blood of the Lord. And in the 10. coÌ„maundements it is written He that abuseth Gods holie name shall not escape vnpunished As therefore the worlde hath oft heretofore beene iustlie punished for â—dolatrie so doubtles this shameles profaniâ—â— of Masses wil be fearefully reuenged with greeuous plagues And it maie well be that the Church in these latter times iâ— punished with blindenes discord and warres and manie other plagues chiefelie for this one cause And yet these oâ—â— and grosse abuses haue the Bishoppes whoe cannot be ignorant of them not onelie borne with all but also smothâ—â— laughed at them And now all to late they beginne to complaine forsooth of the calamitie of the Church when as 〈◊〉 other thing hath beene the occasion of the broiles of these times but the abuses themselues which were now become too open and euident that modest men coulde no longer beare them I would to God that the Bishoppes had as by their office they might haue long before this brideled restrained the couetousnes or impudencie whether of Monks or of some others whoe chaunging the manner of the olde Church haue made the Masse a monie matter But it shall not be amisse now to shew whence these abuses did spring at the first There is an opinion spread abroad in the Church that the Supper of the Lord is a worke which being once done by the Priest deserueth remission of sinnes both of the fault and of the punishment not onelie for hiâ— that doeth it but also for others and that because of the worke done although it be done without anie good intent of the doer Likewise that if it be applied in the behalfe of the dead it is satisfactorie that is it deserueth remission of the paines of purgatorie And in this meaning they take the worde Sacrifice when they call the 〈◊〉 a sacrifice namelie a worke that being done in the behalâ—e of some others doth merit for them both remission of the 〈◊〉 of the punishmentes and that because of the verie worke done euen without any good intent of him that 〈…〉 they meane that the Priest in the Masse doth offer a sacrifice for the quicke and the dead And after this perswasion was once receiued they taught men to seeke forgiuenes of sinnes and all good thinges yea that the dead were fâ—eed from punishmentes by the benefit of the Masse And it made no matter what kinde of men they were that sâ—â—ed the Masses for they taught that they were verie auaileable for others without any good motion of the vser Afterwarde a question arose whether one Masse said for many was as auaileable as seueral Masses for seueral persons And this disputation did augment the number of Masses and the gaine that came in by them out of measure But we dispute not not now of the gaine we onelie accuse the impietie of them For our Diuines doe prooue planlie that this opinion of the meriting applying of the Masse is both false and impious This is the state of this controuersie betweene vs and them And it is no hard matter for the godlie to iudge of this point if a man wil but weigh the arguments that folow First we haue prooued before that men doe obtaine remission of sinnes freelie by faith that is by sure trust to obtaine mercy for Christes sake It is then impossible for a man to obâ—aine remission of sinnes for another mans work and that without anie good motion that is without his owne faith This reason doth very euidentlie ouerthrowe that monstrous and impious opinion touching the merit and application of the Masse Secondly Christes passion was an oblation satisfaction not onelie for originall sinne but also for all other sinnes as it is written in the epistle to the Hebr. We are sanctified by the oblation of Christ once offered Againe By one oblation he hath made perfect for euer those that are sanctified To conclude a good part of the Epistle to the Heb. is spent in confirming this point that the onelie sacrifice of Christ did merit remission of sinnes or reconciliation for others Therfore saith he the Leuiticall sacrifices were oft times offered in one manner because they could not take awaie sinnes But Christ by his sacrifice hath 〈◊〉 once satisfied for the sinnes of all men This honour of Christs sacrifice must not be transferred from him to the worke of a Priest For he saith expresselie that by one oblation the Saints are made perfect Besides it is a wicked thing to place that trust in the work of a priest which should onelie leane and staie it selfe vpon the oblation and intercession of Christ the high Priest Thirdlie Christ in the institution of the Lordes supper doth not commaund the Priestes to offer for others either quick or dead vpon what ground then or authoritie was this worship ordeined in the Church as an offering for sins without anie commaundement of God But that is yet more grosse far from al reasoÌ„ that the masse should be applied to deliuer the soules of such as are dead For the masse was ordeined for a remembrance that is that such as receiued the supper of the Lord should stirre vp and confirme their faith and comfort their distressed consciences with the remembrance of Christes benefits Neither is the masse a satisfaction for the punishment but it was instituted for the remission of the fault to wit not that it should be a satisfaction for the fault but that it might be a sacrament by the vse whereof we might be put in minde of the benefit of Christ and the forgiuenes of the fault Seing therefore that the applying of the Supper of the Lord for the deliuerance of the dead is receiued without warrant of scripture yea quite contrarie to scripture it is to be condemned as a new and vngodlie worship or seruice Fourthlie a Ceremonie in the new couenant without faith meriteth nothing neither for him that vseth it nor for others For it is a dead worke according to the saying of Christ The true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and trueth The same doth the 11. Chap. to the Heb. throughout prooue By faith Abell offered a better offering vnto God Also without faith it is impossible to please God Therfore the masse doth not merit remission of the fault or of the punishment euen for the verie workes sake performed This reason doth euidentlie ouerthrow the merit as they cal it which ariseth of the verie worke that is done Fiftlie the applying of the benefit of Christ is by a mans owne faith as Paull witnesseth Rom 3. Whome God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood this applying is made frelie And therefore it is not made by another mans work nor for another mans work For when we vse the sacrament this application is made by our owne work by our owne faith not by another mans work For surely if we could haue no remission but
part agree with the writinges of the Apostles and with the custome of the auncient Church euen almoste to Gregories time which thing being so the custome of our Churches is to be approoued not to be disalowed but our Aduersaries misliking our custome doe defend manie errours some more foule and grosse others coloured with new deceites Manie heretofore haue written that in the masse there is an oblation made for the quick and the dead and that it doth deserue remission of sinnes both for him that maketh it and for others euen for the workes sake And thus were most of them persuaded and as yet are like vnto the Pharisies and the heathen For after the same manner the Pharisies and the Heathen did dreame that they for the workes sake did deserue for them selues and for others remission of sinnes peace and manie other good thinges Or although those which were not so blinde did speake more modestlie and saide that they did deserue but not without the good intention of the sacrificer yet they imagined that those sacrifices were merits a raunsome By reason of this opinion there were a multitude of sacrifices and the craftie meanes of gaine were increased Such is the marchandise of Masses and the prophanation of the Lordes Supper almost throughout the wholl world But God will haue corrupt kindes of worship to be reprooued and abolished Therefore we 〈◊〉 â—implie and in deede propound the voice of God which doth condemne those errors and with all our heart we affirme before God and the wholl Church in heauen and in earth that there was one onelie sacrifice propitiatorie or whereby the wrath of the eternall Father against mankinde is pacified to wit the wholl obedience of the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ who was crucified and raised vp againe This is that onelie Lambe which taketh awaie the sinnes of the world Ioh. 1. Of thâ—â— onelie sacrifice mention is made Heb. 10. By one onely sacrifice he made perfect for euer those that are sanctified And this sacrifice is applied to euerie one by their owne faith when they heare the Gospell and vse the sacraments as Paull saith Rom. 3. Whome God hath set forth to be are conciliation through faith in his blood And Habac. 2. The iust shall liue by his faith And 1. Pet. 1. Being sanctified in the spirit vnto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ Other sacraments in the old Testament were typicall wherof we shal speake more at large in their place they did not deserue anie remission of sinnes and all the righteousnes of holie men at all times were are and shall be sacrifices of praise which do not deserue remission either for them that did offer them or for others but they are seruices which euerie one ought to performe and are acceptable to God for the Mediatours and our high priest the Sonne of God his sake as it is said Heb. 13. By him we offer the sacrifice of praise alwaies to God That this is an vnchangeable and eternal truth it is most manifest And whereas certaine fragments which they call the Canons of the masse are alledged against this so cleare light of the trueth it is also manifest that the Greeke and Latine Canons are verie vnlike the one to the other and that the Greeke Canons do disagree among themselues in a most waightie matter and it appeareth that in the Latine Canon manie iagges peeces were by litle litle patched together of ignorant authors The auncient Church doth vse the names of Sacrifice and oblation but therby it vnderstandeth the whole action prayers a taking of it a remembrance faith a confession and thanksegiuing This wholl inward and outward action in euerie one that is turned to God and in the wholl Church is indeede a sacrifice of praise or thankesgiuing and a reasonable seruice And when the Lord saith Ioh. 4. The true worshippers shall worship the lord in spirit and in trueth he affirmeth that in the new testament outward sacrifices are not commaunded which of necessitie should be made although there were no motions of the holie ghost in the heart as in the law it was necessarie that the ceremonie of the Passe ouer should be kept But touching the supper of the Lord it is said 1. Cor. 11 Let euerie man examine him-selfe c. So the supper of thâ— Lord doth profit him that vseth it when as he bringeth with him repentance and faith and another mans work doth nothing at all profit him Furthermore concerning the dead it is manifest that all this shew is repugnant to the wordes of the institution of the Supper wherein it is said Take ye eat ye c. Doe ye this in remembrance of me What doth this apperteine to the dead or to those that be absent and yet in a great part of Europe manie masses are said for the dead also a great number not knowing what they do do read Masses for a reward But seing that all these things are manifestlie wicked to wit to offer as they speake to the end that they maie deserue for the quick and the dead or for a man to do he knoweth not what they do horriblie sinne that retaine and defend these mischieuous deeds And seeing that this ceremony is not to be taken for a sacrameÌ„t without the vse wherunto it was ordeined what manner of Idolworship is there vsed let godlie and learned men consider Also it is a manifest prophanation to carie about parte of the Supper of the Lord and to worship it where a parte is vtterlie transferred to an vse cleane contrarie to the first Institution whereas the text saith Take eat and this shew is but a thing deuised of late To conclude what be the manners of manie Priestes and Monks in all Europe which haue no regard of this saying 1. Cor. 11 Let euerie man examine him-selfe Also Whosoeuer taketh it vnworthelie shall be guiltie of the bodie and bloode of the Lord. Euerie man of him-selfe doth know these things Now although the chiefe Bishopes and hypocrites who seeke delusions to establish these euills doe scoffe at these complaintes yet it is most certaine that God is greeuouslie offended with these wicked deeds as he was angrie with the people of Israell for their prophanations of the sacrifices And we do see euident examples of wrath to wit the ruines of so many kingdomes the spoile and waste that the Turkes doe make in the worlde the confusions of opinions and many moste lamentable dissipations of Churches But O Sonne of God Lorde Iesus Christ which wast crucified and raised vp againe for vs thou which art the high priest of the Church with true sighes we beseech the that for thine and thy eternall Fathers glorie thou wouldest take awaie Idolls errours and abominations and as thou thy selfe didst praie Sanctifie vs with thy trueth and kindle the light of thy Gospell and true inuocation in the heartes of many and bowe our heartes to true obedience that
him alone shalt thou worship or him onelie shalt thou serue Surelie all the Prophets inueighed earnestlie against the people of Israell whensoeuer they did adore and worship straunge Gods and not the one onelie true God But we teach that God is to be adored and worshipped as himselfe hath taught vs to worship him to weere in spirite and trueâ—h not with any superstition but with sinceritie according to his worde lest at any time he also saie vnto vs who hath required these thinges at your handes For Paull also saith God is not worshipped with mans hands as though he needed any thing c. We in all daungers and casualties of our life call on him alone and that by the mediation of the onelie Mediatour and our intercessour Iesus Christ For it is expressely commaunded vs Call vpon me in the daie of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Moreouer the Lord hath made a moste large promise saying whatsoeuer ye shal aske of my father he shall giue it you And againe Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie loaden and I will refresh you And seeing it is written How shall they call vpon him in whome they haue not beleeued and we doe beleeue in God alone therefore we call vpon him onelie and that thorough Christ For there is one God saith the Apostle and one Mediatour betweene God and men Christ Iesus Againe If anie man sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous c. Therefore we doe neither adore worshippe nor praie vnto the Saints in heauen or to other Gods neither do we acknowledge them for our intercessours or Mediatours before the father in heauen For God and the Mediatour Christ do suffice vs neither do we imparte vnto others the honour due to God alone and to his sonne because he hath plainlie said I wil not giue my glorie to another and because Peter hath said There is no other name giuen vnto men whereby they muste be saued but the name of Christ In which doubtles they that rest by faith doe nor seeke aniething without Christ Yet 〈◊〉 all that we doe neither despise the Saints nor thâ—nke basâ—lie of them For we acknowledge them to be the 〈◊〉 members of Christ the friends of god who haue glorâ—ouslie ouercome the flesh and the world We therfore loue them as â—â—â—thâ—en and honour them also yet not with any woâ—sh◠〈…〉 an honourable opinion of them and to conclude 〈◊〉 their iust praises We also doe imitate them For we desire wâ—â—h most eaâ—nest affections and praiers to be followers of their faith vertues to be partakers also with them of euerlasting siluation to dwell together with them euerlastinglie with God to reioyse with them in Christ And in this point we approoue that saying of Saint Augustine in his booke De vera relig Let not the worship of men departed be any religion vnto vs. For if they haue liued holily they are not so to be esteemed as that they seek such honours but they wil haue vs to worship him by whose illâ—minatioÌ„ they reioice that we are fellow seruantâ— â—s touching the reward They are therefore to be honoured for imitation not to be worshipped for religions sake c. And we muchlesse beleeue that the reliques of Saints are to be adored or worshiped Those auncient holie men seemed sufficientlie to haue honoured their deade if they had honestlie committed their bodies to the earth after that the soule was gone vp into heauen and they thought that the moste noble reliques of their ancetours were their vertues doctrine faith which as they commended with the praise of the dead so they did endeuour to expresse the same so long as they liued vpon earth Those auncient men did not swear bâ—t by the name of the only Iehoua as is it commaunded in the lawe of God Therefore as we are forbidden To sweare by the names of strange Gods so we do not sweare by Saints although we be requested thereunto We therefore in all these things doe reiect that doctrine which giueth too much vnto the Saintes in heauen OVT OF THE FORMER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA WE thus thinke of God that he is one in substance three in persons and almightie Who as he hath by the worde that is his sonne made all thinges of nothing so by his spirite and prouidence he doth iustlâ—â— truely and mosâ—e wiselie gouerne preserue and cherish all things Who as he is the onelie Mediatour intercessour and sacrifice also our high priest Lord and King so we acknowledge and with the wholl heart beleeue that he alone is our attonement redemption satisfaction expiation wisedome protection and deliuerance simplie reiecting herein all meanes of life and saluation besides this Christ alone OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BASILL WE beleeue in God the father in God the sonne in God the holie Ghost the holie diuine Trinitie three persons and one eternall almighte God in essence and substance and not three Gods And in the marginall note is added This is prooued by manie places of the wholl scripture of the olde and new testament Therefore we mislike the worship and inuocation of dead men the worshipping of Saintes and setting vp of Images with such like thinges And in the same place in the marginall note vpon the worde Saints Neuerthelesse we confesse that they serue in Gods presence and that they reigne with Christ euerlastinglie because they acknowledged Christ and both in deede word confessed him to be their sauiour redemption and righteousnes without any addition of mans merit For this cause doe we praise and commend them as those who haue obteined grace at Gods hand and are now made heites of the euerlasting kingdome Yet doe we ascribe all this to the glorie of God and of Christ We plainlie protest that we condemne and renounce al straunge and erronious doctrines which the spirits of errours bring forth c. And ss 2. of the selfe same article We condemne that doctrine which saith that we may in no case sweare although Gods glorie and the loue of our neighbour require it And in the marginall note vpon the worde sweare It is lawfull to vse an oath in due time For God hath commaunded this in the olde testament and Christ hath not forbidden it in the new yea Christ and the Apostles did sweare OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA Oâ— THE WALDENSES Of the vnitie of the diuine essence and of the three persons CHAP. 3. OVt of this fountaine of holie scripture and Christian instruction according to the true and sound vnderstanding and meaning of the holie ghost our men teach by faith to acknowledge with the mouth to confesse that the holie Trinitie to wit god the father the sonne and the holie ghost are three distinct persons but in essence one onelie true alone eternall almightie and incomprehensible God of one equall
