuen vp for vs and his blood was shed for the remission of our sinnes lest that our faith might somewhat wauer And this is outwardlie represented vnto vs by the minister in the sacrament after a visible manner and as it were laid before our eies to be seene which is inwardlie in the fonte muisiblie performed by the holie Ghost Outwardlie bread is offered by the minister and the wordes of the Lord are heard Receiue eate this is my bodie take it and deuide it amongest you drink ye all of this this is my blood Therefore the faithfull do receiue that which is giuen by the minister of the Lord do eat the bread of the Lord drinke of the Lordes cuppe But yet by the working of Christ through the holy ghost they receiue also the flesh blood of the Lord and do feede on them to life euerlasting For the flesh blood of Christ is true meat drink vnto euerlasting life yea Christ himselfe in that he was deliuered for vs and is our sauiour is that special thing and substance of the supper and therefore we suffer no thing to be put in his place But that it maie the better and more plainlie be vnderstood how the flesh and blood of Christ are the meat and drink of the faithfull and are receiued by the faithfull to life euerlasting we will adde moreouer these four things Eating is of diuerse sortes for there is a corporall eating whereby meat is taken into a mans mouth chewed with the teeth and is swallowed downe into the bellie After this manner did the Capernaits in times past think that they should eat the flesh of the Lord but they are confuted by him Iohn 6. For as the flesh of Christ can not be eaten bodilie without great wickednes crueltie so is it not meat for the belly as all men do confesse We therfore disalow that Canon in the Popes decrees Ego Berengarius de consecrat Distinct. 2 For neither did godlie antiquitie beleeue neither yet doe we beleeue that the bodie of Christ can be eaten corporallie and essentiallie with a bodilie mouth There is also a spirituall eating of Christs bodie not such a one whereby it maie be thought that the verie meat is changed into the spirit but wherby the Lords body blood remaining in their own essence and propriety those things are spiritually communicated vnto vs not after a corporall butafter a spiritual manner through the holy Ghost who dothapply and bestow vpon vs those things to wit remission of sinnes deliuerance and life euerlasting which are prepared for vs by the flesh and blood of our Lord which were giuen for vs so as Christ doth now liue in vs and we liue in him and doth cause vs to apprehend him by a true faith to this end that he maie become vnto vs such a spirituall meat and drink that is
Church I haue receiued of 〈◊〉 Lord that which I also haue deliuered vnto you to wit that the 〈◊〉 Iesus in that night wherein he was betraied tooke bread c. Aâ—â— a little after When ye come together to wit to the Supper 〈◊〉 the Lord Let one tarie for an other Therefore according 〈◊〉 these thinges wee beleeue with the heart and confeâ—e with the mouth that this breade of the Lords Supper is the bodie of the Lord Iesus Christ deliuered for vs and thâ—â— this Cuppe or the wine in the Cuppe is likewise shed for vs for the remission of sinnes And this we affirme according to the expresse wordes of Christ wherein he saith This is my bodie This is my blood Which words may not be taken or vnderstood of any other thing nor be otherwise referred then onelie to the bread and cuppe of the Lord and the bodie bloode of the Lord can not be vnderstood of any other then of the onelie true and proper bodie of Christ which he made meate by his torments and of his bloode which beeing largelie poured out of his bodie he appointed to be drinke for his Church for he had not a naturall bodie and another bloode Therefore our Ministers doe teach that to these certaine wordes pronounced by Christ our Lorde wherein he doth peculiarlie pronounce witnes and institute bread to be his bodie and wine to be his bloode I say to these wordes no man maie adde any thing no man may detract any thing from them but euerie man in these words is to beleeue that which of them selues they signifie anâ— that no man ought to turne from them either to the right hand or to the left Yet to expound the meaning of this faith we doe further teach that although the bread be the bodie of Christ according to his institution and wine be his bloode yet neither of these doe leaue it nature or chaunge or lose it substance but that the bread is and doth remaine breade and that the wine is and doth remaine wine as also the holie Scripture doth giue this it owne name to either of them Otherwise if it should cease to be an element it should not be a Sacrament seeing that a Sacrament is then made when the worde is added to the element Neither could it signifie or beare witnes if it had nothing in steade of that thing whereof it is a Sacrament or if the thing signified should haue any other manner of presence then that which is Sacramentall Wherefore this speach Bread is the bodie and wine is the bloode of Christ is a Sacramentall speach to wit that these two distinct thinges doe remaine the selfe same thing which in their owne nature they be and yet by reason of a Sacramentall vnion or Sacramentallie they be that also which they doe signifie and whereof they doe testifie yet not in their owne nature or after a naturall manner but by the institution pronouncing or witnessing of the author as Paull doth excellentlie expound this where he thus writeth The cuppe which we blesse is it not the communion of the bloode of Christ the bread which we breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ Now both the good and the wicked doe vse this Sacrament and yet the true beleeuers doe receiue it to life and those which doe not beleeue doe receiue it to iudgement and condemnation And although either of them doe receiue this Sacrament and the trueth thereof Sacramentallie and outwardlie yet the beleeuers doe receiue it spirituallie and so to their saluation without which spirituall receiuing there is no worthie receiuing in the Sacramentall vse For by this meane we are ingrafted into Christ and into his bodie and by this meane is that true vnion and communion of Christ with his Church made and in like sorte by this meane is the communion of the holy Church which is a certaine spirituall bodie made amongst and with them selues whereof the Apostle writeth There is one bread and we beeing many are one bodie seeing we are all made partakers of one bread Moreouer we are further taught that with this ministerie or Sacrament of the Lord no other thing ought to be done or taken in hand then that one thing which was shewed ordeined and expresselie commaunded of Christ himselfe as when he reached bread seuerallie and peculiarlie to his Disciples and in expresse wordes saide Take eat thâ— is my bodie and in like sort when he reached to them the 〈◊〉 seuerallie and peculiarlie saying Drinke ye all of this Thâ—◠〈◊〉 my bloode Thus therefore according to this commaundement the bodie and bloode of our Lord Iesus Christ must be distributed onelie and be receiued in common of the faithfull or beleeuing Christians but it must not be sacrificed 〈◊〉 set before them or lifted vp or shewed forth to this end thâ— there it may be worshipped or kept or caried about Aâ—â— both these must be receiued in seuerall elements the bodie peculiarlie and seuerallie and also his holie bloode seuerallie as either of them were of the Lord instituted reacheâ— forth and giuen in common to all his Disciples seuerallie And this doctrine was vsed in the first holie Church anâ— this Sacrament was whollie distributed in both partes and so receiued But he that beside or contrarie to these commaundements and institution of Christ dare bring in any other thing or somewhat more and vse it with this Sacrament or wantonelie inuent therein at his pleasure he doth manifestly and malapertly against our Lord who instituted this Sacrament and committeth a thing cleane contrarie to his holie Testament and last will which was declared in his owne wordes and that expresselie Also this Sacrament ought to be receiued and administred without adoration and without that worship which is due to God alone yet with a due kinde of religion and reuerence and chieflie with that which is the chiefest of all namelie with faith and examination of himselfe which in this action is moste acceptable to Christ our Lorde and moste profitable for men which also Saint Paull taught the first Church and exhorted it hereunto saying Let euerie man trie or examine himselfe and so let him eateof that breade and drinke of that cuppe For he that eateth and drinketh vnworthelie doth eate and drinke his owne iudgement or condemnation because he disâ—erneth not the Lordes bodie And in another place Prooue your selues whether ye are in the faith examine your selues know ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Now I praie vnto God that ye doe no euill If so be that anie man approch to this table without such a tryall and not making himselfe worthie who hath not first examined himselfe what manner of faith he hath with what purpose he came to this sacrament or how he had prepared himselfe hereunto I saie such a man should greatlie prophane and reproch this sacrament
cannot be misliked As for other indifferâ—â— rites and ceremonies they are for the most parte obserued according to the vusal manner But the number of Masses iâ— not alike Neither was it the vse in the old times in the Churches wherunto was greatest resort to haue masse euerie daie as the Tripartite historie lib. 9. cap. 38. doth witnes Againe saith he in Alexandria eueri fourth and sixth daie of the weeke the scriptures are read and the Doctours do interpret them and all other things are done also except onelie the solemne manner of oblation 〈◊〉 offering This Article we finde else where placed in the third place among those wherin the abuses that be changed are reckoned vp in this manner Of the masse Art 3. OVr Churches is wrongfullie accused to haue abolished the Masse For the Masse is retained stil among vs celebrated with great reuerence Yea almost all the ceremonies that are in vse sauing that with the songes in Latine we mingle certein Psalmes in Dutch here and there which he added for the peoples instruction For therfore we haue need of ceremonies that the may teach the vnlearned that the Preaching of Gods word maie stirre vp some vnto the true feare trust and inuocation of God This is not only commaunded by S. Paull to vse a tongue that the people vnderstand but mans law hath also appointed it We vse the people to receiue the sacrament together if so be any be sound fit thereunto And that is a thing that doth increase the reuerence and due estimation of the publike ceremonies For none are admitted except they be first prooued and tried Besides we vse to put men in minde of the worthines and vse of a sacrament how great comforte it bringeth to fearefull consciences that they may learne to beleeue God and to looke for and craue al good things at his hands This worship doth please God such an vse of the Sacrament doth nourish pietie towardes God Therfore it seemeth not that Masses be more religiouslie celebrated among our aduersaries then with vs. But it is euident that of long time this hath bin the publike most greeuous complaint of al good men that Masses are filthilie prophaned beeing vsed for gaine And it is not vnknowen how farre this abuse hath spread it selfe in all Churches of what manner of men Masses are vsed onelie for a reward or for wages and how many doe vse them against the prohibition of the Canons Aud Paull doth greeuouslie threaten those which handle the Lords Supper vnworthelie saying He that shall eate this bread or drinke the cuppe of the Lord vnworthelie shall be guiltie of the bodie and bloode of the Lord. Therfore when we admonished the Priestes of this sinne priuate Masses were laide aside among vs seeing that for the most part there were no priuate Masses but onelie for lucres sake Neither were the Bishops ignorant of these abuses who if they had amended them in time there had now beene lesse dissension Heretofore by their dissembling they suffered much corruption to creepe into the Church now they begin though it be late to complaine of the calamities of the Church seeing that this hurlie burlie was raised vp by no other meane then by those abuses which were so euident that they could no longer be tolerated There were many dissentions concerning the Masse and as touching the Sacrament And peraduenture the world is punished for so long a prophaning of Masses which they who both could and ought to haue amended it haue so many yeares tolerated in their Churches For in the ten commaundements it is written He that abuseth the name of the Lord shall not escape vnpunished And from the beginning of the worlde there neither was nor is any diuine thing which might seeme so to be imployed to gaine as is the Masse There was added an opinion which did increase priuate Masses infinitelie to wit that Christ by his passion did satisfie for Originall sinne and appointed Masse wherein an oblation should be made for dailie sinnes both mortall and veniall Hereupon a common opinion was receiued that Masse is a worke that taketh awaie the sinnes of the quicke and the dead and that for the doeing of the worke Here mâ—n beganne to dispute whether one Masse saide for many were of as great force as particular Masses saide for particular men This disputation hath brought forth an in finite multitude of masses Concerning these opinions our preachers haue admonished vs that they do disagree from the holie Scriptures and hurt the glorie of the passion of Christ For the passion of Christ was an oblation and satisfaction not onelie for Originall sinne but also for all other sinnes as it is written in the Epistle to the Hebrewes We are sanctified by the oblation of Iesus Christ once made Also By one oblation he hath made perfit for euer those that are sanctified Also the Scripture teacheth that we are iustified before God through faith in Christ when we beleeue that our sinnes are forgiuen for Christ his sake Now if the Masse doe take awaie the sinnes of the quicke and the deade euen for the workes sake that iâ— done then iustification commeth by the worke of Masses and not by faith which the Scripture can not aware withall But Christ commaundeth vs to doe it in remembrance of himselfe therefore the Masse is instituted that faith in them which vse the Sacrament may remember what benefites it receiueth by Christ and that it may raise vp and comforte a fearefull conscience For this is to remember Christ to wit to remember his benefites and to feele and perceiue that they be in deede exhibited vnto vs. Neither is it sufficient to call to minde the historie because that the Iewes also and the wicked can doe that Therefore the Masse muste be vsed to this ende that there the Sacrament may be reached vnto them that haue neede of comforte as Ambrose saith Because I doe alwaies sinne therefore I ought alwaies to receiue a medicine And seeing that the Masse is such a communion of the Sacrament we doe obserue one common Masse euery holidaie and on other daies if any wil vse the Sacrament when it is offered to them which desired it Neither is this custome newlie brought into the Church For the auncient Fathers before Gregories time make no mention of any priuat Masse of the common Masse they speake much Chrysostome saitth That the Priest did dailie stand at the aultar and call some vnto the Communion and put backe others And by the auncient Canons it is euident that some one did celebrate the Masse of whome other Priests and Deacons did receiue the bodie of the Lord. For so the words of the Nicen canon do sounde Let the deacons in their order after the Priests receiue the holy communion of a Bishop or of a priest And Paul concerning the coÌ„munion commaundeth that one tarie for another that so there maie be a common participation Seeing therefore that among
not an oblation but is so called because it is a remembrance of the oblation which was once made on the crosse Moreouer the application of the merit of Christ is not made by anie other outward instrument then by the preaching of the gospell of Christ and by dispensing those sacraments which Christ hath instituted for this vse the merit of Christ being offered applied is not receiued but by faith Marc. 16. Preach the Gospel to euery creature For by the ministerie of the Gospell the benefits of Christ be offered applied to creatures that is either to the Iewes or to the Gentiles And it followeth He that shall beleeue and be baptized he shall be saued because that by the receiuing of the sacraments and by faith the benefits offered and applied be receiued Rom. 1. The gospell is the power of God to saluation to euerie 〈◊〉 that beleeueth that is the ministerie of the gospell is the instrument ordeined of God whereby God is able and effectuall to saue all those which beleeue the gospell Therefore the Preaching of the gospell doth offer or if it liketh anie man so to speake doth applie saluation to all men but faith doth receiue saluation offered and applied Now in the priuate Masse bread and wine are so handled that the Priest doth neither publiquely declare the Gospel of Christ but doth softlie mumble vp to him selfe certaine words and especialie the wordes of the Supper or of consecrationâ— neither doth he distribute bread and wine to others but he alone taketh them therefore there can be no applying 〈◊〉 the merit of Christ in the priuate Masse This did our true Catholique Elders well perceiue who as we haue declared before did so seuerelie require that they which werâ— present at the Masse and did not communicate should bâ— excommunicated The fourth error is this which we haue already touched in that they do require that the wordes of the Supper or oâ— consecration maie be rehearsed softlie in the Eucharist seing that these words are a part of that gospell which according to the commaundement of Christ is to be preached to all creatures For although our ancetors did sometimes calâ— the Eucharist a mysterie yet they did not so call it with thiâ— purpose that they would not haue the wordes of the Suppeâ— to be rehearsed before the Church in the Eucharist publike lie and in a tongue commonlie knowne but because thâ—â— in the Eucharist one thing is seene and another thing vnderstood For Christ him-selfe also is called a mysterie who neuertheles is not to be hidde but to be preached to alâ— creatures And because that in the receiuing of the Sacrament it is necessarilie required that we should haue faith and faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God it is most necessarie that in the Eucharist the word of the supper that is the word of the Sonne of God should be publiquely rehearsed for this word is the preaching of the Gospell and the shewing forth of the death of Christ Therefore that the Church maie vnderstand what is done in the Eucharist and what is offered vnto her to be receiued and that she maâ—e confirme hir faith it is necessarie that in the Eucharist â—he wordes of the Lordes Supper should be rehearsed publiquelie The 〈◊〉 â—rror is this that one part of the Eucharist is vsed in 〈…〉 a singular worship of God to be caried about and to 〈…〉 vp But the holie Ghost doth forbid that anie worship of God should be appointed without the expresse commaundement of god Deut. 12. You shal not do euery one of you that which semeth good in his owne eies And again That which I commaund thee that onelie shalt thou do to the Lord see that thou adde nothing thereunto nor detract anie thing from it And Math 1â— In vaine doe they worship me teaching for doctrines the preceptes of men Clemens in his second Epiâ—â—le to Iames and in three Chapters De Consecr Dist 2. saith Certeinlie so great buâ—nt offerings are offered on the altar as may be sufficient for the people if so be that any thing remaine till the next â—aie let them not be kept but with feare and trembling by the diligence of the Clearkes let them be consumed We are not ignorant how they vse to delude these wordes of Clemens by feigning a difference betwixt the worke of those that are readie to die and those that be readie to consecrate But it is euident that the bread which vseth to be caried about and to be laide vp to be adored is not reserued for those that be weake but in the ende is receiued of them that doe consecrat Cyrill or â— others thinke Origen vpon the 7. Chap. of Leuit. saith For the Lord concerning that breade which he gaue to his Disciples saide vnto them Take it and eat it c. He did not differ it neither did he commaund it to be reserued till the next daie Peraduenture there is this Mâ—steriâ— also conteined therein that he doth not commaund the bread to be caried in the high waie that thou maist alwaies bring forth the fresh loaues of the worde of God which thou cariest within thee c. OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Of the Eucharist CHAP. 18. AS touching this reuerent Sacrament of the bodie bloode of Christ all those things which the Euangelists Paul and the holie Fathers haue left in writing therof our men doe sincerelie teach commend and inculcate and thence they doe with a singular indeauour alwaies publish this goodnes of Christ towardes his whereby he doth no lesse at this day then he did in that his last supper vouchsafe to giue by the Sacraments his true bodie and his true bloode to be eaten and to be drunke in deede as the meate and drinke of their soules whereby they may be nourished vnto life eternall he giueth it I saie to all those who from their heartes haue giuen their names to be reckoned among his disciples when as they doe receiue this Supper according to his institution so that now he may liue and abide in them and they in him and be raised vp by him in the last day to a new and immortall life according to those wordes of eternall trueth Take and eate This is my bodie c. Drinke ye all of this This â—uppe is my bloode c. Now our preachers doe most diligentlie withdraw the mindes of the people both from all contention and also from all superfluous and curious inquirie vnto that which onelie is profitable whereunto onely Christ our Sauiour had respect to wit that beeing fed with him we may liue in him and through him and leade such a life as is acceptable to God holie and therefore euerlasting blessed and with all that we among our selues may be one bread and one bodie which are partakers of one bread in that holie Supper Whereby it commeth to passe that we doe verie religiouslie and with a singular reuerence
both administer and receiue the diuine sacraments that is the holie Supper of Christ By these things which are thus in deede as we haue set them downe your sacred Maiestie O most gratious Emperour doth know how falselie our aduersaries doe boast that our men doe change the wordes of Christ and teare them in peeces by humane glosses and that in our Suppers nothing is administred but meree bread and meere wine and also that among vs the Supper of the Lord is contemned and reiected For our men doe verie carefullie teach and exhort that euerie man doe in a simple faith imbrace these wordes of the Lorde reiecting all deuises of men and false glosses and remoouing awaie all kinde of wauering doe wholly addict their minde to the true meaning thereof and to conclude doe oftentimes with as great reuerence as they may receiue the Sacraments to be the liuelie foode of their soules and to stirre vp in them a gratefull rememberance of so great a benefit the which thing also vseth now to be done among vs much more often and reuerentlie then heretofore was vsed Morouer our Preachers haue alwaies hitherto and at this daie do offer themselues with al modestie and trueth to render a reason of their faith and doctrine touching all those things which they beleeue and teach as wel about this Sacrament as about other things and that not onelie to your Sacred Maiestie but also to euerie one that shall demaunde it Of the Masse CHAP. 19. FVrthermore seeing that after this manner Christ hatâ— instituted his Supper which afterward beganne to be called the Masse to wit that therein the faithfull being fed with his bodie and bloode vnto life eternall should shew forth his death whereby they are redeemed our Preachers by this meane giuing thankes and also commending this saluation vnto others could not chuse but condemne it that these things were euerie where neglected And on the other side they which do celebrate the masses do presume to offer vp Christ vnto his Father for the quicke and the deade and they make the Masse to be such a worke as that by it alone almost the fauour of God and saluation is obteined howsoeuer they doe either beleeue or liue Whereupon that most shamefull twise thrise impious sale of this Sacrament hath crept in and thereby it is come to passe that nothing at this daie is more gainefull then the Masse Therefore they reiected priuate Masses because the Lorde did commende this Sacrament to his Disciples to be vsed in common Whereupon Paul commandeth the Corinthians when they are to celebrate the holie Supper to staie one for another and denieth that they doe celebrate the Lordes Supper when as euerie man taketh his owne Supper whilest they be eating Moreouer whereas they boast that they doe offer vp Christ in steade of a sacrifice they are therefore condemned of our men because that the Epistle to the Hebrewes doth plainlie witnes that as men doe once die so Christ was once offered that he might take awaie the sinnes of many and that he can no more be offered againe then he may die againe and therefore hauing offered one sacrifice for sinnes he sitteth for euer at right hand of God waiting for that which remaineth to wit that his enemies as it were a footestoole may be troden vnder his feete For with one oblation hath he consecrated for euer them that are sanctified And whereas they haue made the Masse to be a good worke whereby any thing may be obteined at Gods handes our Preachers haue taught that it is repugnant to that which the Scripture doth teach in euerie place that we are iustified and receiue the fauour of god by the spirit of Christ and by faith for which matter we alledged before manie testimonies out of the Scriptures So in that the death of the Lorde is not commended to the people in the Masse our Preachers haue shewed that it is contrarie to that that Christ commaunded to receiue these Sacraments in remembrance of himselfe and Paul that we might shew forth the death of Christ till he come And whereas many doe commonlie celebrate the Masses without all regard of godlines onelie for this cause that they may nourish their bodies our Preachers haue shewed that that is so execrable a thing before god that if the Masse of it self should nothing at al hinder godlines yet worthely by the commaundement of God it were to be abolished the which thing is euident euen out of Esay onely For our God is a Spirit and trueth therfore he cannot abide to be worshiped but in Spirit and trueth And how greeuous a thing this vnreasonable selling of the Sacraments is vnto the Lord our Preachers would haue men thereby to coniecture that Christ did so sharplie and altogether against his accustomed manner taking vnto himselfe an external kinde of reuengement cast out of the Temple those that bought solde wheras they might seme to exercise marchandize onely in this respect that they might further those sacrifices which were offered according to the law Therefore seeing that the â—iâ—e of the Masse which was wont to be celebrated is so manie waies contrarie to the Scripture of God as also it is in euerie respect diuers from that which the holie Fathers vsed it hath bene verie vehementlie condemned amongst vs out of the pulpit and by the worde of God it is made so detestable that manie of their owne accorde haue altogether forsaken it and elsewhere by the authoritie of the Magastrate it is abrogated The which thing we haue not taken vpon vs for anie other cause then for that throughout the whol Scripture the Spirit of God doeth detest nothing so much neither commaund it so earnestlie to be taken awaie as a feigned and false worship of himselfe Now no man that hath anie sparke of religion in him can be ignorant what an inâ—uâ—â—able necessitie is laid vpon him that feareth God when as he is perswaded that God doth require a thing at his handes For anie man might easilie foresee how many would take it at our hands that we should chaunge aâ—y thing about the holie rite of the Masse neither were there anie which would not rather haue chosen in this point not onelie not to haue offended your sacred Maiestie but euen anie Prince of the lowest degre But when as herewithal they did not doubt but by that common rite of the Masse God was moste grieiouslie prouoked and that his glorie for the which we ought to spend our liues was darkened they could not but take it awaie lest that they also by winking at it should make themselues partners with them in diminishing the glorie of god Trulie if god is to be loued and worshipped aboue all godlie men must beare nothing lesse then that which he doth hate and detest And that this one cause did constraine vs to chaunge certaine things in these points we take him to witnes from whome no
