againe In vaine doe they worship me seeing they do only teach the commaundements of men But such works as are taught of men what shew soeuer they haue euen of goodnes are in no case to be so highly esteemed as those which are commaunded of God Yea to saie somewhat more if they be not of faith but contrary to faith they are of no value at all but are an abomination and filthines before the face of God Now all good workes are deuided first generallie into those which pertaine to all true Christians according to the vnitie of faith and catholicke saluation Secondly they are deuided particularly into those which are proper to the order age and place of euery man as the holie Ghost doth seuerallie teach Elders Masters the common sorte Parentes children the maried the vnmaried and euerie one what be their proper bonds and workes Moreouer in this point men are diligentlie taught to know how and wherein good workes doe please God Truelie they please God no otherwise then in the onelie name of our Lord Iesus Christ in whose name they ought to be done to the glorie of god according to the doctrine of Paull the Apostle who speaketh thus Whatsoeuer you doe in wordes and in deedes doe all in the name of our Lord Iesus And the Lorde himselfe saith Without me ye can doe thing that is nothing that maie please God and be for your saluation Now to doe good workes in the name of Christ is to doe them in a liuelie faith in him whereby we are iustified and in loue which is poured forth into our hearts by the holie Ghost in such sorte that God loueth vs and we againe loue him and our neighbour For the holy Ghost doth sanctifie mooue and kindle the hearts of them which are iustified to doe these holie actions as the Lorde saieth He shall be in you And the Apostle The anoynting of God teacheth you These two Faith and loue are the fountaine and square of all vertues and good workes according to the testimony of the Apostle The end of the commandement is loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith not feigned And againe Without faith it is not possible to please God Also without loue nothing doth profit a man In the next place they teach why and to what purpose or end such good workes as pertaine to Christian godlines ought to be done to wit not in this respect that men by these workes should obtaine iustification or saluation and remission of sins for Christ saith When you haue done all those thinges which were commaunded you saie we are vnprofitable seruants Also Paull saith Not for the workes of righteousnes which we haue done but through his mercie hath he saued vs wherewith al those words of Dauid agree when he praieth Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruant because that in thy sight shall no flesh liuing be iustified But Christians are to exercise themselues in good works for these causes following First that by this meane they may prooue and declare their faith by these workes be knowne to be true Christians that is the liuelie members and followers of Christ whereof our Lorde saith Euerie tree is knowen by his owne fruites In deede good workes are assured arguments and signes and testimonies and exercises of a liuelie faith euen of that faith which lieth hidde in the heart and to be shorte of the true fruit thereof and such as is acceptable to God Paull saith Christ liueth in me for in that I now liue in the flesh I liue by faith in the Sonne of God And trulie it can not be otherwise but that as sinne doth bring forth death so faith and iustification which ariseth therout doth bring forth life inwardlie in the spirit and outwardlie in the works of charitie Secondlie we must therefore doe good workes that Christians might confirme and build vp their Election and vocation in themselues and preserue it by taking heed that they fall not in mortall sinnes euen as Saint Peter teacheth among other thinges writing thus Wherefore brethren endeauour rather to make your election and vocation sure or to confirme it And how this maie be done he doth brieflie declare a litle before Therefore giuing all diligence thereunto ioyne vertue with your faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance pacience with pacience godlines with godlines brotherlie kindnes and with brotherlie kindnes loue For if these thinges be among you and abound in you they will make you that ye neither shall be idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lorde Iesus Christ In which place Saint Peter doth euidently shew that we must endeuour to exercise ourselues in good workse first for this cause lest that the grace of faith a good conscience which we haue be either lost or defiled but that it maie rather be preserued For the holie Ghost doth flie from Idolaters and departeth from prophane men and the euill and vnpure spirit doth returne into an emptie and idle house Also whosoeuer doth either loose or defile a good conscience what commendable thing or what worke can he do that is pretious and acceptable to God how shall