Church is a spirituall bodie so must it needs haue a spiritual heade like vnto it selfe Neither can it be gouerned by any other spirit then by the spirit of Christ Wherefore Paul saith And he is the head of his bodie the Church who is the beginning the first borne of the dead that in al things he might haue the preheminence And in another place Christ saith he is the heade of the Church and the same is the Sauiour of his bodie And againe Who is the heade of the Church which is his bodie euen the fulnes of him which filleth all in all things Againe Let vs in all things grow vp into him which is the heade that is Christ by whome all the bodie being knit together receiueth increase And therefore we do not allow of the doctrine of the Romish Prelates who would make the Pope the generall Pastour and Supreame heade of the Cuhrch of Christ militant here on earth and the verie Vicar of Christ who hath as they saie al fullnes of power and soueraigne authoritie in the Church For we holde and teach that Christ our Lorde is and remaineth fill the onelie vniuersal Pastour and highest Bishop before God his father and that in the Church he performeth all the duties of a Pastour or Bishop euen to the worldes ende and therefore standeth not in neede of any other to supplie his roome for he is said to haue a substitute which is absent But Christ is present with his Church is the head that giueth life thereunto He did straightlie forbid his Apostles their successours al superioritie or dominion in the Church They therefore that by gainesaying set themselues against so manifest a trueth and bring another kinde of gouernement into the Church who seeth not that they are to be counted in the number of them of whome the Apostles of Christ prophesied as Peter 2. Epist 2. and Paull Act. 20. ◠Cor. 11. 2. Thess 2. and in manie other places Now by taking awaie the Romish head we doe not bring any confusion or disorder into the Church for we teach that the gouernement of the Church which the Apostles set downe is sufficient to keepe the Church in due order which from the beginning while as yet it wanted such a Romish heade as is now pretended to keepe it in order was not disordered or full of confusion That Romish head doth mainteine in deede that tyrannie and corruption in the Church which was brought into the Church But in the meane time he hindreth resisteth and with all the might he can make cutteth of the right and lawfull reformation of the Church They obiect against vs that there haue beene great strifes and dissentions in our Churches since they did seuer themselues from the Church of Rome and that therefore they can not be true Churches As though there were neuer in the Church of Rome neuer anie sectes anie contentions and quarrells and that in matters of religion maintained not so much in the schooles as in the holie chaires euen in the audience of the people We knowe that the Apostle said God is not the author of dissention but of peace And Seeing there is amongst you emulation and contention are you not carnall Yet maie we not denie but that God was in that Church planted by the Apostle and that that Apostolike Church was a true Church howsoeuer there were strifes and dissentions in it The Apostle Paull reprehended Peter an Apostle and Barnabas fell at variance with Paull great contention arose in the Church of Antioch betweene then that preached one the same Christ as Luke recordeth in the Actes of the Apostles And there haue at all times bin great contentions in the Church and the moste excellent Doctors of the Church haue about no small matters differed in opinions yet so as in the meane time the Church ceased not to be the Church for all these contentions For thus it pleaseth God to vse the dissentions that arise in the Church to the glorie of his name the setting forth of the truth to the end that such as are approoued might be manifest Now as we acknowledge no other head of the Church then Christ so we do not acknowledge euerie Church to be the true Church which vaunteth her selfe so to be but we teach that to be the true Church indeed in which the markes and tokens of the true Church are to be found First and chiefely the lawfull or sincere preaching of the word of god as it i◠left vnto vs in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles which do all seeme to lead vs vnto Christ who in the gospel hath said My sheep heare my voice I know them they follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life A straunger they doe not heare but flie from him because they know not his voice And they that are such in the Church of God haue all but one faith and one spirit and therefore they worship but one God and him alone they serue in spirit and in truth louing him with all their heartes with all their strength praying vnto him alone through Iesus Christ the onelie Mediatour and intercessor and they seeke not life or Iustice but onlie in Christ and by faith in him because they do acknowledge Christ the onelie head and foundation ofhis Church and being surelie founded on him doe dailie repaire themselues by repentance and doe with patience beare the crosse laid vppon them and besides by vnfeined loue ioyning themselues to all the members of Christ doe thereby declare them-selues to be the disciples of Christ by continuing in the bond of peace and holie vnitie they do withall communicate in the sacraments ordeined by Christ deliuered vnto vs by his Apostles vsing them in no other manner thē as they receiued them from the Lord him-selfe That saying of the Apostle Paul is well knowne to all I receiued from the Lord that which I deliuered vnto you For which cause we condemne all such Churches as straungers from the true Church of Christ who are not such as we haue heard they ought to be howsoeuer in the meane time they brag of the succession of bishops of vnitie and of antiquitie Moreouer we haue in charge from the Apostles of Christ To shunne Idolatrie and to come out of Babylon and to haue no fellowship with her vnles we meane to be partakers with her of al gods plagues laid vpon her But as for communicating with the true Church of Christ we so highlie esteeme of it that we saie plainelie that none can liue before God which do not communicate with the true Church of God but separate them selues from the same For as without the Arke of Noah there was no escaping when the world perished in the flood euen so doe we beleeue that without Christ who in the Church offereth him selfe to be enioyed of the elect there can be no certaine saluation and therefore
we may thankefullie praise thee in all eternitie The greatnes of our sinnes which the prophanation of the Supper of the Lorde these many yeares hath brought forth doth surpasse the eloquence of Angells and men We are herein the shorter seeing that no words can be deuised sufficient to set out the greatnes of this thing and in this great griefe we beseech the Sonne of God that he would amend these euills and also for a further declaration we offer our selfes to them that wil heare it But in this question we see that to be chieflie done which Salomon saith He that singeth songes to a wicked heart is like him that powreth vineger vpon nitre Our aduersaries know that these perswasions of their sacrifice are the sinewes of their power and riches therefore they will heare nothing that is said against it Some of them doe now learne craftelie to mitigate these things and therfore they say The oblation is not a merit but an application they deceiue in wordes and retaine still the same abuses But we saide before that euerie one doth by faith applie the sacrifice of Christ to himselfe both when he heareth the Gospell and then also when he vseth the Sacraments and it is written 1. Cor. 11. Let euerie man examine himselfe Therefore Paull doth not meane that the ceremonie doth profitte another that doth not vse it And the Sonne of God himselfe did offer vp himselfe going into the holie of holies that is into the secret counsell of the Diuinitie seeing the will of the eternall Father and bearing his great wrath and vnderstanding the causes of this wonderfull counsell these weightie things are meant when the text saith Heb. 9. He offered himselfe And when Esaie saith Cap. 53. He will make his soule an offering for sinne Now therefore what doe the Priestes meane who saie that they offer vp Christ and yet antiquitie neuer spake after this manner But they doe most grieuouslie accuse vs. They saie that we doe take awaie the continuall sacrifice as did Antiochus who wâ—â— a type of Antichrist We answered before that we doe reteine the wholl ceremonie of the Apostolike Church and this is the eontinuall sacrifice That the sincere doctrine of the Gospell should be heard that God should be truelie inuocated to conclude as the Lord saith Ioh. 4. It is to worship the Father in Spirit and trueth we doe also herein comprehende the true vse of the Sacraments Seeing that we retaine all these things faithfullie we doe with great reuerence reteine the continuall sacrifice they doe abolish it who many waies doe corrupt true inuocation and the verie Supper of the Lord who commaund vs to inuocate dead men who set out Masses to sale who boast that by their oblation they doe merit for others who doe mingle many mischieuous errours with the doctrine of Repentance and remission of sinnes who will men to doubt when they repent whether they be in fauour who defile the Church of God with filthie lustes and Idols These men be like vnto Antiochus and not we whoe endeuour to obeie the Sonne of God who saith Ioh. 4. If any man loueth me he will keepe my worâ—â— Of the vse of the wholl Sacrament LEt Sophistrie be remooued from the iudgements of the Church All men know that the Supper of the Lorde is so instituted that the wholl Sacrament may be giuen to the people as it is written Drinke ye all of this Also the custome of the auncient Church both Greeke and Latine is well knowne Therefore we must confesse that the forbidding of one part is an vniust thing It is greate iniurie to violate the lawfull Testaments of men Why then doe the Bishopes violate the Testament of the Sonne of God which he hath sealed vp with his owne bloode But it is to be lamented that certeine men should be so impudent as to feigne sophistrie against this so weightie an argument that they may establish their prohibition the refutation of whome the matter beeing so cleere and euident we doe omitte In an other place this Article is not distinguished from that which went before but is thus ioyned with it To conclude wee must also speake in few things of the vse of the wholl Sacrament Let sophistrie be remooued c. OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE Of the Eucharist CHAP. 9. WE beleeue and confesse that the Eucharist for so it pleased our forefathers to call the Supper of the Lord is a Sacrament instituted of Christ himselfe and that the vse therof is commended to the church euen to the latter end of the world But because the substance is one thing and the vse thereof an other thing therefore we will speakâ— of these in order Touching the substance of the Eucharâ—â—â— we thus thinke and teach that the true bodie of Christ 〈◊〉 his true bloode is distributed in the Eucharist and we refute them that saie that the bread and wine of the Eucharist are signes of the body and blood of Christ beeing onelie absent Also we beleeue that the omnipotencie of Goâ— is so great that in the Eucharist he may either annihilateâ—â— substance of bread and wine or else change them into 〈◊〉 bodie and bloode of Christ but that God doth exercise 〈◊〉 his absolute omnipotencie in the Eucharist we haue no certeine worde of God for it and it is euident that the auncient Church was altogether ignorant of it For as in Ezech where it is said of the Citie of Hierusalem described on the out side of a wall This is Hierusalem it was not necessarie that the substance of the wall should be changed into the substance of the Citie of Hierusalem so when it is said of the bread This is my bodie it is not necessary that the substance 〈◊〉 bread should be changed into the the substance of the bodâ— of Christ but for the truth of the sacrament it is sufficient that the bodie of Christ is in deed present with the bread and in deede the verie necessitie of the trueth of the Sacrament doth seeme to require that true breade should remaine with the true presence of the bodie of 〈◊〉 For as to the trueth of the Sacrament of Baptisme it is necessarie that in the vse thereof there should be water and that true water should remaine so it is necessarie in the Lords Supper that there should be bread in the vse thereof and that true bread should remaine whereas if the substance of bread were changed we should haue no proofe of the trueth of the Sacrament Whereupon both Paull and also the auncient Ecclesiasticall writers doe call the bread of the Eucharist euen after conâ—ecration bread 1. Cor. 11. Letâ— man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that bread And Whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke this cuppe of the Lord vnworthely c. And Augustine in his Sermon to young children saith That which yâ—u haue seene it iâ— the bread and the 〈◊〉 the which thing
both administer and receiue the diuine sacraments that is the holie Supper of Christ By these things which are thus in deede as we haue set them downe your sacred Maiestie O most gratious Emperour doth know how falselie our aduersaries doe boast that our men doe change the wordes of Christ and teare them in peeces by humane glosses and that in our Suppers nothing is administred but meree bread and meere wine and also that among vs the Supper of the Lord is contemned and reiected For our men doe verie carefullie teach and exhort that euerie man doe in a simple faith imbrace these wordes of the Lorde reiecting all deuises of men and false glosses and remoouing awaie all kinde of wauering doe wholly addict their minde to the true meaning thereof and to conclude doe oftentimes with as great reuerence as they may receiue the Sacraments to be the liuelie foode of their soules and to stirre vp in them a gratefull rememberance of so great a benefit the which thing also vseth now to be done among vs much more often and reuerentlie then heretofore was vsed Morouer our Preachers haue alwaies hitherto and at this daie do offer themselues with al modestie and trueth to render a reason of their faith and doctrine touching all those things which they beleeue and teach as wel about this Sacrament as about other things and that not onelie to your Sacred Maiestie but also to euerie one that shall demaunde it Of the Masse CHAP. 19. FVrthermore seeing that after this manner Christ hatâ— instituted his Supper which afterward beganne to be called the Masse to wit that therein the faithfull being fed with his bodie and bloode vnto life eternall should shew forth his death whereby they are redeemed our Preachers by this meane giuing thankes and also commending this saluation vnto others could not chuse but condemne it that these things were euerie where neglected And on the other side they which do celebrate the masses do presume to offer vp Christ vnto his Father for the quicke and the deade and they make the Masse to be such a worke as that by it alone almost the fauour of God and saluation is obteined howsoeuer they doe either beleeue or liue Whereupon that most shamefull twise thrise impious sale of this Sacrament hath crept in and thereby it is come to passe that nothing at this daie is more gainefull then the Masse Therefore they reiected priuate Masses because the Lorde did commende this Sacrament to his Disciples to be vsed in common Whereupon Paul commandeth the Corinthians when they are to celebrate the holie Supper to staie one for another and denieth that they doe celebrate the Lordes Supper when as euerie man taketh his owne Supper whilest they be eating Moreouer whereas they boast that they doe offer vp Christ in steade of a sacrifice they are therefore condemned of our men because that the Epistle to the Hebrewes doth plainlie witnes that as men doe once die so Christ was once offered that he might take awaie the sinnes of many and that he can no more be offered againe then he may die againe and therefore hauing offered one sacrifice for sinnes he sitteth for euer at right hand of God waiting for that which remaineth to wit that his enemies as it were a footestoole may be troden vnder his feete For with one oblation hath he consecrated for euer them that are sanctified And whereas they haue made the Masse to be a good worke whereby any thing may be obteined at Gods handes our Preachers haue taught that it is repugnant to that which the Scripture doth teach in euerie place that we are iustified and receiue