he saith Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in my name that is acknowledging and naming oâ— calling vpon me as the redeemer high Priest and intercessor this high Priest alone goeth into the holiest place that is into the secret counsell of the deitie and seeth the minde of the eternal father and maketh request for vs and searching our hearts presenteth our sorrowes sighes and praiers vnto him It is plaine that this doctrine of the Mediatour was obscured and corrupted when men went to the mother Virgine as more mercifull and others sought other Mediators And it is plaine that there is no example to be seene in the Prophets or Apostles where prayer is made vnto men heare me Abraham or heare me O God for Abrahams sake but prayer is made vnto God who hath reuealed himselfe to wit to the eternall father to the sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ and to the holie Ghost that he would receiue heare and saue vs for the sonnes sake It is also expresselie made to the sonne as 2. Thess 2. Our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe and God and our father who hath loued vs strengthen you c. and Gen. 48. Iacob nameth God and the sonne the Mediator when he saith God before whome my fathers walked and the Angell that deliuered me out of all troubles that is the promised Sauiour blesse these children Therefore we vse these formes of inuocation I call vpon the O Almightie God eternall father of our Lord Iesus Christ maker of heauen earth together with thy sonne our Lord Iesus Christ and thy holie spirite O wise true good righteous moste free chaste and mercifull God haue mercie vpon me and for Iesus Christes sake thy sonne crucified for vs and raised vp againe heare and sanctifie me with thy holie spirit I call vpon the O Iesus Christ the sonne of God crucified for vs and raised vp againe haue mercie on me pray for me vnto the euerlasting father and sanctifie me with thy holie spirite In these forme we know what we praie vnto And seing there are testimonies of Gods word to be seene which shewe that this praying pleaseth God and is heard such praying maie be made in faith These thinges are not to be found in that inuocation which is made vnto men Some gather testimonies out of Augustine and others to shewe that the Saintes in heauen haue care of humane affaires This may more plainlie be shewed by Moses and Elias talking with Christ And there is no doubt but that such as are in happines praie for the Church but yet it followeth not thereupon that they are to be praied vnto And albeit we teach that men are not to be praied vnto yet we propound the histories of those that are in blessed state vnto the people Because it is necessary that the history of the Church be by some meanes knowne vnto all by what testimonies the Church is called together founded and how it is preserued and what kinde of doctrine hath benâ— published by the fathers Prophets Apostles and Martyrs In these histories we commaund all to giue thankes vnto God for that he hath reuealed himselfe that he hath gathered togither his Church by his son that he hath deliuered his doctrine vnto vs and hath sent teachers and hath shewed in them the witnesses of him selfe we commaund al to consider of their doctrine to strengthè their faith by those testimonies which God hath shewed in them That they likewise consider the examples of iudgement and punishments that the feare of God may be stirred vp in them we commaund them to follow their faith patience and other vertues that they learne that in God is no respect of persons and desire to haue themselues also receiued heard gouerned saued and helped as God receiued Dauid Manasses Magdalene the theefe on the Crosse We also teach how these examples are to be followed of euerie maâ— in his vocation because error in imitation and preposterous zeale is oft times the cause of great euills We also commend the diligence of the Saintes themselues who tooke heede of wasting Gods giftes in vaine And to conclude they that are moste fooles maie gather great stored doctrine out of these histories which doctrine is profitable to be published to the people so that superstition be â—eâ— aside OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WITTEMBERGâ— CHAP. 1. WE beleeue and confesse that there is one onelâ— God true eternall and infinite almightie maâ—â— of all thinges visible and inuisible and that in this one 〈◊〉 eternall godhead there are three properties or persons of them selues subsisting the Father the sonne and thâ— holie Ghost As the Prophetical and Apostolicall scriptures teach and the Creedes of the Apostles of Nice and of Athanasius declare Of the sonne of God CHAP. 2. VVE beleeue and confesse that the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ was begotten of his