the Gospell But if they will not doe it let this publique and euerlasting monument witnes to all that come after that we and all of our side are shall be free not onelie from the grieuous reproches with which wee are vndeseruedlie laden but also without blame of all the hurlie burlies and dissentions that haue beene hitherto and that which God forbid are peraduenture like tobe more greeuous vnles it be speedelie preuented on both sides And seeing in this Harmonie we speake not onlie with our owne but euen with the mouth of all those nations whose confessions we haue brought into one forme of one and the same doctrine we hope it will come to passe that not so much the seuerall names of the French Belgia and other Confessions shal hereafter be heard as that one onlie vniuersall simple plaine and absolute Confession of all Churches speaking as it were with one the same tongue of Chanaan shall be seene and that they who were thought to be farre wide as hath hitherto not altogether without desert by reason of ouer many mens priuate writings beene thought of vs and the brethren of the Confession of Auspurge if so be that men keepe within the boundes of the Confessions and all cauilling and sophistrie be laide aside and as well faithfull as fauourable exposition be admitted shall be thought very neerelie to agree in al things And this was the cause why we desired to put the confession of Auspurge together also with that of Saxony Wirtemberge in this Harmonie that it might be the more easilie known that both we agree with them in all particular points of faith and that there are verie few matters hanging in controuersie betweene vs. For concerning that doubt about the Lords Supper in the thing and of the thing i◠selfe there is no strife we differ in certaine adiuncts and circumstances of the thing In the thing it selfe I saie we agree although as the gifts of God are diuers so some do more plainly some do not so plain lie and perhaps not so fitlie vtter that which they thinke For we all acknowledge that the holie signes haue not a bare signification but that by the ordinance of God they assure our consciences that the things themselues are as truelie and certainlie giuen of God to all that come as the signes themselues are giuen by Gods minister But this questiō remaineth whether as the signe so also the present thing it selfe be giuen to the body or rather the present signe be giuen to the bodie but the present thing giuen onelie to the minde and faith Againe whether as both be giuen to al so both be receiued of al of some vnto life and of other some vnto death In like sort we all beleeue the true Communication of the true bodie and the true bloode of our Lord Iesus Christ The controuersie standeth in the manner of communicating but who may therefore of right thinke that the holie vnitie of the Churches is to be plucked a sunder That they of our side were alwaies desirous of peace and agreement the historie of the conference at Marpurge and such things as were afterward done in the yeare 1536. doe sufficientlie witnes Moreouer so often as there appeared any hope of agreement it is cleare that there was no other cause but the importunitie of some certaine men why new and sudden braules beeing raised the matter could not come or long continue in that agreement which was hoped for For that we may let passe very many other things although in the beginning it were openlie knowne among all that there was no controuersie betweene vs no not so much as the verie Papists excepted in the opinion about worshipping the mysterie of the holie Trinitie loe about the latter end that vnhappie monster of Vbiquitie came forth which if it be admitted will quite ouerthrow the true doctrine of Christs person and his natures Hence then come the distractions of Churches hence come so deadlie quarrellings But seeing this wholl matter hath beene often handled by verie learned men it is no time for vs to deale any farther therein For it is sufficient for vs to shew in few wordes that our men so farre as was possible alwaies prouided for the peace of the Church Neither truelie hath any man cause after the example of certain moderators such as not long since haue beene why he should perswade himselfe that we would here of this hotch-potch of opinions make a certaine medlie as it were of contrarie qualities But we leaue all thinges wholl that euerie one may so know his owne words beeing compared with the sayings of others that he shall finde nothing forged nothing taken away nothing put to or wrested And to conclude the forme and drift of this wholl work if it be more narrowlie vowed shal not vnworthily be iudged a sound body of christian doctrine framed and alowed by the writings and as it were by ◠common councell of the godlie Churches well nigh of all Europe For here all the chiefe points of our Religion beeing discussed and approoued are by the publique authoritie of all the chiefe nations in Christendome with one consent published and knit together yet we must confesse as we afore touched that through the manifolde and busie braulings of priuate persons and glosses as men commonly speak the matter was brought farre from the groundes thereof to things cleane besides the purpose and impertinent For first there beganne to be dealing onely about the supper then it came to Christs Ascension and sitting in heauen and within a while after to the personall vnion of both his natures and what stay will there be in the ende for many by all mens leaue be it spoken seeme to be delighted with this continual striuing that howsoeuer and whatsoeuer it might coste them they might not be vnknowne But it becommeth the Disciples of Christ to seeke peace and to despise glorie For as Bernard saith They that despise peace and seeke after glorie they lose both peace and glorie A way therefore with those speaches I am of Paull I am of Cephas let that one saying be heard I am Christs I am the Churches There is something that may be misliked yet there are verie manie things that may wel be liked the same ground work of faith abideth let therfore the same loue continue and let vs not think much to take them for brethren whome God vouchsafeth to take for sonnes neither let vs despise those for whome Christ despised him-selfe That thing is assuredlie true and very much liked of vs that nothing in holy doctrine is to be thought of smal importance but rather that euen in the least pointes thereof a certeine faith and full assurance is required flat contrarie to the wauering of the Academikes yet we can not like of too too much peeuishnes through which some do straight waie vpon verie smal occasion cal their brethren heretikes schismatikes vngodlie Mahumetanes let these speeches be
of the lawe the office of Christ and his blessed Euangell his corrupted doctrine concerning original sinne our naturall inabâ—lâ—tiâ— and rebellion to Gods law our instification by faith onelie our imperfect sanctification and obedience to the lawe the nature number and vse of the holie Sacraments his fine bastard sacraments with all his rites ceremonies and false doctrine added to the administration of the true Sacraments without the word of God his cruell iudgement against Infants departing without the Sacrament his absolute necessitieâ— Baptisme his blasphemous opinion of transsubst antiatioâ— or reall presence of Christes bodie in the elements and receiuing of the same by the wicked or bodies of men his dispensations with solemne othes periuries and degrees of mariage forbidden in the word his crueltie against the Innocent diuorced his deuilish Masse his blasphemous Priesthood his prophane sacrifice for the sinnes of the dead and the quick his Canonization of men calling vpon Angells or Saintes departed worshipping of Images reliques and crosses dedicating of Churches Altars Daies Vowes to creatures his Purgatorie praiers for the dead praying or speaking in a strange language with his processions and blasphemous Letany and multitude of Aduocates or Mediatours his manifolde orders Auricular confession his dispersed vncertaine repentance his generall and doubt some faith his satisfactions of men for their sinnnes his iustification by workes Opus Operatum woorkes of supererogation merites pardons peregrinations and stations his holie water Baptiâ—â—ng of Belles Coniuring of spirites Crossing Saâ—ing Annointing coniuring Hallowing of Gods good Creatures with the superstitious opinion ioyned therewith his worldlie Monarchie and wicked hierarchâ—e his three solemned vowes with all his shaâ—eliâ—gs of sundrie sortes his erronious bloodie decrees made at Trent with all the subscribers and approouers of that cruell and bloody band coniured against the Church of God And finallie â—e detest all his vaine allegories rites signes and traditions brought in the Church without or against the worde of God and doctrine of this true reformed Church to the which we toyne our selues willinglie in doctrine faith religion discipline and vse of the holie Sacraments as liuelie members of the same in Christ our head promising and swearing by the great name of the Lord our God that we shall continue in the obedience of the doctrine and discipline of this Church and shall defend the same according to our vocation and power all the daies of our liues vnder the paines contained in the law and danger both of bodie and soule in the date of Gods fearefull iudgement And seeing that manie are stirred vp by Satan and that Romane Antichrist to promise sâ—â—are subsâ—râ—â—â— and for a time vse the holy Sacraments in the Church deceitfully against their owne conscience minding hereby first vnder the externall cloake of Religion to corrupt and subuert secretlie Gods true Religion within the Church and afterward when time maie serue to become open enemies and persequuters of the same vnder vaine hope of the Popes dispensation deuised against the word of God to his greater confusion and their double condemnation in the daie of the Lord Iesus We therefore willing to take away all suspition of hypocrisie and of such double dealing with God and his Church protest and call the sâ—archer of all heartes for witnes that our mindes and heartes do fully agree with this our confession promise oth and subscription So that we are not mooâ—ed for anie worldlie respect but are persuaded onelie in our conscience through the knowledge and loue of Gods true religion printed in our heartes by the holie spirit as we shall answer to him in the daie when the secrets of all heartes shall be disclosed And because we perceiue that the quietnes and stabilitie of our religion and Church doth depend vpon the safetie and good behauioâ—r of the Kings maiestie as vpon a comfortable Instrumenâ— of Gods mercie graunted to this countrie for the manteining of his Church and ministration of Iustice amongst vs we protest and promise with our heartes vnder the same oth hand writ and paines that we shall defend his person and authoritie with our goods bodies and liues iâ— the defence of Christes Euangell Libertie of our countrie ministration of iustice and punishment of iniquity against all enemies within this realme or without as we desire our God to be a strong and mercifull defender to vs in the daie of our death and comming of our Lord Iesus Christ To whome with the father and the holy spirit bâ— all honour and glory eternallie Amen THE ESTATES OF SCOTLAND VVITH THE INHABITANTS OF THE SAME PROfessing Christ Iesus and his ho lie gospell To their naturall countrie men and to all other Realmes and nations professing the same Christ Iesus with them wish grace mercie and peace from God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the spirit of righteous iudgement of saluation LOng haue wee thirsted deare brethren to haue notified vnto the worlde the summe of that doctrine which wee professe and for the which we haue sustained infamie and daunger But such hath beene the rage of Sathan agaist vs and against Christ Iesus his eternall veritie latelie borne amongest vs that to this daie no time hath beene graunted vnto vs to cleare our consciences as moste gladlie we would haue done For how we haue beene tossed at times heretofore the moste parte of Europe as we suppose doth vnderstand But seing that of the infinite goodnes of our God who neuer suffereth his afflicted vtterlie to be confounded aboue expectation we haue obtained some rest and libertie we would not but set forth this briefe and plaine confession of such doctrine as is proponed vnto vs and as we beleeue and professe partlie for satisfaction of our brethren whose hearts we doubt not haue beene and yet are wounded by the despitefull railing of such as yet haue not learned to speake well and partlie for stopping of the mouthes of the impudent blasphemers who boldelie damne that which they haue neither heard nor yet vnderstoode Not that we iudge that the cankred malice of such is able to be cured by this our simple confession No we knowe the sweete sauour of the Gospell is and shall be death to the sonnes of perdition but we haue chiefe respect to our weake and infirme brethren to whome we woulde communicate the bottome of our hearts lest that they be troubled or carried awaie by diuersitie of rumours which Satan spreads abroad against vs to the defacing of this our moste godlie enterprise protesting that if anie man shall note in this our confession anie article or sentence repugning to Gods holie worde and doe admonish vs of the same in writing we by Gods grace doe promise vnto him satisfaction from the mouth of God that is from his holie Scriptures or else reformation of that which he shall prooue to be amisse For God we take to record in our consciences that from our hearts we abhorre all sectes of heresie and all teachers of
onlie sonne to be our brother and giuen vnto vs grace to acknowledge and embrace him for our Mediatour as before is said It behooued farther the Messias and Redeemer to be verie God and verie man because he was to beare the punishment due for our transgressions and to present him selfe in the presence of his Fathers iudgement as in our person to suffer for our transgression and inobedience by death to ouercome him that was author of death But because the onlie godhead could not suffer death neither yet could the onlie manhood ouercome the same he ioyned both together in one person that the imbecillitie of the one should suffer and be subiect to death which we had deserued and the infinite and inuincible power of the other to wit of the godhead should triumph and purchase to vs life libertie and perpetuall victorie and so we confesiâ— and moste vndoubtedlie beleeue Christes death Passion and Bâ—riâ—ll THat our Lord Iesus offered himselfe a voluntarie sacrifice vnto his Father for vs that he suffered contradiction of sinners that he was wounded and plagued for our transgressions that he being the cleane innocent lambe of God was damned in the presence of an earthlie iudge that we should be absolued before the tribunall seate of our God that he suffered not onelie the cruell death of the Crosse which was accursed by the sentence of God but also that he suffered for a season the wrath of his Father which sinners had deserued But yet we auow that he remained the onelie welbeloued and blessed sonne of the Father euen in the midst of his anguish and torment which he suffered in bodie and soule to make the full satisfaction for the sins of the people After the which we confesse and auow that there remaineth no other sacrifice for sinne which if anie affirme we nothing doubt to auow that they are blasphemous against Christes death and the euerlasting purgation and satisfaction purchased to vs by the same Resurrection WE vndoubtedlie beleeue that insomuch as it was impossible that the dolours of death should retaine in bondage the author of life that our Lord Iesus crucified dead and buried who descended into hell did rise againe for our iustification and destroying of him whoe was the author of death brought life againe to vs that were subiect to death and to the bondage of the same we knowe that his resurrection was confirmed by the testimonie of his verâ—e enimies by the resurrection of the dead whose sepulchers did open and they did arise and appeered to manie within the City of Ierusalem It was also confirmed by the testimonie of his Angells and by the senses and iudgements of his â—postles and others who had conuersation and did eate and drinke with him after his resurrection Ascension VVE nothing doubt but the selfe same bodie which was borne of the virgin was crucified dead buried that it did rise againe and asâ—end into the heauens for the accomplishment of al things where in our names for our comforte he hath receiued all power in heauen and earth where he sitteth at the right hand of the Father crowned in his kingdome aduocate and onelie Mediatour for vs. Which glorie honour and prerogatiue he alone amongst the brethren shal possesse till that all his enimies be made his footestole As that we vndoubtedlie beleeue there shal be a finall iudgement to the execution wherof we certainelie beleeue that the same our Lord Iesus shall visibly returne euen as he was seene to ascend And then we firmelie beleue that the time of refreshing and restitution of all thinges shall come in somuch that those that from the beginning haue suffered violence iniurie and wrong for righteousnes sake shall inherite that blessed immortalitie promised from the beginning but contrariwise the stubborne inobedient cruell oppressors filthie persons Idolaters and all sortes of vnfaithfull shal be cast into the dungeon of vtter darkenes where their worme shall not die neithet yet the fire shal be extinguished The remembrance of which daie and of the iudgement to be executed in the same is not onelie to vs a bridle wherby our carnall lustes are refrained but also such inestimable comforte that neither maie the threating of worldlie princes neither yet the feare of temporall death and present daunger mooue vs to renounce and forsake the blessed societie which we the members haue with our head onelie mediatour Christ Iesus Whom we confesse and auow to be the Messias promised the onelie head of his Church our iust lawe giuer our onelie high Priest aduocate and Mediatour In which honours and office if man or Angell presume to intrude themselues we vtterly detest and abhor them as blasphemous to our soueraigne and supreame gouernuor Christ Iesus Faith in the holie Ghost THis faith and the assurance of the same proceedeth not from flesh and bloode that is to saie from no naturall powers within vs but is the inspiration of the holie Ghost whome we confesse God equall with the Father with the sonne whoe sanctifieth vs and bringeth vs into all veritie by his owne operation without whome we should remaine for euer enimies to God and ignorant of his sonne Christ Iesus For of nature we are so dead so blinde so peruerse that neither can we feele when we are pricked see the light when it shineth nor assent to the will of God when it is reuealed vnlesse the spirit of the Lord quicken that which is dead remooue the darkenes from our mindes and bowe our stubborne heartes to the obedience of his blessed will And so as we confesse that God the Father created vs when we were not as his sonne our Lord Iesus redeemed vs when we were enimies to him so also doe we confesse that the holie Ghost doth sanctifie and regenerate vs without all respect of anie merit proceeding from vs be it before or be it after our regeneration To speake this one thinge yet in more plaine wordes as we willinglie spoile our selues of alâ— honour and glorie of our owne creation and redemption so doe we also of our regeneration and sanctification for of our selues we are not sufficient to thinke one good thought but he who hath begone the worke in vs is onelie he that continueth in vs the same to the praise and glorie of his vndeserued grace The cause of good workes SO that the cause of good workes we confesse to be not our free will but the spirit of the Lord Iesus whoe dwelling in our harts by true faith bringeth forth such good workes as God hath prepared for vs to walke in For this we most boldlie affirme that it is blasphemie to saie that Christ abideth in the heartes of such as in whom there is no spirit of sanctification And therefore we feare noâ— to affirme that murtherers oppressers cruell persecuters adulterers whormongers filthy persons Idolaters dronkerds the eues and all workers of iniquitie haue
