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
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
onely inspiration of the lying spirit Vpon the same Do agree with the Canon law c. We would have it declared Obser 2. pag. 446. unto us what manner of law this Canon law is seeing that there be many things both in certaine ancient and especially in the Canons of the Popes flat repugnant to the word of God and to equitie Vpon the same As mortall sins and such as expell the holy Ghost c. why we Observ 3. 446. do think that this also hath need to be more diligently expounded we have shewed not once before Looke the 4. Sect. observ 1. and 2. upon this same Confess Also Sect. 8. observ 4. upon the Confession of Auspurge Vpon the same Where as the words of Christ did speake c. If so be that we Obser 4. pag. 448. should admit that Gospell according to the Egyptians wherein those words be attributed to Christ Vpon the Confession of Wirtemberge ANnd that it is a mysterie c. to wit a spirituall marriage Observ 1. 451. between Christ and his Church and not this carnall or corporall and humane marriage which is not appointed to represent that other which is spirituall Vpon the same The politique laws which are the ordinances of God c. we Obser 2 pag. 451. also do approve the politique laws touching these things so that the consciences be not snared and that which in this contract is meerely divine be administred according to the true word of God being distinguished from civill controversies which fall out in marriage Looke before observation 1. upon the former Confession of Helvetia IN THE NINETEENTH SECTION Vpon the latter Confession of Helvetia VVIth good laws made according to the word of God that is Obser 1. pag. 458. with such as doe not forbid that which God doth command in the morall law and by the voice of nature it selfe nor command that which he forbiddeth For otherwise by the name of the word of God the Iudaicall civill law might also be understood to the which not withstanding we are not bound in so much as it is civill but onely so farre forth as it is grounded upon a generall and perpetuall rule of justice Vpon the former Confession of Helvetia ACcording to iust and divine Laws c. That is agreeable to Observ 1. pag 400. equitie and righteousnesse and to conclude to the law of nature whereof God himselfe is the Author Vpon the same And the oath which we made to him c. That is an oath whereby Obser 2. pag. 460. subjects are bound to their Magistrates Vpon the Confession of Basil IN the number whereof we also desire to be c. These things are Obser 1. pag. 461. spoken in the person of the Magistrates themselves and not of the Pastours of the Church at Basil in so much as this Confession was published in the name of the Magistrates themselves Vpon the Confession of Bohemia THe people is taught that they ought to obey no man more then Obser 1. pag. 464. God This is so farre to be extended as that we must understand that we ought not to obey any in these things which pertaine to the conscience and to salvation but God alone seeing that the Apostle doth not except so much as the Angels themselves Gal. 1. The end of the Harmonie and of the Observations A GENERALL CONFESSION OF THE TRVE CHRISTIAN FAITH and Religion according to Gods Word and Acts of our Parliaments subscribed by the Kings Majestie and his Houshold with sundry others To the glory of God and good example of all men At Edinborough the 28. day of Ianuary The yeere of our Lord 1581. And in the 14. yeere of His Majesties Raigne WE all and every one of us under written protest that after long and due examination of our owne consciences in matters of true and false Religion are now throughly resolved in the truth by the Word and spirit of God And therefore we beleeve with our hearts confesse with our mouthes subscribe with our hands and constantly affirme before God and the whole world that this onely is the true Christian faith and religion pleasing God and bringing salvation to man which is now by the mercie of God revealed to the world by the preaching of the blessed Evangell and is received beleeved and defended by many and sundry notable Churches and Realms but chiefly by the Church of Scotland the Kings Majestie and three Estates of this Realm as Gods eternall truth and onely ground of our salvation as more particularly is expressed in the Confession of our Faith established and publikely confirmed by sundry Acts of Parliaments and now of a long time hath been openly professed by the Kings Majestie and whole body of this Realm both in burgh and land To the which confession and form of Religion we willingly agree in our consciences in all points as unto Gods undoubted truth and verity grounded onely upon his written word And therefore we abhorre and detest all contrary religion and doctrin but chiefly all kinde of Papistry in generall and particular heads even as they are now damned and confuted by the word of God and Church of Scotland but especially we detest and refuse the usurped authoritie of that Romane Antichrist upon the Scriptures of God upon the Church the civill Magistrate and conscience of men all his tyrannous Laws made upon indifferent things against our Christian liberty his erronious doctrin against the sufficiencie of the written word the perfection of the law the office of Christ and his blessed Evangell his corrupted doctrin concerning originall sin our naturall inabilitie and rebellion to Gods law our justification by faith onely our imperfect sanctification and obedience to the law the nature number and use of the holy Sacraments his five bastard sacraments with all his rites ceremonies and false doctrin added to the administration of the true Sacraments without the word of God his cruell judgement against infants departing without the Sacrament his absolute necessitie of Baptisme his blasphemous opinion of transubstantiation or reall presence of Christs body in the elements and receiving of the same by the wicked or bodies of men his dispensations with solemn oathes perjuries and degrees of marriage forbidden in the word his crueltie against the innocent divorced his devilish Masse his blasphemous Priesthood his prophane sacrifice for the sins of the dead and the quick his Canonization of men calling upon Angels or Saints departed worshipping of Images reliques and crosses dedicating of Churches Altars Daies Vows to creatures his Purgatory prayers for the dead praying or speaking in a strange language with his processions and blasphemous Letany and multitude of Advocates or Mediatours his manifold orders Auricular confession his dispersed uncertain repentance his generall and doubt some faith his satisfactions of men for their sins his justification by works Opus Operatum works of supererogation merits pardons peregrinations and stations his holy
holden But if it once come to passe and the Lord grant that the Churches may at length injoy so great a benefit then there may be one onely confession of faith extant conceived in the same words if the state of the Churches shall seeme to require it Let them therefore leave of in mockage to terme us Confessionists unlesse perhaps they looke for this answer at our hands that it is a farre more excellent thing to beare a name of confessing the faith then of denying the truth For even as moe small streames may flow from one spring so moe confessions of faith may issue out from one and the same truth of faith Now to speake somewhat also of those who while they will seeme to embrace the truth of the Gospell and renounce popish errours shew themselves more unjust towards us then was meet they should we are compelled to finde want of Christian charitie in them This one thing in deed was remaining that after so many dangers losses banishments down-fals woes without number griefs and torments we should also be evill intreated by those of whom some comfort was rather to be looked for But that ancient enemie of the Church is farre deceived by whose subtilties this evill is also wrought for us while he hopeth that we may by his crafts be overwhelmed But bearing our selves bold on that love which the mercifull God through Iesus Christ our Lord beareth unto us and who hath planted a love and feare of him in our mindes we leap for joy in these very things and boast with the Apostle that it will never be the same grace of God alwaies preventing us that tribulation anguish hunger nakednesse the sword false accusation or cursed speaking shall withdraw us from the truth once knowne and undertaken For we know that saying of Chrysostome to be true It is not evill to suffer but to doe evill Neither are we any whit disgraced hereby but they whom I know not what distemperature whetteth against us having deserved nothing and to repay them like for like quitting rayling with rayling far be it from us whom God vouchsafeth this honour that being fashioned like to the image his Son we might through good report and evill report walke on upholden with the stay of a good conscience yea we have resolved with our selves not only to abide the open wrongs of our enemies but even the disdaine of our brethren although never so unjust And what we furthermore thinke of the doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ the confession of our faith set forth many yeers agoe hath made it known to the whole world and we have God and Angels together with men witnesses of that sincere endeavour by which we laboured and doe as yet to the uttermost of our power labour to set up againe and maintaine the pure worship of God among us on t of Gods word And even as we shewed our selves to be ready at all times to render a reason of the hope that is in us so we thought it a matter worth the pains to make all men privie to that bond which one our part is very straight with the holy and truly Catholike Church of God with every Saint and sound member thereof that so farre as we can we might deliver partly our selves partly the Churches joyned with us from those most grievous crimes by which some mens speeches and books are laid to our charge And when we bethought our selves by what means it might best be done this especially for the present time seemed a meet way unto us which would give offence to no man and might satisfie all that would yeeld unto reason namely to publish this Harmonie of confessions whereby it might sufficiently be understood how falsely we are charged as though we that have rejected popish errors agreed not at all among our selves For to begin with those stout maintainers of the Romish tyrannie who will yet seeme to be defenders of the truth this conference of confessions will plucke every visard from their faces when as it shall plainly appear that all the opinions in these confessions of faith were in other sundry words so laid down that yet the same truth alwaies abideth and there is none at all or very little difference in the things themselves And how narrow must they needs perceive the bounds of that their Catholike Church to be when it shall be openly known that so many kingdomes provinces cities peoples and nations professing the truth of the Gospel doe with common consent renounce the abuses and orders of the Romish Church As for those whom without any desert it pleaseth to count us among the Arrians and Turks they shall see also how farre through the benefit of God we be from such hainous and wicked errours And they also who accuse us of sedition shall perceive how reverently we thinke of the dignitie of Kings and the Magistrates authoritie and they to conclude that not being content with those publike confessions of the Churches of Germanie may by laying against us that forme of new agreement seeme worthily more and more to sever themselves from us and who have alreadie very pithily been refuted by most learned writings they also shall if true agreement be earnestly sought be satisfied with this Harmony For that we may freely say as it is indeed that long ranck of names sealed and written at that booke is such that it seemeth rather to stand idly in the field then to fight manfully And if it had pleased us to follow this pollicie wee might have set downe the names not of seven or eight thousand meane men most famous Princes and some other excepted of whom it may worthily be doubted whether there ever were any such or what they were but also the names of farre moe Churches And this our diligence had beene farre more commendable namely being bestowed not in wringing out and begging from village to village some hundreds of names but in laying out the opinions of most gracious Kings most renowned Princes of noble nations and peoples of most mighty common-wealths and Cities of which a great part hath not been used to dispute in corners or to trifle but hath knowne these many yeeres how even unto blood to suffer many and grievous things for Gods truth sake But we know that the truth hath not it warrant from men nor by men it is simple it will be simply published and taught Therefore we are purposed for this time not to deale by any long disputation with any man but barely to open the meaning of the reformed Churches to knit all the Churches of Christ together with one bond of brotherly love to keepe peace with all men and so farre as it ought to be done to judge well of all men yea and to intreat those who think somewhat too hardly of us that if we disagree from the Confession of no Church that doth truely beleeve they would themselves also beginne to be of the same minde with us and
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