father from euerlasting true and euerlasting God consubstantiall with his Father c. Looke the rest in the 6. diuision Of the holie Ghost CHAP. 3. VVE beleeue and confesse that the holie Ghost proceedeth from God the Father from euerlasting that he is true and eternal God of the same essence maiestie glorie with the Father and the sonne as the holie Fathers by authoritie of the holie scripture wel declared in the Councel of Constantinople against Macedonius Of Inuocation of Saints CHAP. 23. THere is no doubt but the memorie of those Saintes who when they were in this bodelie life furthered the Church either by doctrine or writings or by miracles or by examples and haue either witnessed the trueth of the gospell by Martyrdome or by a quiet kinde of death fallen on sleep in Christ ought to be sacred with al the Godlie and they are to be commended to the Church that by their doctrine and examples we maie be strengthned in true faith and inflamed to follow true godlines We confesse also that the Saintes in heauen doe after their certaine manner pray for vs before God as the Angels also are carefull for vs and all the creatures doe after a certaine heauenlie manner groane for our saluation and trauell togither with vs as Paull speaketh But as the worship of inuocation of creatures is not to be instituted vpon their gronings so vpon the praier of Saints in heauen we may not alow the inuocation of saints For touching the inuocating of them there is no commaundement nor example in the holy scriptures For seeing al hope of our saluation is to be put not in the saints but in our Lord god alone through his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ it is cleere that not the Saints but God alone is to be praied vnto How shall they call one him saith Paul in whome they beleeue no t but we must not beleeue in the saints how then shal we pr ay vnto them And seeing it must needes be that he who iâ— praied vnto be a searcher of the heart the Saints ought not to be praied vnto because they
and eternall death but this freeâ—â—me and conuersion of man vnto God and this spirituall newnes wrought by the sonne of God quickning â—s by his holie spirit as it is saide If any man hath not the spirites Christ the same is not his the wil hauing receiued the holie Ghost is not now idle And we giue God thankes for this vnspeakeable benefite that for the sonne his sake and thorough him he giueth vs the holie Ghost and doth gouerne vs by his spirit And we condemne the Pelagians and the Manichees as we haue at large declared in another place Of the difference of sinne Artic. 10. SEeing it is said that sinnes remaine in the regenerate it is necessarie to haue a difference of sinnes deliuered vnto vs. For out of that saying Luc. 11. He went and tooke vnto him seauen other spirites worsse then himselfe and they enter in and dwell there c. And of such like sayings it is manifest that some who are regenerate doe greeue and shake of the holie ghost and are againe reiected of God and made subiect to the wrath of God and eternal punishments And Ezech. 18. it is written when the righteous man shall turâ—â— from his righteousnes and commit iniquitie he shall die therein and when the wicked man shall turne from his wickednes and dâ—â— iudgement and iustice he shall liue therein Therefore it is necessarie that those sinnes which remaine in holie men in this mortall life and yet doe not shake of the holie Ghost be distinguished from other sinnes for the which man is againe made subiect to the wrath of God and to eternall punishments So Paull Rom. 5. distinguisheth betweene sinne that raigneth and sinne that raigneth not And Rom. 8. he saith If yee liue after the flesh yee shall die but if yee morâ—ifiâ— the decdeâ— of the bodie by the spirit yee shall liue And in the first Epistle to Timothie Chap. 1. he giueth a rule Fight a good fight keeping faith and a good conscience Therefore when a man doth not keepe the faith but either wittinglie or by some error looseth some part of the foundation that is some article of faith or alloweth Idoles as manie doe which are deceiued with false opinions or doe not vpholde themselues by the comfort of faith but are ouercome by doubting or by dispaire or against their conscience doe breake anie commaundement of God he doth shake of the holie Ghost and is made againe subiect to the wrath of Gâ— and to euerlasting punishments Of these men saith Paull Rom. 8. If ye liue according to the flesh ye shal die And 1. Cor. 6. Neither fornicatours nor adulterers nor Idolaters c. shall inherit the kingdome of God And that the oth Ezech. 