heard are gathered as it were into one body all and every of whose members have a certain mutual communion amongst one another and a spiritual communion with their one only and true Head our Lord Jesus Christ as they really are so also are they rightly called the Church of Jesus Christ. Of both which to wit the Church and the Communion thereof we say in the Apostles Creed I believe the holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints 2. For this Church is nothing else but an Assembly of men called by the Gospel and believing on Jesus Christ or at least with their mouth professing his Name and Doctrine as saving although some more some less either sincerely and purely or firmly and constantly believe on Christ or at least outwardly in words and rites profess Christ. 3. For the Church whilst it is militant here on earth is wont according to the Sacred Scripture to be considered under a twofold respect 1. As an Assembly of Men and Women truly pious and believing and that do cordially and sincerely embrace and love and with their whole heart keep and order their lives and conversations according to that saving Doctrine of Jesus Christ which they profess with their Mouth Which Assembly is visible and certainly known to God only but is invisible unto us Seeing true Faith and Piety which lie hid within the heart none but God the alone indeed searcher of the Hearts and Reins can behold them 4. But to hold the saving Doctrine of Jesus Christ is not forthwith so perfectly to know all that is every way contained in the doctrine of Christ so as to err or hesitate in no one Article at all or no Sacred History or sense of the Holy Scripture but at least well and rightly to hold or understand all that without which we cannot rightly observe and perform the Commandments of Faith and Obedince nor consequently according to the Mind and Will of God obtain eternal Salvation Therefore all those Churches which agree in the belief and profession of necessary Truth we believe that they ought to be counted for true Churches of Jesus Christ although in the mean time they differ in many other things and in some respects not inconsiderably swerve from the Truth 5. The Church is considered as it is a visible Multitude of those that publickly profess the Faith and Doctrine of Jesus Christ although haply they do not truly believe in him which as to the outward Confession of the Mouth and other manifest signs of Faith of that kind is of it self even sufficiently known and visible unto us although it appear sometimes less evidently or clearly 6. Again both may be considered either as Catholick or universal which being spread throughout the whole World comprehends or contains all Congregations together either of those who truly believe or at least profess so to do or as local or particular which is gathered in certain places by parts severally for instance at Corinth in Galatia at Ephesus c. Of which this or the other whatever it be may not only err in doctrine but also revolt from the true Faith the profession thereof yea and oftentimes also doth actually revolt from the same the Catholick Church in the mean time still remaining safe entire notwithstanding Nor indeed is there any divine promise extant whereby the sincere profession of true doctrine and a continual succession therein or an uninterrupted and uniform continuance of the continual assistance of the Holy Ghost and of the Orthodox Faith and that to be always clearly seen is promised to any certain particular Church or Congregation yea indeed rather both examples and presages of the defection of many are every where obvious or easy to meet with in the Holy Scriptures Of the Marks or Notes of a visible Church 7. Furthermore the Notes and Marks such indeed as are certain and infallible which clearly demonstrate unto us and make a Church or Christian Assembly which is already gathered by the preaching of the Word visible may be reduced unto one only general that is unto the profession of that sacred and saving doctrine which was delivered by Jesus Christ in conjunction with at least an outward keeping of the Commandments of Jesus Christ. For whereas true Faith which is given unto the saving doctrine of Jesus Christ doth as the more inward form and as it were the Soul constitute and make a true and invisible Church of Jesus Christ it is necessary doubtless that the alone profession of that true and saving Faith which we have spoken of make the same visible unto us 8. But with labour and toil either to seek or demand or to desire to shew unto others other Notes or Marks whereby those who as yet are wholly ignorant what a true Chruch of Christ is or which or what is the saving Doctrine thereof may come certainly undoubtedly to the knowledg of the true Church and consequently to the knowledg of the Truth it self is altogether vain and foolish for that so to pretend is neither necessary nor profitable nay not possible rightly or orderly to be performed So far is it from such Marks consisting in those things which the World and Fleshly reason are wont so highly to esteem to wit in Antiquity Multitude Consent Succession of persons outward Splendour of Congregations or worldly Happiness c. of which many of late do vainly boast 9. Furthermore the duty of those who belong to this visible Church doth not only consist in every particular Man's professing with his mouth and in life this saving doctrine of Christ for himself but also in Believers being united and joyned together among themselves whether they be more or fewer in their doing or performing those things which ordinarily cannot nor use to be performed but in a Society or Congregation and which render the Society or Congregation it self more Illustrious and Conspicuous 10. Which sort or kind of duties besides hearing of the Word preached and the profession of Faith already spoken of are chiefly two to wit the use of the Sacraments as they are called and the exercise of Christian discipline of which more immediately CHAP. XXIII Of the Sacraments and other Sacred Rites 1. VVHen we speak of Sacraments we understand the outward Ceremonies of the Church or those sacred and solemn Rites whereby as by foederal signs and visible seals God doth not only represent and shadow out unto us his gracious benefits especially those promised in the Covenant of the Gospel but doth also in a certain manner clearly hold forth and seal the same unto us and we again likewise do openly and publickly declare and testifie that we do embrace all the promises of God with a true firm and obedient Faith and that we will always with continual and thankful remembrance celebrate with
