Citizens of the heauenlie Ierusalem haue the fruition of the moste inestimable benefites to wit of one God one Lord Iesus one faith and of one Baptisme out of the which Church there is neither life nor eternall felicitie And therfore we vtterlie abhor the blasphemie of those that affirme that men which liue according to equitie and iustice shall be saued what religion so euer they haue professed For as without Christ Iesus there is neither life nor saluation so shal there none be participant thereof but such as the father hath giuen vnto his Sonne Christ Iesus and those in time to come vnto him auow his doctrine and beleeue in him we apprehend the children with the faithful parents This Church is inuisible knowne onelie to God who alone knoweth whome he hath chosen and comprehendeth as well as said is the elect that be departed commonlie called the Church triumphant as those that yet liue and fight against sinne and Satan and shall liue hereafter The immortalitie of the soules THe elect departed are in peace and rest from their labours not that they sleepe and come to a certaine obliuion as some phantastikes doe affirme but that they are deliuered from all feare and torment and all temptation to which we and al Gods elect are subiect in this life and therfore doe beare the name of the Church militant as contrariwise the reprobate and vnfaithful departed haue anguish torment and paine that can not be expressed So that neither are the one nor the other in such sleepe that they feele not their torment as the parable of Christ Iesus in the 16. of Luke his wordes to the theefe and these wordes of the soules crying vnder the Altar O Lorde thou art righteous and iâ—st how long shalt thou not reuenge our blood vpon these that dwell in the earth doe testifie Of the notes by the which the true Church is discerned from the false and who shall be iudge of the doctrine BEcause that Satan from the beginning hath laboured to decke his pestilent sinagogue with the title of the Church of God and hath inflamed the heartes of cruell murtherers to persecute trouble molest the true Church and members thereof as Caine did Abell Ismaell Isaak Esau Iacob and the wholl priesthoode of the Iewes Christ Iesus himselfe and his Apostles after him It is a thing most requisite that the true Church be discerned from the filthie sinagogues by cleare perfit notes lest we being deceiued receiue and imbrace to our condemnation the one for the other The notes signes and assured tokens whereby the immaculate spouse of Christ Iesus is knowne from the horrible harlot the Church malignant we affirme are neither antiquitie title vsurped lineall descent place appointed nor multitude of men approouing an errour for Caine in age and title was preferred to Abell and Seth Ierusalem had prerogatiue aboue al places of the earth where also were the priests lineallie descended from Aaron and greater number followed the Scribes Pharisies and Priestes then vnfainedlie beleeued and approoued Christ Iesus and his doctrine yet as we suppose no man of sound iudgement will graunt that any of the forenamed were the Church of God The notes therefore of the true Church of God we beleeue confesse and auow to be first the true preaching of the worde of God in the which God hath reuealed himselfe vnto vs as the writings of the Prophets and Apostles doe declare Secondlie the right administration of the Sacramentes of Christ Iesus which must be annexed vnto the worde and promise of God to seale confirme the same in our hearts Lastlie Ecclesiasticall discipline vprightlie ministred as Gods word prescribeth wherby vice is repressed and vertue nourished Whersoeuer then these former notes are seene and of anie time continue be the number neâ—â—r so fewe aboue two or three there without all doubt is the true Church of Christ who according to his promise is in the midst of them Not in the vniuersall of which we haue before spoken but particular such as was in Corinthus Gallacia Ephesus and other places in which the ministery was planted by Paull and were of himselfe named the Churches of God and such Churches we the inhabitants of the Realme of Scotlande professours of Christ Iesus professe our selues â—o haue in our Cities townes and places reformed For the doctrine taught in our Churches is contained in the written worde of God to wit in the bookes of the olde and new Testaments in those bookes we meane which of the auncient haue beene reputed Canonicall In the which we affirme that all thinges necessarie to be beleeued for the saluation of mankinde are sufficientlie expressed The interpretation whereof we confesse neither appertaineth to priuate nor publike person neither yet to anie church for any preheminence or prerogatiue personal or locall which one hath aboue another but appertaineth to the Spirit of God by the which also the scripture was written When controuetsie theÌ„ happeneth for the right vnderstanding of any place or sentence of scripture or for the reformation of anie abuse within the Church of God we ought noâ— so much to looke what men before vs haue saide or done as vnto that which the holie ghost vniformlie speaketh within the bodie of the scriptures and vnto that which Christ Iesus himselfe did and commaunded to be done For this is one thing vniuersally graunted that the spirit of god which is the spirit of vnitie is in nothing contrarie to himselfe Iâ— then the interpretation determination or sentence of anie Doctor Church or Councell repugne to the plaine worde of God written in anie other place of the scripture it is a thing moste certaine that there is not the true vnderstanding and meaning of the holie ghost although that councels Realmes and nations haue approoued and receiued the same For we dare not receiue nor admitâ—te anie interpretation which repugneth to anie principall point of our faith or to anie other plaine texte of scripture or yet vnto the rule of charitie The authoritie of the Scriptures AS we beleeue and confesse the scriptures of God sufficientlie to instruct and make the man of God perfect so doe we affirme and auowe the authoritie of the same to be of God and neither to depende on men nor Angels We affirme therefore that such as alledge the scripture to haue no other authoritie but that which it hath receiued from the Church are blasphemous against God and iniurious to the true Church which alwaies heareth and obeyeth the voice of her owne spouse and Pastour but taketh not vpon her to be maistresse ouer the same Of the generall Councells of their power authoritie and causes of their conuention AS we doe not rashlie damne that which godlie men assembled together in generall Councel lawfully gathered haue proponed vnto vs so without iust examination doe we not receiue whatsoeuer is obtruded vnto men vnder the name of
is preached is to be regarded not the minister that preacheth who although he be euill and a sinner neuerthelesse the 〈◊〉 of God abideth true and good Neither doe we thinke thâ—â— therefore the outward preaching is to be thought as frâ—iâ—lesse because the instruction in true religion dependeth 〈◊〉 the inward illumination of the spirit because it is writteâ— No man shall teach his neighbour For all men shall know me And he that watreth or he that planteth is nothing but God who 〈◊〉 the increase For albeit no man can come to Christ vnlesse heâ— drawne by the heauenlie Father and be inwardlie lightned 〈◊〉 the holie Ghost yet we know vndoubtedlie that it is 〈◊〉 will of God that his worde should be preached euen ouâ— wardlie God could indeede by his holie spirite or by thâ— ministerie of an Angell without the ministerie of Saint 〈◊〉 haue tought Cornelius in the Actes but neuerthelesse 〈◊〉 referreth him to Peter of whome the Angel speaking saiâ—â— â—e shall tell thee what thou must doe For he that illuminateâ— inâ—aâ—dlâ—â— by giuing men the holie Ghost the selfe same bâ— waie of commaundement said vnto his disciples goe ye iâ—â— the whoâ—â— world and preach the gospell to euerie creature And 〈◊〉 Paâ—â— preached the word outwardlie to Lydia a purple sellâ— among the Philippians but the Lord inwardlie opened thâ— womans heart And the same Paul vpon an elegant gâ—â—dation fitlie placed in the 10. to the Romanes at last inferreth therefore faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God Wee knowe in the meane time that God can illuminate whome and when he will euen without the externall ministerie which is a thing appertaining to his power but we speake of the vsuall waie of instructing men deliuered vnto vs of God both by commaundement and examples We therefore detest all the heresies of Artemon the Manichees Valentinians of Cerdon and the Marcioniâ—â—s who denied that the scriptures proceeded from the holie Ghost or else receiued not or polished and corrupted some of them And yet we doe not denie that certaine bookes of the olde Testament were of the auncient authors called Apochryâ—hall and of others Ecclesiasticall to witte such as they would haue to be read in the Churches but not alledged to auouch or confirme the authoritie of faith by them As also Austine in his 18. Booke De â—iuit Dei C. 38. maketh mention that in the bookes of the Kinges the names and bookes of certaine Prophets are reckoned but he addeth that they are not in the Canon and that those bookes which we haue suffice vnto godlines OF INTERPRETING THE HOLIE SCRIPTVRES and of Fathers Councels and Traditions CHAP. 2. THe Apostle Peter hath said that the holy scriptures are not of anie priuat interpretation therefore we doe not alowe all expositions whereupon we doe not acknowledge that which they call the meaning of the Church of home for the true and naturall interpretation of the scriptures which forsooth the defenders of the Romane Church doe striue to force all men simplie to receiue but we acknowledge that interpretation of Scriptures for authenticall and proper which being taken from the scriptures themselues that is from the phrase of that tongue in which they were written they being also waied according to the circumstances and expounded according to the proportion of places either like or vnlike or of moe and plainer accordeth with the rule of faith and charitie and maketh notably for Gods glorie and mans saluation Wherefore we do not contemnâ— the holie treatises of the Fathers agreeing with the scriâ—tures from whome notwithstanding we doe modestlie dâ— sent as they are deprehended to set downe thinges meereâ— straunge or altogether contrarie to the same Neither doâ— thinke that we doe them anie wrong in this matter seeinâ— that they all with one consent will not haue their writingâ— matched with the canonicall scriptures but bid vs allowâ— them so farre forth as they either agree with them or disagree and bid vs take those things that agree and leaue those that disagree and according to this order we do accountâ— the decrees or Canons of councells Wherefore we suffer not oâ—â— selues in controuersies about Religion or matters of faithâ— be pressed with the bare testimonies of fathers or decrees oâ— Councells much lesse with receiued customes or else with 〈◊〉 of men being of one iudgement or with prescription of long tiâ—â— Therefore in controuersies of religion or matters of faith we cannot admâ—â— anie other iudge then God himselfe pronouncing by the holie scriptures what is true what is falâ—â— what is to be followed or what to be auoided So we do 〈◊〉 rest but in the iudgements of spiritual men drawen from the word of God Certainely Ieremie the other Prophets 〈◊〉 vehemenâ—lie condemne the assemblies of Priests gathereâ— against the law of God diligentlie forewarned vs that â— should not heare the fathers or tread in their path who wâ—â— king in their owne inuentions swarued from the law of goâ— We doe likewise reiect humane traditions which althouâ— they be set out with goodlie titles as though they were dâ—uine and Apostolical by the liuelie voice of the Apostles deliuered to the Church as it were by the hands of Apostolicall men by meane of Bishops succeeding in their roomeâ— yet being compared with the scriptures disagre from theâ— and by that their disagreement bewraie them selues in 〈◊〉 wise to be Apostolicall For as the Apostles did not disagree among themselues in doctrine so the Apostles schâ—lers did not set forth thinges contrarie to the Apostleâ— Nay it were blasphemous to auouch that the Apostles 〈◊〉 liuely voice deliuered thinges contrarie to their writingâ— Paull affirmeth expresselie that he taught the same thingeâ— in all Churches And againe We saith he write no other thiâ—â— vnto you then which ye read or also acknowledge Also in another place he witnesseth that he and his disciples to wit Apostolicall men walked in the same waie and ioyntlie by the same spirit did al thingâ— The Iewes also in time past had their traditions of Elders but these traditions were seuerelie confuted by the Lord shewing that the keeping of them hindereth Gods lawe and that God is in vaine worshipped with such OVT OF THE FORMER CONFESSION of Heluetia THe Canonical scripture being the word of God and deliuered by the holie Ghost and published to the world by the Prophets and Apostles being of all other the most perfect ancient philosophie doth alone perfectlie conteine all pietie and good ordering of life The interpretation herof is to be taken onely from herselfe that herselfe maie be the interpreter of her selfe the rule of charitie and faith being her guide Which kinde of interpretation so far forth as the holie Fathers haue followed we doe not onelie receiue them as interpreters of the scripture but reuerence them as the beloued instruments of God But as for the traditions of men although neuer
iâ— effectuall vnto eternall life Chrysostome in his commentaries vpon Matthew Cap. 24. hom 49. saith Therefore 〈◊〉 this time all Christians must goe to the Scriptures because that 〈◊〉 this time since heresie possessed those Churches there can be no â—riaâ— of true Christianitie neither can there be anie other refuge for Christians that would willinglie know the truth of faith but onelie the â—iâ—ine Scriptures And a little after Therefore he that will knâ—â— which is the true Church of Christ whence maie he know it but onelie by the Scriptures Augustine Tom. 2. Epist 166. saith Iâ— the Scriptures we haue learned Christ in the Scriptures we hauâ— learned to know the Church these Scriptures we haue in common why doe we not in them retâ—ine in common both Christ and the Church And againe Tom. 7. in Epist. contra Epist Petiâ—iani Donatistae cap. 2. 3. 4. It is a question betweene vp and the Donatistes where the Church is What then shall we does shall we seeke the Church in our owne wordes or in the wordes of his head in our Lord Iesus Christ I thinke that we ought to seeke it rather in his words who is the truth and doth best of all know his bodiâ— Now that which is affirmed that the Church hath authorâ—tiâ— to beare witnes of the holie Scripture to interprete the Scripture and to iudge of all doctrines it is not so to be vnderstoode that the Church hath absolute authoritie to determine what she listeth and also if it please hir to change the Scripture and to feigne a new doctrine and to appoint new worships of God but that the Church as the Spouse of Christ ought to know the voice of hir husband and that she hath receiued of hir husband a certaine rule to wit the Propheticall and Apostolical preaching confirmed by miracles from heauen according to the which she is bounde to interprete those places of the Scripture which seeme to be obscure and to iudge of doctrines Psal 119. Thy worde is a light vnto my feete Rom. 3. Hauing giftes that be diuers according to the grace that is giuen vnto vs whether we haue prophecy according to the proportion of Faith c. 2. Pet. 1. We haue a more surâ—â—orde of the Prophets to the which ye doe well that yee take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place c. Origen vpon Ierem. Hom. 1. It is necessarie for vs to call the holie Scriptures to witnes for our meanings and interpretations haue no creditte without these witnesses Ierome vpon Math. 23. That which is spoken without authoritie of the Scriptures is as easilie contemned as it is spoken And August De Nupt. Concup Lib. 2. Cap. 23. saith This contouersie seeketh a Iudge Therefore let Christ iudge and let him shew what thing it is that his death doth profit This saith he is my bloode And a little after Together with him let the Apostle iudge because that Christ himselfe also speaketh in the Apostle he crieth out and saith touching God the Father He which spared not his â—wn◠〈◊〉 c. Wherefore the Church hath so farre authoritie to iudge of doctrine that notwithstanding shee must keepe her selfe within the bondes of the holie Scripture which is the voice of hir husband from which voice it is not lawfull for any man no not for an Angell to departe OVT OF THE CONFSSION OF SVEVELAND Of the Church FVrthermore we will shew what is taught among vs â—oth touching the Christian Church and also touching the holie Sacraments and touching the Church this is it that we teach The Church or congregation of Christ which as yet is in this worlde as a stranger from god is the fellowshippe and companie of those which addict them selues to Christ and doe altogether trust and rest in his protection among whome notwithstanding many shall be mingled euen to the end of the worlde who although they professe the Christian faith yet they haue it not in deede This hath our Lorde taught sufficientlie Math. 13. by the parable both of the cockle and also of the Net cast into the sea iâ— the which the bad fishes are caught with the good Also Math. 22. by the parable of the King inuiting all men to the mariage of his Sonne and afterward casting him out beeing bound hand and foote into vtter darkenes which had not a wedding garment Now these places of Scripture wherin the congregation of Christ is commended to be the Spouse of Christ for the which he hath giuen himselfe Eph. 5. The house of God the pillar and ground of trueth 1. Tim. 3. Also The holie hill of Sion the Citie of the liuing God the heauenlie Ierusalem and the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen I saie all these places of Scripture doe properlie pertaine to them who for their sincere faith are truelie and in the sight of God reckoned among the children of God For seeing that in these alone the Lorde doth fullie reigne these onelie if we will speake properly are called the Church of Christ and the communion of Saints in which sense also the name of the Church is expounded in the common Articles of faith those false Christians beeing excluded which are mingled amongest them Furthermore the holie Ghost himselfe doth gouerne this Church or congregation remaineth with it as Christ doth euen to the ende of the world and doth sanctifie it that at the length he may present it vnto himself without spoâ—or wrinckle as it is saide Eph. 5. Also this is that Church which all men are commaunded to heare and he that will not heare her is to to be counted as an heathen and Publicane And although that to wit faith it selfe can not be seene whereby this Congregation hath obteined to be called the Church and companie of Christ yet the fruites of that faith maie be seene and knowne and of them a certaine Christian coniecture be taken These fruites be cheeflie a bolde profession of Faith a true loue offering it selfe to doe humble seruice to all men a contempt of all things Seeing therfore that these be the proper fruites wheresoeuer the holie Gospell and the Sacraments be exercised thereupon it maie easilie be knowne where and who be the Christian Church so much as is necessary for vs to preserue among vs the christian communion that in the same we may be instructed admonished and helpe one an other according to the commaundement of Christ Furthermore seeing this congregation is the verie kingdome of God wherein all things ought to be appointed in best order she hath all kinde of offices and ministers for â—he is the body of Christ himselfe compacted of many members whereof euerie one haue their proper worke Therefore whosoeuer doe faithfullie discharge such functions and doe earnestlie labour in the worde and doctrine they doe represent the Church and may doe all things in the name thereof so that whosoeuer shall either despise them or refuse
Of Excommunication and other Censures 33 Of the Sacraments in generall 34 Of Baptisme 35 Of the holie Supper of the Lorde 36 Of the efficacie and true communication of the thing signified by the signes 37. 38 Of the Magistrate and politike lawes 39. 40 THE ARTICLES OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION Of one God in three Persons 1 Of Iesus Christ being the true Sonne of God and of the Incarnation other workes of Redemption and of his two natures being vnseperablie vnited and vnconfounded 2 Of his last comming Of the holie Ghost and his workes in vs. 3 Of the Catholique Church and the one onelie King head and husband thereof 4 Of the diuers degrees of the Church 5 Of the primaâ—ie of the Antichrist of Rome 5 Of the lawful calling and Election of ministers 6 Of their power and the vse of the keies 7 Of mariage and a Single life 8 Of the Canonicall scriptures 9 Of the Sacramentes and the number thereof 10 Of Baptisme 11 Of the holy Eucharist 12 Of the â—â—le of Masses 13 Of Purgatorie 14 Of Ceremonies and Ecclesiasticall rites 15 Of prayer in a vulgare tounge 16 Of the onelie Intercessour and Mediatour Christ 17 Of the corruption of man through sinne of his iustification through Christ 18 Of the one onely sacrifice of Christ whereby we are perfectly reconciled to God 19 Of good workes 20 Of the last resurrectioÌ„ of this flesh 21 THE ARTICLES OF THE CONFESSION OF Belgia Of the essence or nature of God 1 Of the double knowledge of God 2 Of the beginning and author of the word of God 3 Of the Canonicall bookes of the olde and new Testament 4 Of their authoritie 5 Of the Apochryphall bookes 6 Of the perfection of the Canonicall Scripture aboue all the doctrines of all men 7 Of three persons in one onelie essence of God 8 Of the testimonies of both the testaments whereby both the Trinitie of the persons also their properties mâ—â— be prooued 9 Of the diuine nature and generation of Iesus Christ the Sonne of god 10 Of the diuine nature of the holy ghost 11 Of the creation of the world and Angells and the distinguishing of them 12 Of the Prouidence of God and of his iust gouernement both general special 13 Of the creation of man his fal corruption and seruile free wil. 14 Of Original sinne 15 Of free election iust reprobation 16 Of the repairing of man through Christ 17 Of the first comming of Christ and his true incarnation of the seede of Dauid 18 Of his two natures hypostatically vnited in one onelie person 19 Of the cause or end of his death and resurrection 20 Of his onelie Priesthoode and expiatorie sacrifice 21 Of faith the onelie instrument of our Iustification 22 Of true iustification through Christ 23 Of regeneration and good workes 24 Of the abrogating of the law and shadowes 25 Of the onelie Mediatour or intercessour Christ against the intercession of Saints 26 Of the Catholique Church 27 Of the vnitie and communion thereof 28 Of true notes of the true Church 29 Of the gouernement Ecclesiastical functions 30 Of the Election of Ministers Elders and Deaâ—ons and of their authoritie 31 Of Ecclesiastical traditions 32 Of the Sacraments and their number 33 Of Baptisme 34 Of the Supper of the Lord. 35 Of Magistrates and their office and power 36 Of the last Iudgement 37 THE ARTICES OF THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE Of God and the persons of the diuinitie 1 Of Original sinne 2 Of the incarnation of the Sonne of God 3 Of Iustification 4 Of the Preaching of Repentance and general Remission 5 Of the righteousnes of good wookes 6 Of the Church 7 Of the Sacraments which are administred by euil men 8 Of Baptisme 9 Of the Lords Supper 10 Of Repentance 11 Of Confession 12 Of the vse of Sacraments 13 Of Ecclesiastical order or degrees 14 Of Ecclesiastical riâ—â—s 15 Of ciuil ordinances 16 Of the laâ—â— Iudgement 17 Of frâ—â— wil. 18 Of the cause of sinne 19 Of good workes 20 Of â—nuocation 21 ARTICLES CONCERNING THE ABVSES VVHICH ARE changed in externall rites Of the Masse 1 Of either kinde of the Sacrament 2 Of Confession 3 Of the difference of meaâ—es and such like Popish traditions 4 Of the mariage of the Priestes 5 Of the vowes of Monkes 6 Of Ecclesiastical power 7 THE CHIEFE POINTS OF THE CONFESSION of Saxonie Of Doctrine 1 Of Originall sinne 2 Of the remission of sinnes and of Iâ— stification 3 Of freewill 4 Of new obedience 5 What workes are to be done 6 How good works maie be done 7 How new obedience doth please God 8 Of rewardes 9 Of the difference of sinnes 10 Of the Church 11 Of the Sacramentes 12 Of Baptisme 13 Of the Lords Supper 14 Of the vse of the wholl Sacrament 15 Of repentance 16 Of Satisfaction 17 Of Wedlocke 18 Of Confirmation and anointing 19 Of Traditions or Ecclesiastical rites 20 Of a Monasticall life 21 Of the inuocating of godlie men departed out of this life 22 Of the ciuill Magistrate 23 THE CHIEFE POINTES OF THE CONFESSION OF Wirtemberge Of God and three persons in one godhead 1 Of the Sonne of God 2 Of the holie Ghost 3 Of sinne 4 Of Iustification 5 Of the law 6 Of good Workes 7 Of the Gospell of Iesus Christ 8 Of the Sacraments 9 Of Baptisme 10 Of Confirmation 11 Of Repentance 12 Of Contrition 13 Of Confession 14 Of Satisfaction 15 Of Prair 16 Of Fasting 17 * Of Almes 18 Of the Eucharist that is of the Sacrament of thankesgiuing 19 * Of the Masse 20 Of holie orders 21 Of Mariage 22 * Of eâ—â—reame Vnction 23 Of the inuocating of Saints 24 Of the remembrance of the dead 25 Of Purgatorie 26 * Of Monasticall vowes 27 Of Canonicall houres 28 Of Fasting 29 Of the consecrating of water salt wine and other such like things 30 Of the holie Scripture 31 * Of the Pope 32 Of the Church 33 Of Councels 34 Of the Teachers of the Church 35 Of Ecclesiastical Ceremonies 36 THE CONTENTES OF THE BOOKE FOLLOWING ACCORDING TO THE SECTIONS WHICH are in number 19. and of how manie confessions ech Section doth consist THE 1. SECTION pag. 1. OF the holie Scripture beeing the true word of God and the interpretation thereof This Section consisteth of 10. confessions to wit Of the former and latter confessions of Heluetia of that of Basil or Myllane of Bohemia or the 〈◊〉 the French the English that of Belgia Saxonie Wirtemberge and Sueueland THE 2. SECTION pag. 18. OF God in essence one in persons three and of his true worship This Section 〈…〉 of 11. confessions to wit Of the former 〈…〉 confession of Heluetia that of Basil of 〈…〉 or the Waldenses the French the English thâ—t of Belgia Auspurge Saxonie Wirtemberge 〈◊〉 THE 3. SECTION pag 53. OF the eternall prouidence of God and the creation of the world This Section doth consist properly of foure Confessions onely to wit Of the