18. doth clearely saie As I liue saith the Lord I doe not desire the death of a sinner but rather that he be conuerted and liue In this oath two parts are ioyned together conuersion life God doth desire and that with an oath the couersion of man therefore they doe not please him which retaine a purpose to sinne Now in this number we comprise both the sinnes of assectate omission that is affectate negligence in a duetie which is contrarie to that saying This is required that we be faithfull And also affectate ignorance such as is Pharisaicall and is to be seene in an infinite multitude which endeuoreth not to search out the doctrine of the Church and ignorantlie retaineth Idolls or doth also further the rage which is vsed in the defence of Idolls Thus much of those falls whereby the holie Ghost is shaken of There be also other sinnes in the regenerate who keepe faith a good conscience which doe not corrupt the foundation neither are sinnes against the conscience but are the reliques of Originall sinne as darkenes doubting carnall securitie wandring flames of vitious affections and omissions or ignorances not affected Some extenuate these euills and name them deformities beside the lawe of God But this blindnes is greatlie to be reprooued and we muste consider both the greatnes of the euill in this wholl pollution which is contrarie to the lawe and will of God and also the greatnes of the mercie and benefit of the Sonne of God whoe couereth these great and lamentable woundes in this miserable nature And Paull commaundeth vs to Resist those euilles by the spirit that is Atticus and Scipio doe bridle their corrupt affections by reason but loseph and Paull doe bridle them by the spirit that is by the motions of the holie Ghost by true griefe true faith feare of God and inuocation Paull feeling in him selfe doubtes and other wandring motions is sorowfull and by faith perswaded that this pollution is couered by the Mediatour and by the feare of God â—oth staie himselfe that he giue no place to anger or to oâ—â—er wandring motions and there withall he doth inuocate God and desire his helpe saying O Lord create in me a new heart When we doe after this sorte withstand that corruption which as yet remaineth in the regenerate these euills are couered it is called sinne that doth not raigne or veniall sinne and the holie Ghost is not shaken of It is euident that this doctrine concerning the difference of sinnes is true plaine and necessarie for the Church And yet manie know what manner of intricate disputations are to be found in the bookes of our a duersaries touching the same c. Hauing thus brieflie declared the summe of the doctrine of iustification we should now also declare and confute the arguments which are obiected against this iudgement of ours but because diuers men doe obiect diuers things we haue onelie recited our confession and offer our selues to larger declarations in euerie member of the confession OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE Of sinne CHAP. 4. WE beleeue and confesse that in the beginning man was created of God iust wise endued with free will adorned with the holie Ghost and happie but afterward for his disobedience he was depriued of the holie Ghost and made the bondman of Satan and subiect both to corporall and eternall damnation and that euill did not state in one onelie Adam but was deriued into all the posteritie And whereas some affirme that so much integritie of minde was left to man after his fall that by his naturall strength and good workes he is able to conuert and prepare himselfe to faith and the inuocating of God it is flatlie contrarie to the Apostolike doctrine the true consent of the Catholike Church Rom. 5. By one mans trespasse euill was deriued into all men to condemnation Eph. 2. When ye were deade in trespasses and sinnes wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world and after the prince c. And a litle after We were by nature the children of wrath as well as others He saith Deade in sinnes and the children of wrath that is straungers from the grace of God But as a
fulnes of time was come God sent his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the law that he might redeeme them which were vnder the law and that we by adoption might receiue the right of sonnes And Acts. 15 it is saide Why tempt ye God to laie an yoke vpon the Disciples neckes which neither our fathers nor wee were able to beare but we beleeue through the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ to be saued euen as they c. And Augustine saith That people which receiued the old Testament was helde vnder certaine shadowes and figures of thinges before the comming of the Lorde according to the wonderfull and moste orderlie diuision of times Yet therein was so great preaching and foretelling of the new Testament that in the Euangelicall and Apostolike discipline though it be painfull and diuine no commaundements or promises can be found which