he giue himselfe to prayer Secondlie for this cause that we maie profitte and increase more and more in this grace and that we maie gaine vnto the Lorde by occupying those talents which are committed to our trust whereof Saint Paull saith Now we all beholding as in a mirrour the glorie of the Lord with open face are changed into the same Image from glorie to glorie that is we beholde Christ who is the image and glorie of the Father herein we indeauour that we maie be conformed to the likenes of this Image by the holie ghost which doth kindle vs therunto til this Image doth get her perfection by the blessed resurrection Thirdly we must do exercise our selues in good workes as well for the promises of this life as also for the reward of eternall life whereof mention is made verie often and at large in the holie scripture that by faith in Christ wee maie haue a more easie entrance to the attaining of those rewards and to the eternal kingdome of heauen as S. Peter testifieth saying If ye doe these thinges ye shall neuer fall For by this meanes an entring shal be ministred vnto you abundantlie into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ But chiefelie we must doe the workes of mercie whereby we maie benefit our neighbour whereby we prouide and doe for him and whereof he standeth in neede such as these be to giue almes to visite the sicke to haue a care of them or to be at hand to doe them seruice to teach the simple by counsell and labour to helpe others to pardon offences and such like which all haue the promises of the bountifullnes of
rule of Gods worde For Peter the Apostle saieth Therefore giuing al diligence thereunto ioyne moreouer vertue with your faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance c. It was said before that the law of God which is the will of God did prescribe vnto vs the patterne of good workes And the Apostle saieth This is the wil of God euen your sanctification that you absteine from al vncleannes that no man oppresse 〈◊〉 deceiue his brother in any matter But as for such workes and worships of god as are taken vp vpon our owne liking which Saint Paull calleth wilworshippe they are not allowed not liked of God Of such the Lord saieth in the Gospell They worship me in vaine teaching for doctrine the precepts of men Wee therefore disalowe all such manner of workes and we approoue and vrge men vnto such as are according to the 〈◊〉 and commaundement of God Yea and these same workes that are agreeable to Gods will must be done not to thâ— ende to merit eternall life by them for life euerlasting as thâ— Apostle saieth is the gift of God nor for ostentations sake which the Lord doth reiect Mat. 6. nor for lucre which also he misliketh Mat. 23. but to the glorie of God to comment set forth our calling and to yeald thankefulnes vnto god and also for the profit of our neighbours For the Lorde saith againe in the Gospell Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which 〈◊〉 in heauen Likewise the Apostle Paull saieth Walke worthie of your calling Also Whatsoeuer you doe saith he either in worde oâ— in deede doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God the Father by him Let no man seeke his owne but euerie 〈◊〉 his brothers And let ours also learne to shew forth good works for necessarie vses that they be not vnprofitable Notwithstanding therefore that we teach with the Apostle that a man is iustified by faith in Christ and not by any good workes yet we doe not lightlie esteeme or condemne good workes because we know that a man is not created or regenerated thorough faith that he should be idle but rather that without ceasing he should doe those things which are good and profitable For in the Gospel the Lorde saith A good tree bringeth forth good fruite And againe Whosoeuer abideth in mee bringeth forth good fruite And lastlie the Apostle saith W◠〈◊〉 the workmâ—nship of God created in Christ Iesus to good works which god hath prepared that we should walke in them And againe Whâ— gaue himselfe for vs that he might deliuer vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to be a peculiar people to himselfe zealous of good workes We therefore condemne all those which doe contemne good workes and doe bable that they ate needeles and not to be regarded Neuerthelesse as was saide before we doe not thinke that we are saued by good workes or that they are so necessarie to saluation that no man was euer saued without them For we are saued by grace and by the benefite of Christ alone Workes do necessarilie proceede from faith but saluation is improperlie attributed to them which is moste properlie ascribed to grace That sentence of the Apostle is verie notable If by grace then not of workes for then grace were no more grace But if of workes then it is not of grace for then workes were no more workes Now the workes which we doe are accepted and allowed of God through faith because they which doe them please God by faith in Christ and also the workes themselues are done