that are necessary and profitable for every Christian Congregation to know believe hope and do or at least did not use those forms of speaking which do clearly and perspicuously enough express those Divine Senses or Meanings which are chiefly savingly necessary and available to be believed but had need of Mens phrases and forms for the right understanding of them and application and use to make a due difference between Truth and falshood From whence afterward they say it comes to pass that the authority of the Scriptures is more and more weakned and at length wholly falleth and is transferred by degrees to those forms of Men as either more perfect or the more clear discoverers of what is right and false And certainly the experience of many ages seemeth not a little to confirm these Mens opinions in which say they for the most part it usually fell out that after forms of Confessions and Declarations began to be in esteem and the said honour to be given to them as though they did most fully express the hidden and involved sences of the Scriptures and most clearly and plainly propose those things which are necessarily to be held by the Churches of Jesus Christ the Majesty and Authority of the Scriptures began by little and little to decline and the truth as also the necessity of all Judgments and Opinions pertaining to the business of Religion to depend upon those forms in so much indeed that waving and undervaluing the Sacred Scripture they appealed unto them as the most certain Squares or Levels and unexceptionable Rules and he that swerved but a fingers breadth from them although moved thereto out of a regard to the Scriptures was without any further proof accused and condemned of Heresie And though at the beginning and in the very Cradles or Infancy of Forms as they say it fell not out but also over and above by Cautions or Restrictions and Protestations and other ways of that kind they obviated and withstood the same yet in tract of time by little and little their Authority prevailed and increased and through secret increasings by intervals and degrees it was insensibly established and confirmed until at length having spread its roots deep it began in a manner to over-top the very Scriptures So by this means in process of time some Oecumenical Councils and Forms of Belief or general Creeds which were concieved and maintained in them began to be so highly valued that a like and equal Authority was given to them with the Gospels themselves by the most of men Yea further even those things that were disputed determin'd by one single Augustine against Pelagius at length in process of time were advanc'd to that Dignity and Authority and that even among those who otherwise are not wont to set much by the Authority of Councils and Fathers that it is enough to condemn any one that teacheth in the Church if his opinion only seem to come near to Pelagius And that it doth commonly so fall out in other questions of Faith and hath fallen out from every age past they do very speciously affirm In brief these seem not to complain in vain that all Forms usually do together with their age receive the strength and increases oâ— too much Authority and that howsoever often-times they seem not opâ—nly and manifestly to be advanced and promoted to an unmeasurable greatness yet they become by degrees not withstanding even cautions protestations to the contrary notwithstanding the immutable Canons of Faith and at least secundary Rules and Levels and that indeed by so secret and imperceptible motions and advances that they are found of a certain not to come but to have come nor to grow but to have grown to the top of more than humane Authority and height of supreme Dignity They suppose also that these Forms do mightily endammage and prejudice the Liberty of Churches or Conscience and Prophesie for that where they are admitted into the Church it is impossible but that forthwith a tyrannical Law be brought in at the back door so that a man may not think speak write teach compare and interpret the Scriptuâ—es but according to what they prescribe and to call them into doubt or to contradict them though modestly is thought an heinous wickedness Nor do they want their pretence viz. That the publick Peace of the Church may be preserved entire Confusion avoided and Liberty turn not into Licentiousness from whence further they say it comes to pass that none especially if it be believed that the Common-Wealth also is interessed therein durst either inquire into those Formes and examine the Opinions that are contained in them by the standard of Truth or if any one called upon for parts and industry for that end shall inquire into them and in his judgment find some things to be false he cannot without apparent danger publish and discover them for the amendment of others And that indeed by this means such like Forms of Confessions and Declarations did terminate in most rigid bonds and more than Adamantine Fetters wherewith Liberty together with Truth are most straitly tied up and that Errour which is once received and admitted becomes stable and firm yea eternal Lastly they affirm that a large gap is opened by these very Confessions and Declarations for Schisms and Separations because as they have been hitherto used they have been the open and publick signs of dissensions by which no otherwise then by certain partition-walls Christians who ought to be most strictly joyned together and who in very deed agree in the main of saving doctrine are divided each from other whilst one indeed saith I am of Paul another I am of Cephas another I am of Apollos another I am of Christ and every one believeth that the purity of Religion and the hope of immortal life consisteth within his particular Congregation So that whosoever belongeth not thereto he is almost judged altogether excluded out of Heaven and the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. Whence it is necessary that there arise and flow as it were from a continual Spring perpetual and immortal hatreds and divisions of minds and affections These for the most part are the chief props on which the first and second sort rely and whereby they support their opinion specious indeed they are if viewed at first sight for that they make shew of no ordinary zeal for the Authority of God's Word for Liberty of Conscience for the Peace and Concord of Churches yet such as if more nearly looked into have not appeared to us of so great weight as that for their sakes we should deem our selves bound to desist from our purpose of publishing this Declaration of ours For doubtless they seem not undeservedly to reprove so much the thing it self as the corruption and abuse of the thing which as a Wen to a fair body oftentimes is wont to grow and cleave even unto those things which are best and most sovereignly wholesome in themselves