FRENCH Confession THis one God hath revealed himselfe to be such a one unto men first in the creation preservation and governing of his workes secondly farre more plainly in his word which Artic. 2. word in the beginning he revealed to the fathers by certaine visions and oracles and then caused it to be written in these bookes which we call holy Scripture All this holy Scripture is contained in the Canonicall books Artic 3. of the old and New Testament The Catalogue whereof is this The five bookes of Moses namely Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomie Iosua Judges Ruth two bookes of Samuell two bookes of the Kings two bookes of Chronicles or Paralipomenon one book of Esdras Nehemiah Ester Iob the Psalmes Solomons Proverbs Ecclesiastes the Song of Songs Esay Ieremie with the Lamentations Ezechiel Daniel the 12. small Prophets namely Ose Ioel Amos Abdiah Ionah Michea Nahum Abacuc Sophon Haggaie Zacharie Malachie the holy Gospel of Iesus Christ according to Matthew Marke Luke and Iohn the Acts of the Apostles Pauls Epistles namely one to the Romanes two to the Corinthians one to the Galathians one to the Ephesians one to the Philippians one to the Collossians two to the Thessalonians two to Timothie one to Titus one to Philemon the Epistle to the Hebrews the Epistle of Iames two Epistles of Peter three Epistles of Iohn one Epistle of Iude Iohns Revelation We acknowledge these bookes to be Canonicall that is we Arâ—ic 4. account them as the rule square of our faith and that not only for the common consent of the Church but also much more for the testimonie and inward perswasion of the Holy Ghost by whose inspiration we are taught to discerne them from other Ecclesiasticall bookes which howsoever they may bee profitable yet are they not such that any one article of faith may be builded upon them We beleeve that the word contained in these books came Artic. 5. from one God of whom alone and not of men the authority thereof dependeth And seeing this is the summe of all truth conteining whatsoever is required for the worship of God and our saâ—vation we hold it not lawfull for men no not for the Angels themselves to adde or detract any thing from that word or to alter any whit at all in the same And hereupon it followeth that it is not lawfull to oppose either antiquitie custome multitude mans wisedome and judgement edicts or any deerees or Councels or visions or miracles unto this holy Scripture but rather that all things ought to be examined and tried by the rule and square thereof Wherefore we doe for this cause also allow those three Creeds namely the Apostles the Nicen and Athanasius his Creed because they be agreeable to the written Word of God Out of the ENGLISH Confession VVE receive and embrace all the Canonicall Scriptures Artic. 10. both of the Old and New Testament giving thankes to our God who hath raised up unto us that light which we might ever have before our eyes lest either by the subtiltie of man or by the snares of the devill we should be carried away to errors and lies Also we professe that these be the heavenly voyces whereby God hath opened unto us his will and that onely in them mans heart can have setled rest that in them be abundantly and fully comprehended all things whatsoever be needfull for our helpe as Origen Augustine Chrysostome and Cyrillus have taught That they be the very might and strength to attain to salvation that they be the foundations of the Prophets and Apostles Whereupon is built the Church of God that they be the very sure and infallible rule whereby may be tried whether the Church doe swerve or erre and whereunto all Ecclesiasticall doctrine ought to be called to account and that against these Scriptures neither law nor ordinance nor any custome ought to be heard no though Paul himselfe or an Angel from heaven should come and teach the contrary Out of the Confession of BELGIA HE hath revealed himselfe much more plainly in his holy Aâ—tic 2. Sub fiâ—em Word so farre forth as it is expedient for his owne glory and the salvation of his in this life We confesse that this Word of God was not brought or delivered Artic 3. by any will of man but that holy men of God inspired by Gods holy Spirit spake it as S. Peter witnesseth but afterward God himself for that exceeding teÌ„der carefulnes which he hath of his and of their salvation gave in Commission to his servants the Apostles and Prophets that they should put those oracles in writing and he himselfe also wrote the two Tables of the Law with his own finger which is the cause why we call such writings sacred and divine Scripture And we comprehend the holy Scripture in those two books of the Old and New Testament which are called the canonicall Artic. 4. bookes about which there was never any adoe And of them this is the number and also the order received of the Church of God The five bookes of Moses the book of Iosua of the Iudges of Ruth two books of Samuel two of the Kings two of the Chronicles which are called Paraâ—ipomena the first of Esdras Nehemiah Ester Iob also Davids Psalmes three books of Solomon namely the Proverbs Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs the foure great Prophets Esay Ieremie Ezekiell and Daniel and further more also the 12. small Prophets moreover the Canonicall bookes of the New Testament are the foure Evangelists namely Saint Matthew Marke Luke and Iohn the Acts of the Apostles the 14. Epistles of Saint Paul and seven of the other Apostles the Revelation of Saint Iohn the Apostle These books alone doe we Artic. 5. receive as sacred and canonical whereupon our faith may rest be confirmed and established therfore without any doubt we beleeve also those things which are contained in them and that not so much because the Church receiveth and alloweth them for Canonicall as for that the holy Ghost beareth witnes to our consciences that they came from God and most of all for that they also testifie and justifie by themselves this their owne sacred authoritie and sanctitie seeing that even the blinde may clearely behold and as it were feele the fulfilling and accomplishment of all things which were foretold in these writings We furthermore make a difference betweene the holy Artic. 6. bookes and those which they call Apocriphall for so much as the Apocriphall may be read in the Church and it is lawfull also so farre to gather instructions out of them as they agree with the Canonicall bookes but their authoritie and certaintie is not such as that any doctrine touching faith or Christian Religion may safely be built upon their testimonie so farre off is it that they can disanull or impaire the authoritie of the other We beleeve also that this holy Scripture doth most perfectly Artiâ— 7. containe
or vaine unmooveable rotten and dead pictures of all men whatsoever of which the Prophet spake truly They have eyes and see not c. Psal 115. Therefore we approove the judgement of Lactantius an ancient writer who saith Vndoubtedly there is no religion wheresoever there is a picture And we affirme that the blessed Bishop Epiphanius did well who finding on the Church doores a vaile that had painted in it the picture as it might be of Christ or of some other Saint he cut and tooke it away For that contrary to the authoritie of the Scriptures he had seene the picture of a man to hang in the Church of Christ and therefore he charged that from thence forth nosuch vailes which were contrary to our religion should be hanged up in the Church of Christ but that rather such scruple should be taken away which was unworthy the Church of Christ and all faithfull people Moreover we approove this sentence of S. Augustine Cap. 55. de ver a relig Let not the worship of mesn works be a religion unto us For the workmen themselves that make such things are better whom yet we ought not to worship Of the adoring worshipping and invocating of God through the onely Mediatour Jesus Christ CHAP. V. VVE teach men to adore and worship the true God alone this honour we impart to none according to the commandement of the Lord thou shalt adore the Lord thy God and Matth. 4. him alone shalt thou worship or him onely shalt thou serve Surely all the Prophets inveighed earnestly against the people of Israel whensoever they did adore and worship strange gods and not the one onely true God But we teach that God is to be adored and worshipped as himselfe hath taught us to worship him to weete in spirit and truth not with any superstition but with sinceritie Iohn 5. Isa 66. Ier. 7. Acts 17. according to his word lest at any time he also say unto us who hath required these things at your hands For Paul also saith God is not worshiped with mans hands as though he needed any thing c. We in all dangers and casualties of our life call on him alone and that by the mediation of the onely Mediatour and our intercessour Iesus Christ For it is expresly commanded us Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Psal 50. Moreover the Lord hath made a most large promise saying whatsoever ye shall aske of my Father he shall give it you And againe Iohn 16. Matth. 11. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavie laden and I will refresh you And seeing it is written How shall they call upon him in Rom. 10. whom they have not beleeved and we doe beleeve in God alone therefore we call upon him onely and that through Christ For there is one God saith the Apostle and one Mediatour betweene 1 Tim. 2. 1 Iohn 2. God and men Christ Iesus Againe If any man sinne we have an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous c. Therefore we doe neither adore worship nor pray unto the Saints in heaven or to other Gods neither doe we acknowledge them for our intercessours or Mediatours before the Father in heaven For God and the Mediatour Christ doe suffice us neither doe we impart unto others the honour due to God alone and to his Sonne because he hath plainly said I will not give my glory to another and Isa 42. Acts 4. because Peter hath said There is no other name given unto men whereby they must be saved but the name of Christ In which doubtlesse they that rest by faith doe not seeke any thing without Christ Yet for all that we doe neither despise the Saints nor thinke basely of them For we acknowledge them to be the lively members of Christ the friends of God who have gloriously overcome the flesh and the world We therefore love them as brethren and honour them also yet not with any worship but with an honourable opinion of them and to conclude with their just praises We also doe imitate them For we desire with most earnest affections and prayers to be followers of their faith and vertues to be partakers also with them of everlasting salvation to dwell together with them everlastingly with God and to rejoyce with them in Christ And in this point we approve that saying of Saint Augustine in his booke De verarelig Let not the worship of men departed be any religion unto us For if they have lived holily they are not so to be esteemed as that they seeke such honours but they will have us to worship him by whose illumination they reioyce that we are fellow servants as touching the reward They are therefore to be honoured for imitation not to be worshipped for religions sake c. And we much lesse beleeve that the reliques of Saints are to be adored or worshipped Those ancient holy men seemed sufficiently to have honoured their dead if they had honestly committed their bodies to the earth after that the soule was gone up into heaven and they thought that the most noble reliques of their ancestours were their vertues doctrine and faith which as they commended with the praise of the dead so they did endevour to expresse the same so long as they lived upon earth Those ancient men did not sweare by the name of the onely Iehova as it is commanded by the Law of God Therefore as we are forbidden To sweare by the name of strange Gods so we doe not sweare by Deut. 10. Exod. 23. Saints although we be requested thereunto We therefore in all these things doe reject that doctrine which giveth too much unto the Saints in heaven Out of the former Confession of HELVETIA VVE thus thinke of God that he is one in substance three in Artic. 6. persons and almightie Who as he hath by the word that is his Sonne made all things of nothing so by his spirit and providence he doth justly truely and most wisely governe preserve and cherish all things Who as he is the onely Mediatour intercessour and sacrifice Artic. 11. also our high Priest Lord and King so we acknowledge and with the whole heart beleeve that he alone is our attonement redemption satisfaction expiation wisedome protection and deliverance simply rejecting herein all meanes of life and salvation besides this Christ alone Out of the Confession of BASILL VVE beleeve in God the Father in God the Sonne in God Artic. 1. the holy Ghost the holy divine Trinitie three Persons and one eternall Almightie God in essence and substance and not three Gods And in the marginall note is added This is proved Artic. 10. by many places of the whole Scripture of the old and new Testament Therefore we mislike the worship and invocation of dead men the worshipping of Saints and setting up of Images with such like things And in
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
onely as by testimonies of the holy Scripture the holy Fathers have declared in the Councels held at Nice Ephesus and Chalcedon Therefore we detest every heresie which is repugnant to this doctrine of the Son of God Out of the Confession of SUEVELAND ALso we beleeve that our Saviour Iesus Christ being true God was also made true man his natures not being confounded but so united in one and the same person that they shall never hereafter be dissolved Neither doe we differ any thing in those points which the Church being taught out of the holy Gospels doth beleeve concerning our Saviour Iesus Christ conceived of the holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary and who at the length after he had discharged the office of preaching the Gospell died on the crosse and was buried and descended into hell and the third day he was called backe from the dead unto life eternall the which life when he had by divers arguments prooved unto witnesses hereunto appointed he was carried up into heaven to the right hand of his Father from whence we looke that he should come to judge the quick and the dead In the meane time let us acknowledge that he is neverthelesse present with his Church that he doth renew and sanctifie it and as his onely beloved Spouse beautifie it with all sorts of ornaments of vertues and in these things we doe nothing varie from the Fathers nor from the common consent of Christians we thinke it sufficient after this sort to testifie our faith THE SEVENTH SECTION OF THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL The latter Confession of HELVETIA Of the Law of God CHAP. 12. WE teach that the will of God is set downe unto us in the Law of God to wit what he would have us to doe or not to doe what is good and just or what is evill and unjust We therefore confesse that the Law is good and holy and that this Law is by the finger of God either either written in the hearts of men and so is called the law of nature or ingraven in the two Tables of Exod 20. Deut. 5. stone and more largely expounded in the bookes of Moses For plainnes sake we divide it unto the moral law which is contained in the commandements or the two tables expounded in the books of Moses and into the ceremoniall which doth appoint ceremonies and the worship of God and into the judiciall law which is occupied about politicall and domesticall affaires We beleeve that the * Looke the 1. Observat upon this confession Deut. 4. 12. whole will of God and all necessarie precepts for every part of this life is fully delivered in this law For otherwise the Lord would not have forbidden That any thing should bi either added or taken away from this law Neither would he have commanded us to goe straight forward in this and Notto decline out of the way either to the right hand or to the left We teach that this law was not given to men that we should be justified by keeping it but that by the knowledge thereof we might rather acknowledge our infirmitie sinne and condemnation and so dispairing of our owne strength might turne unto Christ by faith For the Apostle saith plainely The law worketh Rom. 3. 4. Gal. 3. wrath and by the law cometh knowledge of sinne And If there had beene a law given which could have iustified and given us life surely righteousnesse should have beene by the law But the spirit to wit of the law hath concluded all under sinne that the promise by the faith of Jesus Christ should be given to them which beleeve Therefore the law was our Schoolemaster to Christ that we might bee iustified by faith For neither could there ever neither at this day can * Looke the second observat upon this confession Rom. 8. any flesh satisfie the law of God and fulfill it by reason of the weakenesse in our flesh which remaineth and sticketh fast in us even to our last breath For the Apostle saith againe That which the law could not performe in as much as it was weake through the flesh that did God performe sending his owne Sonne in similitude of flâ—sh subiect to sinne Therefore Christ is the perfiter of the law and our fulfilling of it who as he tooke away the curse of the law when he was made a curse for us so doth he communicate unto Gal. 3. us by faith his fulfilling thereof and his righteousnesse and obedience is imputed unto us The law of God therefore is * Looke the 3. Observâ—tion on this Confession thus farre abrogated as that it doth not henceforth condemne us neither worke wrath in us For we are under grace and not under the law Moreover Christ did fulfill all the figures of the law Wherefore the shadow ceased when the body came so that in Christ we have now all truth and fulnesse Yet we doe not therefore disdaine or reject the law We remember the words of the Lord saying I came not to destroy the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them We know that * Looke the 4. Observat in the law are described unto us the kinds of vertues and vices We know that the Scripture of the law * Looke the 5. Observat if it be expounded by the Gospel is very profitable to the Church and that therefore the reading of it is not to be banished out of the Church For although the countenance of Moses was covered with a vaile yet the Apostle affirmeth that the vaile is taken away and abolished by Christ We condemne all things which the old or new heretikes have taught against the law of God Of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and also of promises of the spirit and of the letter CHAP. 13. THe Gospel indeed is opposed to the law for the law worketh wrath and doth denounce a curse but the Gospel doth preach grace and a blessing Iohn saith also The law was given by Iohn 2. Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ Yet notwithstanding it is most certaine that they which were before the law and under the law were not altogether destiture of the Gospel For they had notable Evangelicall promises such as these are The seede of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head In thy seede Gen. 3. Gen. 22. Gen. 49. Deut. 18. Acts. 3. shall all the nations of the earth be blessed The scepter shall not be taken from Iuda untill Silocome The Lord shall raise up a Prophet from amongst his owne brethren c. And we doe acknowledge that the fathers had two kinde of promises revealed unto them even as we have For some of them were of present and transitorie things such as were the promises of the land of Canaan and of victories and such as are now a dayes concerning our daily bread Othersome there were then and also are now of heavenly and everlasting things as of Gods favour remission of sinnes
