to us in the word of God Wherefore we mislike the rash speeches of such as say that if by the providence of God all things are governed then all our studies and endevours are unprofitable It shall be sufficient if we leave or permit all things to be governed by the providence of God and we shall not need hereafter to be carefull or to be taught in any matter For though Paul did confesse that he did saile by the providence of God who had said to him Thou must testifie of me also Acts 23. 11. at Rome who moreover promised and said There shall not so much as one soule perish Neither shall an haire fall from your heads Yet the mariners devising how they might finde a way to escape the same Paul saith to the Centurion and to the souldiers Vnlesse Acts 27. 34. these remaine in the ship ye can not be safe For God who hath appointed every thing his end he also hath ordained the beginning and the meanes by which we must attaine unto the end The heathens ascribe things to blinde fortune and uncertaine chance but Saint James would not have us say To day or tomorrow we will Iames 4. goe into such acitie and there buy and sell but he addeth for that which you should say if the Lord will and if we live we will doe this or that And Augustine saith All those things which seeme to vaine men to be done unadvisedly in the world they doe but accomplish his word because they are not done but by his commandement And in his exposition on the 148. Psal It seemed to be done by chance that Saul seeking his fathers Asses should light on the Prophet Samuel but the Lord had before said to the Prophet to morrow I will send unto thee a man of the Tribe of Benjamin c. Of the Creation of all things of the Angels the Devill and Man CHAP. 7. THis good and Almighty God created all things both visible and invisible by his eternall word and preserveth the same also by his eternall spirit as David witnesseth saying By the word Psal 33. 6. of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth And as the Scripture saith All things that the Lord created were very good and made for the use and profit of man Now we say that all those things doe proceede from one beginning and therefore we detest the Maniches and Marcionites who did wickedly imagine two substances and natures the one of good the other of evill and also two beginnings and two Gods one contrary to the other a good and an evill Amongst all the creatures the Angels and men are most excellent Touching Angels the holy Scripture saith Who maketh Psal 10 4. 4. Heb. 5. 14. his Angels spirits and his Ministers a flame of fore Also Are they not ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which shall bee the heires of salvation And the Lord Iesus himselfe testifieth of the Devill saying He hath beene a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him When he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own for he is a liar and the Father thereof We teach therefore that some Angels persisted in obedience and were appointed unto the faithfull service of God and men and that other some fell of their owne accord and ranne headlong into destruction and so became enemies to all good and to all the faithfull c. Now touching man the Spirit saith that in the beginning he was created good according to the image and likenesse of God that God placed him in Paradise and made all things subject unto him which David doth most nobly set forth in the 8. Psal Moreover God gave unto him a wife and blessed them We say also that man doth consist of two and those divers substances in one person of a soule immortall as that which being separated from his body doth neither sleepe nor die and a body mortall which notwithstanding at the last judgement shall be raised againe from the dead that from thenceforth the whole man may continue for ever in life or in death We condemne all those which mock at or by subtill disputations call into doubt the immortalitie of the soule or say that the soule sleepeth or that it is a part of God To be short we condemne all opinions of all men whatsoever which thinke otherwise of the creation of Angels Devils and Men then is delivered unto us by the Scriptures in the Apostolike Church of Christ Out of the Confession of BASILL VVE also beleeve that God made all things by his everlasting Artic. 2. word that is by his onely begotten Sonne and and that he upholdeth and worketh all things by his Spirit that is by his owne power And therefore that God as he hath created so he foreseeth and governeth all things And albeit man by the Artic. 3. same fall became subject to damnation and so was made an enemy to God yet that God never laid aside the care of mankinde The Patriarks the promises before and after the Flood likewise the Law of God given by Moses and the holy Prophets doe witnesse this thing Out of the FRENCH Confession THis one onely God hath revealed himselfe unto men first Artic. 2. both in the Creation and also in the Preservation and government of his workes c. Looke the rest in the first Section of the Scripture and the second Section of God We beleeve that God the three persons working together by Artic. 7. his vertue wisedome and incomprehensible goodnesse hath made all things that is not onely heaven and earth and all things therein contained but also the invisible spirits of which some fell headlong into destruction and some continued in obedience Therefore we say that they as they are through their owne malice corrupted are perpetuall enemies to all good and therefore to the whole Church but that these preserved by the meere grace of God are ministers for his glory and for the salvation of the Elect. We beleeve that God hath not onely made all things but also Artic. 