sinnes But he offering a sacrifice for sinnes sitteth for euer at the right hand of God c. And although we doe not see as yet in this our infirmitie the causes of this wonderfull counsell why mankinde was to be redeemed after this sort but we shall learne them hereafter in all eternitie yet these principles are now to be learned In this sacrifice there are to be seene iustice in the wrath of God against sinne infinite mercie towards vs and loue in his Sonne towards mankinde The seueritie of his iustice was so great that there could be no reconciliation before the punishment was accomplished His mercie was so great that his Sonne was giuen for vs. There was so great loue in the Sonne towards vs that he deriued vnto himselfe this true and exceeding great anger O Sonne of God kindle in our hearts by thy holie spirit a consideration of these great and secret things that by the knowledge of this true wrath we may be sore afraide and that againe by true comforte we may be lifâ—ed vp that we may praise thee for euer OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE WE beleeue and confesse that the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ be gotten of his eternal Father is true and eternal God consubstantial with his father and that in the fullnes of time he was made man to purge our sinnes and to procure the eternall saluation of mankinde that Christ Iesus being verie God and verie man is one person onelie and not two and that in this one person there be two natures not one onelie as by testimonies of the holie scripture the holie Fathers haue declared in the Councells held at Nice Ephesus and Chalcedon Therfore we detest euerie heresie which is repugnant to this doctrine of the Sonne of God OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND ALSO we beleeue that our Sauiour Iesus Christ being true God was also made true man his natures not beeing confounded but so vnited in one and the same person that they shall neuer hereafter be dissolued Neither do we differ any thing in those points which the Church being taught out of the holie Gospells doth beleeue concerning our Sauiour Iesus Christ conceiued of the holie Ghost borne of the Virgine Marie and who at the length after he had discharged the office of preaching the Gospell died on the crosse and was buried and descended into hell and the third daie he was called backe from the dead vnto life eternall the which life when he had by diuers arguments prooued vnto witnesses hereunto appointed he was caried vp into heauen to the right hand of his Father from whence we looke that he should come to iudge the quick and the dead In the meane time let vs acknowledge that he is neuer thelesse present with his Church that he doth renew and sanctifie it and as his onelie beloued spouse beutifie it with all sortes of ornaments of vertues and in these things we doe nothing varie from the Fathers nor from the common consent of Christians we thinke it sufficient after this sorte to testifie our faith THE SEVENTH SECTION OF THE LAVV AND THE GOSPELL THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVEITA Of the lawe of God CHAP. 12. WE teach that the will of God is set downe vnto vs in the lawe of God to wit what he would haue vs to doe or not to doe what is good and iust or what is euill and vniust we therefore confes that the lawe is good and holie and that this lawe is by the finger of God either written in the heartes of men and so is called the lawe of nature or ingrauen in the two tables of stone and more largelie expounded in the bookes of Moses For plainnes sake we deuide it vnto the morall lawe which is contained in the commaundementes or the two tables expounded in the books of Moses and into the ceremoniall which doth appoint ceremonies and the worshipâ— of God and into the iudicial law which is occupied about politicall and domesticall affaires VVe beleeue that the wholl will of God and all necessarie precepts for euerie part of this life is fullie deliuered in this lawe For otherwise the Lord would not haue forbidden That anie thing should be either added or taken away from this law Neither would he haue commaunâ—â—d vs to goe straight forward in this and Not to decline out of the waie either to the right handor to the left We teach that this lawe was not giuen to men that we should be iustified by keeping it but that by the knowledge thereof we might rather acknowledge our infirmitie sinne and condemnation and so dispairing of our owne strength might turne vnto Christ by faith For the Apostle saith plainlie The law worketh wrath and by the law commeth knowledge of sinne And If there had bene a law giuen which could haue iustified and giuen vs life surely righteousnes should haue bene by the law But the spirit to wit of the law hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them which beleue Therfore the law was our schoolemaster to Christ that we might be iustified by faith For neither could there euer neither at this daie can anie flesh satisfie the law of God fullfill it by reason of the weaknes in our flesh which remaineth and sticketh fast in vs euen to our last breath For the Apostle saith againe That which the law could not performe in as much as it was weake through the flesh that did God performe sending his own sonne in similitude of flesh subiect to sinne Therfore Christ is the perfiter of the law and our fullfilling of it who as he tooke awaie the cursse of the law when as he was made a cursle for vs so doth he coÌ„municate vnto vs by faith his full filling thereof his righteousnes obedience is imputed vnto vs. The law of God therefore is thus farre abrogated as that it doeth not henceforth condemne vs neither work wrath in vs. For we are vnder grace and not vnder the law Moreouer Christ did fulfill all the figures of the law Wherefore the shadow ceased when the bodie came so that in Christ we haue now all trueth and fullnes Yet we do not therefore disdaine or reâ—ect the law We remember the wordes of the Lord saying I came not to destroie the law and the Prophets but to fullfill them We knowe that in the law are described vnto vs the kindes of vertues vices We know that the scripture of the lawe if it be expounded by the Gospell is very profitable to the Church and that therefore the reading of it is not to be banished out of the Church For although the countenance of Moses was couered with a vaile yet the Apostle affirmeth that the vaile is taken awaie and abolished by Christ We condemne al thinges which the olde or new heretikes haue taught against the lawe of God