latter confession of Heluetia Basill the French and that of Belgia which alone haue expresse titles of these chiefe points of doctrine But these foure to wit the former confession of Heluetia the English that of Auspurge and Wirtemberge do by the waie make mention both of the prouidence of God and also of the creation of the world in the article of God as is to be seene in the 2. Section And the others to wit those of Bohem. Saxonie and Sueueland haue altogether omitted this part of doctrine THE 4. SECTION pag. 59. OF the fall of man of sinne and of free will This Section consisteth of 10. Confessions to wit Of the former and latter confessions of Heluetia of that of Basil Bohemia or the Waldenses the French English that of Belg. Auspurge Saxony and Wirtemb THE 5. SECTION pag. 84. OF eternal Predestination This Section consisteth of foure Confessions onely to wit Of the lâ—tter Confession of Heluetia that of Basil the French and that of Belgia THE 6. SECTION pag. 88. OF the reparing or deliuerance of man from his fall by Iesus Christ alone Also of his Person names office and the workes of Redemption This Section consisteth of 12. confessions to wit Of the former and latter Confessions of Heluetia that of Basill Bohemia the French the English that of Belgia Auspurge Saxony Wirtemberge Sueueland THE 7. SECTION pag. 1â—0 OF the lawe and the Gospell This Section consisteth of 7. confessions onely to wit Of the former and latter confessions of Heluetia that of Bohemia the French that of Belgia Saxony and Wirtemberge THE 8. SECTION pag. 212. OF Repentance and the Conuersion of man Tihs Section consisteth of 6. Confessions onely to wit Of the latter confession of Heluetia that of Bohem. Auspurge Saxony Wirtemb and Sueueland THE 9. SECTION pag. 242. OF Iustification by faith and of good works and their rewards This Section consisteth of 11. confessions to wit of the former and latter confessions of Heluetia that of Basill Bohemia the French the English that of Belgia Auspurge Saxony Wirtemberge and Sueueland THE 10. SECTION pag. 306. OF the holie Catholique Church This Section consisteth of 11. confessions to wit of the former and latter confessions of Heluetia that of Basill Bohemia the French the English that of Belgia Auspurge Saxonie Wirtemberge and Sueueland THE 11. SECTION pag. 337. OF the Ministers of the Church and of their calling and office This Section consisteth of 9. confessions to wit Of the former and latter confessions of Heluet. that of Bohemia the French the English that of Belgia Auspurge Wirtemberge and Sueueland THE 12. SECTION pag. 377. OF true and false Sacraments in generall This Section consisteth of 11. confessions Of the former confession of Heluetia and the declaration thereof the latter confess of Heluet. that of Basill Bohemia the French the English that of Belgia Auspurge Saxonie Wirtemberge and Sueueland THE 13. SECTION pag. 395. OF the Sacrament of holie Baptisme This Section consisteth of 10. confessions to wit Of the former confession of Heluetia and the declaration thereof of the latter conâ—es of Heluet. that of Bohemia the French the English that of Belgia Auspurge Saxonie Wirtemberge and Sueueland THE 14. SECTION pag 411. OF the holie Supper of the Lord. This Section consisteth of 11. confessions to wit of the former confession of Heluetia and the declaration thereof of the latter confes of Heluet. that of Basill Bohemia the French the English that of Belgia Auspurge Saxonie Wirtemberge and Sueueland THE 15. SECTION pag. 464. OF Ecclesiasticall Meetings This Section consisteth of 8. confessions to wit the former and latter confessions of Heluetia that of Bohemia the F eâ—ch the English that of Saxonie Wirtemberg and Sueueland THE 16. SECTION pag. 47â— OF Holie daies fasts and the choise of meats and of the visiting of the sicke and the care that is to be had for the dead This Sect. consisteth of 9. Confess to wit of the latter confession of Heluet. that of Basill Bohemia the French the English that of Auspurge Saxonie Wirtemberge and Sueueland THE 17. SECTION pag. 516. OF Ceremonies and rites which are indifferent in general This Section consisteth of 11. confessions to wit of the former and latter confessions of Heluetia that of Basill Bohemia the French the English that of Belgia Auspurge Saxonie Wirtemberge and Sueueland THE 18. SECTION pag. 540. OF Wedlock single life and Monasticall Vowes This Section consisteth of 8. confessions to wit of the former and latter confessions of Heluetia that of Bohemia the French the English that of Auspurge and Sueueland THE 19. SECTION pag. 578. OF the Ciuill Magistrate This Section consisteth of 10 confessions to wit of the former and latter confessions of Heluetia that of Basill Bohemia the French that of Belgia Auspurge Saxonie Wirtemberge and Sueueland A GENERAL CONFESSION OF THE TRVE CHRISTIAN FAITH AND RELIGION ACCORding to Gods word and actes of our Parliaments subscribed by the Kings Maiestie and his household with sun drie others To the glory of God and good example of all men At Edinborough the 28. day of Ianuarie The yeare of our Lord. 1581. And in the 14. yere of his Maiesties Raigne WE all and euerie one of vs vnder written protest that after long due examination of our owne consciences in matters of true and false Religion are now throughlie resolued in the truth by the word and spirit of God And therefore we beleeue with our hartes confesse with our mouthes subscribe with our handes and constantlie affirme before God and the whole world that this onelie is the true Christian faith and religion pleasing God and bringing saluation to man which is now by the mercie of God reuealed to the world by the preaching of the blessed Euangell and is receaued beleeued and defended by manie and sundrie notable Churches realms but chiefely by the Church of Scotland the Kings Maiestie three Estates of this Realm as Gods eternal trueth onely ground of our saluation as more particularlie is expressed in the confession of our Faith established and publikelie confirmed by sundrie actes of Parliaments and now of a long time hath beene openlie professed by the Kinges Maiestie and wholl bodie of this Realme both in burgh and land To the which confession and forme of Religion we willinglie agree in our consciences in all pointes as vnto Gods vndoubted trueth and veritie grounded onelie vpon his written word And therefore we abhorre and detest all contrarie religion doctrine but chiefelie all kinde of Papistrie in generall and particular heades euen as they are now damned and confuted by the word of God Church of Scotland but especiallie we detest andrefuse the vsurped authority of that Romane Antichrist vpon the Scriptures of God vpon the Church the ciâ—â—ll magistrate and conscience of men all his tyranous Lawes made vpon indifferent things against our Christian libertie his erronious doctrine against the sufficienâ—â— of the written word the perfection
iustice Secondlie in the generall iudgement there shal be giuen to euerie man and woman resurrection of the flesh For the sea shal giue her dead the earth those that therein be inclosed yea the eternall god shall stretch out his hand on the dust and the dead shall arise vncorruptible and that in the substance of the same flesh that euerie mâ—n now beareth to receiue according to their workes glorie or punishment For such as now delight in vaâ—itie crueltie filthines superstition or idolatrie shall be adiudged to the fire vnquencheable in which they shall be tormented for euer as well in their owne bodies as in their â—oâ—les which now they giue to serue the deuill inall abhomination But such as continue in well doing to the ende bâ—ldlie professing the Lord Iesus we constantlie beleene that they shall receiue glorie honour and immortalitie to raigne for euer in life euerlasting with Christ Iesus to whose glorified body all his elect shall be made like when he shalll appeare againe in iudgement and shall render vp the kingdome to God his Father who then shal be and euer shal remaine all in all things God blessed for euer to whome with the Sonne and with the holie Ghost be all honour and glorie now and euer So be it THE KINGS MAIESTIES CHARGE TO ALL COMMISSIONERS AND MINISTERS within his Realme SEeing that we and our houshold haue subscribed and giuen this publike confession of our faith to the good example of our Subiectes we commaund and charge all Commissioners Ministers to craue the same confession of their parishioners and proceede against the refusers according to our lawes and order of the Church deliuerine their names and lawfull processe tothe Ministers of our house with al haste and diligence vnder the paine of 40. pound to be taken from their stipend that we with the aduise of our counsell â—aie take order with such proud contemners of God and ourlawes Subscribed with our hand At Holâ—â—udhous 1581. the 2. daie of March the 14 yeare of our reigne TO THE READER I am to desire the Godlie and Christian Reader for whose sake onelie this worke was taken in hand as to accept friendlie and brotherlie of these laboures and to beare with some light faults which might easily escape in the translating so to pardon me a great ouersight committed especiallie and onelie in the obseruations wherein is was verie requisite to haue vsed greater diligence This ouâ—rsight is of two sâ—râ—es one in certain obseru set downe in the margent but yeâ— in latine the other in such as should haue bin placed in the margent and are cleane left out These things because they be of some great weight and moment I thought it good to admonish thee thereof and to desire thee before thou readest the booke either to place euerie obseruation in it proper page or in reading â—o haue recourse to this place lest otherwise thou maist think hardly of some parts of doctrine or other matter set downe in this Booke THE LATINE OBSERVATIONS are thus to be translated In the 12. page against the 24 line read the obseruation in the margent thus Looke the 1. obseru vpon this Confession both in this and also in the second Section Pag. 13. 1. Looke the 1. obseruat vpon this Confession Pag. 19 2. Looke the 1. obseru vpon this Confess Pag. 44. 21. Of the wasting of the gifts of the holie Ghost looke the 1. obseru vpon this Confess Sect. 4. Pag. 45. 25. Looke the first obseru vpon the Confession of Saxonie THE OBSERVATIONS WHICH are cleane left out in the margent are thus to be placed in their seuerall pages Pag. 7. against the 28. line read in the margent Looke the first obseruation vp in this Confess Pag. 20. 2. Looke the second obseruation vpon this Confess Pag. 23. 11. Looke the first obseruation vpon this Confess Pag. 26. 1. Looke the first obseruation vpon this Confess Pag. 27. 31. Looke the second obseruation vpon this Confess Pag. 27. 38. Looke the third obseruation vpon this Confess Pag. 37. 16. Looke the first obseruation vpon this Confess Pag. 43. 33. Looke the first obseruation vpon this Confess Pag. 44. 21. Looke the second obseruation vpon this Confess Pag. 94. 23. Looke the first obseruation vpon this Confess Pag. 103. 23. Looke the first obseruation vpon this Confess Pag. 223. 32. Looke the first obseruation vpon this Confess Pag. 223. 33. Looke the second obseruation vpon this Confess Pag. 232. 2. Looke the second obseruation vpon this Confess Pag. 223. 29. Looke the third obseruation vpon this Confess Pag. 336. 27. Looke the fift obseruation vpon this Confess Pag. 523. 28. Looke the first obseruation vpon this Confess In the 105. page put out in the margent looke the 2. obseru c. Now vnto the King euerlasting immortall inuisible vnto God only wise be honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen THE CHIEFE POINTS OF CONFESSIONS BELONGING TO THIS FIRST SECTION OF the holy Scripture THE LATTER CONFESSION OF Heluetia touching the holie Scripture being the true word of God CHAP. 1. WE beleeue and confesse the Canonicall scriptures of the holie Prophets and Apostles of both Testaments to be the verie true worde of God and to haue sufficient authoritie of them selues not of men For God him selfe spake to the Fathers Prophets Apostles and speaketh yet vnto vs by the holie scriptures And in this holie scripture the vniuersall Church of Christ hath all things fully expounded whatsoeuer belong both to a sauing faith and also to the framing of a life acceptable to God in which respect it is expresselie commaunded of God that nothing be either put to or taken from the same Wee iudge therefore that from these scriptures is to be taken true wisdome and godlines the reformation and gouernment of Churches also the instruction in all duties of pietie and to be short the confirmation of opinions and the confutation of error with all exhortations according to that of the Apostle â— scripture inspired of God is profitable for doctrine for reproofe â— Againe These thinges I write vnto thee saith the Apostle â— Timothie 1. Chap. 3 that thou maist know how it behooueth 〈◊〉 to be conversant in the house of God c. Againe the selfe saâ— Apostle to the Thessalonians When saith he yee receiued the word of vs â—â—receiued noâ— the worde of men but as it was indeeâ— the word of God c. For the Lord himselfe hath said in the gospell It is not ye that speake but the spirit of my father speeketh in you therefore he that heareth you heareth me and 〈◊〉 that despiseth you despiseth me Wherefore when this worâ— of God is now preached in the Church by preachers laâ—fâ—lliâ— called we beleeue that the verie word of God is preâ—ched and receiued of the faithfull and that neither anieâ—ther worde of God is to be fayned or to be expected froâ— heauen and that now the worde it selfe which
perfect and absolute in all pointes and parcells thereof and therefore no other writings of men although neuer so holie no custome no multitude no antiquitie nor prescription of times nor personall succession nor anie councells and to conclude no decrees or ordinances of men are to be marched or compared with these deuine scriptures and bare trueth of God for so much as Gods trueth excelleth al things For all men of their owne nature are lyers and lighter then vanitie it selfe therefore we do vtterlie refuse whatsoeuer things agree not with this moste certaine rule as we haue beene taught by the Apostles when they saie Trie the spirites whether they be of God And If anie come vnto you and bring not this doctrine receiue him not to house c. OVT OF THE SAXONS CONFESSION Of Doctrine Seeing it is most vndoubtedlie true that God out of mankinde doth gather together vnto him selfe a Church vnto eternal life for by his sonne thorugh preaching of that doctrine which is written in the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles we plainlie auoutch before God and the wholl Church in heauen and in earth that we do with a true faith embrace all the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and that in that verie naturall meaning which is set downe in the Creedes of the Apostles of Nice and of Athanasius And these selfe same Creedes and the naturall meaning of them we haue alwaies constantlie embraced without corruption and will by Gods helpe alwaies embrace and in this faith do we call vpon the true God who sending his sonne and geuing cleare testimonies hath reuealed himselfe in his Church ioyning our praier with all Saints in heauen and in earth and our declarations vpon the Creedes are abroade conteining the wholl bodie and ground of doctrine which shew that this our protestation is most true We do also verie resolutelie condemne all brainsick fantasies which are against the Creedes as are the monstrous opinions of heathen men of the Iewes of the Mahometistes of Marcion the Manichees of Samosatenus Seruetus Arrius and those that denie the person of the holie Ghost and other opinions condemned by the true iudgements of the Church OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE Of the holie scipture CHAP. 30. THe holie scripture we call those Canonicall bookes of the olde and new testament of whose authoritie there was neuer doubt made in the Church This scripture we beleeue and confesse to be the oracle of the holie Ghost so confirmed by heauenlie testimonies that If an Angell from heauen preach anie other thing let him be accursed Wherefore we detest all doctrine worship and religion contrarie to this scripture But whereas some men thinke that all doctrine necessarie to be knowne of vs to true and euerlasting saluation is not conteined in this scripture and that the right of expounding this scripture lyeth so in the power of chiefe Bishops that what they according to their owne wil giue out is to be embraced for the meaning of the holie Ghost it is more easelie said then prooued The wholl scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be perfect being thoroughlie prepared to euery good worke and Iohn 15. I haue called you friendes for all things that I haue heard of my father haue I made knowne to you and those things which the Apostles receiued of Christ those haâ—e they by their preaching published in the wholl world and by their writings deliuered them to posterity It is a plaine case therfore that all things which are needefull to be knowen to saluation are conteined in the Prophets Apostles writings He hath reueiled his owne word in due season by preaching which is all committed to me this is the preaching For the Gospell conâ—einedth things both things present and things to come as honour pietie and faith yea and all things he haâ—h ioynâ—lâ—e comprised in this one word preaching Againe Without authoritie of the scriptures babling hath no credit For seeing the Lord Iesus did many things al are not written as the same holie Euangelist himselfe witnesseth that the Lord Christ both said and did many things which are not written But those things were selected to be written which seemed to suffice for the saluation of those that beleeue For whereas they saie that the right of expounding the scripture lieth in the power of chiefe Bishoppes it is euident that the gift of expounding the scripture is not of mans wisedome but of the holie ghost To euerie man saith Paull is giuen the manifestation of the spirite to profit withall for to one is giuen by the spirit the word of wisedome c. But the holie ghost is altogether at libertie and is not tyed to a certaine sort of men but giueth giftes to men according to his owne good pleasure Oh that all the people had power to prophecie and that the Lord would put his spirit vpon them Debora a woman the wife of Lapidoth is raised vp to be a prophetesse Againe I am no Prophet nor Proprophets sonne but I am a heardman and a gatherer of wilde figges And yet Amos receiued the holie ghost and was made a-Prophet All these things worketh one and the same spirit distributing to euerie man as he will Manie examples also do witnes that chiefe Bishops haue beene often and verie foulie deceiued wheresore the gift of expounding the scripture is not so tied to the Popes that whosoeuer shall be Pope must needs rightly expound the scripture but the true meaning of the scripture is to be sought in the scripture it selfe and among those that being raised vp by the spirit of God expound scripture by scripture OF COVNCELLS CHAP. 34. WE confesse that Councells ought to haue their iudgements in the Church concerning the holy doctrine of Religion and that the authoritie of lawfull councells is great but the authoritie of Gods worde must needes be the greatest For although the Church haue a sure promise of Christs continuall presense and be gouerned by the holie Ghost yet not euerie assemblie of men maie be taken for the true Church and albert neuer so manie see me often times to come together in the name of Christ yet few are chosen and all haue not faith And as it is wont to fall out in ciuill meetinges so doth it also in meetings of the Church that for the moste part the greater side ouercommeth the better Hether to may be added that the holy Ghost doeth not make men in this life not subiect to sinne but leaueth in them manie and sundrie infirmities Examples also witne that not onelie the Popes but also Councels haue bene deceiued Wherefore seing that the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets is confirmed of god the sentence of no one maÌ„ nor of anie assembly of men is to be receiued simplie without trial for the oracle