by the grace of God through his holie spirit For Saint Peter saith that Of euerie nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him And Paul also Wee cease not to praie for you that you maie walke worthie of the Lorde and in al thinges please him being fruitfull in euerie good worke Here therefore we diligentlie teach not false and Philosophicall but true vertues true good workes and the true duties of a Christian man And this we doe with all diligence and earnestnes that we can inculcate and beate into mens mindes sharplie reproouing the slothfulnes and hypocrisie of all those who with their mouthes praise and professe the gospell and yet with their shameful life doe dishonor the same setting before their eies in this case Gods horrible threatninges large promises and bountifull rewardes and that by exhorting comforting and rebuking For we teach that God doth bestow great rewardes on them that doe good according to that saying of the Prophet Refraine thy voice from weeping because thy worke shall haue a rewarde In the Gospell also the Lorde saide Reioyce and be glad because your rewarde is great in the heauens And he that shall giue to one of these little ones a cuppe of colde water verilie I saie vnto you he shall not loose his rewarde Yet we doe not attribute this reward which God giueth to the merit of the man that receiueth it but to the goodnes or liberalitie and trueth of God which promiseth and giueth it who although he owe nothing vnto anie yet he hath promised to giue a reward to those that faithfully worship him notwithstanding that he do also giue them grace to worship him Besides there are many things vnworthie the maiesty of god many vnperfect thinges are found in the workes euen of the saints yet because god doth receiue into fauor imbrace the works of them for Christs sake therefore he performeth vnto them the promised reward For otherwise our righteounesses are compared to a menstruous cloath yea the Lord in the gospell saith When you haue done al things which are commaunded you saie we are vnprofitable seruants that which we 〈◊〉 to doe we haue done So that though we do teach that god 〈◊〉 giue a rewarde to our good deeds yet withall we teach 〈◊〉 Augustine that God doth crowne in vs not our desertes but 〈◊〉 owne gifts And therefore whatsoeuer rewarde we receiue we saie that it is a grace and rather a grace then a rewarde because those good things which we doe we doe them ratheâ— by God then by our selues and because Paul saith what 〈◊〉 thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued it Why 〈◊〉 thou boast as though thou hadst not receiued it And that which the blessed Martyr Ciprian doth gather out of this place That we must not boast of any thing seeing nothing is our owne We therefore condemne those who defend the merites of men that they may make frustrate the grace of God OVT OF THE FORMER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA NOw we attaine vnto these so diuine benefits and the true sanctification of the spirit of God by Faith which is the meere gifte of God not by anie either ouâ— strength or merites which faith being a sure and vndoubted
Citizens of the heauenlie Ierusalem haue the fruition of the moste inestimable benefites to wit of one God one Lord Iesus one faith and of one Baptisme out of the which Church there is neither life nor eternall felicitie And therfore we vtterlie abhor the blasphemie of those that affirme that men which liue according to equitie and iustice shall be saued what religion so euer they haue professed For as without Christ Iesus there is neither life nor saluation so shal there none be participant thereof but such as the father hath giuen vnto his Sonne Christ Iesus and those in time to come vnto him auow his doctrine and beleeue in him we apprehend the children with the faithful parents This Church is inuisible knowne onelie to God who alone knoweth whome he hath chosen and comprehendeth as well as said is the elect that be departed commonlie called the Church triumphant as those that yet liue and fight against sinne and Satan and shall liue hereafter The immortalitie of the soules THe elect departed are in peace and rest from their labours not that they sleepe and come to a certaine obliuion as some phantastikes doe affirme but that they are deliuered from all feare and torment and all temptation to which we and al Gods elect are subiect in this life and therfore doe beare the name of the Church militant as contrariwise the reprobate and vnfaithful departed haue anguish torment and paine that can not be expressed So that neither are the one nor the other in such sleepe that they feele not their torment as the parable of Christ Iesus in the 16. of Luke his wordes to the theefe and these wordes of the soules crying vnder the Altar O Lorde thou art righteous and iâ—st how long shalt thou not reuenge our blood vpon these that dwell in the earth doe testifie Of the notes by the which the true Church is discerned from the false and who