a sinner repent And therefore the Churches and the Angells themselues doe reioyce at the pure doctrine of repentance thus set downe OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SAXONIE Hitherto perteine first the two last clauses of the third Article Of the remission of sinnes c. Which are thus set downe IT is most certeine that the preaching of Repentance doth perteine to all men and accuse all men So also the promise is generall and offereth remission of sinnes to all according to those generall speaches Math. 11. Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie loaden and I will refresh you Also Ioh. 3. That euerie one which beleeueth in him should not perish Rom. 10. Euery one that beleeueth in him shal not be confounded Againe He that is Lord ouer al is rich vnto al that cal on him Rom. 11. The Lord hath shut vp al vnder disobedience that he might haue mercie on al. Let euerie one comprise himselfe in this generall promise and not giue himselfe to distrust but let them striue that they may assent to the worde of God obey the holie Ghost and desire that they may be helped as it is said Luc. 11. How much more wil he giue the holie Ghost to them that aske it Of Repentance Artic. 16. BY the mercie of God this parte of Doctrine speciallie is declared in our Churches with great perspicuitie wheras the SenteÌ„tiaries haue wrapped it in most intricate Labyrinthes First we doe openlie condemne the Catharans and the Nouarians who feigned that neither the elect could fal into sinnes against theâ— conscience neither that they who had fallen after their amendmeÌ„t were to be receiued again our confutations of these furies are extant Neither dowe goe about to make brawlings about the worde Repentance if any man like it better let him vse the worde Conuersion which worde the Prophets also haue often vsed Moreouer we doe willing he reteine the worde Contrition and we sale that the first part of repentance or Conuersion is Contrition which is truely to tremble through the knowledge of the wrath of God against sinnes and to be sorie that we haue offended God and we saie that there must needes be some such great feare and griefes in those that are conuerted that they doe not repent which remaine secure and without greefe as it is saide 2. Cor. 7. Ye sorowed to repentance And Ezech. 20. Andye shal mislike your selues in your owns 〈◊〉 and acknowledge your selues to be worthie of punishment and instruction And these true griefes are a feeling of the wrath of God as is declared more at large in an other place But here we reprooue our aduersaries who feigne that Contrition doth deserue remission of sinnes and that Contrition 〈◊〉 be sufficient In either errour there be great myâ—â—es For remission is giuen freelie for the mediatours sake and what contrition can be sufficients Yea rather the more the sorrow encreaseth without assurance of mercie so much the more mens heartes doe she from God and no creature is able to susteine the greatnes of this sorow whereof Esaie speaketh Chap. 38. He brake all my bones like a Lyon But those idle dreames of the writers doe declare that they leade a carelesse life and that they are 〈◊〉 in the Gospell Now these true sorowes doe arise when the sinne of the contempt of the Sonne of God as is declared in the Gospell is repreoued The spirit shall reprooue the worlde of sinne because they beleeue not in me Ioh. 16. And by the voice of the Morall law other sinnes are reprooued as Paull saith Rom. 3. By the law came the knowledge of sinne As touching priuate confession to be made vnto the Pastours we affirme that the ceremonie of priuate absolution is to be retained in the Church we doe constantlie retaine it for manie weightie causes yet with all we doe teach that men must neither commaund nor require the recitall of offenses in that priuate talke because that recitall of offences is neither commaunded of God nor a thing possible and it maketh godlie mindes to doubt and it maketh faith faint And this we doe much more reprehend that in the doctrine of Repentance or conuersion our aduersaries doe no where make mention of iustifying faith whereof we haue spoken before by which alone Remission of sinnes is truelie receiued the heart is lifted vp euen when it hath a feeling of the wrath of God and we are freed from the sorowes of hell as it is written Rom. 5. Being iustified by faith we haue peace Without this faith sorowes are no better then the repentance of Saul Iudas Orestes and such like as are mentioned in tragedies Neither doe our aduersaries teach the Gospell but the law and humane traditiones either omitting this faith or else fighting against it But seeing that 〈◊〉 true conuersion there must be these changes a mortification a quickning as it is said Rom. 6. in diuers other places for doctrines sake we doe deuide conuersion or repentance into three parts into contrition faith and new obedience these thinges doth true conuersion comprehend as the voice of God the true experience of the Church do declare Yet do we not make contention either about the manner of speaking or about the number of the partes but we wish that all men may see those thinges which are necessarie And it is moste necessarie for the Church that there should be a true plaine and most cleare doctrine touching the wholl conuersion which also is verie often repeated in those sermons which are set downe in the scriptures and that with great perspicuitie without anie intricate labyrinthes as the Baptist and Christ saie Math. 3. Repent and beleeue the Gospell Againe Repent Beholde the lambe of God that taketh awaie the sinnes of the world And Paule saieth Ro. 3. All men are depriued of the glorie of god Here he speaketh oâ— contrition afterward of remission But we are iustified freelie by his grace through redemption that is in Christ Iesus by faith Therefore it is necessarie that in the doctrine of conuersion or repentance there should mention be made of faith Neither is it sufficient that our aduersaries saie that they also doe speake of faith and that faith doth goe before repentance For they speake of the doctrine of knowledge I beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes to wit that they be forgiuen to others euen as the deuills doe know the Creede but the Gospell doth require this true faith which is an assurance of the mercie of God promised for the sonne of god his sake and resting in the Sonne of God which saith I beleeue that remission of sinnes is giuen vnto me also and that freelie not for anie Contrition not for anie my merits but for the Sonne of God who by the infinite goodnes and wisedome of the godhead is appointed a Mediatour redeemer I know that the commaundement of God is immutable so that euerie one maie determine in these
our obedience doth please god euen in this our so great infirmitie Now for any man to dispise or mislike this doctrine whereby both the honour of Christ is extolled and most sweete sure comfort offered vnto godlie mindes and which conteineth the true knowledge of gods mercie and bringeth forth the true worship of God and eternall life it is more then Pharisaicall blindnes Before time when as this doctrine was not set forth many fearefull consciences assaied to ease themselues by workes some fled to a monasticall life others did chuse out other workes thereby to merit remission of sinnes and iustification But there is no sure comforte without this doctrine of the gospell which willeth men to beleeue that remission of sinnes and iustification are freelie giuen vnto vs for Christs sake and this wholl doctrine is appointed for the true conflict of a terrified conscience But we will adde some testimonies Paull Rom. 3. We are iustified freelie by his grace through redemption that is in Christ Iesus whome god hath set forth to be a reconciliation thorough faith in his bloode Rom. 4. But to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodlie his faith is counted for righteousnes Ephes 2. By grace ye are saued through faith and not of your selues In these and such like sentences Paull doth plainlie teach that remission of sinnes and iustification are giuen vs freelie and not for the worthines of our workes And in the 4 to the Rom. he disputeth at large why this consolation is needefull for vs for if the promise did depend vpon the worthines of our works it should be vncertaine Wherefore to the end that we may haue sure and firme comforte against the feares of sinne and death and that our faith maie stand fast it is needefull that it leane onelie vpon the mercie of God and not vpon ouâ— worthines Therefore Paul