But especiallie it is both beleeued and by open confession made knowne as touching the holie Virgin Marie that she was a daughter of the blood royall of the house and familie of Dauid that deare seruant and friend of God and that she was chosen blessed of God the Father consecrared by the holie Ghost visited and sanctified aboue other of her sexe and also replenished with wonderfull grace and power of God to this ende that she might become the true mother of our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God of whom he vouchsased to take our nature and that shee was at all times before her birth in the same and after it a true chaste pure Virgin that by her best beloued sonne the sonne also of the liuing God through the price of his death and the effusion of his moste holie blood she was dearelie redeemed and sanctified as also made one of the deare partakers of Christ by the holie Ghost through faith being adorned with excellent giftes noble vertues and fruites of good workes renowned as happie before all others and made moste assuredlie a ioynt heire of euerlasting life And a litle after Furthermore it is taught in the church that no man ought so to reuerence holy men as we are to worship God much lesse their Images or to reuerence them with that worship and affection of minde which onelie are due to god alone And to be short by no meanes to honour them with deuine worship or to giue it vnto them For god saâ—eth by the Prophet Esaie I am 〈◊〉 Lord thy God this is my name I wil not giue mine honour to anotheâ— nor my glorie to Images Againe a litle after But euen as tâ—â— thing is gainesaid that the honour due to God should be gâ—uen to Saints so it is by no means to be suffered that the honour of the Lambe Christ our Lord and things belonging to him and due to him alone and apperteining to the proper and true Priesthoode of his nature should be transfeâ—red to them that is lest of them and those torments which they suffered we should make redeemers or merites in the life or els aduocates intercessours and Mediatours in heauen or that we should inuocate them and not them onelâ— but not so much as the holie Angells seeing they are nâ— God For there is one onelie redeemer who being once deliuered to death sacrificed himselfe both in his bodie and 〈◊〉 his bloode there is also one onely aduocate the most merciful Lord of vs all And they are not onelie to be reputed taken for saiâ—â— who are gone before vs and are fallen a sleepe in the Lord and dwell now in ioyes but also they who as there haue â—lwaies bene some vpon earth so doe likewise liue now on the earth such are all true godlie Christians in what place oâ— countrie soeuer here or there and among what people soeuer they lead their life who by beeing baptized in the name of the Lord may be sanctified and beeing indued with true faith in the sonne of God and set on fire are mutuallie enflamed with affection of diuine charitie and loue who also acknowledging the iustification of Christ doe vse both it and absolution from their sinnes and the communion of the sacrament of the bodie and bloode of Christ and diligentlie applie themselues to all holie exercises of pietie beseeming a Christian profession as also the Apostles cal such beleeuers in Christ which as yet like strangers are conuersant heere on earth according to the state of mortall men Saints As for example Ye are a chosen generation a royal priesthoode an holie nation a peculiar people Againe al the Saints grees you In like manner Salute all those that haue the ouersight of you and al the Saints that is all faithfull Christians For this cause it is taught that we ought with intire loue and fauour of the heart to embrace all Christians before all other people and when neede is from the same affection of loue to afforde vnto them our seruice and to helpe them further that we ought to mantaine the societie of holie friendship with those that loue and follow the trueth of Christ with all good affection to conceiue well of them to haue them in honour for Christes sake to giue vnto them due reuerence from the affection of Christian loue and to studie in procuring all good by our duetie seruice to pleasure them and finallie to desire their praiers for vs. And that Christians going astraie and entangled with sinnes are louinglie and gentlie to be brought to amendment that compassion is to be had on them that they are with a quiet minde in loue so as becommeth to be borne withall that praier is to be made vnto God for them that he would bring them againe into the waie of saluation to the ende that the holie Gospell maie be spread farther abroad and Christes glorie maie be made knowne and enlarged among all men OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION WE beleeue and acknowledge one onelie God who is one onelie and simple essence spirituall eternall inuisible immutable infinite incomprehensible vnspeakeable almightie moste wise good iust and mercifull The holie scripture teacheth vs that in that one and simple diuine essence there be three persons subsisting the father the sonne and the holie Ghost The father to wit the first cause in order the beginning of all thinges the sonne his wisdome and euerlasting word the holie ghost his vertue power efficacie the sonne begotten of the father from euerlasting the holie Ghost from euerlasting proceeding from the father and the sonne which three persons are not confounded but distinct yet not deuided but coessentiall coeternall coequal And to conclude in this mysterie we alow of that which those foure auncient Councells haue decreed and we detest all secâ—es condemned by those holie auncient doctors Athanasius Hylarie Cyrill Ambrose and such as are condemned by others agereeablie to Gods word Hetherto also belongeth the 2. Art This one God hath reuealed himselfe vnto men to be such a one first by the creation preseruation gouernment of his workes then much more clearlie in his worde c Seek the rest in the 3. diuision We beleeue that we by this one meanes obtaine libertie of praying to god with a sure confidence that it wil come to passe that he will shew him selfe a Father vnto vs. For we haue no entrance to the Father but by this Mediatour We beleeue because Iesus Christ is the onelie aduocate giuen vnto vs who also commaundeth vs to come boldelie vnto the Father in his name that it is not lawfull for vs to make our praiers in anie other forme but in that which god hath set vs downe in his worde and that whatsoeuer men haue forged of the intercession of Saints departed is nothing but the deceites sleightes of Sathan that he might withdrawe men from the right manner of
are no searchers of the heart Epiphanius saith Maries bodie was holy indeed but yet not god shee was indeed a Virgin honorable but shee was not propounded for adoration but her selfe worshipped him who as coÌ„cerning his flesh was borne of her Austine saith Let not the worship of dead men bâ— any religion vnto vs because if they haue liued holily they are not sâ— to be accounted of as that they should seeke such honour but rather they will haue him to be worshipped of vs by whom themselues being illuminated reioyce that we should be fellowe seruantes of their reward They are therefore to be honoured for imitation not to be worshipped for Religion sake And againe in the same place We honour them with loue not with seruice Neither doe we erect temples vnto them for they will not haue themselues so to be honoured of vs because they know that we our selues being good are the temple of the high God And againe Neither doe we consecrate templeâ— Priesthoodes holie rites ceremonies and sacrifices vnto the same Martyrs seeing not they but their God is our God c. We neither ordaine Priestes for our Martyrs nor offer sacrifices Ambrose vpon the Romans Chap. 1. They are wont to vse a miserable excuse saying that by these men maie haue accesse vnto God 〈◊〉 to a king by Earles Goeto is anie man so madde I praie you that being forgetfull of his owne saluation he will challenge as fit for 〈◊〉 Earle the roialtie of a King And streight after These meâ— thinke them not guiltie that giue the honour of Gods name to a creature and leauing the Lord worshippe their fellow seruants But we saie they worshippe not the saints but onely desire to be holpen afore God by their praiers But so to desire as the seruice of Letanies sheweth and is commonlie vsed is nothing else but to call vpon and worshippe saintes for such desiring requireth that he whoe is desired be euerie where present and heare the petition But this Maiestie agreeth to god alone and if it be giuen to the creature the creature is worshipped Some men faine that the Saints see in Gods word what thinges God promiseth and what things seeme profitable for vs which thing although it be not impossible to the maiestie of God yet Esai plainlie auouâ—cheth That Abraham knoweth vs not and Israell is ignorant of vs where the ordinarie glosse citeth Augustine saying that the dead euen saints know not what the liuing do c. For that the auncient writers often times in their praiers turne themselues to Saints they either simplie without exact iudgement followed the errour of the common people or vsed such manner of speaking not as diuine honour bur as a figure of Grammar which they call Prosopopaeia VVherby godlie and learned men doe not meane that they worship and praie to Saints but doe set out the vnspeakeable groaning of the Saints and of al creatures for our saluation and signifie that the godlie praiers whichi Saints thorough the holie ghost powred out in this world before God doe as yet ring in gods eares as also the bloode of Abell after his death still cried before god and in the Reuelation the soules of the Saints that were killed cry that their bloode may be reuenged not that they now resting in the Lord are desirous of reuenge after the manner of men but because the Lord euen after their death is mindefull of the praiers which while they yet liued on earth they powred out for their owne and the wholl Churches deliuerance Epiphanius himselfe against Aerius doth also somewhat sticke in the common error yet he teacheth plainelie that the saints are mentioned in the church not that they should be praied vnto but rather that they should not be praied vnto nor matched in honour with Christ We saith he make mention of the righteous Fathers Patriarches Prophets Apostles Euangelists Martyrs Confessours Bishops Anachoretes and the wholl companie that we may single out the Lord Iesus Christe from that companie of men by the honour which we giue vnto him and that we may giue him such worship as by which we may signifie that we thinke that the Lord is not to be made equall with any among men although euerie of them were a thousand times and aboue more righteous then they are OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Artic. 1. ss 2. SInce sermons began with vs to be taken out of the holie scriptures of God and those deadlie contentions ceased so manie as were led with anie desire of true Godlines haue obteined a farre more certaine knowledge of Christes doctrine and farre more feruentlie expressed it in the conuersation of their life And euen as they declined from those thinges which had peruerselie crept into the doctrine of Christ so they were more and more confirmed in those thinges which are altogether agreeable thereunto Of which sort are the Articles which the Christian Church hath hetherto stedfastlie beleeued touching the holie Trinitie to wit that God the father the sonne and the holie ghost are one essence and three persons and admit no other diuision or difference then the distinction of persons Artic. II. Of Inuocating and worshipping of Saints MOreouer that abuse also was reprooued and conâ—â—â—ed by which some thinke they can so by fastings and praiers winne and binde vnto themselues both the blessed Virgine Marie that bare God and other Saints that they hope by their intercession and merites they may be deliuered from all aduersities as well of soule as of bodie and be enrâ—â—â—hed with all kinde of good thinges For our Preachers haue taught by the commaundement of Christ the sauiour that that heauenly father alone is by the same Christ in the holy spirite to be praied vnto as he who hath promised that he will neuer denie vs any of those thinges which we by a true faith aske of him thorough his sonne And seeing the scripture it selfe setteth before vs one onelie Mediatour betweene God and men to wit the man Iesus Christ 1. Tim. 2. who both loueth vs moreentirelie and can by authoritie doe more with the father then any other they rightlie thinke that this onelie intercessour and aduocate ought to suffice vs. Yet they do therewithall teach that the most holie mother of God and Virgine Marie and other beloued Saints are with great diligence to be honoured But that that thing can not otherwise be done then if we studie to be conuersant in those things to which they especiallie gaue themselues namelie to innocencie and sanctification and of which they set before vs so worthie examples For sith they with all their heart soule with al their strength doe loue God we can in nothing please them better then if we also with them loue God from the heart and by all meanes possible to make our selues conformable to him so farre of are they from ascribing their owne saluation to their merites how therefore should they
errour of the Manichees who holde that the Deuills haue their beginning of themselues and are of their owne nature euill and not corrupted by willfull disobedience We beleeue that this moste gracious and mightie God after he had made al things left them not to be ruled after the will of chaunce or fortune but himselfe doth so continuallie rule and gouerne them according to the prescriâ—â— rule of his holie will that nothing can happen in this world without his decree and ordinance and yet God cannot be said to be either the author or guilty of the euils that happen in this world For both his infinite and incomprehensible power and goodnes streatcheth so farre that euen theâ— he decreeth and executeth his workes and deedes iustlie and holily when as both the deuil and the wicked doe vnâ—usâ—â—ie And whatsoeuer things he doth passing the reach of mans capacitie we will not curiouslie and aboue our capacitie inquire into them Nay rather we humblie and reuerentlie adore the secret yet iust iudgements of God For iâ— sufficeth vs as being Christs disciples to learne onely those things which he himselfe teachth in his word neither doâ—â— thinke it lawful to passe these boundes And this doctrine afordeth vs exceeding great comforte For by it we know that nothing befalleth vs by chaunce but all by the will of our heauenlie father who watcheth ouer vs with a fatherly care in deede hauing all things in subiection to him selfe so that not a haire of our heade which are euerie one numbred can be plucked awaie nor the least sparrow light on the ground without the will of our father In these things therefore doe we wholly rest acknowledging that God holdeth the Deuills and all our enemies so bridled as it were with snaffles that without his will and good leaue they are not able to hurt any of vs and in this place we reiect the detestable opinion of the Epicures who fained God to be idle to do nothing and to commit all things to chaunce THE FOVRTH SECTION OF MANS FALL SINNE AND FREE WILL. THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of mans fall sinne and the cause of sinne CHAP. 8. MAN was from the beginning created of God afer the Image of God â—n righteousnes and true holines good and vpright but by the instinct of the serpent and his owne fault falling from goodnes and vprightnes become subiect to sinne death and diuers calamities and such an one as he became by his fall such are all his ofspring euen subiect to sinne death and sundrie calamities And we take sinne to be that naturall corruption of man deriuedâ— spread from those our first parents vnto vs al through whâ—â—â— we being dorwned in euil concupiscenses and cleene turnâ— awaie from God but prone to all euill full of all wickednes distrust contempt hatred of God can do no goodâ— our selues no not so much as thinke of any And th at mâ—â— is euen as we do grow in yeares so by wicked thoughts wordes and deedes committed against the law of God we bring forth corrupt fruites worthie of an euill tree in 〈◊〉 respect we through our owne desert being subiect to thâ— wrath of God arein daunger of iust punishments so thâ— we had all beene cast awaie from God had not Christ the deliuerer brought vs backe againe By death therfore we vnderstand not onlie bodily death which is once to be suffered of all vs for sinnes but also euerlasting punishmentes due to our corruption and to 〈◊〉 sinnes For the Apostle saith we were dead in trespasses 〈◊〉 and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others 〈◊〉 God which is â—itch in mercie euen when we were dead by sinnâ— quickened vs together in Christ Againe As by one man sinneâ—tred into the world and by sinne death and so death went 〈◊〉 men for as much as all men haue sinned c. We therefore acknowledge that originall sinne is in all men we acknowledge that all other sinnes which spring hereout are both called and are in deede sinnes by whâ—â— name soeuer they be termed whether mortall or veniall 〈◊〉 also that which is called sinne against the holy Ghost whiâ—â— is neuer forgiuen we also confes that sinnes are not equall although they spring from the same fountaine of coruptioâ— and vnbeliefe but that some are more greeuous then other euen as the Lord hath said that It shall be easier for Sodoâ—â— then for the Citie that despiseth the word of the Gospell we therefore condemne all those that haue taught thinges contrarie to these but especiallie Pelagius and all the Pelagians together with the Iouinianistes who with the Stoikes count all sinnes equall we in this matter agree fullie with â— Augustine who produced and mainteined his sayings out of the holie scriptures Moreouer we condemne Florinus and Blastus against whome also Iraeneus wrote and al those that make god the author of sinne seeing it is expressely written Thou art not a god that loueth wickednes thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie and wilt destroy all that speak lies And againe when the Deuill speaketh a lie he speaketh of his owne because he is a lier the father of lying Yea there is euen in our selues sin corruption enough so that there is no need that god should infuse into vs eyther a new or greater measure of wickednes Therefore when God is saied in the scripture to harden to blinde and to deliuer vp into a reprobate sense it is to be vnderstoode that God doth it by iust iudgement as a iust iudge reuenger To conclude as often as god in the scripture is saide and seemeth to doe some euill it is not thereby meant that man doth not commit euill but that god doth suffer it to be done and doth not hinder it and that by his iust iudgement who could hinder it if he would or because he maketh good vse of the euill of men as he did in the sinnes of Iosephes brethren or because himselfe ruleth sinnes that they breake not out and rage more violentlie then is meete Saint Augustine in his Enchiridion saith After a wonderfull and vnspeakeable manner that is not done beside his wil which is done contrarie to his wil because it could not be done if he should not suffer it to be done and yet he doth not suffer it to be done vnwillinglie but willinglie neither would he being God suffer any euil to be done vnles being also almightie he could make good of euill Thus farre Augustine Other questions as whether god would haue Adam fall or whether he forced him to fall or why he did not hinder his fall and such like we account amongst curious questions vnlesse perchance the frowardnes of heretikes or of men otherwise importunate doe compell vs to open these points also out of the word of God as the godly Doctours of the Church haue often times done knowing that the Lord did forbid that man should not eate of
God that men especiallie might knowe themselues that they are conceiued and borne in sinne and that forthwith euen from their birth and by nature they are sinners full of lustes and euill inclinations For hereof it commeth that straight euen from the beginning of our age so forth in the wholl course of our life being stained ouercome with manie sins men doe in heart thoughtes and euil deedes breake and transgresse the commandements of God as it is written The Lorde looked downe from heauen to behold the children of men to see if there were aâ—â— that would vnderstand and seeke God all are gone out of the way they haue bene made altogether vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one And againe When the Lorde saw that the wickednes of man was great in the earth and all the cogitations of his heart were onelie euill continuallie And againe The 〈◊〉 saide the imagination of mans heart is euill euen from his youth And Saint Paull saith VVe were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Herewithall this is also taught that by reason of that corruption and deprauation common to all mankinde and for the sinne transgressions and iniustice which ensued thereof all men ought to acknowledge according to the holie scripture their owne iust condemnation and the horrible seuere vengeance of God and consequentlie the most deserued punishment of death and eternall torments in heâ— whereof Paull teacheth vs when he saith The wages of sinne is death And our Lord Christ They which haue done euill shal gâ—â— into the resurrection of condemnation that is into paines eternall Where shal be wailing and gnashing of teeth They teach also that we must acknowledge our weakenes and that great myserie which is ingendered in vs as also those difficulties from which no man can euer deliuer or ridde himselfe by any meanes or iustifie himselfe that is procure or get righteousnes to himselfe by any kinde of works deeds or exercises seeme they neuer so glorious For that wil of man which before was free is now so corrupted troubled and weakened that now from hence forth of it felfe and without the grace of God it cannot chuse iudge or wish fullie nay it hath no desire nor inclination much lesse any ability to chuse that good wherewith God is pleased For albeit it fell willinglie and of it owne accord yet by it selfe and by it owne strength it could not rise againe or recouer that fall neither to this daie without the mercifull helpe of God is it able to doe any thing at all And a litâ—â— after Neither can he which is man onelie and hath nothing aboue the reach of this our nature helpe an other in this point For since that originall sinne proceeding by inheritance possesseth the wholl nature and doth furiouslie rage therein and seeing that all men are sinners and doe want the grace and iustice of God therefore saith God by the mouth of the Prophet Esaias Put me in remembrance Let vs be iudged together count thou if thou haue any thing that thou may est be iustified thy first father hath sinned and thy interpreters that is they which teach thee iustice haue transgressed against me a litle before speaking of works in the seruice of god after the inuention of man he saith Thou hast not offered vnto me the Ramme of the burnt offrings neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices I haue not caused thee to serue with an offering nor wearied thee with incense And vnto the Hebrewes it is written Sacrifice offering and burnt offerings and sinne offerings thou wouldest not haue Neither didest thou approoue those things which were offered according to the law This also must we know that the Lord God for sinne doth permit and bring all kindes of afflictions miseries and vexations of minde in this life vpon all men such as are heat colde hunger thirst care and anguish sore laboures calamitie aduersitie dolefull times sword fire diseases griefes and at the last also that intollerable and bitter death whereby nature is ouerthrowen as it is written Thou shalt die the death Againe Cursed is the earth for thy sake in sorow shalt thou eate of it all the daies of thy life thornes also and thistles shall it bringforth to thee And yet it is taught that men must ought to beare all these punishments patientlie seeing that they owe vnto God haue deserued a farre more cruell punishment Yet they must not be so perswaded as though they deserued any thing by suffering this punishment or should receiue from God any grace or reward in recompense for the merit of these punishments seeing that Paull speaking of a much more worthie crosse and sufferings which the true beleuers take vppon them for Christs sake saith that they be not comparable to the glorie which shall be shewed vnto vs And these punishments are laied vpon vs are patientlie to be borne that we may acknowledge the greatnes of our sinne how greeuous a thing it is there withal our own weakenes needes and miserie and that by experience we may knâ—â— how wicked foull and bitter athing it is euen aboue all thâ— we are able to conceiue for a man to forsake the Lord 〈◊〉 God as saith the Prophet And moreouer that they whiâ— beeing plunged in these miseries and oppressed with these burthens may againe be stirred vp to repentance and â— seeke for fauour and helpe from God which is a father 〈◊〉 of mercie and compassion Howbeit this is also expresselie added that the laboures and torments which holie men doe suffer for the name of Christ that is in the cause of eternall saluation for the holie trueth of Christ are an acceptable and pleasant sacrifice to God and haue great and large promises especiallie in the life to come the which thing also did euen so fall out with Christ our heade of whome the epistle to the Hebrewes speaketh thus that for the ioy that was set before him he endured the crosse who also by himselfe consecrated and hallowed the crosse to them euen to this ende thaâ— those sufferings which we indure for Christ his names salâ—â— might be pleasant and acceptable vnto God OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION VVE beleeue that man being created pure and vpright and conformable to the image of God through his owne fault fell from that grace which he had receiued and therby did so estraunge him selfe from God the fountaine of all righteousnes and of all good things that his nature is become altogether defiled and being blinde iâ— spirit and corrupt in heart hath vtterlie lost all that integritic For although he can somewhat discerne betweene good and euill yet we affirme that whatsoeuer light he hath 〈◊〉 straightwaies becommeth darkenes when the question is of seeking God so that by his vnderstanding and reason he can neuer come to God Also although he be endued with