be wanting to him who with al his mihgt laboureth to follow and embrace the scripture of God THE SECOND SECTION OF GOD IN ESSENCE ONE IN persons three and of his true worship THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of God his vnitie and the Trinitie CHAP. 3. WE beleeue teach that God is one in essence or nature subsisting by himselfe all sufficient in himselfe inuisible without a bodie infinite eternal the creator of all things both visible inuisible the chiefest good liuing quickning and preseruing all things almightie and exceeding wise gentle or mercifull iust and true And we detest the multitude of Gods because it is expressie written The Lorde thy God is one God I am the Lord thy God thou shalt haue no straunge Gods before my face I am the Lord and there is none other beside me there is no God Am not I the Lorde and there is none other beside me alone a iust God and a Sauiour there is none beside me I the Lord Iehoua the mercifull God gracious long suffering and aboundant in goodnes and truth c. Exod. 34. We neuertheles beleeue and teach that the same infinite one and indiuisible God is in persons inseparablie and without confusion distinguished into the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost so as the Father hath begotten the Sonne from euerlasting the Sonne is begotten by an vnspeakeable manner and the holie Ghost proceedeth from them both and that from euerlasting and is to be worshipped with them both So that there be not three Gods but three persons consubstantiall coeternall and coequall distinct as touching their persons and in order one going before another yet without anie inequalitie For as touching their nature or essence they are so ioyned together that they are but one God and the diuine essence is common to the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost For the scripture hath deliuered vnto vs a manifest distinction of persons the Angell among other thinges saying thus to the blessed Virgine The holie Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the highest shall ouershadow thee and that holie thing which shal be borne shal be called the sonne of God Also in the baptisme of Christ a voice was heard from heauen saying This is my beloued Sonne The holie Ghost also appeared in the likenes of a doue And when the Lord himselfe commaunded to baptize he commaunded To baptize in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost In like sort else where in the Gospell he saide The Father will send the holie Ghost in my name Againe he saith When the comforter shall come whome I will send vnto you from the Father the spirit of trueth who proceedeth from the Father he shall beare witnes of me c. To be short we receiue the Apostles Creede because it deliuereth vnto vs the true faith We therefore condemne the Iewes and the Mahometistes and all those that blaspheme this Trinitie that is sacred and onelie to be adored VVe also condemne all heresies and heretiks which teach that the sonne and the holie Ghost are God onelie in name also that there is in the Trinitie some thing created that serueth and ministreth vnto an other finally that there is in it some thing vnequal greater or lesse corporall or corporally fashioned in manners or in will diuers either confounded or sole by it selfe as if the sonne and holie Ghost were the affections proprieties of one God the Father as the Monarchistes the Nouatians Praxeas the Patripassians Sabellius Samosatenus Aëtius Macedonius Arrius and such like haue thought Of Idolls or Images of God of Christ and of Saints CHAP. 4. ANd because god is an inuisible spirit an incomprehensible essence he can not therefore by anie arte or image be expressed For which cause we feare not with the scripture to tearme the Images of God meere lies VVe doe therefore reiect not onelie the Idols of the Gentles but also the images of Christians For although Christ tooke vppon him mans nature yet he did not therefore take it that he might set forth a patterne for caruers and painters He denied that he came To destroie the law and the Prophets But images are forbidden in the lawe the Prophets He denied that his Bodelie presense should anie whit profit the Church He promised that He would by his spirit be present with vs for euer who would then beleeue that the shadow or picture of his bodie doth anie whit benifit the godlie seeing that he abideth in vs by his spirit We are therefore the Temples of God But what agreement hath the temple of God which images And seeing that the blessed spirites and saints in heauen while they liued here abhorred all worship donne vnto themselues and spake against images who can thinke it likely that the saints in heauen and the Angell are delighted with their owne Images whereunto men doe bow their knees vncouer their heades and giue such other like honour But that men might be instructed in Religion put in minde of heauenlie things and of their owne saluation the Lord commaunded To preach the Gospell not to paint and instruct the laytie by pictures he also instituted Sacraments but he no where appointed Images Furthermore in euerie place which waie soeuer we turne our eies we maie see the liuelie and true creatures of God which if they be marked as is meete they do much more effectuallie mooue the beholder then all the Images or vaine vnmooueable rotten and dead pictures of all men whatsoeuer of which the Prophet spake truelie They haue eies see not c. Therfore we approoue the iudgement of Lactantius an auncient writer who saith Vndoubtedly there is no religion wheresoeuer there is a picture And we affirme that the blessed Bishop Epiphanius did wel who finding on the church dores a vaile that had painted in it the picture as it might be of Christ or of some other Saint he cut and tooke it awaie For that contrarie to the authoritie of the scriptures he had seene the picture of a man to hang in the Church of Christ and therefore he charged that from thence forth no such vailes which were contrarie to ou◠religiō should be hanged vp in the Church of Christ but that rather such scruple should be taken awaie which was vnworthie the Church of Christ and all faithful people Moreouer we approoue this sentence of S. Augustine Cap. 55. de vera relig Let not the worship of mens works be a religion vnto vs. For the workmen them selues that make such things are better whome yet we ought not to worship Of the adoring worshipping and inuocating of God through the onelie Mediator Iesus Christ CHAP. 5. WE teach men to adore and worship the true God alone this honour we impart to none according to the commaundement of the Lorde thou shalt adore the Lorde thy God and
when as once we doe acknowledge his mercie through faith then we flie vnto God we loue him we call vpon him hope in him looke for his helpe obeie him in afflictions because we doe now know our selues to be the sonnes of God and that this our sacrifice that is our afflictions doth please God These seruices doth faith bring forth Verie well therefore saide Ambrose Faith is the mother of a good wil and of iust dealing Our Aduersaries wil seâ—e verie honourablie to set out the doctrine of good workes and yet concerning these spirituall workes to wit faith and the exercises of faith in praier and in all matters counsells and daungers of this life they speake neuer a worde And in deede none can euer speake wel of these exercises if the consciences be left in doubt and if they know not that God requireth faith as a speciall worship of his And when as that huge shew of outward works is cast as a myst before mens eies the mindes especiallie such as be not well instructed are led aware from beholding these inward exercises Now it is verie requisite that men should be taught and instructed concerning these inwarde workes and fruites of the spirit For these they be that make a difference betweene the godlie and hypocrites As for externall worship externall ceremonies and other outwarde workes the verie hypocrites can performe them But these seruices and duties belong onelie to the true Church true repentance feare faith praier c. These kindes of worship are especiallie required and commended in the Scripture Psal 49. Offer vnto God the sacrifice of praise and Call on me in the day of trouble c. Thirdlie by this faith which doth comforte the heart in repentance we doe receiue the spirit of God who is giuen vs to be our gouernour helper that we should resist sinne and the deuill and more and more acknowledge our owne weakenes and that the knowledge and feare of God and faith maie increase in vs wherefore our obedience to God and a new life ought to increase in vs as Saint Paull saith We must be renued to the knowledge of God that the new lawe maie be wrought in vs and his Image which hath created vs be renued c. Fourthlie we teach also how this obedience which is but begunne onelie and not perfect doth please God For in this so great infirmitie and vncleannes of nature the Saints doe not satisfie the law of God The faithfull therefore haue neede of comforte that they maie know how their slender and imperfect obedience doth please God It doth not please him as satisfying his lawe but because the persons themselues are reconciled made righteous through Christ and doe beleeue that their weaknes is forgiuen them as Paull teacheth There is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ c. Albeit then that this new obedience is farre from the perfection of the Lawe yet it is righteousnes and is worthie of a rewarde euen because that the persons are reconciled And thus we must iudge of those works which are indeed highlie to be commended namelie * that they be necessarie that they be the seruice of God and spirituall sacrifices and doe deserue a rewarde Neuertheles this consolation is first to be held touching the person which is verie necessarie in the conflict of the conscience to weere that we haue remission of sinnes freelie by faith and that the person is iust that is reconciled and an heire of eternall life through Christ and then that our obedience doth please God according to that saying Now ye are not vnder the law but vnder grace For our workes maie not be set against the wrath and iudgement of God But the terrours of sinne and death must be ouercome by faith and trust in the mediatour Christ as it is written O death I will be thy death and Iohn 6. Christ saith This is the will of the Father which sent me that euerie one which seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him should haue life euerlasting and S. Paull Being iustified by faith we haue peace with God and the Church alwaies praieth forgiue vs our trespasses And thus do the fathers teach concerning the weaknes of the saints and concerning faith Augustine in his exposition of the 30. Psalm saith Deliuer me in thy righteousnes For there is a righteousnes of God which is made ours when it is giuen vnto vs. But therefore is it called the righteousnes of God lest man should thinke that he had a righteousnes of himselfe For as the Apostle Paull saith To him that beleeueth in him that iustifieth the â—â—ked that is that of a wicked maketh a righteous man If God should deale by the rule of the law which is set forth vnto vs he must needs be condemned If God should as it were deale by the rule propounded in the law whom should he deliuer for he findeth al men to be sinners So saith Paul Al haue sinned stand in need of the glory of god What is this to stand in need of Gods glorie That he should deliuer thee not thou thy selfe For thou canst not deliuer thy selfe Thou hast need of a Sauiour Why doest thou vaunt thy selfe what maketh thee to presume of the law and of righteousnes Seest thou not that which doeth fight within the doest thou not heare one that striueth and confesseth his weaknes and desireth aide in the battell O miserable man that I am c. Now it may easilie be perceiued how needefull this doctrine is for the Church that men may know that they doe not satisfie the law of God and yet may haue true comforte knowing how their imperfect obedience doth please God This doctrine hath beene horriblie darkened and suppressed heretofore by certeine fond perswasions wherein vnlearned men haue imagined against the authoritie of the scripture that they can fullfill the law of God and that they are iust through the fullfilling of the law c. And that Monkes are perfect and doe performe more notable worthie workes then the law doth require In the meane while there is not a worde how the Mediatour Christ is to be apprehended by faith but they willed man to doubt or else to trust in his own workes But as touching this obedience we doe teach that they which commit mortall sinnes are not iust because god requireth this obedience that we should resist sinnefull lusts They then which striue not against them but obeie them contrarie to the commaundement of God and doe things against their consciences they are vnrighteous and doe neither retaine the holy spirit nor faith that is confidence and trust of gods mercie For confidence which seeketh remission of sinnes cannot so much as be in such as are delighted with their sinnes and remaine without repentance Fiftlie this point is needfull also to be taught by what meanes men maie doe good workes We shewed a litle before how our workes doe please God In this
in this life as our Lord saith Mat. â—2 The kingdome of God is like vnto a drawe net 〈◊〉 into 〈…〉 wâ—â—rein 〈◊〉 are gathered both good and bad but yet they which become enemies to the true doctrine cease to be members of this visible congregation according to that saying Is anie man teach another Gospell let him be accâ—â—sed OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE Of the cheefe Bishop THere be those that attribute this to the Bishop of Rome that he is the heade of the Vniuersall Church that he hath power in earth not onelie to ordeine ciuill kingdomes and to gouerne all Ecclesiasticall persons and matters but also to commaund the Angels in heauen to deliuer soules out of Purgatorie and to blesse or deliuer whom it pleaseth him But we acknowledge that if the Bishop of Rome were a godly man and did teach the gospel of Christ according to the writings of the Prophets Apostles then he had a ministerie of high authoritie in this earth to wit a ministerie of remitting and reteining sinnes then which ministerie there is nothing greater or more excellent in this earth But he alone hath not this ministerie but he hath it in common with all those who by a lawful calling do preach the Gospell of Christ For the ministerie of remitting or reteining sinnes which otherwise is called the key of the kingdome of heauen is not giuen to the free power of the person of men but it is so neerelie annexed to the worde of the gospell that so many as do preach the Gospel may truly be said to remit and to reteine sins to wit to remit their sins who by faith doe receiue the Gospell to reteine theirs that doe contemne the Gospell Mar. 16. Preach the Gospell to euerie creature He that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued but he that will not beleeue shall be damned Hilarie De Trinit lib. 6. saith The father reuealed it to Peter that he should saie thou art the Sonne of God Therfore vpon this rock of Confession is the Church builded this faith is the foundation of the Church whatsoeuer this faith shall loose or binde in earth shall be loosed or bound in heauen Chrysostome saith They which beare the keies be the priests to whome the worde of teaching and interpreting the Scriptures is committed Now the keie is the worde of the knowledge of the Scriptures by which keie the trueth is opened to men Augustine De Doctâ— Christ Lib. 1. Cap. 18. saith These keies did he giue to the Church that whatsoeuer it looseth in earth should be loosed in heauen to â—it that whosoeuer would not beleeue that his sinnes are forgiuen hiâ— in the Church they should not be forgiuen to him but whosoeuer should beleeue and being corrected doth turne from his sinnes being placed in the lappe of the Church should by the same faith and correction be healed Ambrose saith Sinnes are remitted by the worde whereof the Leuite is the interpreter or expounder Bernard in epist ad Eug. saith The true successâ—â—er of Paull will sate with Paull Not that we haue dominion ouer your saith but we are helpers â—f your ioy The heires of Peter will heare Peter saying Not as though ye were Lordes ouer Gods heritage but that ye maie be ensamples to the flocke Thomas in Summa sua parte 3. in addit q. 6. art 6. saith Because the Church is founded vpon Faith and the Sacraments therefore it doth not pertaine to the ministers of the Church to make new Articles of Faith or to set a parte those which are made neither to appoint new Sacramentes or to take awaie those which are appointed but this is proper to that excellencie of power which iâ— due to Christ alone who is the foundation of the Church And therfore as the Pope cannot dispense that anie one maie be saued without Baptisme so can he not dispense with anie to be saued without confession because that he bindeth by force of a Sacrament And although Thomas haue his opinions touching confession yet this which he saith It doth not pertaine to the Ministers of the Church among whome he reckoneth the Pope to make new Articles of Faith and to appoint new Sacraments is in deede an Apostolike and Catholike iudgement For no other ministerie doeth perteine to the ministers of the Church which haue their calling from Christ then that which we mentâ—oned before and which the Apostles of Christ themselues did execute touching the remittting and reteining of sinnes Therefore if anie thing more then this ministerie be attributed to the Bishop of Rome this is either giuen vnto him by mans ordinances or els it is feigned by the Monkes and other flatterers against the authoritie of the worde of God Of the Church WE beleeue and coâ—fâ—sse that there is one holie Catholique and Apostolique Church according to the Creede of the Apostles and the Nicene Creede 2. That this Church is so gouerned of the holie Ghost that although he suffer it to be weake in this earth yet he doth â—lwaies preserue it that it doe not perish either by errours or by sinnes 3. That in this world manie naughtie men and hypocrites are mingled with this Church 4. That these naughtie men and hypocrites if by a lawfull calling they shall take vponthem the ministerie of the Church shall not of themselues anie whit hinder the trueth of the Sacraments except they peruert the ordinance of Christ and teach wicked thinges 5. That in this Church there is true remission of sinnes 6. That this Church hath authoritie to beare witnes of the holie Scripture 7. That this Church hath authoritie to iudge of all doctrines according to that Trie the spirits whether they be of God And Let the other iudge 8. That this Church hath authoritie * to interpret the scripture But where this Church is to be sought and whether her authoritie be limited within certaine boundes diuers men doe iudge diuerslie But we thinke that men are to iudge by the authoritie both of the holie Scripture and also of the auncient Fathers that the true Catholike and Apostolike Church is not tied to one certaine place or nation nor to one certaine kinde of men but that it is in that place or nation where the Gospel of Christ is sincerelie preached and his Sacraments rightlie administred according to Christ his institution Ioan. 10. I haue saide ye are Gods He called them Gods vnto whome the worde of God was giuen c. Therefore there is the people or Church of God where the worde of God is preached Iohn 15. Now you are cleane through the worde which I haue spoken to you Therefore the worde of Christ which is the Gospell doeth declare where that Church is which is cleane in the sight of God Rom. 1. The Gospell is the power of God to saluation to euerie one that beleeueth Therefore where the Gospell is which is acknowledged by faith there God hath his Church wherein he
to heare them he may worthely be saide to despise the Church it selfe Now with what spirit or with what spirituall authority we doe beleeue that they are furnished we haue declared before out of most firme foundations of the Scripture where we shewed what we thought of the spirituall or Ecclesiasticall offices dignitie For they cannot by anie meanes represent the Church of Christ or doe anie thing in the name thereof which are not Christes and therefore propound no Christian thinges but whatsoeuer is contrarie to the doctrine of Christ For although it maie be that euen the wicked maie teach some good thing and maie also prophesie in the name of Christ after their example to whom the Lord himselfe doth witnes that he will once in time to come say That he neuer knew them Yet it cannot be that they can discharge the duetie of the Church of Christ and are to be heard in his stead which doe not propound the voice of their husband Christ although otherwise they should thinke â—right of faith and be counted amongst the members of the Church as it doth often times falout when as the verie Children of God are wrapped in errours and doe also publish the same For the Church of Christ is whollie addicted to Christ himselfe Therefore that cannot be counted a doctrine precept or commaundement of the true Church except it be the same with the doctrine precept and commaundement of Christ himselfe And whosoeuer propoundeth anie other thing in her name although he were an Angell from heauen he is not to be heard as also the Church in those thinges doth represent nothing lesse theâ— the Church of Christ THE ELEVENTH SECTION OF THE MINISTERS OF THE CHVRCH AND OF THEIR CALLING AND OFFICE THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of the ministers of the Church their institution and Offices CHAP. 1â— GOD hath alwaies vsed his ministers for the gathering or erecting vp of a Church to himselfe and for the gouerning and preseruation of the same and still he doth and alwaies will vse them so long as the Church remaineth on the earth Therefore the first beginning institution office of the ministers is a moste auncient ordinance of God himselfe not a new deuise appointed by men True it is that God can by his power without anie meanes take vnto himselfe a Church amongst men but he had rather deale with men by the ministerie of men Therefore ministers are to be considered not as ministers by themselues alone but as the ministers of God euen such as by whose meanes god doth work the saluatioÌ„ of mankinde For which cause we giue couÌ„sel to beware that we do not so attribute the things that pertaine to our conuersion instruction vnto the secret vertue of the holy ghost that we make frustrate the ecclesiasticall ministery For it behoueth vs alwaies to haue in minde the words of the Apostle How shall they beleue in him of whom they haue not heard and how shall they heare without a preacher Therefore faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God And that also which the Lord saieth in the Gospell Verelie verilie I saie vnto you he that receiueth those that I shall sende receiueth me and he that receiueth me receiueth him that sent me Likewise that a man of Macedonia appeared in a vision to Paull being then in Asia said vnto him Come vnto Macedonia and helpe vs. And in another place the same Apostle saith We together are Gods labourers and ye are his husbandry and his building Yet on the other side we must take heede that we do not attribute too much to the ministers and ministerie herein remembring also the wordes of our Lord in the Gospell No man commeth to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him And the wordes of the Apostle Who then is Paull and who is Apollo but the ministers by whome you beleeued and as the Lorde gaue vnto euerie one Therefore neither is he that planteth anie thing nor he that watereth but God that giueth the increase Therefore let vs beleeue that God doth teach vs by his worde outwardlie by his ministers and doth inwardlie mooue and perswade the heartes of his Elect vnto beliefe by his holie spirit and that therefore we ought to render all the glorie of this wholl benefite vnto God But we haue spoken of this matter in the 1. Chapter of this our declaration God hath vsed for his ministers euen from the beginning of the world the best and moste excellent men in the world for howsoeuer diuers of them were â—ut simple for worldly wisdom or Philosophy yet sure in true diuinitie they were moste excellent namelie the Patriarkes to whome he spake verie often by his Angells For the Patriarks were the Prophets or teachers of their age whome god for this purpose would haue to liue manie yeares that they might be as it were Fathers and lights of the world After them followed Mâ—seâ— together with the Prophettes that were most famous throughout the wholl world Besides after all these ouâ— heauenlie Father sent his onelie begotten sonne the moste absolute and perfect teacher of the world in whome is hidden the wisedome of God and from him deriued vnto vs by that moste holie perfect and moste pure doctrine of all other For he chose vnto himselfe Disciples whome he made Apostles And they going out into the wholl worlde gathered together Churches in all places by the preaching of the Gospell And after they ordained pastors and doctors in all Churches by the commaundement of Christ who by such as succeeded them hath taught and gouerned the Church vnto this day Therfore God gaue vnto his auncient people the Patriarks together with Moses the Prophets so also to his people vnder the new couenant he hath sent his onelie begotten Sonne and with him the Apostles and teachers of his Church Furthermore the ministers of the new couenant are termed by diuers names for they are called Apostles Prophets Euangelists Bishops Elders Pastors doctors The Apostles remained in no certaine place but gathered together diuers Churches throughout the wholl world which Churches when they were once established there ceased to be any more Apostles in their places were particular parsons appointed in euerie Church The Propheâ—tes in olde time did foresee and foretel things to come besides did interpret the scriptures and such are found some amongst vs at this day They were called Euangelists which were the penners of the historie of the Gospell and were also preachers of the Gospell of Christ as the Apostle Paull giueth in charge vnto Timothie To fulfill the worke of an Euangelist Bishops were the ouerseers the watchmen of the Church which did distribute foode and other necessities of the Church The Elders were the auncients as it were the senators and Fathers of the Church gouerning it with the wholesome counsell The Pastors did both keepe the Lords