saieth Therefore it is by faith according to grace that the promise might be sure For our works cannot be set against the iudgement of God according to that saying If thou markest our iniquities who shall indureâ—t And therefore Christ is giuen for a Mediatour to vs and this honour is not to be transfered vnto our workes When therefore we doe saie that we are iustified by faith we do not meane that we are iust for the worthines of that vertue but this is our meaning that we doe obteine remission of sins and imputation of righteousnes by mercie shewed vs for Christs sake But now this mercie can not be receiued but by faith And Faith doth not here signifie onelie a knowledge of the historie but it signifieth a beleefe of the promise of mercie which is graunted vs through our Mediatour Christ Iesus And seeing that faith is in this sorte vnderstoode of a confidence or trust of mercie Saint Paull and Saint Iames doe not disagree For where as Iames saith The Deuills beleeue and tremble he speaketh of an historicall faith now this faith doth not iustifie For the wicked and the deuill are conning in the historie But Paull when he saith Faith is reckoned for righteousnes he speaketh of a trust and confidence of mercie promised for Christs sake and his meaning is that men are pronounced righteouse that is reconciled through mercie promised for Christs sake whome we must receiue by faith Now this noueltie of this figuratiue speach of Saint Paull We are iustified by faith will not offend holie mindes if they vnderstand that it is spoken properlie of mercie and that herein mercie is adorned with true and due praises For what can be more acceptable to an afflicted and fearefull conscience in great greefes then to heare that this is the commaundement of God the voice of the bridgrome Christ Iesus that they should vndoubtedlie beleeue that remission of sinnes or reconciliation is giuen vnto them not for their owne worthines but freelie through mercie for Christs sake that the benefite might be certaine Now Iustification in these sayings of Saint Paull doth signifie remission of sins or reconciliation or imputation of righteousnes that is an accepting of the person And herein we doe not bring in a new found opinion into the Church of God For the scripture doth set downe at large this doctrine touching faith and Saint Paul doth especially handle this point in some of his epistles the holie fathers also doe teach the same For so saith Ambrose in his booke de â—â—at Gent. If so be that iustification which is by grace were due vnto former merittes so that it should not be a gift of the giuer but a â—warde of the worker the redemption by the bloode of Christ would growe to be of small account and the prerogatiue of mans works would not yeald vnto the mercies of God And of this matter there be many disputations in Saint Augustine And these are his wordes Forsomuch as by the law God sheweth to man his infirmitie that flying vnto his mercie by faith he might be saued For it is saide that he carieth both the law and mercie in his mouth The law to â—onuict the proude and mercie to iustifie those that are humbled Therefore the righteousnes of God through saith in Christ is reuealed vpon al that beleeue And the Mâ—leuitan Synode writeth Iâ— not this sufficientlie declared that the Law worketh this that sinne should be knowen and so against the victorie of sinne men should flie to the mercie of god which is set forth in his promises that the promises of God that is the grace of God might be sought vnto for deliuerance and man might beginne to haue a righteousnes howbeit not hiâ—â—â—ne but Gods Of good works WHen as we do teach in our Churches the most necessary doctrine and comforte of faith we ioyne therewith the doctrine of good workes to wit that obedience vnto the law of God is requisite in them that be reconciled For the Gospell preacheth newnes of life according to that saying I will put my lawes in their heartes This new life therefore must be an obedience towardes God The Gospell also preacheth repentance and faith cannot be but onlie in them that doe repent because that faith doth comfort the heartes in contrition in the feares of sin as Paul saith Being iustified by faith we haue peace And of repentance he saith Rom. 6. Our olde man is crucified that the bodie of sinne might be abolished that we might no more serue sinne And Esaie saith Where will the Lorde dwell In a contrite and humbled spirit c. Secondly among good works the chiefest that which is the chiefest worship of God is faith which doth bring forth manie other vertues which could neuer be in men except their hearts had first receiued to beleue How shall they call 〈◊〉 him in whome they doe not beleeue So long as mens mindes are in doubt whether God heareth them or not so long as euer they thinke that God hath reiected them they doe neuer truelie call vpon God But
These rules are often times repeated as Galat. 5. Thy which doe such thinges shall not inherit the kingdome of God Therefore it is necessarie to haue a care to auoide such falls If this manifest necessitie the great punishment to wit the losse of eternall life being set before their eies doe not mooue some to doe good workes they shew them selues to be of the number of those of whome it is said 1. Ioh. 3. He that committeth sinne is of the Deuill Also If anie man haue not the Spirit of Christ he is not his And there be manie causes of this necessitie First a debte that is an immutable order that the creatures should obeie God Therefore Paull saieth Rom. 8. Ye are debters Also lest the holie Ghost and faith be shaken of let there be a care to auoid present punishments because it is moâ—le certaine that manie falles euen of the Elect are fearefullie punished in this life as the Church speaketh in Micheas cap. 7. I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him And the histories of all times doe containe fearefull examples of punishments as Dauid Salomon Menasses Iosias Nabuchodonozor innumerable others were greiuoslie punished Wherein this is moste to be lamented that in the verse punishments manie sinnes are heaped vp as in the sedition raised vp against Dauid in the renting of the kingdome for the sinne of Salomon And touching the necessitie of doing good workes the Lord saith Mat. 5. Except your righteousnes exceed the righteousnes of the Scribes and of the Pharisies ye shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen The necessitie which is manifolde being thus considered these questions insue thereupon what workes are to be done How they maie be done In what sorte they doe please god What rewardes they haue what is the difference of sinnes * what sinnes do shake of the holie Ghost and what not What workes are to be done IT is the will of god that Faith and workes be gouerned by his word Therefore we must keepe the rule touching good workes both internall and externall contained in the commaundementes of god which doe pertaine to-vs as it is said Ezech. 