one onely God who is one onely and simple essence spirituall eternall invisible immutable infinite incomprehensible unspeakable almightie most wise good just and mercifull The holy Scripture teacheth us that in that one and simple divine essence there be three persons subsisting the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost The Father to wit the first cause in order and the beginning of all things the Sonne his wisdome and everlasting word the holy Ghost his vertue power and efficacie the Sonne begotten of the Father from everlasting the holy Ghost from everlasting proceeding from the Father and the Sonne which three persons are not confounded but distinct and yet not divided but coessentiall coeternall and coequall And to conclude in this mysterie we allow of that which those foure ancient Councels have decreed and we detest all sects condemned by those holy ancient Doctors Athanasius Hylarie Cyrill Ambrose and such as are condemned by others agreeably to Gods word Hitherto also belongeth the 2. Art This one God hath revealed himselfe unto men to be such a one first by the creation preservation and government of his works then much more clearely in his word c. Seeke the rest in the 3. division We beleeve that we by this one meanes obtain libertie of praying Artic. 19. to God with a sure confidence and that it will come to passe that he will shew himselfe a Father unto us For we have no entrance to the Father but by this Mediatour We beleeve because Iesus Christ is the onely Advocate given Artic. 24. unto us who also commandeth us to come boldly unto the Father in his name that it is not lawfull for us to make our prayers in any other form but in that which God hath set us down in his word and that whatsoever men have forged of the intercession of Saints departed is nothing but the deceits and sleights of Satan that he might withdraw men from the right manner of praying We also reject all other meanes whatsoever men have devised to exempt themselves from the wrath of God So much as is given unto them so much is derogated from the sacrifice and death of Christ Out of the ENGLISH Confession VVE beleeve that there is one certaine nature and divine Artic. 1. power which we call God and that the same is divided into three equall persons into the Father into the Sonne and into the holy Ghost and that they all be of one power of one majestie of one eternitie of one Godhead and one substance And although these three persons be so divided that neither the Father is the Sonne nor the Sonne is the holy Ghost or the Father yet neverthelesse we beleeve that there is but one very God And that the same one God hath created heaven and earth and all things contained under heaven We beleeve that Iesus Christ the onely Sonne of the eternall Artic 2. Father c. The rest of this article you shall finde in the 6. section whereunto those things doe properly pertaine which are contained in this second article of the Person and Office of Christ We beleeve that the holy Ghost who is the third person in the Artic 3. Trinitie is very God not made not created not begotten but proceeding both from the Father and the Sonne by a certain mean unknowne unto man and unspeakable and that it is his very propertie to mollifie and soften the hardnes of mans heart when he is once received into the hearts of men either by the wholesome preaching of the Gospel or by any other way that he doth give other men light and guide them unto the knowledge of God to all way of truth to newnesse of life and to everlasting hope of salvation Neither have we any other Mediatour and Intercessour by Artic 3. whom we may have accesse to God the Father then Iesus Christ in whose onely name all things are obtained at his Fathers hand But it is a shamefull part and full of infidelitie that we see every where used in the Churches of our adversaries not onely in that they will have innumerable sorts of Mediatours and that utterly without the authoritie of Gods word so that as Ieremie saith the the Saints be now as many in number or rather above the number of the Cities And poore men cannot tell to which Saint it were best to turne them first and though there be so many as they cannot be told yet every of them hath his peculiar dutie and office assigned unto him by these folkes what to give and what to bring to passe But besides this also in that they doe not onely wickedly but also shamefully call upon the Blessed Virgin Christs Mother to have her remember that she is the Mother And to Command her Sonne and to use a Mothers authoritie over him Out of the Confession of BELGIA VVE beleeve in heart and confesse with the mouth that Arâ—â—â— â— there is one onely and simple spirituall essence which we call God eternall incomprehensible invisible immutable infinite who is wholly wise and a most plentifull well-spring of all good things We know God by two meanes first by the creation and preservation Artic. 2. and government of the whole world For it is unto our eyes as a most excellent booke wherein all creatures from the least to the greatest as it were certaine characters and letters are written By which the invisible things of God may bee seene and known unto us Namely his everlasting power and Godhead as Paul the Apostle speaketh Rom. 1. â—0 which knowledge sufficeth to convince all men and make them without excuse But much more clearely and plainly he afterward revealed himselfe unto us in his holy and heavenly word so far forth as it is expedient for his owne glory and the salvation of his in this life According to this truth and word of God we beleeve in one onely God who is one essence truely distinguished into three persons from everlasting by meane of the incommunicable properties to wit in the Father in the Sonne and in the holy Ghost For the Father is the cause fountaine and beginning of all things visible and invisible the Sonne is the Word wisedome and Image of the Father the holy Ghost is the might and power which proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne Yet so that this distinction doth not make God as it were divided into three parts seeing the Scripture teacheth that the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost have a distinct person or subsisting in their properties yet so that these three persons be one onely God Therefore it is certaine that neither the Father is the Sonne nor the Sonne the Father nor the holy Ghost either the Father or the Sonne Neverthelesse these persons thus distinguished are neither divided nor confounded nor mingled For neither the Father nor the holy Ghost have taken unto them mans nature but the Sonne alone The Father was never without his Sonne nor
according as Saint John saith The Word was made flesh John 1. And thus of these two natures their properties not being changed nor confounded yet by a wonderfull communication thereof there is made one indivisible person one Christ Immanuel our King and Priest our Redeemer our Mediatour and perfect Reconciler full of grace and truth so that of his fulnesse we all doe take grace for grace For the Law was given by Moses but grace and truth was given and exhibited by Iesus Christ being God and man in one person This grace and truth are our men taught to acknowledge and by faith to behold in all those saving and wonderfull works or affections of Christ which according to the meaning of the holy Scripture are by a stedfast faith to be beleeved and professed such as are his coming down from heaven his conception birth torments death buriall resurrection ascension unto heaven sitting at the right hand of God and his coming again from thence to Iudge both the quicke and the dead In these principall affections as in a chest wherein treasure is kept are all those wholsome fruits of our true justification laid up are taken out from thence for the Elect and those which doe beleeve that in spirit and conscience they may be partakers thereof through faith which all hereafter at the day of our joyfull resurrection shall be fully and perfectly bestowed upon us And towards the end of that sixth Chapter these words are added In this Chapter also particularly and for necessary causes to shun and avoyd many pernicious and Antichristian deceits it is taught concerning Christ his * Looke the first obsâ—rvat upon this confession presence namely that our Lord Christ according to his bodily conversation is not amongst us any longer in this world neither will be unto the end of the world in such sort and manner as he was here conversant amongst us in his mortalitie and wherein he was betrayed and circumcised nor yet in the forme of his glorified body which he got at his resurrection and in the which he appeared to his disciples and the fortieth day after his resurrection departing from them ascended manifestly into heaven For after this manner of his presence and company he is in the high place and with his Father in heaven where all tongues professe him to be the Lord and every faithfull one of Christ must beleeve that he is there and worship him there according to the Scriptures as also that part of the Catholike Christian faith doth expressely witnesse which is this He ascended into heaven he sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almightie Also that other Article from thence shall he come that is from an higher place out of heaven with his Angels to iudge both the quicke and 1 Thes 4. the dead So doth Paul also say The Lord himselfe shall descend from heaven with a shoute and with the voice of an Archangel and with the trumpet of God And Saint Peter saith Whom heaven must containe Act 3. Mar. 16. untill the time that all things be restored And the Evangelist Marke But whâ—n the Lord had spoken with them he was taken up againe into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God And the Angels which were there present when he was taken Acts 1. up into heaven said This Iesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come againe as you have seene him goe into heaven Furthermore this also doe our men teach that the selfe same Christ very God and very man is also with us here in this world but after a diverse manner from that kinde of presence which we named before that is after a certaine spirituall manner not object to our eyes but such a one as is hid from us which the flesh doth not perceive and yet it is very necessary for us to our salvation that we may be partakers of him whereby he offereth and communicateth himselfe unto us that he may dwell in us and we in him and this truly he doth by the holy Ghost whom in his own place that is instead of his own presence whereby he was bodily amongst us hee promised that he would send unto his Church and that he would still abide with it by the same spirit in vertue grace and his holesome truth at all times even untill the end of the world when he said thus It is good for you that I goe Matth. 28. Iohn 16. Iohn 14. hence for except I goe hence the Comforter will not come unto you but if I goe away I will send him unto you And againe I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that is another kinde of comforter then I am that he may abide in you for ever even the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth in you and shall be in you I will not leave you comfortlesse but I will come to you namely by the selfe same spirit of truth Now then even as our Lord Christ by his latter kinde of presence being not visible but spirituall is present in the Ministers of the Church in the Word and in the Sacraments even so also by the selfe same Ministers Word and Sacraments he is present with his Church and by these meanes doe the Elect receive him through inward faith in their heart and doe therefore joyn themselves together with him that he may dwell in them and they in him after such a sort as is not apparant but hidden from the world even by that saith spiritually that is to say in their souls and hearts by the spirit of truth of whom our Lord saith He abideth with you and shall be in you And I will come againe unto Iohn 14. you This judgement and declaration of our faith is not new or now first devised but very ancient Now that this was commonly taught and meant in the Church of old it is plaine and evident by the Writings of the ancient Fathers of the Church and by that Decree wherein it is thus written and they are the words of S. Augustine Our Lord is above untill the end of the world but the Iâ— Io. Tract 30. truth of the Lord is here also for the body of the Lord wherein he rose againe must of necessitie be in one place but his truth is dispersed every where Out of the FRENCH Confession VVE beleeve that whatsoever is requisite to our salvation Artic. 13. is offered and communicated unto us now at length in that one Iesus Christ as he who being given to save us is also made unto us wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption in so much as whosoever doth swarve from him doth renounce the mercie of the Father that is our onely refuge We beleeve that Iesus Christ being the wisdome and eternall Artic. 14. Son of the Father tooke upon him