8. ruleth and governeth them as he who according to his will disposeth and ordereth whatsoever happeneth in the world Yet we deny that he is the author of evill or that any blame of things done amisse can be laid upon him seeing his will is the soveraigne and most certaine rule of all righteousnesse but he hath wonderfull rather then explicable meanes by which he so useth all the devils and sinnefull men as instruments that whatsoever they doe evilly that he as he hath justly ordained so he also turneth it to good Therefore while we confesse that nothing at all is to be done but by the meanes of his providence and appointment we doe in all humility adore his secrets that are hid from us neither doe we search into those things
THE EIGHT SECTION OF REPENTANCE AND THE CONVERSION OF MAN The latter Confession of HELVETIA CHAP. 14. THe Gospel hath the doctrine of repentance joyned with it for so said the Lord in the Gospel In my name must repentance and remission of sinnes be preached Luke 24 among all nations By repentance we understand the change of the minde in a sinfull man stirred up by the preaching of the Gospel and by the holy spirit received by a true faith by which a sinfull man dothest soones acknowledge his naturall corruption and all his sinnes seeing them convinced by the word of God and is heartily grieved for them and doth not onely be waile and freely confesse them before God with shame but also doth loath and abhorre them with indignation thinketh seriously of present amendment and of a continuall care of innocencie and vertues wherein to exercise himselfe holily all the rest of his life And surely this is true repentance namely an unfeigned turning unto God and to all goodnesse and a serious returne from the devill and from all evill Now we doe expresly say that this repentance is the meere gift of God and not the worke of our owne strength For the Apostle doth will the faithfull Minister diligently to Instruct those which withstand the truth if that at any time the Lord will give them repentance that 2 Tim. 2. they may acknowledge the truth Also the sinnefull woman in the Gospel which washed Christs feet with her teares and Peter which bitterly wept and be wailed his deniall of his Master doe manifestly shew what minde the penitent man should have to wit very earnestly lamenting his sins committed Moreover the Prodigall sonne and the Publican in the Gospel that is compared with the Pharisie doth set forth unto us a most fit patteme of confessing our sinnes to God The Prodigall sonne said Father I have sinned against heaven and against thee I am not worthy to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hiped servants The Publican also not daring to lift up his eyes to heaven but knocking his brest he cryed God be mercifull unto me a sinner And we doubt not but the Lord received them to mercy For Iohn the Apostle 1 Iohn 2. saith If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgive us our sinnes and to purge us from all iniquitie If we say we have not sinned we make him a lyar and his word is not in us We beleeve that this sincere confession which is made to God alone either privately betweene God and the sinner or openly in the Church where that generall confession of sinnes is rehearsed is sufficient and that it is not necessary for the obteining of remission of sinnes that any man should confesse his sinnes unto the Priest whispering them into his cares that the Priest laying his hands on his head he might receive absolution because that we finde no commandement nor example thereof in the holy Scripture David protesteth and saith I made my fault knowne to thee Psal 32. and my unrighteousnesse did I not hide from thee I said I will confesse my wickednesse to the Lord against my selfe and thou hast forgiven the hainousnesse of my sinne Yea and the Lord teaching us to pray and also to confesse our sinnes said So shall you pray Our Father Matth. 6. which art in heaven forgive us our debts even as we forgive our debters It is requisite therefore that we should confesse our sins unto God and be reconciled with our neighbour if we have offended him And the Apostle James speaking generally of confession saith Confesse each of you your sinnes one to another If so Iames 5. be that any man being overwhelmed with the burthen of his sins and trouble some temptations will privately aske counsell instruction or comfort either of a Minister of the Church or of any other brother that is learned in the law of God we doe not mislike it Like as also we doe fully allow that generall and publike confession which is wont to be reheatsed in the Church and in holy meetings whereof we spake before being as it is agreeable with the Scripture As concerning the keies of the kingdome of heaven which the All these things which are spoken of the keies doe properly pertaine to the 10. Sect. Lord committed to his Apostles they prate many strange things and of these keies they make swords spears scepters and crowns and full power over mightie kingdomes yea and over mens souls and bodies But we judging uprightly according to the word of God doe say that all Ministers truely called have and exercise the keies or the use of them when as they preach the Gospel that is to say when they doe teach exhort reprove and keepe in order the people committed to their charge For so doe they