are wanting euen in those olde bookes THE EIGHT SECTION OF REPENTANCE AND THE CONVERSION OF MAN THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA CHAP. 14. THe gospel hath the doctrine of repentance ioyned with it for so saide the Lord in the Gospell In my name must repentance and remission of sinnes be preached among all nation Byrepentance we vnderstand the change of the minde in a sinfull man stirred vp by the preaching of the Gospell and by the holy spirit receiued by a true faith by which a sinneful man doth eftsonnes acknowledge his naturall corruption and aâ—â— his sinnes seeing them conuinced by the word of God iâ— hartely greeued for them and doth not onelie bewaile and freelie confesse them before God with shame but also doth loath and abhorre them with indignation thinketh seriouslie of present amendment and of a continuall care of innocencie and vertues wherein to exercise himselfe holilie all the rest of his life And surely this is true repentance namely an vnfeined turning vnto god and to all goodnes and a serious returne from the Deuill and from all euill Now we doe expresselie saie that this repentance is the meere gift of god and not the worke of our owne strength For the Apostle doth will the faithful Minister diligentlie to Instruct those which withstande the trueth if that at any time the Lord will giue them repentance that they may acknowledge the trueth Also the sinnefull woman in the gospell which washed Christs feete with her teares and Peter which bitterlie wept and bewailed his deniall of his Master doe manifestlie shew what minde the penitent man should haue to witte verie earnestlie lamenting his sins committed Moreouer the Prodigal sonne and the Publican in the Gospell that is compared with the Pharisie doe set forth vnto vs a most fit paterne of confessing our sinnes to God The Prodigall sonne saide Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee I am not worthie to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired seruants The Publican also not daring to lift vp his eies to heauen but knocking his brest he cryed God be mercifull vnto me a sinner And we dout not but the Lord receiued them to mercie For Iohn the Apostle saith If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to purge vs from all iniquitie If we saie wee haue not sinned we make him a lier and his word is not in vs. We beleeue that this sincere confession which is made to God alone either priuatelie betweene God and the sinner or openlie in the Church where that generall confession of sinnes is rehearsed is sufficient and that it is not necessarie for the obteining of remission of sinnes that any man should confesse his sinnes vnto the priest whispering them into his eares that the priest laying his hands on his head he might receiue absolution because that we finde no commaundement nor example thereof in the holie scripture Dauid protesteth saieth I made my fault knowne to thee and my vnrighteousnes did I not hide from thee I said I will confesse my wickednes to the Lord against my selfe and thou hast forgiuen the hainousnes ofmy sinne Yea and the Lord teaching vs to pray and also to confesse our sinnes saide So shall you praie Our father which art in heauen forgiue vs our debtes euen as we forgiue our debters It is requisite therefore that we should confesse our sinnes vnto god and be reconciled with our neighbour if we haue offended him And the Apostle Iames speaking generallie of confession saith Confes ech of you your sinnes one to another If so be that any man beeing ouerwhelmed with the burthen of his sinnes and troublesome temptations wil priuatelie aske counsell instruction or comfort either of a minister of the Church or of any other brother that is learned in the law of God we doe not mislike it Like as also we doe fullie alow that generall and publike confession which is wont to be rehearsed in the Church and in holie meetings whereof we spake before beeing as it is agreeable with the scripture As concerning the keies of the kingdome of heauen which the Lord committed to his Apostles they prate manie straunge thinges and of these keies they make swordes speares scepters and crownes and full power ouer mightie kingdoms yea ouer mens soules and bodies But we iudging vprightlie according to the word of God do saie that al ministers trulie called haue and exercise the keies or the vse of them when as they preach the Gospell that is to say when they doe teach exhorte reprooue and keepe in order the people committed to their charge For so doe they open the kingdome of God to the obedient and shut it against the disobedient These keies did the Lorde promise to the Apostles in the 16. Chapter of Mathew and deliue them in Iohn 20. Chapter Marke 16. Luke the 24. when as he sent forth his