will not think them by some necessity constrained hereunto by a publick and solemn Declaration to obviate so atrocious and enormous slanders and by an ingenuous Confession of their judgment to testifie to the Christian World what and what manner of Persons they are in Religion and what in very â—eed they think touching the chief heads of belief and by this unblamable means â—s by a bolt bar firmly set against those â—nfamous revilings and slanders to vindicate and approve or commend to all good men the integrity of their good â—ame and esteem and the innocency of their lives Especially if they see that unless they do it all good men even the best will be estranged from them the weak will be turned aside from the love of the Truth or else that no light scruples will be cast into their minds that an occasion will be given to many in other respects in no wise bad men to continue in their errours or to return as it were to their vomit to their former filthiness which they had left that their Friends will be withdrawn from all affection of good-will towards them and violently deparated from their fraternity that more â—lenteous matter will be ministred to their Enemies and Foes to calumniatc and consequently that through the side of their wronged reputation the Truth of God will be wounded and all their labour â—are industry and pains hitherto spent or further to be spent in the promoting of the same will be rendred unprofitable and fruitless Certainly he that iâ— toucht with any desire of the publick good any care of the glory of God anâ— desire of the truth and peace of thâ— Church he cannot but believe and certainly conclude that in such a case theâ— is some kind of necessity laid upon those men if they can with a good conscience and men of highest degree and lowest degree require it even in conceived Form of Declarations to purge themseves from those false reports and calumnies and to testifie to the whole Christian World their innocency Nor indeed can it seeâ— sufficient for the washing away of thâ— said Calumnies if they contain themselves within the meer and bare expressions of the Scripture and deliver their Opinions or Judgments in so man Scripture-Words and Phrases For seeing that this very thing is charged up on them as a crime that under Scripture-words they in their Bosom cherish their worst meanings and most prejudicial to the Glory of God and the Salvation 〈◊〉 Men that they do upon occasion either readily sought after or offered by others disseminate or spread the same â—hen they perceive it is for their advantage verily they are reduced to that necessity whether they will or no as for the Glory of the Truth of God the edifying of the weak and the detection of Calumnies by that means which seems â—est and most profitable that is by some publick Declaration of their Judgment â—o purge themselves and to maintain and defend the sincerity of their belief Which things being so so far is it that Confessions or Declarations of Faith ought to seem hurtful or unprofitable of themselves that they are sometimes to be accounted of in the Church of Jesus Christ for useful vindications of the Truth and â—n a manner necessary remedies of the greatest evils Howbeit because such is either the â—nconsiderateness or sloth or malice of the most of Men that those things which of themselves might be useful and pious documents of our duty or most present remedies of great evils they suffer them by reason of their additional corruption and abuse by degrees to become superstitious bands of Consciences and insensibly to degenerate into idols and hurtful Poysons yea often they themselves turn them to the dammage and detriment of the best things we ought diligently to beware and endeavour with the greatest care that may be to vindicate such forms from all manner of abuse and corruption and to inculcate and assert at all times their right and true use which we indeed believe may be commodiously done if we have always these three things before our eyes and carefully observe them First if in the Church there be no Authority that is unquestionable that is irrefragable and beyond all exception under any title pretence or show whatsoever either directly or indirectly in things pertaining to Religion given to these Forms nor suffered to be given them to wit in such sort as that the Consciences of any should be tied or obliged to the same as Rules of Faith either primary or secondary Which indeed that it may be easily provided against is beyond all doubt if they be only had in that esteem and place as indeed they ought to be had to wit for bare expositions of our belief or for such Forms which do not define or determine what is to be held for true or false what is to be believed or not to be believed after what manner any thing is to be expressed or uttered but which only may make known and testifie what they hold for true and false what they believe or do not believe how they express the meanings of their Mind whose own those Forms and Declarations are For if they be had in no other account or greater esteem there is no danger that their Authority we say not should be equalled much less be preferred before the Scriptures but that they find not indeed any place though the lowest in the Church For doubeless as we have already said before they will not then be held for Squares and Rules of Faith whereby Truth or Falshood Heresie or Errour may and ought to be known and which are published for that end that by them what is true or false may be known and discovered or sound but only for bare Signals and Symbols or Tokens which only show and declare what the Authors believed and judged of those and the other Articles and Meanings of Christian Religion And truly if we consult the ancient Annals of the Church they who first put forth such Symbols Ecclesiastical Canons Confessions and Declarations had no other design aim or end but thereby to testifie not what was to be believed but what they themselves believed and that these Symbols c. should be even instead of Watch-Towers to declare shew to the unwary and imprudent the Shelves and Quicks of Errours that were hurtful to Piety and Salvation or also to serve against Calumniators for Apologies whereby every one might understand how far they were from those Errours Blasphemies and Crimes which through Calumny were by men ill-imployed fastened upon them And certainly if all Declarations and Confessions had at all times kept within these bounds they had not indeed at any time obtained any Dictator-like Dignity or Authority much less greater than or equal to the Scriptures in the Church Wherefore that the Church may in the first place alway hold this firm unalterable we are to endeavour again and again and