shall be iudge of the doctrine BEcause that Satan from the beginning hath laboured to decke his pestilent sinagogue with the title of the Church of God and hath inflamed the heartes of cruell murtherers to persecute trouble molest the true Church and members thereof as Caine did Abell Ismaell Isaak Esau Iacob and the wholl priesthoode of the Iewes Christ Iesus himselfe and his Apostles after him It is a thing most requisite that the true Church be discerned from the filthie sinagogues by cleare perfit notes lest we being deceiued receiue and imbrace to our condemnation the one for the other The notes signes and assured tokens whereby the immaculate spouse of Christ Iesus is knowne from the horrible harlot the Church malignant we affirme are neither antiquitie title vsurped lineall descent place appointed nor multitude of men approouing an errour for Caine in age and title was preferred to Abell and Seth Ierusalem had prerogatiue aboue al places of the earth where also were the priests lineallie descended from Aaron and greater number followed the Scribes Pharisies and Priestes then vnfainedlie beleeued and approoued Christ Iesus and his doctrine yet as we suppose no man of sound iudgement will graunt that any of the forenamed were the Church of God The notes therefore of the true Church of God we beleeue confesse and auow to be first the true preaching of the worde of God in the which God hath reuealed himselfe vnto vs as the writings of the Prophets and Apostles doe declare Secondlie the right administration of the Sacramentes of Christ Iesus which must be annexed vnto the worde and promise of God to seale confirme the same in our hearts Lastlie Ecclesiasticall discipline vprightlie ministred as Gods word prescribeth wherby vice is repressed and vertue nourished Whersoeuer then these former notes are seene and of anie time continue be the number neâ—â—r so fewe aboue two or three there without all doubt is the true Church of Christ who according to his promise is in the midst of them Not in the vniuersall of which we haue before spoken but particular such as was in Corinthus Gallacia Ephesus and other places in which the ministery was planted by Paull and were of himselfe named the Churches of God and such Churches we the inhabitants of the Realme of Scotlande professours of Christ Iesus professe our selues â—o haue in our Cities townes and places reformed For the doctrine taught in our Churches is contained in the written worde of God to wit in the bookes of the olde and new Testaments in those bookes we meane which of the auncient haue beene reputed Canonicall In the which we affirme that all thinges necessarie to be beleeued for the saluation of mankinde are sufficientlie expressed The interpretation whereof we confesse neither appertaineth to priuate nor publike person neither yet to anie church for any preheminence or prerogatiue personal or locall which one hath aboue another but appertaineth to the Spirit of God by the which also the scripture was written When controuetsie theÌ„ happeneth for the right vnderstanding of any place or sentence of scripture or for the reformation of anie abuse within the Church of God we ought noâ— so much to looke what men before vs haue saide or done as vnto that which the holie ghost vniformlie speaketh within the bodie of the scriptures and vnto that which Christ Iesus himselfe did and commaunded to be done For this is one thing vniuersally graunted that the spirit of god which is the spirit of vnitie is in nothing contrarie to himselfe Iâ— then the interpretation determination or sentence of anie Doctor Church or Councell repugne to the plaine worde of God written in anie other place of the scripture it is a thing moste certaine that there is not the true vnderstanding and meaning of the holie ghost although that councels Realmes and nations haue approoued and receiued the same For we dare not receiue nor admitâ—te anie interpretation which repugneth to anie principall point of our faith or to anie other plaine texte of scripture or yet vnto the rule of charitie The authoritie of the Scriptures AS we beleeue and confesse the scriptures of God sufficientlie to instruct and make the man of God perfect so doe we affirme and auowe the authoritie of the same to be of God and neither to depende on men nor Angels We affirme therefore that such as alledge the scripture to haue no other authoritie but that which it hath receiued from the Church are blasphemous against God and iniurious to the true Church which alwaies heareth and obeyeth the voice of her owne spouse and Pastour but taketh not vpon her to be maistresse ouer the same Of the generall Councells of their power authoritie and causes of their conuention AS we doe not rashlie damne that which godlie men assembled together in generall Councel lawfully gathered haue proponed vnto vs so without iust examination doe we not receiue whatsoeuer is obtruded vnto men vnder the name of