23. Waâ—â—eye in my commaundements And these internall and externall workes doe then become the worship of god when they be done in faith and are referred to this end that god by this obedience may be glorified Now we haue shewed before that euen the vntegenerate maie performe this externall obedience or discipline as â—icero liueth honestlie and for his paines in gouernment deserueth well of all mankinde but his minde is full of doubts touching the Prouidence of god neither doth he knowe nor speake vnto the true god in inuocation neither doth he know the promises and he alwaies doubteth whether he be heard especiallie when he is in miscrie and then is he angrie with god and thinketh that he is vnâ—usâ—lie punished â—eiâ—g he was a honest Citizen profitable for the common wealth Such darkenes in the minde is great sinne such as reason not being i'luminated by god is not 〈◊〉 â—o iudge of Therefore inward obedience true knowledge of god the feare of god sorrowes in repentance trust to obteine mercie promised for the Sonne of god inuocation hope loue joy in god other vertues must be begunne also in the regenerate and they must be referred to a proper ende to wit that God maie be obeied These kindes of true worship cannot be giuen vnto God without the light of the gospel and without faith which our aduersaries who will see me to be ioylie preachers of good workes do neither vnderstand nor require seeing they omitte the doctrine of faith which is a confidence to obtaine mercie resting in the Sonne of god which is an especiall worke and the chiefe worshipe of God Of workes not commaunded of god we shall speake hereafter and we must holde fast that rule Math. 15. In vaine doe they worship me with the commaundements of men And in the Church it falleth out often times that ceremonies deuised by men are more carefullie kept then the commaundements of God yea the authoritie of â— harâ—â—aicall vniust traditions is preferred before the commaundements of God as in manie ages for the vniust and wicked commaundement of single life the commandement of god concerning true chastitie was horriblie violated Therefore we must consider of the difference of the lawe whereof we will speake againe hereafter How good workes maie be done GReat is the infirmitie of man and the deuill a most cruel enemie who for the hatred he beareth to God rageth against mankinde and doth endeuour all that he can especiallie to destroy the Church as it is written of Peter 1. Pet. 5. Watch because your aduersarie the deuill goethabout like a roaring Lyon seeking whome he maie deuour Therefore although men by their naturall strength maie after a sorte performe the externall discipline yet are they often ouercome by this common infirmitie and the deuill also doth often times force men not altogether sauage to commit horrible factes as he deceiued Eue and compelled the brethren of Ioseph Dauid and others innumerable Therefore what diligence or what aduisement can be sufficient for this most subtill enemie Here let vs laie holde vpon that most sweete comfort The sonne of God appeared to destroy the workes of the Deuill 1 Iohn 3. The sonne of God is the keeper of his Church as he saith Ioh. 10. Noman shall take my sheepe out of my handes He doth protect vs and also by his holie spirit doth confirme our mindes in true opinions as he doth beginne eternall life so doth he kindle in our heartes good motions faith the loue of God true inuocation hope chastitie and other vertues We are not Pelagians but we do humblie â—â—e thankes to the eternall God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and to his sonne Iesus Christ and to the holie Ghost both for the wholl benefit of saluation restored againe to mankinde and also for this benefit that the Sonne of God doth dwell in the Church and doth defend it with his right hand against the furies of the Deuills and men and doth driue awaie the deuills from vs and doth vpholde vs in this so great infirmitie of ours and by his word doth kindle in our mindes the knowledge of God and doeth confirme and gouerne our mindes by his holie spirit We do certainlie know that these benefits are in deede giuen vnto vs as it is said moste comfortablie in Zacharie cap. 12. I will powre out vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and praiers He nameth the spirit of grace because that in this comfort the sonne of God sealing vs by his holie spirit doth testifie that we are in fauour and that we are deliuered from the paines of hell Secondlie he nameth the spirit of praiers because that when we haue acknowledged the remission of sinnes we do not now fâ—ie
that without any good affection of him that vseth it This article we finde thus in another Edition COncerning the vse of the Sacramentes they teach that they were ordained not so much to be marâ—es and badges of profession amongst men as that they should be signes or testimonies of the will of God towards vs set forth vnto vs to stirre vp and confirme faith in such as vse them Whereupon they condemne those that teach that the sacraments do iustifie by the work done and doe not teach that faith to beleeue remission of sinnes is requisite in the vse of sacraments OVT OF THE CONFSSION OF SAXONIE Of the sacraments THe Church also is discerned from other Gentiles by by certaine rites or ceremonies instituted of God vsuallie called Sacraments as are Baptisme and the Lords Supper which notwithstanding are not onelie signes of a profession but much more as the auncient Fathers saide signes of grace that is they be ceremonies added to the promise of the Gospell touching grace that is touching the free remission of sinnes and touching reconciliation and the wholl benefit of our redemption the which are so instituted that euerie man maie vse them because they be pledges testimonies which declare that the benefits promised in the Gospell doe appertaine to euerie one For the voice of the Gospell is generall this vse doth be are witnes that this voice doth appertaine to euerie one which vseth the Sacraments OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE Of the Sacramentes THe worde Sacrament as also the worde Mysterie which interpreters do expounde Sacrament is very large But because some haue thought it good to restraine it to the number of seauen Sacraments we wil briefly runne ouer euerie one that we may shew what we finde wanting in the doctrine that some haue broched and what maie seeme to be repugnant to the meaning of that Church which is in deede Catholike or orthodoxe OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Of the Sacraments SEeing that the Church of Christ doth liue here in the flesh howbeit not according to the flesh it pleased the Lord also to teach admonish and exhort it by the outwarde worde And that this might be done the more commodiouslie he would also haue his to make much of an externall societie among them selues For which cause he gaue vnto them holie signes among which these are the chiefest Baptisme and the Lords Supper the which we doe not onelie think therfore to haue had the name of Sacraments among the Fathers because they are visible signes of inuisible grace as Saint Augustine doth define them but also for that purpose because that by them we doe consecrate our selues vnto Christ and doe binde our selues as it were by the othe or Sacrament of faith THE THIRTEENTH SECTION OF THE SACRAMENT OF Holie Baptisme THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of holie baptisme CHAP. 20. BAptisme was instituted and consecrated by God and the first that baptized was Iohn who dipped Christ in the water in Iorden From him it came to the Apostles whoe also did baptize with water The Lord in plaine words commaunded them To preach the Gospel and to baptize in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost And Peter also when diuers demaunded of him what they ought to doe said to them in the Acts Let euerie one of you be baptized in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and you shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost Whereupon Baptisme is called of some a signe of inâ—tiation of Gods people as that whereby the