therefore efâ—-soon upon all occasions to inculate upon Churches and in the very Forms of our Confessions and Declarations accurately to express That they indeed ought not to be received for certain Jndices or Discoverers much less for Judges of the true Sences or Meanings viz. of Scripture but only for the Indices of those Sences or Meanings which the Authors thereof have held for true and that they were published to that end If that be done these three abuses will sufficiently and easily be avoided 1. None will flee to the said Forms to draw and take from them as from Fountains with a Faith void of doubting those things that are to be believed and further he will not run unto them in doubtful Sences of Scripture as the Indices of what is streight and â—rooked nor try and examine dark and controverted sences by them as by a touch-stone 2. None will be tyed or suffer himself to be tyed to their Meanings upon any other terms than so far and so long as he himself doth certainly find and is convinced in his Conscience that they accord with the Meanings of the Scriptures 3. In Disputations Conferences Examinations or Tryals men will never appeal to them neither will controversies of Faith be brought to the Anvil thereof but they will all wholly without fear or danger be brought to and examined by the Word of God alone as the only Rule beyond all exception and the true form of sound words which our alone Master Jesus Christ and his Apostles have left unto us And thus indeed there will be nothing that can justly be desired to detract Divine Authority from them and to give it wholly to the Sacred Scriptures Neither shall we then need to fear lest idols be made of them to be set up in the Church of Jesus Christ and placed in equal degree with the Scriptures or honoured with any like honour with them or lest bands should be knit of them whereby the Consciences of men should be bound or lastly lest poysons should be prepared of them whereby the sincerity of Faith might be infected or the Truth of Doctrine adulterated This Foundation therefore once rightly laid and this Principle firmly supposed there will alwaies remain in the Church of Jesus Christ whole and entire a liberty whereby any one may preserving safe the Laws of Christian Modesty Charity and Prudence without danger inquire into those Forms and without scruple contradict them that by this means there may be always a manifest difference between them and the Word of God to which alone that priviledg ought to remain sacred and inviolate that it alone is above and beyond all Controversie and Contradiction and that the Consciences of Believers are to be tyed to it only And yet is not this liberty to be extended so far as to turn into a dissolute and irregular licentiousness whereby every Man may unadvisedly speak what he please For he as much abuseth liberty who too much at pleasure loosenth the button thereof as he who fastneth it too strait All extreams are to be avoided and we to sacrifice to moderation which consisteth in the midst between Tyranny and a Wild and Unbridled Licentiousness Therefore Prudence and Charity are always to be taken into Council which will easily dictate when and how this liberty may profitably and without the Scandal of the Godly be made use of It is the part of Prudence to weigh things and to consider fit times and places wherein this or that Opinion either by word or writing may commodiously be proposed It is the part of Charity to have a regard of persons that they be not offended or troubled who ought to be edified It is not the duty of a Prudent and Pious Man and one truly Charitable to use promiscously upon every occasion with all Persons or in all Places when he so thinks fit the liberty of contradicting nay nor alwaies everywhere patiently to bear with all the Contradictions of others There is often a regard to be had both of the Things or Opinions which are contradicted and of the Persons with whom such Contradictions are propounded For there are some things of so great Weight and Moment that they cannot be gain-said without the extream hazard of our Salvation Freely to contradict these or quietly to suffer them to be contradicted by others would be the farthest from Prudence and Charity possible There are some things of that nature that they may without the danâ—er of any Mans Salvation suffer indeed contradiction but which yet to contradict is not necessary for the sake of the publick good and to be contradicted every where and at all times is not expedient For not every thing that is lawful is presently also expedient and edifying Very often the weakness of others ought to give law to our liberty and not seldom also the importuneness of others who have an itch after or unto variances â—rablings and contradictions and are pleased with the opportunity of strife contention upon every occasion To the one we must not give occasion of offence lest they fall From the other we must withhold all encouragements lest they hurt themselves and others For in this manner we ought alwaies to shun all endangerings of the Faithful especially of the weak lest we abuse our liberty to the destruction of any one but use it aright and to the edification of all But in things not altogether necessary and amongst those whom the Scripture calleth perfect and who have their sences exercised in the Scriptures to discern between what is true and false or who are more then ordinarily desirous of Truth that is more abstruse this liberty may alwaies have or take place without offence or danger For their industry indeed iâ— sharpned by moderate contradictions which are as it were the Whetstones of Truth and from which as from the striking or beating offlints against each other this Fruit is drawn or produced that either they see clearly that errour that formerly lay hid or are more solidly confirmed in the truth they hold Which fruit cannot but afterward redound unto the whole Church and that to the eminent promoting of truth and the glory of Gods name But to digladiate or strive with gain-sayings before the people out of the Pulpit and to desire or endeavour by the vellications or twitchings of publick Forms and Obâ—rectations or Back-bitings out of the Desk or Pue to make a Tumult among the rude common people or by publick Writings to traduce and contumeliously to provoke and inveigh against others would be next unto madness and most scandalous and dangerous Nor indeed can the knowledge of an unnecessary truth ever do so much good as the importune and immmodest inculcating or â—rging thereof may do harm and prejudice both publickly and privately And thus far concerning the first caution diligently to be observed in Confessions The second thing that is to be observed as to the right use of