that God doth give a reward to our good deeds yet withall we teach with Augustine that God doth crowne in us not our deserts but his owne gifts And therefore whatsoever reward we receive we say that it is a grace and rather a grace then a reward because those good things which we doe we doe them rather by God then by our selves and because Paul saith What hast thou that 1 Cor 4. thou hast not received If thou hast received it Why dost thou boast as though thou hadst not received it And that which the blessed Martyr Cyprian doth gather out of this place That we must not boast of any thing seeing nothing is our owne We therefore condemne those who defend the merits of men that they may make frustrate the grace of God Out of the former Confession of HELVETIA NOw we attaine unto these so divine benefits and the true sanctification of the spirit of God by Faith which is the meere gift of God not by any either our strength or merits which faith being a sure and undoubted substance and laying hold on things to be hoped for from the good will of God doth send out of it selfe charitie and then very excellent fruits of all vertues yet doe we not attribute any thing to these workes although they be the workes of godly men but that salvation which we have obtained we do wholly attribute to the very grace of God And this is indeed the onely true worship of God to wit a faith most fruitfull of good workes and yet not putting any confidence in works Out of the Confession of BASILL VVE confesse the remission of sinnes through faith in Christ crucified and though this faith doth without intermission exercise and shew forth it selfe in the workes of charitie and by this meanes is tried yet we doe not attribute righteousnesse and satisfaction for our sins unto works which are fruits of faith but onely to a true confidence and faith in the blood of the Lambe of God shed for us For we doe unfainedly professe that all things are given us freely in Christ who is our righteousnesse holidesse redemption way truth wisdome and life Therefore the faithfull do worke not to satisfie for their sinnes but onely that they may in some sort shew themselves thankefull unto God our Lord for great benefits bestowed upon us in Christ And in the Margent upon the word Thankefull Thankefulnesse consisteth in requiting of benefits received but we can requite nothing to God because he wanteth nothing Therefore we have an eye to those things which herequireth of us and those are faith and the workes of charitie he requireth faith toward himselfe Charitie toward our neighbour Out of the Confession of BOHEMIA Of Christ our Lord and of Iustification by Faith CHAP. 6. THe sixth point of Christian doctrien in our Churches is as touching sound and lively faith in Iesus Christ our Lord and of true Iustification by this faith And a little after Our men are taught to acknowledge this grace and truth and in all the saving and wonderfull workes which Christ brought to effect by faith to behold those things which according to the meaning of the holy Scripture are in a stedfast faith to be beleeved and professed such are these The comming of Christ from heaven his conception nativitie torments death buriall resurrection ascending into heaven his sitting at the right hand of God and his coming againe from thence to judge the quicke and the dead In these principall effects as in a chest wherein treasure is kept are all those saving fruits of true justification laid up and from thence they are taken for the Elect and faithfull that in spirit and conscience by faith they may be made partakers thereof all which shall hereafter be perfectly and fully given unto them in the day of that joyfull resurrection These things are also found in the sixth Section so farre forth as they describe the workes of Christ and the fruits thereof Out of this foundation of this justifying faith and of true and perfect justification thereby according to evident and cleare testimonies in the Scriptures we are further taught First that no man by his owne strength or by the power of his owne will or of flesh and blood can attaine unto or have this saving or justifying faith except God of his grace by the holy Ghost and by the ministery of the Gospel preached doe plant it in the heart of whom he list and when he list so that that heart may receive all Rom. 10. 2 Theff 3. things which are offered to salvation and made known touching the same by the publike preaching of the word and by the sacraments instituted of Christ Hereof holy Iohn Baptist saith Man Iohn 3. can take nothing to himselfe except it be given him from above Also our Lord Christ himselfe saith No man cometh to me except the Father Iohn 6. which sent me doe draw him And a little after Except it be given him of my Father that is from above by the holy Ghost And to Peter Christ said Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee Matth. 16. Now this faith properly is an assent of a willing heart to the whole truth delivered in the Gospel whereby man is lightened in his minde and soule that he may rightly acknowledge and receive for his onely Saviour his God and Lord Iesus Christ and upon him as on a true rocke he may build his whole salvation love follow and enjoy him and repose all his hope and confidence in him and by this valiant confidence he may lift up himselfe and trust that for him and his onely merit God is become to him loving gentle bountifull and also that in him and for him he assiredly hath and shall have for ever eternall life according to his true promise which hee confirmed with an oath saying Verily I say unâ—o you he that beleeveth in me hath Iohn 6. eternall life And This is the will of him that sent me that he which seeth the Sonne and beleeveth in him shall have eternall life and I will raise him up in the last day Also This is life eternall that they know thee the true God and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ And Isaiah saith By his knowledge shall my righteous servant iustifie many This faith alone and this inward confidence of the heart in Iesus Christ our Lord doth justifie or make a just before God without any workes which he may adde or any merit of his of which Saint Paul saith But to him that worketh not at all but beleeveth in him Rom. 4. that iustifieth the wicked man his faith is imputed for righteousnesse And before he said But now is the righteousnesse of God made manifest Rom. 3. without the law having witnesse of the law and of the Prophets to wit the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all that beleeve And in
needs be the greatest For although the Church have a sure promise of Christs continuall presence and be governed by the holy Ghost yet not every assembly of men may be taken for the true Church and albeit never so many seeme often times to come together in the name of Christ yet few are chosen and all have not faith And as it is wont to fall out in civill meetings so doth it also in meetings of the Church that for the most part the greater side overcommeth the better Hitherto may be added that the holy Ghost doth not make men in this life not subject to sinne but leaveth in them many and sundrie infirmities Examples also witnesse that not onely the Popes but also Councels have beene deceived Wherefore seeing that the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets is confirmed of God the sentence of no one man nor of any assembly of men is to be received simply without triall for the Oracle of the holy Ghost but it is to be laid to the rule of the Prophets and Apostles doctrine that that which agreeth therewith may be acknowledged and that which is contrary thereunto may be confuted If we or an Angel from heaven Gal. 1. preach unto you a Gospel beside that which wee have preached unto you let him bee accursed And beleeve yee not every spirit 1 Ioh. 4. but trie the spirits whether they bee of God Againe 1 Thess 5. Trie all things and keepe that which is good Augustine against Maximius a Bishop of the Arrians in his 3. booke Chap. 14. saith But now am I neither to cite the Councel of Nice nor you the Councel 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 any one but common to us 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 even the verdict of one private man were to be perferred before the Popes if he were lead with better warrants of the old and new Testament then the Pope And Gerson in the first part about triall of doctrines The first truth should stand that if there a plaine private man sufficiently instructed in holy Scripture more credit were to be given in a case of doctrine to his assertion then to the Popes definitive sentence For it is plaine that the Gospel is more to be beleeved then the Pope If then a man so leaned teach any truth to be contained in the Gospel where the Pope were either ignorant or willingly deceived it is cleare whose iudgement were to be preferred And a little after Such a learned man ought in that case while a generall Councel were holden at which he himselfe were present to set himselfe against it if he should perceive the greater part of malice or ignorance to incline to that which is contrarie to the Gospel Of Ecclesiasticall Writers CHAP. 34. RIse up before an hoare head saith the Scripture and reverence the person of an old man We do therefore reverence the gray haires of our ancestours who even since the Gospell began to be revealed and published have in the world taken upon them the travell of furthering the Church not only by preaching but also by publike writings that the posteritie might from the Apostles even unto this time have manifest and certaine testimonies of the holy doctrine And we so embrace their writings as both the holy Scripture alloweth us to use mans authoritie and as themselves would have their writings acknowledged You my friends say that in the ancient Iob 12. is wisdome and in the length of daies is understanding but I say unto you that with him to wit with the Lord our God is wisdome and strength he hath councell and understanding And 1 Corinth 4. Let the Prophets speake two or three and let the rest iudge And Try all things and keepe that which is good 1 Thess 5. It is not lawfull for us to bring in any thing of our own Tertut Lib de scrip haeret head no not so much as to take that which any man hath brought in of his own head We have the Apostles of the Lord for Authors who chose nothing of their own heads which they might bring in but the discipline which they received of Christ they faithfully delivered to all nations And Augustine saith Neither Epist ad Fâ—â—â—unat Dist 8. ought we to esteeme of the writings of any men although they be Catholike and commendable persons as of the Canonicall Scriptures as though it were not lawfull yeelding them that reverence which is due unto such men to disallow and refuse something in their writings if perchance we finde that they have thought otherwise then the truth is understood either of others or of our selves through the gift of God Such am I in other mens writings In Proe in Lib. 3. de Trinie as I would have them construers of mine Againe Be thou not tyed to my writings as it were to the Canonicall Scriptures but in the Canonicall Scriptures that which thou didst not beleeve when thou hast found it beleeve it incontinently but in mine that which thou thoughtest to be undoubtedly true unlesse thou perceive it to be true indeed hold it not resolutely And againe I neither can nor ought to deny that as in those who have gone before Ad Vincent Lio. so also in so many slender works of mine there are many things which may with upright iudgement and no rashnesse be blamed And againe I have learned to give this reverence to In Epist aâ— Ierom. these Writers alone which are now called Canonicall Againe But I so read others that be they never so holy or never so learned I do not therefore thinke it true because they have so thought but because they could perswade me by other Author or by Canonicall or at least by probable reasons which disagree not from the truth And in another place Who knoweth not that holy Scripture De unico baptismo in Epist ad Vincent c. And Doe not brother against so many divine c. For these places are known even out of the Popes own Decree Out of the Confession of SUEVELAND Art 1. ss 1. Whence Sermons are to be taken FIrst a controversie being raised amongst the learned about certaine Articles of Christian doctrine when as the people with us were dangerously divided by reason of contraâ—y preachings we charged our Preachers that they should henceforth broach nothing to the people in any Sermon which either is not taught in the Scriptures of God or hath not sure ground thereout as it was openly Decreed in the Assembly holden at Norimberge in the 22 yeere after the smaller account which moreover is also the opinion of all the holy Fathers For seeing Saint Paul