elected of God are consecrated vnto God There is but one Baptisme in the Church of God for it is sufficient to be once baptized or consecrated vnto God For baptisme once receiued doth continue all a mans life and is a perpetuall sealing of our adoption vnto vs. For to be baptized in the name of Christ is to be enrolled entered and receiued into the couenant and familie and so into the inheritance of the sonnes of God yea in this life to be called after the name of God that is to saie to be called the Sonne of god to be purged also from the filthines of sins to be indued with the manifolde grace of God for to lead a new and innocent life Baptisme therefore doth call to minde and keepe in remembrance the great benefit of God performed to mankinde for we are al borne in the pollution of sinne and are the Sonnes of wrath But God who is rich in mercie doth freelie purge vs from our sinnes by the blood of his Sonne and in him doth adopte vs to be his sonnes and by an holie couenant doth ioyne vs to himselfe and doth inrich vs with diuers giftes that we might liue a new life All these thinges are sealed vp vnto vs in Baptisme For inwardlie we are regenerated purified and renued of God through the holie Spirit and outwardlie we receiue the sealing of moste notable gifts by the water by which also those great benefites are represented and as it were set before our eyes to be looked vpon And therefore are we baptized that is washed and sprinckled with visible water For the water maketh cleane that which is filthie refresheth things that faile and faint and cooleth the bodies And the grate of God dealeth in like manner with the soule and that inuisible and spirituallie Moreouer by the Sacrament of Baptisme God doth seperate vs from all other religions and people and doth consecrate vs a peculiar people to himselfe We therefore by being baptized doe confesse our faith and are bound to giue vnto God obedience mortification of the flesh and newnes of life yea and we are billed souldiers for the holie warfare of Christ that all our life long we shoulde fight against the worlde Sathan and our owne flesh Moreouer we are baptized into one bodie of the Church that we might well agree with all the members of the Church in the same religion and mutuall duties We beleue that that of al other is the most perfect manner of baptisme wherin Christ was baptized and which the rest of the Apostles did vse in baptisme Those things therfore which by mans deuise were added afterwards vsed in the Church we thinke them nothing necessary to the perfection of Baprisme Of which kinde is exorcisme and the vse of lightes oyle salte spattle and such other things as namelie that baptisme is twise euerie yere consecrated with diuerse ceremonies For we beleeue that the baptisme of the Church which is but one was sanctifed in Gods first institution of it and is consecrated by the word and is now of full force by and for the first blessing of God vpon it We teach that baptisme should not be ministred in the Church by women or midwiues For Paul secludeth women from Ecclesiasticall callings but Baptisme belongeth to Ecclesiasticall offices We condemne the Anabaptists who denie that young infants borne of
earth And Psal 23. Yâ—e Princes open your gates that is open your kindomes to the gospell and giue entertainment to the Sonne of God and Esa 49. And Kings and Queenes shallhe thy nurces that is let common-welthes be nurces of the Church let them giue entertainment to the Church and to godlie studies Let Kinges and Princes themselues be members of the Church and rightlie vnderstand the doctrine thereof and giue no help vnto those that establish false doctrine and exercise vniust crueltie and remember this saying I will honour them that honuor me And Daniell in the 4. Chap. exhorteth the King of Babylon to acknowledge the wrath of God and to shew mercie to the bannished Church when he saieth Redeeme thy sinnes with righteousnes and with mercie toward the poore and there shall be a healing of thy transgression And since they are among the principall members of the Church let them prouide that iudgement be rightlie exercised in the Curch as Constantine Theodosius Arcadius Martian Charles the great manie godlie Kinges haue prouided that iudgement in the Church should be sincerely executed But of the difference of both states namely of the ministerie of the gospell and the ciuill magistracie there are many writinges in our Church which declare that we teach no fantasticall nor seditious opinions but doe shew the necessarie doctrine deliuered in the gospell touching both degrees profitable to godlines and common peace Thankes be to God THis is the summe of that doctrine which by the blessing of God with one consent we teach in our Churches which to be the sincere meaning of the doctrine deliuered from God in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and in the Creedes we nothing doubt and it may be vnderstood out of the auncient purer writers to be agreeable to the ancient and puâ—er Churches Now the matter it selfe declareth that we haue not sought to dispute about newfangled curious and subtle questions neither doe striue about authoritie or riches but onelie to vnfolde and bring to light from the great darkenes of traditions and opinions that doctrine which is necessarie to the true inuocation of God to true worship to the right knowledge of the Sonne of God and to the saluation of soules and doe in moste simple and plaine manner propound the same vnto the Churches For all wise men must needes confesse that there was much obscuritie and many errours in the doctrine of the Monkes and many snares of conscience in the Popes traditions and whether doctrine is true plaine euident profitable for consciences and for manners comparison doth declare For we auoide not the iudgements of the Godly yea rather we desire thatthe wholl true Church of God that is al the faithfull learned wheresoeuer they are may vnderstand what we say who we doubt not will be witnesses that this doctrine is the consent of the true Catholique Church of God Also we offer our selues at any time to a more full declaration in in euerie point and we thinke that this rehearsall of our doctrine now made is agreeable to the confession exhibited at Auspurge Anno. 1530. For as much therefore as the doctrine which we here recite is true and necessarie for the Church we intreat that our Churches may not be condemned as if they either imbraced errours or foolishlie or seditiouslie stirred vp strife without any weightie cause The truth and weight of the matters may deliuer vs from this vniust accusation Next after a godly manner we admonish the Councell itselfe They see that olde abuses and many great errours are as yet sticking in the Church because in al ages euen from the beginning of mankinde the deuil coÌ„tinueth scattering his seed of errour and since that time through the ignorance of men by superstition they are either confirmed or do shoote forth againe And now for that the vanitie of many superstitions is known the times require a reformation vnles the gouernours prouide that the trueth may be brought to light great diuision in opinions is like to follow especially because in this last age of the worlde great confusion is to be feared Therfore let the councel see to it that they condemne not a manifest truth And if in a godly sort they wil deliberate how they may prouide for the churches if a more ample declaration shal be demaunded of vs men learned of vnderstanding louing the truth fearing god must be chosen to consult together of