vs the Masse hath the example of the Church out of the Scripture and the Fathers we hope that it cannot be disliked especiallie for that our publike ceremonies are kept of vs for the moste parte alike vnto the vsual ceremonies onelie the number of Masses is not alike the which by reason of verie great and manifest abuses it were certainelie farre better to be moderated For in times past also in the Churches whreunto was greatest resort it was not the vse to haue masse saide euerie daie as the Tripartite historie lib. 9. cap. 38. doth witnes Againe saith he in Alexandria euery fourth and sixth day of the weeke the scriptures are read and the Doctours do interpret them and all other things are done also except onelie the solemne manner of oblaion 〈◊〉 offering Of both kindes of the Sacrcament ANd because that we doe celebrate the common masse that the people maie vnderstand that they also are sanctified through the blood of Christ and learne the true vse of this ceremonie either part of the Sacrament in the Supper of the Lorde is giuen to the Laitie because the Sacrament was instituted not onelie for a part of the Church namelie for Priests but also for the rest of the Church And therefore the people doth vse the Sacrament as Christ appointed it And certainelie Christ saieth Math. 26. Drinke yee all of this where he saieth manifestlie concerning the cuppe that all should drinke And that no man might cauill that it doth onlie appertaine to the Priests the ordinance of Paul to the Corinthians doth witnes that the wholl Church did in common vse either parte This custome remained a long time euen in the latter Churches neither is it certaine when or by what author it was chaunged Cyprian in certaine places doth witnes that the bloode was giuen to the people for thus he writeth to Cornelius the Pope How do we teach or prouoke them to shed their bloode in the confession of his name if we denie the bloode of Christ to them which 〈◊〉 in this warfare or how shall we make them fit for the cuppe of Martyrdome if we doe not first admit them by the right of communication to drinke in the Church the cuppe of the Lorde And Ierome saith The Priestes doe minister the Eucharist and deuide the blood of the Lord to the people In the Decrees there is a Canon of Pope Gelasius which forbideth the Sacrament to be deuided these be the wordes We do vnderstand that certaine men hauing receiued the portion of the holie bodie onelie do abstaine from the Cuppe of the holie bloode whoe because that I know not by what superstition they are taught to be tied hereunto either let them vnfeignedlie receiue the wholl Sacramentes or let them be put backe from the wholl Sacramentes because that one and the selfe same mystery cannot be deuided without great sacriledge In the Tripartite Historie it is written in the reprehension of Theodosius the Emperour whome Ambrose would not admit to the communion without repentance because that at Thessalonia he had too grieuoslie reuenged the death of a few Souldiers which were slaine in an vprour and had murthered seauen thousand Citizens here saith Ambrose How canst thou with these hands receiue the holybody of the Lord with what rashnes canâ—â— thou take into thy mouth the Cuppe of that holy blood c. Therefore it is euident that it was the custome of the auncient Church to geue either parte of the Sacrament to the people onelie a new start vp custome doth take awaie one parte from the people Here we will not dispute what men are to think concerning a receiued custom contrarie to the authoritie of the Apostolique Scripture contrarie to the canons and contrary to the example of the Primitiue Church For all godlie men doe vnderstand that touching Christian doctrine consciences are to aske counsell at the word of the Lord that no custom is to be alowed which is contrary to the word of God And although in the Latine Church custome hath chaunged the auncient manner yet it doth not disalowe or forbid it neither in deed ought humane authority to forbid the ordinance of Christ and the most receiued custome of the auncient Church Therefore we haue not thought it good to forbid the vse of the wholl Sacrament and in that ceremonie which ought to be the coâ—enant of mutual loue in he Church we woulde not contrary to charitie be hard to other mens consciences which had rather vse the wholl Sacrament neither did we thinke that any crueltie should be vsed in that matter but so much as in vs lieth together with the ceremony we haue restored the holy doctrine touching the fruit of the ceremonie that the people may vnderstand how the Sacrament is laid before them to comfort the consciencies of them that do repent This doctrine doth allure the godly to the vse and reuerence of the Sacrament For not onelie the ceremony was before maimed but also the chief doctrine touching the fruit therof was vtterlie neglected And peraduenture the maiming of the ceremonie did signifie that the Gospell touching the bloode of Christ that is the benefit of Christ his death was obscured Now by the benefit of God the pure Doctrine concerning faith together with this ceremonie 〈◊〉 renued and restored This Article we finde placed else where in the first place amongst those wherein the abuses which are chaunged are reckoned after this manner EIther kinde of the Sacrament in the Lordes Supper is giuen to the laitie because that this custome hath the commaundement of the Lord Math. 26. Drinke ye all of this where Christ doth manifestlie commaunde concerning the cuppe that all should drinke And that no man might cauill that it doth onlie appertaine to the Priests the example of Paul to the Corinthians doth witnesse that the wholl Church did in common vse either part This custome remained a long time euen in the latter Churches neither is it certaine when or by what author it was chaunged Cyprian in certain places doth witnes that the blood was giuen to the people The same thing doth Hierome testify saying The priests do minister the Sacrament and distribute the blood of Christ to the people Yea Gelasius the Pope commaundeth that the sacrament be not deuided Dist 2. de consecr cap. Comperimus Onelie a new custome brought in of late doth otherwise But it is manifest that a custome brought in contrarie to the commaundements of God is not to be allowed as the Canons do witnes Dist 8. Cap. Veritate with that which followeth Now this custome is receiued not onely against the Scripiure but also against the true Canons and the examples of the Church Therefore if anie had rather vse both partes of the Sacrament they were not to be compelled to do otherwise with the offense of their conscience And because that the parting of the Sacrament doth not agre with the institution of Christ we vse to omit that
the Church but yet with this caution that mens consciences be not burdened so as they should account them as things necessarie to saluation and thinke they did sinne when they break anie one of them without offence of others as no man would saie that a woman doth offend if she come abroade with his head vncouered without the offence of anie Of this sort is the obseruation of the Lords day of Easter of Pentecost and such like holie daies and rites For they that thinke that the obseruation of the Lords daie was appointed by the authoritie of the Church in stead of the Sabboth as necessarie they are greatlie deceiued The scripture requireth that the obseruation of it should now be free for it teacheth that the Mosaicall ceremonies are not needful after â—he gospel is reuealed And yet because it was requisite to appoint a certeine daie that the people might know when to come together it seemeth that the Church did for that purpose appoint the Lords daie which daie for this cause also semed to haue better liked the Church that in it men might haue an example of Christian liberty and might know that the obseruation neither of the Sabboth nor of any other daie was of necessitie There are extant certeine monstrous disputations touching the chaunging of the law and the ceremoies of the new law and of the change of the change of the Sabboth which did al spring vp of a false persuasion that there should be a worship in the Church like to the Leuiticall worship and that Christ gaue the charge of deuising new ceremonies which should be necessarie to saluation to the Apostles and Bishops These errors crept into the Church when as the doctrine of faith was not plainly inough taught Some dispute that the obseruation of the Lords daie is not in deed of the law of God but as it were of the lawe of God and touching holie daies they prescribe how farre it is lawfull to worke in them What else are such disputations but snares for mens consciences OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SAXONY Of Anointing MOre ouer that which now is called Extreame anointing was in times past a kinde ofhealing as it is euident out of the Epist of Saint Ieames cap. 5. Now it is become a shew full of superstition They saie that sinnes be forgiuen through these anointinges and they adde there-unto inuocation of the dead which also must of necessitie be disliked Therefore these ceremonies are not kept in ouâ— Churches neither in times past did the Church thinke thaâ— they were necessarie But for the sicke we doe make godlie praiers publiquelie and priuatlie as also the Lorde hath promised that he will asswage euen corporall griefes in theâ— that aske it of him according to that saying Psalme 49 Call vpon me in the daye of trouble and I will deliuer thee Also we vse burialles hauing there at a decent assemblie godlie admonitions and songes c. The first part of this .19 Article which is of confirmation was placed in the thirteenth Section Hitherto also pertaineth the beginning of the 20. Article so farre as it speaketh of a certaine time appointed for the seruice of God NAtural reason doth know that there is an order and the vnderstainding of order is an euident testimony of god neither is it possible that men should liue without any order as we see that in familes there must be distinct times of labour rest meate and sleepe and euerie nature as it is best so doeth it chiefelie loue order throughout the whole life Also Paull commaundeth That all things in the Church be done decently and in order Therefore there hath beene at al times euen from the beginning of mankinde a certaine order of publique meetinges there hath beene also a certaine distinction of times and certaine other ceremonies and that without doubt full of grauitie and elegancie among those excellent lightes of mankinde when as in the same garden or cottage there satte together Sem Abraham Isaac and their families and when as that Sermon which Sem made concerning the true God the Sonne of God the distinction of the Church and other nations being heard afterwarde they together vsed inuocation That which followeth because it treateth of indifferent Traditiditions in generall is placed in the next Section OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE Of Fasting WE think that Fasting is profitable not to this end that either by the merit of it worke it might purge sinnes before God or applie the merit of Christ to him that doth Fast but that by sobrietie it maie bridle the flesh lest that man being hindered by surfeting and dronkennes he be the lesse able to obeie the calling of God and discharge his duetie negligentlie But we shall haue a fitte place hereafter to speake of Fasting Also Article 28. Of fasting FAsting hath it praise and vse But now we do not speake either of necessarie fasting when as a man must needs fast for want of meat or of an allegoricall fasting which is to abstaine from all vices but we are to speake of two vsuall kindes of fasting whereof the one is a perpetuall faste and this is a sobrietie which is alwaies to be kept in meate and drink throughout the wholl course of a mans life for it is neuer lawfull for vs to rauine and to follow surfeting and dronkennes There is another fast which is for a daie when as sometimes we abstaine from meate the wholl daie such as was vsed in the olde Testament Leuit. 16. Also the examples of Iosaphat of the Niniuites and others doe witnes the same thing This kinde of fasting was also vsed after the publishing of the Gospell as appeereth Act. 13. and 14. But afterward there folowed a great difference in Churches touching the obseruation of such a kinde of fasting and as this difference brought no discommoditie to the Church so it testified that the vse of this fasting was free And there is a worthie saying among the auncient fathers touching this varietie The difference saie they of fastings doeth not break of the agreement of faith Now although some men doe thinke that Christ by his example did consecrate the fast of Lent yet it is manifest that Christ did not commaunde this fast neither can the constitution of our nature abide it that we should imitate the example of Christ his fasting who did abstaine full 40. dates and 40. nightes from all meate and drinke Also Eusebius doth declare and that not obscurelie That the vse of this Lenten fast was very free in the Church Moreouer Chrysostome in Gen. cap. 2. Hom. 11. saith If thou canst not fast yet thou maist abstaine from sinnes and this is not the least thing nor much differing from fasting but fit to ouerthrow euen the fury of the Deuill Neither was there anie choise of meates appointed because the Apostle had saide To the cleane all thinges are cleane But in the obseruation of such fastes we must chiefely marke the
great and so daungerous a burthen Truelie Irenaeus doth witnes that in times past the obseruation of faste in Churches was diuers and free as it is reade in the Ecclesiasticall historie lib. 8. cap. 14. In the same booke Eusebius maketh mention that one Apollonius an Ecclesiasticall writer among other arguments vsed this for one to confute the doctrine of Montanus the heretike Because he was the first that made lawes for fastes Therupon Chrysostome saith in a vertaine place Fasting is good but let no man be compelled thereunto And in another place he exhorteth him that is not able to faste to absteyne from deinties and yet affirmeth that it doth not much differ from fasting and that it is a strong weapon to represse the furie of the Deuill Moreouer experience also it selfe doth more then prooue that these precepts concerning fastes haue bin a great hinderance to godlines Therefore when we saw it verie euidentlie that the chiefe men in the Church did beside the authoritie of the Scripture take vpon themselues this power so to enioyne fastes as to binde mens consciences vnder paine of deadlie sinne we did loose the consciences out of these snares but by the Scriptures and chiefely by Pauls writinges which doe with a singular endeauour remooue these rudiments of the world from the necks of Christians For wee ought not lightlie to account of that saying of Paull Let no man condemne you in meate and drinke or in respect of an holie daie or of the new Moone or of the Sabbath daies And againe Therefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the worlde why as though ye liued in the worlde are ye burdened with traditions For if S. Paull then whome no man at any time did teach Christ more certainelie doe earnestlie affirme that through Christ wee haue obteined such libertie in outwarde thinges that he doth not onelie not giue authoritie to anie creature to burden those which beleeue in Christ no not so much as with those ceremonies and obseruations which notwithstanding God himselfe appointed and would haue to be profitable in their time but also denounceth that they be fallen awaie from Christ and that Christ shall nothing at all profitte them who suffer themselues to be addicted thereunto what shall wee then thinke of those commaundements which men haue deuised of their owne braine not onelie without anie oracle but also without anie example worthie to be followed and which are therefore made vnto manie not onelie beggerlie and weake but also hurtfull not elements that is rudiments of holie discipline but also impediments of true godlines How much more vniustlie shall anie man take vnto himselfe authoritie ouer the inheritance of Christ to oppresse him with such kinde of bondage and how farre shall he remooue vs from Christ if we submit our selues vnto him For who doth not see the glorie of Christ to whom we ought whollie to liue whome he hath whollie redeemed to himselfe and restored to libertie and that by his blood to be more obscured if beside his authoritie we doe binde our conscience to those lawes which are the inuentions of men then to those which haue God for their author although they were to be obserued but onelie for their time Certainelie it is a lesse fault to play the Iewe then the Heathen Now it is the manner of the heathen to receiue lawes for the worship of God which haue their beginning from mans inuention onelie God neuer being asked counsell of in the matter Wherefore if in anie matter at all certainlie here that saying of Paull taketh place Ye are bought with a great price be not made the seruants of men Of the choise of meates CHAP. 9. FOr the same cause was that forbearing and chusing of meates enioyned and tyed to certaine daies which S. Paull writing to Timothie calleth the doctrine of Deuils Neitheir is their answere sufficient Who saie that these thinges be spoken onelie against the Manichies Enâ—ratites Tatians and Marcionites who did whollie forbid certaine kindes of meates and mariage For the Apostle in this place hath condemned those which commaund to abstaine from meates which Gâ—d hath created to be taken with thankâ—giuing c. Now they also which do but forbid to take certaine meates on certaine daies do neuertheles commaund men to abstaine from those meats which God hath created to be taken are cosin germanes to the doctrine of the Deuils the which also is euidentlie seene by the reason which the Apostle addeth For saith he Whatsoeuer God hath created it is good and nothing is to be refused that is receiued with giuing of thankes Here he doth not take exception against anie times although no man fauoured frugalitie temperance and also choise chastisments of the flesh and lawfull fasting more greatlie then he did Certainlie a Christian must be frugall and sometime the flesh must be chastised by diminishing the dailie and accustomed portion or diet but base meates and a meane doth serue better to this purpose then anie kinde of meates to conclude it is meete for Christians now and then to take vpon them a lawful faste but that must not be an abstinence from certaine but from all meates nor from meates onelie but also from all the deinteis of this life whatsoeuer For what kinde of fast is this what abstinence onlie to chaunge the kinde of deinties the which thing at this day they vse to doe which are counted more religious then others seing that Saint Chrysostome doth not account it to be a faste if we continue whollie without meates euen vnto the euening except together with absteining from meates we doe also conteine our selues from those thinges which be hurtfull and bestow much of that leisure vpon the studie and exercise of spirituall thinges That by praiers and fastes we must not looke to merit anie thing CHAP. 10. MOreouer our Preachers haue taught that this fault is to be amended in praiers and fastes that commonlie men are taught to seeke to obtaine I know not what merit and iustification by these workes For As we are saued by grace through faith so also are we iustified And touching the wotkes of the law among the which praiers and fastes are reckoned Paull writeth thus For we through the Spiritwaite for the hope of righteousnes through faith Therefore we must praie but to this ende that we maie receiue of God not that wee maie hereby giue anie thing vnto him VVe must faste that we maie the better praie and keepe the flesh within the compasse of it duetie and not before God to deserue anie thing for our selues This onelie ende and vse of prayers both the Scripture and also the writinges and examples of the Fathers doe prescribe vnto vs. Moreouer the case so standeth with vs that although wee coulde praie and faste so religiouslie and so perfectlie doe all those thinges which God hath inioyned vs that nothing coulde more be required of vs which hitherto no mortall man hath