will whereby he is mooued to this or that yet insomuch as that is altogether capâ—iuated vnder sinne it hath no liberty at al to desire good but such as it hath receiued by grace and of the gift of god We beleeue that all the ofspring of Adame iâ— infected with this contagion which we call Originall some that is a steine spreading it selfe by propagation and not by imitation onelie as the Pelagians thought all whose errors we doe detest Neither doe we thinke it necessarie to search how this sinne may be deriued from one vnto an other For it is sufficient that those thinges which God gaue vnto Adam were not giuen to him alone but also to all his posteritie and therefore we in his person being depriued of all those good giftes are fallen into all this miserie and cursse We beleeue that this steine is indeed sinne because that it maketh all and euerie man not so much as those litle ones excepted which as yet lie hide in their mothers wombe guiltie of eternall death before God We also affirme that this staine euen after baptisme is in nature sin as concerning the fault howbeit they which are the children of God shall not therfore be condemned because that God of his gracious free goodnes and mercie doth not impute it to them Moreouer we saie that this frowardnes of nature doth alwaies bring forth some fruites of malice and rebellion in such sorte that euen they which are moste holie although they resist it yet are they defiled with manie infirmities and offences so long as they liue in this world OVT OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION WE saie also that euerie person is borne in sinne and leadeth his life in sinne that no bodie is hable trulic to saie His heart is cleane That the moste righteous person is but an vnprofitable seruant That the law of God is perfect and requireth of vs perfect and full Obedience That we are hable by no meanes to fulfill that law in this worldlie life that there is no mortall creature which can be iustified by his owne desertes in Gods sight OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BELGIA WE beleeue that God of the slime of the earth created man after his Image that is to saie good iust and holie who had power by his owne free will to frame and conforme his will vnto the will of God But when he was aduanced to honour he knew not neither did he wel vnderstand his excellent state but wittinglie and willinglie dâ—d make himselfe subiect to sinne and so consequentlie vnto eternall death and malediction whilst that giuing eareâ—o the wordes and subtelties of the deuill he did transgreâ—â—e that commaundement of life which he had receiued of the Lord and so did withdraw and alienate him-selfe from God his true life his nature being altogether defiled and corrupted by sinne whereby it came to passe that he made him selfe subiect both to corporall and to spirituall death Wherefore being made wicked and peruerse and also corrupt in all his waâ—es and endeauours he lost those excelleâ—â— giftes wherewith the Lord had adorned him so that there were but a few litle sparkes and small steps of those graces left in him the which notwithstanding are sufficient to leaue men without excuse because that what light soeuer we haue is turned into palpable darkenes euen as the scripture it selfe teacheth saying The light shined in darkenes 〈◊〉 the darkenes comprehended iâ— not For there Iohn doth manifestlie call men daâ—kenes Therefore whatsoeuer things are taught as touching mans free will we do worthelie reiect them seeing that man is the seruant of sinne neither 〈◊〉 he do anie thing of himselfe but as it is giuen him from heauâ—â— For who is so bolde as â—o bragge that he is able to performe whatsoeuer he listeth when as Christ him-selfe saith No man can come vnto me except my father which hath sent me dâ— draw him Who dare boast of his will which heareth that All the affections of the flesh are enmities against God Whoe will vaunt of his vnderstanding which knoweth that The naturall man can not perceiue the thinges of the spirit of God To conclude whoe is he that dare bring forth anie one cogitation of his owne which vnderstandeth this that we are not Able of our selues to thinke anie thing but That we are sufficient it is altogether of God Therefore that saying of the Apostle must needs remaine fiâ—me and steadfast It is God which worketh iâ— vs both to will and to doe euen of his good pleasure For no mans minde no mannes wil is able to rest in the wil of God wherin Christ himselfe hath wrought nothing before The which also he doth teach vs saying Without me ye can do â—â—thing We beleeue that thorough the disobedience of Adam the sinne that is called Originall hath beene spred and poured into all man kinde Now Originall sinne is a corruption of the whol nature and an hereditarie euill wherewith euen the verie infantes in their Mothers wombe arâ— polluted the which also as a moste noysome roote dâ—tâ—â— branch out moste aboundanlie all kinde of sinne in man and is so filthie and abominable in the sight of God that it alone is sufficient to the condemnation of all man-kinde Neither are we to beleeue that this sinne is by baptisme vtterlie extinguished or pluâ—ked vp by the rootes seeing that out of it as out of a coâ—rupt fountaine continuall floâ—des riuers of iniquitie do dailie spring and flow how be it to the children of God it doth not tend neither is it imputed to condemnation but of the meere fauour and mercie of God it is remitted vnto them not to this end that they trusting vnto this remission should be rocked a sleepe in securitie but that it may stirre vp often sighes in the faithfull by the sense and feeling of this corruption and that they should somewhat the more earnestlie desire To bedeliuered from this bodie of death Therefore we doe condemne the error of the Pelagians which affirme that this Originall sinne is nothing else but a certaine kinde of imitation OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE ALso they teach that after the fal of Adam al men descended one from another after a naturall manner haue originall sinne euen when they are borne We meane by originall sinne that which the holie fathers and all of sounde iudgement and learning in the Church doe so call namelie that guilt whereby all that come into the world are through Adams fall subiect to Gods wrath and eternall death and that verie corruption of mans nature deriued from Adam And this corruption of mans nature comprehendeth both the defect of originall iustice integritie or obedience and also concupiscence This defect is horrible blindnes and disobedience that is to witte to want that light and knowledge of God which should haue beene in our nature beeing perfect and to want that vprightnes that
of life if we communicate with Christ and he be oures and we his by a true faith Let this comfort vs in the temptation touching predestination then which there is none more daungerous that the promises of God are generall to the faithfull in that he saith Aske and ye shall receiue Euerie one that asketh receiueth and to conclude in that we praie with all the Church of God Our father which art in heauen and for that in baptisme we are ingrafted into the bodie of Christ and are fedde in his Church often times with his flesh and bloode vnto euerlasting life Thereby we being strengthned we are commaunded to worke our saluation with feare and trembling according to that precept of Paul OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BASILL HEreupon we confesse that God before he had created the worlde had chosen all those to whome he would freelie giue the inheritance of eternall blessednes OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION WE beleeue that out of this vniuersall corruption damnation wherein by nature all men are drowned God did deliuer and preserue some whome by his eternall and immutable counsell of his owne goodnes and mercie without anie respect of their workes he did chuse in Christ Iesus and others he left in that corruption and damnation in whome he might as well make manifest his iustice by condemning them iustlie in their time as also declare the riches of his mercie in the others For some are not better then others til such time as the Lord doth make a difference according to that immutable counsell which he had decreed in Christ Iesus before the creation of the worlde neither was anie man able by his owne strength to make an entrance for himselfe to that good seeing that of our nature we can not haue so much as one right motion affection or thought till God do freelie preuent vs and fashion vs to vprightnes OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BELGIA WE beleeue that God after that the wholl ofspring of Adam was casâ—e headlong into perdition and destruction thorough the fault of the first man hath declared and shewed himselfe to be such a one as he is indeed namelie both mercifull and iust Mercifull by deliuering and sauing those from condemnation and from death whome in his eternall counsell of his owne free goodnes he hath chosen in Iesus Christ our Lord without any regard at all of their worke but Iust in leauing others in that their fall and perdition whereinto they had throwen themselues headlong OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE THe confession of Auspurge doth so mention predestination in the 20. article the title wherof is De fide Of faith that it affirmeth it to be a needles thing to dispute of predestination in the doctrine of iustification by faith Which in what sorte it may be said we haue declared in the. 6. obseru vpon this confess sect 9. where these wordes of the confess are rehearsed Also the SAXON CONFESSION Doth in the same sense by the way make mention of Predestination and Election about the end of the third Article where it treateth of faith which parte we haue therefore placed in the 9. section THE SIXTH SECTION OF THE REPAIRING OR DELIVERANCE OF MAN FROM HIS FALL BY IESVS CHRIST ALONE AND OF HIS PERSON NATVRES OFFICE and the workes of Redemption THE FORMER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of Iesus Christ being true god and man and the onely sauiour of the world CHAP. II. MOreouer we beleuee and teach that the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ was from all eternitie predestinated and foreordâ—ined of the father to be the Sauiour of the world And we beleeue that he was begotten not onely then when he tooke flesh of the Virgine Mary nor yet a litle before the foundations of the world were laide but before all eternity that of the father after an vnspeakeable manner For Isaiah saith Who can tâ—l his generation And Micheah saith Whose egresse hath bin from euerlasting For Iohn saieth In the beginning was the worde and the worde was with God and God was the worde c. Therefore the Sonne is coequall and consubstantiall with the father as touching his diuinitie true God not by name onelie or by adoption or by special fauour but in substance nature Euen as the Apostle saith elsewhâ—re This is the true God and life euerlasting Paul also saieth He hath made his sonne the heire of al things by whom also he made the world The same is the brightnes of his glorie the ingraued fâ—â—me of his person bearing vp al things by his mighâ—â—e worde Likewise in the Gospell the Lorde himselfe saith Father glorifie 〈◊〉 me with thy selfe with the glorie which I had with the before the worlde was Also else where it is written in the Gospeli The â—eweâ— tought how to kill Iesus because he saide that God was his father making himselfe equal with God We therefore doe abhorre the blasphemous doctrine of Arrius and all the Arrians vttered against the Sonne of God And especiallie the blaspemies of Michaell Seruetus the Spanyarde and of his complices which Sathan by them hath as it were drawen out of hell moste boldelie and impiouslie spread abroade throughout the worlde against the Sonne of God We teach also and beleeue that the eternal sonne of the eternall God was made the sonne of man of the seede of Abraham Dauid not by the meane of any man as Hebion affirmed but that he was moste purely conceiued by the holie Ghost and was borne of Marie who was alwaies a Virgine euen as the historie of the Gospel doeth declare And Paul saith He took in no sort the Angels but the seed of Abraham And Iohn the Apostle saith He that beleeueth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of god The flesh of Christ therefore was neither flesh in shew onelie nor yet flesh brought from heauen as Valentine and Marcion dreamed Moâ—eouer our Lord Iesus Christ had not a soule without sense and reason as Apollinaris thought nor flesh without a sâ—â—le as Eunomius did teach but a soull with it reason and flesh with it senses by which senses he felt true griefes in the time of his passion euen as he himselfe witnesseth when he said My soule is heauie euen to death And My soule is troubled c. We acknowledge therfore that there be in one the same Iesus Christ our Lord two natures the deuine and the humane nature we say that these two are so conioyned or vnited that they are not swallowed vp confounded or mingled together but rather vnited or ioyned together in one person the proprieties of ech nature being safe and remaining still so that we do worship one Christ our Lord and nâ—â— two I say one true god man as touching his diuine nature of the same substance with the father as touching his humane nature of the same substance with vs
and Sauiour namelie his conception in the wombe of the Virgine Marie and his birth of her also for he was made the seede of the woman also his afflictions his rising againe from death his sitting at the right hand of God where he hath obtained the dignitie of a Priest and King of which thing the wholl life of Dauid was a certaine type for which cause the Lorde calleth himselfe another Dauid a Shepheard And this was the Gospell of those holy men before the law was giuen and since And Chapter the 6. a litle from the beginning For this is verie certaine that after the fall of Adam no man was able to set himselfe at libertie out of the bondage of sinne death and condemnation or come to be trulie reconciled vnto God but onelie by that one Mediator betweene God and man Christ Iesus through a liuelie faith in him who alone by his death and blood shedding tooke from vs that image of sinne and death and put vpon vs by faith the image of righteousnes and life For he made vnto vs of God wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption But firstmen are taught that these things are to be beleeued concerning Christ namelie that he is eternal of the nature of his heauenlie father the onelie begotten sonne begotten from enerlasting and so together with the Father and the holie Ghost one true and indiuisible God the eternall not created worde the brightnes and the Image or ingrauen forme of the person of his Father by whome all thinges as well those thinges which maie be seene as those which can not be seene and those thinges which are in heauen and those which are in the earth were made and created Moreouer that he is also a true and natural man our brother in verie deed who hath a soule and a bodie that is true and perfect humane nature which by the power of the holie Ghost he tooke without all sinne of Marie a pure Virgine according as S. Iohn saith The worde was made flesh And thus of these two natures their properties not being changed nor confounded yet by a wonderfull communication thereof there is made one indiuisible person one Christ Immanuell our King and priest our redeemer our Mediatour and perfect reconciler full of grace and trueth so that of his fullnes we all doe take grace for grace For the law was giuen by Moses but grace and trueth was giuen and exhibited by Iesus Christ being God and man in one person This grace and trueth are our men taught to acknowledge and by faith to beholde in all those sauing and wonderful works or affections of Christ which according to the meaning of the holie Scripture are by a stead fast faith to be beleeued and professed such as are his comming downe from heauen his conception birth torments death buriall refurrection ascension vnto heauen sitting at the right hand of God and his comming againe from thence to iudge both the quicke the dead In these principal affections as in a chest wherin treasure is kept are al those holsome fruits of our true iustification laide vp and are taken out from thence for the elect and those which doe beleeue that in Spirit and conscience they may be partakers thereof through faith which all hereafter at the daie of our ioyfull resurrection shall be fullie and perfectlie bestowed vpon vs. And towardes the ende of that Sixth Chapter these words are added In this Chapter also particularlie and for necessarie causes to shunne and auoide many pernicious and Antichristian deceites it is taught concerning Christe his presence namelie that our Lorde Christ according to his bodely coÌ„uersation is not amongest vs any longer in this worlde neither wil be vnto the ende of the worlde in such sort and manner as he was here conuersant amongest vs in his mortalitie and wherein he was betraied and circumcised nor yet in the forme of his glorified bodie which he got at his resurrection and in the which he appeared to his disciples the forâ—â—eth day after his resurrection departing from them ascended manifestly into heauen For after this manner of his presence companie he is in the high place with his father in heauen where al tongues professe him to be the Lord and euerie faithful one of Christ must beleeue that he is there worship him there according to the scriptures as also that part of the Catholike Christian faith doth expresselie witnes which is this He ascended into heauen he sitteth as the right hand of God the father almightie Also that other article from thence shal he come that is from an higher place out of heauen with his Angells is iudge both the quick the dead So doth Paul also say The Lord himselfe shall descend from heauen with a shoute and with the voice of an Archangell and with the trumpet of God And S. Peter saith Whom heauen must coÌ„taine vntil the time that al things be restored And the Euangelist Marke But when the Lord had spoken with theÌ„ he was taken vp againe into heauen sitteth at the right hand of God And the Angels which were there present whe he was taken vp into heauen said This Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shal so come againe as you haue seene him go into heaueÌ„ Furthermore this also doe our men teach that the selfe same Christ verie God and verie man is also with vs herein this worlde but after a diuerse manner from that kinde of presence which we named before that is after a certaine spirituall manner not obiect to our eies but such a one as is hid from vs which the flesh doth not perceiue and yet it is verie necessarie for vs to our saluation that we may be partakers of him whereby he offereth and communicateth himselfe vnto vs that he may dwell in vs and we in him and this truelie he doth by the holie Ghost whome in his owne place that is in steede of his owne presence whereby he was bodelie amongst vs he promised that he would send vnto his Church and that he would stil abide with it by the same spirit in vertue grace and his holsome trueth at al times euen vntill the ende of the worlde when he said thus It is good for you that I go hence for except I go hences the comforter will not come vnto you but if I goe away I wil send him vnto you And againe I wil praie the father and he shal giue you another comforter that is another kinde of comforter then I am that he may abide iâ— you for euer euen the spirit of trueth whome the worlde cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwellesh in you shal be in you I wil not leaue you comforth but I wil come to you namelie by the selfe same spirit of trueth Now then euen as our Lord Christ
the sacraments the which is prooued by that sentence of the moste excellent Apostle Saint Paul For Christ sent me not to Baptize that is not chieflie to do this but to preach the Gospell For onelie through the pure Gospell and the preaching thereof is faith sowed inwardlie in the heart by the holie Ghost and from thence also must we conceiue and seeke the true meaning of God and Christ touching all thinges necessarie to saluation and also touching the sacramentes them-selues Amongst those who by reason of their age are able to vse their vnderstanding it is of necessitie that the preaching of the Gospell go before the receiuing of the sacramentes Wherof we maie see an euident proofe in those three thowsand which were conuerted by Peter also in Cornelius in the Chamberlaine we maie see that according to the example of Phillippe the question is thus to be made Doest thou beleeue with all thy heart Then it maie be that thou who hast true faith grafted in thy heart maiest receiue profit by the participation of the sacraments For without the hearing of the word of God which is the sauing power of God no man shall wittinglie attaine vnto faith and saluation according to that saying of Paull Therfore faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God And againe How shall they beleeue in him of whome they haue not heard Therefore herein our preachers endeuour them selues moste earnestlie that in our Ecclesiastical meetings they maie propound vnto the people the sincere word of God without all mixture or inuentious of men For which cause also they do by an auncient custome recite in the mother and vulgare tongue which maie be vnderstood of all not onelie those Chapters which are appointed to be read out of the gospell at certaine times but also all other partes of holie scripture and do exhort the people with an earnest desire to heare the word oâ— God and to frequent those Ecclesiasticall meetings that by the diligent teaching of the Gospell and by often repeating it in their sermons they maie first teach the people repentance and faith and then the vse and administration of the sacraments and by this meanes prepare them to the right receiuing of the sacraments afterwardes also boâ—â— whilest the sacraments be administred and after they be administred they doe conuenientlie instruct them in all those thinges which the Lord commaunded and chieflie in those things which doe appertaine to the leading of an honest life and such a one as beseemeth a Christian profession as Christ saith Teach them to keepe all things which I 〈◊〉 commaunded you In this place also it is taught verie diligentlie and as the matter requireth touching the difference which is to be obserued betwixt the worde or doctrine and worke of the lawe and betwixt the worde and force of the holie Gospell The worde or ministerie of the lawe and of the olde Testament is the worde of death feare and of the letter also the worde of wrath and the worde of malediction but the worde of the new Testament that is of the holie Gospell is the ministerie of faith and the spirit of cleerenes or glorie through our Lord Iesus Christ the worde of grace of the new couenant the worde of comfort and the messenger of peace Of them both the Apostle writeth thus The letter killeth but the spirit quickneth And Christ saith The wordes which I speake 〈◊〉 spirit and life Also there is mention made of the vse of the 〈◊〉 law in the fourth Chapter of this confession beginning with these wordes This doctrine of the true knowledge of sinne c. 〈◊〉 is to be seene before in the fourth Section whereunto all that Chapter apperteineth OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION WE beleeue that all the figures of the law are takes awaie by the comming of Chist howbeit we are assured that the truth and substance of them doth abide iâ— him in whome they are all fulfilled Yet we must vse the doctrine of the law and the Prophets both to frame our life aright and also that we may so much the more be confirmed in the promises of the Gospell OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BELGIA WE beleeue that all the ceremonies figures and shadows of the law haue ceased at the comming of Christ so that now euen the vse of them ought to be taken away abolished among Christians Yet in the mean time the truth substance of them doth remaine to vs in Christ in whome they are all fulfilled And therfore we doe still vse the testimonies of the law the Prophets to confirme our selues in the doctrine of the gospell and to lead an honest life vnto Gods glorie according to his will THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE doth by the way mention the doctrine of the Gospell of the end thereof in the 4. and 5. Articles which we haue placed in the ninth Section wherein iustification and remission of sinnes by faith in Christ is handled OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SAXONY ANd that the benefittes of this Mediatour might be knowen vnto mankinde and applied vnto vs there was a promise giuen straight in the beginning after the fal of our first parents and afterwardes often times repeated and by voice of the Prophets declared but moste cleerely was it recited by the verie Sonne and afterwardes by the Apostles And there was a ministery instituted to teach and to spread abroade that promise also there was a Church made and often renued by the same very voice touching the Sonne of God our attonement By this mynisterie the Sonne of God alwaies was is and shall be effectuall in the beleeuers as it is saide Rom. 1. The Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beleeueth And he doth renue this ministerie when he saith As my Father sent me so doe I send you also Go preach repentance remission of sinnes in my name He wil that sin should be reprooued in all mankind as he saith The spirit shall reprooue the world of sinne because they beleeue not in â—ee And Rom. 1. The wrath of God is reueiled from heauen against all vngodlines and vnrighteousnes of men God will haue his wrath to be acknowledged against all sinne and chieflie against the contempt of the Sonne as he saith in the Psalme Kisse the Sonne lest he be angrie and so ye perish from the waie c. He wil haue vs truelie to be put in great feare by the knowledge of our darkenes of our horrible wickednes and our stubbernes And truelie God himselfe doth amazâ— our heartes with the sense of his anger as Ezechiah saitâ— Like a Lyon he brake all my bones And to this iudgement 〈◊〉 doth not onelie vse the voice of the ministerie of the lawâ— and of the Gospell but also all calamities be as it were the voice of the lawe admonishing vs of the wrath of God 〈◊〉 calling vs to repentance Now when the minde is