without his holy Ghost because every one in one and the same essence is of the same eternitie For none of these is either first or last because all three are one both in truth and power and also in goodnesse and mercie And all these things we know as well by the Testimonies of holy Scripture as by the effects and chiefly those which we feele in our owne selves and the testimonies of holy Scripture which teach us to beleeve this holy Trinitie are very common in the old Testament which are not so much to be reckoned up as with sound judgement to be selected such as are in these in the first of Genesis God saith Let us make man according to our Image and likenesse c. and straight after Therefore God made man according to his owne Image and likenesse male I say and female created he them Againe Behold the man is become as one of us For by that which is said Let us make man after our owne likenesse it appeareth that there are more persons in the godhead But when it is said God created c. the unitie of the godhead is signified For although it be not here expresly set downe how many persons there are yet that which was obscurely delivered in the old Testament in the new is made clearer unto us then the noone day For when our Lord Iesus Christ was baptized in Iordan the voyce of the Father was heard saying This is my beloved Sonne and the Sonne himselfe was seen in the waters and the holy Ghost appeared in the likenesse of a Dove Therefore we are also commanded in the common baptisme of all the faithfull to use this forme Baptize ye all nations in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost Lo also in Luke the Angel Gabriel speaketh to Mary the Mother of our Lord. The holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the highest shall over shadow thee therefore that holy thing which shall be borne of thee shall be called the Sonne of God In like manner The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the holy Ghost be with you Againe There are three that beare witnesse in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost which three are one By all which places we are fully taught that in one onely God there are three persons And although this doctrine passe all the reach of mans wit yet we now stedfastly beleeve it out of the Word of God looking when we shall enjoy the full knowledge thereof in heaven The offices also and effects of these three persons which every of them sheweth towards us are to be marked For the Father by reason of his power is called our Creator the Sonne our Saviour and Redeemer because he hath redeemed us by his bloud the holy Ghost is called our Sanctifier because he dwelleth in our hearts And the true Church hath alwaies even from the Apostles age untill these times kept this holy doctrine of the blessed Trinitie and maintaineth it against Iewes Mahometanes and other false Christians and hereticks such as were Marcion Manes Praxeas Sabellius Samosatenus and the like all which were worthily condemned by the fathers of most sound judgement Therefore we doe here willingly admit those three Creeds namely that of the Apostles of Nice and Athanasius and whatsoever things they according to the meaning of those Creeds have set downe concerning this point of doctrine We beleeve that Iesus Christ in respect of his divine nature is Artic. 10. the onely Sonne of God begotten from everlasting not made or created for then he should be a creature but of the same essence with the Father and coeternall with him who also is the true Image of the Fathers substance and the brightnesse of his glory in all things equall unto him But he is the Sonne of God not onely since the time he tooke upon him our nature but from everlasting as these testimonies being laid together teach us Moses saith that God created the world but Saint Iohn saith That all things were made by the word which he calleth God so the Apostle to the Hebrewes avoucheth that God made all things by his Son Iesus Christ It followeth therefore that he who is called both God and the Word and the Sonne and Iesus Christ had his being even then when all things were made by him Therefore Micheah the Prophet saith His going out hath beene from the beginning from the dayes of eternitie againe He is without beginning of dayes and without end of life He is therefore that true God eternall Almightie whom we pray unto worship and serve We beleeve also and confesse that the holy Ghost proceedeth Artic. 11. from the Father and the Sonne from everlasting and that therefore he was neither made nor created nor begotten but onely proceeding from them both who is in order the third person of the Trinitie of the same essence glory and majestie with the Father and the Sonne and therefore he also is true and everlasting God as the holy Scriptures teach us Artic. 26. We also beleeve that we have no accesse to God but by that one onely Mediatour and Advocate Iesus Christ the righteous who was therefore made man uniting the humanitie to the Divine nature that there might be an entrance made for us miserable men to the Majestie of God which had otherwise been shut up against us for ever Yet the Majestie and power of this Mediatour whom the Father had set between himself and us ought in no case so much to fray us that we should therefore thinke another is to be sought at our own pleasure For there is none either among the heauenly or earthly creatures who doth more entirely love us then Christ himself who when he was in the shape of God humbled himself by taking upon him the shape of a servant and for our sakes became like unto his brethren in all points and if we were to seeke an other Mediatour who would vouchsafe us some good will whom I pray you could we finde that would love us more earnestly then he who willingly laid his life downe for us when as yet we were his enemies If moreover we were to seeke another that excelleth both in soveraign authoritie and also power who ever obtained so great power as he himself who sitteth at the right hand of God the Father and to whom all power is given in heaven and in earth To conclude who was more likely to be heard of God then that onely begotten and dearely beloved Son of God therefore nothing but distrust brought in this custome whereby we rather dishonor the Saints whom we think to honour in doing these things which they in their life time were ever so farre from doing that they rather constantly and according to their dutie abhorred them as their own writings beare witnesse Neither is our own unworthinesse here to be alleadged for excuse of
THE CONFESSIONS OF THE FAITH Of all the CHRISTIAN AND Reformed Churches VVhich purely profess the holy doctrine of the Gospel in all the Kingdoms Nations and Provinces of EUROPE with the order of time when they were written and an exact Table of the principal Articles of Faith which in every Confession is debated Wherein the obscure and difficult places are explained and those things which may in shew seem to contradict each other are plainly and modestly reconciled and such points as yet hang in suspence are sincerely pointed at Freely submitted to all Reformed Churches as a means to knit and unite all the Churches of Christ in one bond of love for the avoiding of Heresies Discords and Schismes in these dangerous times 1 Pet. 3. 15. But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready alwayes to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear LONDON Printed for Austin Rice and are to be sold at his Shop at the Sign of the Three Hearts in St Pauls Church-yard near the West end 1656. A PREFACE IN THE NAME OF THE Churches of France and Belgia which professe the reformation of the Gospell AMbrose in a certaine place saith notably There ought to be no strife but conference among the servants of Christ. For seeing the dulnesse of mans understanding especially in heavenly matters is such that we cannot oft-times perceive matters otherwise very plain it can by no means be denied but that by mutuall conference and friendly and brotherly debating of the matter we come to very great light And that especially seemeth profitable and needfull that some should be set on edge by others that those things which the Lord hath particularly bestowed upon severall members of the Church may redound to the common benefit of the whole body and that all sinister affection set a part Christ who is the Fathers wisdome and the onely Master and Teacher of the Church may be heard and as he is the Prince of peace may so by his spirit joyne together our minds that if it be possible we may all thinke one and the same thing in the Lord. But to strive braule and fiercely and frowardly to contend as fensers doe is so farre from becoming men that are taught of God as that it is not seemely for modest or civill persons And if so be that in all yea even in the very least affairs of mans life that rule of modestie is to be kept what I pray you is to be done when we are in hand with God and Gods matters Surely holy things are holily and devoutly to be handled in the feare of God and love of our neighbour Who if he goe out of the way is by the spirit of meeknesse to be called backe again but if he take the right way he is more and more to be instructed therein to the end it may appeare that we are not driven by any motion of man but that in all things our mindes are ruled and governed by God Yet alas such is the spot and staine of our times that the evill custome of writing whatsoever and even of railing hath seised upon the wits and mindes not of meane men onely but even of those whom it most of all behooved to doe the cleane contrary The rable of Iesuits and such other like fellows whose very reward is the earnest of bondage and cursed speaking how shamelesly and outragiously they are carried against us and the truth and with what bitternesse they cast out against us such things as they have been taught in the schoole of shamelesnesse it may be sufficiently perceived of any man For they when they feele themselves pressed with most strong reasons and overcome with expresse places of Scripture they run to cavils and slanders as to the onely refuge of their errours They say we have revolted from the Catholique Church that we might follow the divers imaginations of men they cry aloud that we are heretiques schismatiques and sectaries and they oft-times in mockage call us Confessionists and moreover they lay in our dish that we neither agree with our selves nor with others who detest the Bishop of Rome but there are as many Religions among us as there are Confessions of Faith And that they may seeme to procure credit to themselves and to give a checke to the Germane Churches especially they bring forth both certaine other writings and especially that Forme of Agreement of late published in Germanie in which there are certaine things to be seene farre differing from those ancient Confessions of Faith which the Churches of the Gospell have even since the beginning given out But let them so thinke that the fault of heresie is not to be laid upon those whose faith altogether relieth on most sure grounds of Scripture that they are no schismatiques who intirely cleave to Gods Church such an one as the Prophets and Apostles doe describe unto us nor to be accounted sectaries who embrace the truth of God which is one and alwaies like itselfe What do they meane I pray you by the name of Confessionists so often repeated For if every man be commanded to make confession of his Faith so often as Gods glory and the edifying of the Church shall require what a wonderfull or strange thing ought it to seeme if Cities if Provinces if whole kingdomes have made profession of their Faith when they were falsely charged by the Popish sort that they had gone from the doctrine of the true beleeving Church but they wil say there ought to be one confession of faith and no moe as though forsooth a confession of faith were to be valued rather by the words then by the thing it selfe What therefore will they say to our Ancestours who when they had the Apostles Creed yet for all that set out the Nicene Chalcedonian and many moe such like Creeds Those Creeds say you were generall Yea surely but so generall that a great part of the world in those elder times followed the frantique heresies of the Arrians whom the godly forefathers by setting forth those Creeds desired to bring home into the Church again The truth saith Hilarie was by the advise and opinions of Bishops many waies sought and a reason of that which was meant was rendered by severall confessions of faith set down in writing And a little after It ought to seeme no marvell right well-beloved brethren that mens faiths began to be declared so thick the outrage of heretiques layeth this necessitie upon us Thus much said Hilarie What that Athanasius Augustine and many other ancients set forth their Creeds also that the puritie of Christian faith might more and more shine forth Therefore if Kingdoms Cities and and whole Provinces have privately made confession of their faith this was the cause thereof for that hitherto the state of times hath not suffered that a generall Councell of all those who professe the reformed Religion might be
Interpretatio taken onely from herselfe that her selfe may be the interpreter of her selfe the rule of charitie and faith being her guide Which kinde of interpretation so far forth as the holy Fathers Artic 3. Patres have followed we doe not onely receive them as interpreters of the Scripture but reverence them as the beloved instruments of God But as for the traditions of men although never Artic. 4. Tradit humanae so glorious and received how many soever of them doe withdraw or hinder us as of things unprofitable and hurtfull so we answer with that saying of the Lord They worship me in vaine teaching the doctrine of men The drift of the Canonicall Scripture is this that God wisheth well to mankind and by Christ the Lord his Sonne hath declared this good will which is received by faith alone and faith must be effectuall through love that it may be shewed forth by an innocent life Out of the Confession of BASILL Of things commanded and not commanded Artic. 10. VVE confesse that as no man can command those things which Christ hath not commanded so likewise no man can forbid those things which he hath not forbidden And in the margent For it is written heare him Also section the third in the same place And much lesse can any man license those things which God hath forbidden c And in the marg God said I am Iehova your God Levit. 18. and by Moses Deut. 10. for Iehovah your God is God of gods a great God and terrible Who therefore among his creatures can grant those things which he hath forbidden In like sort section 4. And againe no man can forbid those things which God hath granted c. The other things which are contained in this article because they belong to other sections they are inserted every one in their places Out of the Confession of BOHEMIA or the WALDENSES Of the holy Scriptures CHAP. I. FIrst of all the Ministers of our Churches teach with one consent concerning the holy Scripture of the new and old Testament which is commonly called the Bible and is lawfully received and allowed of the Fathers which are of best and soundest judgement that it is true certaine and worthy to be beleeved whereunto no other humane writings whatsoever or of what sort soever they be may be compared but that as mans writings they must give place to the holy Scripture First because it is inspired and taught of the holy Ghost and uttered by the mouth of holy men written by them and confirmed by heavenly and divine testimonies which spirit also himselfe openeth and discloseth the meaning how it ought to be understood and the truth of this Scripture in the Church in what manner seemeth him best especially by raising up and giving faithfull Ministers who are his chosen instruments Of which spirit David speaketh when he saith The spirit of the Lord spake by me his word was in my tongue 2 Sam. 22. 