open the kingdome of God to the obedient and shut it against the disobedient These keies did the Lord promise to the Apostles in the 16. Chapter of Matthew and delivered them in John 20. Chapter Marke 16. Luke the 24. when as he sent forth his disciples and commanded them To preach the Gospel in all the world and to forgive sinnes The Apostle in the Epistle to the Corinthians saith That the Lord gave to his Ministers the ministery of reconciliaiton 2 Cor. 5. And what this was he straight way maketh plaine and saith The word or doctrine of reconciliation And yet more plainly expounding his words he addeth that the Ministers of Christ Do as it were goe an embassage in Christ name as if God himselfe should by his Ministers exhort the people to be reconciled to God to wit by faithfull obedience They use the keies therefore when as they perswade to faith and repentance Thus doe they reconcile men to God thus they forgive sinnes thus doe they open the kingdomne of heaven and bring in the beleevers much differing herein from those of whom the Lord spake in the Gospel Wo be unto you Lawyers for ye have taken away the key of knowledge You have not entred in your selves and those that would have entered ye forbad Rightly therefore and effectually doe Ministers absolve when as they preach the Gospel of Christ and thereby remission of sinnes which is promised to every one that beleeveth even as every one is baptized and doe testifie of it that it doth particularly appertain to all Neither doe we imagine that this absolution is made any whit more effectuall for that which is mumbled into some priests care or upon some mans head particularly yet we judge that men must be taught diligently to seek remission of sinnes in the bloud of Christ and that every one is to be put in minde that forgivenesse of sinnes doth belong unto him But how diligent and carefull every penitent man ought to be in the endevour of a new life and in slaying the old man and raising up the new man the examples in the Gospel doe teach
is preserved and doth discerne it from other nations and knoweth which is it what manner of one it is and where to be found Therefore that all godly men might be the better confirmed against these doubts This Article is set before them in the Creed I beleeve the holy Catholike Church By this profession we affirme that all mankinde is not rejected of God but that there is and shall remaine a certaine true Church that the promises of God are sure and that the Sonne of God doth as yet reigne receive and save those that call upon him And being raised up by this comfort we doe give God thanks and invocate him we do desire receive and look for eternall good things at his hand By reason of this admonition and comfort the Article in the Creed is rehearsed seeing that the selfe same doctrine touching the preserving of the Church is very often repeated in sundry Sermons in the booke of God as Isa 59. This is my covenant with them saith the Lord my Spirit which is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed saith the Lord from henceforth even for ever And Christ saith I am with you for ever even to the end of the world Also this is a sweet comfort that the heires of eternaâ—l life are not to be found else where then in the company of those that are called according to that saying Whom he hath chosen them he hath also called Let not therefore mens mindes goe astray beholding this ragged body of the Church and peradventure dreaming that in other places some which do not know the Gospell are notwithstanding holy and the dwelling house of God as Fabius Scipio Aristides and such like But turne thou thy eyes hither Know for a certaintie that in this companie of those which are called some be chosen and joâ—ne thy selfe to this companie by Confession and Invocation as David saith Psal 26. One thing have I desired of the Lord and that I doe still require that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the will of the Lord and to visit his temple We doe not therefore speake of the Church as if we should speake of Plato his Idaea but we speake of such a Church as may be seene and heard according to that saying Their souâ—d is gone forth into all the earth The eternall Father will have his Sonne to be heard among all mankinde as he saith Hâ—are him And Psalme 2. I have set my King upon the holy hill of Sion I will declare the Decree The Lord said to me thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee Be wise now therefore ye Kings We say therefore that the visible Church in this life is a companie of those which doe embrace the Gospell of Christ and use the Sacraments aright wherein God by the ministery of the Gospell is effectuall and doth renue many to life eternall And yet in this company there be many which are not holy but do agree together concerning the true doctrine as in the time of Mary these were the Church to wit Zacharie Simeon Joseph Elizabeth Mary Anne the teachers and many other who agreed with them in the pure doctrine and did not heare the Sadduces and the Pharisees but Zachary Simeon Anne Mary and such like c. For when the companie is very small yet God doth reserve some remnants whose voice and confession is heard and he doth oftentimes renue the ministery according to that saying Except the Lord had left a seed unto us we had been like to Sodome c. Therefore this description taken out of the manifest testimonies of the Scriptures doth declare which is the Church what it is and where it is We may not doubt that the Church is tied