it was a sinne to eate swines flesh c. so in the new testament they place sinne in meates in daies in apparell and such like things and they holde opinion that the righteousnes of the new testament can not stand without these From hence are those burdens that certeine meates defile the conscience that it is a mortall sinne to omit the canonicall houres that fastinges merit remission of sinnes because they be necessary to the righteousnes of the new testament that a sinne in a case reserued can not be pardoned but by the authority of him that reserued it wheras the Canons speake onelie of reseruing of canonicall punishments and not of the reseruing of the fault Whence then haue the Bishops power and authoritie of imposing these traditions vpon the Churches for the burdening of mens consciences For there are diuers cleare testimonies which inhibit the making of such traditions either for to deserue remission of sinnes or as thinges necessarie to the righteousnes of the the new testament or to saluation Paull to the Coloss 2. Let no man iudge you in meat drinke or a peece of a holie daie in the new moone or in the Sabboth Againe If ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though ye liued in the world are ye burdened with traditions as Touch not tast not handle not which all do perish with the vsing and are the preceptes and doctrines of men which haue a shew of wisedome And to Titus he doth plainlie forbid traditions For he saith Not listning to Iewish fables to the precepts of men that abhorre the truth And Christ Mat 15. saith of them which vrge traditions Let them alone they be blinde leaders of the blinde he condemneth such worships Euerie plant which my heauenly father hath not planted shall be rooted vp If Bishops haue authoritie to burden the Churches with innumerable traditions and to snare mens consciences why doth the scripture so oft forbid to make to listen to traditions why doth it cal them the deuils traditions hath the holy ghost warned vs of them to no purpose It remaineth then that seeing constitutions ordeined as necessarie or with opinion of meriting remission of sinnes by them are flat repugnant to the gospell because that it is not lawfull for any Bishops to appoint or vrge anie such worship For it is verie requisite that the doctrine of Christian liberty should be manteined in the Church because that the bondage of the law is not necessarie vnto iustification as it is written to the Gal. Come not ye vnder the yoke of bondage againe It is necessarie that the chiefest point of all the gospel should be holden fast that we do freelie obteine remission of sinnes iustification by faith in Christ not by anie obseruations nor by any worship deuised by man For though they seeke to qualifie traditions yet the equitie of them can neuer be seene nor perceiued so long as the opinion of necessitie remaineth which must needes remaine wher the righteousnes of faith Christian liberty are not known The Apostles commaunded them to absteine from blood who obserueth that now a daies and yet they do not sinne that obserue it not for the Apostles them selues would not burden mens consciences with such a seruitude but they forbad it for a time for offence sake For in that decree the perpetuall intent and minde of the gospell is to be considered â—carselie anie canons are precisely kept and manie grow out of vse dailie yea euen among them that doe most busilie defend traditions Neither can there be sufficient care had of mens consciences except this equitie be kept that men should know that such rites are not to be obserued with anie opinion of necessitie and that mens consciences are not hurt though traditions grow out of vse The Bishops might easilie reteine lawfull obedience if they would not haue men to obserue such traditions as can not be kept with a good conscience But now they commaunde single life and they admitte none except they will sweare not to teach the pure doctrine of the Gospell The Churches do not desire of the Bishops that they would repaire peace and concord with the losse of their honour which yet good Pastors ought to do onelie they desire that they would remit vniust burdens which are both new and receiued contrarie to the custome of the Catholike Church It maie well be that some constitutions had some probable causes when they began which yet will not agree to latter times It is euident that some were receiued through error Wherefore it were for the chiefe Bishops gentlenes to mitigate them now for such a change would not ouerthrow the vnitie of the Church For manie humane traditions haue bene changed in time as the Canons themselues declare But if it can not be obteined that those obseruations may not be released which can not be kept without sin then must we folow the Apostles rule which willeth to obey God rather then men Peter forbiddeth Bishops to be Lords to be imperious ouer the Churches Our meaning is not to haue rule taken from the Bishops But this one thing is requested at their hands that they would suffer the gospel to be purely taught that they would release a few obseruations which can not be obserued without sinne But if they will remit none let them looke how they will giue account to God for this that by their wilfulnes they giue occasion of schisme Also in the same 7. Art touching Abuses this exposition is found thus in another edition NOw come I to the question in hand touching the laws of bishops concerning which first this most certaine rule is to be holden That it is not laufull for anie to make lawes repugnant to the commaundement of God That sentence of Saint Paull is well knowne If an Angell from heauen teach anie other Gospell let him be accursed Vpon this foundation which is sure and immooueable the rest maie easilie be reared Now there be three orders of the decrees of Bishops Some doe constreine a man to sinne as the law of single life the lawes of priuate Masâ—es wherein is made an oblation and application for the quick and the dead And the opinion of transsubstantiation breedeth a wicked adoration Also the commaundement of praying to the dead It is an easy matter to giue sentence of these lawes For seeing they doe manifestlie oppugne the commaundement of God the Apostles rule is We ought rather to obeie God then men The second order is of those rites which concerne thinges in their owne nature indifferent such as are the lawes touching the difference of meates and daies and such like thinges But when false opinions are ioyned vnto these thinges they are â—o more indifferent Now our aduersaries doe some more some lesse tie vnto them absurde and false opinions for the which both those laws rites are to be cast of lest anie
Synod and the Latine Churches in the olde time was not so seuere in this pointe for they did put from the ministerie onelie such as when they had taken vpon them anie Ecclesiastical function did afterwards marrie wiues yet they did not forbid mariage But this is a new law of the Pope vnknowne to the auncient Churches and Synods which doth whollie forbidde mariages and breaketh of such as are contracted But it is euident that either part of this decree is flat contrarie to the Gospell They alledge against vs the authoritie of the Church and of synodes which the Popes them selues that were authors of this decree did impudentlie contemne and godlie Priestes did euidentlie withstand this new lawe For the Ecclesiasticall histories doe testifie that it was neuer laied vpon the Churches without great contentions and resistance The Bishoppe of Tarracon writeth to Syricius the Pope That the Priestes of Spaine could not be brought to admit that lawe which for bad them the vse of their wiues What a stirre doth Syricius keepe there How sharpelie doth he write For these are the wordes of Syricius which are vnmeete for a Pope Let him tell me whosoeuer he be a hunter after lustes and a Master of vices And thereupon he wresteth the words of S. Paull to his cause which are most farre from it They which liue in the flesh can not please god A man may doubt suerelie whether it maie better be attributed to his ignorance or his impudencie that he speaketh so disdainefully of mariage For he goeth about nothing else but to forbidde Priestes the vse of their wiues which then they had maried But the Popes that succeeded after were yet more harde and cruell When the Archbishop of Mentz did in a Synode rehearse the Popes decree touching the putting awaie of wiues in Germanie the Priestes were so kindled in their anger that they threatned to set vpon the Archbishoppe himselfe And it was in deed both an vnworthie and cruell thing to put awaie their wiues which they then had But at last either force or superstition got the vpper hand Cyprian was farre more equall and gentle to such women as had not kept their vowed chastitie For he writeth in the first booke the 11. Epist If they will not or cannot indure it it is better they should marrie then that they should fall into the fire through their importune lusts In any wise let them giue no offence to the breethren or sisters Besides this vniust lawes are not wonte to be perpetuall Wee doe therefore intreat the moste excellent Emperour that among manie other enormities of the Church he will also consider the faultes of this law in which case that also is to be weighed The nature of man doeth as it were waxe olde and is become weaker Wherefore there must be care had that vices doe not increase Neither must the lawes themselues be seedes of vices Plato saith verie wiselie that Lawes must be made for vertues sake Now whether this tradition of single life be mainteined for pieties sake or for some other purpose it is no hard matter to determine Last of all seeing that Christ hath especiallie commended the care of the ministers of the Gospell to the godlie wee desire therefore that the moste excellent Emperour would restraine this crueltie which hath a long time bin exercised vpon godlie Priestes and would rather consult with the Church then with our aduersaries in that behalfe Surelie loue and mercifull dealing should florish in the Church Wherfore the true church doth greatlie abhorre vnnecessarie crueltie and would not haue the Priestes put to death for a tyrannicall tradition She would also haue the poore Wiues Children of Priests fauourablie dealt with All whose liues saftie the Church doth commend vnto thee O most mercifull Emperour All the godlie wheresoeuer are touched with their miseries doe in heart desire Christian lenitie in this behalfe and doe also with teares iointlie commend learned and honest men that are profitable to the Church together wth their wiues and children vnto thee whome they se both to be indued with an excellent and heroiâ—all goodnes and kindenes and also to haue vsed in this cause verie notable moderation which doth let vs vnderstand that thou art carefull of bringing some remedie vnto the common wealth The Church would not haue thee to be a minister of another mans crueltie The greatest honour of Kings is that which Esaie giueth to them when he saith that they should be nurse fathers to the Church that is that kingdomes and the maintenance of peace and of humane society should not onlie serue for the profit of the bodie but also should further the gospel namelie when as they both rule the Priests and also graunt peace quietnes to Cities that the youth might be trained vp in religion and men might be instructed The Church therefore doth beseech thee to remember that the care of defending the godlie Priests as of certeine nourslings lieth vpon thee It belongeth vnto this calling to be a succour for innocencie to saue from iniuries especially such as are weake which are not able to defend themselues as namelie godlie women children and orphanes or the fatherles Among which you maie well thinke that the wiues and children of Priests which are right orphanes in deed are left vnto your charge by the Lorde The Church as moste full of naturall affection and loue doth not onelie approoue of the mutuall loue of maried folkes one to another and of the loue of parents to their children but is also touched with the miseries of those that are forlorne and fatherles And surelie shee iudgeth in so great goodnes of your nature that there is no inhumanitie or want of naturall affection VVherefore shee is in good hope that the murders and executions of Priests and the banishment of their wiues and children doe grieue thee not a litle The Church also doth giue thee warning to looke to it lest manie points of Christian doctrine the vnfolding and laying open whereof is verie necessarie be smothered vp whiles godlie and learned ministers are put to death and whiles men are driuen from the studie of Christian doctrine VVhat else do our aduersaries seeke but that all good learning true doctrine may be rooted out or oppressed men maie onlie depend vpon the authoritie of such as do bear rule that they might esteem the dreams of vnlearned men though neuer so impious neuer so absurd for oracles Our aduersaries imagine that this barbarous bondage is the best and surest for their Lordlie rule And in deed it is verie euident how the Church in manie places iâ— oppressed with this bondage Now though libertie maie not be graunted to disanull such determinations as be receiued by good authoritie and though men ought not to depart either from the scriptures or from the decrees of the ancient Synods wherin they haue determined of Christian doctrine yet is it not meet that the authority
in God that he would make vs also in the most Churches one in himselfe We whose names are subcribed hereunto who doe now teach in the Churches Vniuersities vnder mentioned do protest that in this writing which we desire to haue rightlie and not quarrelouslie vnderstood we haue recited the common doctrine published in the Churches and Vniuersities wherein we teach the Gospell and we are perswaded that this is the true sincere and incorrupt doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ agreeing with the Apostles and Prophets and with the Creedes and that it is necessarie for the Churches and we praie our Lord Iesus Christ who was crucified for vs and rose againe that he would mercifully gouerne and defend these Churches Also we offer our selues to further declaration in euerie Article This was written Anno 1551. Iulie 10. in the towne of Wirtemberge where the Pastours of the Churches neere adioyning were met together c. OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE The Conclusion which is placed in the latter end of the 35. Chap. WE haue rehearsed those things which seeme good both to be approued and also to be refuted or amended in the Ecclesiasticall doctrine and in the wholl administration of the Church And if anie thing be spoken either more brieflie or more obscurelie then so great a matter would require our Preachers do promise that they will expouud them more largelie and more cleerlie That which remaineth we beseech all the godly through Iesus Christ the sonne of God our onelie Sauiour that which thing we hope they wil do of their owne accord euerie one according to his office and calling would take vnto himselfe a true and earnest endeauour to reforme the Church It can not be denied but that hitherto for these manie yeares not onelie the discipline of the Church hath decaied and the manners thereof haue beene corrupted with great and horrible vices and they haue verie much degenerated from the honestie of our Elders but that also the doctrine of the Church hath beene depraued in suffering and bearing with corruptions which if hereafter they be either dissembled or confirmed euerie man that is but meanlie wise maie consider how great euills are like to follow in the Church of God Those execrations and cursings are well knowne whereunto the law of god doth addict the transgressours of his word And Iosias the King of Iuda was endued with an heroicall minde when he repaired the Church and although the wrath of god was by his godlie repentance and obedience mitigated after that the Booke of the law was found out and well knowne that those punishments which the Church of god at that time had deserued through the neglect of his word and their impietie might be differred till another time yet notwithstanding such was the seueritie of god against the contemners of his word and the impenitent that the King although he were verie godlie could not altogether take it awaie from them and appease it Now we thinke that in these times the wrath of god is no lesse yea much more grieuously kindled and set on fire against the assemblie of his Church by reason of so manie hainous wicked deeds and offences which euen in that people which glorieth in the name of god are more euident then that they can be denied and more cleere then that they maie be excused then in times past when as yet the Sonne of god was not made knowne to the world by his gospell And the iudgement of god shall be so much the more seuere by how much his benefits are the greater which he seemeth to haue bestowed both in the former and also at these present times vpon vnthankful men But both many other things haue need of amendment in the Church and ministerie thereof and especiallie the doctrine of repentance Iustification and the vse of the Sacraments and single life of the Ministers of the Church do require a godlie amendment If these things by the mercie of God and by the diligence and care of all good men shall be restored according to the writings of the Prophets and the Apostles and according to the true Catholique consent of the auncient and purer Church we shall not onelie giue vnto god the father of our Lord Iesus Christ a most acceptable worship but also the wholl Christian world shal be stirred vp to declare their thankfulnes and obedience in all duetifull manner that they maie We truelie do not know of anie errour in our Preachers either in doctrine or in the other administration of the Church yet we do not doubt but that they are indued with so great modestie and godlines that if they be admonished by the testimony of the heauenly doctrine by the true consent of the Catholique Church they wil in no case be wanting to the edifying of the church And as much as lieth in vs and in our gouernment we will do our indeuour that the mercy of godhelping vs none of those dueties may be pretermitted of vs whereby we hope that the true quietnes of the Church and saluation in Iesus Christ the sonne of god may be preserued OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Of Seculare Magistrates CHAP. 23. IN the former points we haue declared that our Preachers doe place that obedience which is giuen vnto Magistrates among good workes of the first degree and that they teach that euerie man ought so much the more diligently to applie himselfe to the publique lawes by how much he is a more sincere Christian richer in faith In the next place they teach that to execute the office of a Magistrate it is the most sacred function which can happen vnto man from God whereupon also it is come to passe that they which are endued with publique authoritie are in the Scriptures called Gods For when as they doe iustlie and orderlie behaue themselues in their function it goeth well with the people both in doctrine and in life because that God doth vse â—o to moderate our affaires that for the greater parte the safetie and destruction of the subiects doth depende vpon them which are the gouernours Wherefore none doe more worthelie execute Magistracie then they which of all others are the most Christian and Bishops and other Ecclesiastical men were promoted by most godly Emperours kings to an external gouernment in ciuil affaires Wherein though they were religious and wise yet in this one point they offended because they were not able to discharge both those functions sufficiently and it was necessarie that either they should be wanting to the Churches in ruling them by the word or to the common wealth in gouerning it by authoritie THE CONCLVSION THese be the chiefe pointes moste mightie and religiuos Emperour wherein our Preachers haue somewhat swarued from the common doctrine of preachers being forced thereunto by the onelie authoritie of the Scriptures which is worthelie to be preferred before all other traditions These things being so declared as the shortnes of
alreadie c. Vpon the Confession of Auspurge THe Gospell bewraieth our sinne These wordes â—eeme thus to be vnderstood that the Gospell should bewray all kinde of sinne yet not properly by it selfe For the proper difference between the law and the Gospell is to be held fast to wit that the Gospel doth properly reprooue the sinne of infidellity and by an accident all other sinnes also but the law doth properlie reprooue all sinnes whatsoeuer are committed against it Vpon the same And deserueth reward Touching the word of meriting or deseruing which this Confession vseth oft in this Section Looke before in the 8. Sect. the 7. obseruat vpon this same Confession and looke the 1. obseruat vpon the Confess of Wirtemb in this Section And againe after in the 16. Sect. the first obseruat on this Confess Vpon the same Liuing in mortall sinne Looke before in the 4. Sect. the 2. obseruat vpon the Confess of Saxony Nor the righteousnes of workes Looke before in the 4. Sect. the 1. obser vpon the Confession of Saxonie Vpon the same And like as the preaching of repentance is general so the promise of grace General that is offered to all sorts of men indefinitely as wel to one as to another without difference of country sexe place time or age But we can not conceiue how repentance and the promise of grace can be said to be preached vniuersallie to euerie nation much lesse to all men particularlie for as much as experience doth plainly prooue that to be vntrue Vpon the same Here needeth no disputation of predestination Euen as we doe abhorre curious disputations that is such as passe the boundes of Gods worde touching predestination of which sort we take these words to be meant as most dangerous matters for grieuous falls so we affirme that whatsoeuer the holy ghost doth teach touching this point in the holy Scriptures is warilie and wiselie to be propounded and beleeued in the Church as well as other parts of Christian Religion which thing the Doctors of the Church both olde and new did and among the rest Master Luther himselfe in his booke de seruo arbitrio and els where Vpon the same That they be necessarie We take them to be necessarie because they doe necessarilie follow the true faith whereby we are iustified not that they concurre vnto the working of our iustification in Christ as either principall or secundarie causes for that faith it selfe as it is an inherent qualitie doth not iustifie but onely in as much as it doth apprehend and laie hold on Christ our righteousnes Vpon the same Albeit that men by their owne strength be able to doe outward honest deedes c. Looke in the 4. Sect. the 3. obseruat vpon this Confess Vpon the same Moreouer nature by it selfe is weake Without Christ without regeneration the nature of man can doe nothing but sinne For God by his grace doth create the hability of thinking willing and doing well not helping the old man in that he wanteth but by little little abolishing it According to that saying When we were dead in sinnes c. Ephes 2. But touching the weaknes of our nature looke that which was said in the 1. obseruation vpon the Confession of Bohemia Section 4. Vpon the Confession of Saxonie BEcause that God left this libertie in man after his fall Here also looke in the 4. Sect. the 1. obseru vpon the Confession of Bohemia and the 3. vpon the Confession of Auspurge Vpon the same Therefore although men by the natural strength Looke here againe the 1. obseruation vpon the Confession of Bohemia in the 4. Sect. also the 9. obser vpon the Confess of Auspurge in this same Sect. Vpon the Confession of Wirtemberge WE teach that good workes are necessarilie to be done and doe deserue c. That is obteine and that as it is â—ell added by and by after by the free mercie and goodnes of God Touching which point looke the 7. obser vpon the Confession of Auspurge in the 8. Section the 2. obser vpon the same Confess in this Sect. Also touching the necessitie of good workes looke the 7. obser vpon the same Confess in this selfe same Sect. IN THE 10. SECTION Vpon the latter Confession of Heluetia ANd no maruell if it erre How and in what respect the visible Church considered vniuersallie is said to erre it is afterward declared more fullie in this same Confession Vpon the Confession of Bohemia THe Heathenish life This saying the breethren in Bohemia did themselues expound thus vnto vs in their letters to wit that they speake here of the notes of the visible Church which are all ioyntlie to be considered that looke where both the errors of Idolaters and heretikes and impietie of life do openlie ouerflow there it can not safelie be affirmed that the visible Church of Christ is to be seene or is at all And yet notwithstanding there is no doubt to be made but some secret true members of Christ and such as it may be are onelie knowne to God be there hid therfore that there is a Church euen in Poperie as it were ouerwhelmed and drowned whence God will fetch out his elect and gather them to the visible Churches that are restored and reformed whereas Popery neuer was nor is the true Church Vpon the same But he that looseth In what sense we thinke that a true faith maie be loste we haue declared before in the fourth Sect. in the first obseruation of the Confession of Saxony and els where Vpon the same By Ecclesiastical punishment which is commonly called c. We take this to be so meant as that notwithstanding euerie Church hath hir liberty left vnto hir what way to exercise such discipline as is before said in the 1. obser vpon this same confess in the 8. Sect. As for this particular cursing to wit of this or that man if the word be taken for a 〈…〉 vnrepealable casting out from the Church of God 〈…〉 it to God alone and therefore we would not 〈…〉 in our Churches For the Church vseth onelie 〈…〉 as determineth nothing finallie following S. 〈…〉 22. Vpon the same 〈…〉 that is reprooue him admonish him 〈…〉 Vpon the Confession of Saxonie The sentence of excommunication c. Looke before in the 3. obser vpon the confess of Bohemia in this same section Vpon the Confession of Wirtemberge HAth authoritie to beare witnes of the holie scripture This authoritie and right you must vnderstand in this respect that the true Church of God discerning the Canonical bookes of the scripture from al others teacheth defendeth that nothing is to be added to or taken from the canon of the olde Hebrew or the new Scripture of the Christians Vpon the same Authoritie to iudge al doctrines and to interpret scripture To this we yeald with these cautions First that in