2 Pet. 1. and Peter For prophecie came not in old time by will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost and 2 Tim. 3. Rom. 15. Ioh. 5. Paul The whole Scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable c. besides the Lord himselfe saith Search the Scriptures And againe Ye are deceived not knowing the Scriptures Mat 22. Luk. 24. neither doe ye understand the power of God And he opened the minds of his Disciples that they might understand the Scriptures Secondly because it is a true and sure testimony and a clear proofe of Gods favorable good will which he hath revealed Heb. 11. concerning himselfe without which revelation of Scripture there is no wholesome knowledge nor faith nor accesse to God For in this such things as are necessarie to doctrine to discipline and government of the holy Church for all and singular persons in the ordinary ministerie of salvation whence also springeth true faith in this I say are all such things fully absolutely and so far forth as is requisite as in a most excellent and most exquisite worke of the Holy Ghost comprehended and included then which no Angel from heaven can bring any thing more certaine and if he should bring any other thing he ought not to be beleeved And this perswasion and beliefe concerning holy Scripture namely that it is taught and inspired of God is the beginning and ground of our Christian profession which taketh beginning from the Word outwardly preached as from an ordinary meane ordained of God for this purpose Wherefore every one ought very highly to esteeme of the divine writings of the holy Prophets and Apostles resolutely to beleeve them and religiously to yeeld unto them in all things diligently to reade them to gather wholesome doctrine out of them and according to them ought every man to frame and order himselfe but especially they who after an holy manner are set over the Church of God For which causes in our Churches and meetings this holy Scripture is rehearsed to the hearers in the common and mother tongue which all understand and especially according to the ancient custome of the Church those portions of the Gospels in Scripture which are wont to be read on solemne holy dayes out of the Evangelists and Apostles writings and are usually called Gospels and Epistles out of which profitable and wholesome doctrines and exhortations and sermons are made to the people as at all times occasion and need requireth We likewise teach that the writings of holy Doctors especially of those that are ancient are also to be esteemed for true and profitable whereof there may be some use to instruct the people yet onely in those things wherein they agree with the holy Scripture or are not contrarie thereunto and so farre forth as they give testimonie to the excellencie thereof to the information and example of the Apostolike Church and swerve not from the consent judgement and decâ—ees of the ancient Church wherein she hath continued unspotted in the truth after what sort they themselves also have charged men to judge and thinke of their writings and have given warning that heed should be taken lest that they being but men too much should be ascribed to them Of which thing S. Augustine speaketh in this manner In preoem in 3. de sanct Trinit Be not thou a servant to my writings as it were to the Canonical Scriptures but in the Canonical Scriptures such things as thou didst not beleeve when thou hast there found them immediately beleeve But in my writings that which thou knowest not for acertaine truth unlesse thou perceive it to be certaine hold it not resolutely And elsewhere he saith Give not as great credit to mine or Ambrose his words as to the Canonical Scriptures This is the â—ight rule to discerne writings by which so greatly 〈◊〉 the Papists that they have cited it in their decretal distinct 9. Chap. Notimets verbis c. Out of the
writeth That the Scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable to teach to improve to correct and to instruct that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect to every good worke we could not determine any otherwise but that it was meet that we also being in danger of schisme should flie to that holy Scripture to which in times past not onely the holy Fathers Bishops and Princes but also the children of God every where in such extreamitie have alwaies resorted For Saint 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 himself very diligently in the Scriptures and this holy Scripture was had in so high reputation of all holy Bishops and Doctors that neither any Bishop desired to have his ordinances obeyed nor any Doctor his writings beleeved except he had thereout approved them And surely seeing Saint Paul doth plainly testifie that by the holy Scripture the man of God is made absolute and perfect to every good worke no part of Christian truth and sound doctrin can be wanting to him who with all his might 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 beleeve and teach that God is one in Essence or nature subsisting by himself all sufficient in himself invisible without a body infinite eternall the Creator of all things both visible and invisible the chiefest good living quickning and preserving all things Almightie and exceeding wise gentle or mercifull just and true And we detest the multitude of Gods because it is expressely written The Lord thy God is one God I am the Lord thy God Deut. 6. Exod. 20. thou shalt have no strange Gods before my face I am the Lord and there is none other beside me there is no God Am not I the Lord and there is none other beside me alone a iust God and a Saviour there Isa 54. is none beside me I the Lord Jehovah the mercifull God gracious and long suffering and aboundant in goodnesse and truth c. Exod. 34. We neverthelesse beleeve and teach that the same infinite one and indivisible God is in persons inseparably and without confusion distinguished into the Father the Son and the holy Ghost so as the Father hath begotten the Son from everlasting the Son is begotten by an unspeakable manner and the holy Ghost proceedeth from them both and that from everlasting 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 any inequalitie For as touching their nature or essence they are so * Vide observ 1 In hanc confess joyned together that they are but one God and the divine essence is common to the Father the Son and the holy Ghost For the Scripture hath delivered unto us a manifest distinction of persons the Angel among other things saying thus to the blessed Virgin The holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Luk. 1. highest shall over shadow thee and that holy thing which shall be borne shall be called the Son of God Also in the Baptisme of Christ a voice was heard from heaven saying This is my beloved Son The holy Matth. 3. Iohn 1. Ghost also appeared in the likenesse of a Dove And when the Lord himselfe commanded to baptize he commanded To baptize in the Matth. 28. name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost In like sort else where in the Gospell he said The Father will send the holy Iohn 14. 15. Ghost in my name Againe he saith When the Comforter shall come whom I will send unto you from the Father the spirit of truth who proceedeth from the Father he shall beare witnesse of me c. To be short we receive the Apostles Creed because it delivereth unto us the true faith We therefore condemne the Iews and the Mahometists and all those that blaspheme this Trinitie that is sacred and onely to be adored We also condemne all heresies and heretikes which teach that the Son and the holy Ghost are God onely in name also that there is in the Trinitie some thing created and that serveth and ministreth unto an other finally that there is in it some thing unequall greater or lesse corporall or corporally fashioned in manners or in will divers either confounded or sole by it self as if the Son and holy Ghost were the affections and proprieties of one God the Father as the Monarchists the Novatians Praxeas the Patripassians Sabellius Samosatenus Aetius Macedonius Arrius and such like have thought Of Idols or Images of God of Christ and of Saints CHAP. 4. ANd because God is an invisible spirit and an incomprehensible essence he can not therefore by any Art or Image be expressed For which cause we feare not with the Scriâ—ture to tearme the Images of God meere lies We doe therefore reject not onely the Idols of the Gentiles but also the images of Christians For although Christ tooke upon him mans nature yet he did not therefore take it that he might set forth a patterne for Carvers and Painters He denyed that he came To destroy the Law Matth. 5. and the Prophets But images are forbidden in the Law and the Prophets He denied that his Bodily presence should any whit profit the Church He promiseth that He would by his spirit be present Deut. 4. Isa 40. John 16. 2 Cor. 5. with us for ever who would then beleeve that the shadow or picture of his body doth any whit benefit the godly and seeing that he abideth in us by his spirit We are therefore the Temples of God But what agreement hath the Temple of God with images And seeing 1 Cor. 3. 2 Cor. 6. that the blessed spirits and Saints in heaven while they lived here abhorred all worship done unto themselves and spake against images who can thinke it likely that the Saints in heaven and the Act. 3. and 14. Angels are delighted with their own Images whereunto men do bow their knees uncover their heads and give such other like honour But that men might be instructed in Religion and put in minde of heavenly things and of their own salvation the Lord commanded To preach the Gospell not to paint and instruct the Mark 16. Laytie by pictures he also instituted Sacraments but he no where appointed Images Furthermore in every place which way soever we turne our eyes we may see the lively and true creatures of God which if they be marked as is meet they doe much more effectually moove the beholder then all the Images
you forgivenesse of sinnes Acts 13. and from all things from which ye could not be iustified by the law of Moses by him every one that beleeveth is iustified For in the Law also and in the Prophets we reade that If a controversie were risen amongst any and they came to iudgement the Iudge should Deut. 2. 5. iudge them that is iustifie the righteous and make wicked or condemne the wicked And in the 5. Chapter of Isaiah Woe to them which iustifie the wicked for rewards Now it is most certaine that we are all by nature sinners and before the Iudgement seat of God convicted of ungodlinesse and guilty of death But we are justified that is acquitted from sinne and death by God the Iudge through the grace of Christ alone and not by any respect or merit of ours For what is more plaine then that which Paul saith All have sinned and are destitute of the glory of God and are iustified Rom. 3. freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus For Christ tooke upon himselfe and bare the sinnes of the world and did satisfie the justice of God God therefore is mercifull unto our sinnes for Christ alone that suffered and rose againe and doth not impute them unto us But he imputeth the justice of Christ unto us for our owe so that now we are not onely cleansed 2 Cor. 3. from sinne and purged and holy but also indued with the righteousnesse of Christ yea and acquitted from sinne death and condemnation finally we are righteous and heires of eternall life Rom. 4. To speake properly then it is God alone that justifieth us and that onely for Christ by not imputing unto us our sinnes but imputing Christs righteousnesse unto us But because we doe receive this justification not by any works but by faith in the mercy of God and in Christ therefore we teach and beleeve with the Apostle that sinnefull man is justified onely by faith in Christ not by the law or by any workes For the Apostle saith We conclude that man is iustified by faith without the Rom. 3. Rom. 4. Gen. 15. workes of the law If Abraham was iustified by workes he hath whereof to boast but not with God For what saith the Scripture Abraham beleeved God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse But to him that worketh not but beleeveth in him that iustifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse And againe You are saved by grace through faith and that not of your selves Eph. 2. it is the gift of God Not by workes lest any might have cause to boast c. Therefore because faith doth apprehend Christ our rigteousnesse and doth attribute all to the praise of God in Christ in this respect justification is attributed to faith chiefly because of Christ whom it receiveth and not because it is a worke of ours For it is the gift of God Now that we doe receive Christ by faith the Lord sheweth at large John 6. where he putteth eating for beleeving and beleeving for eating For as by eating we receive meate so by beleeving we are made partakers of Christ Therefore we doe not part the benefit of justification giving part to the grace of God or to Christ and a part to our