to the Gospell as Paul saith If any man teach another Gospell let him be accursed And Joh. 10. My sheepe heare my voice And Joh. 14. If any man loveth me he heareth my word and my Father shall love him and we will come to him and will dwell with him And Joh. 17. Sanctifie them with thy word thy word is truth Therefore the Sadduces the Pharisees and such like Bishops and others who set forth an other doctrine differing from the Gospell and doe obstinately establish idolatry are no members of the Church of God although they hold a title and dominions But it is manifest that our adversaries teach and defend another kinde of doctrine differing from the Gospell seeing they teach that the Law of God may be fulfilled by our obedience in this life and that this obedience doth deserve remission of sinnes Also that by this obedience men are made righteous before God Also that evill concupiscence is not sin nor an evill resisting of the law of God Also that they which are converted must doubt whether they be in state of grace and that this doubting is not sinne Also that dead men are to be prayed unto Also that difference of meats monasticall vowes and other ceremonies chosen without any commandement of God are the service of God Also that the sacrifice in the masse doth deserve the remission of sinnes and other things both for him that maketh it and also for others that are alive or dead Also other manifold and horrible prophanations of the Sacraments Also that Bishops may appoint services of God and that the violating of those services which are appointed by them is mortall sinne Also that they may enjoyne the law of single life to any degree of men Also that the rehearsall of all and every offence is necessarie to the obtaining of remission of sinnes Also that Canonicall satisfactions doe recompence the punishments of Purgatorie Also that those Synods wherein the Bishops alone doe give their judgement cannot erre Also they which doe consecrate oyles and other things without the commandement of God and doe attribute thereunto a divine power against sins and Devils and diseases Also they which allow of prayers made to certaine Images as though there were more helpe to be had Also they which doe kill honest men onely for that they dislike these errours and doe professe the truth These things seeing they be altogether heathenish and idolatrous it is manifest that the maintainers thereof are not members of the Church but doe rule and have soveraigntie as the Pharisees and Saduces did Neverthelesse there have beene are and shall be in the Church of God such men as doe keepe the foundation although some had have and shall have more light and others lesse And somtimes also even the very Saints doe build stubble upon the foundation especially seeing that the miserie of these times doth not suffer those which have the beginnings of faith to be instructed and to conferre with the better learned Yet these are in the number of those whom the Lord commandeth to be spared Ezech. 9. who
onely the people doth not understand but many times also not they themselves which doe live of those kindes of singing and prayers THE SIXTEENTH SECTION OF HOLY DAIES FASTS AND THE CHOISE OF MEATS AND OF THE VISITATION of the sicke and the care that is to be had for the dead The latter Confession of HELVETIA Of Holidaies Fasts and choise of meats CHAP. 24. ALthough Religion be not tied unto time yet can it not be planted and exercised without a due dividing and allotting out of time unto it Every Church therefore doth choose unto it selfe a certaine time for publique prayers and for preaching of the Gospell and for the celebration of the Sacraments and it is not lawfull for every one to over throw this appointment of the Church at his own pleasure For except some due time and leisure were allotted to the outward exercise of religion out of doubt men would be quite drawn from it by their own affaires In regard hereof we see that in the ancient Churches there were not onely certaine set houres in the weeke appointed for meetings but that also even the Lords day ever since the Apostles time was consecrated to the religious exercises and unto a holy rest which also is now very well observed of our Churches for the worship of God and increase of charitie Yet herein we give no place unto the Iewish observation of the day or to any superstitions For we doe not account one day to be holier then another nor thinke that resting of it selfe is liked of God Besides we doc celebrate and keepe the Lords day and not the Sabbath and that with a free observation Moreover if the Churches doe religiously celebrate the memorie of the Lords nativitie circumcision passion and resurrection and of his ascension into heaven and sending the holy Ghost upon his Disciples according to Christian libertie we doe very well allow of it But as for festivall dayes ordained to men or the Saints departed we cannot allow of them For indeed such feasts must be referred to the first Table of the Law and belong peculiarly unto God To conclude these festivall dayes which are appointed to Saints and abrogated of us have in them many grosse things unprofitable and not to be tolerated In the meane time we confesse that the remembrance of Saints in due time and place may be to good use and profit commended unto the people in Sermons and the holy examples of holy men set before their eyes to be imitated of all Now the more sharply that the Church of Christ doth accuse surfeiting drunkennesse all kinde of lusts and intemperancie so