commanded in the law which they call the workes of supererrogation it is contrary to the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles and it is repugnant to the judgement of the true Catholike Church For the law was not given to this end to signifie that man might perfectly fulfill the Commandements thereof in this life but to shew to man his imperfection and to testifie of the unrighteousnesse of man and of the wrath of God against all men and to stirre them up to seeke remission of their sinnes righteousnesse and salvation by faith in the onely Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 3. By the law cometh the knowledge of sinne And Rom. 7. The law is spirituall but I am carnall sold under sin And Rom. 8. The wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God For it is not subiect to the law of God neither indeed can be And Gal. 3. Cursed is every man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the law to doe them Augustine saith This De Spiritu litera cap. 36. first commandement of iustice wherein we are commanded to love the Lord with all our heart with all our soule and with all our mind whereupon followeth that other commandement of loving our neighbour we shalt fulfill in that Life where we shall see him face to face But therefore it is even now also commanded unto us that we might be admonished what is behoveth us to riquire by faith whither to send our hope before hand and by forgetting those things which are behinde what fore things we should stretch our selves unto And hereby so farre as I can iudge he hath profited much in this life in that righteousnesse which is to be perfited who by profiting doth know how farre he is from the perfection of righteousnesse And againe Charitie is a vertue whereby that is loved which is to be beloved This is in some greater in others lesser and in some none at August Icronim Epist 29. all But the most absolute love which now cannot be increased so long as a man liveth here is not to be found in any man For so long as it may be increased that which is lesse then it ought to be cometh of our corruption by reason of which corruption there is not a iust man in the earth that doth good and sinneth not by reason of which corruption no flesh living shall be iustified in the sight of God for which corruptions sake If we say that we have no sinne we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us for the which also though we profit never so much yet it is necessary for us to say Forgive us on debts although all our words deeds and thoughts are already forgiven us in baptisme And againe All the Commandements of God Lib. 1. Retract cap. 19. are counted as done when as whatsoever is not done is notwithstanding pardoned And Jerome saith This is onely perfection unto men if they know that they are perfect This is the true wisedome of man to know that he is imperfect and that I may so speake the perfection of all iust men in the flesh is imperfect Of the Gospel of Christ CHAP. 8. ALthough many precepts of the law of God be conteined in the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles and Christ himselfe doth teach that we must not render evill for evill nor lock upon a woman want only and such like yet we must not thinke that the Gospel of Christ is a new law whereby as the fathers in times past were saved under the Old Testament by the old law so men now under the New Testament should be saved by a new law For except a man take the name of the law generally for doctrine as the Prophets now and then doe use the name of the law certainly the Gospel of Christ is not properly a law as Paul doth commonly use the name of the law but it is a good and joyfull message touching the sionne of God our Lord Iesus Christ that he onely is the purger of our sinnes the appeaser of the wrath of God and our Redeemer and Saviour Neither are the commandements of the law which are contained in the Apostles writings any new law but they are an interpretation of the old law according to the judgement of the holy Ghost which also were to be seene before and that not obscurely in the writings of the Prophets But they are repeated in the preaching of the Gospel of Christ that the severitie of the law of God and the corruption of our nature being declared we might be stirred up to seeke and embrace Christ revealed in his Gospel and that we may know after what rule we are to frame our life through faith in Christ Wherefore if we will speak properly of the law of God and Gospel of Christ as of Christ we are not to make a new lawgiver seeing that he neither hath made a new law nor instituted a new politike kingdome in this earth so must we not make a new law of the Gospel which by more hard and severe commandements doth bring eternall salvation to the doers thereof But we thinke it to be most certaine that the naturall or morall law of the old and new Testament is one and the same and that neither the men which lived under the old Testament nor those which lived under the new Testament doe obtaine eternall salvation for the merit of the workes of the law but onely for the merit of our Lord Iesus Christ through faith Christ out of Isaiah doth recite his office for the which he was sent into the earth The Spirit of the Lord saith he is upon me bâ—cause Luke 4. he hath annointed me he hath sent me to preach the Gospel to the poore c. Here Christ teacheth that his proper office is not to make a new law which should terrifie and kill miserable sinners but to preach the Gospel which might comfort and quicken sinners Gal. 4. When the fulnesse of time was come God sent his Son made of a woman and made under the law that he might redeeme them which were under the law and that we by adoption might receive the right of sonnes And Acts 15. it is said Why tempt yee God to lay an yoke on the Disciples neckes which neither our fathers nor we were able to beare but we beleeve through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to be saved even as they c. And Augustine saith That people which received the old Testament was Contra Adimantum Manichaei discipulum cap. 3 held under certaine shadowes and figures of things before the coming of the Lord according to the wonderfull and most orderly division of times Yet therein was so great preaching and foretelling of the new Testament that in the Evangelicall and Apostolike discipline though it be painefull and divine no commandements or promises can be found which are wanting even in those old boookes
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
setting forth of the truth and to the end that such as are not approved might be manifest Now as we acknowledge no other head of the Church then Christ so we doe not acknowledg every church to be the true church which vaunteth her selfe so to be but we teach that to be the true Church indeed in which the markes and tokens of the true church are to be found First and chiefly the lawfull or sincere preaching of the word of God as it is left unto us in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles which do all seeme to leade us unto Christ who in the Gospel hath said My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them â— Iohn 10. and they follow me and I give unto them eternall life A stranger they doe not heare but flie from him because they know not his voyce And they that are such in the Church of God have all but one faith and one spirit and therefore they worship but one God and him alone they serve in spirit and in truth loving him with all their hearts and with all their strength praying unto him alone through Jesus Christ the onely Mediatour and Intercessour and they seeke not life or justice but onely in Christ and by faith in him because they doe acknowledge Christ the onely head and foundation of his Church and being surely founded on him doe daily repaire themselves by repentance and doe with patience beare the crosse laid upon them and besides by unfeigned love joyning themselves to all the members of Christ doe thereby declare themselves to be the disciples of Christ by continuing in the bond of peace and holy unitie they do withall communicate in the Sacraments ordained by Christ and delivered unto us by his Apostles using them in no other manner then as they received them from the Lord himselfe That saying of the Apostle Paul is well knowne to all I received from the Lord that which I delivered 1 Cor 11. unto you For which cause we condemne all such churches as strangers from the true church of Christ who are not such as we have heard they ought to be howsoever in the meane time they bragge of the succession of Bishops of unitie and of antiquitie Moreover we have in charge from the Apostles of Christ To shunne Idolatrie and to come out of Babylon and to have no fellowship 1 Cor. 10. 1 Iohn 5. Apoc. 18. 2 Cor. 6. with her unlesse we meane to be partakers with her of all Gods plagues laid upon her But as for communicating with the true church of Christ we so highly esteeme of it that wee say plainly that none can live before God which doe not communicate with the true church of God but separate themselves from the same For as without the Arke of Noah there was no escaping when the world perished in the flood even so doe we beleeve that without Christ who in the church offereth himselfe to be enjoyed of the elect there can be no certaine salvation and therefore we teach that such as would be saved must in no wise separate themselves from the true Church of Christ But yet we doe not so strictly shut up the church within those markes before mentioned as thereby to exclude all those out of it which either doe not communicate in the Sacraments by reason that they want them or else not willingly nor upon contempt but being constrained by necessitie doe against their wils abstain from them or in whom faith doth sometimes faile though not quite decay nor altogether die or in whom some slips and errours of infirmitie may be found for we know that God had some friends in the world that were not of the common wealth of Israel We know what befell the people of God in the captivity of Babylon where they wanted their sacrifices seventy yeers We know very well what hapned to Saint Peter who denied his Master and what is wont daily to fall out among the faithfull and chosen of God which goe astray and are full of infirmities We know moreover what manner of Churches the Churches at Galatia and Corinth were in the Apostles time in which the Apostle Paul condemneth divers great and heinous crimes yet he calleth them the holy Churches of Christ Yea and it falleth out sometimes that God in his just judgement suffereth the truth of his word and the Catholike Faith and his owne true worship to be so obscured and defaced that the church seemeth almost quite rased out and not so much as a face of a church to remaine as we see fell out in the dayes of Eliah and at other times And yet in 1 Reg. 19. Apoc. 7. the meane time the Lord hath in this world even in this darkenesse his true worshippers and those not a few but even seven thousand and more For the Apostle crieth The foundation of the 2 Tim. 2. Lord standeth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are his c. Whereupon the Church of God may be tearmed invisible not that the men whereof it consisteth are invisible but because it being hidden from our sight and knowne onely unto God it cannot be discerned by the judgement of man Againe not all that are reckoned in the number of the church are Saints and the lively and true members of the church for there be many hypocrites which outwardly doe heare the word of God and publikely receive the Sacraments and beare a shew to pray unto God alone through Christ to confesse Christ to be their onely righteousnesse and doe seeme outwardly to worship God and to exercise the duties of charitie to the brethren and for a while through patience to indure in troubles and calamities And yet they are altogether destitute of the inward illumination of the spirit of God of faith and sinceritie of heart and of perseverance or continuance to the end And these men are for the most part at the length laid open what they be For the Apostle John saith They went out from among us but they were not of us 1 Iohn 2. for if they had beene of us they would have tarried with us Yet these men whilest they doe pretend religion they are accounted to be in the church howsoever indeed they be not of the church Even as traitours in a commonwealth before they be detected are counted in the number of good Citizens and as the cockle and darnell and chaffe are found amongst the wheate and as wennes and swellings are in a perfect body when they are rather diseases and deformities then true members of the body And therefore the Matth. 13. church is very well compared to a draw net which draweth up fishes of all sorts and to a field wherein is found both darnell and good corne We are to have a speciall regard that we judge not rashly before the time nor goe about to exclude cast off and cut away them whom the Lord would not have excluded nor cut off or
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