submission of the minde by their confession and inuocation to turne vnto the Lord and by faith in Iesus Christ our Lorde to conceiue sure and vndoubted trust in his mercie to hold fast the apprehended promise and to relie whollie thereon and seeing they haue no righteousnes of themselues earnestlie and faithfullie to desire of the diuine grace that God would haue mercie on them vouchsafe of his grace to forgiue them their sinnes for the Sonne and his pretious merites sake who was made an attonement or reconciliation for sinne yea also a cursse that he might make or consecrate vs as holie vnto God For to such men that they may be stirred vp to the greater confidence that sure and pretious promise is propounded and by preaching ought to be propounded whereby the Lord doth saie Call vpon me iâ— the daie of trouble and I will deliuer thee and this they ought to doe as often as they haue neede and so long as they liue Hereof the iudgement of Saint Augustine is extant Lib. 1. de Penitentia Cap. 1. No man can well meditate of repentance except he be perswaded of the mercie of God toward him or as he saith but he that shall hope for indulgence Now al men which do truelie repent them of their sinnes in regarde thereof are sorowfull and mislike themselues ought to cease from the coÌ„mitting of euil learne to do that which is good for so writeth Esai in that place wherin he exhorteth to repentance And Iohn Baptist in the like sort admonishing the people saith See that you bring forth or do the 〈◊〉 worthie of repentance which doth chieflie consist in mortification or putting of the old man in putting on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes c. as the Apostolike doctrine doth signifie Moreouer the penitent are taught to come to the Phisitians of their soules and before them to confesse their sinnes to God yet no man is commaunded or vrged to tell and reckon vp his sinnes but this thing is therefore vsed that by this meane euerie one maie declare their griefe wherewith they be troubled and how much they mislike them-selues for their sinnes and maie peculiarlie desire and know that they obteine of their God counsell and doctrine how they maie hereafter auoid them and get instruction and comfort for their troubled consciences and absolution by the power of the Keies and remission of sinnes by the ministerie of the Gospell instituted of Christ and when these things are performed to them of the ministers they ought to receiue them at their handes with confidence as a thing appointed of God to profit and to doe seruice vnto them for their sauing health without doubting to enioy the remission of their sinnes according to the word of the Lord whose sinnes you remit they are remitted And they relying vpon this vndoubted faith ought to be certaine and of a resolute minde that through the ministerie of those keies concerning the power of Christ and his word all their sinnes be forgiuen them And therfore they which by this meanes and order obteine a quiet and ioyfull conscience ought to shew them-selues thankfull for this heauenlie bountifullnes in Christ neither must they receiue it in vaine or returne againe to their sinnes according to that faithful exhortation of Christ wherein he commaundeth vs to take heede Beholde then art made wholl sinne nomore lest a worsse thing happen vnto thee And see that thou sinne no more Now the foundation whereon the whol vertue and efficacie of this sauing repentance doth stay it selfe is the merit of the torments of the death and resurrection of our Lord and sauiour whereof he him selfe saith These thinges it behooued Christ to suffer and to rise againe the third daie and that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name to all people And againe Repent and beleeue the Gospell Also they teach that they whose sinne is publike and therefore a publike offence ought to giue an externall testimonie of their repentance when God doth giue them the spirit of repentance and that for this cause that it maie be an argument and testimonie whereby it may be prooued or made euident that the sinners which haue fallen and do repent do truelie conuert them selues also that it maie be a token of their reconciliation with the Church and their neighbour and an example vnto others which they maie feare and reuerence Last of all the wholl matter is shut vp with this or such like clause of admonition That euerie one shal be condemned whosoeuer he be which in this life doth not repent in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ according to that sentence pronounced by Christ Except ye repent ye shall al in like sort perish as they did who were slaine with the fall of the tower of Silo. Hitherto also perteineth that parte of the same confession which treateth Of the time of grace CHAP. 20. FVrthermore among all other thinges they teach concerning the time of grace and the fatherly visitation that men maie learne to consider that all that time of age they lead in this life is giuen them of God to be a time of grace in the which they maie seeke their Lord and God his grace and mercie and that they maie be loued of him and by this meanes obteine here their saluation in Christ whereof the Apostle also made mention in his sermon which he preached at Athens saying God hath assigned vnto man the times which were ordeined before and the bandes of their habitations that they should seeke the Lord if so be they might haue groped after him and found him And by the Prophet Esaie the Lorde saith In an acceptable time hâ—â—e I heard thee and in the daie of saluation haue I helped thee Beholde now saith Saint Paull is the acceptable time no◠〈◊〉 the daie of saluation Therefore at all times the people be admonished that whilest they liue on the earth and are in good health and haue in their hands and do presentlie enioy the time of grace offered by God they would truelie repent and beginne the amendment of their life and reconcile themselues to God that they would stirre vp their conscience by faith in Christ and quiet it by the ministerie of the Gospell in the Church and herein confirme themselues that God is mercifull vnto them and remitteth all their sinnes for Christ his sake Therefore when they are confirmed in this grace which is offred them to establish confirme their calling do faithfullie exercise themselues in good works then at the length they are also in an assured hope to looke for a comfortable end they must certenlie persuade theÌ„selues that they shal assuredlie be caried by the Angels into heauen eternall rest as was the soule of that godlie Lazarus that they maie be there where their Lord and redeemer Iesus
Christ is and that afterward in the daie of resurrection this soule shall be ioyned againe with the bodie to take full possession of that ioy and eternall glorie which can not be expressed in words For they shall not câ—â—e into condemnation but by making a waie through it they shall passe from death into life The epistle to the Hebrewes to stirre vs vp to vse such exhortations saieth Exhort your selues among your selues exhort ye one another dailie so long as it is said to daie Let no man among you be hardned by the deceit of sinne For we enter into the rest which haue beleeued that is which haue obeied the voice of God while wee had time giuen vs. On the other side we must also holde this moste assuredlie that if anie man beeing polluted with sinnes and filthie deedes manifestlie contrarie to vertue do in dying departe out of this worlde without true repentance and faith that his soule shall certainlie goe into hell as did the soule of that rich man who wanted faith in the bottomeles pit whereof there is no droppe of grace and that in the daie of iudgement that moste terrible voice of the Sonne of God sounding in his eares shall be heard wherein he shall saie Departe from me ye curssed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Deuill and his Angells for they which haue done euill shall come forth to the resurrection of iudgement Therefore in teaching they doe continuallie vrge this that no man differ repentance and turning vnto God till he come to be olde or till he lieth sicke in his bed and in the meane time doe boldelie practise his wantonnes in sins and in the desires of the flesh and the world because it is written Doe not saie The aboundant mercie of the Lord will purge my sinnes for mercie and wrath doe hasten with him and his indignation shall lie vpon the sinners Make no tarying to turne vnto the Lord and put not of from daie to daie For suddenlie shall the wrath of the Lorde breake forth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in time of vengeance But that especiallie is a moste daungerous thing if anie man after he hath receiued the gift of the grace of God and that in the testimonie of a good conscience doth of set purpose and wantonlie sinne and contemne and make no account of all those exhortations and allurements proceeding ouâ— of a louing heart and that to this ende that he maie in time thinke on that which is for his health and repent and moreouer doth persist in a bold and blind perswasion of the mercie of God and trusting thereto doth sinne and doth confidentlie abuse it and goeth forward in that sort withouâ— repentance euen vnto the last pinch and then beginneâ—h being forced thereunto by the terrours of death and the feare of infernall punishments so late to conuert himselfe and to call for the mercie of the Lorde as when the seuere and intollerable anger of the Lord waâ—eth hotâ—â— and punishments rush and breake foorth as doth the great violence of floodes which can not be resisted Therefore of such a man which thing we speake with sorowe it is hard to beleeue that he can trulie repent and therefore it is to be doubted lest that be fulfilled in him which the Lord doth threaten by the Prophet Micheas That insteed of grace he shall feele the wrath of God and that it will come to passe that the wrath of God shall sley him For in a fearefull speach doth he saie thus Then shall they crie to the Lord but he will not heare them but he will hide his face foâ— them at that time because they haue continuallie liued wickedlie Yea the Lord himselfe saith Although they crie in mine 〈◊〉 with a loude voice yet will I not heare them seeing they would noâ— heare my voice when as all the daie long I spread out my hands to them and gaue them large time and space for grace For the which cause the holie Ghost crieth out and saith Todaie if ye will heare his voice harden not your hartes as in the giâ—uing in the daie of that tentation in the wildernes Therefore according to all these thinges our men doe diligentlie and out of the groundes of the Scripture exhort that euerie man do in time vse and follow this faithful counsell and necessarie doctrine that so he maie turne awaie the feare of this moste heauie daunger yea that he doe not betraie the health of his owne soule For vndoubtedly this horrible daunger is greatlie to be feared lest whatsoeuer here that doth rashlie or stubbornelie condemne or neglect this time of grace so louinglie graunted of the Lord he doe receiue and that worthelie that rewarde of eternall punishment which is due thereunto euen as saint Ambrose also amongst manie other thinges which he handleth diuerslie to this purpose doth thus write and in these wordes If any man at the verie point of death shall repent and be absolued for this could not be denied vnto him so departing out of this life dieth I dare not saie that he departeth hence in good case I do not affirme it neither dare I affirme or promise it to anie man because I would deceiue no man seeing I haue no certeintie of him Doe I therefore saie that be shall be damned neither doe I saie that he shall be deliuered For what other thing I should say I know not Let him be commended to God Wilt thou then O brother be freed from doubting repent whiles thou art in health If thou will repent when thou canst not sin thy sinnes haue left thee and not thou thy sinnes Yet that no man maie dispaire they teach this also that if anie man in the last hower of his life shew out signes of true repentance which thing doth fall out verie seldome for that is certainlie true which is written in the epistle to the Hebrues And this will we also doe so that God giue vs leaue to doe it that such a one is not to be depriued of instruction comforte absolution or remission of sinnes For the time of grace doth last so long as this lise doth last wherfore so long as we liue here it is meete that we should thinke of that Propheticall and Apostolicall sentence To daie seeing yee haue heard his voice harden not your heartes Now herein doe our men labour and endeuour them selues moste earnestlie that all men maie obeie this louing commaundement and counsell and that they speedelie repent before the sunne be darkened after a strange manner and the hilles be ouerwhelmed with darknes that laying sinne aside they would turne them selues to god by flying vnto him in true confidence and with a constant inuocation from the bottome of the heart and that they do their faithful indeuour that they be not repelled from the glorie of eternall life but that they maie liue with Christ
because that our workes seeme they neuer so good cannot stand vpright before the seuere tribunal seat of God Neither are we ignorant that some doubt of the mercie and fauour of God doth alwaies cleaue to our flesh so long as we liue in the bodie But seeing that God doth promise vnto vs his free mercie for Christ his Sonnes sake and doth require of vs that we doe obedientlie beleeue the Gospell of his sonne he therewith also doth require that we mortifie the doubting of the flesh and haue a moste assured affiance in his mercie that we doe not accuse his promise to be so full of deceit as we are of doubting And that we maie conceiue sure confidence therein he placed our saluation not in the merites of our righteousnes which is vnperfect but onelie in the merites of his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ whose righteousnes as it is moste perfect so is it moste firme and constant in the iudgement of God Mar. 1. Repent and beleeue the Gospell He commaundeth vs to beleeue the Gospell which declareth vnto vs the certaine fauour of God toward vs for Christ his sake therefore he will not haue vs to doubt of his fauour toward vs but that we maie conceiue sure considence thereof Ioan 6. This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in him whome the Father hath sent If God require of vs that we beleeue in his Sonne certeinlie he would not haue vs to doubt but that we put our sure confidence in him Iames. 1. If anie of you want wisdome let him aske of him which giueth it namelie of God who giueth I saie to all men without exception vpbraideth not and it shall be giuen him but let him aske with confidence nothing doubting Hilarie saith The kingdome of heauen which the Prophets foreshewed Iohn preached and our Lord professed to consist in him selfe he will haue vs to hope for without anie doubting of a wauering will Otherwise iustification through faith is none at all if faith itselfe be doubtfull And Augustine saith He that doth dispaire of the pardon of his sinnes doth denie that God is mercifull he that doth distrust of the mercie of God doth great iniurie vnto God and as much as in him lieth he denieth that God hath loue trueth and power in which thinges all our hope doth consist Sixtus saith He which is doubtfull in faith is an infidell Wherefore we thinke that they who counsell vs to doubt of the fauour of God towards vs doe â—ot onelie dissent from the true iudgement of the Catholike Church but also prouide verie ill for the saluation of the Church Of Satisfaction CHAP. 15. AS touching satisfaction we beleeue and confesse that the alone passion and death of the onelie begotten sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ is a satisfaction for our sinnes and that this satisfaction of Christ is offered and applied to vs by the ministerie of the Gospell and is receiued of vs by faith We also confesse that after the satisfaction of Christ is applied and by faith receiued we ought necessarily to doe those good workes which God hath commaunded not that by them we might purge our sinnes before God but that we might bring forth good fruites of repentance and testifie our thankefullnes For as touching praier fasting giuing of almes such like works we thinke that they are diligentlie to be performed yet that they haue a farre other vse then that they should by their merites either satisfie God for our sinnes or applie vnto vs the merite of Christ OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Of Confession CHAP. 20. SEeing that true confession of sinnes and such as hath it beginning from godlines can be performed of no man whome his repentance and true sorow of minde doth not force thereunto it cannot be wrested out by anie precept Wherefore neither Christ himselfe nor the Apostles would commaund it Therfore for this cause our preachers doe exhort men to confesse their sinnes and therewithall they shew what fruit ariseth hereof that a man should secretlie seeke for comforte counsell doctrine instruction and at the hands of a man that is a Christian and wise yet by commaundement they vrge no man but doe rather affirme that such commaundements doe hinder godlines For that constitution of confessing sinnes vnto a priest hath driuen infinite soules vnto desperation and is subiect to so manie corruptions that of late it ought to haue bene abrogated and without doubt had bene abrogated if the gouernours of Churches of late time had burned with so great a zeale to remooue awaie stumbling blookes as in times past Nestorius the Bishoppe of Constantinople did burne who did vtterlie abolish secret confession in his Church because that a certaine noble woman going often to Church vnder pretence of doing the workes of repentance was deprehended to haue to doe with a Deacon Infinite such vndoubted sinnes were committed euerie where Moreouer the Pontifical laws do require that the hearer iudge of confession should be so holie learned wise mercifull that a man can hardlie finde out especiallie among those that are commonlie appointed to heare confessions to whom he might confesse him selfe And now the Schoolmen doe thinke that it is better to confesse sinnes to a laie man then to that Priest by whome we maie not looke to be edified in godlines This is the summe That confession bringeth more hurt then profit which sound repentance true sorow of the minde for sinnes committed doth not wring out Therfore seeing this is the gift of god alone that we maie repent of our sinnes be truelie sorowfull for that we haue sinned nothing that maie turne to saluation can be done in this matter by commaundementes as hath hitherto bene too too manifest euen by experience THE NINTH SECTION OF IVSTIFICATION BY FAITH AND OF good workes and their Rewards THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of the true Iustification of the faithfull CHAP. 15. TO iustifie in the Apostles disputation touching iustification doth signifie to remitte sinnes to absolue from the faulte and the punishment therof to receiue into fauour to pronounce a man iuste For the Apostle saith to the Rom. God is he that iustifieth who is he that can condemne Where to Iustifie and to condemne are opposed And in the Actes of the Apostles the Apostle saith Through Christ is preached vnto you forgiuenes of sinnes and from all things from which ye could not be iustified by the lawe of Moses by him euery one that beleueth is iustified For the lawe also in and in the Prophets we reade that If a controuersie were risen amongst anie and they came 〈◊〉 iudgement the Iudge should iudge them that is iustifie the righteous and make wicked or condemne the wicked And in the 5. chapter of Isaiah woe to them which iustifie the wicked for rewards Now it is most certaine that we are all by nature sinners and before the iudgement seat of God conuicted of
vngodlines and guiltie of death But we are iustified that is acquitted from sinne and death by God the iudge through the grace of Christ alone and not by any respect or merit of ours For what is more plaine then that which Paule saieth All haue sinned and are destitute of the glorie of God and are iustified freelie by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus For Christ tooke vpon him selfe and bare the sinnes of the world and did satisfie the iustice of God God therfore is mercifull vnto our sinnes for Christ alone that suffred and rose againe and doth not impute them vnto vs. But he imputeth the iustice of Christ vnto vs for our owne so that now we are not onely clensed from sinne and purged and holie but also indued with the righteousnes of Christ yea and acquitted from sinne death and condemnation finallie we are righteous and heires of eternall life To speake properlie then it is God alone that iustifieth vs and that onelie for Christ by not imputing vnto vs our sinnes but imputing Christes righteousnes vnto vs. But because we doe receiue this iustification not by anie works but by faith in the mercie of god and in Christ therefore we teach and beleeue with the Apostle that sinnefull man is iustified onelie by faith in Christ not by the lawe or by anie workes For the Apostle saith We conclude that man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law If Abraham was iustified by workes he hath whereof to boast but not with God For that saith the scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes But to him that worketh not but beleueeth in him that iustifieth the vngodlie his faith is counted for righteousnes And againe You are saued by grace through saith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Not by workes lest anie might haue cause to boast c. Therefore because saith doth apprehend Christ our righteousnes aâ—â— doth attribute al to the praise of god in Christ in this respect 〈…〉 is attributed to faith chieflie because of Christ whome it receiueth and not because it is a work of ours For it is the gift of God Now that we doe receiue Christ by faith the Lord sheweth at large Ioa. 6. where he putteth eating for beleeuing and beleeuing for eating For as by eating we receiue meat so by beleeuing we are made partakers of Christ Therefore we doe not parte the benefite of iustification giuing part to the grace of God or to Christ a part to our selues our charitie workes or merit but we doe attribute it whollie to the praise of God in Christ and that through faith Moreouer our charitie and our workes cannot pleaâ—e God if they be done of such as are not iust wherfore we 〈◊〉 first be iust before we can loue or doe anie iust workes We are made iust as we haue said through faith in Christ â— the meere grace of God who doth not impute vnto vs oâ— sinnes but imputeth vnto vs the righteousnes of Christ yeâ— and our faith in Christ he imputeth for righteousnes vnâ—â— vs. Moreouer the Apostle doth plainelie deriue loâ— from faith saying The ende of the commaundement is loue prceeding from a pure heart a good conscience and a faith vnfeineâ— Wherefore in this matter we speake not of a fained vaine or dead faith but of a liuely and quicking faith which for Christ who is life and giueth life whome it apprehendeth both is in deed and is so called a liuelie faith doth prooue it selfe to be liuelie by liuely workes And therefore Iames doth speake nothinge contrarie to this our doctrine for he speaketh of a vaine and dead faith which certaine braggeâ— of but had not Christ liuing within them by faith Aâ—â— Iames also saieth that workes doe iustifie yet is he not contrarie to Saint Paull for then he were to be reiected but he sheweth that Abraham did shew his liuelie and iustifying faith by workes And so doe all the godlie who yet trust 〈◊〉 Christ alone not to their owne works For the Apostle said againe I liue howbeit not I but Christ liueth in me But the 〈◊〉 which now I liue in the flesh I liue through the faith of the sonne of God who loued me gaue himselfe for me I do not despise the gâ—â—â— of God for if righteousnes be by the law then Christ died in vain c. Of Faith and good workes Of their rewarde and of mans merit CHAP. 16. CHristian faith is not an opinion or humane persuasion but a sure trust and an euident and steadfast assent of the minde to be briefe a moste sure comprehensiâ—e of the trueth of God set forth in the scriptures and in the Apostles Creede yea and of God himselfe the chiefe blessednes and especiallie of Gods promise and of Christ who iâ— the consummation of all the promises And this faith is thâ—â—eere gift of God because God alone of his power doeth giue it to his elect according to measure and that when to whome and how much he will and that by his holie spirit through the meanes of preaching the Gospell and of faithfull praier This faith hath also her increases which vnles they were likewise giuen of God the Apostles would neuer haue saide Lord increase our saith Now all these thinges which we haue saide hitherto of faith the Apostles taught them before vs euen as we set them downe for Paul saieth Faith is the grounde or sure subsistence of things hoped for and the euidence or cleare and certeine comprehension of things which are not sâ—â—â—e And againe he saith that all the promises of God in Christ are yea and in Christ are Amen And the same Apostle saith to the Philippians that it was giuen them to beleeue in Christ And also God doeth distribute vnto euerie man a measure of faith And againe All men haue not faith and al doe not obey the Gospel Besides Luke witnesseth and saith As many as were ordeined to life beleeued And therefore he also calleth faith The faith of Gods elect And againe Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of god And in an other place he willeth meÌ„ to praie for faith And the same also calleth Faith Powreful and that sheweth it selfe by loue This faith doth pacifie the conscience and doth open vnto vs a free accesse vnto God that with confidence we maie come vnto him and may obteine at his handes whatsoeuer is profitable and necessarie The same faith doth keepe vs in our dutie which we owe to God and to our neighbour and doth fortifie our patience in aduersitie it doth frame and make a true confession and in a worde it doth bring forth good fruite of all sorts and good workes which are good in deede doe proceede from a liuely faith by the holie Ghost and are done of the faithfull according to the will or