of the Scriptures For seeing their truth both as to their sence manner of expression and method is to be asserted and maintained from the Scriptures themselves yea seeing the said very â—orms do profess that all and every one may and ought freely to do the same and consequently do remit or send us back from themselves to the Scriptures and expresly command us to appeal to them alone in all Controversies whatsoever certainly they ought not to be thought to confer unto the shaking or subverting but on the contrary to the establishing of the Authority of the Scriptures Nor do they in the least prejudice the liberty of Churches since none is precisely bound unto them yea seeing it is freely granted to every one to try them by the Standard of the Word of God lastly seeing every one may without danger or fear contradict them sobeit onely there be a careful regard had of Prudence Charity and Modesty Nor indeed do they open any gap to Schisms and Separations For neither is he to be thought to make a Schism that joyneth himself to those Assemblies wherein he seeth greater purity of Doctrine and Holiness of life to flourish and thrive sobeit he do not proudly dispise other Assemblies and forthwith judg them excluded out of Heaven or from the Hope of Eternal Life whom he sees somewhat more estranged from his own Society For Christian Peace and Concord may continue entire yea and also ought amongst Congregations divided and distinguished in or by Opinions so that the fault be not in us that all those who hitherto hold all things necessary to Salvation and do not obstinately press Doctrines or Opinions prejudicial to Godliness do not agree together and imbrace each other with mutual Charity and brotherly Love in the Lord Jesus But if we hinder those Churches from growing together and being consolidated into one body which might and ought to grow and be consolidated together or if being united and joyned together we unnecessarily divide them and separate them into parties then indeed make we our selves guilty of Schism and deserve to be impeached with God of disturbing Peace and Concord which is so true that the Apostle seems noless to make or prove them guilty of Schism who gloried that they were of Christ no less I say at least than others who said that they were of Paul or of Apollos or Cephas for that those despised these in comparison of themselves and did as it were think it scorn that they should be compared with them yea did reject them as it were strangers from Christ. Insomuch that the desire of Truth though the best and wholsomest doth not excuse any Man from the crime of Schism at least before God himself unless it be accompanied with a true love of Peace and Concord and an endeavour after mutual good will For of so great price with God is the true Peace and Concord of his Church that he is even displeased with a seditious Truth or a schismatical and turbulent manner of propagating the same And yet we deny not but that it may and doth usually sometimes fall out that in tract of time those like Forms obtain greater veneration and honour than is meet and at length unless there be diligent provision made aforehand and the growing evil sedulously looked unto or bewared of do very easily degenerate into Idols and Bands of Conscience and Ensigns or Badges of Schism Yet because all this is wont to fall out by accident we must not from thence make judgment of them seeing that is not the fault of the Forms themselves but of those who according to the preposterous diligence or rather malice of their own disposition do upon occasion abuse them and seeing the true value of things is not to be taken from the right or perverse and ill use of them For he that is evil and imprudent may sometimes abuse in the worst sort the very best things as on the contrary a good and prudent Man may use well a thing that is evil and hurtful in it selfe and improve it for a wholsome remedy at some turns Furthermore in the next place it hardly falleth out but that if such Forms of Declarations be not sometimes set forth a wide gap is opened unto other miscarriages and inconveniences if not more grievous yet at least alike and equal and a way is easily pav'd unto a dissolute licentiousness of foolishly venting every thing at least no better than tyranny Lastly seeing by that means which we have spoken of we may timously withstand those miscarriages and inconveniencies which some think will arise from thence For if those who have thought meet to set forth Confessions and Declarations of their belief had always kept within the said use of them they had never had place given them for their excessive authority in the Church But after that an exact account ceased to be had thereof their Authority began by little and little and as it were by degrees to be advanced insomuch that the Consciences Eyes Tongues and Pens of Men became to depend on them as upon certain Standards and undoubted Rules of Faith Whence afterward it came to pass that some by means of them as it were by certain letters of Heraulds at Arms have denounced War against all other Congregations and that they might have no hope of reconcilement left them the assemblies of Christians thereby have been divided and separated one from another even as Empires heretofore by Boundaries and Enemies Camps by Trenches and Bulwarks Lastly which is the utmost line of Tyranny that they have punished those who did contradict these Forms with Force and Sword and that with so great a zeal and heat yea fury that when prophane Persons Ungodly Dispisers of the Scriptures and Atheists are upon very easy terms pardoned these alone are destined to Prisons Racks Wheels Gallowses Crosses Flames and all the most exquisite punishments and torments imaginable and all for this only end that the Authority of these Forms may be freed from contradiction and vindicated from contempt and by that means forsooth the outward Peace of the Church and quiet of the Common-Wealth may be preserv'd undisturb'd The which way of procedure as it ought most justly to be hated and abominated of all Christians so hath it all along exceedingly disliked us who â—ndeed religiously fear to give or grant to any Writings Decrees or Ordinances of Men any Authority whatever either directive or coactive in matters relating to Faith and Conscience or to suffer the same to be given by others From hence pious Reader thou â—â—ilt easily understand what was our end and aim which we propounded to our selves in setting forth this Declaration Indeed the very same we said before and none other For this Declaration is not put forth to that intent that thereby a new snare of Consciences should be prepared or a constant Square and Rule of Faith and Doctrine prescribed to any to wit which should