disciples and commaunded them To preach the Gospell in all the world to forgiue sinnes The Apostle in the Epistle to the Cor. saith That the Lorde gaue to his ministerâ— the ministerie of reconciliation And what this was he straighwaie maketh plaine and saieth The worde or doctrine of reconciliation And yet more plainelie expounding his words he he addeth that the ministers of Christ Do as it were go an imbassage in Christs name as if God himselfe should by his ministers exhort the people to be reconciled to god to weet by faithful obedience They vse the keies therfore when as they perswade to faith and repentance Thus do they reconcile men to God thus they forgiue sins thus do they open the kingdome of heauen and bring in the beleeuers much differing herein from those of whome the Lorde spake in the Gospell Wâ—t be vnto you lawyers for ye haue taken awaie the keie of knowledge You haue not entred in your selues and those that would haue entered ye forbad Rightlie therefore and effectuallie do ministers absolue when as they preach the Gospell of Christ and thereby
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
againe In vaine doe they worship me seeing they do only teach the commaundements of men But such works as are taught of men what shew soeuer they haue euen of goodnes are in no case to be so highly esteemed as those which are commaunded of God Yea to saie somewhat more if they be not of faith but contrary to faith they are of no value at all but are an abomination and filthines before the face of God Now all good workes are deuided first generallie into those which pertaine to all true Christians according to the vnitie of faith and catholicke saluation Secondly they are deuided particularly into those which are proper to the order age and place of euery man as the holie Ghost doth seuerallie teach Elders Masters the common sorte Parentes children the maried the vnmaried and euerie one what be their proper bonds and workes Moreouer in this point men are diligentlie taught to know how and wherein good workes doe please God Truelie they please God no otherwise then in the onelie name of our Lord Iesus Christ in whose name they ought to be done to the glorie of god according to the doctrine of Paull the Apostle who speaketh thus Whatsoeuer you doe in wordes and in deedes doe all in the name of our Lord Iesus And the Lorde himselfe saith Without me ye can doe thing that is nothing that maie please God and be for your saluation Now to doe good workes in the name of Christ is to doe them in a liuelie faith in him whereby we are iustified and in loue which is poured forth into our hearts by the holie Ghost in such sorte that God loueth vs and we againe loue him and our neighbour For the holy Ghost doth sanctifie mooue and kindle the hearts of them which are iustified to doe these holie actions as the Lorde saieth He shall be in you And the Apostle The anoynting of God teacheth you These two Faith and loue are the fountaine and square of all vertues and good workes according to the testimony of the Apostle The end of the commandement is loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith not feigned And againe Without faith it is not possible to please God Also without loue nothing doth profit a man In the next place they teach why and to what purpose or end such good workes as pertaine to Christian godlines ought to be done to wit not in this respect that men by these workes should obtaine iustification or saluation and remission of sins for Christ saith When you haue done all those thinges which were commaunded you saie we are vnprofitable seruants Also Paull saith Not for the workes of righteousnes which we haue done but through his mercie hath he saued vs wherewith al those words of Dauid agree when he praieth Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruant because that in thy sight shall no flesh liuing be iustified But Christians are to exercise themselues in good works for these causes following First that by this meane they may prooue and declare their faith by these workes be knowne to be true Christians that is the liuelie members and followers of Christ whereof our Lorde saith Euerie tree is knowen by his owne fruites In deede good workes are assured arguments and signes and testimonies and exercises of a liuelie faith euen of that faith which lieth hidde in the heart and to be shorte of the true fruit thereof and such as is acceptable to God Paull saith Christ liueth in me for in that I now liue in the flesh I liue by faith in the Sonne of God And trulie it can not be otherwise but that as sinne doth bring forth death so faith and iustification which ariseth therout doth bring forth life inwardlie in the spirit and outwardlie in the works of charitie Secondlie we must therefore