time or worthines of the Churches Authors that wrote them or other such like circumstance theâ—fore it seemed good without anie enuie or preiudice of other Confessions either more auncient or more famous to giue the first place to the latter Confession of Heluetia â—oth because the order thereof seemed more fitie and â—he wholl handling of doctrine more full and conuenient and also because that Confession was publiquelie approoued subscribed vnto by verie manie Churches of dâ—uers Naâ—â—onâ— Farther vpon â—his do the reâ—t fitly follow to wit â—he former confession of Heluetia then all other without any â—hoâ—sâ— indifferentlie saue that we had rather ioyne together thâ— Confessions of Germanie then sâ—uer them â—ach 〈…〉 according to â—hâ— argument of euerie Section 〈…〉 infoâ—â—ed to pâ—t that Confession of th◠〈…〉 as receâ—uâ—d somewhat â—â—te in the laâ—â— plâ—ce 〈…〉 if it shall not seeme fitte and conuenient to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may easilie be altered in the second edition as other Confessions also if anie such beside these shall be wanting may in their due place be adioyned To conclude that the godly Reader may want nothing and that no man may suspect anie thing to be taken awaie or added to anie of those Confessions we haue here set downe the articles or chiefe points in the order wherin they were first written Which we desire euerie man fauourably to interprete and to enioy this our labour rather seeking peace and agreement then malitiouslie hunting after occasions of dissensions PROPER CATALOGVES FOR EVERIE CONFESSION CONTEINED IN THIS HARMONIE AFTER THAT ORDER WHEREIN They were first written THE ARTICLES OF THE FORMER CONFESsion of Heluetia SCripture 1 Interpretation 2 Fathers 3 Humane Traditions 4 The drift of the Scripture 5 God 6 Man and his strength 7 Originall sinne 8 Free will 9 The eternall Counsell touching the restoring of man 10 Iesus Christ and those benefites which we reape by him 11 The drift of the doctrine of the Gospell 12 Faith and the force thereof 13 The Church 14 Of the Ministers of the word 15 Ecclesiasticall power 16 The choosing of Ministers 17 The head and Shepherd of the Church 18 The dueties of Ministers 19 Of the force and efficacie of the Sacraments 20 Baptisme 21 The Eucharist 22 Holie assemblies 23 Of Heretikes Schismatikes 24 Of thinges indifferent 25 Of the Magistrate 26 Of Holie Wedlocke 27 THE CHIEFE POINTS OF THE LATTER CONfession of Heluetia Of the holie Scripture being the true word of God 1 Of Interpreting the holie Scripture and of â—athers Councels and Traditions 2 Of God his vnitie and the Trinitie 3 Of Idoles or Images of God Christ and Saintes 4 Of the Adoration worshippe and Inâ—ocation of God through the onelie Mediatour Iesus Christ 5 Of the Prouidence of God 6 Of the creation of all thinges of Angells the Deuill and man 7 Of the fall of man sinne and the cause of sinne 8 Of free wâ—ll and so of mans power and abilitie 9 Of the Predestination of God and Election of the saintes 10 Of Iesus Christ being true God man and the onlie Sauiour of the world 11 Of the lawe of God 12 Of the Gospell of Iesus Christ of the Promises also of the spirit and the letter 13 Of Repentance and the Conuersion of man 14 Of the true iustification of the faithfull 15 Of Faith and good workes and of their reward and the merit of man 16 Of the Catholique holy Church of God and of the onely head of the Church 17 Of the Ministers of the Church their institution dueties 18 Of the Sacramentes of the Church of Christ 19 Of holie Baptisme 20 Of the holy Supper of the Lord. 21 Of holie and Ecclesiasticall assemblies 22 Of the Praiers of the Church of singing Canonicall houres 23 Of Holy daies fastes and choise of meates 24 Of Comforting or visiting the sicke 25 Of the buriall of the faithfull and the care that is to be had for the dead and of Purgatorie and the appeering of Spirites 26 Of Rites Ceremonies and thinges Indifferent 27 Of the goods of the Church 28 Of single life Wedlocke and the ordering of a Family 29 Of the Magistrate 30 THE ARTICLES OF THE CONFESSION OF Basill Of God 1 Of man 2 Of the care of God toward vs. 3 Of Christ being true God and true man 4 Of the Church 5 Of the Supper of our Lord. 6 Of the Magistrate 7 Of Faith and workes 8 Of the last daie 9 Of thinges commaunded and not commaunded 10 Against the error of the Anabaptistes 11 THE CHIEFE POINTS OF THE CONFESSION OF Bohemia Of the holy Scripture and of Eccâ—siasticall writers â— Of Christian Catechizing 2 Of the vnitie of the diuine essence of the three Persons 3 Of the knowledge of himselfe Also Of sinne the causes and fruites hereof and of the promises of God 4 Of repentance 5 Of Christ the Lord and of Iustification through faith in him 6 Of good workes which be holie actions 7 Of the holie Catholique Church the order and discipline hereof and moreouer of Antichrist 8 Of the Ministers of the Church 9 Of the word of God 10 Of the Sacraments in general 11 Of holy Baptisme 12 Of the Supper of the Lord. 13 Of the keies of Christ. 14 Of thinges accessorie that is of rites or Ecclesiasticall ceremonies 15 Of the politique or Ciuill Magistrate 16 Of Saints and their worship 17 Of fasting 18 Of single life and Wedlocke or the order of maried folke 19 Of the time of Grace 20 THE ARTICLES OF THE FRENCH CONFEssion Of God and his one onelie essence 1 Of the knowledge of God 2 Of the Caâ—onicall bookes of the holy Scripture 3 Of distinguishing the Canonicall bookâ— from the Apocryphall 4 Of the authoritie of the word of God 5 Of the Trinitie of the Persons in one onely essence of God 6 Of the Creation of the world 7 Of the eternal Prouidence of God 8 Of the fall of man and his free will 9 Of Originall sinne 10 Of the propagation of Originall sinne and of the effectes thereof 11 Of the free Election of God 12 Of the reparing of man from his fall through Christ 13 Of two natures in Christ 14 Of the hypostaticall vnion of his two natures 15 Of the death and resurrection of Christ and of the fruit thereof 16 Of the merit and fruit of the sacrifice of Christ 17 Of the remission of sinnes and true Iustification 18 Of the Intercession or Mediation of Christ 19 Of iustifying Faith and the gift and effectes thereof 20. 21. 22 Of the abolishing of Ceremonies and true vse of the Morall lawe 23 Of the intercession of Saintes Purgatorie and other superstitious traditions of the Popish sorte 24 Of the Ministerie of the Gospell 25 Of the vnitie of the Church and the true notes thereof 26. 27. 28 Of Ecclesiasticall functions 29 Of the power and authoritie of the ministers 30 Of their lawfull calling and election 31 Of Ecclesiasticall discipline 32
Deuteronomine Iosue Iudges Ruth two bookes of Samuell two bookes of the Kings two bookes of Chronicles or Paralipomenon one booke of Esdras Nehemiah Ester Iob the Psalmes Salomons Prouerbes Ecclesiastes The Song of songes Esaie Ieremie with the Lamentations Ezechiell Daniell the 12. small Prophets namelie Ose Ioell Amos Abdiah Ionah Micheah Nahum Abacuâ— Sophonie Haggaie Zacharie Malachie the holy Gospel of Iesu Christ according to Matthew Marke Luke and Iohn the Acts of the Apostles Paulls Epistles namelie one to the Romans two to the Corinthians one to the Galathians one to the Ephesians one to the Philippians one to the Collossians two to the Thessalonians two to Timothie one to Titus one to Philemon the Epistle to the Hebrews The Epistle of Iames two epistles of Peter three epistles of Iohn one epistle of Iâ—de Iohns Reuelation We acknowledge these bookes to be Canonicall that is we account them as the rule and square of our faith and that not onelie for the common consent of the Church but also much more for the testimonie and inward perswasion of the holie ghost by whose inspiration we are taught to discearne them from other Ecclesiasticall bookes which howsoeuer they may be profitable yet are they not such that any one article of faith may be builded vpon them We beleeeue that the worde conteined in these bookes came from one god of whome alone and not of men the authoritie thereof dependeth And seeing this is the summe of al trueth conteining whatsoeuer is required for the worship of God and our saluation we holde it not lawfull for men no not for the Angles themselues to adde or detract any thing from that word or to alter any whitte aâ— al in the same And hereupon it followeth that it is not lawfull to oppose either antiquitie custome multitude mans wisedome and iudgement edicts or any decrees or Councells or visions or miracles vnto this holie scripture but rather that al things ought to be examined and tried by the rule and square thereof Wherefore we doe for this cause also allow those three Creedes namelie the Apostles the Nicen and Athanasius his Creede because they be agreeable to the written word of God OVT OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION WE receiue and embrace all the Canonicall scriptures both of the olde and new testament giuing thanks to our God who hath raised vp vnto vs that light which we might euer haue before our eies lest either by the subteltie of man or by the snares of the deuil we should be caried awaie to errors and lies Also we professe that these be the heauenlie voices whereby God hath opened vnto vs his will and that onelie in them mannes heart can haue setled rest that in them be aboundantlie and fullie comprehended al things whatsoeuer be needful for our helpe as Origen Augustine Chrysostome and Cyrillus haue taught That they be the verie might and strength to attaine to saluation that they be the fundations of the Prophets and Apostles VVhereupon is built the Church of God that they be the verie sure and infallible rule whereby may be tried whether the Churh doe swarue or erre and whereunto all Ecclesiasticall doctrine ought to be called to account and that against these scripturs neither law nor ordinance nor anie custome ought to be heard no though Paull him selfe or an angel from heauen should come teach the contrary OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BELGIA HE hath reuealed himselfe much more plainly in his holy worde so farre forth as it is expedient for his owne glorie and the saluation of his in this life We confesse that this worde of God was not brought or deliuered by any will of man but that holy men of God inspired by Gods spirit spake it as S. Peter witnesseth but afterward God himselfe for that exceeding tender carefullnes which he hath of his of their saluation gaue in commission to his seruants the Apostles Prophets that they should put those his oracles in writing and he himselfe also wrote the two tables of the law with his owne finger which is the cause whie we call such writinges sacred diuine scripture And we comprehend the holy scripture in those two books of the olde and new Testament which are called the canonicall bookes about which there was neuer anie ado And of them this is the number and also the order receiued of the Church of God The fiue bookes of Moses the booke of Iosua of the Iudges of Ruth two books of Samuell two of the Kinges two of the Chronicles which are called Paralipomena the first of Esdras Nehemias Ester lob also Dauides Psalmes three bookes of Salomon namely the Prouerbes Ecclesiastes and the song of songs the foure great Prophets Esay Ieremie Ezechiell and Daniell and furthermore also the 12 small Prophets moreouer the Canonical bookes of the new testament are the foure Euangelistes namelie Saint Matthew Marke Luke and Iohn the Actes of the Apostles the 14. Epistles of Saint Paull and seuen of the othet Apostles the Reuelation of S. Iohn the Apostle These bookes alone doe we receiue as sacred and canonicall whereupon our faith maie rest be confirmed and established therefore without any doubt we beleeue also those thinges which are conteined in them and that not so much because the Church receiueth alloweth them for Canonical as for that the holy ghost beareth witnes to our consciences that they came from god most of all for that they also testifie iustifie by them selues this their owne sacred authority sanctity seing that euen the blinde may cleerely beholde as it were feele the â—ulfilling and accomplishment of all things which were foretolde in these writinges We furthermore make a difference betweene the holie bookes and those which they cal Apocriphall for so much as the Apocriphall maie be read in the Church and it is lawfull also so faâ—re to gather instructions out of them as they agree with the Canonicall bookes but their authority and certaintie is not such as that anie doctrine touching faith or Christian Religion maie safelie be built upon their testimonie so farre of is it that they can disanull or impaire the authoritie of the other We beleeue also that this holie scripture doth most perfectlie conteine all the will of God and that in it all things are aboundantlie taught whatsoeuer is necessarie to be beleeued of man to attaine saluation Therefore seeing the wholl manner of worshipping God with God requireth at the handes of the faithfull is there most exquisitelie and at large set downeâ— it is lawfull for no man although he haue the authoritie of an Apostle no noâ— for anie Angell sent from heauen as Saint Paul speaketh to teach otherwise then we haue long since beene taught in the holie scriptures For seeing it is forbidden that anie one should adde or detract any thing from the word of God thereby it is â—uident enough that this holie doctrine is
of the holie ghost but it is to be laid to the rule of the Prophets Apostles doctrine that that which agreeth therewith may be acknowledged and that which is contrarie thereunto maie be confuted If we or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you a gospell beside that which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed And beleeue ye not euerie spirit but trie the spirits whether they be of God Againe Trie all thinges and keepe that which is good Augustine against Maximâ—us a Bishop of the Arrians in his 3. booke Chap. 14. saith But now an I neyther to cite the councell of Nice nor you the councell of Arimine as it were to preiudice the matter neither am I bound by the authoritie of the one nor you by the authoritie of the other with authorities of scripture which are witnesses not proper to anie one but common to vs both let matter with matter Cause with cause Reason with reason c. And Panormitane in the Chapter significasti Extr. de electio In things concerning faith euen the verdite of one priuat man were to be preferred before the Popes if he were leadwith better warrants of the old new Testament then the Pope And Gerson in the first part about triall of doctrines The first truth shoud stand that if there were a plaine priuate maÌ„ sufficiently instructed in holie scripture more credit were to be giuen in a case of doctrine to his assertion then to the Popes definitiue sentence For it is plaine that the gospell is more to be beleeued then the Pope If then a man so learned teach anie trueth to be contained in the Gospell where the Pope were either ignorant or willingly deceiued it is cleare whose udgement were to be preferred And a little after Such a learned man ought in that case while a generall councell were holden at which he him selfe were present to set him selfe against it if he shoulde perceiue the greater part of malice or ignorance to incline to that which is contrarie to the Gospell Of Ecclesiasticall writers CHAP. 34. RIse vp before an hoare head saith the scripture and reueuerence the person of an old man We do therefore reuerence the graie heares of our ancetours who euen since the Gospell beganne to be reuealed and published haue in the world taken vpon them the t aâ—el of furthering the Church not only by preaching but also by publike writings that the posteritie might from the Apostles euen vnto this time haue manifest and certaine testimonies of the holie Doctrine And we so embrace their writings as both the holie scripture alloweth vs to vse mans authoritie and as themselueswould haue their writinges acknowledged You my friends say that in the auncient is wisdome in the length of daies is vnderstanding but I saie vnto you that with him to wit with the Lord our God is wisdome strength he hath councell vnderstanding And 1. Corinth 4. Let the Prophets speake two or three and let the rest iudge And Trie all thinges and keepe that which is good 1. Thess 5. It is not lawfull for vs to bring in any thing of our owne head no not so much as to take that which any man hath brought in of his owne head We haue the Apostles of the Lord for authors who chose nothing of their owne heads which they might bring in but the discipline which they receiued of Christ they faithfullie deliuered to all nations And Augustine saith Neither ought we to esteem of the writings of any men although they be Catholike commendable persons as of the Canonical scriptures as though it were not lawful yealding theÌ„ that reuerence which is due vnto such men to disallow refuse something in their writings if perchance we finde that they haue thought otherwise then the trueth is vnderstoode either of others or of our selues thorough the gift of God Such am I in other mens writings as I would haue them construers of mine Againe Be thou not tied to my writings as it were to the Canonicall scriptures but in the Canonicall scriptures that which thou didst not beleeue when thou hast found it beleeue it incontinentlie but in myne that which thou thoughtest to be vndoubtedlie true vnlesse thou perceiue it to be true indeede hold it not resolutelie And againe I neither can nor ought to denie that as in those who haue gone before so also in so many slender workes of mine there are many things which may with vpright iudgement and no raâ—hnes be blamed And againe I haue learned to giue this reuerence to these writers alone which are now called Canonicall Againe But I so read others that be they neuer so holie or neuer so learned I doe not therefore thinke it true because they haue so thought but because they could perswade me by other authors or by Canonicall or at least by probable reasons which disagree not from the truth And in another place Who knoweth not that holie scripture c. And Doe not brotâ—â—â— against so many diuine c. For these places are knowen euen out of the Popes own decrese OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Art 1. ss 1. Whence sermons are to be taken FIrst a controuersie being raised amongst the learned about certaine articles of Christian doctrine when as the people with vs were daungerouslie deuided by reason of contrarie preachings we charged our preachers that they should henceforth broach no thing to the people in anie sermon which either is not taught in the scriptures of God or hath not sure ground thereout as it was openlie decreed in the assemblie holden at Norimberge in the 22. yeare after the smaller account which moreouer is also the opinion of all the holie fathers For seeing S. Paull writeth That the scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct that the man of God maie be absolute being made perfect to euerie good worke wee could not determine anie otherwise but that it was meete that we also being in daunger of schisme shoulde flie to that holie scripture to which in times past not onelie the holie fathers Bishops and Princes but also the children of God euery where in such extremitie haue alwaies resorted For S. Luke witnesseth not without singular commendation of the Thessalonians that they compared the Gospel they had heard of the Apostle with the scripture and tried it Paul also warneth his scholler Timothie that he exercise himselfe very diligentlie in the scriptures and this holie scripture was had in so high reputation of all holie Bishops and Doctours that neither anie Bishop desired to haue his ordinances obeyed nor anie Doctor his writings beleeued except he had thereout approoued them And surelie seing Saint Paull doeth plainelie testifie that by the holie scripture the man of God is made absolute and perfect to euerie good worke no part of Christian truth and sound doctrine can
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
ouer all then he can be the Bridegroome the light the saluation and life of the church For these priuileges and names belong onely to Christ and be properlie and onelie fit for him alone And that no Bishop of Rome did euer suffer himselfe to be called by suchâ— proude name and title before Phocas the Emperours time who as we know by killing his owne Soueraigne Mauritis the Emperour did by a trayterous villany aspire to the Eâ—pire Which was about the sixth hundred and thirteentâ— yeare after Christ was borne Also the Councell of Carthage did circumspectlie prouide that no Bishop shoulde be called either the highest Bishop or chiefe Priest And therefore sithencâ— the Bishop of Rome will now a daies so be called and challengeth vnto himselfe an Authoritie that is none of his besides that he doth plainlie contrarie to the auncient councells and contrary to the olde fathers We beleeue that he doth giue to himselfe as it is written by his owne companion Gregorie a presumpâ—uouse a prophane a Sacrilegious and an antichristian name that he is also the King of pride that he is Lucifer which preferreth himselfe before his Brethren that he hath forsaken the faith and is the forerunner of Antichrist Further we saie that the Minister ought lawfullie duely and orderlie to be preferred to that office of the Church of God and that no man hath power to wrest himselfe into the holie Ministerie at his owne pleasure Wherefore these persons doe vs the greater wrong which haue nothing so common in their mouthes as that we doe nothing orderlie and comelie but all things troublesomelie and without order And that we allow euerie man to be a prieste to be a teacher and to be an Interpreter of the Scriptures Moreouer we say that Christ hath giuen to his Ministers power to binde to loose to open to shutte And we saie that the office of loosing consisteth in this pointe that the Minister either by the preaching of the Gospell offereth the merites of Christ and full pardon to such as haue lowly and contrite heartes do vnfainedlie repent themselues pronouncing vnto the same a sure an vndoubted forgiuenes of their sinnes and hope of euerlasting saluation Or else that the same minister when any haue offended their brothers mindes with some great offence or notable and open crime whereby they haue as it were bannished and made themselues strangers from the common fellowship and from the bodie of Christ then after perfit amendment of such persons doth reconcile them and bring them home againe and restore them to the companie and vnitie of the faithfull We saie also that the minister doth execute the authoritie of binding and shutting as often as he shutteth vp the gate of the kingdome of heauen against vnbeleuing and stubborne persons denouncing vnto them Gods vengance and euerlasting punishment Or else when he doth quite shut theÌ„ out from the bosome of the church by open excommunication Out of doubte what sentence soeuer the Minister of God shall giue in this sorte God himselfe doth so well allow it that whatsoeuer here in earth by their meanes is loosed and bounde God himselfe will loose and binde and confirme the same in heauen And touching the keies wherwith they may either shut or open the kingdome of heauen we with Chrysostome saie They be â—â—e knowledge of the Scriptures with Tertullian we saie They be the interpretation of the Law and with â—usehius we call them the worde of God Moreouer that Christs Disciples did receiue this authoritie not that they should heare the priuate confessions of the people and listen to their whisperings as the common massing priestes doe euery where now a daies and doe it so as though in that one pointe laie all the vertue and vse of the keies but to the ende they should goe they should teach they should publish abroade the Gospell and be vnto the beleeuing a sweete sauoure of life vnto life and vnto the vnbeleeuing and vnfaithfull a sauoure of death vnto death and that the mindes of godly persons being brought low by the remorse of their former life and errours after they once begonne to looke vp vnto the light of the Gospell and beleue in Christ might be opened with the word of God euen as a dore is opened with a key Contrariwise that the wicked and wilfull and such as would not beleeue nor returne into the right waie should be left stil as fast locked shut vp as S. Paul saith wax worse and worse This take we to bethe meaning of the keis that after this sort mens consciences be either opened or shut We saie that the Priest in deede iâ— a iudge in this case but yet hath no manner of right to challenge an authority or power as Ambrose saith And therfore our Sauiour Iesus Christ to reprooue the negligence of the Scribes and Pharisies in teaching did with these words rebuke them saying Woe be vnto you Scribes and Phariseis which haâ—e taken away the keis of knowledge haue shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men Seing then the keie whereby the waie entry to the kingdome of God is opened vnto vs is the word of the Gospel and the expounding of the law Scriptures we saie plainlie where the same word is not there is not the keie And seeing one manner of worde is giuen to all and one onelie keie belongeth to all we saie there is but one onelie power of all ministers as concerning opening and shutting And as touching the Bishop of Rome for al that his flattering Parasiâ—es sing these words in his eares To thee wil I giue the keies of the kingdom of heauen as though these keis were fitte for him alone and for no bodie else except he goe so to worke as mens consciences may be made pliaunt and be subdued to the wordâ— of God we denie that he doth either open or shut or hath the keies at all And although he taught and instructed the people as would god he might once truelie doe and perswade himselfe it were at the least any peece of his duetie yet we thinke his keie to be neuer a whitte better or of greater force then other mens For who hath seuered him from the rest Who hath taught him more â—unninglie to open or better to absolue then his breethren OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BELGIA WE beleeue that this Church ought to be ruled and gouerned by that spirituall regiment which God himselfe hath deliuered in his worde so that there be placed in it pastours and ministers purelie to preach and rightly to administer the holy Sacraments that there be also in it seniours and Deacons of whome the Senat of the Church might consist that by these meanes true religion might be preserued and sincere doctrine in euery place retayned and spread abroade that vicious and wicked men might after a spirituall manner be rebuked amended and as it were