the fauour of god by the spirit of Christ and by faith for which matter we alledged before manie testimonies out of the Scriptures So in that the death of the Lorde is not commended to the people in the Masse our Preachers haue shewed that it is contrarie to that that Christ commaunded to receiue these Sacraments in remembrance of himselfe and Paul that we might shew forth the death of Christ till he come And whereas many doe commonlie celebrate the Masses without all regard of godlines onelie for this cause that they may nourish their bodies our Preachers haue shewed that that is so execrable a thing before god that if the Masse of it self should nothing at al hinder godlines yet worthely by the commaundement of God it were to be abolished the which thing is euident euen out of Esay onely For our God is a Spirit and trueth therfore he cannot abide to be worshiped but in Spirit and trueth And how greeuous a thing this vnreasonable selling of the Sacraments is vnto the Lord our Preachers would haue men thereby to coniecture that Christ did so sharplie and altogether against his accustomed manner taking vnto himselfe an external kinde of reuengement cast out of the Temple those that bought solde wheras they might seme to exercise marchandize onely in this respect that they might further those sacrifices which were offered according to the law Therefore seeing that the â—iâ—e of the Masse which was wont to be celebrated is so manie waies contrarie to the Scripture of God as also it is in euerie respect diuers from that which the holie Fathers vsed it hath bene verie vehementlie condemned amongst vs out of the pulpit and by the worde of God it is made so detestable that manie of their owne accorde haue altogether forsaken it and elsewhere by the authoritie of the Magastrate it is abrogated The which thing we haue not taken vpon vs for anie other cause then for that throughout the whol Scripture the Spirit of God doeth detest nothing so much neither commaund it so earnestlie to be taken awaie as a feigned and false worship of himselfe Now no man that hath anie sparke of religion in him can be ignorant what an inâ—uâ—â—able necessitie is laid vpon him that feareth God when as he is perswaded that God doth require a thing at his handes For anie man might easilie foresee how many would take it at our hands that we should chaunge aâ—y thing about the holie rite of the Masse neither were there anie which would not rather haue chosen in this point not onelie not to haue offended your sacred Maiestie but euen anie Prince of the lowest degre But when as herewithal they did not doubt but by that common rite of the Masse God was moste grieiouslie prouoked and that his glorie for the which we ought to spend our liues was darkened they could not but take it awaie lest that they also by winking at it should make themselues partners with them in diminishing the glorie of god Trulie if god is to be loued and worshipped aboue all godlie men must beare nothing lesse then that which he doth hate and detest And that this one cause did constraine vs to chaunge certaine things in these points we take him to witnes from whome no
so glorious and receiued how many soeuer of them doe withdrawe or hinder vs as of thinges vnprofitable and hurtfull so we answere with that saying of the Lord They worship me in vaine teaching the doctrine of men The drift of the Canonicall scripture is this that God wisheth well to mankinde and by Christ the Lord his sonne hath declared this good will which is receiued by faith alone and faith must be effectuall through loue that it may be shewed forth by an innocent life OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BASILL Of things commaunded and not commaunded Art 10. WE confesse that as no man can commaund those things which Christ hath not commaunded so likewise no man can forbid those things which he hath not forbidden And in the margent For it is written heare him Also section the 3. in the same place And much lesse can any man license those things which God hath forbidden c. And in the marg God said I am Iehoua your god Leuit. 18. by Moses Deut. 10. for Iehoua your god is God of Gods a great god terrible Who therefore among his creatures can graâ—â— those things which he hath forbidden In like sorte Section 4. And againe no man can forbid those things which God hath graunted c. The other things which are conteined in this article because they belong to other sections they are inserted euerie one in their places OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA Oâ— THE WALDENSES Of the holie scriptures CHAP. I. FIrst of all the ministers of our Churches teach with one consent concerning the holy scripture of the neâ— and olde Testament which is commonlie called the Bible and is lawfullie receiued and allowed of the fathers which are of best and soundest iudgement that it is true certaine and worthie to be beleeued whereunto no other humane writings whatsoeuer or of what sort soeuer they be may be compared but that as mans writings they must giue place to the holie scripture First because it is inspired anâ— taught of the holie Ghost and vttered by the mouth of holie men written by them and confirmed by heauenlie and diuine restimonies which spirit also himselfe openeth discloseth the meaning how it ought to be vnderstood and the trueth of this scripture in the Church in what manner seemeth him best especiallie by raising vp and giuing faithful ministers who are his chosen instruments Of which spirâ— Dauid speaketh when he saieth The spirit of the Lord spake by me and his word was in my tongue and Peter For prophecie 〈◊〉 not molde time by the will of man but holie men of God spakes they were mooued by the holie Ghost and Paull The wholl scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable c. besides the Lord himselfe saith Search the scriptures And againe Ye are deceiued not knowing the scriptures neither doe ye vnderstand the power of God And He opened the mindes of his Disciples that they might vnderstand the scriptures Secondlie because it is a true and sure testimonie and a cleare proofe of Gods fauourable good will which he hath reueiled concerning himselfe without which reuelation of scripture there is no wholesome knowledge nor faith nor accesse to God For in this such thinges as are necessarie to doctrine to discipline gouernement of the holie Church for all and singular persons in the ordinarie ministerie of saluation whence also springeth true faith in this I say are all such things fullie absolutelie and so farre forth as 〈◊〉 requisite as in a moste excellent and moste exquisite worke of the holie Ghost comprehended and included then which no Angell from heauen can bring any thing more certaine and if he should bring any other thing he ought not to be beleeued And this perswasion and beliefe concerning holie scripture namely that it is taught and inspired of God is the beginning and ground of our Christian profession which taketh beginning from the worde outwardlie preached as from an ordinarie meane ordeâ—â—ed of god for this purpose Wherefore euerie one ought verie highly to esâ—eâ—â—e of the diuine writings of the holie Prophets and Apostles resolutelie to beleeue them and religiouslie to yeaâ—d vnto them in all things diligentlie to reade them to gather wholsome doctrine our of them and according to them ought euerie man to frame and order himselfe but especiallie they who after an holie manner are set ouer the Church of God For which causes in our Churches and meetings this holy scripture is rehearsed to the hearers in the common and mother tongue which all vnderstand and especiallie according to the auncient custome of the Church those portions of the Gospells in scripture which are wont to be read on solemne holie daies out of the Euangelistes and Apostles writings are vsually called Gospells Epistles out of which profitable and whollsome doctrines and exhortations and sermons are made to the people as at all times occasion and neede requiteth We likewise teach that the writings of holie Doctors especiallie of those that are auncient are also to be esteemed for true and profitable wherof there may be some vse to instruct the people yet onelie in those thinges wheerin they agree with the holie scripture or are not contrarie thereunto and so farre forth as they giue testimonie to the excellencie thereof to the information and example of the Apostolike Church and swarue not from the consent iudgement and decrees of the auncient Church wherein shee hath continued vnspotted in the trueth after what sort they themselues also haue charged men to iudge and thinke of their writings and haue giuen warning that heede should be taken lest that they beeing but men too much should be ascribed to them Of which thing S. Augustine speaketh in this manner Be not thou a seruant to my writings as it were to the Canonical scriptures but in the Canonical scriptures such things as thou didâ—t not beleue when thou hast there found them immediately beleue But in my writings that which thou knowest not for a certaine trueth vnlesse thou perceiue it to be certaine hold it not resolutelie And else where he saith Giue not as great credit to mine or Ambrose his words as to the Canonicall scriptures This is the right rule to discerne writings by which so greatlie liked the Papists that they haue cited it in their decretal distinct 9. Chap. Noli meis verbis c. OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION THis one god hath reuealed himselfe to be such a one vnto men first in the creation preseruation gouerning of his works secondly faâ—re more plainely in his word which word in the beginning he reuealed to the fathers by certaine visions and oracles and then caused it to be written in these bookes which we cal Holie scripture All this holie scripture is conteined in the Canonicall bookes of the olde and new Testament The Catalogue whereof is this The fiue bookes of Moses namelie Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numbers
be wanting to him who with al his mihgt laboureth to follow and embrace the scripture of God THE SECOND SECTION OF GOD IN ESSENCE ONE IN persons three and of his true worship THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of God his vnitie and the Trinitie CHAP. 3. WE beleeue teach that God is one in essence or nature subsisting by himselfe all sufficient in himselfe inuisible without a bodie infinite eternal the creator of all things both visible inuisible the chiefest good liuing quickning and preseruing all things almightie and exceeding wise gentle or mercifull iust and true And we detest the multitude of Gods because it is expressie written The Lorde thy God is one God I am the Lord thy God thou shalt haue no straunge Gods before my face I am the Lord and there is none other beside me there is no God Am not I the Lorde and there is none other beside me alone a iust God and a Sauiour there is none beside me I the Lord Iehoua the mercifull God gracious long suffering and aboundant in goodnes and truth c. Exod. 34. We neuertheles beleeue and teach that the same infinite one and indiuisible God is in persons inseparablie and without confusion distinguished into the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost so as the Father hath begotten the Sonne from euerlasting the Sonne is begotten by an vnspeakeable manner and the holie Ghost proceedeth from them both and that from euerlasting and is to be worshipped with them both So that there be not three Gods but three persons consubstantiall coeternall and coequall distinct as touching their persons and in order one going before another yet without anie inequalitie For as touching their nature or essence they are so ioyned together that they are but one God and the diuine essence is common to the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost For the scripture hath deliuered vnto vs a manifest distinction of persons the Angell among other thinges saying thus to the blessed Virgine The holie Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the highest shall ouershadow thee and that holie thing which shal be borne shal be called the sonne of God Also in the baptisme of Christ a voice was heard from heauen saying This is my beloued Sonne The holie Ghost also appeared in the likenes of a doue And when the Lord himselfe commaunded to baptize he commaunded To baptize in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost In like sort else where in the Gospell he saide The Father will send the holie Ghost in my name Againe he saith When the comforter shall come whome I will send vnto you from the Father the spirit of trueth who proceedeth from the Father he shall beare witnes of me c. To be short we receiue the Apostles Creede because it deliuereth vnto vs the true faith We therefore condemne the Iewes and the Mahometistes and all those that blaspheme this Trinitie that is sacred and onelie to be adored VVe also condemne all heresies and heretiks which teach that the sonne and the holie Ghost are God onelie in name also that there is in the Trinitie some thing created that serueth and ministreth vnto an other finally that there is in it some thing vnequal greater or lesse corporall or corporally fashioned in manners or in will diuers either confounded or sole by it selfe as if the sonne and holie Ghost were the affections proprieties of one God the Father as the Monarchistes the Nouatians Praxeas the Patripassians Sabellius Samosatenus Aëtius Macedonius Arrius and such like haue thought Of Idolls or Images of God of Christ and of Saints CHAP. 4. ANd because god is an inuisible spirit an incomprehensible essence he can not therefore by anie arte or image be expressed For which cause we feare not with the scripture to tearme the Images of God meere lies VVe doe therefore reiect not onelie the Idols of the Gentles but also the images of Christians For although Christ tooke vppon him mans nature yet he did not therefore take it that he might set forth a patterne for caruers and painters He denied that he came To destroie the law and the Prophets But images are forbidden in the lawe the Prophets He denied that his Bodelie presense should anie whit profit the Church He promised that He would by his spirit be present with vs for euer who would then beleeue that the shadow or picture of his bodie doth anie whit benifit the godlie seeing that he abideth in vs by his spirit We are therefore the Temples of God But what agreement hath the temple of God which images And seeing that the blessed spirites and saints in heauen while they liued here abhorred all worship donne vnto themselues and spake against images who can thinke it likely that the saints in heauen and the Angell are delighted with their owne Images whereunto men doe bow their knees vncouer their heades and giue such other like honour But that men might be instructed in Religion put in minde of heauenlie things and of their owne saluation the Lord commaunded To preach the Gospell not to paint and instruct the laytie by pictures he also instituted Sacraments but he no where appointed Images Furthermore in euerie place which waie soeuer we turne our eies we maie see the liuelie and true creatures of God which if they be marked as is meete they do much more effectuallie mooue the beholder then all the Images or vaine vnmooueable rotten and dead pictures of all men whatsoeuer of which the Prophet spake truelie They haue eies see not c. Therfore we approoue the iudgement of Lactantius an auncient writer who saith Vndoubtedly there is no religion wheresoeuer there is a picture And we affirme that the blessed Bishop Epiphanius did wel who finding on the church dores a vaile that had painted in it the picture as it might be of Christ or of some other Saint he cut and tooke it awaie For that contrarie to the authoritie of the scriptures he had seene the picture of a man to hang in the Church of Christ and therefore he charged that from thence forth no such vailes which were contrarie to ou◠religiō should be hanged vp in the Church of Christ but that rather such scruple should be taken awaie which was vnworthie the Church of Christ and all faithful people Moreouer we approoue this sentence of S. Augustine Cap. 55. de vera relig Let not the worship of mens works be a religion vnto vs. For the workmen them selues that make such things are better whome yet we ought not to worship Of the adoring worshipping and inuocating of God through the onelie Mediator Iesus Christ CHAP. 5. WE teach men to adore and worship the true God alone this honour we impart to none according to the commaundement of the Lorde thou shalt adore the Lorde thy God and