iustifie to them he doth giue the holie Ghost and by him he doth first regenerate them as he promiseth by the Prophet saying I will giue them a new heart and I will put my spirit in the middest of them that as before sinne had reigned in them to death so also then grace might reigne by righteousnes vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ And this is the communion or participation of the grace of God the father of the merit of Iesus Christ our Lorde and of the sanctification of the holie Ghost this is the lawe of faith the lawe of the spirit and life written by the holie Ghost But the liuelie and neuer drying spring of this iustification is our Lorde Iesus Christ alone by those his sauing workes that is which giue saluation from whome all holie men from the beginning of the world as well before the law was published and vnder the lawe and the discipline thereof as also after the lawe haue and doe drawe haue and doe receiue saluation or remission of their sinnes by faith in the moste comfortable promise of the gospell and doe applie and approper it as peculiar to themselues onelie for the sole death of Christ and his bloodshedding to the full and perfect abolishing of their sinnes and the clensing from them all whereof we haue manle testimonies in the Scripture Holie Peter before the wholl councell at Hierusalem doth prooue by sound arguments that Saluation is not to be found in any other then in Christ Iesus alone that vnder this large cope of heauen there is no other name giuen vnto men whereby we maie be saued And in another place he appealeth to the consenting voyces and testimonies of all the Prophets who spake with one minde and by one spirit as it were by one mouth and thus he saide As touching this Iesus all the Prophets beare witnes that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes And to the Hebrwes it is written He hath by himselfe purged our sinnes and againe We haue redemption through his blood euen the remission of sins And S Iohn saith we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous he is the propitiation or attonement for our sinnes and not for ours onlie but also for the sinnes of the wholl world And againe to the Hebrewes We are sanctified by the offering of the bodie of Iesus Christ once made and a litle after he addeth with one onlie offering hath he consecrated for euer them that are sanctified namely of God by the spirit of God Therfore al sinners and such as are penitent ought to flie incontinentlie thorough their wholl life to our Lord Christ alone for remission of their sinnes and euerie sauing grace according to that in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Seeing that 〈◊〉 haue a great high Priest euen Iesus the Sonne of God which is entered into heauen let vs holde fast this profession which is concerning Christ our Lord and straight way he addeth Let vs therefore goe boldlie vnto the throne of grace that we maie receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede Also Christ him selfe crying out saith He that thirsteth let him come to me and drinke And in an other place He that commeth vnto me shal not hunger he that beleeueth in me shal neuer thirst Now they that attaine to this iustification by Christ our Lord are taught to take vnto themselues true and assured comfort out of this grace bountie of God to enioy a good quiet conscience before God to be certaine of their owne saluation and to haue it confirmed to them by this meanes that seeing they are here the sonnes of God they shall also after death in the resurrection be made heires In the meane time they ought both to desire to be brought to this that they maie receiue the fruit of perfect saluation and also cheerefullie to looke for it with that confidence according to the promise of the Lord that such shall not come into iudgement but that by making awaie they haue alreadie passed from death into life Of al other points of doctrine we account this the chiefest and weightiest as that wherein the summe of the Gospell doth consist Christianitie is founded and the pretious and most noble treasure of eternall saluation the onelie and liuelie comforte proceeding from God is comprehended Therefore herein our preachers doe labour especiallie that they maie well instruct the hartes of men in this point of doctrine so sowe it that it maie take deepe root Of good workes and a Christian life CHAP. 7. IN the seuenth place we teach that they whoe are made righteous and acceptable to God by faith alone in Christ Iesus that by the grace of God without any merits ought in the wholl course of their life that followeth both all together iointlie euerie one particularlie according as the order condition age and place of euery one doth require to performe and exercise those good works and holie actions which are commaunded of God euen as God commaundeth when he saith Teach them to obserue all thinges which I haue commaunded you Now these good workes or holie actions are not certaine affections deuised of flesh and bloode for such the Lorde forbiddeth but they are expresselie shewed and propounded vnto vs by the spirit of God to do the which God doth binde vs the rule and chiefe square whereof God himselfe is in his word for so he saith by the Prophet Walke not in the commaundements of your Fathers and keepe not their iudgements and defile not your selues with their Idoles I am Iehouah your God walke ye in my commaundementes and keepe my iudgements and doe them Likewise Christ saieth Teach them those thinges which I haue commaunded you Therefore the 10. commaundements and loue which by faith workeâ—h righteousnes on the right hand on the left hand as well toward God as toward our neighbour is a certaine summe a most streight square a most artificiall shaping or description of all good workes Now an example of this square is the moste holie life of Christ whereof he himselfe saith Learne of me because I am meeke and humble in heart And what other thing would he teach by vttering those eight sentences of happines then to shewe what manner of life the true children of God ought to lead and what be the works which God hath commaunded Therefore according to these thinges they reach with all care and diligence touching the difference which is to be knowen and kept betwixt those works which are deuised and taught of men and those which are commaunded of God Those workes which are commaunded of God ought not to be interrmitted for humane traditions For Christ doth grieuoslie reprehend this in them that doe otherwise in the Pharises saying Why doe you transgresse the commaundements of God for your traditions And
farre disagree from the Apostolike and Catholike doctrine who teach that man is made acceptable to God and accounted iust before god for those vertues and that when we come to stand before god in iudgement we must trust to the merittes of these vertues For man is made acceptable to god and counted iust before him for the onelie sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ through faith and when we appeare before the iudgement seate of God we must not trust to the merit of anie of those vertues which we haue but onelie to the merit of our Lorde Iesus Christ whose merit is ours by faith And because that before the tribunall seat of God where the question is of true and eternal righteousnes and saluation there is no place at al for the merites of men but onelie for the mercie of god and the merites of our Lord Iesus Christ alone who is receiued of vs by faith therefore we think that the auncient Fathers our Elders said truelie that we are iustified before god by faith alone Rom. 3. All haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloode Galat. 3. The Scripture hath concluded al vnder sinne that the promise by the Faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue And Cap. 5. We thorough the spirit waite for the hope of righteousnes through faith For in Christ Iesus neither Circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue Hilarie saieth It offendeth the Scribes that man should forgiue sinne for they beheldâ— nothing but man in Iesus Christ and that he should forgiue that which the law could not release For faith alone doth iustifie Ambrose saith They are iustified freelie because that workeing nothing nor requitting any thing by faith alone they are iustified by the gift of God And againe They are euidentlie blessed whose iniquities are forgiuen without any labour or work and whose sins are couered no helpe of repentance beeing required of them but onelie this that they beleeue Manie places might be alledged as well out of the writinges of the Prophettes and Apostles as out of the holie Fathers whereby it is prooued that not onelie in the beginning through the free mercie of god these vertues to wit Faith hope and loue are giuen vnto vs but also afterward throughout our wholl life and that in our extreame necessitie we are not able to stand before the seuere tribunal seat of god but in the confidence of the onelie free fauour of god shewed vnto vs in Christ the Sonne of god For this is that both which Paul teacheth and the Ecclesiasticall writers doe interpret That we are iustified before god by faith alone Of good workes CHAP. 7. WE saie that good workes commaunded of god are necessarilie to be done and that through the free mercie of god they do deserue certaine their own either corporal or spiritual rewardes But we must not think that in the iudgement of god where the question is concerning the purging of our sins the appeasing of the wrath of god and the merit of eternall saluation we should trust to those good works which we do For al the good works which we do are vnperfect neither caÌ„ they susteine the seuerity of the iudgement of god but al our confidence is to be placed in the onelie mercie of god for his Sonne our Lord Iesus 〈…〉 his sake Psalm 142. Enter not into iudgement with 〈…〉 no flesh liuing shall be iustified in thy sight Galat. 5. 〈…〉 luâ—â—eth against the Spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrarie one to the other so that ye cannot doe those 〈…〉 â—e woulde Rom. 7. I know that in me that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good Don. 9. We doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnes but for thy great tender mercies Augustine saith Woe to the life of man be is neuer so â—ommâ—ndable if thou examine iâ— setting thy mercie aside And againe All my hope is in the death of my Lorde His death is my meriâ—te my refuge saluation life and my resurrection The mercie of the Lorde is my meriâ—te I am not without merit so long as the Lorde of mercies is not wanting And if the mercies of the Lorde he manie I abound in merittes Gregorie saith Therefore our righteous Aduocate shall defend vs in the daie of iudgement because we know and accuse our selues to be vniust Therefore let vs not trust to our teares nor to our actions but to the alledgeing of our Aduocate Bernard saith Our reioycing is this the testimonie of our conscience not such a testimonie as that proude Pharisie had his thought being seduced and seducing him giuing witnes of himselfe and his witnes was not true But then is the witnes true when the spirit beareth witnes with our spirit Now I beleeue that this testimonie consisteth in three thinges For first of all it is necessarie to beleeue that thou canst not haue remission of sinnes but through the fauour of God Secondlie that thou canst haue no good worke at all except the also giue it to thee Lastlie that thou canst not deserue eternall life by anie workes except that also be giuen thee freelie OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Of Iustification and of Faith CHAP. 3. OVr preachers doe somewhat differ from the late receiued opinions about those things which the people were commonly taught concerning the meane wherby wee are made partakers of the redemption wrought by Christ and touching the dueties of a christian man Those points which we haue followed we will indeauour to lay open moste plainely to your sacred Maiestie and also to declare verie faithfullie those places of Scripture by which we were forced hereunto First therefore seeing that we were taught of late yeares that workes were necessarily required to iustification our preachers haue taught that this wholl iustification is to be ascribed to the good pleasure of God and to the meritte of Christ and to be receiued by Faith alone To this they were mooued especiallie by these places of Scripture As manie as receiued him to them he gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name which are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Ioh. 1. Verilie verilie I saie vnto you except a man be borne againe a new he cannot see the kingdome of God Ioh. 3. No man knoweth the Sonne but the Father neither knoweth anie man the Father but the Sonne and he to whome the Sonne will reueale him Mat. 11. Blessed arâ— thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and blood hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen Mat. 16. No man can come to me except my Father draw
of a Christian man and to what actions he ought chiefelie to giue him selfe namelie to all those wherby euerie one for his parte maie profit his neighbours and that first in things pertaining to life eternall that they also maie begin to know worship and feare god and then in thinges pertaining to this life that they maie want nothing which is necessarie to the sustenance of the bodie For as the wholl lawe of god which is a moste absolute commaundement of all righteousnes is breiflie contained in this one word Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe so in the performance of this loue it is necessarie that all righteousnes should be comprised and perfited Whereupon it followeth that nothing at all is to be reckoned among the duties of a Christian man which is not of force and effect to profit our neighbour and euerie worke is so much the more belonging to the dutie of Christian man by how much his neighbour maie the more be profited thereby Therefore next after Ecclesiasticall functions among the chiefe duties of a Christian man we place the gouernment of the Common we ale obedience to Magistrates for these be referred to the common profit that care which is taken for our wife children familie and the honour which is due to parents because that without these the life of man cannot consist and lastlie the profession of good artes and of al honest discipline because that except these be had in estimation we shall be destitute of the greatest good thinges which are proper to mankinde Yet in these and all other duties pertaining to mans life no man must rashlie take anie thing to him selfe but with a right conscience consider whereunto God doth call him To conclude let euerie man account that his duty and that so much the more excellent a duety the more that he shall profit other men thereby THE TENTH SECTION OF THE HOHOLIE CATHOLIKE CHVRCH THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of the Catholike Church of God and of the heade of the Church CHAP. 17. FOrasmuch as God from the beginning would haue men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the truth therefore it is necessarie that alwaies from the beginning at this daie and to the ende of the worlde there should be a Church that is a companie of the faithfull called and gathered out of the world a communion I saie of all Saints that is of them who doe truelie know and rightlie worship and serue the true God in Iesus Christ the Sauiour by the worde and the holie spirit and which by faith are partakers of all those good graces which are freelie offered thorough Christ These all are Cytizens of one and the same Citie liuing vnder one Lord vnder the same lawes and in the same fellowship of al good things for so the Apostle calleth them fellow Cytizens with the Saints and of the householde of God tearming the faithfull vpon the earth Saints who are sanctified by the blood of the Sonne of God Of these is that article of our Creede wholly to be vnderstoode I beleeue the Catholike Church the common ion of Saintes And seeing that there is alwaies but one God and one Mediatour between God man Iesus Christ also one shepheard of the wholl flocke one head of this bodie and to conclude one spirit one saluation one faith one Testament or couenant it followeth necessarily that there is but one Church which we therefore call Catholike because it is vniuersall spread abroade thorough al the partes and quarters of the worlde reacheth vnto all times and is not limited within the compasse either of time or place Here therefore we must condemne the Donatists who pinned vp the Church within the corners of Aphricke neither doe wee allowe of the Romane cleargy who vaunte that the Church of Rome alone in a manner is Catholike The Church is diuided by some into diuers partes or diuerse sortes not that it is rent and diuided from it selfe but rather distinguished in respect of the diuersitie of the members that be in it One parte therefore they make to be the Church militant the other the Church triumphant The militant warreth still on the earth and fighteth against the flesh the world and the prince of the world the deuill and against sinne and death The other beeing allready set at libertie is now in heauen and triumpheth ouer al those beeing ouercome and continuallie reioiceth before the Lord. Yet these two churches haue notwithstanding a communion and fellowship betweene them-selues The Church militant vpon the earth hath euer more had in it many particuler Churches which must all notwithstanding be referred to the vnitie of the Catholike Church This militant Church was otherwise ordered gouerned before the law among the Patriarkes otherwise vnder Moses by the law and otherwise of Christ by the gospell There are but two sortes of people for the most parte mentioned to witte the Israelites and the gentiles o◠they which of the Iewes and gentiles were gathered to make a Church There be also two testaments the olde and the new Yet both these sortes of people haue had and still haue one fellowship one saluation in one and the same Messiah in whome as members of one bode they are all ioyned together vnder one heade and by one faith are all partakers of one and the same spirituall meat and drink Yet here we do acknowledge a diuersitie of times and a diuersitie in the pledges and signes of Christ promised and exhibited and that now the ceremonies beeing abolished the light shineth vnto vs more cleerlie our giftes and graces are more aboundant and out libertie is more full and ample This holy Church of god is called the house of the liuing 〈◊〉 builded of liuing and spirituall stones founded vpon a rocke that can not be remooued vpon a foundation besides which none can b◠laied Whereupon it is called the pillar and foundation of the truth that doth not erre so long as it relieth vpon the rock Christ and vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles And no maruell if it do erre so often as it forsaketh him who is the alone trueth This Church is also called a virgine and the spouse of Christ and his onelie beloued For the Apostle saith I haue ioyned you vnto one husband that I might present you a chast virgine vnto Christ The Church is called a flocke of sheepe vnder one shepheard euen Christ Ezec. 34. Ioh. 10. also the bodie of Christ because the faithfull are the liuelie members of Christ hauing him for their head It is the head which hath the preheminence in the body and from whence the wholl bodie receiueth life by whose spirit it is gouerned in al thinges of whome also it receiueth increase that it may grow vp Also there is but one heade of the bodie which hath agreement with the bodie And therfore the church cannot haue any other heade beside Christ For as the
themselues from the bodie of Christ Yet notwithstanding because that in Papacie there be some small tokens of a Church and the substance especiallie of Baptisme hath remained the efficacie whereof doth not depende vpon him by whome it is ministred we confesse that they which are there baptized neede not to be baptized the second time howbeit by reason of the corruptions which are mingled therewith no man can offer infants there to be baptized but that he must defile him selfe OVT OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION WE beleeue that there is one Church of God and that the same is not shute vp as in times past emong the Iewes into some one corner or kingdome but that it is Catholike and vniuersall and dispersed throughout the wholl world So that there is now no nation which maie truelie complaine that they be shut forth and maie not be one of the Church and people of God and that this Church is the kingdome the bodie and the spouse of Christ that Christ alone is the Prince of this kingdome that Christ alone is the head of this bodie and that Christ alone is the Bridegrome of this Spouse OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BELGIA Wâ— beleeue and confesse that there is one Catholike or Vniuersall Church which is the true congregation or companie of all faithfull Christians which doe looke for their whol saluation from Christ alone in as much as they be washed in his bloode and sanctified and sealed by his spirit Furthermore as this Church hath beene from the beginning of the worlde so it shall continue vnto the ende thereof The which appeareth by this that Christ is our eternall King who can neuer be without subiects This Church God doth defend against all the fury and force of the world although for a small time it may seeme to be verie little and as it were vtterlie extinguished to the sight of man euen as in the perilous time of Aâ—hab God is saide to haue reserued to himselfe seauen thousand men which bowed not their kâ—â—e to Baall To conclude this holie Church is not situated oâ— limited in any set or certaine place nor yet bound and tied to any certaine and peculiar persons but spread ouer the face of the wholl earth though in minde and will by one and the same spirit through the power of faith it be wholly ioyned and vnited together We beleeue that seeing this holie company and congregation consisteth of those that are to be saued and out of it there is no saluation therefore no man of how great dignitie and preheminence so euer ought to separate and sunder himselfe from it that beeing contented with his owne solitarie estate he should liue apart by himselfe But on the contrarie side that all and euerie one are bound to associate themselues to this companie carefullie to preserue the vnitie of the Church to submit himselfe both to the doctrine discipline of the same finallie to put his necke willinglie vnder the yoke of Christ as common members of the same bodie to seeke the edification of their brethren according to the measure of gifts which God hath bestowed vppon euery one Moreouer to the end that these things may the better be obserued it is the part and duety of euery faithful man to separat himselfe according to gods word froÌ„ all those which are without the church to couple himselfe vnto this coÌ„pany of the faithful whersoeuer god hath placed it yea though contrarie edicts of Princes and Magistrates do forbid them vpon paine of corporall death presently to ensue vpon all those which doe the same Whosoeuer therefore doe either depart from the 〈◊〉 Church oâ— refuse to ioyne themselues vnto it doe openlie resist the commaundement of God We beleeue that with great diligence and wisedome it ought to be searched and examined by the worde of God what the true Church is seeing that all the Sectes that at this daie haue sprung vp in the worlde doe vsurpe and falselie pretend the name and title of the Church Yet here we doe not speakâ— of the companie of hypocrites which together with the good are mingled in the Church though properly they â—â—e not pertaine to the Church wherin they are oneliâ—e present with their bodies but onely of the manner how to distinguish the bodie congregation of the true Church from all other Sects which doe falslie boast that they be the members of the Church Wherefore the true Church may be disâ—erned from the false by these notes First if the pure preaching of the Gospell doe florish in it if 〈◊〉 haue 〈…〉 administration of the sacraments according tâ— Christ his institution if it doe vse the right Ecclesiasticall 〈◊〉 for the restraining of vice Finallie to knit vp 〈…〉 word if it do square all thinges to the rule of Gods word refusing whatsoeuer is contrarie to it acknowledgeing Christ to be the onely head of the same By these notes I saie it is certaine that the true Church maie be discerned From the which it is not lawfull for any man to be seuered Now who be the true members of this true Church it maie be gathered by these markes and tokens which be common to al Christians such is faith by the vertue whereof hauing once apprehended Christ the onelie Sauiour they doe flie sinne and follow righteousnes louing the true God and their neighbours without turning either to the right hand or to the left and doe crucifie their flesh with the effectes thereof not as if no infirmity at all remained still within them but because they doe sight al their life long against the flesh by the power of the spirit hauing of ten recourse vnto the bloode death passion obedience of our Lord Christ as vnto a most safe refuge in whome alone they are assured to finde redemption for their sins through faith in him But on the other side the false Church doth alwaies attribute more vnto her selfe to her owne decrees and traditions then to the worde of God and will not suffer her selfe to be subiect to the yoke of Christ neither doth administer the Sacraments so as Christ hath prescribed but at her owne wil and pleasure doth one while adde vnto them another while detract from them Furthermore she doth alwaies leane more to men then to Christ and whosoeuer do goe about to leade a holie life according to the prescript rule of gods word whosoeuer doth rebuke and reprooue her faults as her couetousnes and Idolatry those shee doth persecute with a deadlie hatred By these markes therefore it is easie to discerne and distinguish both these Churches the one from the other OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE ALso they teach that there is one holy Church that shal continue alwaies Now to speake properlie the Church of Christ is a congregation of the members of Christ that is of the Saintes which doe truelie beleeue and rightlie obeie Christ though in this life there be manie wicked ones and