not with reuerence entertaine as moâ—te beautifull the feete of such is bring tidinges of peace And as for the ciuill power which beâ—reth the sworde it hath beene highlie commended and approoued in our writinges Wherefore it is a vile slaunder that they obiect against vs that we be enemies of gouernment Hitherto also belongeth the ss in the end of this 7. Article THey alledge against vs also other sayings which commaund obedience Obeie those that are set ouer you How 〈◊〉 must we answer that obedience is most necessarie in such things as belong properly to this ministery ordained of god For these sayinges doe not allot vnto Bishops a kingdome without the Gospell Christ gaue them certaine commaundements and those he will haue vs obeie Againe he forbad that anie new found worship should be set vp in the Church and such he will not haue vs yeald vnto There are certaine bonds and limites prefixed within which both the Pastours authoritie our obedience must conteine it selfe But these limits doe those Bishops moste malapertlie remooue who proudlie challenge to themselues a triple power whereby they establish most pernicious errours to wit a princelie and supreame power of interpreting the Scriptures Secondlie a power of erecting new worship and seruice of god Thirdlie a soueraigne power of making lawes And thus they transforme the Church into an humane gouernment They imagine forsooth that as the Prince or highest Iudge in a Realme is to interpret the law and as the Prince hath power to make new lawes so the Bishopes must haue a power in the Church not vnlike that And they cannot abidâ— that the Church should be gouerned by the dumbe writings as they call them of the Prophets and Apostles which because somtime they scarse make the matters plaine inough which they do set downe the ambiguity bredeth dissentions discords Here therfore there must needs be saie they a definitiue voice of some soueraigne or high Iudge to interpret that which is ambiguous and doubtfullie written And except all be tied to stand to their interpretation there will be no end of strife and controuersies Againe vnlesse they maie according as times and occasions require make laws what a disorder would there follow These things are set out with bigge wordes and they carrie a shew of probabilitie in them because they are an imitation of the ciuill gouernement And surelie such conceites as these haue in all ages from the beginning of the worlde hurte the Church greatly and still will hurt it The godlie are therefore to be admonished that they be not ouertaken with these subtilties and sleights God will haue his Church gouerned by his word which Christ and his Apostles haue Ieste vnto the Church and he wil haue this his voice to sound in the Church by the mouthes of his ministers And though it doe conteine a wisdome that is farre from reasons teach yet the word of the Prophets and Apostles is sure and not doubtfull Therefore Peter saith Ye doe well in attending to the worde of the Prophets as to alight in the darkenes Besides the Church hath the gift of interpretation that is the vnderstanding of the heauenlie doctrine but that is not tied to the name or degree of Bishops and therefore it is no power of interpreting like to the power of a Prince or highest Iudge But those that are learned in the word of God borne againe by his spirit in what place soeuer they be they assent vnto the worde of God and vnderstand the same some more some lesse Men must therfore iudge wiselie of those huge Bulwarks of the peoples power Touching laws to be made by the Bishops Petersaith in a word Why doe yea tempt God laying a yoke on them c. OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE Of Order IT is euident by the holie Scriptures that al they which are in deed Christians are consecrated in baptisme by Christ the sonne of God to be spiritual priests and that they ought alwaies to offer vp to God spiritual sacrifices Neither is it vnknowne that Christ in his Church hath instituted ministers who should preach his Gospell and administer the sacramentes Neither is it to be permitted to euerie one although he be a spirituall Priest to vsurpe a publike ministerie in the Church without a lawfull calling For Paull saith Let all thinges be done honestlie and decentlie among you And againe Laie handes sodenly on no man Wherefore we doe not account it an vnprofitable thing to prooue as it were by certaine steppes the faith of them that are to be admitted to the publike ministerie of the Gospell And it seemeth not a litle to further concordand vnitie to keep a due order among the Ministers of the Church But the holie Scripture doth not teach vs that Christ hath instituted in his Church such Priestes as should be Mediatours betweene God and men and pacifie the wrath of God towards men by their sacrifices and apple the merit of Christ to the quicke and the dead without the preaching of the Gospell and administration of the Sacramentes For if we will speake of the great and true Mediatoure There is but one Mediatour betweene God and men Iesus Christ the Sonne of God If we will speake of the Mediatour of praying euery godly man is made a Mediatour ech for other through Iesus because that their duetie doth require that they should commend one anothers health to God in their praiers the which dutie also then euery one doth performe when they saie the Lordes prater in faith If we speake of the sacrifices which do purge our sinnes and appease the wrath of God then is there one onelie sacrifice which doth purge vs and reconcile God vnto vs to wit the sacrifice of our Lord Iesus Christ which was once made on the Crosse And as Christ doth die no more death hath no more Dominios ouer him so this sacrifice of his shall neuer be made againe but by his one oblation as it is written in the Epistle to the Hebrewes He hath made perfect for euer those that be sanctifie If we speake of the remembrance of this one sacrifice and of the applieng of the merit thereof then the publike ministers of the Church which doe teach the Gospell publikelie and administer the Sacramentes according to the institution of Christ doe not onelie make a true and right remembrance of this purging sacrifice but doe also applie by their dispensation the merit of this sacrifice to all those that doe receiue the Gospell and the Sacramentes by faith Therefore we cannot see what vse there is of those kinde of men in the Church which are ordained for this purpose that they maie haue authoritie to sacrifice for the quicke and the dead Paull when as in his Epistles to the Corinthians and Ephesians he rehearseth those offices and ministeries which are necessarie to the edifying preseruingof the Church he reckoneth Prophettes Apostles Euangelists Pastours Doctours and such like but
by applying of masses it should be very vncertaine and our faith trust should be transferred from Christ vnto the work of a Priest so is it come to passe as all men see Now faith placed in the work of a man is whollie condemned These arguments with sundry other do witnes for vs that the opinion of the merit and applying of the masse for the quick and the dead was for good causes misliked and reprooued Now if we would stand to consider how farre this error is spread in the Church how the number of masses increased and how through this sacrifice forgiuenes both of the fault and of the punishment is promised to the quick and the dead it wil appeare that the Church is disfigured with shameful blots by this prophanation Ther neuer fell out a waightier cause in the Church O noble Emperour or more worthy for good and learned men to debate of it is the dutie of all the Godlie with most feruent praiers to craue at gods hand that the Church might be deliuered from these foule enormities All Kings and Bishops must with all their might endeuour that this wholl matter maie be rightlie laid forth and the Church purged Sixtlie the institution of a sacrament is contrarie to that abuse For there is not a word set downe of anie oblation for the sinnes of the quick and the dead but a commaundement to receiue the bodie and bloood of Christ and to doe it in the remembrance of the benefit of Christ This remembrance doth signifie not a bare representing of the historie as it were in a shew as they dreame that are the Patrons of merit by reason of the worke wrought but it signifieth by faith to remember the promise benefit to comfort the conscience and to render thankes for so great a blessing For the principall cause of the institution was that our faith might then be stirred vp and exercised when we doe receiue this pledge of Gods grace Besides the institution ordeineth that there should be a communication that is that the ministers of the Church should giue vntoothers the bodie and blood of the Lord. And this order was obserued in the primitiue Church Saint Paull is witnes to the Corinths when as he commaundeth That one should stâ—â— for another that there might be a common partaking of the Sacrament Now that the abuses of the priuate Masse be discouered for as much as they all for the most part were vsed for the application for the sinnes of other men and do not agree with the institution of Christ therefore they are left of 〈◊〉 our Churches And there is one common Masse appointed according to the institution of Christ wherein the Pastors of the Churches do consecrate themselues and giue vnto others the sacrament of the bodie and blood of Christ and this kinde of masse is vsed euerie holie daie and other daies also if anie be desirous to vse the sacrament Yet none are admitted to the communion except they be first tried and examined We adioyne moreouer godlie sermons according as Christ commaunded that there should be sermons when this ceremonie is vsed And in such sermons men are both taught diligentlie in other articles and precepts of the Gospel and also put in minde for what vse the sacrament was instituted to weet not that this ceremonie could merit for them remission of sinnes by the work done but that the sacrament is a testimonie and a pledge whereby Christ witnesseth vnto vs that he performeth his promises And in our sermons as men are taught diligently concerning other articles and precepts of the gospell so are they also put in minde for what vse the sacraments were instituted to weete not that the ceremonie should merit remission of sinnes by the bare work wrought but that the sacrament should be a testimonie and a pledge wherby Christ doth testifie that he performeth his promise and that his promises pertaine vnto vs that Christ giueth vs his bodie to testifie that he is effectuall in vs as in his members and his blood for a witnes vnto vs that we are washed with his blood The sacrament therefore doth profit them that do repent and seeke comfort therein and being confirmed by that testimonie do beleue that remission of sinnes is giuen them indeede and are thankfull vnto Christ for so great a benefit And so the application of the benefit of Christ is not by an other mans work but by euery mans own faith and his owne vse of the sacrament For when we in in our owne persons vse the Sacrament Christes institution of it doth belong vnto vs. This kinde of vse of the sacrament is holie and to be taught in the Churches which doth giue light vnto the doctrine of faith and of the spirituall exercises and true worship and bringeth vnto the consciences of the godlie verie great comfort and strength of faith Before these daies the Church hath beene farre otherwise taught touching the vse of the sacrament there was no word of anie thing but that this work was to be done But no man spake anie thing of faith or the comfort of consciences And mens consciences were racked with ouer great care paines of confessing themselues This they tooke to be the puritie which the gospell requireth whereas the gospell doth require true feare true faith and trust comforteth vs by the vse of this sacrament that they which do truelie repent maie assuredlie beleeue that God is become merciful vnto them by Christ though that our nature be fraile and vncleane and though that this our imperfect obedience be farre from the perfection of the law By all this that hath bene said it is cleare that the masse that is in vse amongst vs doth a gree with the institution of Christ and the manner of the primitiue Church And besides it doth notably lay open the true vse of the sacrament Such a common work was there in the Church of old time as Chrysostome doth witnes who saith that the Priest did stand at the aultar cal some vnto the communion put back others And by the decrees of the Nicen Synode it is euident that some one did celebrate the Liâ—urgie as the Grecians cal it and did minister the bodie and blood of the Lord to allthe rest For these are the words of the decree Let the Deacons in their order after the Priestes receiue the holy communion of a Bishop or of a Priest Here he doth expresselie say that the Priestes did receiue the sacrament of some one that ministred it And before Gregories time there is no mention of anie priuate Masse But as oft as the olde writers speake of a Masse it is euideÌ„t that they speak of a Masse that was common Seeing therefore that the rite and manner of the masse vsed with vs hath authority out of scripture example from the olde Church and that we haue onelie reiected certaine intollerable abuses we hope that the vse of our Churches
both administer and receiue the diuine sacraments that is the holie Supper of Christ By these things which are thus in deede as we haue set them downe your sacred Maiestie O most gratious Emperour doth know how falselie our aduersaries doe boast that our men doe change the wordes of Christ and teare them in peeces by humane glosses and that in our Suppers nothing is administred but meree bread and meere wine and also that among vs the Supper of the Lord is contemned and reiected For our men doe verie carefullie teach and exhort that euerie man doe in a simple faith imbrace these wordes of the Lorde reiecting all deuises of men and false glosses and remoouing awaie all kinde of wauering doe wholly addict their minde to the true meaning thereof and to conclude doe oftentimes with as great reuerence as they may receiue the Sacraments to be the liuelie foode of their soules and to stirre vp in them a gratefull rememberance of so great a benefit the which thing also vseth now to be done among vs much more often and reuerentlie then heretofore was vsed Morouer our Preachers haue alwaies hitherto and at this daie do offer themselues with al modestie and trueth to render a reason of their faith and doctrine touching all those things which they beleeue and teach as wel about this Sacrament as about other things and that not onelie to your Sacred Maiestie but also to euerie one that shall demaunde it Of the Masse CHAP. 19. FVrthermore seeing that after this manner Christ hatâ— instituted his Supper which afterward beganne to be called the Masse to wit that therein the faithfull being fed with his bodie and bloode vnto life eternall should shew forth his death whereby they are redeemed our Preachers by this meane giuing thankes and also commending this saluation vnto others could not chuse but condemne it that these things were euerie where neglected And on the other side they which do celebrate the masses do presume to offer vp Christ vnto his Father for the quicke and the deade and they make the Masse to be such a worke as that by it alone almost the fauour of God and saluation is obteined howsoeuer they doe either beleeue or liue Whereupon that most shamefull twise thrise impious sale of this Sacrament hath crept in and thereby it is come to passe that nothing at this daie is more gainefull then the Masse Therefore they reiected priuate Masses because the Lorde did commende this Sacrament to his Disciples to be vsed in common Whereupon Paul commandeth the Corinthians when they are to celebrate the holie Supper to staie one for another and denieth that they doe celebrate the Lordes Supper when as euerie man taketh his owne Supper whilest they be eating Moreouer whereas they boast that they doe offer vp Christ in steade of a sacrifice they are therefore condemned of our men because that the Epistle to the Hebrewes doth plainlie witnes that as men doe once die so Christ was once offered that he might take awaie the sinnes of many and that he can no more be offered againe then he may die againe and therefore hauing offered one sacrifice for sinnes he sitteth for euer at right hand of God waiting for that which remaineth to wit that his enemies as it were a footestoole may be troden vnder his feete For with one oblation hath he consecrated for euer them that are sanctified And whereas they haue made the Masse to be a good worke whereby any thing may be obteined at Gods handes our Preachers haue taught that it is repugnant to that which the Scripture doth teach in euerie place that we are iustified and receiue the fauour of god by the spirit of Christ and by faith for which matter we alledged before manie testimonies out of the Scriptures So in that the death of the Lorde is not commended to the people in the Masse our Preachers haue shewed that it is contrarie to that that Christ commaunded to receiue these Sacraments in remembrance of himselfe and Paul that we might shew forth the death of Christ till he come And whereas many doe commonlie celebrate the Masses without all regard of godlines onelie for this cause that they may nourish their bodies our Preachers haue shewed that that is so execrable a thing before god that if the Masse of it self should nothing at al hinder godlines yet worthely by the commaundement of God it were to be abolished the which thing is euident euen out of Esay onely For our God is a Spirit and trueth therfore he cannot abide to be worshiped but in Spirit and trueth And how greeuous a thing this vnreasonable selling of the Sacraments is vnto the Lord our Preachers would haue men thereby to coniecture that Christ did so sharplie and altogether against his accustomed manner taking vnto himselfe an external kinde of reuengement cast out of the Temple those that bought solde wheras they might seme to exercise marchandize onely in this respect that they might further those sacrifices which were offered according to the law Therefore seeing that the â—iâ—e of the Masse which was wont to be celebrated is so manie waies contrarie to the Scripture of God as also it is in euerie respect diuers from that which the holie Fathers vsed it hath bene verie vehementlie condemned amongst vs out of the pulpit and by the worde of God it is made so detestable that manie of their owne accorde haue altogether forsaken it and elsewhere by the authoritie of the Magastrate it is abrogated The which thing we haue not taken vpon vs for anie other cause then for that throughout the whol Scripture the Spirit of God doeth detest nothing so much neither commaund it so earnestlie to be taken awaie as a feigned and false worship of himselfe Now no man that hath anie sparke of religion in him can be ignorant what an inâ—uâ—â—able necessitie is laid vpon him that feareth God when as he is perswaded that God doth require a thing at his handes For anie man might easilie foresee how many would take it at our hands that we should chaunge aâ—y thing about the holie rite of the Masse neither were there anie which would not rather haue chosen in this point not onelie not to haue offended your sacred Maiestie but euen anie Prince of the lowest degre But when as herewithal they did not doubt but by that common rite of the Masse God was moste grieiouslie prouoked and that his glorie for the which we ought to spend our liues was darkened they could not but take it awaie lest that they also by winking at it should make themselues partners with them in diminishing the glorie of god Trulie if god is to be loued and worshipped aboue all godlie men must beare nothing lesse then that which he doth hate and detest And that this one cause did constraine vs to chaunge certaine things in these points we take him to witnes from whome no