indiuisible diuine essence Of whoâ—â— thorough whome and in whome are all things who loueth and rewardeth righteousnes and vertue but hateth and punisheth all iniquitie and sinne According to this faith men are taught to acknowledge the wonderfull workes of god and those properties which are peculiar to each person oâ— the holie Trinitie and of the diuine vnitie and to acknowledge the soueraigne and infinite power wisedome and goodnes of the one onelie God out of which also ariseth proceedeth the sauing knowledge as wel of the essence as of the wil of god One kinde of works or properties of the three persons of the godhead by which they are discerned one from the other are the inward eternall and hypostaticall proprieties which alwaies remaine immutable and are onelie apprehended by the eies of faith and are these That the father as the fountaine welspring of the godheade from al eternity begetteth the son equal to himselfe and that himselfe remaineth not begotten neither yet is he the person of the sonne seeing he is a person begitting not begotten The soâ—ne is begotten of the eternall father from all eterâ—itie â—â—ue god of god and as he is a person he is not the father but the sonne begotten of the essence oâ— nature of the father and consubstantiall with him which sonne in the fulnes of time which he had before appointed for this purpose himselfe alone as he is the sonne tooke vnto him our nature of the blessed Virgine Marie vnited it into one person with the godheade whereof we shall speak afterward But the holie Ghost proceedeth from the father and the sonne so he is neither the father nor the sonne but a person distinct from them eternal and the substantiall loue of the father and of the sonne surpassing all admiration these three persons are one true God as is a foresaid The other kinde of works in these persons in the vnitie of the godhead isâ—ueth as it were into opeÌ„ sight out of the diuine esseÌ„ce the persoÌ„s therof in which being distinct they haue manifested themselues these are three The first is the wonderfull worke of creation which the Creedes doe attribute to the father The second is the work of redemption which is proper to Christ The third is the worke of sanctification which is ascribed to the holie Ghost for which cause he in the Apostles Creede is peculiarlie called holie And yet all these are the proper workes of one true God that of him alone none other to wit the father the sonne and the holie Ghost This true and absolute faith and difficulte knowledge of God as well concerning â—â—s nature as his will is comprehended and conâ—eyned in the aforenamed Catholike and Apostolike Creede and in the decree of the Nicene Councell agreeing therewith and in manie other sound decrees and also in Athanasius his confession All which we iudge and professe to be true But it hath euerlasting sure groundes on which it relâ—â—th and moste waightie reasons by which it is out of the holy scripture conuinced to be true as by that manifestation wherein the whol Trinitie shewed it selfe when Christ the Lord was baptized in lordane by the commaundement of Christ because in the name of the persons of the same holie Trinitie al people must be baptized and instructed in the faith Also by Christes words when he saith the holy ghost the comforter whome the father will sende in my name shall teach you all these thinges and before these wordes he saith I wâ—l pray the father and he will giue you an other comforter who shall be with you for euer euen the spirit of trueth Besides we teach that this onelie true God one in essence and in diuine nature and three in persons is aboue all to be honoured with high worship as chiefe Lord and King who ruleth and raigneth alwaies and for euer and especiallie after this sorte that we looke vnto him aboue al and put all our confidence in him alone and offering vnto him all subiection obedience feare â—l faith loue and generallie the seruice of the wholl inward and outward diuine worship do indeed sacrifice and performe it vnder paine of loosing euerlasting saluation as it is written Thou shalt worship the lord thy god him onely shalâ— thou serue and againe thou shalt loue the lord thy god with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy minde to be short with aâ— thy might as well of the inward as outward powers to whom be glorie from this time forth for euermore Amen Of holy men and their worshippe Chap. 17. AS touching holie men it is taught first that no maâ— from the beginning of the world vnto this time either was is or can be henceforth vnto the end sanctified by his workes or holie actions according to the saying of Moses the faithfull seruant of the Lord when he cried out vnto the Lord O Lord in thy sight no man is innocent that is perfectlie holie And in the book of Iob it is written what is man that he should be vndefiled and he that is borne of a woman that â—e should appeare iust to wit before God Beholde among his Saints none is immutable and the heauens are not cleane in his sight how much more abhominable and vnprofitable man who drinketh in iniquitie as water And the holie scripture plainelie witnesseth throughout all the bookes thereof that all men euen from their buth are by nature sinners and that there neither is nor hath bene anie one who of himselfe and by himselfe was righteous and holie but all haue gone aside free God and are become vnprofitable and of no account at all And whereas some are made holie and acceptable vnto God that is purchased vnto them without anie worthines or merit of theirs by him who alone is holie God himselfe of the meere grace and vnspeakeable riches of his goodnes hath ordained and brought them to that state that they be blessed and called redeemed by Christ clensed and consecrated by his blood annointed of the holie Ghost made righteous and holie by faith in Christ and adorned with commendable vertues and good deedes or workes which beseeme a Christian profession Of whome manic hauing finished their life and course in such workes haue now receiued and doe enioy by grace eternall felicitie in heauen where God crowneth those that be his Some of them also God hath indued with a certaine peculiar grace of his and with diuine giftes vnto the ministerie and to the publike and common good of the Church such as were the Patriarches Prophets and other holie fathers also Apostles Euangelists Bishops and manie Doctors and Pastors and also other famous men and of rare excellencie and verie well furnished with the spirite whose memorie monuments of their labours and the good thinges which they did are extant and continue euen vntill this daie in the holie scriptures and in the Church
knowledge of God but we are to thinke otherwise of the Images of our Lord Iesus Christ and other Saints Let him in like sort thinke that God did manie externall workes in Israell of which he commaundeth them to be mindeful for euer that he raised vp vnto them not a few famous holie men whose faith he woulde neuer haue them to forget Yet he neuer established the memorial of them by such Images that he might giue no occasion of backsliding or Apostasie which is wont to follow the worshipping of Images Wherfore in the purer primitiue church it was abhomination to haue euen the Image of Christ as hath bene afore shewed To be short our Preachers confes that Images of themselues are indifferent so that no worship or adoration be done vnto them But it is not inough for a christian man to haue a thing free but he ought alwaies to haue a diligent respect hereunto whether the same be profitable for edification 1. Cor. 10. for nothing is to be suffred or assayed in the Church which hath not in it some certaine vse of edifying Seing then it plainelie appeareth what greeuous offences Images in times past brought forth and doe as yet bring forth and seing it cannot be shewed whâ—â— profite can be hoped for thereof vnles peraduenture we will be counted quicker sighted then God himselfe and the auncient christians that were truelie Godlie who were so farre from taking anie profite thereby that they euen abhorred Images in Churches all Images and Idolls are worthelie to be abhorred in the Church Neither can the workemanship of the Cherubins vpon the aâ—ke of the couenant or other Ornaments of the Temple which the Patrones of Images are wont to obiect vnto vs hinder this truth among Christians For God had expresselie commaunded the Cherubins to be made but he would not haue them seene of the people And al the other things were ordeined rather for the beautie of â—he Temple then to learne anie knowledge of God thereby although from them as from all the rest of Gods workâ—s they which were spirituall might take occasion to meditate vpon the goodnes of god But it is requisite also to call this to minde that we are much more bound to worship God in spirit and truth then they of olde time were for that we are more plentifullie inriched with Christes spirit if we trulie beleeue in him THE THIRD SECTION OF THE ETERNALL PROVIDENCE OF God and the creation of the world THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of the prouidence of God CHAP. 6. WE beleeue that all things both in heauen and in earth and in al creatures are susteined and gouerned by the prouidence of this wise eternall and omnipotent God For Dauid witnesseth and saith The Lord is high aboue all nations and his glorie aboue the heauens VVho is as our God who dwelleth on high and yet humbleth him selfe to beholde the thinges that are in heauen and earth Againe he saith Thou hast foreseene all my waies For there is not a worde in my tongue which thou knowest not whollie O Lord c. Paul also witnesleth and saith By him we liue mooue and haue our being And of him and through him and for him are all thinges Therefore Augustine both truelie and according to the scripture saide in his booke de agone Christi cap. 8. The Lord said Are not two sparrowes solde for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without the will of your father By speaking thus he woulde giue vs to vnderstand that whatsoeuer men count most vile that also is gouerned by the almightie power of God For the trueth which saide that all the haires of our heads are numbred saith also that the birdes of the aire are fed by him and the lilies of the fielde are clothed by him We therfore condemne the Epicures who denie the prouidence of God and all those who blasphemouslie affirme that god is occupied about the poles of heauen and thaâ— he neither seth nor regardeth vs or our affaires The princelie prophet Dauid also condemned these men when as â—e said O Lord How long how long shall the wicked triumph they 〈◊〉 the Lord doth not see neither doth the God of Iacob regarde it Vnderstand ye vnwise among the people and ye fooles when will yea wise He that hath planted the eare shall he not heare and he thâ— hath formed the cie how should he not see Notwithstanding 〈◊〉 doe not contemne the meanes whereby the prouidenced God worketh as though they were vnprofitable but wâ— reach that we must applie our selues vnto them so farre as they are commended to vs in the word of God VVhetfore we mislike the rash speeches of such as saie that if by the prouidence of God all thinges are gouerned then all oâ— studies and endeuours are vnprofitable It shall be sufficient if we leaue or permit all things to be gouerned by thâ— prouidence of God we shal not need herafter to be careful or to be taught iâ— any matter For though Paul did confes that he did saile by the prouidence of god who had said to him Thou must testifie of me also at Rome who moreouer promised said There shal not so much as one soule perish Neithâ— shal an haire fal from your heads Yet the mariners deuising how they might finde a waie to escape the same Paul saitâ— to the Centurion to the souldiers Vnlesse these remaine iâ— the ship ye can not be safe For God who hath appointed euerthing his end he also hath ordained the beginning and thâ— meanes by which we must attaine vnto the end The heathens ascribe thinges to blinde fortune and vncertainâ— chaunce but Saint Iames would not haue vs saie To daiâ—â— to morrow we will go into such a Citie and there buie and sell but he addeth for that which you should saie if the Lord wil and if we liue we will doe this or that And Augustine saith All those thinges which seeme to â—aine men to be done vnaduisedlie in the world they doe but accomplish his word because they are not doâ—â— but by his commaundement And in his exposition on the 148. Psal It seemed to be done by chaunce that Saull seeking his fathers Asses should light on the Prophet Samuell but the Lord had before said to the Prophet to morrowe I will send vnto the a man of the Tribe of Beniamin c. Of the creation of all thinges of the Angells the Deuill and man CHAP. 7. THis good and almightie God created all things both visible and inuisible by his eternall word and preserueth the same also by his eternal spirit as Dauid witnesseth saying By the word of the Lorde were the heauens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth And as the scripture saith All thinges that the Lord created were verie good And made for the vse and profit of man Now we saie that all those thinges
doe proceed from one beginning and therefore we detest the Manichees Maâ—cionites who did wickedly imagine two substances and natures the one of good the other of euill and also two beginnings and two gods one contrarie to the other a good and an euill Amongest al the creatures the Angels and men are most excellent Touching Angells the holie scripture saith Who maketh his Angells spirites and his ministers a flame of fire Also Are they not ministering spirites sent forth to minister for their sakes which shal be the heires of saluation And the Lord Iesus him selfe testifieth of the Deuill saying He hath bene a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the trueth because theâ—e is no trueth in him When he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his owneâ— for he is a lier and the Father thereof We teach therefore that some Angels persisted in obedience were appoâ—nted vnto the faithfull seruice of god men and that other some fell of their owne accord and ranne headlong into destruction so became enimies to all good to all the faithfull c. Now touching man the spirit saieth that in thâ— beginning he was created good according to the image and likenes of God that god placed him in paradise and made all thinges subiect vnto him which Dauid doth most noblie set forth in the 8 Psal Moreouer God gaue vnto him a wife and blessed them VVee saiâ— also that man doth consist of two and those diuers substances in one person of a soule immortall as that which being separated from the bodie doth neither sleepe nor die and a bodie mortal which notwithstanding at the last iudgement shall be raised againe from the dead that from thenceforth the wholl man maie continue for euer in life or in death VVe condemne all those which mocke at or by subtill disputations call into doubt the immortality of the soules or say that the soule sleepeth or that it is a part of God To be short we condemne all opinions of al men whatsoeuer which thinke otherwise of the creation of Angels deuils and men then is deliuered vnto vs by the scriptures in the Apostolike Church of Christ OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BASILL WE also beleeue that God made all thinges by hiâ— euerlasting word that is by his onelie begotten sonneâ— and that he vpholdeth and worketh all thinges by his spirit that is by his owne power And therefore that God as he hath created so he foreseeth and gouerneth all thinges And albeit man by the same fall became subiect to damnation so was made an enimie to god yet that God neuer laid aside the care of mankinde The Patriarks the promises before and after the flood likewise the law of God giuen by Moses the holie Prophets do witnes this thing OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION THis one onelie God hath reuealed himselfe vnto men first both in the creation and also in the preseruation and gouernement of his workes c. Looke the rest in the first Section of the scripture and the second Section of God WE beleeue that God the three persons working together by his vertue wisdome and incomprehensible goodnes hath made all thinges that is not onelie heauen and earth and all thinges therein contained but also the inuisible spirits of which some fell head long into destruction and some continued in obedience Therefore we saie that they as they are through their owne malice corrupted are perpetuall enimies to all good and therfore to the whol Church but that these preserued by the meere grace of God are ministers for his glorie and for the saluation of the Elect. We beleeue that God hath not onlie made al things but also ruleth and gouerneth them as he who according to hiâ— will disposeth and ordereth whatsoeuer happeneth in the world Yet we denie that he is the author of euill or that anie blame of thinges done amisse can be laid vpon him seing his will is the soueraigne and moste certaine rule of all righteousnes but he hath wonderfull rather then explicable meanes by which he so vseth al the deuiles and sinnefull men as instruments that whatsoeuer they doe euillie that he as he hath iustlie ordeined so he also turneth it to good Therfore while we confes that nothing at all is â—o be done but by the meanes of his prouidence and appointment we doe in al humility adore his secrets that are hid frâ—â— vs neither doe we search into those thinges which be without the reach of our capacitie Nay rather we applie to our owne vse that which the scripture teacheth for our quiâ—â—nes â—nd â—ontentation sake to wit that God to whome all thingâ— are subiect with a Fatherlie care watcheth for vs so that 〈◊〉 â—o much as a haire of our head fâ—lleth to the ground 〈◊〉 out his will and that he hath Satan and all ouâ— aduersarie so fast bound that vnles leaue be giuen them they cannot do vs anie litle harme OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BELGIA WE know God by two manner of waâ—â—◠〈◊〉 by the making preseruing and gouerning 〈…〉 worlde For that to our eies is as a moste excellent bâ—oke in which al creatures from the least to the greatest 〈◊〉 grauen as it were characters and certaine lâ—â—ters by which the inuisible things of God may be seene and kâ—â—wâ—e of vâ— namelie his euerlasting power and godheade as Paull â—he Apostle speaketh Rom. 1. Chap. 10. 〈…〉 sufficeth to conuince and make all men without 〈…〉 c. Looke for the rest in the first Section of the scripture 〈◊〉 in the second Section of God Artic. 12. WE beleeue that the father by his worde that is by the sonne made heauen 〈◊〉 and al other creatures of nothing when he saw it 〈◊〉 and conuenient and gaue to euerie one his beeing forâ—â— and diuers offices that they might serue their creator that he doth now cherish vpholde and gouerne them al according to his euerlasting prouidence and infinite power and that to this ende that they might serue man and man might serue his God He also made the Angels all good by nature that they might be his ministers and might also attend vpon the elect of which notwithstanding some fel from that excellent nature in which God had created them into euerlasting destruction but some by the singular grace of God abode in the first state of theirs but the Deuills and those wicked spirits are so corrupted and defiled that they be sworne enemies to good all goodnes which as theeues out of a watch towe lie in waite for the Church and al the members thereof that by their iuglings and deceits they may destroie and laâ—e waste all things Therefore beeing through their owne malice addicted to euerlasting condemnation they looke euerie daie for the dreadful punishments of their mischeifes We therefore in this place reiect the errour of the Saduceâ— who denied that there were any spirits or Angels as also the