a general councell for plaine it is as they were men so haue some of them manifestlie erred and that in matters of great weight and importance So farre then as the Councel prooueth the determination and commaundement that it giueth by the plaine worde of God so soone doe we reuerence and embrace the same But if men vnder the name of a Councel pretende to forge vnto vs newe Articles of our faith or to make constitutions repugning to the worde of God then vtterlie we must refuse the same as the doctrine of Deuils which draweth our soules from the voice of our onelie God to follow the doctrine and constitutions of men The cause then why that generall Councels came together was neither to make anie perpetuall lawe which God before had not made neither yet to forge new articles of our beliefe neither to giue the word of God authoritie much lesse to make that to be his word or yet the true interpretation of the same which was not before his holie will expressed in his word But the cause of councels we meane of such as merit the name of Councels was partlie for confutation of heresies for giuing publike confession of their faith to the posteritie following which both they did by the authoritie of Gods written word and not by anie opinion of prerogatiue that they could not erre by reason of their generall assemblie And this we iudge to haue beene the chiefe cause of general Councells The other was for good pollicie and order to be constitute obserued in the Church wherein as in the house of God it becommeth all things to be done decentlie and in order Not that we thinke that one pollicie and one order in ceremonies can be appointed for all ages times and places for as ceremonies such as men haue deuised are but temporall so maie and ought they to be changed when they rather suffer superstition then that they edifie the Church vsing the same Of the Sacramentes AS the fathers vnder the law besides the veritie of the sacrifices had two cheefe Sacramentes to wit Circumcision and the Passeouer the despisers and contemners whereof were not reputed for Gods people so we acknowledge and confesse that we now in the time of the Gospell haue two chiefe Sacraments onelie instituted by the Lord Iesus and commaunded to be vsed of all those that will be reputed members of his bodie to wit Baptisme and the Supper or table of the Lord Iesus called the communion of his bodie and his bloode And these Sacramentes as well of the olde as of the new Testament now instituted of god not onelie to make a visible difference betwixt his people those that were without his league but also to exercise the faith of his children and by participation of the same Sacramentes to seale in their heartes the assurance of his promise and of that most blessed coniunction vnion and societie which the elect haue with their heade Christ Iesus And thus we vtterlie damne the vanitie of those that affirme sacramentes to be nothing else but naked and bare signes No we assuredlie beleeue that by baptisme we are ingrafted in Christ Iesus to be made partakers of his iustice by which our sins are couered and remitted And also that in the Supper rightlie vsed Christ Iesus is so ioyned with vs that he becommeth the verie nourishment food of our soules Not that we imagine any transâ—ubstantiation of the bread in Christs naturall bodie and of wine in his naturall blood as the Papists haue perniciously taught and damnablie beleeued but this vnion and coniunction which we haue with the bodie and blood of Christ Iesus in the right vse of the Sacramente is wrought by operation of the holie Ghost who by true faith carieth vs aboue all things that are visible carnal and earthlie and maketh vs to fâ—â—de vpon the bodie and bloode of Christ Iesus which was once broken and shed for vs which now is in heauen and appeareth in the presence of his father for vs and notwithstanding the farre distance of place which is betwixt his bodie now glorified in the heauen and vs now mortall in this earth yet we must assuredlie beleeue that the breade which we breake is the communion of Christs body and the cup which we blesse is the communion of his bloode so that we confesse and vndoubtedlie beleeue that the faithfull in the right vse of the Lords table doe so eate the bodie and drinke the bloode of the Lord Iesus that he remaineth in them and they in him Yea they are so made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones that as the eternall Godheade giueth to the flesh of Christ Iesus which of the owne condition and nature was mortall and corruptible life and immortalitie so doeth Christ Iesus his his flesh and bloode eaten and drunken by vs giue vnto vs the same prerogatiues Which albeit we confesse are neither giuen vnto vs at this time onelie neither yet by the proper power and vertue of the Sacrament onelie yet we affirme that the faithfull in the right vse of the Lordes table haue such coniunction with Christ Iesus as the naturall man cannot apprehend yea and further we affirme that albeit the faithfull oppressed by negligence and