forbad vnto his all dominion and highlie commended humility In deed there is one kinde of power which is a meere and absolute power called the power of right According to this power all things in the wholl worlde are subiect vnto Christ who is Lorde of al euen as he himselfe witnesseth saying All power is giuen vnto me in heauen and in earth And againe I am the first and the last and beholde I liue for euer and I haue the keies of hell and of death Againe He hath the keie of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth shutteth and 〈◊〉 man openeth This power the Lord reserueth to himselfe and doth not transferre it to anie other that he might sit idlie by and looke on his ministers while they wrought For Isaiah saieth I will put the keie of the house of Dauid vpon his shoulder And againe Whose gouernement shall be vpon his shoulders For he doth not lay the gouernement on other mens shoulders but doth still keepe and vse his owne power thereby gouerning all things Furthermore there is an other power of duetie or ministeriall power limited â—ut by him who hath ful and absolute power and authoritie And this is more like a ministerie then dominion For we see that some Master doth giue vnto the steward of his house authority and power ouer his house and for that cause deliuereth him his keies that he may admit or exclude such as his Master will haue admitted or excluded According to this power doth the minister by his office that which the Lord hath commaunded him to doe and the Lord doth ratifie and confirme that which he doth and will haue the deedes of his ministers to be acknowledged and esteemed as his owne deedes vnto which ende are those speaches in the Gospell I will giue vnto thee the keies of the Kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou bindest or loosest in earth shall be bound and loosed in heauen Againe Whose sinnes soeuer ye remit they shal beremitted and whose sinnes soeuer yea retaine they shal be retained But if the the minister deale not in all things as his Lorde hath commaunded him but passe the limits and bondes of faith then the Lord doth make voyd that which he doth Wherfore the Ecclesiasticall power of the ministers of the Church is that function whereby they doe indeed gouerne the Church of god but yet so as they do al things in the Church as he hath prescribed in his word which things being so done the faithfull doe esteeme them as done of the Lorde himselfe but touching the keies we haue spoken somewhat before Now the power that is giuen to the Ministers of the Church is the same alike in all in the beginning the Bishops or Elders did with a common consent labour gouerne the Church no man lifted vp himselfe aboue an other none vsurped greater power or authority ouer his fellow Bishops for they remembred the wordes of the Lord He which will be the cheifest among you let him be your seruant they kept in themselues by humilitie and did mutuallie aid one another in the gouernement and preseruation of the Church NotwithstaÌ„ding for orders sake some one of the ministers called the assemblie together propounded vnto the assemblie the matters to be consulted of gathered together the voices or sentences of the rest and to be briefe as much as lay in him prouided that there might arise no confusion So did S. Peter as we read in the Acts who yet for all that was neither aboue the rest nor had greater authoritie then the rest Veriâ— true therefore is that saying of Cyprian the Martyr in his book De simpl Cler. The same doubtles were the rest of the Apostles that Peter was hauing an equall fellowship with him both in honoâ—â— and power but the beginning hereof proceedeth from vnity to signifie vnto vs that there is but one Church Saint Ierom vpon the epistle of Paull to Titus hath a sayingnot much vnlike this Before that by the instinct of the deuil there was partaking in religion the Churches were gouerned by the common aduise of the Priests but after that euery one thought that those whome he had baptized were his own not Christs It was decreed that one of the priests should bâ— chosen set ouer the rest who should haue the care of the whol church laide vpon him and by whose meanes al schismes should be remoued Yet Ierom doeth not auouch this as an order set downe of God For straight waie after he addeth Euen as saith he the priests knew by the continuall custome of the Church that they were subiect to him that is set ouer them So the Bishops must know that they are aboue the priests rather by custome then by the prescript rule of Gods truth they should haue the gouernement of the Church in common with them Thus farre Ierome Now therefore no man can forbid by any right that we may returne to the olde appointement of God and rather receiue that then the custome deuised by men The offices of the ministers are diuers yet notwithstanding moste men doe restreine them to two in which all the rest are comprehended to the teaching of the Gospell of Christ and to the lawfull administration of the Sacraments For it is the duetie of the ministers to gather together a holie assemblie therein to expound the worde of God and also to applie the generall doctrine to the state and vse of the Church to the end that the doctrine which they teach maie profit the hearers and maie build vp the faithfull The ministers duetie I saie is to teach the vnlearned and to exhort yea and to vrge them to goe forward in the waie of the Lord who do stand stil or linger and go flowlie forwarde moreouer to comfort and to strengthen those which are fainthearted and to arme them against the manifold temptations of Sathan to rebuke offenders to bring home them that goe astraie to raise vp them that are fallen to conuince the gainsaiers to chase awaie the wolfe from the Lordes flocke to rebuke wickednes and wicked men wiselie and seuerelie not to winke at nor to passe ouer great wickednes and besides to administer the sacraments to commend the right vse of them to prepare al men by holsome doctrine to receiue them to keep together all the faithful in an holie vnity to meete with schismes To conclude to catechise the ignorant to commend the necessitie of the poore to the Church to visit instruct those that are sick or intangled with diuers temptations so to keep them in the way of life Lasty to looke diligently that there be publike praiers supplications made in time of necessity together with fasting that is an holy abstinency most carefully to look to those things which belong to the tranquillity safe tie and peace of the Church And to the ende that the minister maie performe al these thinges the
come to yeares ought to do their endeuour that they may learne to acknowledge and know what holie Baptisme is and therewithall the Catholike and Christian faith without which Baptisme auaileth nothing to the end that afterward when they do desire to be partakers of the Lord his Supper they may with their owne mouthes and of their owne accorde make profession of their faith and may renew their sanctification by which they were consecrated to the Lord. And such that is which are thus instructed our ministers receiue vnto this couenant of holie Baptisme and by the laying on of hands do testify to them that grace is conteined in baptisme to strengthen them to the warfarre of faith and so after a conuenient and godlie manner and with vse of pure ceremonies and such as are profitable to edifying they bring them to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper without any reiteration of Baptisme as there are euident tokens and examples to be seene of this matter in the primitiue Church which is the true and best maistresse of the posterie and goeing before leadeth vs the waie For if so be that a man should euen after a true manner enioy the Baptisme of Christ and should by meanes hereof be buried with Christ into his death to newnes of life if afterward his life beeing prolonged he should not according to the doctrine of the holie Gospell shew forth a true and liuelie faith in Iesus Christ brotherlie loue towardes all those that are consecrated to the Lorde and so should leade a life vnworthie his place or calling and vnworthy of God and his neighbour and should not in baptisme conceiue a liuelie hope of life euerlasting such a one should assuredlie giue certaine testimonie of himselfe that he had in vaine receiued grace in holie Baptisme wherein the name of the holie Trinitie was called on ouer him the which thing God the Lord as his worde declareth suffereth by no meanes to escape vnreuenged or vnpunished OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION WE acknowledge that there be two onelie Sacraments common to the wholl Church whereof the the first is Baptisme the which is giuen to vs to testifie our adoption because that therein we are ingrafted into Christs bodie that being washed in his bloode we maie also be renued to holines of life by his Spirit This also we saie Although we are baptized but once yet the fruit of Baptisme doth pertaine to the wholl course of our life that this promise to wit that Christ wil alwaies be vnto vs sanctifi ation iustification maie be sealed vp in vs with a sure and firme seale Further more although Baptisme be a sacrament of faith and repentance yet seeing that God doth together with the Parentes account their posteritie also to be of the Church we affirme that infantes being borne of holie parents are by the authoritie of Christ to be baptized We saie therefore that the element of water be it neuer so fraile doth notwithstanding truelie witnes or confirme vnto vs the inward washing of our soules in the bloode of Iesus Christ by the vertue and efficacie of the holie ghost OVT OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION WE saie that baptisme is a sacrament of the remission of sinnes and of that washing which we haue in the blood of Christ and that no person which will professe Christes name ought to be restrained or kept backe there from no not the verie babes of Christians forsomuch as they be borne in sinne and pertaine vnto the people of God OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BELGIA WE beleeue and confesse that Iesus Christ which is the ende of the law hath by his owne blood shedding made an ende of all other propitiatorie sacrifice for sinnes Also that Circumcision which was done by blood being abolished he hath instituted Baptisme in the place therof whereby we are receiued into the Church of god and separated from all other nations and all kinde of straunge religions being consecrated vnto him alone whose badge and cognisance we weare Finallie Baptisme is a token vnto vs that he wilb our God for euer whoe also is our gratious father Therefore the Lord hath commaunded all his to be baptized with pure water In the name of the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost To signifie that the bloode of Christ doth internallie through the operation of the Spirit performe effect that in the soule which water doth externallie worke in the bodies For as water being poured vpon vs and appeering in the bodie of him that is baptized moistning the same doth wash awaie the filthines of the body so the blood of Christ washing the soule doth clense it from sinne and doth make vs the sonnes of God which before were the children of wrath Not that this materiall water doth these things but the sprinckling of the precious blood of the Son of God which is vnto vs as the read sea where though we must passe that we may depart from the tyranny of Pharoh that is the Deuill and enter into the spirituall lande of Canaan Therfore the ministers verilie doe deliuer vnto vs the sacramentes and the visible thing but it is the Lorde himself that giueth it vnto vs that is represented by the sacrament namelie the giftes and inuisible graces washing purifying and clensing our soules from all spottes and iniquiries renuing in like manner and filling our heartes with all comforte and to conclude giuing vnto vs a certaine persuasion of his Fatherlie goodnes clothing vs with the new man and putting of the old man with all his deeds For these causes doe we beleeue that euerie one that desireth to obtaine eternall life ought to be baptized with one baptisme and that once alone which neuer afterwardes is to be iterated seeing that we cannot be borne twise Neither doeth this baptisme profit vs onelie at that moment when the water resteth vpon vs when we are sprinckled with it but it is auaileable throughout the wholl time of our life Therefore here we doe detâ—st the errour of the Anabaptistes whoe are not onelie content with one only baptisme and that once receiued but doe also condemne the Baptisme of infants yea of those that be borne of faithfull Parentes but we by the same reason doe beleeue that they ought to be baptized and sealed with the signe of the couenant for the which in time past the infants amongst the Israelites were circumcised that is by reason of the same promises made vnto our infantes that were made vnto others And verilie Christ hath no lesse shed his blood to wash the infantes of the faithfull then he did for the washing of those that are of riper yeres Therefore it is meet that that they should receiue the signe or sacrament of the thing which Christ hath wrought for their sakes as in the law the Lord commaundeth that the sacrament of the death and passion of Christ should be communicated to children new borne by offering vp the lambe
came downe from heauen euen Iesus Christ who nourisheth and sustaineth the spirituall life of the faithfull if he be eaten that is applied and receiued by faith through the Spirit But to the intent that Christ might figurate represent vnto vs this spirituall and heauenlie bread he hath ordeined visible and earthlie bread and wine for the Sacrament of his bodie and â—â—ode whereby he testifieth that as truelie as we doe receiue and holde in our handes this signe eating the same with our mouthes whereby afterwardes this our life is sustained so truelie we doe by faith which is in â—â—eâ—de of our soule hand and mouth receiue the verie bodie and true blood of Christ our onelie Sauiour in our selues vnto the conseruation and cherishing of a spirituall life within vs. And it is moste certaine that Christ not without good cause doth so carefullie commend vnto vs this his Sacrament as one that doth indeede worke that within vs whatsoeuer he representeth vnto vs by these his holie signes although the manner it selfe beeing farre aboue the teach of our capacitie can not be comprehended of any because that all the operations of the holie Ghost are hidden and incomprehensible Neither shall we erre in saying that that which is eaten is the verie natural body of Christ and that which is drunkâ— is the verie bloode of Christ yet the instrument or meanes whereby we doe eate and drinke them is not a corporall mouth but euen our soule and spirit that by faith Christ therefore sitteth alwaies at the right hand of his Father in heauen and yet for al that doth not any thing the lesse communicate himselfe vnto vs by faith Furthermore this Supper is the spiritual table wherein Christ doth offer himselfe to vs with all his benefites to be participated of vs and bringeth to passe that in it we are partakers as well of himselfe as of the merit of his death and passion For he himselfe by the eating of his flesh doth nourish strengthen comfort our miserable afflicted and comfortles soule and in like manner by the drinking of his bloode doth refresh and sustaine the same Moreouer although the signes be coupled with the things signified yet both of them are not receiued of all For an euill man verely receiueth the Sacrament vnto his owne condemnation but the thing or truth of the Sacrament he receiueth not As for example Iudas and Simon Magus both of them did receiue the Sacramentall signe but as for Christ himselfe signified thereby they receiued him not For Christ is communicated to the faithfull onelie Last of al we with great humilitie and reuerence doe communicate the holie Sacrament in that assemblie of Gods people celebrating the memoriall of our Sauiour Christs death with thankesgiuing and making there a publique confession of Christian faith and religion No man therefore ought to present himselfe at this holie Supper which hath not first examined himselfe lest that eating this bread and drinking of this cuppe he doe eat and drinke his owne damnation Moreouer by the vse of this Sacrament a most ardent loue is kindled within vs both towardes God himselfe and also towardes our neighbour Therefore we doe here worthelie reiect as a meere prophanation all the toies and damnable deuises of men which they haue presâ—med to adde and mingle with the Sacramentes affirming that all the godlie are content with that onelie order and rite which Christ and his Apostles haue deliuered vnto vs and that they ought to speake of these mysteries after the same manner as the Apostles haue spoken before OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE The 2 Article out of the edition of Wirtemberge Anno. 1531. TOuching the Supper of the Lord they teach that the bodie and bloode of Christ are there present in deede and are distributed to those that eate of the Lord 〈◊〉 Supper and they condemne those that teach otherwise The same 10. article in the edition newlie corrected anno 1540. is thus set downe TOuching the Supper of the Lorde they teach that together with the bread and the wine the bodie and blood of Christ are trulie exhibited to them that eate of the Lords Supper Hitherto also pertaineth the first article of the abuses which are chaunged in the outward rites and ceremonies This article is of the Masse OVr Churches are wrongfullie accused to haue abolished the Masse For the Masse is retained still among vs celebrated with great reuerence Yea almost all the ceremonies that are in vse sauing that with the songes in Latine we mingle certein Psalmes in Dutch here and there which be added for the peoples instruction For therfore we haue need of ceremonies that the may teach the vnlearned that the Preaching of Gods word maie stirre vp some vnto the true feare trust and inuocation of God This is not onlie commaunded by S. Paul to vse a tongue that the people vnderstand but mans law hath also appointed it We vse the people to receiue the sacrament together if so be anie be found fit thereunto And that is a thing that doth increase the reuerence and due estimation of the publike ceremonies For none are admitted except they be first prooued and tried Besides we vse to put men in minde of the worthines and vse of a sacrament what great comforte it offereth vnto them which repent to the ende that men maie learne to feare God and beleeue in him and to vse praier supplication vnto him looking for all good thinges at his hands This is the true worshippe of Christians These seruices of feare faith praier hope c. God doth like of When therfore these seruices are performed and exercised in the vse of ceremonies then doth the vsing of the sacramentes please God So that when as the people is vsed to the ceremonie and aduertised of the true vse thereof the Masses are saide with vs after meet and godlie manner And thus all things are ordered in the Church with greater grauitie and reuerence then in times past It is not vnknowen that these manie ages past there hath beene common and open complaint made by good men of the abuse and prophaning of Masses For it is easie to be seene how farre this abuse hath spread it selfe in all temples and Churches what kinde of men they are that saie the Masses flat contrarie to the prescript of the Canons Also how shamefullie they are turned 〈◊〉 a matter of cursed lucre For manie there be that say Masses without repentance onelie for the bellies sake Theâ— thinges are too open and manifest to be kept anie longer â— hugger mugger Surelie it semeth that neuer anie religion thing since the world began was so commonlie turned 〈◊〉 gaine as the Masse But Saint Paull doth fearefullie threaten them which deale otherwise with the sacraments thee is beseeming the dignitie of them where he saith He that â—â—â—th this bread and drinketh this cup vnworthely is guiltie of the bâ—â—
vs the Masse hath the example of the Church out of the Scripture and the Fathers we hope that it cannot be disliked especiallie for that our publike ceremonies are kept of vs for the moste parte alike vnto the vsual ceremonies onelie the number of Masses is not alike the which by reason of verie great and manifest abuses it were certainelie farre better to be moderated For in times past also in the Churches whreunto was greatest resort it was not the vse to haue masse saide euerie daie as the Tripartite historie lib. 9. cap. 38. doth witnes Againe saith he in Alexandria euery fourth and sixth day of the weeke the scriptures are read and the Doctours do interpret them and all other things are done also except onelie the solemne manner of oblaion 〈◊〉 offering Of both kindes of the Sacrcament ANd because that we doe celebrate the common masse that the people maie vnderstand that they also are sanctified through the blood of Christ and learne the true vse of this ceremonie either part of the Sacrament in the Supper of the Lorde is giuen to the Laitie because the Sacrament was instituted not onelie for a part of the Church namelie for Priests but also for the rest of the Church And therefore the people doth vse the Sacrament as Christ appointed it And certainelie Christ saieth Math. 26. Drinke yee all of this where he saieth manifestlie concerning the cuppe that all should drinke And that no man might cauill that it doth onlie appertaine to the Priests the ordinance of Paul to the Corinthians doth witnes that the wholl Church did in common vse either parte This custome remained a long time euen in the latter Churches neither is it certaine when or by what author it was chaunged Cyprian in certaine places doth witnes that the bloode was giuen to the people for thus he writeth to Cornelius the Pope How do we teach or prouoke them to shed their bloode in the confession of his name if we denie the bloode of Christ to them which 〈◊〉 in this warfare or how shall we make them fit for the cuppe of Martyrdome if we doe not first admit them by the right of communication to drinke in the Church the cuppe of the Lorde And Ierome saith The Priestes doe minister the Eucharist and deuide the blood of the Lord to the people In the Decrees there is a Canon of Pope Gelasius which forbideth the Sacrament to be deuided these be the wordes We do vnderstand that certaine men hauing receiued the portion of the holie bodie onelie do abstaine from the Cuppe of the holie bloode whoe because that I know not by what superstition they are taught to be tied hereunto either let them vnfeignedlie receiue the wholl Sacramentes or let them be put backe from the wholl Sacramentes because that one and the selfe same mystery cannot be deuided without great sacriledge In the Tripartite Historie it is written in the reprehension of Theodosius the Emperour whome Ambrose would not admit to the communion without repentance because that at Thessalonia he had too grieuoslie reuenged the death of a few Souldiers which were slaine in an vprour and had murthered seauen thousand Citizens here saith Ambrose How canst thou with these hands receiue the holybody of the Lord with what rashnes canâ—â— thou take into thy mouth the Cuppe of that holy blood c. Therefore it is euident that it was the custome of the auncient Church to geue either parte of the Sacrament to the people onelie a new start vp custome doth take awaie one parte from the people Here we will not dispute what men are to think concerning a receiued custom contrarie to the authoritie of the Apostolique Scripture contrarie to the canons and contrary to the example of the Primitiue Church For all godlie men doe vnderstand that touching Christian doctrine consciences are to aske counsell at the word of the Lord that no custom is to be alowed which is contrary to the word of God And although in the Latine Church custome hath chaunged the auncient manner yet it doth not disalowe or forbid it neither in deed ought humane authority to forbid the ordinance of Christ and the most receiued custome of the auncient Church Therefore we haue not thought it good to forbid the vse of the wholl Sacrament and in that ceremonie which ought to be the coâ—enant of mutual loue in he Church we woulde not contrary to charitie be hard to other mens consciences which had rather vse the wholl Sacrament neither did we thinke that any crueltie should be vsed in that matter but so much as in vs lieth together with the ceremony we haue restored the holy doctrine touching the fruit of the ceremonie that the people may vnderstand how the Sacrament is laid before them to comfort the consciencies of them that do repent This doctrine doth allure the godly to the vse and reuerence of the Sacrament For not onelie the ceremony was before maimed but also the chief doctrine touching the fruit therof was vtterlie neglected And peraduenture the maiming of the ceremonie did signifie that the Gospell touching the bloode of Christ that is the benefit of Christ his death was obscured Now by the benefit of God the pure Doctrine concerning faith together with this ceremonie 〈◊〉 renued and restored This Article we finde placed else where in the first place amongst those wherein the abuses which are chaunged are reckoned after this manner EIther kinde of the Sacrament in the Lordes Supper is giuen to the laitie because that this custome hath the commaundement of the Lord Math. 26. Drinke ye all of this where Christ doth manifestlie commaunde concerning the cuppe that all should drinke And that no man might cauill that it doth onlie appertaine to the Priests the example of Paul to the Corinthians doth witnesse that the wholl Church did in common vse either part This custome remained a long time euen in the latter Churches neither is it certaine when or by what author it was chaunged Cyprian in certain places doth witnes that the blood was giuen to the people The same thing doth Hierome testify saying The priests do minister the Sacrament and distribute the blood of Christ to the people Yea Gelasius the Pope commaundeth that the sacrament be not deuided Dist 2. de consecr cap. Comperimus Onelie a new custome brought in of late doth otherwise But it is manifest that a custome brought in contrarie to the commaundements of God is not to be allowed as the Canons do witnes Dist 8. Cap. Veritate with that which followeth Now this custome is receiued not onely against the Scripiure but also against the true Canons and the examples of the Church Therefore if anie had rather vse both partes of the Sacrament they were not to be compelled to do otherwise with the offense of their conscience And because that the parting of the Sacrament doth not agre with the institution of Christ we vse to omit that