signe is bread and wine taken from things commonly used for meate and drinke The thing signified is the body of Christ which was given and his bloud which was shed for us and the communion of the body and bloud of the Lord wherefore the water bread and wine considered in their owne nature and out of this holy use and institution of the Lord they are onely that which they are called and which they were said then to be But let the word of God be once added to them together with invocation upon his holy name and the renewing of their first institution and sanctification and then these signes are consecrated and declared to be sanctified by Christ For Christs first institution and consecration of the Sacraments standeth yet in force in the Church of God in such sort that they which celebrate the sacraments no otherwise then the Lord himselfe from the beginning hath appointed have still even to this day the use and benefit of that first and most excellent consecration And for this cause in the administration of the Sacraments the very words of Christ are repeated And forasmuch as we learne out of the word of God that these signes were appointed unto an other end and use then commonly they are used unto therefore we teach that they now in this their holy use doe take upon them the names of things signified and are not still called bare water bread or wine but water is called regeneration and washing of the new birth and the bread and wine the body and bloud of the Lord or the pledges and Sacraments of his body and bloud not that the signes are turned into the things signified or cease to be that which in their owne nature they are for then they could not be Sacraments which should consist onely of the thing signified and have no signes but therefore doe the signes beare the names of the things because they be mysticall tokens of holy things and because that the signes and the things signified are sacramentally joyned together joyned together I say or united by a mysticall signification and by the purpose and will of him who first instituted them For the water bread and wine are not common but holy signes And he that instituted water in Baptisme did not institute it with that minde and purpose that the faithfull should onely be dipped in the water of baptisme and he which in the Supper commanded the bread to be eaten and the wine to be drunke did not meane that the faithfull should onely receive bread and wine without any further mystery as they eate bread at home in their owne houses but that they should spiritually be partakers of the things signified and by faith be truely purged from their sinne and be partakers of Christ also And therefore we cannot allow of them which attribute the consecration of the Sacraments to I know not what syllables to the rehearfall of certaine words pronounced by him that is consecrated and that hath an intent of consecrating or to some other accidentall things which are not left unto us either by the word of by the example of Christ or his Apostles We doe also mislike the doctrine of those that speake no other wise of the Sacraments then of common signes not sanctified nor effectuall We condemne them also who because of the invisible things doe despist the visible signes and thinke them superfluous because they doe alreadie enjoy the things themselves such were the Messalians as it is recorded We doe disallow their doctrine also who teach that grace and the things signified are to be so tied and included in the signes that whosoever doe outwardly receive the signes must needs inwardly participate the grace and the things signified what manner of men soever they be Notwithstanding as we esteeme not the goodnesse of the Sacraments by the worthinesse or unworthinesse of the Ministers so likewise we doe not weigh them by the condition of the receivers For we know that the goodnesse of the Sacraments doth depend upon the faithfulnesse or truth and the meere goodnesse of God For even as Gods word remaineth the true word of God wherein not onely bare words are uttered when it is preached but there withall the things signified by the words are offered of God although the wicked and unbeleevers heare and understand the words yet they enjoy not the things signified because they receive them not by a true faith Even so the Sacraments consisting of the word the signes and the things signified continue true and perfect Sacraments not onely because they be holy things but also for that God also offereth the things signified howsoever the unbeleevers receive not the things which are offered This cernmeth to passe not by any fault in God the author and offerer of them but by the fault of men who doe receive them without faith and unlawfully whose unbeliefe cannot make Rom. 3. the truth of God of none effect Now forasmuch as in the beginning where we shewed what the Sacraments were we did also by the way set downe to what end they were ordained it shall not be necessary to trouble our selves with repeating any thing which hath beene already handled Next therefore in order it remaineth to speake severally of the Sacraments of the new Testament Out of the former Confession of HELVETIA Of the force and efficacie of the Sacraments THe signes which in the Church of Christ be called Sacraments Artic. 20. are two Baptisme and the Lords Supper These being tokens of secret things doe not consist of bare signes but of signes and things also For in Baptisme water is the signe and * the thing it selfe is regeneration and to be taken by adoption to be the people of God In the Lords Supper bread and wine be the signes * Looke the 1. 2. Obser upon this confession but the thing is the communication of the body of Christ salvation purchased for us and the remission of sinnes These things are received by faith as the signes be received with the corporall mouth and the whole fruit of the Sacraments is in the thing it selfe Whereupon we affirme that Sacraments are not onely tokens of humane societie but also pledges of the grace of God by which the Ministers doe worke together with the Lord to that end which he doth promise offer and bring to passe yet so as we said before of the ministerie of the word that all the saving power is to be ascribed to the Lord alone Out of the declaration of the same Confession Of holy signes SAcraments are visible paterns instituted of God of the grace good will and promises of God towards us sure testimonies and holy remembrances the which under earthly signes doe represent unto us and set before our eyes heavenly gifts and doe withdraw the minde from earthly to heavenly things moreover they be tokens of Christian brotherhood and fellowship Therefore a Sacrament is not onely a signe but it is
and God himselfe Christ Iesus into whose hands the Father hath delivered Joh. 13. all things And he hath instituted and appointed them for great and saving causes and such as are necessary for this Church and all those that beleeve to wit that like as by the preaching of the word so by the administration of the visible Sacraments and the mysteries thereof faith might be helped and furthered and that there might be an assured testimonie and confirmation of the favourable and well pleased will of God towards us and that they might give witnesse to that truth which is signified by them and should reach it out as doth the word to be apprehended by faith and that the mindes of the faithfull in the receiving of them should by faith receive the grace and truth whereof they be witnesses and applying it unto themselves should make it their own and confirme themselves therein and on the other side by giving themselves to God should consecrate and as it were by an oath religiously binde themselves to serve him alone and as it were be joyned together among themselves by the joyning and knitting as of one spirit so also of one body to wit of the Church Eph. 4. of the fellowship of Saints and of love And according to these things the Sacraments as in times past Circumcision was may be called the holy covenants of God Gen. 15. with his Church and of the Church with God the Ministers of faith and love by which the joyning and union of God and Christ our Lord with these beleeving people and theirs againe with Christ is made and persited and that among themselves in one spirituall body of the Church by which also even as by the word Christ and his spirit do cause in the faithfull that is in those that use them worthily a precious participation of his excellent merit neither doth he suffer them to be onely bare and naked ministers and ceremonies but those things that they signifie and witnesse outwardly that doth he worke inwardly to salvation profitably and effectually that is he cleanseth nourisheth satisfieth looseth payeth remitteth and confirmeth They therefore which contemn these Sacraments and through stubbornnesse will not suffer them to be of any force with themselves and making small account of them doe esteeme them as trifles or do otherwise abuse them contrary to the institution will or commandement of Christ all these do grievously sinne against the author thereof who hath instituted them and make a very great hazard of their salvation But if some man would willingly use these Sacraments according to the institution of Christ and yet cannot have leave * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession either intirely or without deceit so to doe as he would as if peradventure one that is taken be kept in prison or if one should be hindred by sleknesse or should live in strange countries among the enemies of the truth such a man in such a case if he doe wholly and truely beleeve the holy Gospel may by that faith be saved although he have not the use of the Sacraments wherefore Augustine upon Iohn cap. 16. hath this worthy saying Beleeve and thou hast eaten seeing that the Sacraments are not necessary to salvation but only by the addition of a certaine condition Also we teach this that the Sacraments of themselves or by their owne vertue for the workes sake or for the onely outward action that is for the bare participation receiving and use thereof cannot give grace nor a justifying or quickning faith to any which before was not inwardly quickned by the holy Ghost and hath no good motion within himselfe I say the Sacraments cannot give to any such either grace or justifying and quickning faith and therefore they cannot justifie any man nor inwardly quicken or regenerate any mans spirit for faith must goe before whereby the holy Ghost doth inwardly quicken and lighten man and stirre up or cause good motions in the heart Without this faith there is neither any justification nor salvation neither doe the Sacraments of or by themselves helpe any whit hereunto as in the holy Scripture manifest examples of this matter are found in many places especially in Judas who received the Sacrament of the Lord Christ himselfe did also execute the function Iohn 13. of a Preacher and yet he ceased not to remaine a devill an hypocrite and the lost sonne neither was he made better by the Sacrament or by the use thereof neither did this profit him any Act. 5. thing to salvation Also in Ananias and his wife who had been baptized of Apostles and had also without doubt received the Lords Supper and yet not withstanding they did continue in their wickednesse injustice and lies against the holy Ghost the Sacraments did neither take away their wickednesse nor give them the saving or justifying faith which maketh the heart the better by repenting and giveth it to God an upright obedient heart and doth appease the conscience Therefore the Sacraments did not give this conscience and this faith unto them as Circumcision and the Sacrifices of the Old Testament did not give a lively and justifying faith without the which faith those things availed nothing to eternall salvation or justification And so doth Saint Paul speake of all those things in his Epistle to the Romanes and bringeth in the example of Abraham and doth witnesse Rom. 4. that he had faith and righteousnesse which is availeable with God before that he was circumcised In like sort he writeth of the people of Israel that they also were baptized and they all did eate one and the same spirituall meate and did all drinke one and the same spirituall drinke but with many of them God was not pleased And therefore even in the abundance of all these things they were thought unworthy to be received and they were rejected of God For if a dead man or one that is unworthy doe come to the Sacraments certainly they doe not give him life and worthinesse but he that is such a one doth load himselfe with a farre greater burthen of fault and sinne seeing that he is unworthy the which thing the Apostle doth expresly declare in the doctrine touching the Supper of the Lord where he saith Whosoever 1 Cor. 10. doth eate of this bread or drinke of this cup of the Lord unworthily he is guiltie of the body and bloud of the Lord Also He doth eate and drinke iudgement to himselfe Lastly this also must be knowne that the veritie of the Sacraments doth never faile them so that they should become not effectuall at any time but in the institution of Christ * Looke the 2. observation upon this confession they doe alwaies exercise their vertue and efficacie in witnessing sealing confirming unto the worthy receivers present grace salvation but unto the unworthy their fault and condemnation whether they be administred by a good and honest Priest or
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
towards the end Of comforting and visiting the sicke SEeing that men doe never lye open to more grievous temptations then when they are exercised with infirmities or else are sicke and brought low with diseases it behooveth the Pastours of the Churches to be never more vigilant and carefull for the safetie of the flocke then in such diseases and infirmities Therefore let them visit the sicke betimes and let them be quickly sent for of the sicke if the matter shall so require Let them comfort and confirme them in the true faith Finally let them strengthen them against the dangerous suggestions of Satan In like manner let them pray with the sicke person at home in his house and if need be let them make prayers for the sicke in the publike meeting And let them be carefull that they may have a more happie passage out of this life As for popish visiting with the extreame unction we have said before that we doe not like of it because it hath many absurd things in it and such as be not approved by the Canonicall Scriptures Of the buriall of the faithfull and of the care which is to be had for such as are dead of purgatorie and the appearing of spirits THe Scripture willeth that the bodies of the faithfull as being temples of the holy Ghost which we truly beleeve shall rise againe at the last Day should be honestly without any superstition committed to the earth and besides that we should make honourable mention of them which have godlily died in the Lord and performe all duties of love to such as they leave behind them as their widows and fatherlesse children Other care to be taken for the dead we teach none Therefore we doe greatly mislike the Cynikes who neglected the bodies of the dead or did very carelesly and disdainfully cast them into the earth never spake so much as a good word of the dead nor any whit regarded those whom they left behinde them Again we condemne those which are too much and preposterously officious toward the dead who like Ethnikes doe greatly lament and bewaile their dead we doe not discommend that moderate mourning which the Apostle doth allow 1 Thess 4. but judge it an unnaturall thing to be touched with no sorrow and do sacrifice for the dead and mumble certaine prayers not without their penny for their paines thinking by these their duties to deliver these their friends from torments wherein they being wrapped by death they suppose they may be rid out of them againe by such lamentable songs For we beleeve that the faithfull after the bodily death doe goe directly unto Christ and therefore doe not stand in need of the helpe or prayers for the dead or any other such dutie of them which are alive In like manner we beleeve that the unbeleevers be cast headlong directly into hell from whence there is no returne opened to the wicked by any duties of those which live But as concerning that which some teach concerning the fire of Purgatory it is flat contrary to the Christian faith I beleeve the remission of sins and life everlasting and to the absolute purgation of sins made by Christ and to these sayings of Christ our Lord Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my word and Iohn 5. beleeveth in him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come unto condemnation but hath passed from death unto life Againe He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet but is Ioh. 13. cleane every whit and ye are cleane Now that which is recorded of the spirits or soules of the dead sometime appearing to them that are alive and craving certaine duties of them whereby they may be set free we count those apparitions among the delusions crafts and deceits of the devill who as he can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light so he laboureth tooth and naile either to overthrow the true faith or else to call it into doubt The Lord in the Old Testament forbad to enquire Deut. 18. the truth of the dead and to have any thing to doe with spirits And to the glutton being bound in torments as the truth of the Gospell doth declare is denied any returne to his brethren The Lord by his word pronouncing and saying They have Moses Luk. 16. and the Prophets let them heare them if they heare not Moses and the Prophets neither will they beleeve if one shall arise from the dead Out of the Confession of BASIL THe Church of Christ doth herein labour all that she can to Artic 5. keepe the bonds of peace and love in unitie Therefore she doth by no meanes communicate with sects and the rules of orders devised to make a difference of dayes meats apparell and ceremonies No man can prohibit that which Christ himselfe hath not prohibited Art 10 ss 1. 