doe good workes that Christians might confirme and build vp their Election and vocation in themselues and preserue it by taking heed that they fall not in mortall sinnes euen as Saint Peter teacheth among other thinges writing thus Wherefore brethren endeauour rather to make your election and vocation sure or to confirme it And how this maie be done he doth brieflie declare a litle before Therefore giuing all diligence thereunto ioyne vertue with your faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance pacience with pacience godlines with godlines brotherlie kindnes and with brotherlie kindnes loue For if these thinges be among you and abound in you they will make you that ye neither shall be idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lorde Iesus Christ In which place Saint Peter doth euidently shew that we must endeuour to exercise ourselues in good workse first for this cause lest that the grace of faith a good conscience which we haue be either lost or defiled but that it maie rather be preserued For the holie Ghost doth flie from Idolaters and departeth from prophane men and the euill and vnpure spirit doth returne into an emptie and idle house Also whosoeuer doth either loose or defile a good conscience what commendable thing or what worke can he do that is pretious and acceptable to God how shall he giue himselfe to prayer Secondlie for this cause that we maie profitte and increase more and more in this grace and that we maie gaine vnto the Lorde by occupying those talents which are committed to our trust whereof Saint Paull saith Now we all beholding as in a mirrour the glorie of the Lord with open face are changed into the same Image from glorie to glorie that is we beholde Christ who is the image and glorie of the Father herein we indeauour that we maie be conformed to the likenes of this Image by the holie ghost which doth kindle vs therunto til this Image doth get her perfection by the blessed resurrection Thirdly we must do exercise our selues in good workes as well for the promises of this life as also for the reward of eternall life whereof mention is made verie often and at large in the holie scripture that by faith in Christ wee maie haue a more easie entrance to the attaining of those rewards and to the eternal kingdome of heauen as S. Peter testifieth saying If ye doe these thinges ye shall neuer fall For by this meanes an entring shal be ministred vnto you abundantlie into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ But chiefelie we must doe the workes of mercie whereby we maie benefit our neighbour whereby we prouide and doe for him and whereof he standeth in neede such as these be to giue almes to visite the sicke to haue a care of them or to be at hand to doe them seruice to teach the simple by counsell and labour to helpe others to pardon offences and such like which all haue the promises of the bountifullnes of
hypocrites mingled with this companie and shal be to the daie of iudgement Now the Church properlie so called hath her notes and markes to weete the pure and sounde Doctrine of the Gospell and the right vse of the Sacraments And for the true vnitie of the Church it is sufficient to agree opon the Doctrine of the Gospell and the administration of the sacraments Neither is it necessary that humane traditions or rites instituted by men should be alike euerie where according as Saint Paul teacheth There is one Lorde one faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all These things are thus set downe in another edition ALso they â—each that there is one holy Church which is to continue alwaies Now the Church is a congregation of Saints in which the Gospell is purelie taught and the Sacraments rightlie administred And vnto the true vnitie of the Church it is sufficient to agree vpon the Doctrine of the Gospell and the administration of the Sacraments Neither is it necessarie that humane traditions and rites or ceremonies ordained by man should be alike in all places as Saint Paull saith There is one saith one baptisme one God and Father of all OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SAXONY Of the Church GOd will haue vs to vnderstand that mankinde is not â—orne by chaunce but that it is created of God and created not to eternall destruction but that out of mankinde he might gather vnto himselfe a Church to the which in all eternitie he might communicate his wisdome goodnes and ioy and he will haue his Sonne to be seene for whome and through whome by his vnspeakeable wisdome and infinite mercie he hath repayred this miserable nature of men Therefore amongst men he woulde at all times haue a companie whereunto he deliuered the doctrine concerning his Sonne and wherein the Sonne himselfe did institute and preserue a ministerie to