these so weighty matters Neither let them only striue with vs in number of vices seeing it is manifest by many preiudices of what opinion the Bishop of Rome and others are that are adicted vnto him who now by the space of many yeares haue not onelie set forth against vs edicts written with bloode but also haue slaine many of our side and there be many that neither vnderstand nor looke after any truth of doctrine but being alreadie corrupted with prophane perswasions doe thinke this to be an especiall parte of politique men to defend the present state and to mainteine their owne authoritie And for this purpose they seeke fit Ministers by sophisticall iugling to â—est out the truth Wherefore now we testifie that we will not reiect the truth although it be condemned by the iudgements of such men And we openlie professe that we consent not to the Councell of Trent which heretofore hath sent abroade decrees partlie false partly captious and sophisticall but doe earnestly request that both we may be heard in the same matter and that the errours before confirmed by the decrees of the Tridentine Councell may be reformed And we reuerently beseâ—ch the most worthy Emperour Carolus Auguâ—â—us that he giue not leaue to the Aduersaries to oppresse the truth by their presumption and to strengthen their crueltie which they exercise against innocents and to stare vp greater dissention by their vniust decrees And now we commend the Church and our selues to the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ who we know by the voice of the Gospell gathereth together to himselfe an euerlasting Church and we praie him that he would gouerne vs and not suffer the light of his Gospell to be extinguished nor the assemblies of them that rightlie call vpon him to be dispersed AN ADDITION AND we request all that teach in the Churches neâ—re adioyning or els where that receiue the Confession exhibited at Auspurge 1530. that when they reade these things if in any point they finde any want they would louinglie admonish vs thereof for that it was not our purpose to bring vp any other kinde of doctrine but plainlie to recite the summe of the Confession of Auspurge and the common consent of these Churches and we desire that we may be fauourablie and not quarrelouslie iudged of We purpose not to stirre vp new contentions but especially we pray to the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ that was crucified for vs and rose againe that praied in his agonie that we might be one
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
moste profitable that children and young men be examined in the Catechisme by the Pastors of their Church and that they be commended if they be godlie and well instructed and that they be amended if they be ill instructed The rest is to be seene in the 14. sect where the confirmation vsed in Papisticall Baptisme is handled Hitherto also perteineth the 16. Art ss 2. Of Praier BY praier god is inuocated and true inuocation is a work of faith and can not be done without faith Now faith doth behold Christ and relie vpon his merites onelie Wherefore except thou shalt applie vnto thy selfe the merit of Christ by faith praier wil stand thee in no stead before God Now praier is necessarilie required for this purpose that by a due consideration of the promises of God faith may be stirred vp kindled in vs. Therfore it is not absurdly saide that sinnes are cleane taken away by praier yet must it not so be vnderstoode as though the verie worke of praier of it owne merit were a satisfaction for sinnes befor God but that by praier faith is stirred vp and kindled in vs by which faith we are made partakers of thâ— merit of Christ and haue our sinnes forgiuen vs onelie for Christ his sake For before that we doe by praier inuocate God it shall be necessarie to haue the merit of Christ applied to vs and receiued by faith Therefore it can not be that praier should be such a worke as that for the merit thereof we might obteine remission of our sinnes before God Psalme 108. Lette his praier be turned into sinne But it is not possible that praier should be turned into sinne if of it selfe it were so worthie a worke as that sinne thereby should be purged Isa 1. When you shall stretch out your hands I will turne my eies from you and when you shall multiplie your praiers I will not heare you But God would not turne awaie is eies from praier it of it owne worthines it were a satisfaction for our sinnes Augustine vpon the 108. Psal saith That praier which is not made through Christ doth not onelie not take awaie sinne but also it selfe is made sin Bernard de Quadrages Ser. 5. saith But some peraduenture doe seeke eternall life not in humilitie but as it were in confidence of their owne merites Neither doe I saie this let grace receiued giue a man confidence to praie but no man ought to put his confidence in his praier as though for his praier he should obteine that which he desireth The giftes which are promised doe onelie giue this vnto vs that we maie hope to obteine euen greater things of that mercie which giueth these Therefore let that praier which is made for temporall things be restreined to these wants onelie also let that praier which is made for the vertues of the soule be free from al filthy vncleane behauiour let that praier which is made for life eternal be occupied about the onelie good pleasure of God and that in all humilitie presuming as is requisite of the onelie mercie of God Of Almes CHAP. 18. WE doe diligentlie commend almes and exhort the Church that euerie man helpe his neighbour by euerie duetie that he may and testifie his loue But whereas it is saide in a certaine place That almes doe take away sinne as water doth quench fire we must vnderstand it according to the analogy of faith Eor what neede was there to the taking away of our sinnes of Christ his passion and death if sinnes might be taken awaie by the merit of almes And what vse were there of the ministerie of the Gospell if almes were appointed of God for an instrument whereby the death of Christ might be applied to vs Therefore that Christ his honour may not be violated and the ministerie of the Gospell may reteine it lawfull vse we teach that almes doth thus take away sinne not that of it selfe it is a worthie worke whereby sinne may either be purged or the merit of Christ applied but that it is a worke and fruite of charitie toward our neighbour by which worke we doe testifie our faith and obedience which we owe vnto God Now where faith is there Christ alone is acknowledged to be the purger of sins Therfore seing that almes doth testifie after their manner that Christ doth dwell in the Godlie it doth also testifie that they haue remission of sinnes For except almes be a worke of charitie which may beare witnes to faith in Christ it is so farre from signifying that man hath remission of sins through Christ that it doth euen stinke in the sight of God If I shall distribute saith Paull all my substance that it may be meate for the poore and shall not haue loue it profiteth me nothing Therfore we teach that good workes must be done necessarilie that God is to be inuocated and that almes is to be giuen that we may testifie our faith and loue and obeie the calling of God But in true repentance we teach that we obteine remission of sinnes onelie for the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ his sake through faith according to that which Peter saith To him doe all the Prophets beare witnes that through his name euerie one that beleeueth in him doth receiue remission of sinnes