absolutely bind the Consciences of Men before God and therefore none should depart from it even in the least to wit neither in Matter nor in Words nay nor in method or manner of Teaching Far be so proud a vanity from us who know that this honour agreeth not with any Writings of Men how accurate soever and diligently and long and much considered but only with the Word of God contained in the Holy Scriptures and who both know that from the abuse of such Writings which is too frequent and too common new Schisms Sects Condemnations Persecutions and other Scandals of that kind have more often arisen and do seriously bewail the same And this was our principal aim To satisfie the often earnest requests of those who judged that we owed this Service both to the Church and Common-Wealth and indeed for to promote the Publick good that is both for the more ample illustrating the Truth of God and for the the more happy procuring and on every side propagating of Peace in them both Another end is that we might by this means the more commodiously vindicate the truth of our Opinions and our Innocency against the inique accusations of those who when as themselves hold grievous and very hurtful errours among others that in the first place concerning fatal Predestination and other points annext thereto as also concerning the killing of Hereticks yet will be thought the only Orthodox Men and the altogether pure Reformed and stick not to fasten upon us not only Errours but also Heresies and Blaspemies yea who while themselves exercise new dominion in the Church and do not only cause Schisms and Sects but do also every where raise up direful Persecutions and Banishments against harmless Men do nevertheless complain of us whom having in part indeed cited in their Conventicle of Dort they very lately condemned yet unheard and without making our defence more than Calumniously as of the true Authors forsooth of all the Scandals and Disturbances that have been hitherto made in the Belgick Churches For the fuller conviction therefore of these Men before God and the whole Christian World of their manifest calumnie and manifold injustice hitherto used against us and withal for the truer information of all that are pious and lovers or studious of the Truth of God and the Churches Peace we have thought not without weighty and just cause that we were bound to set forth this publick and unanimous Declaration of our judgment touching almost the whole Christian Religion In the sraming indeed whereof we have first of all diligently endeavoured that there might not be omitted therein any Opinion or Doctrine either necessary or very useful and that there might not be any thing either false or confused or lastly any thing idle and superfluous contained in the same But that it might comprehend in it the very form of sound or rather of healing words which abundantly express unto us Christian Faith and Piety both briefly and plainly and no less methodically and as it were in a brief survey hold forth the whole thereof to be viewed of all and that by the unanimous consent of all the Brethren not so much as excepting those who are held shut up in Goals all which jointly and severally diligently read it before and in the fear of the Lord examined it by the rule of the Holy Scripture as far as they might by reason of the iniquity of the times and at length with one Heart and one Mouth did all approve of it And indeed we have called it not only a Confession of our Faith but also a Declaration of our Mind and Judgment for that such a Declaration promiseth somewhat more full and pregnant than a bare Confession of Faith alone doth For indeed we were willing to satisfie the hope and expectation of those who desired a more copious full and clear exposition or unfolding of our Judgment concerning for the most part all the Articles of the Christian Religion and withal also to put a bolt upon the mouth of those who having nothing justly to carp at in us would perswade the people that we would never agree together upon any common clear and uniform Judgment touching the chief heads of Religion that we did conceal some things of which we were ashamed to give our judgment in publick and that they were such which did overthrow the very chief heads and as it were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tenths or chief of the Spoils of Christianity or if we did sometimes also publish or utter these that we did hide and cover them by obscure doubtful and uncertain expressions or some general and deceitful coverings of words This false accusation of theirs although long since elsewhere often detected and sufficiently refuted by us yet had we rather obviate it even by a publick and general Declaration of our Belief than by other means more lyable to calumnie So secure is a good Conscience and the Confidence of a good Cause which we have thought worth our while even upon this occasion publickly to declare And this among others was a cause why we conceived or framed it not in meer Scripture-Words lest we should indeed nourish that suspition to wit that we sought lurking Holes and hid as some indeed think mischievous and prophane meanings under an equivocal covering of the words of the Sacred Scripture and that we might by this means cut off all new matter of calumniating from those whose solemn study and chief labour it is to blu◠and stain under any pretence or colour whatsoever the credit and good name of the Remonstrants with heinous reproaches or at least with sinister suspicions As to thorny and too subtile questions which are proper to your Universities and Schools and which neither advantage the knower nor prejudice the ignorant we have purposedly waved them leaving them to idle and to curious Wits and which are troubled with an incurable evil habit of disputing to whom it is matter of pleasure to make shew of their acuteness and from this kind of paste made to comfort the stomach with to seek or purchase to themselves the petty Garland of Victory We have bestowed our time and service on that Truth alone which is according to Godliness and indeed in conjunction with an ingenuous and open simplicity the which even the Unlearned may understand and the Learned ought not to disdain Lastly we have thought it best and safest to keep within the bounds of things necessary and in our judgment profitable waving and passing all other things of set purpose and that indeed the more commodiously to avoid both the extreams towit the excess and the defect For neither do we like their Opinion who will have nothing contained in Consessions and Declarations but what is precisely necessary to be known and believed We have thought it meet to have a regard o◠those things that are profitable also especially of those which in this kind excel the rest