much the more earnestly it doth commend unto us Christian fasting For fasting is nothing else but an abstaining and temperancie of the godly and a watching and chastising of our flesh taken up for the present necessitie whereby we are humbled before God and withdraw from the flesh those things whereby it is cherished to the end it may the more willingly and easily obey the spirit Wherefore they doe not fast at all that have no regard of those things but doe imagine that they fast if they stuffe their bellies on a day and for a set or prescribed time doe abstaine from certaine meats thinking that by this very worke wrought they shall please God and doe a good worke Fasting is a helpe of the prayers of the Saints and of all vertues But the Fasts wherein the Iews fasted from meat and not from wickednesse pleased God nothing at all as we may see in the booke of the Prophets Now fasting is either publike or private In old time they celebrated publike fasts in troublesome times and in the affliction of the Church Wherein they abstained altogether from meat unto the evening and bestowed all that time in holy prayers the worship of God and repentance These differed little from mournings and lamentations and of these there is often mention made in the Prophets and especially in the second Chapter of Ioel. Such a fast should be kept at this day when the Church is in distresse Private fasts are used of every one of us according as every one feeleth the spirit weakned in him For so farre forth he withdraweth that which might cherish and strengthen the flesh All fasts ought to proceed from a free and willing spirit and such a one as is truly humbled and not framed to win applause and liking of men much lesse to the end that a man might merit righteousnesse by them But let every one fast to this end that he may deprive the flesh of that which would cherish it and that he may the more zealously serve God The fast of Lent hath testimonie of antiquitie but none out of the Apostles writings and therefore ought not nor cannot be imposed on the faithfull It is certaine that in old time there were divers manners and uses of this fast whereupon Ireneus a most ancient Writer saith Some thinke that this fast should be observed one day onely others two daies but others more and some fortie daies Which varietie of keeping this fast began not now in our times but long before us by those as I suppose which not simply holding that which was delivered them from the beginning fell shortly āfter into another custome either through negligence or ignorance Moreover Socrates the Writer of the History saith Because no ancient record is found concerning this matter I thinke the Apostles left this to every mans own iudgement that every one might worke that which is good without feare or constraint Now as concerning the choise of meats we suppose that in fasting all that should be taken from the flesh whereby it is made more lusty and untamed and wherein it doth most immoderately delight whereby the flesh is most of all pampered whether they be fish spices drinties or excellent wines Otherwise we know that all the creatures of God were for the use and service of men All things which God made are good and are to be used in the feare Gen. 2. of God and due moderation without putting any difference betweene them For the Apostle saith To the pure all things are Tit. 1. pure And also whatsoever is sold in the shambles eate ye and aske 2 Cor. 11. no question for conscience sake The same Apostle calleth the Doctrine of those which teach to abstaine from meats The doctrine 1 Tim. 4. of Devils His reasons be these that God created meats to be received of the faithfull and such as know the truth with thankesgiving because that whatsoever God hath created it is good and is not to be refused if it be received with giving of thanks The same Apostle to the Colossians reproveth those which by an over much abstinence will get unto themselves an opinion of holinesse Therefore we doe altogether mislike the Tatians and the Encratites and all the disciples of Eustathius against whom the Councell of Gangrya was assembled Also out of the 25. Chapter
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 be members of the Church and rightly understand the doctrine thereof and give no help unto those that establish false doctrine and exercise unjust crueltie and remember this saying I will honour them that honour me And Daniel in the fourth Chapter exhorteth the King of Babylon to acknowledge the wrath of God and to shew mercy to the banished Church when he saith Redeeme thy sinnes with righteousnesse and with mercy towards the poore and there shall be a healing of thy transgressions And since they are among the principall members of the Church let them provide that judgement be rightly exercised in the Church as Constantine Theodosius Arcadius Martian Charles the great and many godly Kings have provided that judgement in the Church should be sincerely executed But of the difference of both states namely of the Ministerie of the Gospel and the civill Magistracie there are many writings in our Church which declare that we teach no phantasticall nor seditious opinions but doe shew the necessary doctrine delivered in the Gospel touching both degrees profitable to godlinesse and common peace Thankes be to God THis is the summe of that doctrine which by the blessing of God with one consent we teach in our Churches which to be the sincere meaning of the doctrine delivered from God in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and