and Sauiour namelie his conception in the wombe of the Virgine Marie and his birth of her also for he was made the seede of the woman also his afflictions his rising againe from death his sitting at the right hand of God where he hath obtained the dignitie of a Priest and King of which thing the wholl life of Dauid was a certaine type for which cause the Lorde calleth himselfe another Dauid a Shepheard And this was the Gospell of those holy men before the law was giuen and since And Chapter the 6. a litle from the beginning For this is verie certaine that after the fall of Adam no man was able to set himselfe at libertie out of the bondage of sinne death and condemnation or come to be trulie reconciled vnto God but onelie by that one Mediator betweene God and man Christ Iesus through a liuelie faith in him who alone by his death and blood shedding tooke from vs that image of sinne and death and put vpon vs by faith the image of righteousnes and life For he made vnto vs of God wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption But firstmen are taught that these things are to be beleeued concerning Christ namelie that he is eternal of the nature of his heauenlie father the onelie begotten sonne begotten from enerlasting and so together with the Father and the holie Ghost one true and indiuisible God the eternall not created worde the brightnes and the Image or ingrauen forme of the person of his Father by whome all thinges as well those thinges which maie be seene as those which can not be seene and those thinges which are in heauen and those which are in the earth were made and created Moreouer that he is also a true and natural man our brother in verie deed who hath a soule and a bodie that is true and perfect humane nature which by the power of the holie Ghost he tooke without all sinne of Marie a pure Virgine according as S. Iohn saith The worde was made flesh And thus of these two natures their properties not being changed nor confounded yet by a wonderfull communication thereof there is made one indiuisible person one Christ Immanuell our King and priest our redeemer our Mediatour and perfect reconciler full of grace and trueth so that of his fullnes we all doe take grace for grace For the law was giuen by Moses but grace and trueth was giuen and exhibited by Iesus Christ being God and man in one person This grace and trueth are our men taught to acknowledge and by faith to beholde in all those sauing and wonderful works or affections of Christ which according to the meaning of the holie Scripture are by a stead fast faith to be beleeued and professed such as are his comming downe from heauen his conception birth torments death buriall refurrection ascension vnto heauen sitting at the right hand of God and his comming againe from thence to iudge both the quicke the dead In these principal affections as in a chest wherin treasure is kept are al those holsome fruits of our true iustification laide vp and are taken out from thence for the elect and those which doe beleeue that in Spirit and conscience they may be partakers thereof through faith which all hereafter at the daie of our ioyfull resurrection shall be fullie and perfectlie bestowed vpon vs. And towardes the ende of that Sixth Chapter these words are added In this Chapter also particularlie and for necessarie causes to shunne and auoide many pernicious and Antichristian deceites it is taught concerning Christe his presence namelie that our Lorde Christ according to his bodely coÌ„uersation is not amongest vs any longer in this worlde neither wil be vnto the ende of the worlde in such sort and manner as he was here conuersant amongest vs in his mortalitie and wherein he was betraied and circumcised nor yet in the forme of his glorified bodie which he got at his resurrection and in the which he appeared to his disciples the forâ—â—eth day after his resurrection departing from them ascended manifestly into heauen For after this manner of his presence companie he is in the high place with his father in heauen where al tongues professe him to be the Lord and euerie faithful one of Christ must beleeue that he is there worship him there according to the scriptures as also that part of the Catholike Christian faith doth expresselie witnes which is this He ascended into heauen he sitteth as the right hand of God the father almightie Also that other article from thence shal he come that is from an higher place out of heauen with his Angells is iudge both the quick the dead So doth Paul also say The Lord himselfe shall descend from heauen with a shoute and with the voice of an Archangell and with the trumpet of God And S. Peter saith Whom heauen must coÌ„taine vntil the time that al things be restored And the Euangelist Marke But when the Lord had spoken with theÌ„ he was taken vp againe into heauen sitteth at the right hand of God And the Angels which were there present whe he was taken vp into heauen said This Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shal so come againe as you haue seene him go into heaueÌ„ Furthermore this also doe our men teach that the selfe same Christ verie God and verie man is also with vs herein this worlde but after a diuerse manner from that kinde of presence which we named before that is after a certaine spirituall manner not obiect to our eies but such a one as is hid from vs which the flesh doth not perceiue and yet it is verie necessarie for vs to our saluation that we may be partakers of him whereby he offereth and communicateth himselfe vnto vs that he may dwell in vs and we in him and this truelie he doth by the holie Ghost whome in his owne place that is in steede of his owne presence whereby he was bodelie amongst vs he promised that he would send vnto his Church and that he would stil abide with it by the same spirit in vertue grace and his holsome trueth at al times euen vntill the ende of the worlde when he said thus It is good for you that I go hence for except I go hences the comforter will not come vnto you but if I goe away I wil send him vnto you And againe I wil praie the father and he shal giue you another comforter that is another kinde of comforter then I am that he may abide iâ— you for euer euen the spirit of trueth whome the worlde cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwellesh in you shal be in you I wil not leaue you comforth but I wil come to you namelie by the selfe same spirit of trueth Now then euen as our Lord Christ
by his latter kinde of presence being not visible but spirituall is present in the ministers of the Church in the word and in the sacraments euen so also by the selfe same ministers worde and sacraments he is present with his Church and by these meanes doe the elect receiue him through inwarde faith in their heart and doe therefore ioyne themselues together with him that he maie dwell in them and they in him after such a sorte as is not apparent but hidden from the world euen by that faith spirituallie that is to saie in their soules and hearts by the spirit of truth of whome our Lord saith He abideth with you and shall be in you And I will come againe vnto you This iudgement declaration of our saith is not new or now first deuised but verie ancient Now that this was commonhe taught and meant in the Church of olde it is plaine and euident by the writinges of the auncient Fathers of the Church and by that decree wherein it is thus written and they are the wordes of Saint Augustine Our Lorde is aboue vntill the end of the worlde but the trueth of the Lorde is here also for the bodie of the Lorde wherein he rose againe must of necessitie be in one place but his truth is dispersed euerie where OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION WE beleeue that whatsoeuer is requisite to our saluation is offered and communicated vnto vs now at length in that one Iesus Christ as he who beeing giuen to saue vs is also made vnto vs wisdome righteousnes sanctification and redemption in so much as whosoeuer doth swarue from him doth renounce the mercie of the Father that is our onelie refuge We beleeue that Iesus Christ being the wisdome and eternall sonne of the father tooke vpon him our nature so that he is one person God and man Man I saie that might suffer both in soule and also in bodie and made like vnto vs in all things sinne onelie excepted for that his flesh was indeede the seede of Abraham and Dauid howbeit by the secret and incomprehensible power of the holie Ghost it was conceiued in doe time in the wombe of that blessed Virgin And therefore we detest as contrarie to that truth all those heresies wherewith the Churches were troubled in times past and namelie we detest those deuillish imaginations of Seruetus who gaue to our Lord Iesus Christ an imaginarie deity whom he said to be the Idea patterne of al thinges and the counterfeit or figuratiue sonne of God to conclude he framed him a bodie compacted of three elements vncreated and therfore he did mingle and ouerthrow both his natures We beleeue that in one and the same person which is Iesus Christ those two natures are truelie and inseperablie so conioyned that they be also vnited either of those natures neuertheles retaining it distinct proprietie so that euen as in this diuine coniunction the nature of the word reteining it proprieties remained vncreate infinite and filling all places so also the humane nature remained and shall remaine for euer finite hauing it naturall forme dimension and also proprietie as from the which the resurrection and glorification or taking vp to the right hand of the father hath not taken awaie the trueth of the humane nature Therefore we do so consider Christ in his deitie that we doe not spoile him of his humanitie We beleeue that God did declare his infinite loue and goodnes towards vs in this that he hath sent his sonne who should die and rise againe and fullfill all righteousnes that he might purchase eternall life for vs. We beleeue that by that onelie sacrifice which Iesus Christ offered on the crosse we are reconciled to God that we maie be taken for iust before him because we can not be acceptable to him nor enioy the fruite of our adoption but so farre foorth as he doth forgiue vs our sinnes Therefore we affirme that Iesus Christ is our entire and perfect washing in whose death we obteine full satisfaction whereby we are deliuered from all those sinnes whereof we are guiltie and from the which we could not be acquitted by anie other remedy OVT OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION WE beleeue that Iesus Christ the onely sonne of the eternall Father as long before it was determined before all beginnings when the fulnes of time was come did take of that blessed and pure virgine both flesh and all the nature of man that he might declare to the worlde the secret and hid wil of his father which wil had bene laide vp from before al ages and generations and that he might finish in his humane bodie the Mysterie of our redemption and might fasten our sinnes to the crosse and also that handwriting which was made against vs. We beleeue that for our sakes he died and was buried descended into hell the third daie by the power of his godhead returned to life and rose againe and that the fourth daie after his resurrection whiles his disciples beheld and looked vpon him he ascended into heauen to fullfill all things and did place in Maiestie and glorie the selfe same bodie wherewith he was borne wherein he liued on earth wherein he was iested at wherein he had suffered most painfull torments and cruell kinde of death wherein he rose againe and wherein he ascended to the right hand of the father aboue all rule aboue all power all force all Dominion and aboue euerie name that is named not onelie in this worlde but also in the worlde to come And that there he now sitteth and shall sit till all things be fully perfited And although the Maiestie and godhead of Christ be euerie where abound antlie dispersed yet we beleeue that his body as Saint Augustine saith must needes be still in one place and that Christ hath giuen Maiestie vnto his bodie but yet hath not taken awaie from it the nature of a bodie and that we must not so affirme Christ to be God that we denie him to be man and as the Martyr Vigilius saith That Christ hath left vs touching his humane nature but hath not lefe vs touching his diuine nature and that the same Christ though he be absent from vs concerning his manhead yet is euer present with vs concerning his godhead From that place also we beleeue that Christ shall come againe to execute that generall iudgement as well of them whome he shall finde aliue in the bodie as of them that shal be alreadie dead And therfore that our onelie succour and refuge is to flie to the mercie of our father by Iesus Christ and assuredlie to perswade our mindes that he is the Obteiner of forgiuenes for â—â—r sinnes And that by his bloode all our spots of sinne be washed cleane That he hath pacified and set at one all things by the bloode of his crosse That he by the same one onely sacrifice which he once offered vpon the Crosse hath brought to
Of the gospell of Iesus Christ and also of Promises of the spirit and of the letter CHAP. 13. THE gospell indeede is opposed to the lawe for the lawe worketh wrath and doeth denounce a cursse but the gospell doth preach grace and a blessing Iohn saith also The lawe was giuen by Moses but grace and trueth came by Iesus Christ Yet notwithstanding it is moste certaine that they which were before the lawe and vnder the lawe were not altogether destitute of the gospell For they had notable Euangelicall promises such as these are The seede of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed The scepter shall not be taken from Iuda vntil Silo come The Lord shall raise vp a Prophet from amongest his owne brethren c. And we doe acknowledge that the fathers had two kinde of promises reuealed vnto them euen as we haue For some of them were of present transitorie thinges such as were the promises of the lande of Canaan and of victories and such as are now a dayes concerning our dailie bread Othersome there were then also are now of heauenlie euerlasting things as of Gods fauour remission of sinnes life euerlasting through faith in Iesus Christ Now the fathers had not onelie outwarde or earthly but spiritual heauenly promises in Christ For the Apostle Peter saith that the Prophets which prophesied of the grace that should come to vs haue searched and inquired of this saluation Whereupon the Apostle Paul also saith that the gospell of God was promised before by the Prophets of God in the holie scriptures Hereby then it appeereth euidentlie that the fathers were not altogether destitute of all the Gospell And although after this manner our fathers had the gospell in the writinges of the Prophets by which they attained saluation in Christ through faith yet the gospell is properlie called that glad and happie tidings wherein first by Iohn Baptist then by Christ the Lorde himselfe and afterward by the Apostles their successours is preached to vs in the world that God hath now performed that which he promised from the beginning of the world hath sent yea and giuen vnto vs his onelie sonne and in him reconciliation with the father remission of sinnes all fulnes and euerlasting life The historie therefore set downe by the foure Euagelists declaring how these thinges were done or fulfilled of Christ and what he taught and did and that they which beleeued in him had al fulnes this I saie is truelie called the Gospell The preaching also and scripture of the Apostles in which they expound vnto vs how the sonne was giuen vs of the father and in him all things pertaining to life and saluation is truelie called the doctrine of the Gospell so as euen at this daie it looseth not that worthie name if it be sincere The same preaching of the Gospel is by the Apostle tearmed the spirit and the ministerie of the spirit because it is lining and workeing thorough faith in the eares yea in the hearts of the faithfull thorough the illumination of the holie spirit For the letter which is opposed vnto the spirit doth in deede signifie euerie outward thing but more speciallie the doctrine of the law which without the spirit faith worketh wrath stirreth vp sin in the mindes of theÌ„ that do not truly beleeue For which cause it is called by the Apostle the ministery of death for hitherto pertaineth that saying of the Apostle The letter killeth but the spirit giueth life The false Apostles preached the Gospel corrupted by mingling of the law therewith as though Christ could not saue without the law Such also were the Hebionites said to be which came of Hebion the heretike and the Nazarites which before time were called Myneans Al which we doe condemne sincerely preaching the worde and teaching that the beleeuers are iustified by the spirit onelie and not by the law But of this matter there shall follow a more large discourse in the title of iustification And although the doctrine of the Gospel compared with the Pharisees doctrine of the law might seeme when it was first preached by Christ to be a new doctrine the which thing also Ieremie prophesied of the new Testament yet in deed it not onelie was as yet is though the Papists call it new in regarde of Popish doctrine which hath of long time bin receiued an ancient doctrine but also the most ancient in the world For God from all eternitie fore ordeined to saue the world by Christ and this his predestination and eternal counsel hath he opened to the world by the Gospell Whereby it appeareth that the Euangelicall doctrine and religion was the moste auncient of all that euer were are or euer shal be Wherefore we saie that all they erre foullie and speake things vnworthy the eternall counsell of God who tearme the Euangelicall doctrine and religion a new start vp faith scarce thirtie yeares olde to whome that saying of Isaiah doth verie well agree Woe vnto them that speake good 〈◊〉 euill and euill of good which put darkenes for light and lightâ—â— darkenes that put bitter for sweete and sweete for sowre OVT OF THE FORMER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Therefore in the wholl Euangelicall doctrine this ought first and chiefely to be vrged that we are saued by the onelie mercie and grace of God and by Christ his merittes whereof that men may know how much they stand in neede their sinnes must be verie clearelie laid open vnto them by the law and by Christ his death OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA Of the word of God or the holie Gospell CHAP. 10. ANd seeing that the administration of thee new testâ— ment also the word and the sacraments are lawfully committed to the Ministers of the Church and their lippeâ— ought to preserue knowledge that the law maie be sought at their mouth therefore in this Chapter it is further taught what the word of God and the holie gospell is Now the Preaching of the word of God and of the Gospell is the true ministerie of grace instituted and commaunded of Christe our Lord wherein the full and perfect will of God touching eternall reconciliation necessarie to saluation and made manifest in the holie scripture is declared and preached vnto all people This doctrine did Christ giue in charge vnto his disciples in the wordes of this sentence Goye into all the world and preach the Gospell to euerie creature This doctrine doth Peter professe before Cornelius when he saith He commaunded vs to preach vnto the people and to testifie that this is he that is ordeined of God to be the Iudge of the quick and the dead To him also giue all the Prophets wines that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes This ministery is more honorable greater and more necessarie to saluation then are