manly infirmitie doe not profit so much as they would in the verie instant action of the Supper yet shall it after bring fruite forth as liuelie seede sowne in good ground For the holie spirit which can neuer be deuided from the right institution of the Lord Iesus will not frustrate the faithfull of the fruite of that mysticall action but all this we saie commeth of true faith which apprehendeth Christ Iesus who onelie maketh his Sacraments effectuall vnto vs. And therefore whosoeuer slaundereth vs as that we affirme or beleeue Sacraments to be onely naked and bare signes doeth iniury vnto vs and speaketh against the manifest trueth But this liberallie and frankelie we confesse that we make distinction betwixt Christ Iesus in his eternal substance and betwixt the elementes in the sacramentall signes So that we will neither worship the signes in place of that which is signified by them neither yet do we despise interpret them as vnprofitable and vaine but doe vse them with all reuerence examining our selues diligentlie before that so we doe Because wee are assured by the mouth of the Apostle that such as eate of that bread drinke of that cup vnworthelie are guiltie of the bodie and of the bloode of Christ Iesus Of the right administration of the Sacramentes THat sacraments be rightlie ministred we iudge two thinges requisite the one that they be ministred by lawful ministers whome we affirme to be onely they that are appointed to the preaching of the word into whose mouthes God hath put some sermon of exhortation they being men lawfullie chosen there to by some Church The other that they be ministred in such elements and in such sort as God hath appointed else we affirme that
farre disagree from the Apostolike and Catholike doctrine who teach that man is made acceptable to God and accounted iust before god for those vertues and that when we come to stand before god in iudgement we must trust to the merittes of these vertues For man is made acceptable to god and counted iust before him for the onelie sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ through faith and when we appeare before the iudgement seate of God we must not trust to the merit of anie of those vertues which we haue but onelie to the merit of our Lorde Iesus Christ whose merit is ours by faith And because that before the tribunall seat of God where the question is of true and eternal righteousnes and saluation there is no place at al for the merites of men but onelie for the mercie of god and the merites of our Lord Iesus Christ alone who is receiued of vs by faith therefore we think that the auncient Fathers our Elders said truelie that we are iustified before god by faith alone Rom. 3. All haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloode Galat. 3. The Scripture hath concluded al vnder sinne that the promise by the Faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue And Cap. 5. We thorough the spirit waite for the hope of righteousnes through faith For in Christ Iesus neither Circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue Hilarie saieth It offendeth the Scribes that man should forgiue sinne for they beheldâ— nothing but man in Iesus Christ and that he should forgiue that which the law could not release For faith alone doth iustifie Ambrose saith They are iustified freelie because that workeing nothing nor requitting any thing by faith alone they are iustified by the gift of God And againe They are euidentlie blessed whose iniquities are forgiuen without any labour or work and whose sins are couered no helpe of repentance beeing required of them but onelie this that they beleeue Manie places might be alledged as well out of the writinges of the Prophettes and Apostles as out of the holie Fathers whereby it is prooued that not onelie in the beginning through the free mercie of god these vertues to wit Faith hope and loue are giuen vnto vs but also afterward throughout our wholl life and that in our extreame necessitie we are not able to stand before the seuere tribunal seat of god but in the confidence of the onelie free fauour of god shewed vnto vs in Christ the Sonne of god For this is that both which Paul teacheth and the Ecclesiasticall writers doe interpret That we are iustified before god by faith alone Of good workes CHAP. 7. WE saie that good workes commaunded of god are necessarilie to be done and that through the free mercie of god they do deserue certaine their own either corporal or spiritual rewardes But we must not think that in the iudgement of god where the question is concerning the purging of our sins the appeasing of the wrath of god and the merit of eternall saluation we should trust to those good works which we do For al the good works which we do are vnperfect neither caÌ„ they susteine the seuerity of the iudgement of god but al our confidence is to be placed in the onelie mercie of god for his Sonne our Lord Iesus 〈…〉 his sake Psalm 142. Enter not into iudgement with 〈…〉 no flesh liuing shall be iustified in thy sight Galat. 