keepe and spread abroad that doctrine by the which he hath bin is and wil be effectuall â—nd hath conuerted manie to himselfe as Paull doeth manifestlie teach The Gospell is the power of God to saluation to euâ—â—ie one that beleeueth But it is to be 〈…〉 at and to be lamented that the greatest part of mankinde being carried awaie with a horrible rage should contemne this voice and testimonie of God and the Sonne of God and that in this companie which hath the name of the Church there haue bin alwaies many diuisons and that the true Church hath bin ouercome by forrein domesticall enemies When men do looke vpon these dissentions and doe see that they which imbrace other doctrines repugnant to the gospell doe get the vpper hand in kingdomes multitude and glorie they doubt whether there be anie Church of God which it is what manner of Church it is and where it should be And for prophane men it is a hard matter to iudge hereof but the true Church doth certeinlie know out of the diuine Testament whence these so great furies of men doe arise and yet that amongst them the Church of God is preserued and doth discerne it from other nations and knoweth which is it what manner of one it is where to be found Therefore that all godlie men might be the better confirmed against these doubtes this Article is set before them in the Creede I beleeue the holie Catholike Church By this profession we affirme that all mankinde is not reiected of God but that there is and shall remaine a certeine true Church that the promises of God are sure and that the Sonne of God doth as yet reigne receiue and saue those that call vpon him And being raised vp by this comforte we doe giue God thankes and inuocate him we doe desire receiue and looke for eternall good thinges at his hand By reason of this admonition and comfort the Article in the Creede is rehearsed seing that the selfe same doctrine touching the preseruing of the Church is verie often repeated in sundrie Sermons in the booke of God as Isa 59. This is my couenant with them saith the Lord my Spirit which is vpon thee and my wordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart â—â—t of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed saith the Lorde from henceforth euen for euer And Christ saith I am with you for euer euen to the ende of the worlde Also this is a sweete comforte that the heires of eternall life are not to be found elswhere then in the companie of those that are called according to that saying Whome he hath chosen them he hath also called Let not therefore mens mindes goe astraie beholding this ragged bodie of the Church and peraduenture dreaming that in other places some which doe not know the gospell are notwithstanding holie and the dwelling house of God as Fabius Scipio Aristides and such like But turne thou thy eies hether Knowe for a certaintie that in this companie of those which are called some be chosen and ioyne thy selfe to this companie by confession and Inuocation as Dauid saith Psal 26. One thing haue I desired of the Lord and that I doe still require that I maie dwell in the house of the Lorde all the daies of my life to beholde the will of the Lorde anâ— to visitte his temple We do not therefore speake of the Church as if we should speake of Plato his Idea but we speake of such a Church as maie be seene and heard according to that saying Theâ— sound is gonne forth into all the earth The eternall father wil haue his sonne to be heard among al mankinde as he saith Heare him And Psal 2. I haue set my king vpon the holie hill Sion I will declare the decree The Lord said to me thou art 〈◊〉 Sonne this daie haue I begotten thee Be wise now therfore ye King We say therfore that the visible Church in this life is companie of those which doe embrace the Gospell oâ— Christ and vse the sacramentes aright wherein God by the ministerie of the Gospell is effectuall and doth renâ—â— manie to life eternall And yet in this companie there be manie which are not holie but do agree together concerning the true doctrine as in the time of Marie these were the Church to wit Zacharie Simeon Ioseph Elizabeth Marie Anne the teachers and manie other who agreed with them in the pure doctrine and did not heare the Sadduces and the Pharisees but Zacharie Simeon Anne Marie and such like c. For when the companie is very small yet God doth reserue some remnants whose voice and confession is heard and he doth oftentimes renue the ministerie according to that saying Except the Iord had left a seed â—n to vs we had beene like to Sodome c. Therefore this description taken out of the manifest testimonies of the scriptures doeth declare which is the Church what it is and where it is We maie not doubt that the Church is tied to the Gospell as Paull saith If anie man teach another