from God we do not murmure against God but we approch â—nto him with true faith and hope we do aske and looke for helpe at his handes we loue him and submit our selues to him and thus is the beginning of obedience wrought After that manner saith the Lord. Ioh. 14. I will praie the father and he will giue you another comforter euen the spirit of truth The holy Ghost doth kindle the light of truth in our minds and new motions in our heartes agreeable to the law of god Letâ—s acknowledge this so great a gift and let vs endeuour to keepe it thankfullie and desire dailie to be helped in so great daungers of this life The will is not idle when it hath receiued the holie ghost How our now obedience doth please God THe Pharisie in Luke cap. 18 doth admire please him selfe being bewitched with this persuasion that â—e doth satisfie the law and for this discipline such as it is â—oth please God Manie such there be among men who thinke themselues secure if they performe neuer so litle though it be but a shadow of discipline But the heauenlie â—oâ—ce doth often times accuse the arrogancie of these men and therefore the Lord saith Luc. 13. Except ye recent ye shall 〈◊〉 in like sorte perish and 1. Ioh. 1. If we saie we haue no sinne â—â—â—â—liers Therefore their imagination is vaine which think that obedience doth please god for it owne worthies and that it is a merit of Condignitie as they speake and such a righteousnes before God as is a merit of eternal life And yet afterward they do adde that we must alwaies doubt whether our obedience do please God because it is euident that in euerie one there is much pollution manie sinnes of ignorance and omission and manie not small blemishes Here it is necessarie that mens consciences should be instructed aright in either of these points both coÌ„cerning our infirmitie and also concerning the comfort It is necessarie that the regenerate should haue the righteousnes of a good conscience and obedience begunne in this life as hathbeene said yet neuertheles in this life there is still remaining in our nature in our soule and in our heart verie much pollution which they do the more see and bewaile which haue receiued more light then others as the Prophets and Apostles according to that complaint of Paull Rom. 7. I see an other law in my members which striueth against the law of my minde and maketh me captiue to the law of sinne There is as yet in euery one a great mist manifold ignoraÌ„ce and manie sorowfull doubtes errors in counsells raised by distrust by false opinions and a vaine hope manie vitious flames of lustes much neglect of duetie murmuringes and indignations against God in his punishments to conclude it is vnsensiclenes and madnes not to be willing to confes that the feare loue of God is much more colde in vs then it ought to be These confessions are repeated in the sermons of the Prophets and Apostles Psa 143. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified And 1. Ioh. 1. If we saie that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the trueth is not in vs. This confession is necessarie and mans arrogancie to be reprooued Also the errour of our aduersaries who feigne that men in this mortall life maie satisfie the law of God and of those who sâ—ie that the euill of concupiscence which is bred with vs is not sinne nor an euill repugnant to the law or will of God is to be reprehended These errours doth Paul manifestlie confute Rom. 7. 8. Then must comfort also be ioyned thereunto First let the regenerate person assure himselfe that he is reconciled to God by faith alone that is by confidence in the Mediatour and that the person is certenlie accounted righteous for the Sonne of God the Mediatour and that freelie for his merit Secondlie let vs confesse with true griefe that there remaine as yet in the reâ—â—â—erate man many sinnes and much pollution worthie of the wrath of God Thirdlie let him neuerthelesse know that obedience and the righteousnes of a good conscience must be begunne in this life and that this obedience although it be verie farre from that perfection which the law reqâ—ireth is neuerthelesse in the regenerate acceptable to God for the Mediatours sake who maketh request for vs and by his meritte doth couer our great and vnspeakeable miseries Thus for the Mediatours sake both the person is receiued and also our workes doe please God that in either of them our faith may shine Therefore Peter saith 1. Pet. 2. Offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God through Iesus Christ This comfort is set forth Rom. 8. Now there is no condemnation to them which doe walke in Christ Iesus And Rom. 3. Ye are not vnder the law but vnder grace In that place this question is asked whether our â—â—edience doe please God seeing it doth not satisfie the lawâ— Paull answereth that it doth please God Because we are not vnder the law that is condemned by the law but â—e are vnder grace reconciled or receiued into sâ—uour Rom. 8. Who shall 〈◊〉 Christ hath died for vs and is risen againe and sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh request for vs that is holie men doe please God for the Sonne his sake who also offered his obedience for vs and maketh request for vs. Wee must oppose these sayings to doubting lest faith and inuocation be extinquished for doubting doth weaken our inuocation Seeing therefore that we know both that new obedience is necessarie and that helpe is certenlie giuen vs and that this obedience doth please God although it be vnperfect and needie let vs knowledge the infinite mercie of God and giue thanks for it and haue a great care how to gouerne our actions because we know that we are both helped and that this obedience is acceptable to God for the Sonnes sake And let this necessitie be alwaies in our eies that if the benefits of God to wit Iustification and regeneration be shaken of we loose eternall life according to that saying We shal be clothed if so be that we be not found naked And Rom. 8. If any haue not the Spâ—rit of Christ he is not his And alwaies in Iustification let there be also a beginning of newnes of life The theefe hanging on the crâ—sâ—e hath good workes and those both internall and externall it gâ—eâ—ueth him that he had sinned and he confesseâ—h that he is iustlie punished then by faith he doth acknowledge the Sauiour and desireth saluation of him and therefore he bâ—areth expresse absolution and the preaching of eternall life and the promise and resteth in this voice of the Messias and â—ubmmitteth himselfe to god and doth not beare the punishment impatientlie but is eased by acknowledging the Messias and by the hope of eternall life and giueth thankes to god
holie Catholike Christian Church And first of all that the foundation and head of the holy Church is Iesus Christ himselfe alone together with the wholl merit of grace and trueth to life eternall vpon whome and by whome this Church is at all times built by the holie Ghost the word of God and the sacramentes according to the meaning of that which Christ saide vnto Peter vpon this rocke to wit wherof thou hast made a true confession I will builde my Church And Saint Paull saith Other foundation can no man laie then that which is laid which is Iesus Christ. And in another place And hath appointed him ouer all thinges to be the head of the Church which is his bodie and the fullnes of him which filleth all in all thinges Out of these thinges it is taught that this is beleeued held and publikelie confessed that the holie Catholike Church beeing present at euerie time militant vpon earth is the fellowshippe of all Christians and is here and there dispersed ouer the wholl worlde and is gathered together by the holie Gospell out of all nations families tounges degrees and ages in one faith in Christ the Lord or in the holie Trinitie according to that saying of Saint Iohn who speaketh thus And I sawe a great companie which no man can number of all nations peoples and tongues standing before the throne and before the lambe This true Church although while it lieth here in the Lords floore to wit in the wide worlde and as it were in one heape confusedlie gathered together containeth in it as yet as well the pure wheat as the chaffe the Godlie children of God and the wicked children of the world the liuing and dead members of the ministers of the people yet where it is least defiled or most pure it maie be knoweÌ„ euen by these signes that follow namelie wheresoeuer Christ is taught in holie assemblies the doctrine of the holie Gospell is purelie and fullie preached the Sacraments are administred according to Christs institution commaundement meaning and will the faithfull people of Christ doth receiue vse them by these gathereth it selfe together in the vnitie of faith and loue and in the bonde of peace and ioyneth it selfe in one and buildeth it selfe hard together vpon Christ There therfore is the holie Church the house of God the temples of the holie Ghost liuelie members the partes of the heauenlie Ierusalem the spirituall bodie of Christ and ioynts knit together the which are ioyned and coupled ech with other by one head Christ one spirit of regeneration one worde of god the same and sincere sacramentes one faith one loue and holie communion one bonde of peace order discipline and obedience whether the number of this people be great or small as the Lorde witnesseth Where two or three are gathered together in my name in what countrie and nation and in what place soeuer this be there am I in the middest of them and contrarily where Christ and the spirit of Christ dwelleth not and the holie Gospell cannot haue anie place graunted vnto iâ— c. but on the contrarie side manifest errors and 〈…〉 life haue their full course and by getting the vpper hand do spread themselues faite there most also needes be a Church so defiled that Christ will not acknowledge iâ— for his welbeloued spouse seeing that none belongeth to Christ who hath not the spirit of Christ 〈◊〉 Christian is also bound with diligent care to seeke after this and such a true part of the holie Church and after he hath founde it to ioylie and mainteine holie communion and fellowship therewith as the other parte of that point of the Church in our christian Câ—â—â—de doth declare where we doe profelie that we 〈…〉 communion of Saints and ought altogether with this fellowship or spirituall companie of Gods people to 〈…〉 the true vnitie and concord of Christs spirit to Liue and beare good will to all the members to yâ—lde obedience thereunto and endeauour by all meanes possible to procure the profitte and furtherance thereof and in truth to holde agreement therewith and by no meanes thorough sâ—â—bboâ—nnes to mooue schismes seditions and sects against the truth To which thing the Apostle exhorteth all men where he saith So walke or behaue your selues as worthie of the place or vocation whereunto ye are called with all humblenes and â—â—ekenes with a quiet minde and long suffering forbearing one another and indeauour ye to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace There is one bodie and one spirit euen as ye are called in one hope of your vocation there is one Lord one faith one baptisme ore God and Father of all And againe Let euerie man please his neighbour in in that that is good to edification Also doe nothing through sâ—râ—â—e or for vaine glorie Againe Let there not be dissentions among you He therefore that in this life walketh according to these commaundements he is a true and liuelie member of the holie Church which bringeth forth the fruite of Faith and loue But he that looseth the spirit of Faith and looue in the holie fellowship must needes be a deede member Together with these thinges the ministers of our Churches teach that this is to be thought of their fellowship which is in like manner to be thought of any other Christian fellowship whether it be great or small to wit that it selfe alone is not that holie Catholike Christian Church but onely one part therof as the Apostle writeth of the Church at Corinth Ye are the bodie of Christ and members of him euerie one for his parte They teach also that there must be a platforme and certaine order of gouernment in the holie Church For without a platforme of order and outward gouernement it can not be in good case or go well with it no more then it can with anie other euen the least societie But this platforme of order consisteth chiefelie in this that they be both ordinarilie called and lawfullie ordained who execute due functions in the same beginning at the least proceeding to those that are of a meane sort so sorth euen to the chiefest The next point is that euerie one do wel discharge that place as it were his warde to which he is called vse watchfulnes suffer nothing to be sound wanting in himselfe nor at his owne pleasure do closelie conuey him selfe out of the same or go beyond the bondes thereof and meddle with other mens charges and moreouer that all among them-selues submit them-selues one to an other and al performe obedience from theleast to the greatest euerie man in his owne place whereunto he is called and do it with the affection of loue and of his owne accord not of constraint euen for Christes sake and for the care they haue of eternall saluation according as the Apostles and other holie men haue taught concerning this matter
in this rehearsall he maketh no mention at all of priuat Priestes of which sorte the world is now full neither is it like that he world haue omitted this kinde of Priestes if either Christ had appointed it or if it had beene profitable and necessarie for the Church And Paull writeth that a Bishope ought to be apâ—e to teach And Ierome teacheth that A Priest and a Bishoppe are all one Therefore it is euident that excepta Priest be ordeined in the Church to the ministerie of teaching he can not rightly take vnto him neither the name or a Prieste nor the name of a Bishoppe OVT OF THE CONFSSION OF SVEVRLAND Of the Office dignitie and power of Ecclesiasticall Persons TOuching the ministery and dignitie of the Ecclesiasticalorder we do thus 〈…〉 that there is no power in the Church but that which tendeth to edifying â— Cor. 10. Secondlie that we must nor thinke otherwise or any man in this state then Paull would haue men to esteeme either of him selfe or of Peter and Apollo and others As of the seruantes of Christ and the dispensers of the mysteries of God in â—â—ome this is chiefelie required that they be faithfull For these be they which haue the keies of the kingdome of God and the power to binde and loose 〈◊〉 â—o remit or retaine sinnes yet that power is so limited that they be neuerthelesse the ministers of Christ to whome alone the right and authoritie to open heauen and forgiue sinnes doth properlie pertaine For neither he which planteth nor he that watereth is anie thing but God that giueth the increase 1. Cor 3. Neither is anie man of himselfe fitte to thinke anie of those thinges as of himselfe but if anie man be found fitte thereunto he hath it all of God VVho giueth to whome it pleaseth him to be the ministers and preachers of the new Testament to wit so farre forth as he giueth them a minde faithfullie to preach the meaning and vnderstanding of the Gospell vseth them hereunto that men maie be brought by a true faith to his new couenant of grace Furthermore these be they which doe minister vnto vs the dead letter that is such a doctrine of trueth as pearceth no farther then to humane reason but the spirit which quickneth and doth so pearee into our spirit and soule that it doth throughlie perswade our heart of the trueth These are the true fellow labourers of the Lord 1. Cor. 3. opening in deed heauen and forgiuing sinnes 〈◊〉 those to whome they declare the doctrine of faith 〈◊〉 meanes of the grace and spirit of God Whereupon Christ sending out his Apostles to exercise this duetie he breathed vpon them saying Take yee the holie Ghost And further more he addeth whose sinnes ye remit c. Hereof it is manifest that the true and fit ministers of the Church such as be bishops Seniors annointed and consecrated can doe nothing but in respect of this that they be sent of God For how shall they preach saith Paull except they be sent That is except they receiue of God both a minde and power to preach the holie Gospell aright and with fruit and to feede the flocke of Christ And also except they receiue the holie Ghost whoe maie worke together with them and perswade mens hearts Other vertues wherwith these men must be endued are rehearsed 1. Tim. 3. Tit. 1. Therfore they which are in this sort sent anointed consecrated and qualified they haue an earnest care for the flocke of Christ and doe labour faithfullie in the worde and doctrine that they maie feed the people more fruitfullie and these are acknowledged and accounted of our preachers for such Bishops as the Scripture euerie where speaketh of and euery Christian ought to obey their commaundements But they which giue them selfes to other things they place them selfes in other mens seats and do worthelie take vnto them selues other names Yet notwithstanding the life of any man is not so much to be blamed as that therfore a Christian should refuse to heare him if peraduenture he teach