2. For this cause we know that auricular confession holy dayes dedicated to Saints and such like things had their beginning of men and were not commanded of God as on the other side we know that the marriage of Ministers was not forbidden And againe No man can forbid those things which God hath Art 10. ss 4. c. permitted therefore we thinke that it is not by any means forbidden to receive meats with thanksgiving Out of the Confession of BOHEMIA Hitherto pertaine first those things which are to be found in the 15. Chap. about the middest concerning the keeping of holy dayes and fasts IN like sort many of the ancient ceremonies and such as were brought in by custome so neere as may be are retained among us even at this day * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession of this sort be certain daies appointed for feasts and holy daies the mattens that is morning Sermons evening assemblies the Lords dayes which be holy dayes and speciall feasts dayes added thereunto which are consecrated to the celebrating of the works of Christ as to his Nativitie his Passion Resurrection c. * Looke the 1. observation and such as be dedicated to the remembrance of holy men as of the Virgin Mary of the Apostles and of other Saints and chiefly of those Saints of whom there is mention in the holy Scriptures and all these things be done of us that the word of God may be taught that God may be worshipped and served and that he may be glorified among us That which followeth and is to be referred to this place is taken out of the 17. Chap. IN like sort also our Ministers as it is meet for Christian men to doe to the glory and praise of God doe celebrate holy dayes consecrated to the Virgin and the remembrance of her * Looke the 2. observation upon this confession and the whole 2. Sect. wherein is intreated of the lawfull honour of Saints do make and sing godly and Christian songs of her and with pleasure both diligently and that they may confirme
themselves rehearse those great things wherewith God hath adorned her above all other women and they all rejoyce one with another and shew themselves most thankfull for the salvation which is purchased to mankinde and with all Christian people they confesse and professe that she is happie and they praise God for all these things and so much as lyeth in them they doe faithfully follow and imitate the holy life and good manners of that Virgin and they doe indeed execute that which she commandeth to them that ministred in the Marriage at Cana and do alwayes desire to be in heaven with her And all these things they doe according to the meaning of the holy Scriptures And a little after And thus doe we teach that the Saints * Looke the 1. observation are truly worshipped when the people on certaine daies at a time appointed do come together to the service of God and doe call to minde and meditate upon the benefits of God which he hath bestowed upon holy men and through them upon his Church and there withall doth admonish it selfe concerning their calling or place which they held their doctrine faith life and exercises of godlinesse and the last end of their life to the end that it may be as it were built up in the same truth by the word of God and may praise God and give him thanks for those men and in their name and may sing * Looke the 2. observation profitable songs and such as are free from superstition and may raise and stirre up themselves to the like obedience imitation of their faith works and deeds godlinesse holinesse and honestie and that they may call upon God that he would vouchsafe to give unto them to enjoy their companie and fellowship as well here in the time of grace as hereafter in eternall glory All which things are in few words comprehended in the Epistle to the Hebrews where it is said Remember them which have the Heb. 13. over sight over you which have declared unto you the word of God whose faith follow considering what hath been the end of their conversation Of Fasting CHAP. 18. TOuching true and Christian fasting we teach that it is an outward work of faith comprehending in it worship which is done by exercising the body to abstinencie joyning there withall Matth 6. prayers and giving of almes and that it is due to God alone and that among Christians according as their strength will suffer and their affaires and businesse desire and permit at what time soever they use it in any societie either generall or particular it must be done without hypocrisie or superstition as the holy Scriptures doe witnesse and Paul among other things doth thus write of it Let us approve our selves as the Ministers of God by 2 Cor. 6. Luk. 5. 1 Cor. 7. fasting c. And Christ saith Then they shall fast And again Paul saith in another place That ye may give your selves to fasting and prayer Now fasting doth not consist in the choise of meat which a man useth but in the moderate use of meat and in exercising chastising and bringing under the unruly flesh before God and chiefly the matter consisteth in the spirit and in the heart to wit how for what cause with what intent and purpose a man doth fast and how and by what meane the godly may exercise a wholsome and acceptable fast unto God and on the other side to know when they should not fast but rather take heed that they doe not fast it is expressed in the Prophet and manifestly taught Isa 56. Matth. 6. of Christ himselfe What is to be thought of the choise and difference of meats every man ought to learne out of the doctrine of Christ that by this meane what doubt soever is in this point it may be taken away and decided Theâ— Christ called the multitude unto him Matth. 15. and said Heare and understand That which goeth into the mouth Mark 7. defileth not the man but that which cometh out of the mouth that defileth the man that is maketh him guiltie Also out of the doctrine of the Apostle whose words are thus I am perswaded Rom. 14. through the Lord Iesus that nothing is uncleane of it selfe but unto him that iudgeth any thing to be uncleane to him it is uncleane But if thy brother be grieved for the meat now walkest not thou charitably Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died For the kingdome of God is not meat nor drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Christians indeed are not tyed to any law in this case yet so that they be not an offence to the weaker sort therefore the Apostle addeth All things indeed 1 Cor. 8. are pure but it is evill for the man which eateth with offence And in another place he writeth Meat doth not make men acceptable to God for neither if we eate have we the more neither if we eate not have we the lesse Out of the FRENCH Confession TO conclude we thinke that Purgatorie is a feigned thing Artic. 24. comming out of the same shop whence also Monasticall Vowes Pilgrimages the forbidding of marriage the use of meats a ceremoniall observation of certaine dayes auricular confession indulgences and such like things have proceeded by which things certaine men have thought that they doe deserve favour and salvation But we doe not onely reject all those things for a false opinion of merit added thereunto but also because they are inventions of men and a yoke laid upon the consciences of men by mens authoritie Out of the ENGLISH Confession ANd as for their brags they are wont to make of their Purgatoris Artic. 14. though we know it is not a thing so very late risen amongst them yet is it no better then a blockish and an old wives devise Augustine indeed sometime saith there is such a certaine place sometime he denyeth not but there may be such a one sometime he doubteth sometime againe he utterly denieth that there is any at all and thinketh that men are therein deceived by a certaine naturall good will they beare their friends departed But yet of this one errour hath there growne up such a harvest of those Massemongers that the Masses being sold abroad commonly in every corner the Temples of God became shops to get money and seelyfouls were borne in hand that nothing was more necessarie to be bought In deed there was nothing more gainfull for these men to sell Out of the Confession of AUSPURGE Of abuses that be taken away Of putting difference betweene meats and such like Popish traditions IN this corporall life we have need of traditions that is of the Artic. 4. distinctions of times and places that all things may be done orderly in the Church as Paul willeth Let all things be done in order and so as is meet and decent Therefore the Church hath her traditions that
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
all things and shall bring all things to your remembrance which I have shewed you Againe He shall not speake of himselfe but what he hath heard that shall he speake Out of the Confession of SAXONIE Of traditions that is of Ceremonies instituted in the Church by mans authoritie ALthough for orders sake there must needs be some decent and seemely Ceremonies yet notwithstanding men that Artic. 20. are given to superstition doe soone pervert those Ceremonies falsly imagining that such observations doe merit forgivenesse of sinnes and are accepted for righteous in the sight of God and do turne the signes into Gods like as many have ascribed a Godhead unto Images and many either of superstition or by tyrannie doe heape up Ceremonies and superstition hath increased in the Church the Ceremonies of satisfaction as they call them Nebuchadnezar and Antiochus because they are of opinion that consent in Religion is availeable to the peaceable governement of their kingdomes doe ordaine such service of God as they will have indifferently observed of all their subjects There new laws and new gods were erected not of superstition but by tyranny Thus we observe that amongst men true and false religion are confounded and each changed into other and we marvell at the cause why men doe not stedfastly continue in the truth revealed by God But the word of God pronounceth that men are set on by Devils to fall away from God and the nature of man being blinde curious and inconstant loveth to play with divers opinions Against these great mischieves God armeth and confirmeth his Church and delivereth a sure and certaine doctrine which is contained in the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles and in the Creed Wherefore it is necessary to consider what those lawes or rites be and whence they had their beginning The first rule therefore is this It is lawfull for no creature neither for Angels nor for men neither for Kings nor for * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession Bishops to make laws or ordaine ceremonies disagreeing from the word of God Horribly sinned the King of Babylon although he excelled in wisedome and valour when he commanded his Image to be worshipped and all men doe sinne that obey such Proclamations or lawes even as Eve sinned when she departed from the commandement of God for the lying perswasion of the Devill But generally the rule is to be observed which is set downe Act. 5. We ought rather to obey God then men Such are the Edicts which command to call upon dead men or to imbrace false doctrine or to use ungodly worship Touching all these that Rule of the first Commandement is to be holden 1 Cor. 10. Flie from Idols Such is also the law of the single life of Priests which many can not observe without sinne And albeit we know what opinion politique and expert men doe hold of the change of lawes yet God hath so commanded obedience that still he would have us fast tied unto himselfe and to agree with his wisedome and righteousnesse From whence do arise those unchangeable and perpetuall rules Exod. 20. Thou shalt have no strange gods Also Act. 5. We ought rather to obey God then men Also Gal 1. If any man teach you any other Gospel let him be accursed The second rule For as much as it is usuall to adde superstition to those works which otherwise in their owne nature were indifferent as to eate or not to eate flesh it is necessarie to reprove such superstitions and errours as are in this sort added and in the practice of our libertie examples of this doctrine may modestly be shewed And that errour is not among the least which the folly of many teachers and for the most part of the people bringeth in in that they teach and thinke that fasting and such like works deserve forgivenesse of sinnes both of the guiltinesse and of the paine as both Thomas doth write of satisfactions and many also doe say the same This Pharisaicall imagination easily intangleth the mindes of men and darkeneth the light of the doctrine of the benefits proper to Christ and of free forgivenesse of sinnes and of faith For when as men think that they merit remission of sinnes by these their Ceremonies they take away the honour due unto Christ and give it unto these ceremonies and are somewhat puffed up with vaine confidence Yet afterward when they be in true sorrow they fall headlong into many doubts which turne to their destruction And of it selfe it is a great sinne not to know the benefits of God For this cause Paul so earnestly contendeth for the abolishing of circumcision and other ceremonies of the law of Moses for feare lest the true acknowledgement of the Mediatour might be cleane put out if men should thinke that they deserved remission of sinnes and were made righteous by this observation of the law and ceremonies of Moses as the Pharisees did avouch And oftentimes Paul admonisheth to beware that the light of the Gospel be not darkened by new ceremonies of mans invention This second errour is not so evident but yet very dangerous After that some men see that this Pharisaicall errour cannot be defended they come to this Although say they these ceremonies deserve not remission of sinnes yet are these traditions defended because they are good workes and services of God as in the law of Moses the abstinence of the Nazarites although it deserved not the remission of sinnes yet it pleased God and was a service acceptable unto God With this colour certaine of late have learned to paint traditions which yet strive not about these indifferent matters but go about to establish other foule errors and the opinion of the power of Bishops But it is necessary for the godly here to beware of deceitfull doctrine There is a great error even in this colourable reason neither is that example well alledged out of Moses The workes ordained and commanded by God do farre differ from workes not commanded nor ordained by God but onely devised by mans invention The workes ordained in the law of God were services of God although they deserved forgivenesse of sinnes But wil worship devised by men neither have beene nor are any service of God God doth not allow this boldnesse of men which notwithstanding hath alwaies beene usuall to devise new worship that is such as is immediately intended to honour God withall Therefore the Word of God crieth out Matth. 15. In vaine doe they worship me after the ordinances of men And every where in the Apostles and in Paul this boldnesse is reproved But the true service of God are those works that he hath commanded which are done in the acknowledgement and confidence of the Mediatour to the end that God may be obeyed and that we may professe him to be the true God whom we so worship So also Ezec. 20 he calleth us back to the commandement of God saying Walke not after the ordinances of