selves our charitie workes or merit but we doe attribute it wholly to the praise of God in Christ and that through faith Moreover our charitie and our works cannot please God if they be done of such are not just wherefore we must first be just before we can love or doe any just workes We are made just as we have said through faith in Christ by the meere grace of God who doth not impute unto us our sinnes but imputeth unto us the righteousnesse of Christ yea and our faith in Christ he imputeth for righteousnesse unto us Moreover the Apostle doth plainly derive love from faith saying The end of the commandement is love proceeding 1 Tim. 1. from a pure heart a good conscience and a faith unfeigned Wherefore in this matter we speake not of a fained vaine or dead faith but of a lively quickning faith which for Christ who is life and giveth life whom it apprehendeth both is indeed and is so called a lively faith and doth prove it selfe to be lively by lively workes And therefore James doth speake nothing contrary to this our doctrine for he speaketh of a vaine and dead faith which certain bragged of but had not Christ living within them by faith And James also saith that workes doe iustifie yet he is not contrarie Iames 2. to Saint Paul for then he were to be rejected but he sheweth that Abraham did shew his lively and justifying faith by workes And so doe all the godly who yet trust in Christ alone not to their owne workes For the Apostle said againe I live Gal. 2. howbeit not I but Christ liveth in me But the life which now I live in the flesh I live through the faith of the Sonne of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me I doe not despise the grace of God for if righteousnesse bee by the law then Christ died in vaine c. Of faith and good workes Of their reward and of mans merit CHAP. 16. CHristian faith is not an opinion or humane perswasion but a sure trust and an evident and steadfast assent of the minde to be briefe a most sure comprehension of the truth of God set forth in the Scriptures and in the Apostles Creede yea and of God himselfe the chiefe blessednesse and especially of Gods promise and of Christ who is the consummation of all the promises And this faith is the meere gift of God because God alone of his power doth give it to his elect according to measure and that when to whom and how much he will and that by his holy spirit through the meanes of preaching the Gospel and of faithfull prayer This faith hath also her increases which unlesse they were likewise given of God the Apostle would never have said Lord Luke 11. increase our faith Now all these things which we have said hitherto of faith the Apostles taught them before us even as we set them downe for Paul saith Faith is the ground or sure subsistence Heb. 11. of things hopeed for and the evidence or cleare and certaine comprehension of things which are not seene And againe he saith that all the promises of God in Christ are yea and in Christ are Amen 2 Cor. 1. And the same Apostle saith to the Philippians that it was given them to beleeve in Christ And also God doth distribute unto Rom. 12. 2 Thess 2 and 3. every man a measure of faith And againe All men have not faith and all doe not obey the Gospel Besides Luke witnesseth and saith As many as were ordained to life beleeved And therefore he also calleth faith The faith of Gods elect And againe Faith
whom without some damage to the church we cannot separate from it Againe we must be very vigilant lest that the godly falling fast asleepe the wicked grow stronger and do some mischiefe to the church Further more we teach that it is carefully to be marked wherein especially the truth and unitie of the church consisteth lest that we either rashly breed or nourish schismes in the church It consisteth not in outward rites and ceremonies but rather in the truth and unitie of the Catholike faith This Catholike faith is not taught us by the ordinances or laws of men but by the holy Scriptures a compendious and short summe whereof is the Apostles Creed And therefore we reade in the ancient Writers that there was manifold diversities of ceremonies but that was alwaies free neither did any man thinke that the unitie of the church was thereby broken or dissolved We say then that the true unity of the Church doth consist in severall points of doctrine in the true and uniforme preaching of the Gospel and in such rites as the Lord himselfe hath expresly set downe and here we urge that saying of the Apostle very earnestly As many of us therefore Phil. 3. as are perfect let us he thus minded If any man thinke otherwise the Lord shall reveale the same unto him And yet in that whereunto we have attained let us follow one direction and all of us be like affected one towards another Out of the former Confession of HELVETIA Of the Church THis we hold that of such lively stones being by this meane built upon this lively rocke the Church and the holy gathering together of all the Saints the Spouse of Christ which being cleansed by his blood he shall once in time to come present without blot before his Father is founded The which church though it be manifest to the eies of God alone yet is it not onely seene and known by certaine outward rites instituted of Christ himselfe and by the word of God as by a publique and lawfull discipline but it is so appointed that without these markes no man can be judged to be in this church but by the speciall priviledge of God Out of the Confession of BASILL Of the Church VVE beleeve a holy Christian Church that is a communion Matth. 1. Ephe. 1. Iohn 3. 2 Cor. 11. Ephes 5. Heb. 12. Iohn 1. Galat. 5. Rom. 1. Iohn 1. 1 Iohn 3. of Saints a gathering together of the faithfull in spirit which is holy and the Spouse of Christ wherein all they be Citizens which doe truely confesse that Iesus is the Christ the Lambe that taketh away the sinnes of the world and doe shew forth that faith by the workes of love And a little after This church of Christ doth labour all that it can to keepe the bonds of peace and love in unitie Therefore it doth by no meanes communicate with Sects and the rules of orders devised for the difference of dayes meates apparell and ceremonies Out of the Confession of BOHEMIA Of the holy Church and of the godly institution and government thereof and of Discipline Also of Antichrist CHAP. 8. IN the eighth place it is taught touching the acknowledgeing of the holy Catholike Christian Church And first of all that the foundation and head of the holy Church is Jesus Christ himselfe alone together with the whole merit of grace and truth to life eternall upon whom and by whom this church is at all times built by the holy Ghost the word of God and the Sacraments according to the meaning of that which Christ said unto Peter Matth. 16. upon this rocke to wit whereof thou hast made a true confession I will build my Church And Saint Paul saith Other foundation 1 Cor. 3. can no man lay then that which is laid which is Jesus Christ And in another place And hath appointed him over all things to be Ephes 2. the head of the Church which is his body and the fulnesse of him which filleth all in all things Out of these things it is taught that this is beleeved held and publikely confessed that the holy Catholike church being present at every time and militant upon earth is the fellowship of all Christians and is here and there dispersed over the whole world and is gathered together by the holy Gospel out of all nations families tongues degrees and ages in one faith in Christ the Lord or in the holy Trinitie according to that saying of Saint John who speaketh thus And I saw a great company which no man Apoc. 7. can number of all nations peoples and tongues standing before the throne and before the lambe This true church although while it lieth here in the Lords stoore to wit in the wide world and as it were in one heape confusedly gathered together containeth in it as yet as well the pure wheate as the chaffe the godly children of God and the wicked children of the world the living and dead members of the ministers and of the people yet where it is least defiled or most pure it may be knowne even by these signes that follow namely wheresoever Christ is taught in holy assemblies the doctrine of the holy Gospel is purely and fully preached the Sacraments are administred according to Christs institution commandement meaning and will and the faithfull people of Christ doth receive and use them and by these gathereth it selfe together in the unitie of faith and love and in the bond of peace and joyneth it selfe in one and buildeth it selfe hard together upon Christ There therefore is the holy church the house of God the temples of the holy Ghost lively members the parts of the heavenly Ierusalem the spirituall body of Christ and joynts knit together the which are joyned and coupled each with other by one head Christ one spirit of regeneration one word of God the same and sincere Sacraments one faith one love and holy communion one bond of peace order discipline and obedience whether the number of this people be great or small as the Lord witnesseth Where two or three are gathered together in my name Matth. 15. in what countrey or nation and in what place soever this be there am I in the middest of them and contrarily where Christ and the spirit of Christ dwelleth not and the holy Gospel cannot have any place granted unto it c. but on the contrary side manifest errours * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession Rom. 5. and heathenish life have their full course and by getting the upper hand doe spread themselves farre there must also needs be a church so defiled that Christ will not acknowledge it for his welbeloved Spouse seeing that none belongeth to Christ who hath not the spirit of Christ Every Christian is also bound with diligent care to seeke after this and such a true part of the holy church and after he hath found it to joyne and maintaine holy communion and fellowship
by the same faith and correction be healed Ambrose saith Sinnes are remitted by the word whereof the Levite is the Interpreter or Expounder Bernard in Epist ad Eug. saith The true successour of Paul will say with Paul Not that we have dominion over your faith but we are helpers of your ioy The heires of Peter will heare Peter saying Not as though ye were Lords over Gods heritage but that ye may be ensamples to the flocke Thomas in Summa sua parte 3. in addit q. 6. art 6. saith Because the Church is founded upon Faith and the Sacraments therefore it doth not pertaine to the Ministers of the Church to make new Articles of Faith or to set apart those which are made neither to appoint new Sacraments or to take away those which are appointed but this is proper to that excellencie of power which is due to Christ alone who is the foundation of the Church And therefore as the Pope cannot dispense that any one may be saved without Baptisme so cannot he not dispense with any to be saved without confession because that he bindeth by force of a Sacrament And although Thomas have his opinions touching confession yet this which he saith It doth not pertaine to the Ministers of the Church among whom he reckoneth the Pope to make new Articles of Faith and to appoint new Sacraments is indeed an Apostolike and Catholike judgement For no other ministerie doth pertaine to the Ministers of the Church which have their calling from Christ then that which we mentioned before and which the Apostles of Christ themselves did execute touching the remitting and retaining of sins Therefore if any thing more then this ministerie be attributed to the Bishop of Rome this is either given unto him by mans ordinances or else it is feigned by the Monks and other flatterers against the authoritie of the word of God Of the Church VVE beleeve and confesse that there is one holy Catholike and Apostolike Church according to the Creed of the Artic. 32. Apostles and the Nicene Creed 2. That this Church is so governed of the holy Ghost that although he suffer it to be weake in this earth yet he doth alwayes preserve it that it doe not perish either by errours or by sins 3. That in this world many naughtie men and hypocrites are mingled with this Church 4. That these naughtie men and hypocrites if by a lawfull calling they shall take upon them the ministerie of the Church shall not of themselves any whit hinder the truth of the Sacraments except they pervert the ordinance of Christ and teach wicked things 5. That in this Church there is true remission of sins 6. That this Church * Looke the 1. Observation upon this confess hath authoritie to beare witnesse of the holy Scripture 7. That this Church hath authoritie * to judge of all doctrines according to that Try the spirits whether they be of God And Let the other iudge 8. That this Church hath authoritie * Looke the 2. observation to interpret the Scripture But where this Church is to be sought and whether her authoritie be limited within certaine bounds divers men doe judge diversly But we thinke that men are to judge by the authoritie both of the holy Scripture and also of the ancient 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 Gospell of Christ is sincerely preached and his Sacraments rightly administred according to Christ his institution Ioh. 10. I have said ye are Gods He called them Gods unto whom the word of God was given c. Therefore there is the people or Church of God where the word of God is preached Joh. 15. Now you are cleane through the word which I have spoken to you Therefore the word of Christ which is the Gospell doth declare where that Church is which is cleane in the sight of God Romanes 1. The Gospell is the power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth Therefore where the Gospell is which is acknowledged by faith there God hath his Church wherein he is effectuall unto eternall life Chrysostome in his Commentaries upon Matthew Cap. 24 Hom. 49. saith Therefore at this time all Christians must goe to the Scriptures because that at this time since heresie possessed those Churches there can be no triall of true Christianitie neither can there be any other refuge for Christians that would willingly know the truth of faith but onely the Divine Scriptures And a little after Therefore he that will know which is the true Church of Christ whence may he know it but onely by the Scriptures Augustine Tom. 2. Epist 166. saith In the Scriptures we have learned Christ in the Scriptures we have learned to know the Church these Scriptures we have in common why doe we not in them retaine in common both Christ and the Church And againe Tom. 7. in Epist contra Epist Petiliani Donatistae cap. 2. 