Of Canonicall howres CHAP. 27. AVgustine writeth in a certaine place that Ambrose the Bishop of Millane did ordaine that the assemblies of the Church should sing Psalmes whereby they might mutuallie comfort themselues whilest they looked for aduersitie and stirre vp them selues to beare the crosse lest the people saith he should pine awaie with the yrckesomnes of mourning This singing because it was vsed in a tongue commonly known it had both a godlie vse deserued great praise And by the Canonical decree it appeereth that those houres which they call Canonicall were an appointment of certeine times wherin the wholl holie Scripture should be publikelie ouerrunne euerie yere as in the schooles there be certain houres appointed for interpreting of authors Such a distribution of houres was peraduenture not vnprofitable for that time in it self it is not a thing to be condemned But to appoint a special kinde of priests to chaunt out those Canonicall hours to sing them in a strange tongue which commonlie is not known to the Church or is not our countrie tongue that in some place in the night in the day time without any intermission new singers very often taking one an others course to make hereof a worship not to this ende that by patience and the comforte of the scripture we might haue hope as Paul saith but that by the merit of this worke a man might mitigate the wrath of God and purge the sins of men before God this is it that is contrary to the meaning of that Church which is in deede Catholike 1. Cor. 14. When ye come together according as euery one of you hath a psalm or hath
to be obserued but to be auoided For Christ our Lord doth sharpely reprooue those Pharisies and Masters of the Iewes by the name of such rites and traditions and for that they doe obserue such when he saith Verie well hath Esay prophecied of you hypocrites as it is written This people honoureth me with their lippes but their heart is farre away from me But they worship me in vaine seeing that they teach such doctrine as is deliuered and brought in by men For ye laie the commaundements of God aparte and obserue the traditions of men And holy Paull doth admonish vs to take heede of such toies deuised by men when he saith Beware lâ—st there be any that spoile you through philosophie and vaine deceit through the traditions of men according to the rudimentes of the world and not after Christ Whereof also there be Canons extant in the Canon lawe and the wordes be these We praise custome yet that onely which is knowne to vse nothing contrarie to the Catholique faith Wherfore those rites onely and those good ceremonies are to be obserued which among the people of God doe builde vp one onelie and that a true faith and a sincere worshippe of God concord charitie and true and Christian or religious peace Therefore whether they haue their beginning and be brought in of Bishops or of Ecclesiasticall Councells or of anie other authors whatsoeuer the simpler sorte are not to care for it neither to be mooued or disquieted but to vse them to good because they are good and to obserue this onelie rule therein as alwaies to put their greatest confidence in those things onelie which are of God settle their onelie and chiefe refuge in those things and with all diligence take heede that they be not withdrawne by such ceremonies from those things which are the chiefest of all and whereon religion is founded and so by consequent from the thinges themselues For those diuine and holsome things are to be preferred in euery respect before all other things of all men and the conscience ought to be bounde to them alone For the Lorde himselfe did pronounce a Woe against those Elders of the Iewes who preferred their owne traditions before the commaundements of God and those which were the lesser before things of greater weight You leaue saith he the weightiest matters of the lawe as iudgement and mercie and fidelitie These ought ye to haue done and not to haue lefâ—e the other And although our Preachers doe not keepe all rites alike with other Churches the which thing neither can be neither is necessarie to be done that in all places where there be Christian assemblies one and the same ceremonies should be vsed yet they doe not withstande or oppose themselues to anie good and godlie constitution neither are they so minded as that for the ceremonies sake they would raise vp anie dissensions although they should thinke that some of them were not verie necessarie so that they be not founde to be contrarie to God and to his worship and glorie and be such as do not diminish true faith in Iesus Christ which alone doth purchase righteousnes Howbeit in this place and in this point it must not be passed ouer with silence to wit that we ought by no meanes to burden the people with many superfluous and grieuous traditions such as the Mosaical traditions were vnder the law For the Apostles forbad that this should be done as also holie Peter said vnto certeine concerning this matter Why do ye tempt God in laying a yoke vpon the neckes of the disciples Also Be ye not saith Paul intangled with the yoke of bondage For which cause also Christ did vehementlie inueigh against the Scribes saying Woe also be to you Scribes for ye laie burdens vpon mens shoulders which can scarse be borne Also men are taught to acknowledge this that humane traditions do not containe a perpetual and immutable law but as they are for iust causes instituted of men so also they maie vpon iust and weightie causes and if the matter so require be broken abrogated and changed without anie sinne according to the example of the Apostles who did transgresse the traditions of the Elders when as they did eate bread with vnwashed handes and did not obserue the same fastes with others add yet they were not by this meanes guiltie of any sinne also according to the example of the first and holie Church vpon which the Apostles and the wholl councel laied this commaundement by the holie ghost that they should absteine from the eating of those thinges which were sacrificed to Idolls and of blood and of that which is strangled Notwithstanding after that the causes and occasions for the which this decree was made in processe of time did vanish awaie euen this Apostolicall constitution did grow out of vse Neither in these things ought we to care for the offence of the wicked who are offended with this thing as the Lord saith Let them alone they be blinde and guides of the blinde And on the other side we must take diligent heede hereunto that no offence be giuen to litle ones by a rash froward and wicked vsing of Christian libertie for this also the Lord saith Woe be to that man by whome offence commeth Now if so be that there be anie vnlikenes in traditions and externall ceremonies and if anie diuersitie which is not hurtfull be found in Ecclesiasticall assemblies certeinlie no man ought to be so ignorant in these thinges as for this cause to be offended therewith or to take offence at others and in this respect to reproch or hurt others or to be an author of sectes and also of factions seeing that there was neuer in all places one and the same forme of an Ecclesiasticall constitution in this point neither is at this day the same The which thing also is mentioned in the bookes of the Canon law in these wordes The holie Church of Rome doth know that constitutions and customes beeing diuers according to time place do nothing at all hinderthe saluation of the faithfull if the Canonicall authoritie be not against them Rather it becommeth euerie sound Christian to be content in his conscience to rest in that if he see Christians to haue the one spirit of Christ and with agreeing mindes to holde and follow his true meaning and one and the same doctrine in al these things and chiefe pointes of faith For he that hath not this Spirit of Christ he is not Christes as the Apostle doth witnes although he vse all and euerie kinde of ceremonies or constitutions Therefore whosoeuer be Christes this is their duetie as in all other such like thinges that as members of one bodie they do suffer and beare one with an other in charitie without the which no thing can profit anie whit according to the meaning of the Apostolike doctrine OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION WE