your fathers but walke in my commandements And often are such warnings repeated And Psal 1 18. Thy word is a lanterne to my feet And Numb 15. Let them not follow their owne imaginations The third error is this Hypocrites doe imagine that such works are a kinde of perfection as Monks doe preferre their vowes full of vanitie before the civill and housholders life whereas God by his wonderfull providence hath so joyned mankinde together in fellowship and in these travels and dangers would have our faith prayer and confession or liberalitie one toward another or patience and other vertues to be tried The fourth errour is the opinion of necessitie as some doe write That the fasting of Lent is necessary and other things are arbitrary Neither is it onely a torment of conscience to judge that he is no Christian nor member of the Church of God that eateth flesh on the Saturday or observeth not the fast of Lent but it is also an error that darkeneth great matters as the doctrine of the righteousnes of the Gospel and of the Church what manner of Church it is and how the members of the Church are to be discerned not by meat and drink but by faith prayer and other vertues And against the opinion of necessitie it is expresly said Col. 2. Let no man iudge you in meat or drinke And Gal. 5. Stand in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made you free and be not againe intangled with the yoke of bondage And that opinion of necessitie hath alwaies bread great discord as in time past there was great contention about Easter day and about leven and now also many such like contentions have risen The fifth errour To the former opinions this errour also is added that the Bishops take to themselves authoritie to ordaine new kinds of worship and to binde consciences as Gregory hath ordained That married men translated to the order of priesthood should forsake the company of their wives and the constitution of confession commandeth to recken up sins and decrees have been made of differences of meats and fasting and such like Of such traditions there are also late bookes set forth full of labyrinths wherein it is written that the transgressions of such ceremonies are mortall sins yea though they be committed without giving offence to others Gerson sought for some mittigations but the true comfort is the voice of the Gospel which would have the understanding of this liberty to be made knowne and maintained in the Church namely by removing those errors whereof hath been spoken But ceremonies invented by man such as are seemely devised for order may be observed without any opinion of merit worship or necessitie as hath been aforesaid out of the Col. 2. Let no man iudge you in meat or drinke And Peter saith Act. 15. Why do ye tempt God laying upon the necks of the disciples a yoke which neither your fathers nor we were able to beare The third rule Those errors being removed whereof the Church must needs be admonished afterward we both observe certain ceremonies which are comely and made for good order and also teach that they ought to be observed even as men cannot live without order And Paul saith 1 Cor. 14. Let all things be done decently and in order And there is a saying of Athanasius Ceremonies are profitable but with knowledge of the truth and in measure It is plain that this last word is opposed to superstition which then also daily increased ceremonies and darkened the truth and burdened consciences and the Churches But we thank God the everlasting Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who for his Son and by him gathereth an eternall Church for that even from the first beginning of mankind he hath preserved the publike ministery of the Gospel and honest assemblies who himselfe also hath set apart certain times for the same and we pray him that henceforth he wil save and govern his Church And we diligently teach that all men ought to help to maintain the publike ministerie and avoid offences and dislentions that scatter the Church as in it proper place more at large is declared Out of the Confession of WIRTEMBERGE Of Ecclesiasticall Ceremonies VVE acknowledge that by Christ the Sonne of God two Artic. 35. Ceremonies were ordained in the Church Baptisme and the Lords Supper which are also to be observed according to the institution of Christ We confesse also that the Apostles did appoint certaine ordinances in the Church That all things be done decently and in order as Paul speaketh such as they be that are set downe 1 Cor. 14. and 1. Tim. 2. The Apostles also in ordaining Ministers of the Church used laying on of hands which being retained out of the custome of the old Law and not being commanded to the Church may be freely observed They ordained also in the Acts of the Apostles That the Gentiles should beware of eating of that which was strangled and of blood not that this observation should be for ever among the Gentiles but for a time and so long to continue till this eating were no more offensive We confesse this also that it is lawfuâ—l for the Bishops with with the consent of their Church to appoint holy days lessons Sermons for edifying for instruction in the true faith in Christ But it is not lawfull for them to thrust upon the Church the ceremonies of the old law for the holy service wherewithall God alone is worshipped Neither is it lawfull either to restore the old ceremonies of the law or devise new to shadow forth the truth already laid open and brought to light by the Gospel as in the day light to set up candles to signifie the light of the Gospel or to carrie banners and crosses to signifie the victory of Christ through the Crosse Of which sort is all that whole furniture of massing attire which they say doth shadow out the whole passion of Christ and many other things of that kinde Much lesse is it lawfull to ordain ceremonies and holy rites by the merit whereof sin may be purged the kingdome of heaven purchased For of that former kind of ceremonies and holy rites Christ out of Esay preacheth saying In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the precepts of men And Paul saith Let no man iudge you in meat or drink or part of an holy day or of the new Moone c. Hitherto may be added the testimonies of Augustine others touching the observation of such ceremonies But touching the latter kind of ceremonies it is manifest that they are wicked rites reprochful to the death and resurrection of Christ by whose onely merit we have deliverance from sin and inheritance of eternall life by faith Out of the Confession of SUEVELAND Of humane Traditions CHAP. 14. FVrthermore touching the traditions of the Fathers or such as the Bishops and Churches doe at this day ordaine this is the opinion of our men They reckon no traditions
may profit it very much and finally may help and further it very excellently His chiefest dutie is to procure and maintaine peace and publique tranquillitie Which doubtlesse he shall never doe more happily then when he shall be truly seasoned with the feare of God and true religion namely when he shall after the example of most holy Kings and Princes of the people of the Lord advance the preaching of the truth and the pure and sincere faith and shall root out lies and all superstition with all impietie and Idolatry and shall defend the Church of God For indeed we teach that the care of religion doth chiefly appertaine to the holy Magistrate let him therefore hold the word of God in his hands and look that nothing be taught contrary thereunto In like manner let him governe the people committed to him of God * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession with good laws made according to the word of God Let him hold them in discipline and in their dutie and in obedience let him excrcise judgement by judging uprightly let him not accept any mans person or receive bribes let him deliver widdows fatherlesse children and those that be afflicted from wrong let him represse yea and cut off such as are unjust either by deceit or by violence For he hath not received the sword of God in vaine Therefore let him draw forth this sword of God against all malefactours Rom. 13. seditious persons theeves or murderers oppressours blasphemers perjured persons and all those whom God hath commanded him to punish or execute Let him suppresse stubborn heretiques which are heretiques in deed who cease not to blaspheme the majestie of God and to trouble the Church yea and finally to destroy it but if so be it be necessary to preserve the safetie of the people by warre let him doe it in the name of God so that he first seeke peace by all means possible and use it not save onely then when he can save his subjects no way but by warre And while as the Magistrate doth these things in faith he serveth God by those works as with such as be good works and shall receive a blessing from the Lord. We condemne the Anabaptists who as they denie that a Christian man should beare the office of a Magistrate so also they deny that any man can justly be put to death by the Magistrate or that the Magistrate may make warre or that oathes should be performed to the Magistrates and such like things For as God will worke the safetie of his people by the Magistrate whom he hath given to be as it were a father of the world so all the subjects are commanded to acknowledge this benefit of God in the Magistrate therefore let them honour and reverence the Magistrate as the minister of God let them love him favour him and pray for him as their father and let them obey all his just and equall commandements Finally let them pay all customes and tributes and all other duties of the like sort faithfully and willingly * Looke the 2. Observat And if the common safetie of the countrey and justice require it and the Magistrate doe of necessitie make warre let them lay down their life and spend their blood for the common safetie and defence of the Magistrate and that in the name of God willingly valiantly and cheerefully For he that opposeth himselfe against the Magistrate doth procure the wrath of God against him We condemne therefore all contemners of Magistrates as rebels enemies of the Common-wealth seditious villaines and in a word all such as doe either openly or closely refuse to performe those duties which they ought to doe c. The Conclusion VVE beseech God our most mercifull Father in heaven that he will blesse the Princes of the people and us and his whole people through Iesus Christ our onely Lord and Saviour to whom be praise and thankesgiving both now and for ever Out of the former Confession of HELVETIA Of Magistracie SEeing that every Magistrate is of God his chiefe dutie except it please him to exercise a tyrannie consisteth in this to defend religion from all blasphemie and to procure it and as the Prophet teacheth out of the word of the Lord to put it in practise so much as in him lyeth In which part truly the first place is given to the pure and free preaching of the word of God the instruction of the youth of Citizens and a right and diligent teaching in Schooles lawfull discipline a liberall provision for the Ministers of the Church and a diligent care for the poore Secondly to judge the people according * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession to just and divine laws to keepe judgement and justice to maintaine this publique peace to cherish the Common-wealth and to punish the offenders according to the quantitie of the fault in their riches body or life which things when he doth he performeth a due worship or service to God We know that though we be free we ought wholly in a true faith holily to submit our selves to the Magistrate both with our body and with all our goods and indeavour of minde also to performe faithfulnesse and * Looke the 2. Observat the oath which we made to him so farre forth as his government is not evidently repugnant to him for whose sake we doe reverence the Magistrate Out of the Confession of BASILL Of Magistracie MOreover God hath assigned to the Magistrate who is his minister the sword and chiefe externall power for the defence of the good and to take revenge and punishment of the Rom. 13. evill Therefore every Christian Magistrate * Looke the 1. Observation upon this confession in the number whereof we also desire to be doth direct all his strength to this that among those which are committed to his credit the name of God may be sanctified his kingdome may be enlarged and men may live according to his will with an earnest rooting out of all naughtinesse And in the margent This dutie also was injoyned to the heathenish Magistrate how much more to the Christian Magistrate ought it to be commended as to the true substitute of God Also Art 11. Sect. 1. 3. and 4. We doe clearely protest that together with all other doctrins which are directly contrary to the sound and pure doctrine of Iesus Christ we doe not onely not receive but as abominations and blasphemies reject and condemne those strange and erroneous doctrines which the spirits of hurleburly among other damnable opinions doe bring forth saying c. that Magistrates cannot be Christians And in the margent The Magistrate doth then shew himself to be a good Magistrate when he is a true Christian The Conclusion LAst of all we submit this our Confession to the judgement of the holy Scripture of the Bible and therefore we promise that if out of the foresaid Scriptures we may be better