5. 〈…〉 luâ—â—eth against the Spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrarie one to the other so that ye cannot doe those 〈…〉 â—e woulde Rom. 7. I know that in me that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good Don. 9. We doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnes but for thy great tender mercies Augustine saith Woe to the life of man be is neuer so â—ommâ—ndable if thou examine iâ— setting thy mercie aside And againe All my hope is in the death of my Lorde His death is my meriâ—te my refuge saluation life and my resurrection The mercie of the Lorde is my meriâ—te I am not without merit so long as the Lorde of mercies is not wanting And if the mercies of the Lorde he manie I abound in merittes Gregorie saith Therefore our righteous Aduocate shall defend vs in the daie of iudgement because we know and accuse our selues to be vniust Therefore let vs not trust to our teares nor to our actions but to the alledgeing of our Aduocate Bernard saith Our reioycing is this the testimonie of our conscience not such a testimonie as that proude Pharisie had his thought being seduced and seducing him giuing witnes of himselfe and his witnes was not true But then is the witnes true when the spirit beareth witnes with our spirit Now I beleeue that this testimonie consisteth in three thinges For first of all it is necessarie to beleeue that thou canst not haue remission of sinnes but through the fauour of God Secondlie that thou canst haue no good worke at all except the also giue it to thee Lastlie that thou canst not deserue eternall life by anie workes except that also be giuen thee freelie OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Of Iustification and of Faith CHAP. 3. OVr preachers doe somewhat differ from the late receiued opinions about those things which the people were commonly taught concerning the meane wherby wee are made partakers of the redemption wrought by Christ and touching the dueties of a christian man Those points which we haue followed we will indeauour to lay open moste plainely to your sacred Maiestie and also to declare verie faithfullie those places of Scripture by which we were forced hereunto First therefore seeing that we were taught of late yeares that workes were necessarily required to iustification our preachers haue taught that this wholl iustification is to be ascribed to the good pleasure of God and to the meritte of Christ and to be receiued by Faith alone To this they were mooued especiallie by these places of Scripture As manie as receiued him to them he gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name which are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Ioh. 1. Verilie verilie I saie vnto you except a man be borne againe a new he cannot see the kingdome of God Ioh. 3. No man knoweth the Sonne but the Father neither knoweth anie man the Father but the Sonne and he to whome the Sonne will reueale him Mat. 11. Blessed arâ— thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and blood hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen Mat. 16. No man can come to me except my Father draw
come to yeares ought to do their endeuour that they may learne to acknowledge and know what holie Baptisme is and therewithall the Catholike and Christian faith without which Baptisme auaileth nothing to the end that afterward when they do desire to be partakers of the Lord his Supper they may with their owne mouthes and of their owne accorde make profession of their faith and may renew their sanctification by which they were consecrated to the Lord. And such that is which are thus instructed our ministers receiue vnto this couenant of holie Baptisme and by the laying on of hands do testify to them that grace is conteined in baptisme to strengthen them to the warfarre of faith and so after a conuenient and godlie manner and with vse of pure ceremonies and such as are profitable to edifying they bring them to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper without any reiteration of Baptisme as there are euident tokens and examples to be seene of this matter in the primitiue Church which is the true and best maistresse of the posterie and goeing before leadeth vs the waie For if so be that a man should euen after a true manner enioy the Baptisme of Christ and should by meanes hereof be buried with Christ into his death to newnes of life if afterward his life beeing prolonged he should not according to the doctrine of the holie Gospell shew forth a true and liuelie faith in Iesus Christ brotherlie loue towardes all those that are consecrated to the Lorde and so should leade a life vnworthie his place or calling and vnworthy of God and his neighbour and should not in baptisme conceiue a liuelie hope of life euerlasting such a one should assuredlie giue certaine testimonie of himselfe that he had in vaine receiued grace in holie Baptisme wherein the name of the holie Trinitie was called on ouer him