But where we have not the Spirit of God going before us there we upon good right demuâ—â— and with-hold our assent and do both beg and grant pardon by course remembring that which our Saviour adviseth us Judg not that ye be not judged and which the Apostle Judg not any thing before the time untill the Lord come who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the Councils of Mens Hearts and then shall every Man have praise of God Hence we do not easily denounce an Anathema to him who we believe is held with a pure meer errour if he be otherwise pious fearing God and studious of a good Conscience and Divine Truth that is if he seem to us to love the Lord Jesus and highly to prize his Gospel by which alone he is willing to maintain his errour through which he ignorantly errs For we know how ready a matter it is in so great a multitude of Opinions so great a company of those that err so great a variety of wits or dispositions so great a plenty of hinderances and scruples so great weakness of judgments in such to slip and err and how easy it is by arguments true in appearance to be deceived and mistaken how harmless also it is in it self to err and to mistake in many things how great also clemency and kindness God is like to use towards such as simply err who pardoneth and remitteth even willful sins themselves to those that repent and how aliene or far from the gentle and meek disposition of our Lord Jesus it is not to pittie those that stray Lastly how sad and tragical disturbances that both rash and proud confidence of condemning hath at all times occasioned and made For Anathema's are wont to provoke Anathema's and where this chance is once cast all 's past and there is an end of all hope of remedy For the direful hatreds of parties suceed and the reins of hatreds being let loose they commonly at length with deadly and spiteful minds rush upon the slaughtering and Butchering of one another and the last fruit of these Condemnings and Anathematizings is an everlasting despair of cure That we might therefore avoid these mischiefs we have carefully and purposely forborn Anathema's deeming it sufficient ingenuously to have spoken the Truth and to have shewed the errour leaving in the mean time unto others a free judgment touching every errour and the greatness of the errour but chiefly to him who alone judgeth righteously and searcheth the Hearts and Reins of Men. We have already sufficiently sacrificed to unseasonable Anathema's and to those direful forms of sentencing to punishment each other we condemn we execrate and curse c. It is now time that we sacrifice to Christian Concord Meekness and Charity After so many sad and dismal cursings whereby on every side the fiercenâ—is of hatreds and mortal fallings out hath been irritated and exasperated let us lay aside such Enemy-like and exulcerated Minds and by gentleness by long-suffering by kindness by the Holy Spirit of Christ by love unfeigned by the word of Truth by the power of God by the Armour of Righteousness on the right hand and on the left after the example of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his Apostles let us fight against Errours that to our utmost power we may save those that err and deliver them out of the danger of Eternal Perdition Let us not be many masters for one is our Master Let us assent to or approve of the wholsome words of our Lord Jesus Christ and that doctrine which is according to Godliness Let us shun vain questions and strifes of words from which arise envy strife railings evil surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth supposing that gain is godliness Let not us condemn or shut out of the Communion of the Church those that Christ doth not condemn nor shut out of his Kingdom Again let us not become the Servants of Men but withal neither let us be Lords over the Faith of others Let our moderation appear unto all and in modesty and mutual charity bear with one another being certainly perswaded that none is lightly to be condemned or blotted out of the register of Christians that holds fast his Faith in Christ and in hope of the good things promised by him doth seek from the heart to obey his Commands though in the mean time he err in many things that in some sort or other concern Religion the which holy and worthily to be praised moderation or equanimity when the best and greatest God shall have inspired the hearts either of all or at least of the most of those who bear rule in Churches and Commonwealths with then at length the Truth of the Gospel will every where flourish and an holy peace in the Lord and Concord will set up a settled place of abode among all that are truly Godly The which that it may shortly come to pass in the whole World especially in the Christian but most of all in the Reformed we humbly beseech of God through Jesus Christ in Spirit and Truth These things thus premised we shall now come directly to the heads of our Declaration as those which we would have alwayes joyned by an indissoluble tye with this very Preface The Confession or Declaration of the Ministers or Pastours which in the United Provinces are called Remonstrants concerning the chief points of Christian Religion CHAP. I. Of the Sacred Scripture and its Authority Perfection and Perspicuity I. WHosoever desireth to worship God aright and certainly and undoubtedly to be everlastingly saved he must of necessity first of all believe that God is and that he is a bounteous rewarder of those that seek him and therefore must conform himself according to that Rule and Square which it is undoubtedly manifest was delivered and prescribed by the true God himself the supream Law-giver and established upon the promise of Eternal Life 2. That God is and that he hath at sundry times and in divers manners spoken in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets and that he hath at length in the last times most fully declared and manifested his last Will by his only-begotten Son hath been a thing confirmed by so many and great Proofs Signs Wonders mighty Deeds or Works Gifts or Distributions of the Holy Ghost and other wonderful Effects and certain Events of several Prophesies and Testimonies of Men worthy of belief that any more certain more substantial and more compleat cannot be given or justly desired 3. The whole Declaration of the Divine Will which pertaineth unto Religion is contained in the Books of the Old and New Testaments and indeed authentically only in those which are called Canonical or which it can upon no just ground be doubted but that they were written or approved of by those Men who were inspired with and