beeing published that this outwarde anointing should be of any force to take away sinnes and to giue a spirituall and heauenlie health Notwithstanding the Ministers of the church are bound by duetie to visite the sicke and to praie together with the Church for their health and to comfort them as well by the preaching of the Gospell as by dispensing of the Lordes Supper And this is a godlie anointing whereby the holie Ghost is effectuall in the beleeuers CHAP. 24. Of the remembrance of the dead ALthough in deede there is no difference betweene a Saint resting in Christ and a faithfull man departed for euerie one which dieth in the faith of Christ is a Saint yet because it hath pleased some to put a difference betwixt these two we also thought it good to make two seuerall Chapters thereof And first we thinke that it belongeth to a godlie minde to make decent mention of his elders which haue died in the faith of Christ and to shew forth towarde their posteritie and friendes which are aliue in all duetifull manner that we can that thankefullnes which is due to those benefits which we receiued of them Secondly faith requireth of vs that we doe not thinke that the dead are nothing but that they doe in deede liue before God to wit that the godlie doe liue blessedlie in Christ and that the wicked doe liue in an horrible expectation of the reuelation of the iudgement of God Also charitie requireth that wee shoulde wish all peace and happines to them that are dead in Christ This also is to be added that to testifie the hope of our resurrection we muste burie our dead decently so neere as may be and as the time and conditions of men will suffer Therfore we thinke it is a profitable thing that at burialls those things be rehearsed expounded out of the holie Scriptures which doe serue to strengthen our faith in the horror of death and to confirme our hope of the resurrection But that the dead are helped by those vsuall watchings praiers and sacrifices and that by the merites thereof they be either deliuered from their paines or obtaine a greater felicitie which is in heauen there is no testimonie out of that doctrine which is in deede Propheticall and Apostolicall For there is one onelie merit of eternall life and we haue one onely redemption and deliuerance to wit the passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and this merit is made ours when we beleeue in Christ and we haue nothing to doe with it when we do not beleeue the Gospell of Christ Ioh. 3. God sent not his Sonne into the worlde that he should condemne the world but that the world through him might be saued He that beleeueth in him shall not be condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie because he beleeueth not in the onelie begotten Sonne of God Therefore if any man shall departe out of this life in the faith of Christ he hath all the merit of Christ needeth no other For God which gaue his Sonne doth also giue al things with him as Paul saith But he that departeth hence without Christ cannot be helped by any merittes of men because that without Christ there is no saluation Cyprian against Demet. Tract 1. saith When a man is once departed hence there is no place left for repentance there is no effect of satisfaction here life is either lost or helde fast here we must prouide for eternall saluation by the seruice or worshippe of God and by the fruite of faith And Hierome vpon the Epistle to the Gal. Cap. 6. saith We are taught by this small sentence though obscurelie a new point of doctrine which lieth hid to wit that whilest we be in this present worlde we may helpe one an other either by praiers or by counsell but when we shall come before the tribunall seate of Christ it is not Iob nor Daniell nor Noe that can intreate any thing for vs but euerie man shall beare his own burthen For as touching that which is cited out of the Machabees That sacrifices were offered for the sinnes of the dead the Author himselfe of the booke doth doubt in the end of the booke whether he hath written well craueth pardon if in any point he hath erred Therefore let vs pardon him that without any authoritie of the holie Scripture he affirmeth that the dead are freed from their sinne by the sacrifices and praiers of them that be aliue And Tertullian saith Oblations are made one day euerie yeare for them that are dead But this was either receiued without authoritie of the word of God from the customes of the heathen as many other things were or by the name of Oblation we must vnderstand a publique rememberance of those which died in the faith of Christ and a thankesgiuing for those benefittes which God bestowed vpon them CHAP. 25. Of Purgatorie ALthough we ought not to doubt but that the Saints haue their Purgatorie fire in this life as the examples of Dauid Ezechias Ionas and others doe witnes yet it is not without cause doubted whether that after this life there be such a Purgatorie as the common sort of men doe thinke there is wherein the soules be so long tormented till either by their punishment they doe satisfie for their sinnes or be redeemed by Indulgences For if Purgatorie be such a thing it is much to be merueiled at that neither the Prophets nor the Apostles haue in their writings deliuered vnto vs any thing thereof certeinelie and plainlie but rather doe teach and that not obscurely the cleane contrarie Mar. 16. Preach ye the Gospell to euerie creature he that shal beleeue and be baptized shall be saued but he that will not beleeue shall be condemned Here be two degrees of men placed the one of them which beleeue the Gospel and they are pronounced saued the other of them which doe not beleeue the Gospell and these are pronounced condemned there is no meane betwixt these two For either thou doest departe out of this life in the faith of Iesus Christ and then thou hast remission of thy sinnes for Christ his sake and the righteousnes of Christ is imputed to thee Therefore he which dieth beeing accompanied with Christ he wanteth nothing toward the obteining of true and eternall life but he which departeth from hence without Christ goeth into eternall darkenes If beside these two degrees there were some other third state of soules in an other world certeinlie Paul Who was taken vp into Paradise and into the third heauen saw many secret things would not haue enuied the Church this knowledge But see when he doth of set purpose write to the Thessalonians concerning Christians that sleepe he maketh no mention at all of anie Purgatorie but rather willeth them Not to be sorofull euen as others which haue no hope Therefore if there were anie such state of soules in another world as the common people thinketh there is
Paull could not be withhâ—ld but in so fit a place he would plainelie haue declared this state of soules and would haue prescribed a meane vnto the Church whereby miserable soules might be deliuered from their torment But the true and Catholike Church in deed hath plainelie shewed that shee hath no certaintie at all concerning this third kinde of the state of soules in another world Chrysostome in his second sermon of Lazarus saieth If thou hast violently taken anie thing from anie man restore it and saie as doth Zacheus If I haue taken from anie man by forged cauillation I restore fourefoulde If thou art become an enimie to anie man be reconciled before thou come to iudgement Discharge all thinges here that without greefe thou maist beholde that tribunall seat Whilest we be here we haue manie excellent hopes But so soone as we depart thither it is not then in our power to repent nor to wash awaie our sinnes And againe He that in this present life shall not wash awaie his sinnes shall not finde any comforte afterward Augustine although he place certaine men in the middest betiwxt them that be verie good and those that be verie euill to the one sorte whereof he seemeth to assigne the place of Purgatorie yet in other places he doubteth of that matter and doth not define anie certaintie Therefore we must so thinke of this opinion of Augustine as he requireth that is we must receiue that which is confirmed either by the authority of the Scripture or by probable reason But it is euident that those places of the Scripture which are commonlie cited to establish Purgatorie are wrested from the naturall to a straunge sense and are farre otherwise expounded euen of the aâ—ncient writers themselues And those reasons which Augustine bringeth for his opinion do seme to leane to this foundation That we obtaine remission of our sinnes and life not onelie for Christ his sake through faith but also for the merites of our workes But how this agreeth with the true Apostolike doctrine we haue before declared Wherefore we thinke that this speculation of Purgatorie fire is to be left to it owne authors and that we must chiefely doe this as Paull exhorteth vs that we maie confirme our selues one another with speaches touching the assured faith of our resurrection and saluation in Christ Iesus for whose sake God doth so fauour the faithfull that in the middest of death he preserueth them and giueth them true peace OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Of praiers and fastinges CHAP. 7. VVE haue among vs praiers and Religious fastes which are moste holie workes and such as doe verie much beseeme Christians whereunto our Preaehers do most diligentlie exhorte their hearers For true fasting is as it were a renouncing of this present life which is alwaies subiect to euill lustes and desires and a meditation of the life to come which is free from all perturbation And praier is a lifting vp of the minde vnto God and such a familiar speach with him as no other thing can so greatlie set a man on fire with heauenlie affections more mightelie make the minde comformable to the will of God And though these exercies be neuer so holie and necessarie for Christians yet seeing that a mans neighbour is not so much benefited by them as man is prepared that he maie with fruit and profit haue regarde of his neighbour they are not to be preferred before holie doctrine godlie exhortations and admonitions and also other dueties whereby our neighbour doth presentlie receiue some profit Whereupon we reade of our Sauiour that in the night time he gaue him selfe to praier and in the daie time to doctrine and to heale the sicke For as loue is greater then faith and hope so to beleeue those thinges which come neerest vnto loue to wit such as bring assured profit vnto men are to be perferred before all other holie functions whereupon S. Chrysostome writeth that Among the wholl companie of vertues fasting hath the last place Of the Commaunding of Fastes CHAP. 8. BVt because that no mindes but these that be ardent and peculiarlie stirred vp by the heauenlie inspiration can either praie or faste aright and with profit we beleeue that it is farre better after the example of the Apostles and the former more sincere Church by holie exhortations to inuite men hereunto then to wring them out by preceptes such especiallie as doe binde men vnder paine of deadlie sinne the which thing the Priestes that were of late toke vpon them to doe when as then the order of Priestes had not a litle degenerated But we had rather leaue the placetime and manner both of praying and also of fasting to the arbitrement of the holie Ghost then to prescribe them by certaine lawes especiallie such as maie not be broken without some sacrifice of amends Yet for their sakes that be the younger and more imperfect sorte our Preachers doe not dislike that there should be an appointed time and meanes both for prayer and also for fasting that as it were by these holie introductions to exercises they might be prepared hereunto so that it be done without bynding of the conscience We were induced thus to thinke not so much for that all compulsion being against a mans will is repugnant to the nature of these actions but rather because that neither Christ himselfe nor anie of his Apostles haue in any place made mentioÌ„ of such kinde of precepts this doth Chrysostome also witnes saying Thou seest that an vpright life doth helpe more then all other thinges Now I tearme an vpright life not the labour of Fasting nor the bed of haire or ashes but if thou doest despise monie no otherwise then it becommeth thee if thou burne with charitie if thou nourish the hungrie with thy bread if thou ouercome thy anger if thou dost not desire vaine glorie if thou be not possessed with enuie for these be the thinges that he teacheth for he doth not saie that he will haue his fast to be followed howbeit he might haue proponed those 40. daies vnto vs but he saith Learne of me because I am meeke and lowlie in heart Yea rather on the contrarie side saith he eate all that is set before you Moreouer we doe not read that anie solemne or set faste was enioyned to the auncient Church but that faste of one daie For those fastes which as the scripture doth witnes were ordeyned of Prophets and of Kinges it is certaine that they were no set fastes but enioyned onelie for their time to wit when as euident calamities either hanging ouer their heads or presentlie pinching them did so require it Seeing therfore that the Scripture as S. Paull doth affirme doth instruct a man to euerie good worke and yet is ignorant of these fastes which are extorted by precepts we doe not see how it could be lawful for the successours of the Apostles to ouercharge the Church with so
aboue all to be honoured with high worshippe To wit with religious worship and such as properlie respecteth the conscience which is all wholie due to God alone as it is in plaine tearmes afterwades set downe lest anie man should thinke that that false and impious distinction of Latria dulia and hyperdulia if so be that it be referred to religious worshippe should here be confirmed For otherwise as for ciuill honour which is due to the higher powers and to some other for honestie and orders sake we are so farre from reiecting it that we teach that seeing it is commaunded of God it cannot be neglected of vs without some wounde of conscience Vpon the same SHe was made a deare companion of Christ by the holy Ghost through faith Vnderstand this of that peculiar grace mercie which was bestowed vpon Marie alone whereby she was made the Mother of God that bare him and was also indued with an excellent faith and not as though anie duties of the onely Mediatour Christ either of redemption or of intercession were to be attributed to her as afterwardes in plaine wordes is expresselie declared Vpon the same MVch lesse their images The meaning of this is that we are bounde to honour in the Lord both the saintes that are aliue and also the memory of them that are dead But to their images we are not to giue any shew of worship whether religious or ciuil for as much as that cannot be attempted without abominable superstition Vpon the Confession of Auspurge OFfer vp their praiers by the Sonne of God as in the ende of the praiers it is accustomed to be said Through Iesus Christ our Lorde c. These wordes doe not excuse the popish praiers vnto Saintes which they conclude with this tearme of wordes for that he speaketh here of godlie praiers vnto God and not of Idolatrous and superstitious praiers to saintes Vpon the Confession of Saxony THere is no dout but such as are in blisse praie for the Church c. Looke the first obseruation vpon this confession aboue in the 1. Section Vpon the same VVAsting Gods gifts in vaine Concerning wasting and losing of the spirit and of the gifts of the same looke the first obseruation vpon this confession in the 4. Section following IN THE 4. SECTION Vpon the Confession of Bohemia THey teach also that we must acknowledge our weakenes The termes of imbecillitie difficultie which this confession vseth in many places must be referred either to the regenerate in whom the spirit struggling with the flesh can not without a wonderful conflict get the vpper hand or else vnto that strife between reason the affections wherof the Philosophers speake in which not the spirit with the flesh for the spirit is through grace in the regenerate only but the reliques of iudgement conscience that is of the Image of God which for the moste parte are faultie doe striue with the will whollie corrupted according to the saying of the Poet I see the better and like it well but follow the worse c. Which thing is largely and plainlie set forth in the latter Confession of Heluetia Vpon the same IT could not rise againe or recouer that fall This is thus to be taken not as though the first grace doth finde vs only weake and feeble before regeneration whereas we are rather starke dead in our sinnes and therefore wee must be quickned by the first grace and after we be once quickned by the first be helped by the second following and confirmed and strengthned by the same continuing with vs to the end of our race Vpon the Confession of Belgia THerefore whatsoeuer things are taught as touching mans free will c. This generall worde Whatsoeuer wee take to appertaine to those things onely which either the Pelagians or Papists or any other haue taught touching this point contrarie to the authoritie of the Scripture Vpon the Confession of Auspurge THat which in this confession is saide touching the libertie of mans nature to performe a ciuill iustice and cited out of the 3. booke hypognosticon which is fathered vpon Augustine wee are taught it out of another place of the same Father namelie in his booke de gratia ad Valentinum Cap. 20. whose words are these The holie Scripture if it be well looked into doth shew that not onely the good willes of men which God maketh good of euill and hauing made them good doth guid them vnto good actions and to eternall lfie but also those which are for the preseruation of the creature in this life are so in gods power that he maketh them bend when he will and whether he will either to bestow benefits vpon some or to inflict punishments vpon others according as he doth appoint in his moste secret and yet without doubt moste iust iudgement Vpon the same THis spirituall iustice is wrought in vs when we are helped by the holie Ghost And a little after In these sure we had need to be guided helped of the holie Spirit according to that saying of Paull The Spirit helpeth our infirmities c. Vnderstand this not of anie naturall facultie which vnto anie good thing in deed is none at all but of the will regenerated which is verie weake except it be aided by another grace euen vnto the end And so also must it be vnderstood which is said a little after that The lawe of God can not be fullfilled by mans nature to wit though it be chaunged and renewed according as we haue declared in the former obseruations vpon the confession of Bohemia which we aduise you to looke ouer Vpon the same MAns nature can by it felfe performe c. By it selfe that is by it owne proper and inward motion yet so as the working and goodnes of God who vpholdeth the societie of men is not excluded which doth not indeed renew a man but preserueth that reason which is left in him though it be corrupt against the vnbridled affections and disperseth the darkenes of the minde lest it ouerspread the light that remaineth represseth the disorder of the affections lest they burst forth into act Vpon the Confession of Saxonie THat which is both here and elsewhere in this Confession and now and then in the Confession of Auspurge repeated touching the shaking of and losing the holie Spirit we take it thus that it is chiefly meant of the gifts which are bestowed euen vpon those also which pertaine nothing to the Church as in Socrates Aristides Cicero and some others there shined certaine sparkes of excellent vertues Secondlie of those gifts also which are bestowed vpon those that are so in the Church that yet they are not of the Church nor trulie regenerated by the Spirit of adoption as may be seene in the examples of Saull Iudas and such others For as concerning the spirit of sanctification which is onelie in those that are trulie regenerated
the iudgeing of controuersies not any iudges whatsoeuer do take vnto them selues the name of the Church but that as the matter and importance of the cause doth require iudges lawfullie chosen whether more or fewer whether in an ordinarie assemblie of a particular Church or in a more generall meeting ordinarie or extraordinarie prouinciall or generall be appointed to iudge of the matter Secondlie that there be free obedience and free giuing of voices Thirdlie that all controuersies be determined out of the word of God alone yet so as the fathers iudgements be not condemned but laid to the onelie rule of Gods word according as they themselues would haue vs to do Now the Church is said to iudge of doctrine not that it is aboue the truth of the doctrine or that the doctrine is therfore true because the Church hath so iudged but in as much as the Church beeing taught and confirmed out of the word by the holie Ghost doth acknowledge and hold fast the true doctrine and teach men to holde it fast and condemneth and reiecteth and teacheth to reiect all other strange doctrines IN THE 11. SECTION Vpon the latter confession of Heluetia ANd such are found among vs c. To wit interpreters of the Scriptures that were indued with a speciall gift of the spirit thereunto For as touching the visions of Prophets and those extraordinarie motions and inspirations of the holie spirit this gift as also the gift of tongues and of healings being fitted for the confirmation of the church when it was beginning is now long since ceased after that the wholl Counsell of God touching our saluation was plainlie reuealed howbeit God yet can when he will raise it vp againe Vpon the same And were also Preachers of the Gospell Such as the Apostles did ioyne vnto themselues as helpers and sent them now to this place now to that and these also are no more in vse since the Churches were setled in good order Of which sort diuers are mentioned in the Acts and in the Epistles of the Apostles Vpon the same Bishops were the ouerseers and watchmen of the Church which did distribute c. Taking this name for those which in a more strict signification are called Deacons and are distinguished from them which attend vpon the preaching of the word Vpon the same Prouide thinges necessarie for it To wit spirituall things by teaching reproouing correcting instructing both all in generall and man by man particularlie yet tied to their speciall flocks and charges Vpon the same Now the power giuen to all the ministers To wit of the word that is the Pastours and Doctours whose diuerse functions are afterward more fullie set forth Vpon the former Confession of Heluetia BY the voice of God As namelie if at any time the lawfull ordinarie vocation being quite abolished as it hath fallen out vnder the Papacie God by his spirit hath extraordinarilie raised vp certein men Which thing when it appeareth by their fruits then the liking and approbation of the Church reformed being added thereunto they are confirmed in their calling For otherwise while the lawfull order of calling standeth in the Church no man may enter into the ministerie but by that dore Vpon the same By the laying on of hands of the Priest By Priest take that they meane him that is appointed out of the Colledge and companie of the Pastours for to set him that is lawfullie chosen as it were into the possession of his ministerie in the fight and presence of the wholl Church Now as touching the very rite of this ordination euerie Church hath it owne libertie so that both alike superstition and occasion of superstition be auoided Vpon the Confession of Bohemia BY laying on of handes Looke before the 2. obseruation vpon the former Confession of Heluetia and looke after in the 14. chap. of this same Confess and the 1. obser vpon this Confess in the 13. Sect. Vpon the same Hereof speaketh the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrues Yet not properlie for he disputeth of the Leuiticall Priesthood which was abrogated by Christ and not of the ministerie vnder Christ Vpon the same Are a long time c. Let the reader thus take these words not as though this same order were prescribed vnto all and singular Churches or were obserued of all seing we neither haue any commmaundement touching that matter neither can it euery where be performed But that this is verie carefullie to be looked vnto that none but he that is furnished with learning and an approoued integritie and vprightnes be aduanced to anie Ecclesiasticall functions Vpon the same And Sodomiticall life That is of an vncleane life giuen to riot and excesse as Ezech. cap. 16. ver 49. chargeth the inhabitants of Sodome Vpon the same Especiallie those c. Once againe this is to be taken as that wee must know that this law of working with their owne handes is not prescribed to the Churches Vpon the same Such as are to lay on handes Touching this riâ—e looke before in the 2. obseru vpon the former Confession of Heluetia Vpon the same To each seuerall Ecclesiasticall societies That is to Presbyteries or consistories which stand of Pastours and Elders and vnto whome properlie the dispensing and ordering of the Keies and Ecclesiasticall Censures doe belong As afterwarde is taught in the fift obseruation vpon the Confess of Auspurge Vpon the same That euery Christian so often as he needeth these Keyes c. ought to require them This is to be interpreted by those things which we spake of priuate absolution in the eight Section in the 1. obseruation vpon this Confession and the first vpon the Confession of Saxonie Vpon the same That the priestes ought not Whom they meane by the name of Priests it hath bin alreadie shewed before in the 2. obser vpon the former Confession of Heluetia shall straight after be repeated in the 3. obseruation vpon the English Confession in which signification it is henceforward to be taken in all the Confessions Vpon the English Confession ANd is Lucifer It is growne to a custome to call Satan Lucifer the Prince of Deuills vpon a place of Esaie misunderstood of some of the aunciet Fathers Vpon the same By open excommunication There is also a certaine kinde of excommunication which is not publique or open and is vsed onlie for a triall of repentance Againe this is so to be taken that as we haue oft before admonished all and singular Churches may keepe their holie libertie both in orâ—aining and putting in practise this manner of discipline So that there be good heed taken that the flock be not infected with a contagion of obstinacie and that the sacred mysteries be not cast to dogges and swine Vpon the same Vnto the vnbeleeuing a sauour of death This must be vnderstoode to be the accidentall and not the proper end of