importance may be knowne diligently weighed and discussed as the honour which we doe chiefely owe to God in whose chiefe matter it behoovethus to be conversant with feare and trembling doth require Secondly it is a thing worthy of your sacred Majestie which is so much commended for the name of religion and clemencie To conclude the very meane to attaine to that certain and sound peace which your sacred Majestie goeth about doth require it which peace seeing that we doe varie about Faith and Religion can no other waies be obtained then when as before all other things the mindes be plainly instructed concerning the truth But peradventure it might seeme needlesse that we in these matters should use so many words seeing that the most famous Prince Elector of Saxony and others have very largely and soundly declared unto your sacred Majestie those things which at this day are in controversie in our holy Religion But because that your sacred Majestie hath desired that all they who have any interest in this businesse should declare unto you their judgement concerning Religion we also thought it our dutie to confesse those things unto your sacred Majestie which are taught among us Howbeit this matter is so large and comprehendeth so many things that even those things which we have declared on both sides are as yet fewer and more briefly declared then that we may hope presently to have some certaintie determined in the controversies and that such as may be approved not of all but at the least of a good part of Christian people So few is the number of those that doe subscribe to the truth Therefore seeing that this matter is so weightie so divers and manifold and cannot fruitfully be decided except it be well knowne and sifted of many we beseech your sacred Majestie and most humbly request you by God and our Saviour whose glory without doubt you doe chiefly seek that you would procure as speedily as may be that a generall free and a Christian Councel in deed may be summoned which hitherto hath seemed so necessary a thing both to your sacred Majesty and also to other Princes of the sacred Empire for the setting of Ecclesiasticall affaires at a stay that almost in all assemblies throughout the Empire which have been gathered together since the beginning of this variance about Religion both your sacred Majesties commissioners and other Princes of the Empire have openly witnessed that there was no other way in these matters to bring that to passe which might be wholesome Whereupon in the last assembly held at Spire your sacred Majestie gave occasion to hope that the Bishop of Rome would not withstand it but that such a Councel might with speed be summoned But if so be that in time we may not have opportunitie for a a generall Councell yet at the least your sacred Majestie may appoint a Provinciall assemblie as they call it of the learned men of every degree and state whereunto all for whom it is expedient to be present may freely safely resort every man may be heard and all things may be weighed and judged by such men whom it is certain as being indued with the feare of God to make the chiefest account of the glory of God For it is not unknown how gravely and diligently in times past both Emperors and Bishops behaved themselves in the deciding the controversies of Faith which notwithstanding were oftentimes of much lesse moment then those which doe presently trouble Germanie so that they thought it not an unworthy thing for them to examine the selfe same things the second the third time Now he that shall consider how things stand at this present he can not doubt but that at this day there is greater need then ever was heretofore of greater faithfulnesse gravitie meeknesse and dexteritie to this end that the Religion of Christ may be restored into her place For if so be that we have the truth as we doe undoubtedly beleeve how much time and labour I pray you is requsite that they may know the truth without whose consent or patience at the least sound peace cannot be obtained But if we doe erre from the which we doe not doubt but we be farre againe the matter will not require slothfull diligence nor a short time that so many thousand men may be called into the way againe This diligence and time it shall not be so unseemely for your Majestie to bestow as it is meet that you should expresse his minde toward us in whose stead you doe governe over us to wit the minde of Iesus Christ the Saviour of us all who seeing that he came with this minde to seeke and to save that which was perished so that he vouchsafed also to die that he might redeeme them which were lost there is no cause why your sacred Majestie should thinke much although you should undoubtedly beleeve that we are fallen from the truth to leave the nintie nine sheepe in the wildernesse and to seeke for the hundreth and to bring it back into the sheepfold of Christ that is to preferre this businesse before all other things that the meaning of Christ in every of these things which at this present are in controversie may out of the Scriptures be plainely and certainely laid open unto us though we be but a few in number and of the meaner sort and we for our parts will shew our selves willing to be taught onely let all obstinacie be removed so that it may be lawfull to heare the voyce of our Shepheard Iesus Christ and let all things stay and rest upon the Scriptures which teach whatsoever is good whereunto we shall be called For if it should so fall out that the care of teaching us being rejected there should compendious formes of Edicts be sought which we do nothing feare whilest the matter is in the hand of your sacred Majestie it cannot be said into what straights innumerable thousands of men should be brought to wit of those whom as being perswaded that God is chiefly to be heard and then that those things which follow as opinions must stay upon the undoubted oracles of God these sayings of our Saviour doe alwaies appale Feare not them which kill the bodie He that shall loose his soule shall finde it He that shall not hate father and mother c. yea even his owne soule he cannot be my Disciple He that shall be ashamed of me before this froward and adulterous nation of him will I be ashamed before my Father and his Angels And such like Many men being moved with these thundering speeches have resolved with themselves to suffer all extremity and many for feare of death doe rather seek delayes but yet waiting for a fit opportunitie if they should be dealt withall in this matter by authoritie before they be dealt withall by doctrine and by force before their errour should be made known unto them For of what force a sound perswasion of Religion is and how
latter Confession of Helvetia But the thing is the communication of the body c. that is the body and blood of Christ communicated to us spiritually by faith to the remission of sinnes and to eternall life Vpon the declaration of the said former Confession of Helvetia Visible shew that is shew by setting forth visible signes Observat 1. pag 276 Observat 2. pag. 277. Vpon the same The Minister doth convert To wit as the instrumentall outward cause which the holy Spirit useth to work those things inwardly which are preached to us outwardly Vpon the Confession of Basil TO testifie our faith Hereunto adde also the other ends and Observat 1. pag 278 effect which are more fully set forth in other Confessions Vpon the Confession of Bohemia EIther entirely Entire that is lawfull libertie such as doth agree Observat 1. pag. 279 with Christ his institution Vpon the same They doe alwaies exercise their vertue This must warily be understood Observa 2. pag. 281. For properly the Sacraments doe witnesse seale or confirme no other thing but grace and salvation The condemnation of such as use them unworthily doth not flow from any vertue or power of the Sacraments which doth availe onely to salvation but onely from the fault of the unworthy themselves whereby it cometh to passe and that by an accident that whilest they receive the signes alone and that unworthily they deprive themselves of the Sacraments and yet for all that they cease not on Gods behalfe to be perfect Sacraments whether they be given to the worthy or to the unworthy touching which point look after in the 14. Section the 1. and 2. Observations upon the Confession of Auspurge IN THE THIRTEENTH SECTION Vpon the latter Confession of Helvetia THat is the most perfect forme of Baptisme c. Vnderstand by Obser 1 pag. 287. forme the externall ceremonie whether it be of dipping or of sprinkling Vpon the same We thinke them nothing necessarie c. Yea we have utterly Obser 2. pag. 288. rejected some of them as meere superstitious some as being manifestly brought by the negligence of Bishops from the Baptisme of those which be of age unto the baptisme of infants and some to be short as altogether unprofitable as it is clearely expounded in the Confession of Wirtemberge Vpon the Confession of Bohemia BY the laying on of hands c. This whole ceremonie is profitably Obser 1. pag. 293. kept in the Churches of Bohemia not as a point of doctrine but as a part of Ecclesiasticall Discipline without any prejudice to the libertie of other Churches seeing that it is no where commanded in the writings of the Apostles neither doth this Confession therefore approve Papistical confirmation which they do falsly call a Sacrament But that which is added that they which are thus baptized are received into the covenant of Baptisme it is well expounded a little after to wit so farre forth as that grace which they received in Baptisme is by this meane made manifest to the Church and to them that are baptized Vpon the Confession of Auspurge THat it is necessary to salvation c. Vnderstand this by those Obser 1. pag. 294. things which afterward were declared in the agreement made at Wirtemberge 1536. the 29. of May where these words be read Master Luther and his fellowes doe agree upon this that by the power of Christ even those which are not Baptized may be saved But it is necessary that these should not contemne Baptisme And hence it is that they will have infants to be batized of necessitie c. Vpon the same And hold that infants are saved c. Looke the former Observation Obser 2. pag. 94. We also condemne the Catabaptists who doe either forbid the baptisme of Infants or else teach that it is by no means necessary Vpon the Confession of Saxonie ANd that the holy Ghost is given in Baptisme c. That is that Obser 1. pag. 296. it is in deed offered indifferently to all but is received onely by faith and not given to wit through faith for the works sake And that it is so received as that neither faith nor the efficacie of faith are necessarily to be referred to that very moment wherin any one is baptized Moreover in the very forme of the administration of baptisme we use in our Churches to declare that baptisme is not onely a pledge of our Renuing but also and that chiefly of the remission of sinnes Vpon the same That Baptisme is necessarie c. Look the 1. Observation upon Obser 2 pag. 296. the Confession of Auspurge Vpon the same And to those onely c. And a little after Because that then Obser 3. pag. â—96 they be grafted into the Church How we understand this grafting Look before in the former Confession of Helvetia Art 21. IN THE FOVRTEENTH SECTION Vpon the latter Confession of Helvetia NOt as they be corporally eaten The Adverb so farre as understand Obser 1. pag. 304. to be used casually for because as if he had said not that they be eaten corporally c. But in this place and other places elsewhere afterward so understand these Adverbs corporally and spiritually that by them not the thing signified which is received but the manner of receiving it is declared namely to be not corporall but spirituall that is not of the externall mouth but of the faithfull minde Vpon the former Confession of Helvetia THese things be holy and to be reverenced c. By holy understand Obser 1 pag. 307. those things which are appointed to a most holy use not those wherein consisteth any inherent holinesse In like manner by reverent understand those things which are to be received with outward comelinesse and in that order which might testifie an internall reverence namely when our mindes are lifted up unto God not that any worship ought to be yeelded to the signes themselves or that those rites which are either in their owne nature superstitious or else may easily be turned into superstition ought to be used in the holy service of the Lord. Vpon the Confession of Bohemia THat which of themselves they doe signifie c. That is to say of the true bread and wine and also of the very body that Obser 1. pag. 3â—3 was given for us and of the very bloud that was shed for us As for that attribution wherein the bread is said to bee the body and wine to be the blood even in this Confession it is evidently set downe that it ought to be interpreted by a sacramentall metonymie Vpon the same And the truth thereof By the word truth in this place understand Obser â— pag. 313. not the fruit of the Sacraments which is received of the faithfull onely neither yet the very body and blood of Christ seeing that they also can not be received but by faith to salvation but the bread and the wine the which
whether worthy or unworthy communicants doe approch are never in respect of God offered to be received without the thing signified because the truth of God dependeth not upon the worthinesse or unworthines of the communicants Yet hereby it cannot be concluded that both of them are received of every one because both of them are alwaies offered by God to all indifferently Concerning which matter look before in the 12. Section and 2. Observation upon the Confession of the Waldenses or Bohemians and also very fully hereafter in the 1. Observation upon the Confession of Auspurge Vpon the same Moreover absolution from sinnes is lawfully administred c. Obser 3. pag. 315. Looke the 8. Section upon the Confession of Bohemia Auspurge and Saxonie Vpon the same Most commonly falling downe on their knees c. In this ritc Obser 4 pag. 31â— also suppose that every Church ought to have her libertie not that we doe utterly in it selfe condemne this manner so that the caution be added whereof we spake of late in the 4. Observation but because that for the rooting of the superstitious worshipping of the bread out of mens mindes it were more expedient that that ceremonie in most places were abolished in the receiving of the signes themselves whereof look before in the 1. Observ upon the former Confession of Helvetia Vpon the French Confession THe substance of his body and blood c. The French Churches Obser 1. pag. 316. have witnessed in generall Synods that they after the example of the ancient Fathers doe use the word substance not as if the very substance of Christ were conveyed into the bread or derived into us any manner of way either corporall or unspeakable or that it were applied to our corporall substance seeing that it verily is now in heaven and no where else unto the last day and we in earth and no where else but to meet with the slander of those men which think that we instead of the very body and blood of Christ do place onely his merits or his spirituall force and operation whereas notwithstanding we doe teach that we though spiritually and mystically yet notwithstanding truly do participate Christ himselfe not that either we should cleave essentially unto him or he unto us but that his life is derived into us Look also concerning this matter in the 1. Observation upon the Confession of Auspurge in this Section Vpon the Confession of Belgia ALl the operations of the holy Ghost are hidden c. That is to Obser 1. pag. â—21 say both when the proper force of the holy spirit which is incomprehensible is regarded seeing that his effects do exceed our senses Both which do come to passe in these mysteries Vpon the same That which is eaten c. Namely by faith as it is often iterated Obser 2. pag. 321. in this Confession that is to say that which is received spiritually by the minde by beleeving as the signe is eaten and drunken corporally I or the words eating and drinking can no otherwise be spoken of the minde and of faith which are the onely instruments of receiving the very body and blood of Christ then metaphorically or metonymically Vpon the same By the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood c. That is Obser 3 pag. 321. as hath beene said in the former Observation by a spirituall participation the which sometimes by reason of the sacramentall receiving and sometimes by reason of that spirituall life which Christ ingendereth in us is metaphorically signified by the names of eating or drinking Vpon the same Although the sacraments be ioyned to the thing c. Of the sacramentall Obser 4. pag. 32â— union we have spoken before in the second Observation upon the Confession of Bohemia Vpon the Confession of Auspurge THat the body and blood of Christ are there in deed and are distributed Obser 1. pag. 32â— c. We also doe allow of this namely that the word of God is not deceitfull and therefore