3. 4. It is a question betweene us and the Donatists where the Church is What then shall we doe shall we seeke the Church in our own words or in the words of her 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 body Now that which is affirmed that the Church hath authoritie to beare witnesse of the holy Scripture to interpret the Scripture and to judge of all doctrines it is not so to be understood that the Church hath absolute authoritie to determine what she listeth and also if it please her 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 her husband and that she hath received of her husband a certain rule to wit the Propheticall and Apostolicall preaching confirmed by miracles from heaven according to the which she is bound to interpret those places of the Scripture which seeme to be obscure and to judge of doctrines Psal 119. Thy word is a light unto my feete Rom. 3. Having gifts that be divers according to the grace that is given unto us whether we have prophecy according to the proportion of Faith c. 2 Pet. 1. We have a more sure word of the Prophets to the which ye do well that ye take heede as unto a light that shineth in a darke place c. Origen upon lerem Hom. 1. It is necessary for us to call the holy Scriptures to witnes for our meanings and interpretations have no credit without these witnesses Ierome upon Matth. 23. That which is spoken without authority of the Scriptures is as easily contemned as it is spoken And August De Nupt. Concup Lib. 2. Cap. 23. saith This controversie 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 blood And a little after Together with him let the Apostle iudge because that Christ himself also speaketh in the Apostle he crieth out and saith touching God the Father He which spared not his owne Sonne c. Wherethe Church hath so farre authority to judge of doctrine that notwithstanding she must keep her selfe within the bonds of the holy Scripture which is the voice of her husband from which voice it is not lawfull for any man no not for Angell to departe Out of the Confession of SVEVELAND Of the Church FVrthermore we will shew what is taught among us both Artie 15. touching the Christian Church and also touching the holy Sacraments and touching the Church this is it that we teach The Church or congregation of Christ which as yet is in this world as a stranger from God is the fellowship and company of those which addict themselves to Christ and do altogether trust and rest in his protection among whom notwithstanding many shall be mingled even to the end of the world who although they professe the Christian faith yet they have it not in deed This hath our Lord taught sufficiently Matth. 13. by the parable both of the cockle and of the Net cast into the sea in the which the bad fishes are caught with the good Also Matth. 22 by the parable of the King inviting all men to the marriage of his Sonne and afterward casting him out being bound hand and foot into utter darknnes which had not a wedding garment Now these places of Scripture wherein the congregation of Christ is commended to be the Spouse of Christ for the which he hath given himselfe Eph. 5. The house of God the pillar and ground of truth 1 Tim. 3. Also The holy hill of Sion the City of the living God the heavenly Ierusalem and congregation of the first borne which are written in heaven I say all these places of Scripture do properly pertaine to them who for their sincere faith are truely and in the sight of God reckoned among the children of God For seeing that in these alone the Lord doth fully reigne these onely if we will speake properly are called the Church of Christ and the communion of Saints in which sence also the name of the Church is expounded in the common Articles of faith those false Christians being excluded which are mingled amongst them Furthermore the holy Ghost himselfe doth governe this Church or congregation and remaineth with it as Christ doth even to the end of the world and doth sanctifie it that at the length he may present it unto himselfe without spot or wrinckle as it is said Ephes 5. Also this is that Church which all men are commanded to heare and he that will not heare her is to be counted as an Heathen and Publicane And although that to wit faith it selfe cannot be seene wherby this Congregation hath obtained to be called the Church and company of Christ yet the fruits of that faith may be seene and knowne and of them a certaine Christian conjecture be taken These fruits be chiefly a bold profession of Faith a true love offering it selfe to do humble service to all men a contempt of all things Seeing therefore that these be the proper fruites wheresoever the holy Gospell and the Sacraments be exercised thereupon it may easily be known where and who be the Christian Church so much as is necessary for us to preserve among us the Christian communion and that in the same we may be instructed admonished and help one another according to the commandement of Christ Furthermore seeing this congregation is the very kingdome of God wherein all things ought to be appointed in best order she hath all kind of offices and ministers for she is the body of Christ himselfe compacted of many members whereof every one have their proper worke Therefore whosoever do faithfully discharge such functoins and do earnestly labour in the word and doctrine they do represent the Church and may do all things in the name thereof so that whosoever shall either despise them or refuse to heare them he may worthily be said to despise the Church it selfe Now with what spirit or with what spirituall authoritie we do beleeve that they are furnished we have declared before out of most firme foundations of the Scripture where we shewed what we thought of the spirituall or Ecclesiasticall offices and dignitie For they cannot by any means represent the Church of Christ or doe any thing in the name thereof which are not Christs and therefore propound no Christian things but whatsoever is contrary to the doctrine of Christ For although it may be that even the wicked may teach some good thing and may also prophesie in the name of Christ after their example to whom the Lord himselfe doth witnesse that he will once in time to come say That he never knew them Yet it cannot be that they can discharge the dutie 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 aright of faith and be counted amongst the members of the Church as it doth oftentimes fall out when as the very children of God are wrapped in errours and doe also publish the same For the Church of Christ is wholly addicted to Christ himselfe Therefore that cannot be counted a doctrine precept or commandement of the true Church except it be the same with the doctrine precept and commandement of Christ himselfe And whosoever propoundeth any other thing in her name although he were an Angel from heaven he is not to be heard as also the Church in those things doth represent nothing lesse then 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. 18. GOD hath alwaies used his Ministers for the gathering or erecting up of a Church to himselfe and for the governing and preservation of the same and still he doth and alwaies will use them so long as the Church remaineth on the earth Therefore the first beginning institution and office of the Ministers is a most ancient ordinance of God himselfe not a new devise appointed by men True it is that God can by his power without any meanes take unto 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 themselves alone but as the Ministers of God even such as by whose meanes God doth work the salvation of mankinde For which cause we give counsell to beware that we doe not so attribute the things that appertaine to our conversion and instruction unto the secret vertue of the holy Ghost that we make frustrate
and that they might have testimonie as well from the common sort as from their Elders that they were fit men and worthy of that place Together with these things it is taught that by the executing of that charge wherein they be lawfully placed they are bound to this that they take care for the soules of men committed to their charge and for their everlasting salvation and faithfully employ their service unto them by teaching of the Word of God and administring the Sacraments according to Christ his meaning and ordinance that they be an example and allurement to practiso all vertue make prayers for them bring them out of sinnes and errours and inquire after the will of God and search the same in the holy Scritures by diligent reading and continuall meditation as the Apostles also exhort men to these things Saint Peter writeth 1 Pet. 5. thus Feed the flocke of God which dependeth upon you caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a readie minde In like sort Paul writeth to Timothy a Ruler and 2 Tim. 4. Bishop But be thou sober and watch in all things suffer adversitie doe the worke of an Evangelist make thy ministery fully knowne or with all diligence Againe Be thou an example to the faithfull in 1 Tim. 4. speech in conversation of life in love in the spirit in faith in purenesse Till I come be instant in reading exhorting and teaching Despise not the gift of grace which is in thee which was given to thee by prophecie with the laying on of the hands of the company of the Eldership These things exercise and give thy selfe unto them that 2 Tim 3. all men may see how thou profitest take heede to thy selfe and unto learning and abide in these things For in doing this thou shalt save both thy selfe and them that heare thee Such ministers ought also to deliver sound and wholesome doctrine such as they have received from Christ and the Apostles out of holy Scripture and being all alike minded through one spirit to teach the same in their Sermons according to the ordinance of Saint Paul who writeth thus Keepe the true patterne of the whole some words which 1 Tim. 1. thou hast heard of me in faith and in love which is in Iesus Christ And againe But abide thou in those things that thou hast learned and are committed unto thee knowing of whom thou hast learned them and that thou hast knowne the holy Scriptures of a childe which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through the faith which is in Jesus Christ And else where charge certaine saith he that they teach no other thing But peculiar mention is made thereof that they which have the spirituall government of the Churches and doe their endeavour in them ought not themselves nor by others to use civill power or constraint to force men to beleeve or to exercise Lordly authoritie over the faith and people of God according to the doctrine of Christ and the Apostles The Lord spake thus to the Apostles and in them to all faithfull and true Preachers of the Gospel Ye know that they who are rulers of the people have domination Matth. 20. over them whose rulers they are and they that are great Lords exercise authoritie over the people that are subiect to them But it shall not be so among you But if any man among you will be great let him be your servant and he that will be chiefe among you or beare rule let him be your minister Even as the Sonne of man came not to be ministred unto but that he himselfe might minister to others and give his life as a price for the redemption of many Peter also 1 Pet. 5. saith Not as being Lords over the people or the Lords inheritance but as they who are an ensample to the flocke And Paul Not that 2 Cor. 1. we are Lords over your faith but because we are helpers of your ioy But the gain-sayers are with a quiet minde to be forborne and by reasons grounded on the truth of holy Scripture to be refuted and convinced and pains must be taken that they may suffer themselves to be bettered by wholsome doctrine as the Apostle giveth 2 Tim. 2. Tit. 3. in charge touching this matter And after other things Besides it is taught that all the people ought to performe obedience and that with a great affection of love toward them to such lawfull godly and faithfull Pastours of souls and that they ought to assure and undoubtedly to perswade themselves very well of them obey them use their helpe in matters pertaining to salvation yeeld them due honour and performe all convenient duties towards them whereunto they are bound by Gods word and that according to the Doctrine of Christ who saith He that Matth. 10. Luk. 10. Iohn 13. Heb. 13. receiveth you receiveth me and he that heareth you heareth me And also in the Epistle to the Hebrews Obey them that have the oversight of you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account for them And the Apostle 1 Tim. 5. Elders that rule well are worthy double honour especially they that are occupied in the Word and Doctrine Furthermore they ought to be provided for that they may have a competent living and such things as are needfull for the maintenance of the body according to the Lords ordinance whereof Paul speaketh after this sort The Lord hath so appointed that they which preach the Gospell 1 Cor. 9. should live of the Gospell And to the end that the danger of an idle secure and * Looke the 5. Observat upon this confession Sodomiticall life may be avoyded and so they may be an example to the flocke whereof they have charge and that by a feeling of the burdens of this common life they may learne to understand the miserie of men and may by this means be touched and have compassion on the miseries of others for these causes I say this is taught that they whose abilitie of strength in such * Looke the 6. Observation upon this confess especially those on whom as yet the greatest and painfullest charge of the people is not laid should themselves with their owne hands get their living that they be not a burden to the Churches especially in the beginning of their buildings and reparations or also in times of long persecution or otherwise by reason of the weaker sort and that they give not place to vaine 2 Cor. 6. 1 Thess 2. 2 Thess 3. voluptuous and riotous sloath as those who faithfully follow Saint Pauls doctrine and who have the Lords speech before their eyes saying it is a more happie thing to give then to take Acts 20. And if so be that some one of these Pastors slip into sin or errors or be somewhat negligent in looking to this charge he ought by the