in the Creeds we nothing doubt and it may be understood out of the ancient and purer writers to bee agreeable to the ancient and purer Churches Now the matter it selfe declareth that we have not sought to dispute about new fangled curious and subtle questions neither doe strive about authoritie or riches but onely to unfold and bring to light from the great darknesse of traditions and opinions that doctrine which is necessary to the true invocation of God to true worship to the right knowledge of the Sonne of God and to the salvation of soules and doe in most simple and plaine manner propound the same unto the Churches For all wise men must needs confesse that there was much obscuritie and many errours in the doctrine of the Monkes and many snares of conscience in the Popes traditions and whether doctrine is true plaine evident profitable for consciences and for manners comparison doth declare For we avoid not the judgements of the godly yea rather we desire that the whole true Church of God that is all the faithfull and learned wheresoever they are may understand what we say who we doubt not will be witnesses that this doctrine is the consent of the true Catholike Church of God Also we offer our selves at any time to a more full declaration in every point and think that this rehearsall of our doctrine now made is agreeable to the confession exhibited at Auspurge Anno 1530. For as much therefore as the doctrine which we here recite is true and necessary for the Church we intreat that our Churches may not be condemned as if they either imbraced errours or foolishly or seditiously stirred up strife without any weightie cause The truth and weight of the matters may deliver us from this unjust accusation Next after a godly manner we admonish the Councel it selfe They see that old abuses and many great errours are as yet sticking in the Church because in all ages even from the beginning of mankinde the devill continueth scattering his seed of errour and since that time through the ignorance of men by superstition they are either confirmed or doe shoote forth againe And now for that the vanitie of many superstitions is knowne the times require a reformation and unlesse the Governours provide that the truth may be brought to light great division in opinions is like to follow especially because in this last age of the world great confusion is to be feared Therefore let the Councel see to it that they condemne not a manifest truth And if a godly sort they will deliberate how they may provide for the Churches and if a more ample declaration shall be demanded of us men learned of understanding loving the truth and fearing God must be chosen to consult together of these so weighty matters Neither let them onely strive with us in number of vices seeing it is manifest by many prejudices of what opinion the Bishop of Rome others that are are addicted unto him who now by the space of many yeeres have not onely set forth against us Edicts written with blood but also have slain many of our side and there be many that neither understand nor looke after any truth of doctrine but being already corrupted with prophane perswasions doe thinke this to be an especiall part of politique men to defend the present state and to maintaine their owne authoritie And for this purpose they seeke fit Ministers by sophisticall juggling to jest out the truth Wherefore now we testifie that we will not reject the truth although it be condemned by the judgements of such men And we openly professe that we consent not to the Councel of Trent which heretofore hath sent abroad Decrees partly false partly captious and sophisticall but doe earnestly request that both we may be heard in the same matter and that the errors before confirmed by the Decrees of the Tridentine Councel may be reformed And we reverently beseech the most worthy Emperour Carolus â—ugustus that he give not leave to the Adversaries to oppresse the truth by their presumption and to strengthen their crueltie which they exercise against innocents and to stirre up greater dissention by their unjust Decrees And now we commend the Church and our selves to the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ who we know by the voyce of the Gospel gathereth together to himselfe an everlasting Church and we pray him that he would governe us and not suffer the light of his Gospel to be extinguished nor the assemblies of them that rightly call upon him to be dispersed An Addition ANd we request all that teach in the Churches neere adjoyning or elsewhere that receive the Confession exhibited at Auspurge 1530. that when they reade these things if in any point they finde any want they would lovingly admonish us thereof for that it was not our purpose to bring up any other kinde of doctrine but plainly to receite the summe of the Confession of Anspurge and the common consent of these Churches and we desire that we may be favourably and not quarrelously judged of We purpose not to stirre up new contentions but especially we pray to the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ that was crucified for us and rose againe that prayed in his agonie that we might be one in God that he would make us also in the most Churches one in himselfe We whose names are subscribed hereunto who doe now teach in the Churches and Vniversities under mentioned doe protest that in this writing which we desire to have rightly and not quarrelously understood we have recited the common doctrine published in the Churches and