somthing out of the chaire of Moses or Christ that is either out of the law of God or out of the holie gospell that maie serue for edification They which bring a diuers or a staunge voice whatsoeuer they be they are in no account or estimation with the sheepe of Christ Ioh. 10. Yet they which haue a seculare power and soueraigntie they haue it of God him selfe howsoeuer they be called therefore he should resist the ordinance of God whosoeuer should oppose him-selfe to that temporall gouernment These things doe our Preachers teach touching the authoritie of Ecclesiasticall persons so that they haue great iniurie offered to them in that they are blamed as though they sought to bring the authoritie of Ecclesiasticall prelats to nothing whereas they neuer forbad them that worldlie gouernement and authoritie which they haue But they haue often wished that they would come nearer to the Ecclesiasticall commaundements and that either they them selues would instruct and faithfullie feede the consciences of Christians out of the holie Gospell or that at the least wise they would admit others hereunto and ordeine such as were more fitte for this purpose This is it I saie that out Preachers haue oftentimes requested of the Prelates them selues so faire haue they beene from opposing themselues at anie time to their spirituall authoritie But wheras we could not either beare anie longer the doctrine of certaine Preachers but beeing driuen thereunto by necessitie we haue placed others in their roome or els haue reteined those also which haue renounced that Ecclesiasticall superioritie We did it not for anie other cause but for that these did plainlie and faithfullie declare the voice of our Lord Iesus christ the other did mingle therwith all mans inuentions For so often as the question is concerning the holie Gospell and the doctrine of trueth Christians must whollie turne them selues to the Bishop of their soules the Lord Iesus Christ and not admit the voice of anie straunger by any meanes wherein notwithstanding neither we nor they do offer violence to anie man for Paull saith All thinges are yours whether it be Paull or Apollos 〈◊〉 Cephas or the worlde or life or death whether they be thinges present or thinges to come euen all are yours and ye Christes and Christ Gods Therefore seeing that Peter and Paull are ours and we are not theirs but Christes and that after the same manner that Christ himselfe is his Fathers to witte that in all thinges which we are or maie be we might liue to him alone Furthermore seing to this ende we haue power to vse all thinges yea euen men themselues of what sorte soeuer they be as though they were our owne and are not to suffer that anie man or anie thing should hinder vs therein no Ecclesiasticall persons maie iustlie complaine of vs or obiect to vs that we are not sufficientlie obedient to them or
Discipline neither they which haue behaued themselues more stubbornelie haue bin excommunicated those Sacraments which they doe administer maie be receiued of them if so be that they do administer them according to the will minde and institution of Christ the which thing also the constitutions of the auncient Church doe confirme For the vertue and efficacie of the Sacraments doth neither consist in him nor depend on him who doth either administer them whosoeuer he be or doth receiue them but it consisteth in the institution and in the commaundement that was moste absolute and mightie in authoritie and in the worde of the author of the Sacraments to wit of our Lorde Iesus Christ on which one thing they doe relie and haue from thence whatsoeuer they are able to doe Neuertheles the ministers must throughlie looke to it and take good heede lest whilest by their labour they be seruiceable to others They themselues become reprobates or worthie to be reiected and also lest they giue holie thinges to dogges or cast pearles before swine Also the people must endeuour by all meanes to take heede that they doe not in anie case receiue the Sacraments with the offence of the Church and the proper daunger of the saluation of their soules that is to there own fault and iudgement wherof we made mention before OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION WE beleeue that there be Sacraments adioyned to the word for the more ample confirmation therof to wit that they may be pledges tokeÌ„s of the grace of god wherby our weake rude faith may be helped For we confesth at these outwarde signes be such that God by the power of his holie Spirit doth work by them that nothing may there be represented to vs in vaine yet we thinke that the wholl substance and truth of them is in Christ Iesus from whome if they be separated they be nothing else but vaine shadowes and smokes Also Artic. 35. We acknowledge that there be onelie two Sacramentes common to the wholl Church c. That which followeth pertaineth to the 13. Sect OVT OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION MOreouer we allow the Sacramentes of the Church that is to saie certaine holie signes and Ceremonies which Christ would we should vse that by them he might set before our eies the Mysteries of our Saluation and might more strongly confirme the Faith which we haue in his bloode and might seale his grace in our hartes And these Sacramentes together with Tertullian Origen Ambrose Augustine Hierome Chrysostome Basill Dionysius and other Catholike Fathers we do call Figures Signes Markes Badges Prinâ—s Copies Fourmes Seales Signettes Similiuâ—des paternes Representations Remembrances and Memories and we make no doubt together with the same Doctoures to saie that these be certaine visible words Seales of Righteousnes and Tokens of Grace And we doe expresselie pronounce that in the Lordes Supper there is truely giuen vnto the Beleeuing the bodie and blood of our Lord the Flesh of the Sonne of God which quickeneth our Soules the meate that commeth from aboue the Food of Immortalitie of Grace Trueth and Life and that the same Supper is the communion of the Body and Bloode of Christ by the partaking whereof we be reuiued strengthned and fed vnto Immortalitie and whereby we are ioyned vnited and incorporated vnto Christ that we maie abide in him and he in vs. Besides this we acknowledge that there be two sacraments which we iudge properlie ought to be called by this name that is to saie Baptisme and the Sacrament of thankesgiuing For thus manie we see were deliuered and sanctified by Christ and well allowed of the olde Fathers Ambrose and Augustine and such others OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BELGIA WE beleeue that God hauing regard to our dulnes and infirmitie did institute Sacramentes for vs that by them his promises might be sealed to vs and that they might be moste certaine pledges of his heauenlie loue towards vs and of his giftes bestowed vpon vs for the cherishing and sustaining of our faith These Sacraments he added to the worde of the Gospel that he might more liuelie set before our externall senses both those thinges which he declareth vnto vs in his worde and those also which he worketh inwardlie in our hartes and to confirme more and more in vs that saluation which he vouchsafeth to communicate vnto vs. For the Sacraments are signes and visible tokens of internall and visible thinges by the which as by certaine meanes God himselfe worketh within vs by the power of the holie Ghost Therefore they be not vaine or idle signes neither yet ordeined of God to deceiue or frustrate vs of our hope For the trueth of our Sacraments is Iesus Christ without whome they are of no value Moreouer that number of Sacraments sufficeth vs which Christ himselfe our true and onelie Doctor hath instituted and those are onelie two to wit the Sacrament of baptisme and the Sacrament of the holie supper of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE SEeing that in this life manie euill ones and hypocrites are mingled with the Church and haue fellowshippe with it in the outward signes and pleadges the Sacraments administred by such as are euill maie lawfullie be vsed according to the saying of Christ The Scribes and Pharisies sit 〈◊〉 Moses chaire c. For the sacramentes and the word of God are effectual by reason of the institution and commaundement of Christ though they be deliuered by wicked and euil men They condemne the Donatists and such like whoe saide it was not lawfull for the people to vse the minister of euill men in the Church and helde opinion that the ministerie of euill men was quite without fruit and effect The beginnining of this 8. Article is else where thus set downe THough the Church to speake properlie be a congregation of Saintes and true beleeuers yet seeing that in this life manie hypocrites and euill men be mingled with it it is a lawfull thing to vse the sacramentes ministered by the hands of euill men c. Touching the vse of the sacraments they teach that they were instituted not so much to be notes of profession amongst men as to be signes and pleadges of Gods good 〈◊〉 towardes vs set before the eies to sturre vp and confirme faith in them which vse them Therefore we must vse sacramentes so as we must ioyne faith with them which maie beleeue the promises that are offered and declared vnto 〈◊〉 by the Sacramentes By this faith we receiue both the grace promised which is represented by the sacraments and also the holie Ghost Therefore they condemne that Pharisaicall opinion of the Papistes which suppresseth the doctrine of faith and doth not teach that faith which beleeueth that grace is freelie giuen vs for Christes sake is necessarie in the vse of the sacraments but imagineth that men are iust for the verie vse of the sacraments euen by the worke done and
yea the wholl institution hereof appointed by Christ For which cause the Ministers of our Churches doe admitte none to this Sacrament neither giue it vnto anie but to such as are noted to come vnto it seriouslie and doe so much as in them lyeth prepare them-selues hereunto after such a manner as becommeth Christian godlines Now when the congregation doth come together to celebrate the vse of the Lordes Supper and be partakers therof then according to the example of the primitiue Church our ministers doe teach in their holie Sermons concerning Christ and concerning the grace which through him and in him is giuen to sinners and especiallie concerning his death the shedding of his blood and the redemption and saluation purchased thereby After that the wholl Church doth ioyne together in faithfull prayers vnto God to obtaine this that they may indeed vse this Sacrament worthelie Moreouer in the next place absolution from sinnes is lawfullie administred the wordes of the institution are rehearsed and the people by exhortation is stirred vp to a reuerent consideration of this mysterie and to a cheerefull and serious contemplation of the benefits of God the sacrament is reuerentlie with al godlines distributed and the people of the faithfull most commonlie falling downe on their knees doe receiue this sacrament with thanksgiuing with gladnes with singing of hymnes or holie songes and they shew forth the death of the Lord and admonish themselues of all his benefits to the confirmation of their faith in a true communion with Christ and his bodie And all this we do according to the meaning of those things which are commaunded in the holie Scripture especiallie according to the saying of Christ Do this in remembrance of me and Paul saith So often as ye shall eat of this bread and drinke of this cup ye shall shew forth the death of the Lord till he come OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION WE affirme that the holie Supper of the Lorde to wit the other Sacrament is a witnes to vs of 〈◊〉 vniting with our Lorde Iesus Christ because that he is not onelie once deade and raised vp againe from the deade for vs but also he doth in deede feede vs and nourish 〈◊〉 with his flesh and bloode that we beeing made one wiâ—â— him maie haue our life common with him For although he be now in heauen and shall remaine there till 〈◊〉 come to iudge the worlde yet we beleeue that by the secret and incomprehensible vertue of his Spirit he doâ—â— nourish and quicken vs with the substance of his bodie and blood being apprehended by faith But we saie that this is done spirituallie not that we maie counterfeit an imagination or thought in steade of the efficacie and truth but rather because this mysterie of our vnion with Christ is so high a thing that it surmounteth all our senses yea and the wholl order of nature to conclude because that it being diuine and heauenlie cannot be perceiued nor apprehended but by faith We beleeue as was saide before that as well in the Supper as in Baptisme God doth in deed that is truelie and effectuallie giue whatsoeuer he doth there sacramentallie represent and therefore with the signes we ioyne the true profession and fruition of that thing which is there offered vnto vs Therefore we affirme that they which do bring pure faith as it were a certaine vessell vnto the holie supper of the Lord doe indeed receiue that which there the signes doe witnes namelie that the bodie and blood of Iesus Christ are no lesse the meate and drinke of the soule then bread and wine are the meate of the bodie Also out of the 38. Art a litle after the beginning And also that that bread and wine which is giuen vs in the supper is indeed made vnto vs spirituall nourishment in as much as they doe offer vnto our eies to beholde that the flesh of Christ is oâ—â— meat and that his bloode is our drinke Therefore we reiect all those fantasticall heades which doe refuse these signes and tokens seeing that Christ our Lorde hath saide This is my bodie and This cuppe is my blood OVT OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION WE saie that Eucharistia that is to saie the Supper of the Lord is a Sacrament that is an euident Representation of the bodie and blood of Christ wherein is set as it were before our eies the death of Christ and his Resurrection and whatsoeuer he did whilest he was in his Mortall Bodie to the ende we maie giue him thankes for his death and for our deliuerance and that by the often receiuing of this Sacrament we maie dailie renew the remembrance thereof to the intent we being fedde with the bodie and blood of Christ maie be brought into the hope of the Resurrection and of euerlasting life and maie moste assuredlie beleeue that as our bodies be fedde with bread and wine so our soules be fedde with the bodie and blood of Christ To this Banquet we thinke the people of God ought to be earnestlie bidden that they maie all communicate among themselues and openlie declare and testifie both the godlie societie which is among them and also the hope which they haue in Christ Iesu For this cause if there had beene anie which would be but a looker on and abstaine from the holie Communion him did the olde Fathers and Bishops of Rome in the primitiue Church before priuate Masse came vp excommunicate as a wicked person and as a Pagane Neither was there anie 〈◊〉 at that time which did communicate alone whiles other looked on For so did Calixtus in times past decree That after the consecration was finished all should communicate except 〈◊〉 had rather stande without the Church doores For thâ—â— saith â—e did the Apostles appoint and the same the holie Church of Rome kâ—epâ—â—h still Moreouer when the people 〈◊〉 to â—he holie Communion the Sacrament ought to be giuen them in both kindes for so both Christ hath commaunded and the Apostles in euerie place haue ordeined and all the auncient Fathers and Catholique Byshops haue followed the same And who so doth contrarie to this he as Gelasius saith committeth Sacrilege And therefore we saie that our aduersaries at this daie who hauing violentlie thrust out and quite forbidden the holie Communion doe without the worde of God without the authoritie of anie auncient Councell without anie Catholique Father without any example of the primitiue Church yea and without reason also defend and maintaine their priuate Masses and the mangling of the Sacraments and doe this not onelie against the plaine expresse commaundement of Christ but also against all antiquitie doe wickedlie therein and are verie Churchrobbers We affirme that the bread and wine are the holie and heauenlie mysteries of the bodie and blood of Christ and that by them Christ himselfe being the true bread of eternall life is so presentlie giuen vnto vs as that by