shame may be wrought in him and himself be brought to saving repentance adding withal if extreme necessity require it an express and serious Declaration of the Church that as long as he remains impenitent he is a stranger from or wholly unmeet for the Kingdom of Heaven as one that wittingly and advisedly persists in a manifest crime or work of the Flesh. Yet notwithstanding the peace of the Church or the said communion thereof is always readily to be restored to those that are avoided or excluded from the brotherly communion thereof after probable testimony given of their repentance especially if they shall seriously desire it 7. Howbeit from this avoiding which we have spoken of as to domestick Society or Converse of Life they are to be exempted who are either mutually bound and tyed to each other or at least the one part to the other either by some divine and indissoluble contract as Husbands and Wives or law of nature as Children or necessity of duty as Menservants and Maidservants 8. Furthermore this Discipline is not such a kind of action as is exercised by the Church with any carnal power or worldly Authority or coactive force but it is only the Churches own voluntary departing or separating from him with whom they may no longer live or converse as with a Disciple of Jesus Christ. So that the Rulers or Governors of the Church do not so properly nor so much sever and separate the said person from themselves as they sever and separate themselves together with their people from him and that by the command of Jesus Christ himself their Lord and cannot nor will not otherwise converse with him than with an Heathen and Publican or with any publick and profane sinner so long indeed as he shall continue impenitent 9. Wherefore they who exercise this same discipline not only with a fleshly power and coactive force but who do also extend it unto bodily and capital punishments especially under pretence and colour of Heresie commonly so called they do arrogate and assume to themselves too great a power yea altogether unmeet and unlawful yea further they do in deed and truth oppress the liberty of Mens Consciences and of Prophesie and do change this saving and wholesome remedy in Wisdom appointed by our Saviour for the amendment of Sinners into a most deadly poyson and that which was designed for their health and safety these Men turn to their subversion and ruine wherefore also those who any ways patronize or defend the killing of Horeticks or any the like Tyranny or persecution for Conscience sake we hold and judg that they are altogether estranged from and contrary to that most meek or mild Spirit of Christ and do also fight with unmeet and preposterous weapons against heresies and consequently do bring themselves under the guilt of a most heinous sin in the sight of God CHAP. XXV Of Synods or Councels and of their manner and use 1. ANd thus indeed all particular Curches being taken severally or apart are to be govern'd by their own Ministers that is by their own Bishops and Elders But if in the mean while any thing more hard then ordinary in Doctrine or Manners or Rites proper and peculiar to the Church which may either concern all or at least many Churches shall happen or fall out to be disputed and debated then may Synods or Ecclesiastical Assemblies profitably be appointed and held and sometimes ought and that after the example of the Apostles themselves and they either greater or lesser as the necessity of the case shall seem to require They may we say profitably be appointed and held if indeed a right and lawful order and manner be observed in them and chiefly if these following Articles or Heads be diligently attended to and kept Act. 15. 1. c. 2. I. If in them both the truth and profitableness and necessity of all Opinions or Doctrines be nor examined and tryed by any humane square or factitious i. e. made or devised rule whatsoever it be but only by the Word of God II. If a full and plenary liberty be granted to every one to speak his own Opinion or Judgment without scruple or fear of danger and to enquire into the Opinions of others and duly to examine the whole matter that is in Controversie III. If there be none admitted in them but â—it and meet Men that is Men skilful in divine things and who are mighty in the Scriptures and have their Senses exercised to discern between what is true what is false especially Men pious prudent grave moderate studious or lovers of Truth as well as of Peace as also truly free and during the time of the examination of the Controversie simply tyed to none either Person or Church or Confession c. but only to God and Christ and his sacred Word Lastly men free from all corrupt or perverse affections as wrath hatred partiality or abetting of parties IV. If in them it be not precisely or chiefly urged that Controversies of Faith be by any means at least whatsoever it matters not what right or wrong taken away or removed or decided against one party or the other and that only for this end either to procure or preserve the outward quiet and tranquillity of the Common-wealth but that it may be chiefly endeavoured that Heresies Schisms and other such like publick miscarriages and scandals be first and foremost kept out of the Churches or that being already brought in and so by that means Piety and Truth as also liberty and Christian Charity may be always consulted and provided for in them and therefore V. If plain saving and necessary Truth be straitly and closely held and retained in them and yet so as that for those that dissent and who are yet ignorant of the Truth there be no danger created for them upon that account nor any force or violence done or offered to their Consciences but that saving Truth be only prest upon them by perswasions and reaonss and that with the greatest gentleness and meekness of mind and spirit imaginable and in other things that a moderate Liberty of dissenting upon certain terms and conditions may remain safe inviolate and the Remedies of mutual peace and concord commodiously sought out VI. Finally if what is determined in them be always left liable to a free examination and a further review afterwards yea if it be seriously will'd and commanded that all their Decrees be diligently examined and weighed by the Word of God and that no Man be envied and maligned or at any time endangered for so doing 3. And in those Synods next to or after the Supreme Authority of God and of Christ there ought also to intervene the Authority of the Christian Magistrate as of a nursing Father of the Church if so be there be any such in the Church as of