intercession of Christ the high Priest Thirdly Christ in the institution of the Lords Supper doth not command the Priests to offer for others either quicke or dead upon what ground then or authoritie was this worship ordained in the Church as an offering for sins without any commandement of God But that is yet more grosse and far from all reason that the Masse should be applied to deliver the soules of such as are dead For the Masse was ordained for a remembrance that is that such as received the Supper of the Lord should stirre up and confirme their faith and comfort their distressed consciences with the remembrance of Christs benefits Neither is the Masse a satisfaction for the punishment but it was instituted for the remission of the fault to wit not that it should bee a satisfaction for the fault but that it might be a Sacrament by the use whereof we might be put in minde of the benefit of Christ and the forgivenesse of the fault Seeing therefore that the applying of the Supper of the Lord for the deliverance of the dead is received without warrant of Scripture yea quite contrarie to Scripture it is to be condemned as a new and ungodly worship or service Fourthly a * Looke the 3. observat upon this confession Ceremonie in the new covenant without faith meriteth nothing neither for him that useth it nor for others For it is a dead work according to the saying of Christ The true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth The same doth the 11. Chap. to the Heb. throughout prove By faith Abel offered a better offering unto God Also without faith it is impossible to please God Therefore the Masse doth not merit remission of the fault or of the punishment even for the workes sake performed This reason doth evidently overthrow the merit as they call it which ariseth of the very worke that is done Fifthly the applying of the benefit of Christ is by a mans own faith as Paul witnesseth Rom. 3. Whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood and this applying is made freely And therefore it is not made by another mans work nor for another mans worke For when we use the Sacrament this application is made by our own work and by our own faith and not by another mans work For surely if we could have no remission but by applying of of Masses it should be very uncertain and our faith and trust should be transferred from Christ unto 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 wholly condemned These arguments with sundry other do witnes for us that the opinion of the merit and applying of the Masse for the quick and the dead was for good causes misliked and reproved Now if we would stand to consider how far this error is spread in the Church how the number of Masses increased and how through this sacrifice forgivenes both of the fault and of the punishment is promised to the quick and the dead it will appear that the Church is disfigured with shameful blots by this prophanation There never fel out a waightier cause in the Church O noble Emperour or more worthy for good learned men to debate of it is the duty of all the godly with most fervent prayers to crave at Gods hand that the Church might be delivered from these foule enormities All Kings and Bishops must with all their might endevour that this whole matter may be rightly laid forth and the Church purged Sixtly the institution of a Sacrament is contrary to that abuse For there is not a word set downe of any oblation for the sinnes of the quick and the dead but a commandement to receive the body and bloud of Christ and to doe it in the remembrance of the benefit of Christ This remembrance doth signifie not a bare representing of the history as it were in a shew as they dreame that are the Patrons of merit by reason of the work wrought but it signifieth by faith to remember the promise and benefit to comfort the conscience and to render thanks for so great a blessing For the principall cause of the institution was that our faith might then be stirred up and exercised when we doe receive this pledge of Gods grace Besides the institution ordaineth that there should be a communication that is that the Ministers of the Church should give unto others the body and blood of the Lord. And this order was observed in the Primitive Church Saint Paul is witnesse to the Corinths when as he commandeth That one should stay for another that there might be a common partaking of the Sacrament Now that the abuses of the private Masse be discovered for as much as they all for the most part were used for the application for the sinnes of other men and doe not agree with the institution of Christ therefore they are left off in our Churches And there is one common Masse appointed according to the institution of Christ wherein the Pastors of the Churches * Looke the 4. Observat upon this confession do consecrate themselves and give unto others the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ and this kind of Masse is used every * Looke the 5. observation upon this confession holy day and other daies also if any be desirous to use the Sacrament Yet none are admitted to the communion except they be first tried and examined We adjoyne moreover godly Sermons according as Christ commanded that there should be Sermons when this Ceremonie is used And in such Sermons men are both taught diligently in other Articles and Precepts of the Gospel and also put in minde for what use the Sacrament was instituted to wit not that this Ceremonie could merit for them remission of sinnes by the worke done but that the Sacrament is a testimony and a pledge whereby Christ witnesseth unto us that he performeth his promises And in our Sermons as men are taught diligently concerning other articles and precepts of the Gospel so are they also put in minde for what use the Sacraments were instituted to wit not that the ceremonie should merit remission of sins by the bare work wrought but that the Sacrament should be a testimonie and a pledge whereby Christ doth testifie that he performeth his promise and that his promises pertaine unto us that Christ giveth us his body to testifie that he is effectuall in us as in his members and his blood for a witnesse unto us 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 doe beleeve that remission of sinnes is given them indeed and are thankfull unto Christ for so great a benefit And so the application of the benefit of Christ is not by an other mans worke but by every mans owne
any thing remaine till the next day let them not be kept but with feare and trembling by the diligence of the Clearkes let them be consumed We are not ignorant how they use to delude these words of Clemens by feigning a difference betwixt the worke of those that are ready to die and those that be ready to consecrate But it is evident that the bread which useth to be carried about and to be laid up to be adored is not reserved for those that be weake but in the end is received of them that doe consecrate Cyrill or as others thinke Origen upon the seventh Chapter of Levit. saith For the Lord concerning that bread which he gave to his Disciples said unto them Take it and eate it c. He did not differ it neither did he command it to be reserved till the next day Peradventure there is this mysterie also contained therein that he doth not command the bread to be carried in the high way that thou maist alwaies bring forth the fresh loaves of the word of God which thou carriest within thee c. Out of the Confession of SUEVELAND Of the Eucharist CHAP. 18. AS touching this reverent Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ all those things which the Evangelists Paul and the holy Fathers have left in writing thereof our men doe sincerely teach commend and inculcate and thence they doe with a singular indeavour alwaies publish this goodnesse of Christ towards his whereby he doth no lesse at this day then he did in that his last Supper vouchsafe to give by the Sacraments his true bodie and his true blood to be eaten and to be drunke indeed as the meate and drinke of their soules whereby they may be nourished unto life eternall he giveth it I say to all those who from their hearts have their names to be reckoned among his disciples when as they doe receive this Supper according to his institution so that now he may live and abide in them and they in him and be raised up by him in the last day to a new and immortall life according to those words of eternall truth Take and eate This is my body c. Drinke ye all of this This cup is my blood c. Now our Preachers doe most diligently withdraw the mindes of the people both from all contention and also from all superfluous and curious inquirie unto that which onely is profitable and whereunto onely Christ our Saviour had respect to wit that being fed with him we may live in him and through him and leade such a life as is acceptable to God holy and therefore everlasting and blessed and withall that we among our selves may be one bread and one body which are partakers of one bread in that holy Supper Whereby it cometh to passe that we doe very religiously and with a singular reverence both administer and receive the Divine Sacraments that is the holy Supper of Christ By these things which are thus indeed as we have set them downe your sacred Majestie O most gracious Emperour doth know how falsely our adversaries doe boast that our men doe change the words of Christ and teare them in peeces by humane glosses and that in our Suppers nothing is administred but meere bread and meere wine and also that among us the Supper of the Lord is contemned and rejected For our men doe very carefully teach and exhort that every man doe in a simple faith imbrace these words of the Lord rejecting all devises of men and false glosses and removing away all kinde of wavering doe wholly addict their minde to the true meaning thereof and to conclude doe oftentimes with as great reverence as they may receive the Sacraments to be the lively food of their soules and to stirre up in them a gratefull remembrance of so great a benefit the which thing also useth now to be done among us much more often and reverently then heretofore was used Moreover our Preachers have alwaies hitherto and at this day doe offer themselves with all modestie and truth to render a reason of their faith and doctrine touching all those things which they beleeve and teach as well about the Sacrament as about other things and that not onely to your Sacred Majestie but also to every one that shall demand it Of the Masse CHAP. 19. FVrthermore seeing that after this manner Christ hath instituted his Supper which afterward began to be called the Masse to wit that therein the faithfull being fed with his body and blood unto life eternall should shew forth his death whereby they are redeemed our Preachers by this mean giving thanks and also cōmending this salvation unto others could not chuse but condemne it that these things were every where neglected And on the other side they which do celebrate the Masses do presume to offer up Christ unto his Father for the quicke and the dead and they make the Masse to be such a worke as that by it alone almost the favour of God and salvation is obtained howsoever they doe either beleeve or live Whereupon that most shamefull and twise and thrise impious sale of this Sacrament hath crept in and thereby it is come to passe that nothing at this day is more gainefull then the Masse Therefore they rejected private Masses because the Lord did commend this Sacrament to his Disciples to be used in common Whereupon Paul commandeth the Corinthians when they are to celebrate the holy Supper to stay 1. Cor. 11. one for another and denieth that they doe celebrate the Lords Supper when as every man taketh his own Supper whilest they be eating Moreover whereas they boast that they doe offer up Christ instead of a sacrifice they are therefore condemned of our men because that the Epistle to the Hebrews doth plainly witnesse that as men doe once die so Christ was once offered that he Heb. 5. might take away the sinnes of many and that he can no more be offered againe then he may die againe and therefore having offered one sacrifice for sinnes he sitteth for ever at the right hand of God waiting for that which remaineth to wit that his enemies as it Heb. 10. were a footstoole may be trodden under his feet For with one oblation hath he consecrated for ever them that are sanctified And whereas they have made the Masse to be a good worke whereby any thing may be obtained at Gods hands our Preachers have taught that it is repugnant to that which the Scripture doth teach in every place that we are justified and receive the favour of God by the spirit of Christ and by faith for which matter we alledged before many testimonies out of the Scriptures So in that the death of the Lord is not commended to the people in the Masse our Preachers have shewed that it is contrary to that that Christ commanded to receive these Sacraments in remembrance of himselfe and Paul that we might shew forth the death of