Purgatorie it is flat contrarie to the Christian faith I beleeue the remission of sinnes and life euerlasting and to the absolute purgation of sinnes made by Christ and to these sayings of Christ our Lord Verilie verilie I saie vnto you he that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come vnto condemnation but hath passed from death vnto life Againe He that is washed needeth not saue to wash his feete but is cleane euerie whitte and ye are cleane Now that which is recorded of the spirits or soules of the dead sometime appearing to them that are aliue and crauing certaine duties of them whereby they maie be set free we count those apparitions among the delusions crafts and deceits of the deuill who as he can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light so he laboureth tooth and naile either to ouerthrow the true faith or else to call it into doubt The Lord in the olde Testament forbad to enquire the truth of the dead and to haue any thing to do with Spirits And to the glutton being bound in torments as the trueth of the gospell doeth declare is denied anie returne to his brethren The Lord by his worde pronouncing and saying They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them if they heave not Moses and the Prophets neither will they beleeue if one shall arise from the dead OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BASIL THe Church of Christ doth herein labour all that she can to keepe the bondes of peace and loue in vnitie Therefore she doth by no meanes communicate with sectes and the rules of orders deuised to make a difference of daies meates apparell and ceremonies No man can prohibit that which Christ him selfe hath not prohibited For this cause we know that auricular confession holy daies dedicated to saints and such like thinges had there beginning of men and were not commaunded of God as on the other side we know that the mariage of ministers was not forbidden And againe No man can forbid those thinges which God hath permitted therefore we thinke that it is not by anie meanes forbidden to receiue meates with thankesgiuing OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA Hitherto perteine first those thinges which are to be found in the 15. Chap. about the middest concerning the keeping of hole daies and fastes IN like sorte manie of the auncient ceremonies and such as were brought in by custome so neere as may be are reteined among vs euen at this daie of this sort be certein daies appointed for feastes and holie daies the mattens that is morning sermons euening assemblies the Lords daies which be holie daies and speciall feast daies added thereunto which are consecrated to the celebrating of the workes of Christ as to his natiuitie his Passion resurrection c. and such as be dedicated to the remembrance of holie men as of the Virgine Marie of the Apostles and of other Saints and chiefely of those saints of whome there is mention in the holy scriptures and all these thinges be done of vs that the word of God may be taught that God maie be worshiped and serued and that he may be glorified among vs. 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 meete for christian men to do to the glory and praise of God do celebrate holie daies consecrated to the Virgine the remembrance of hiâ— do make and sing godly and christian songs of hir with pleasure both diligentlie and that they maie confirme them-selues rehearse those great thinges wherewith God hath adorned hir aboue al other women and they al reioyce one with another and shew them-selues moste thankfull for the saluation which is purchased to mankinde and with all Christian people they confesse professe that shee is happie and they praise God for all these things and so much as lieth in them they do faithfullie follow and imitate the holy life and good manners of that Virgin and they do indeed execute that which she commaundeth to them that ministred in the Marriage at Cana and doe alwaies desire to be in heauen with her And all these things they do according to the meaning of the holie scriptures And a litle after And thus do we teach that the Saints are truely worshipped when the people on certaine daies at a time appointed do come together to the seruice of God and do call to minde and meditate vpon the benefits of God which he hath bestowed vpon holie men and through them vpon his Church and therewithall doth admonish it selfe concerning their calling or place which they held their doctrine faith life and exercises of godlines and the last end of their life to the end that it maie be as it were built vp in the same trueth by the word of God and maie praise God and giue him thankes for those men and in their name and may sing profitable songs and such as are free from superstition and maie raise and stirre vp themselues to the like obedience imitation of their faith workes and deedes godlines holines and honestie and that they maie call vpon God that he would vouchsafe to giue vnto them to enioy their companie and fellowship as well here in the time of grace as hereafter in eternall glorie All which things are in few wordes comprehended in the epistle to the Hebrewes where it is said Remember them which haue the ouersight ouer you which haue declared vnto you the word of God whose faith follow considering what hath bene the end of their conuersation Of Fasting CHAP. 18. TOuching true and Christian fasting we teach that it is an outward work of faith comprehending in it worship which is done by exercising the bodie to abstinencie ioyning therewithal praiers and giuing of almes and that it is due to God alone and that among Christians according as their strength will suffer and their affaires and busines desire and permit at what time soeuer they vse it in anie societie either generall or particular it must be done without hypocrisie or superstition as the holie scriptures do witnes and Paull among other thinges doth thus write of it Let vs approoue our selues as the ministers of God by fasting c. And Christ saith Then they shall fast And againe Paull saith in another place That ye maie giue your selues to fasting praier Now fasting doth not consist in the choise of meat which a man vseth but in the moderate vse of meat and in exercising chastising and bringing vnder the vnrulie flesh before god and chiefelie the matter consisteth in the spirit and in the heart to wit how for what cause with what intent and purpose a man doth faste and how and by what meane the godlie maie exercise a wholsome and acceptable faste vnto God and on the other side to know
beleeue that it is expedient that they which be chosen to be gouernours in anie Church do wiselie looke vnto it among them selues by what meanes the wholl bodie maie conuenientlie be ruled yet so that they do neuer swarue from that which our Lord Iesus Christ hath instituted Yet this doth not hinder but that euerie place maie haue their peculiar constitutions as it shall seeme conuenient for them But we exclude all humane deuises and all those lawes which are brought in to binde mens consciences vnder pretence of the word of God and we do onelie like of those which serue for the nourishing of concord and to keepe euerie one in due obedience wherein we think that we are to follow that which our Lord Iesus Christ appointed touching excommunication which we do allow of and together with it additions thinke to be necessarie OVT OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION AS touching the multitude of vaine and superfluous Ceremonies we know that Saint Augustine did greeuouslie complaine of them in his owne time and therefore haue we cut of a great number of them because we know that mens consciences were encombred about them and the Churches of God ouerladen with them Neuerthelesse we keepe still and esteeme not onely those Ceremonies which we are sure were deliuered to vs from the Apostles but some others too besides which we thought might be suffered without hurt to the Church of God for that we had a desire that all thinges in the holy congregation might as Saint Paull commaundeth be done with comelines and in good order But as for all those thinges which we saw were either verie susuperstitious or vtterlie vnprofitable or noisome or mockeries or contrarie to the holie scriptures or else vnseemelie for sober discreet people wherof there be infinite numbers now a daies where the Roman Religion is vsed these I saie we haue vtterlie refused without all manner exception because we would not haue the right worshiping of God to be anie longer defiled with such follies OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BEGIA IN the meane time we beleeue that it is in deede profitable that the Elders which doe gouerne in Churches should appoint some order among them-selues so that they do diligently take heed that in no case they do swarue or decline from those things which Christ himselfe our onelie master hath once appointed Therefore we do reiect all humane inuentions and all those lawes which were brought in to be a worship of God that mens consciences should anie waie thereby be snared or bound and we receiue those onelie which are fit either to cherish or manteine concord or to keepe vs in the obedience of God And hereunto excommunication is chiefelie necessarie being vsed according to the commaundement of the word of god and other additions of Ecclesiasticall discipline annexed thereunto OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE Art 15. COncerning Ecclesiasticall rites which are ordeined by mans authoritie they teach that such rits are to be obserued as maie be kept without sinne do tend to quietnes and good order in the Church as namelie set holidaies and certein godlie psalmes and other such like rits But yet touching this sort of rites they teach that mens consciences are not to be burdened with superstitious opinions of them that is it must not be thought that these humane ordinances are righteousnes before God or do deserue remission of sinnes or are dueties necessarie vnto the righteousnes reuealed in the gospel But this is to be thought of them that they are indifferent thinges which without the case of offence may be omitted But such as breake them with offence are faultie as those which doe rashlie disturbe the peace of the Churches Such traditions therefore as cannot be obserued without sinne are reiected of vs as the tradition of single life We reiect also that impious opinion of traditions and vowes wherein they feign that worships inuented by mans authority do merit remission of sinnes are satisfactions for sinne c. Of which like false opinions touching vowes and fastings not a few haue beene spread abroade in the Church by vnlearned men This Article is thus to be found in another edition COncerning Ecclesiasticall rites they teach that those rites are to be obserued which maie be kept without anie sinne and are auaileable for quietnes and good order in the Church such as are set holiedaies feastes and such like Againe out of the 7. Article touching abuses of the same confession These wordes that follow perteine to this place and the rest vno the eleuenth section Of the authoritie of the ministers BEsides these things there is a controuersie whether Bishops or Pastors haue power to ordeine ceremonies in the Church to make lawes of meates and holie daies and degrees or orders of ministers They that ascribe this power to the Bishops alledge this testimonie for it I haue yet manie thinges to saie vnto you but you cannot beare them away now But when that spirit of trueth shall come he shall teach you all trueth They aledge also the examples of the Apostles which commaunded the Christians to absteine from blood and that which was strangled They alledge the change of the Sabboth into the Lords daie contrarie as it seemeth to the morall law they haue no examples so oft in their mouthes as they change of the Sabboth They will needes haue the Churches power authoritie to be very great because it hath dispensed with a precept of the moral law But of this questiō our men do thus teach that the Bishops haue no power to ordeine anie thing contrarie to the Gospel as was shewed before The same also do the Canons teach distinct 9. Moreouer it is against the scriprure to ordeine or require the obseruation of anie traditions to the ende that we might merit remission of sinnes and satisfie for sinnes by them For the glorie of Christes merit receiueth a blow when as we seeke by such obseruations to merit remission of sinnes and iustification And it is verie apparant that through this persuasion traditions grew into an infinite number in the Church In the meane while the doctrine of faith and of the righteousnes of faith was quite smoothered for euer and anone there were new holiedaies made new fastes appointed new ceremonies new worshippes for Saints ordeined because that the authors of such geare supposed by these works to merit remission of sinnes and iustification After the same manner heretofore did the penitential Canons increase wherof we still see some footings in satisfactions Againe manie writers imagine that in the new testament there should be a worship like to the Leuitical worship the appointing whereof god committed to the Apostles and Bishops wherein they seeme to be deceiued by the example of the law of Moses as if the righteousnes of the new testament were the outward obseruing of certeine rites as the iustice of the law was Like as therefore in the lawe
especially according to that which the Lord commaundeth Giue vnto Cesar the things which are Cesars and vnto God the things which are Gods But if some should attempt to remooue any from this Christian and true opinion they ought to follow the example of the Apostles who with a bolde courage nothing at all daunted answered the Magistrate and counsell of Ierusalem in this manner We ought rather to obey God then men Whereof also is to be seene the iudgement of the olde fathers and of the Canon law where they thus write and these are the wordes of S. Ierome If the Lord or magistrate commaund those things that are not contrary to the holy scriptures let the seruant be subiect to the Lord but if 〈◊〉 anie thing contrarie let him rather obey the Lord of his pâ—â—rit then of his bodie And a litle after If it be good which the Emperor commaundeth do the will of him that commaundeth if it be euill answer we ought rather to obey God then men THE CONCLVSION ANd hetherto haue beene informed and shewed vnto your Maiestie in this writing the reasons causes of our faith and doctrine and Christian religion fuch doctrine as the ministers of our Churches all and singular euery one according to the gift of god graunted vnto him do with one consent of iudgement holde talke of and preach and do constantlie manteine and fight for the same not with the power of this world but by holy scriptures against those that impugne it or by teaching do spread abroade contrarie errors thereunto Neither yet without that modestie that becommeth the profession of Christians do they stubbournly rather then rigiouslie persist in this doctrine or haue at any time heretofore persisted but if anie thing be found herein not well taken by them and that by certeine grounds out of the word of god which ought to be the rule of iudgement vnto all men peaceablie and with a meeke spirit as it ought to be done be shewed vnto them they are readie and forward and thereunto as alwaies heretofore so now they offer themselues that after due consideration true knowledge of the trueth had they will most gladlie and thankfullie receiue that doctrine which shall haue better foundations and willinglie reforme whatsoeuer shall haue need to be amended Wherefore most excellent King and gratious Lord maie it please your Maiestie to examine this our confession and after diligent and due consideration had to waie and consider whether anie man worthelie and for iust cause may reiect and condemne this doctrine as not agreeable to the holie scripture nor Christian Verilie we are of opinion that if anie man presume to despise or condemne this doctrine he must of necessitie also condemne the holie scripture from whence it was taken and the auncient and true Christian Doctors with whome it agreeth and also the holie lie Church it selfe which from the beginning and that constantlie 〈◊〉 and doth teach And hereby your Maiesty may graciâ—â—slie perceiue and determine whether the complaints and accusations of our aduersaries and such as fauour not vs and our teachers be iust or noe Wherefore most humbly we pray that your sacred Maiestie will giue no place or credit to our aduersaries in those matters which diuers waies without anie ground they charge vs withall when as without all humanitie they accuse vs our ministers and preachers as if we had an other religion and taught an other doctrine then that which at this present we offer vnto your Maiestie or that we presume stubbournlie to take in hand or do attempt anie other thing against God and your Maiestie and contrarie to the institutions of this common wealth and to the publique law of the kingdome of Bohemia And your Maiestie may well call to your remembrance that we haue euerie waie and at all times behaued our selues obedientlie and peaceablie and in all things which may turne or belong to the preseruation of your Maiesties person and to the publique good and commoditie of the whol realme in al such things I say we haue indeauoured not to be behinde others and hereafter also we offer our selues most readie to perfourme the same according to our allegeance and duetie Neither do we think it onelie a point of vertue and to apperteine vnto honesty alone and the good estate of the common wealth to yeeld our selues subiect and faithfull to your maiesty for peace concord and the rewards of this life but much rather we acknowledge that it pleaseth God and that so is his will that euery one for conscience sake should be obedient to the Magistrate and should reuerence loue honour and highly esteem him euen as our teachers also do deale both with vs and with the people to perfourme this and oftentimes by teaching out of the word doe in force it vpon vs both Here we commend our selues vnto your Maiesty as to the fatherly and liberall tuition care and protection of our most gracious Lord and do most humbly beseech of your Maiesty that vnto these things which on the befalfe of Christian religion we haue tendred vnto your Maiestie we may receiue a courteous answer and such as God maie be pleased withall The almightie and euerlasting God graciouslie preserue your Maiestie in continuall health to the profit benefit and increase of his holie Christian Church Amen Prouerb 20. Mercie and trueth preserue the King for his throne is established with mercie OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION WE beleeue that God would haue the world to be gouerned by lawes and by ciuill gouernmenr that there maiâ— be certaine bridles whereby the immoderate desires of the world maie be restrained and that therefore he appointed kingdomes common wealths and other kindes of principalitie whether they come by inheritance or otherwise And not that alone but also whatsoeuer perteineth to the state of righteousnes as they call it whereof he desireth to be acknowledged the author Therefore he hath also deliuered the sword into the hands of the Magistrates to wit that offences maie be repressed not onely those which are committed against the second table but also against the first Therefore because of the author of this order we must not onelie fuffer them to rule whome he hath set ouer vs but also giue vnto them all honour and reuerence as vnto his embassadours and ministers assigned of him to execute a lawfull and holie function Also Art 40. THerefore we affirme that we must obey the lawes and statutes that tribute must be paied and that we must patientlie endure the other burdens to conclude that we must willnglie suffer the yoke of subiection although the Magistrate be infidells so that the soueraigne gouernment of God do remaine wholl or entire and nothing diminished Therefore we detest all those which do reiect all kinde of dominion and bring in a communitie and confusion of goods and who to conclude do go about to ouerthrow al order of law OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BELGIA