as often as the holy signes are rightly given that is according to Christ his institution that then also the thing signified by the signe which is the very body of Christ crucified for us and the very bloud of Christ shed for us is also given to be received But we affirme that the thing signified is no otherwise coupled with the signe then sacramentally The truth of which sacramentall conjunction doth not consist in this that wheresoever the signe is there the thing represented by the signe should also be present but in this that that which God promiseth by the signe he also doth offer to be received Therefore we hold that the body of Christ is not really present in with or under the bread otherwise then after this sacramentall manner both because it is a true body being circumscribed in his locall situation and also hath truly ascended from the earth above the heavens that be subject to our sight and shall there remaine from whence he exerciseth a government over all these beneath even as he is man untill he come truly from thence to judge both quick and dead Moreover we doe also avouch that as the signes are offered to the body so the things signified are offered to the minde and therefore that the signes are received of every one with the hand and mouth that come unto the supper the which unto some namely to the worthy receivers doe turne unto salvation but unto others that is the unworthy communicants by reason of the prophanation of the signes and contempt of the thing signified they doe turne to condemnation As for the things signified those we affirme to be truly and effectually apprehended onely of those that be indued with a right minde and a true faith and that alwaies unto salvation whereunto the distance of place is no hinderance by reason of the unspeakable operation of the holy Ghost And yet not so as that the substances should be mingled betwixt themselves or cleave together in any place for Christs flesh abideth in heaven and ours upon the earth but that these things being mystically united which in true distance of situation are separated we might draw from the flesh of Christ all gifts necessary for our salvation and especially that lively juyce whereby we are nourished to eternall life Therefore whatsoever they pretend which are of the contrary judgement the controversie is not either of the signe or of the things signified or of the truth of the Sacraments or of the receiving of them or of the effects but of the onely definition of the sacramentall conjunction and also of the manner of receiving the things signified Both which we contend to be so interpreted by some out of the word of God that if their opinion be once granted both the truth of Christs body his assention into heaven and his second coming is consequently overthrown Looke the exposition of this Article expressed in the divers editions
everlasting truth of Christs body as it hath been opened unto us in the word of God Vpon the same But for the truth of the sacraments c. The truth of the Sacrament Obser 4. pag. 342. we affirme wholly to consist in this that there be not any vaine signification of the signes but that that which is signified unto them by the body is indeed given unto the mind to be received by faith As hath more fully been spoken heretofore in the first Observation upon the Confession of Auspurge Vpon the same But that whole Christ c. But we say by the institution of Obser 5. pag. 342. God that the body by the delivering of the bread is given unto us as true meate and that his blood by the powring of the wine is given unto us as distinctly as true drinke yet both of them to be received with the minde and with faith and not with the mouth Not withstanding that by this dispensation which in respect of the thing signified is distinctly made and in regard of the signes themselves severally distributed that nothing is divided in the humanitie of Christ Vpon the same Therefore to the right action of the Eucharist c. This we doe Obser 6. pag. 344. so grant to be true that notwithstanding we doe also know that the Supper of the Lord is not private unto two but that it appertaineth to the whole Church or at the least to some one part of the same IN THE FIFTEENTH SECTION Vpon the former Confession of Helvetia TO the people every day c. To wit where may be done commodiously Observ 1. pag. 356. but in other places as oft as may be IN THE SIXTEENTH SECTION Vpon the Confession of Bohemia OF this sort be certaine daies appointed for fasts and holy daies Observ 1. page 37â— c. And a little after to the remembrance of holy men as of the Virgin Mary c. Also a little after in the 1. Chap. Holy daies consecrated to the Virgin c. Also That the Saints are truly worshipped c. As certaine Churches do so far submit themselves to the infirmitie of them with whom they be conversant as to observe these things though they do disagree very much yea though they be altogether contrary in the manner thereof so most Churches not being compelled by any such necessitie have without the offence of other Churches utterly abolished even these things also not onely as unprofitable but as hurtfull Vpon the same Do make godly and Christian songs of her c. Also a little after Observ 1. pag. 372. and sing profitable songs and such as are free from superstition c. Herein also let the Churches use their libertie to edifying and let that be very carefully avoyded in this song which hath hapned in extolling the praises chiefly of the Virgin Mary lest that whilest God seemeth to be praised in his Saints the Saints being transformed into Idols the worship which is due to God alone be againe transferred unto them Howbeit they truely seeme to be the wiser who do not suffer any thing to be either taught or sung in the Church of God beside the word of God interpreted in a tongue peculiar to the people and in singing doe keep this mean that the greatest part of the time may be spent Father in hearing then in singing of the word of God and that which is sung may so be sung that the mindes may rather be instructed then the eares delighted with any broken musicke Vpon the Confession of Auspurge ANd meritorious workes Although we are perswaded that Observ 1. page 381. such meritorious works be not meant in this place as by their own worthinesse do deserve any thing but that they be acceptable to God and are crowned not according to debt but according to grace yet we cannot approve this improper speech by what interpretation soever it be qualified as we have already in certaine places noted before Section 8. Obsevration 7. upon this Confession Also Sect. 9. Obser 2. upon the same and Obseruation 1. upon the Confession of Wirtemberge Vpon the same The order of lessons in the Masse c. Also we have declared Obser 2. pag. 384. before Sect. 14. Obser 2. upon the same Confession of Auspurge why we do worthily detest even the very name of the Masse and as touching holidayes or fasts we spake thereof in the Confess of the Waldenses or Bohemia going next before this Vpon the Confession of Wirtemberge ANd to comfort them as well by the preaching of the Gospel as Observ 1. pag. 391. by the dispensing of the Lords Supper c. We doe also understand this without any prejudice to the libertie of other Churches wherein the Supper useth not to be administred but in the publique assembly lest that salvation might seeme to be tied to the Sacraments or the fruit of the Supper of the Lord be bound to that time onely wherein it is received Vpon the same We thinke it is a most profitable thing c. In this point also the Obser 2. pag. 392. Churches doe use their libertie to edifying howbeit we thinke it the safer way once to lay aside funerall orations and with honest simplicitie to bury those that are departed godlily seeing that it is a very hard thing to keep a mean therein and we ought very carefully to take heed that not so much as the least entrance be opened to the revoking of the opinion of prayers to be made for the dead then the which nothing can happen more pernitious in the Church of God as the lamentable experience of so many ages hath taught IN THE SEVENTEENTH SECTION Vpon the French Confession VVE thinke it to be necessarie In all the French and Belgian Observ 1. pag. 406. Synodes it was decreed that it is necessary for this people plainly to reprove those that be unruly or impenitent and not to leave them to the discretion of their own conscience but whereas the lawfull intelligence of the Presbyterie goeth before so long to exclude them from the Supper of the Lord till they doe testifie their amendment By which custome notwithstanding they meane not to prejudicate those brethren who think that they can avoid the prophanation of the Supper of the Lord although they do not so farre extend the authoritie of the Ecclesiasticall Censure Vpon the former Confession of Belgia ANd hereunto excommunication is chiefly necessary c. Looke Obser 1. pag. 407. the Observation which goeth next before this upon the French Confession Vpon the Confession of Auspurge THe Bishops might easily c. Three kindes of Bishops may Obser 1. pag. 410. be reckoned up One which is in deed the Apostles Bishop and is a Bishop in order not in degree and is common to all Pastours that is to the Ministers of the word An other is not onely in order but also in degree whereby the whole Clergie of
of the Auspurge Confession though not after the same manner and in the same words and for the full declaration thereof looke in the Admonition lately set forth by our brethren the Neustadians in the 5. Chapter out of the which our agreement in this point of doctrine rightly declared doth appeare Vpon the same Art 1. Of the abuses For the Masse is retained still amongst us c. The Princes and Obser 2 pag. 322. Divines in the assembly at Newburdge testified in the yeer 1561. as is manifest by the decrees of that assembly that they by the word Masse do understand the administration of the Supper and do from the bottome of their hearts detest the Romish Masse And although we do abhorre all contentions about words and do acknowledge that the word Masse is not newly sprung up in the Latine Church yet seeing that the Originall of this tearme namely because almes were sent from the faithfull in their usuall meetings at their love feasts is long since abolished and seeing that this word hath these many yeeres broken out into great abomination and so great that none so grosse or execrable was ever heard of we do not without cause together with the thing abolish the name it selfe out of our Churches As for the holy liturgie there we think that it is most rightly celebrated where it is most simply and most neerly unto the first institution observed And seeing it is manifest that the ceremonies in the Romane Liturgie are partly in themselves unprofitable partly tending rather to an ambitious shew pompe then to edification partly ridiculous and partly either in themselves superstitious or else ready to be turned into superstition Therefore the most of them or in a manner all we have in every place utterly swept away Yet so as that the Church hath her liberty left in things indifferent as it is meet and shall be declared in the 17. Sect. As for the speaking or singing of any thing in the publique Liturgie in such a tongue as is unknown to the common people unlesse there be an interpreter the Apostle doth plainly forbid it 1 Cor. 14. Vpon the same A Ceremonie in the new covenant without faith doth merit nothing Obser 3. pag. 326. c. No nor yet in the Old testament yea neither any ceremonie nor faith it selfe doth merit any thing but whereas the externall work being performed with faith according to Gods commandement is acceptable unto him all that we teach out of Gods word to be of grace and not of debt Whereof looke the 8. Section and the 7. Observation the 9. Sect. and the 2. Obser unto the same Confession of Auspurge Vpon the same The Pastours of the Churches do consecrate c. By the name of Obser 4. pag. 327. consecration we understand no other thing then the use of Christs ordination by whose blessing and power the elements are sanctified unto us whereof dependeth the whole force and dignitie of the Sacraments Vpon the same Every holy day and other daies also if any be desirous to use the Obser 5. pag. 327. Sacrament c. Of holy dayes is spoken afterwards in the 16. Section But in our Churches certaine dayes by publique warning are appointed wherein if any refuse to receive the Supper they answer for it in the Consistorie Vpon the same about the end of the second Article of abuses And because that the parting c. This verily is one cause why Obser 6. pag. 334. the carrying about of the Sacrament is condemned yet neither the onely cause nor the chiefest Vpon the Confession of Saxonie ANd that he is in thee c. This we admit touching the spirituall Observ 1. page 336. efficacie not concerning the very essence of the flesh the which is now in heaven and no where else as hath been before shewed in the 1. Obser upon the Confession of Auspurge Vpon the same Neither are any admitted to the communion c. This we allow Obser 2 pag. 336. as being understood of Catechizing or instruction As for private absolution how far we think it to be required it hath been shewed of us heretofore namely in the 8. Sect. and 1. Observat both upon this and also upon the Confession of Bohemia Vpon the same Obser 3. pag. page 336. That Christ is truly and substantially present c. Looke the 1. and 2. Observat upon the Confession of Auspurge Vpon the same That Christ witnesseth that he is in them and doth make them Obser 4 pag. 337. his members c. Both these also we doe imbrace as is contained in the word of God namely so that this whole dwelling be by his power and efficacie and that the flesh of Christ be communicated unto us yet after a spirituall and mysticall manner as hath been declared of us before both in the Confession of Bohemia and of Auspurge Vpon the same And lessons appointed c. How farre we doe allow this distribution Obser 5. pag. 337. of the holy Scripture look the 1. Observat upon the Confession of Bohemia the 1. Section Vpon the Confession of Wirtemberge That the true body of Christ c. Look before in the 1. Observation Obser 1. pag. 342. upon the Confession of Auspurge Vpon the same Of the body of Christ being onely absent c. We doe beleeve Obser 2 pag. 342. out of the word of God and by the perpetuall and evident agreement of the whole ancient and true Church that the body of Christ hath alwaies been is and shall be circumscribed and locall Wherefore as when he lived upon the earth he was no where else so now also being above in heaven he is there and no where else in his substance as Vigilius plainly affirmeth against Eutiches Yet for all that we doe not affirme that the very body of Christ is onely or simply absent or that the bread and wine are only simple naked signes or bare Pictures or nothing else but certaine tokens of Christian profession For in this sense is there one onely action of the holy Supper that yet not withstanding it should be partly corporall and celebrated upon the earth in which respect we doubt not to say that Christs body is as farre distant from us as heaven is from the earth partly heavenly the minde and faith lifting up the heart unto God in the which respect we acknowledge that the body of the Lord is present in the Supper to our minde and faith But that they be bare and naked signes how can we possibly affirme which so often and so evidently have beaten upon this that the things signified are no lesse certainly given unto the minde then the signes themselves unto the body Vpon the same Or else change them into the body and blood c. We see not Obser 3. pag. 342. how God may be said to be able to doe that which is manifestly repugnant to his own will concerning the