the which thing God the Lord as his worde declareth suffereth by no meanes to escape vnreuenged or vnpunished OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION WE acknowledge that there be two onelie Sacraments common to the wholl Church whereof the the first is Baptisme the which is giuen to vs to testifie our adoption because that therein we are ingrafted into Christs bodie that being washed in his bloode we maie also be renued to holines of life by his Spirit This also we saie Although we are baptized but once yet the fruit of Baptisme doth pertaine to the wholl course of our life that this promise to wit that Christ wil alwaies be vnto vs sanctifi ation iustification maie be sealed vp in vs with a sure and firme seale Further more although Baptisme be a sacrament of faith and repentance yet seeing that God doth together with the Parentes account their posteritie also to be of the Church we affirme that infantes being borne of holie parents are by the authoritie of Christ to be baptized We saie therefore that the element of water be it neuer so fraile doth notwithstanding truelie witnes or confirme vnto vs the inward washing of our soules in the bloode of Iesus Christ by the vertue and efficacie of the holie ghost OVT OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION WE saie that baptisme is a sacrament of the remission of sinnes and of that washing which we haue in the blood of Christ and that no person which will professe Christes name ought to be restrained or kept backe there from no not the verie babes of Christians forsomuch as they be borne in sinne and pertaine vnto the people of God OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BELGIA WE beleeue and confesse that Iesus Christ which is the ende of the law hath by his owne blood shedding made an ende of all other propitiatorie sacrifice for sinnes Also that Circumcision which was done by blood being abolished he hath instituted Baptisme in the place therof whereby we are receiued into the Church of god and separated from all other nations and all kinde of straunge religions being consecrated vnto him alone whose badge and cognisance we weare Finallie Baptisme is a token vnto vs that he wilb our God for euer whoe also is our gratious father Therefore the Lord hath commaunded all his to be baptized with pure water In the name of the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost To signifie that the bloode of Christ doth internallie through the operation of the Spirit performe effect that in the soule which water doth externallie worke in the bodies For as water being poured vpon vs and appeering in the bodie of him that is baptized moistning the same doth wash awaie the filthines of the body so the blood of Christ washing the soule doth clense it from sinne and doth make vs the sonnes of God which before were the children of wrath Not that this materiall water doth these things but the sprinckling of the precious blood of the Son of God which is vnto vs as the read sea where though we must passe that we may depart from the tyranny of Pharoh that is the Deuill and enter into the spirituall lande of Canaan Therfore the ministers verilie doe deliuer vnto vs the sacramentes and the visible thing but it is the Lorde himself that giueth it vnto vs that is represented by the sacrament namelie the giftes and inuisible graces washing purifying and clensing our soules from all spottes and iniquiries renuing in like manner and filling our heartes with all comforte and to conclude giuing vnto vs a certaine persuasion of his Fatherlie goodnes clothing vs with the new man and putting of the old man with all his deeds For these causes doe we beleeue that euerie one that desireth to obtaine eternall life ought to be baptized with one baptisme and that once alone which neuer afterwardes is to be iterated seeing that we cannot be borne twise Neither doeth this baptisme profit vs onelie at that moment when the water resteth vpon vs when we are sprinckled with it but it is auaileable throughout the wholl time of our life Therefore here we doe detâ—st the errour of the Anabaptistes whoe are not onelie content with one only baptisme and that once receiued but doe also condemne the Baptisme of infants yea of those that be borne of faithfull Parentes but we by the same reason doe beleeue that they ought to be baptized and sealed with the signe of the couenant for the which in time past the infants amongst the Israelites were circumcised that is by reason of the same promises made vnto our infantes that were made vnto others And verilie Christ hath no lesse shed his blood to wash the infantes of the faithfull then he did for the washing of those that are of riper yeres Therefore it is meet that that they should receiue the signe or sacrament of the thing which Christ hath wrought for their sakes as in the law the Lord commaundeth that the sacrament of the death and passion of Christ should be communicated to children new borne by offering vp the lambe