for others that they might be satisfactions for other mens sinnes If anie man wil odiouslie exaggerate these thinges how many things might herehearse whereof the Monks themselues are now ashamed It is no light offence in the Church to propound vnto the people a certein worship deuised by men without the commaundement of God and to teach that such a worship doth iustifie men because that the righteousnes of faith in Christ which ought especiallie to be taught in the Church is obscured when as those maruelous religions of Angells feigning of pouerty and humilitie and of single life are cast before mens eies Moreouer the commaundements of God and the true worship of God are obscured when as men do heare that Monks alone are in that state of perfection because that Christian perfection is this to feare God sincerely and againe to conceiue great faith and to trust assuredlie that God is pacified toward vs for Christ his sake to ask and certainly to look for help from God in al our affaires according to our calling and outwardlie to do good workes dilligentlie and to tend vpon our vocation In these things doth true perfection and the true worship of God consist it doth not consist in singlenes of life in beggarie or in vile apparell The people also doth conceiue many pernitious opinions of those false commendations of the monasticall life They heare that single life is praised aboue measure therefore they liue in marriage with offence of conscience They heare that beggers onelie are perfect therefore they keepe their possessions buy and sell with offence of conscience They heare that the gospel giueth counsell not to reuenge therfore some that lead a priuat life are not afraid to reuenge themselues For they heare that it is a counsell not a commaundement Others do think that all Magistracie and ciuill offices are vnworthie a Christian man VVe read examples of men who forsaking wedlock and leauing the gouernment of the common wealth haue hid themselues in Monasteries That they called to flie out of the world and to seeke a kinde of life which is more acceptable to God neither did they see that God is to be serued in those commaundements which he himselfe hath deliuered not in the commaundements which are deuised by men That is a good and perfect kinde of life which hath the commaundement of God for it warrant It is necessarie to admonish men of these thinges And before these times Gerson did reprehend this errour of the perfection of Monkes and he witnesseth that in his time this was a new or strange voice that the Monasticall life is a state of perfection Thus many wicked opinions doe cleaue fast vnto vowes as that they merit remission of sinnes iustification that they are Christian perfection that they do keepe the counsells and commaundements that they haue works of supererogation All these thinges seing they be false and vaine do make vowes to be of no effect OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SAXONIE Of Wedlocke THe trueth concerning Wedlocke did at all times remaine sincere in the Church onelie For the Church doth know that God doth moste seuerelie forbid wandring lustes amongst mankinde and that he would haue chastitie so to be vnderstoode and performed as he himselfe hath ordeined it that we also maie know that he is a pure and a chaste minde and maie discerne him from deuils whoe through the hatred they beare to God are delighted with the confusions of lusts doe driue forward this weake nature of man that it maie be horriblie defiled Wherefore both the Heathen did euerie where admitte ceratine foule examples and Heretikes at all times haue spreade abroad monstrous opinions touching wedlocke as Clemens Alexandrinus and Epiphanius doe declare And the Turkish manners and the lawe of the Pope concerning single life haue caused a great deformitie in this last olde age of the world But Paull doth affirme that it is a signe of euill Spirites to forbid marriage Wherefore we doe verie carefullie keepe the sincere doctrine of God touching marriage and by the mercie of God our ciuill Magistrates haue appointed and doe defende iudgements for Marriage matters in their gouernment and they doe seuerelie punish those wicked deeds which are contrarie to the lawe of God and know that by the commaundement of God they are inioyned to haue a care to defende chastitie and wedlocke And we retaine this true definition agreeing with the commaundements of God and the custome of the Apostolique Church Marriage is a lawfull and indissoluble coniunction onelie of one man and of one woman to be kept because of the commaundement of God whoe by this meane will haue mankinde associated chastitie to be vnderstoode and lustes not to wander God in the beginning did consecrate this order saying thus They shall be two in one flesh to wit one man and one onelie woman inseperablie ioyned together And againe this first lawe was established of Christ Math. 19. Now that this coupling together maie be lawfull we doe immutably obserue the differences of persons that we maie not make a mixture of those persons whoe by the lawe of God are not permitted to couple together Also we keepe the rules of the Canon lawe touching other neerer degrees as there be ordinances to be seene deliuered with graue and wise deliberation in our Consistories Moreouer we know it is the will of God that Marriage should not be for bidden to anie persons that be fit thereunto and which without Marriage could not liue without daunger of their conscience as it is written Gen. 2. Math. 19 1. Cor. 7. Therefore we giue leaue to Priestes and other persons to marie which had rather liue godlie in Marriage then in a single life to haue wounded consciences so that they may not inuocate God and liue holilie In affiances euen according to the auncient lawes we will haue the consent of the Parentes also seeing that Parentes are mooued with a probable reason Touching diuorcementes this rule is most firmelie held that they doe sin who either by adultery or by forsaking be the first cause of distraction and adulterers and adultresses and he and shee that doth fosake the other are condemned by the voice of them that preach in our Churches and of the Iudges in our Consistories and they be seuerelie punished of our Magistrates But the innocent person when as the matter beeing well knowne he is set free is not forbid to marrie that he maie inuocate God liue holilie For seing that the Lord doth expresselie set at libertie the innocent person Math. 19. when as the other partie is polluted with adulterie we must vnderstande a setting at libertie not in name onelie but in deede And Paull speaketh after the same manner in the case of forsaking This our custome doth also agree with the auncient Church The other lawes which we haue in our Consistories doe agree with the Canon lawe and we doe trulie propound vnto the people the