in certaine other things in our Churches yet we doe not disagree in doctrine and faith neither is the unitie and societie of our Churches rent asunder For the Churches have alwaies used their libertie in such rites as being things indifferent which we also do at this day But yet notwithstanding we admonish men to take heed that they count not among things indifferent such as indeed are not indifferent as some use to count the Masse and the use of Images in the Church for things indifferent That is indifferent saith Ierome to Augustine which is neither good nor evill so that whether you doe it or doe it not you are never the more iust or uniust thereby Therefore when things indifferent are wrested to the confession of saith they cease to be free as Paul doth shew that it is lawfull for a man to eate flesh if no man doe admonish him that it was offered to idols for then it is unlawfull because he that eateth it doth seeme to approve idolatry by eating of it Out of the former Confession of HELVETIA Of things indifferent THose things which be called and are properly things indifferent Artic. 25. although a godly man may in all places and at all times use them freely yet he must onely use all things according to knowledge and in charitie to wit to the glory of God and to the edifying of the Church and his neighbours Out of the Confession of BASIL IN this Section also may the tenth Article of this confession be placed which we have partly referred to the first Section where mention is made of humane traditions partly to other Sections as occasion served Out of the Confession of BOHEMIA Of accessories or things indifferent to wit of Ecclesiasticall traditions constitutions rites and ceremonies and of Christian libertie CHAP. 15. TOuching this accessorie kinde humane traditions constitutions and ceremonies brought in by a good custome men are taught that these be things inferiour in degree and lesse necessary then are the gifts of the ordinary Ministerie yea that they be instituted and appointed in regard of the Ecclesiasticall ministery and to serve thereunto and yet that they are with an uniforme consent to be retained in the Ecclesiasticall assemblies of Christian people at the common service of God according to the doctrine of the holy Apostles Let all things be done in your meeting to wit in the Church decently and in order Also God is not the author of Confusion but of peace But they must alwaies be kept with this caveat and within these bounds that they be not taken for foundations whereupon salvation must stay it selfe or for a worship which is appointed of God without any difference and that they doe not rather or more straightly binde the consciences of men then the commandements of God doe and that they be not lifted up or preferred before them but that they be taken for an ornament decency honest shew and laudable discipline and so that they doe not violate the Christian libertie of the Spirit of God and of faith nor disturbe charitie and on the other side that no man by pretending a shew of Christian libertie doe withdraw himselfe from such constitutions as be godly and serve to a good use Now by the name of Christian libertie is chiefly understood Ioh. 8. Rom. 6. Rom. 8. Act. 15. Psal 18. and 110. that libertie whereby through Christ we are freed from sinne and the curse and the yoke of the law secondly the receiving of the Spirit of a ready will or of the voluntary Spirit of the sons of God whereby they doe earnestly and with pleasure and of their owne accord exercise the works of faith toward God and charitie towards Rom. 8. 2 Tim. 1. Iac. 1. their neighbour and by the law of charitie the minde is stirred up to performe these things rather of love then of debt or any compulsion Also whereby we are made free from all bond of conscience to any humane traditions that a man may not be tied in such sort or rather more strictly unto these then to the commandements of God And lastly that no man may suffer his conscience to be seared thereby as with an hot iron Therefore according to these things all those humane traditions and ceremonies which do obscure or take away the glory honour worship and grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and doe withdraw the people from true and sincere faith and in a word in respect whereof the commandements of God are broken neglected and lightly regarded and the word of God is not exercised or handled according to its own sinceritie and truth they are not onely not to be observed but to be avoided For Christ our Lord doth sharply reproove those Pharisees and Masters of the Iews by the name of such rites and traditions and for that they doe observe such Matth. 7. Isa 29. when he saith Very well hath Esay prophecied of you hypocrites as it is written This people honoureth me with their lips but their heart is farre away from me But they worship me in vaine seeing that they teach such doctrine as is delivered and brought in by men For ye lay the commandements of God apart and observe the traditions of men And holy Paul doth admonish us to take heed of such toyes devised by men when he saith Beware lest there be any that spoile you through Philosophy and vaine deceit through the traditions of men according to the rudiments of the world and not after Christ Whereof also there be Canons extant in the Canon law Dist 8. 11. cap consuâ—tud and the words be these We praise custome yet that onely which is knowne to use nothing contrary to the Catholike faith Wherefore those rites onely and those good ceremonies are to be observed which among the people of God doe build up one onely and that a true faith and a sincere worship of God concord charitie and true and Christian or religious peace Therefore whether they have their beginning and be brought in of Bishops or of Ecclesiasticall Councels or of any other Authors whatsoever the simpler sort are not to care for it neither to be mooved or disquieted but to use them to good because they are good and to observe this onely rule therein as alwayes to put their greatest confidence in those things onely which are of God settle their onely and chiefe refuge in those things and withall diligence take heed that they be not withdrawne by such ceremonies from those things which are the chiefest of all and wherein religion is founded and so by consequent from the things themselves For those divine and wholsome things are to be preferred in every respect before all other things of all men and the conscience ought to be bound to them alone For the Lord himselfe did pronounce a woe against those Elders of the Iews who preferred their own traditions before the commandements of God and those which were the lesser
particular cursing to wit of this or that man if the word be taken for a perpetuall and an unrepealable casting out from the Church of God we leave it to God alone and therefore we would not lightly admit it in our Churches For the Church useth onely such a cursing as determineth nothing finally following Saint Paul 1 Cor. 16. 22. Vpon the same Goe and chastise him that is reprove him and admonish him of Observ 4. page 215. his dutie Vpon the confession of Saxonie THe sentence of excommunication c. Looke before in the Observ 1. page 226. 3. Observation upon the Confession of Bohemia in this same Section Vpon the Confession of Wirtemberge HAth authoritie to beare witnesse of the holy Scripture This Observ 1. pag. 228. authoritie and right you must understand in this respect that the true Church of God discerning the Canonicall bookes of the Scripture from all others teacheth and defendeth that nothing is to be added to or taken from the Canon of the old Hebrew or to the new Scripture of the Christians Vpon the same Authoritie to iudge of all doctrines and to interpret Scripture Observ 2. pag. 228. To this we yeeld with these cautions First that in the judging of controversies not any judges whatsoever doe take unto themselves the name of the Church but that as the matter and importance of the cause doth require judges lawfully chosen whether more or fewer whether in an ordinary assembly of a particular Church or in a more generall meeting ordinary or extraordinary provinciall or generall be appointed to judge of the matter Secondly that there be free obedience and free giving of voyces Thirdly that all controversies be determined out of the word of God alone yet so as the fathers judgements be not condemned but laid to the onely rule of Gods word according as they themselves would have us to doe Now the Church is said to judge of doctrine not that it is above the truth of the doctrine or that the doctrine is therefore true because the Church hath so judged but in as much as the Church being taught and confirmed out of the word by the holy Ghost doth acknowledge and hold fast the true doctrine and teach men to hold it fast and condemneth and rejecteth and teacheth to reject all other strange doctrines IN THE ELEVENTH SECTION Vpon the latter Confession of Helvetia ANd such are found among us c. To wit interpreters of the Observ 1. pag. 235. Scriptures that were indued with a speciall gift of the spirit thereunto For as touching the visions of Prophets and those extraordinary motions and inspirations of the holy 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 whole Counsell of God touching our salvation was plainly revealed howbeit God yet can when he will raise it up againe Vpon the same And were also Preachers of the Gospell Such as the Apostles Observ 2. pag. 235. did joyne unto themselves as helpers and sent them now to this place now to that and these also are no more in use since the Churches were setled in good order Of which sort divers are mentioned in the Acts and in the Epistles of the Apostles Vpon the same Bishops were the overseers and watchmen of the Church which Observ 3. page 235. did distribute c. Taking this name for those which in a more strict signification are called Deacons and are distinguished from them which attend upon the preaching of the word Vpon the same Provide things necessary for it To wit spirituall things by Observ 4. page 235. teaching reproving correcting instructing both all in generall and man by man particularly yet tied to their speciall flocks and charges Vpon the same Now the power given to all the Ministers To wit of the word Observ 5. page 235. that is the Pastours and Doctors whose divers functions are afterward more fully set forth Vpon the former Confession of Helvetia BY the voice of God As namely if at any time the lawfull ordinary Observ 1. pag. 242. vocation being quite abolished as it hath fallen out under the Papacie God by his spirit hath extraordinarily raised up certaine 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 doore Vpon the same By the laying on of hands of the Priest By Priest take that they Observ 2. page 242. meane him that is appointed out of the Colledge and companie of the Pastours for to set him that is lawfully chosen as it were into the possession of his ministerie in the sight and presence of the whole Church Now as touching the very rite of this ordination every Church hath it own libertie so that both alike superstition and occasion of superstition be avoided Vpon the Confession of Bohemia BY laying on of hands Looke before the 2. observation upon Observ 1. page 246. the former Confession of Helvetia and looke after in the 14. Chapter of this same Confession and the 1. observation upon this Confession in the 13. Section Vpon the same Hereof speaketh the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews Yet Obsâ—rv 2. page 246. not properly for he disputeth of the Leviticall Priesthood which was abrogated by Christ and not of the ministerie under Christ Vpon the same Are a long time c. Let the reader thus take these words not Observ 3. page 247. as though this same order were prescribed unto all and singular Churches or were observed of all seeing we neither have any commandement touching that matter neither can it every where be performed But that this is very carefully to be looked unto that none but he that is furnished with learning and an approved integritie and uprightnesse be advanced to any Ecclesiasticall functions Vpon the same And Sodomiticall life That is of an unclean life given to riot Observ 4. page 249. and excesse as Ezech. chap. 16. vers 49. chargeth the inhabitants of Sodome Vpon the same Especially those c. Once againe this is to be taken as that Observ 5. page 249. we must know that this law of working with their owne hands is is not prescribed to the Churches Vpon the same Such as are to lay on hands Touching this rite looke before in Observ 6. page 251. the 2. Obser upon the former Confession of Helvetia Vpon the same To each severall Ecclesiasticall societies That is to Presbyteries Observ 7. pag. 252. or Consistories which stand of Pastours and Elders and unto whom properly the dispensing and ordering of the keies and Ecclesiasticall Censures doe belong As afterward is taught in the fifth Observation