procession which hitherto hath beene in vse OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SAXONY Of the holy Supper of the Lord. BOth Baptisme and the supper of the Lord are pledges and testimonies of grace as was saide before which doe admonish vs of the promise and of our whole redemption and doe shew that the benefites of the Gospell doe pertaine to euery one of those that vse these ceremonies But yet here is the difference by Baptisme euerie one is ingrafted into the Church but the Lord would haue the supper of the Lord to be also the sinew of the publique congregation c. The rest that followeth pertaineth to the 15. Sect. till you come to these words that folow Euen as also in the very words of the supper there is a promise included seing he commaundeth that the death of the Lord should be shewed forth and this supper distributed till he come That the rore we maie vse this sacrament with the greater reuerence let the true causes of the institution thereof be well weighed which pertaine to the publique Congregation and to the comforte of euerie one The first cause is this The Sonne of God will haue the voice of his gospell to sound in a publique congregation and such a one as is of good behauiour the bond of this congregation he will haue this receiuing to be which is to be done with great reuerence seeing that there a testimonie is giuen of the wonderfull coniunction betwixt the Lorde and the receiuers of which reuerence Paull speaketh 1. Cor. â—1 saying He that receiueth vnworthelie shall be guiltie of the bodie and blood of the Lorde Secondlie God will haue both the sermon and the ceremonie it selfe to be profitable boâ—â— for the preseruation and also for the propagation of the memorie of his passion resurrection and benefits Thirdlie He will haue euerie receiuer to be singularlie confirmed by this testimonie that he maie assure himselfe that the benefittes of the Gospell doe pertaine to him seeing that the sermon is common and by this testimonie and by this receiuing he sheweth that thou are a member of his and that thou art washed in his blood and that he doth make this couenant with thee Ioh. 15. Abide in me and I in you Also I in them and they in me Fourthlie he will haue this publique receiuing to be a confession whereby thou maist shew what kinde of doctrine thou doest imbrace and to what companie thou doest ioyne thy selfe Also he will haue vs to giue thâ—nkes publiquelie and priuatelie in this verie ceremonie to God the eternall Father and to the Sonne and to the holie Ghost both for other benefits and namelie for this infinite benefit of ouâ— redemption and saluation Also he will that the members of the Church should haue a bonde of mutuall loue among themselues Thus we see that manie endes doe meete together By the remembrance of these weightie causes men are inuited to the reuerence and vse of the sacrament and we teach how the vse maie be profitable We doe plainlie condemne that monstrous errour of the Monkes who haue written that the receiuing doth deserue remission of sinnes and that for the workes sake without anie good motion of him that vseth it This Pharisaicall imagination is contrarie to that saying Habac. ca. 2. The iust shall liue by his faith Therefore wee doe thus instruct the Church that they which will approch to the Supper of the Lorde must repent or bring conuersion with them and hauing their faith now kindled they must here seek the confirmation of this faith in the consideration of the death and resurrection and benefits of the Sonne of God because that in the vse of this sacrament there is a witnes beating which declareth that the benifits of the Sonne of god doe pertaine to thee also also there is a testimonie that he ioyneth thee as a member to himselfe and that he is in thee as he saide Ioh. 17. I in â—hem c. Therefore we giue counsell that men doe not thinke that their sinnes be forgiuen them for this workes sake or for this obedience but that in a sure confidence they beholde the death and merit of the Sonne of God and his resurrection and assure themselues that their sinnes are forgiuen for his sake and that he will haue this faith to be confirmed by this admonition and witnes bearing when as faith comforte the ioye of conscience and thanksgiuing doe after this sorte increase the receiuing is profitable Neither are anie admitted to the Communion except they be first heard and absolued of the Pastour or his fellow ministers In this triall the ruder sorte are asked and oftentimes instructed touching the wholl doctrine and then is absolution published Also men are taught that Sacraments are actions instituted of God and that without the vse whereunto they are ordeined the thinges themselues are not to be accounted for a Sacrament but in the vse appointed Christ is present in this communion trulie and substantiallie and the bodie and blood of Christ is in deed giuen to the receiuers â— that Christ doth witnes that he is in them and doth make them his members that he doth wash them in his blood as Hilarie also saith These things being eaten and drunke 〈◊〉 cause both that we may be in Christ and that Christ may be in 〈◊〉 Moreouer in the ceremonie it selfe we obserue the vsuall order of the wholl auncient Church both Latine Greeke We vse no priuate Masses that is such wherein the bodie and blood of Christ was not distributed as also the auncient Church for many yeres after the Apostles times had no such Masses as the old descriptions which are to be found in Dyoâ—â—sius Epiphanius Ambrose Augustine and others doe shew And Paul 1. Cor. 11. Doth commaund that the Communion should be celebrated when many do meet together Therfore in the publique congregation such as is of good behauiour prayers and the creede are rehearsed or sung and lessons appointed vsualllie for holie daies are read After that there is a sermon of the benefits of the Sonne of God and of some part of doctrine as the order of time doth minister an argument Then the Pastour doeth rehearse a thanksgiuing a praier for the whol Church for them that are in authoritie as the present necessitie requireth he prayeth to God that for his Sonnes sake whome he woulâ— haue to be made a sacrifice for vs he would forgiue vs ouâ— sinnes and saue vs and gather and preserue a Church Then he rehearseth the words of Christ concerning the institution of the Supper and he himselfe taketh and distributeth to the receiuers the wholl Sacrament who come reuerentlie thereunto beeing before examined and absolued and there they ioyne theirs with the publique prayers In the ende they doe againe giue thankes All men which are not altogether ignorant of antiquitie doe know that this rite and this Communion doth for the most
part agree with the writinges of the Apostles and with the custome of the auncient Church euen almoste to Gregories time which thing being so the custome of our Churches is to be approoued not to be disalowed but our Aduersaries misliking our custome doe defend manie errours some more foule and grosse others coloured with new deceites Manie heretofore haue written that in the masse there is an oblation made for the quick and the dead and that it doth deserue remission of sinnes both for him that maketh it and for others euen for the workes sake And thus were most of them persuaded and as yet are like vnto the Pharisies and the heathen For after the same manner the Pharisies and the Heathen did dreame that they for the workes sake did deserue for them selues and for others remission of sinnes peace and manie other good thinges Or although those which were not so blinde did speake more modestlie and saide that they did deserue but not without the good intention of the sacrificer yet they imagined that those sacrifices were merits a raunsome By reason of this opinion there were a multitude of sacrifices and the craftie meanes of gaine were increased Such is the marchandise of Masses and the prophanation of the Lordes Supper almost throughout the wholl world But God will haue corrupt kindes of worship to be reprooued and abolished Therefore we 〈◊〉 â—implie and in deede propound the voice of God which doth condemne those errors and with all our heart we affirme before God and the wholl Church in heauen and in earth that there was one onelie sacrifice propitiatorie or whereby the wrath of the eternall Father against mankinde is pacified to wit the wholl obedience of the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ who was crucified and raised vp againe This is that onelie Lambe which taketh awaie the sinnes of the world Ioh. 1. Of thâ—â— onelie sacrifice mention is made Heb. 10. By one onely sacrifice he made perfect for euer those that are sanctified And this sacrifice is applied to euerie one by their owne faith when they heare the Gospell and vse the sacraments as Paull saith Rom. 3. Whome God hath set forth to be are conciliation through faith in his blood And Habac. 2. The iust shall liue by his faith And 1. Pet. 1. Being sanctified in the spirit vnto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ Other sacraments in the old Testament were typicall wherof we shal speake more at large in their place they did not deserue anie remission of sinnes and all the righteousnes of holie men at all times were are and shall be sacrifices of praise which do not deserue remission either for them that did offer them or for others but they are seruices which euerie one ought to performe and are acceptable to God for the Mediatours and our high priest the Sonne of God his sake as it is said Heb. 13. By him we offer the sacrifice of praise alwaies to God That this is an vnchangeable and eternal truth it is most manifest And whereas certaine fragments which they call the Canons of the masse are alledged against this so cleare light of the trueth it is also manifest that the Greeke and Latine Canons are verie vnlike the one to the other and that the Greeke Canons do disagree among themselues in a most waightie matter and it appeareth that in the Latine Canon manie iagges peeces were by litle litle patched together of ignorant authors The auncient Church doth vse the names of Sacrifice and oblation but therby it vnderstandeth the whole action prayers a taking of it a remembrance faith a confession and thanksegiuing This wholl inward and outward action in euerie one that is turned to God and in the wholl Church is indeede a sacrifice of praise or thankesgiuing and a reasonable seruice And when the Lord saith Ioh. 4. The true worshippers shall worship the lord in spirit and in trueth he affirmeth that in the new testament outward sacrifices are not commaunded which of necessitie should be made although there were no motions of the holie ghost in the heart as in the law it was necessarie that the ceremonie of the Passe ouer should be kept But touching the supper of the Lord it is said 1. Cor. 11 Let euerie man examine him-selfe c. So the supper of thâ— Lord doth profit him that vseth it when as he bringeth with him repentance and faith and another mans work doth nothing at all profit him Furthermore concerning the dead it is manifest that all this shew is repugnant to the wordes of the institution of the Supper wherein it is said Take ye eat ye c. Doe ye this in remembrance of me What doth this apperteine to the dead or to those that be absent and yet in a great part of Europe manie masses are said for the dead also a great number not knowing what they do do read Masses for a reward But seing that all these things are manifestlie wicked to wit to offer as they speake to the end that they maie deserue for the quick and the dead or for a man to do he knoweth not what they do horriblie sinne that retaine and defend these mischieuous deeds And seeing that this ceremony is not to be taken for a sacrameÌ„t without the vse wherunto it was ordeined what manner of Idolworship is there vsed let godlie and learned men consider Also it is a manifest prophanation to carie about parte of the Supper of the Lord and to worship it where a parte is vtterlie transferred to an vse cleane contrarie to the first Institution whereas the text saith Take eat and this shew is but a thing deuised of late To conclude what be the manners of manie Priestes and Monks in all Europe which haue no regard of this saying 1. Cor. 11 Let euerie man examine him-selfe Also Whosoeuer taketh it vnworthelie shall be guiltie of the bodie and bloode of the Lord. Euerie man of him-selfe doth know these things Now although the chiefe Bishopes and hypocrites who seeke delusions to establish these euills doe scoffe at these complaintes yet it is most certaine that God is greeuouslie offended with these wicked deeds as he was angrie with the people of Israell for their prophanations of the sacrifices And we do see euident examples of wrath to wit the ruines of so many kingdomes the spoile and waste that the Turkes doe make in the worlde the confusions of opinions and many moste lamentable dissipations of Churches But O Sonne of God Lorde Iesus Christ which wast crucified and raised vp againe for vs thou which art the high priest of the Church with true sighes we beseech the that for thine and thy eternall Fathers glorie thou wouldest take awaie Idolls errours and abominations and as thou thy selfe didst praie Sanctifie vs with thy trueth and kindle the light of thy Gospell and true inuocation in the heartes of many and bowe our heartes to true obedience that
sauing repentance vertue and the efficacie of faith Afterward all the rest are also instructed that all together being lightned with the knowledge of God and of the Sainctes euerie man maie walke with all honestie and godlines in his place and in that order whereunto he is called of God and maâ—e by this meanes sanctifie the name of God and adorne the true doctrine Thirdlie in the catechisme these thinges are taught to inuocate one true God in a sure confidence in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ to praie and that not for themselues onelie and their priuate affaires but also for the whole Christian Church in all countries for the ministers of the Church and also for the ciuill Magistrate whoe is ordained of God and chiefelie for the Emperours and your Princely Maiestie for his moste noble children and wholl posteritie for his counsellers and all those that be subiect to his gouernment praying that it would please our gratious God to graunt and to giue vnto your Princelie and his Royall Maiestie a long life heaped with al good things and a happie gouernement and also a bening gentle and fatherlie minde affection of the heart toward al those that behaue themselues vprightlie are well affected do humblie obaie doe shew themselues faithfull and louing subiectes and those that doe in trueth worshippe God the Father and his sonne Iesus Christ And to be briefe we teach that prayers maie be made faithfullie for all men for our friends and enimies as the Doctrine of our Lorde Iesus Christ and his Apostles doth commaund vs and as examples doe shew that the verie first and holie Church did For which cause we are also instant with the people that they would diligentlie and in great numbers frequent the holie assemblies and there be stirred vp out of this worde of God to make earnest and reuerent praiers Now whatsoeuer is contrarie to this Catholike and Christian kinde of catechizing all that we doe forsake and reiect it is stronglie confuted by sure reasons and such as do leane vnto the foundations of the holy Scripture so farre forth as God doth giue vs grace hereunto and the people is admonished to take heed of such OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION VVE beleeue because Iesus Christ is the onelie Aduocate giuen vnto vs whoe also commaundeth vs to come boldlie vnto the Father in his name that it is not lawfull for vs to make our praiers in anie other forme but in that which God hath set vs downe in his worde and that whatsoeuer men haue forged of the intercession of Saints departed is nothing but the deceites and sleightes of Satan that he might withdrawe men from the right manner of praying These thinges were also set downe in the 2. Section but for an other purpose and the other parte of this Article is to be founde in the 16. Section OVT OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION VVE make our praiers in that tongue which all our people as meete is maie vnderstand to the ende they may as S. Paull counselleth vs take common commoditie by common praier euen as all the holie Fathers and Catholike Bishoppes both in the olde and new Testament did vse to praie them selues and taught the people to pray too lest as Saint Augustine saieth Like Parotes and Oules we should seeme to speake that we vnderstand not OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SAXONY Article 14. which is intituled of the Supper GOd will haue the ministerie of his Gospell to be publique he will not haue the voice of the Gospell to be shut vp in corners onely but he will haue it to be heard he will haue himselfe to be knowen and inuocated of all mankind Therfore he would that there should be publique and well ordered meetings and in these he will haue the voice of the Gospell to sound there he will be inuocated and praised Also he will that these meetings should be witnesses of the confession and seuering of the Church of God from the sects opinions of other nations Iohn assembled his flocke at Ephesus and taught the Gospell and by the vse of the Sacraments the wholl companie did declare that they imbraced this doctrine and did inuocate this God whoe deliuered the Gospell and that they were seperated from the worshippers of Diana Iupiter and other Idoles For God will be seen and haue his Church heard in the worlde and haue it distinguished by many publike signes from other nations So no doubt the first Fathers Adam Seth Enoch Noe Sem Abraham had their meetinges and afterward the ciuill gouernment of Israel had manie rites that their separation from the Gentles might be more euident Also God gaue a peculiar promise to his congregation Math. 18. Wheresoeuer two or three be gathered together in my name I will be in the middest of them Also What soeuer they agreeing together shall desire it shall be done to them And in the 149. Psalme His praise is in the Church of the Saintes And the promises wherein God doth affirme that he will preserue his Church are so much the sweeter because we knowe that he doeth preserue and restore the publike ministerie in wel ordered meetinges as also in the verie wordes of the Supper this promise is included where he commaundeth that The death of the Lorde should be shewed forth and this Supper distributed till he come c. Hitherto also pertaineth the last parte of the 12. artilce of this confession where these thinges are founde touching the reuenues of Monasteries IN manie places the Churches want Pastours or else Pastours want liuing These men ought chiefelie to be relieued out of the reuenues of rich Monasteries then the studies of those which be poore must thereby be furthered and in some places Schooles maie be erected especiallie seing that it is necessary that the church should discharge the expences of manie poore that they might learne that so out of that number Pastours and ministers may be chosen to teach the Churches Also hospitals are thence to be relieued wherein it is necessarie that the poore which haue beene sicke along time should be nourished A great parte of the reuenues in these countries is by the goodnes of god transferred to such vses which are indeede godlie to wit to nourish Pastors the poore and Schollers to erect Schooles and to relieue hospitales that wich remaineth is bestowed in euerie Monasterie vpon the guiding ordering of thinges partaining to their houses and to think that this is not verie sumptuous it is but foolishnes As for the richer Abbotes in these daies vpon what vses they lauish out the reuenues the examples of manie doe declare whome we could name who doe both hate learning Religion and vertue and doe waste thâ—se almes rauenouslie and either set no Pastours ouer their Churches or if they haue anie they suffer them to statue OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE Hitherto pertaineth first the 11. Article Of this confession WE thinke that it is
Epistles especially in those to Timothie Titus And with the same Apostle we account the doctrine of such as forbid mariage or do openly dispraise or secretlie discredit it as not holie or cleane amongst the doctrines of Deuills And we do detest vncleane single life licentious lusts and fornications both open and close and the continencie of dissembling hypocrites when as they are of all men most incontineut All that be such God will iudge We doe not disalow riches and rich men if they be godly and vse their riches well but we reprooue the sect of the Apostoliques c. OVT OF THE FORMER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of holie wedlocke WE thinke that wedlocke beeing appointed of God for all men that be fit for it and are not called to some other thing is nothing repugnant to the holynes of any degree The which as the Church doth consecrate and establish with a solemne exhortation and praier so it is the duetie of the Magistrate to see that it be worthelie kept and mainteined and that it be not dissolued but vpon iuste cause Therefore we doe farre reiect this Monasticall single life and this wholl slothful kinde of life of superstitious men which is nothing else but an abhominable deuise as beeing as much repugnant to the Church as to the common wealth OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA Hitherto perteineth first that which is set downe in the 19. Chap. of this confession in these wordes FOr this cause it is thought to be good and well standing with wisdome so farre vndoubtedlie as may be done by conscience that Priests to the end that they may so much the more diligentlie exercise them-selues in the studie of the holie Scriptures and may the more readilie and profitablie serue the Church of God be free and exempted from all affaires and burdens of ciuill conuersation seing that it behooueth them to fight valiantlie for the faith of the gospell of God and if it may be to be also free from wedlock to this end that they may be the more ready and free to do that which is for the increase and furtherance of the saluation of the people and that manie harmfull impediments may be turned from them which doe concurre with that kinde of life do often times withhold and hinder the due workes of the ministerie For which causes our ministers think that they are more readie prest and more fit for the Ecclesiasticall Ministerie which are vnmarried yet they meane such vnmarried persons as haue this peculiar gift giuen to them of God that they maie remaine such and so giue them-selues whollie to the Ministerie This thing is so obserued among vs as is meet yet is it neither taken for a sinne neither doth anie man disdaine at it if Priests vpon iust and lawfull causes be married For holy Paull teacheth how such ought to be chosen to this function yea the holie Ghost himselfe doth permit that Byshops and Elders should haue their lawfull and honest wiues and he doth in no case giue them libertie contrarie to order and the discipline of God to entertaine concubines or otherwise so to liue as that they maie thereby giue offence to others And concerning marriage it is thus written It is better to marie then to sinne so manie waies and to burne with so great dishonestie for which sinnes not onely the Priest but also euerie Christan without respect of persons both ought and shall worthelie by excommunication be cast out of the Church Also CHAP. 19. Of single life and of Wedlock COncerning the condition of single life virginitie and widowhead our Preachers do teach that euery man hath free libertie either to chuse it to himselfe or to refuse it for by waie of a law nothing is commaunded of God to men touching these things neither is this thing appointed of God neither is it on the other side forbidden for which cause no man ought to be enforced thereunto against his wil nor be driuen from it And as concerning the Church and certaine men chiefly the ministers of the church our men haue taught from the begâ—nning and do now teach first that the gift of chastitie by the peculiar goodnes of God and of the holie ghost both in times past was giuen at this day also is giuen to some for the singular vse and profit of the Church as Christ his speach doth euidentlie witnes Euerie man saith he doth not receiue these wordes that is that a man should keepe him-selfe single without a wife but they to whome it is giuen And holie Paull also doth both place and celebrate this amongst peculiar giftes and whereunto some are peculiarlie called And moreouer the examples of certaine in the Propheticall and Apostolicall writings and of Iohn Bapist and of many ministers and weomen ministers of the Church do witnes this thing In the second place they teach that this gift is not of flesh and blood for the Lord by distinguishing doth remooue and seperate from hence that vnablenes which is in this kinde but of the spirit which is ielous who from his heart hath a care and pleasure in the glorie of God and in his owne and his neighbours saluation and also in the Ministerie of the Church and for this cause he doth of his owne accord absteine from wedlock Therefore the Lord saith Those which haue made them-selues Eunuches for the kingdome of heauen that is who be such as might be maried yet they do omit and absteine from it because of the affection of the inward heart and their loue toward God and his word and for the pleasure and ioy which they receiue thereof and through this gift of the spirit whose vertue and power doth ouercome the motions of nature they do preserue the purenes as well of the spirit as of the bodie howbeit this thing is not in them without labour and difficulty euen as it is a thing of no small labour and difficultie for all Christian men to forsake and to want the vse of other pleasant things and also such as are profitable for this life as friendes riches and monie Thirdlie that single life is to be chosen and taken with a true intent and a godlie meaning that is not to this end or with this purpose that a man would by this meanes merit or get vnto himselfe or to another remission of sinnes and eternall life and so consequentlie saluation it selfe For ther is no continencie or chastitie nor anie humane action or other vertue which can merit the onelie innocencie and death of the onely begotten Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ doth performe and perfit this thing Neither must the thing be receiued with this meaning as to think that some dignitie is added to the holie ministerie of the Church by reason of this gift or that the workes of those that be vnmaried in this ministerie are to be preferred in merit and dignitie before the works of