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
our sinnes he is faithfull iust to forgiue our sinnes And Christ saith When ye haue done all that ye can saie ye we are vnprofitable seruants After that the person is reconciled and become iust by faith that is acceptable to god his obedience pleaseth God and is accounted for a kinde of iustice as Iohn saith Euerie one that abideth in him sinneth not and 2. Cor. 1. our reioycing is this the witnes of our conscience This obedience must striue against euill desires and dailie by spirituall exercises become more pure alwaies watching and carefull to doe nothing against conscience according to that saying The summe of the lawe is loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfained But they which obey their wicked lustes and doe against their owne consciences liuing in mortall sinne doe neither retaine or holde the righteousnes of faith * nor the righteousnes of good workes according to the saying of Paull they which doe such thinges shall not inioy the kingdome of God These things are thus set downe in an other edition ALso they teach that this faith must bring forth good fruites and that it is behoouefull to doe the good workes commaunded of God because god requireth them and not vpon anie hope to merit iustification by them For remission of sinnes and iustification is apprehended by faith as Christ himselfe witnesseth When you haue done 〈◊〉 these things saie we are vnprofitable seruants the same also doe the auncient writers of the Church teach for Ambrose saith This is ordained of God that he that beleeueth in Chriâ—â— shall be saued without worke by faith alone freelie receiuing remission of sinnes Hitherto also appertaineth the 20. Article THat our aduersaries doe accuse vs to neglect the doctrine of good works â—t is a manifest slaunder for the books of our diuines are extant wherin they do godly profitably teach touching good works what works in euery calling do please god And whereas in moste Churches there hath bin of a long time no word of the moste speciall works namely of the exercises of faith and of the praise of such workes as pertaine to Ciuill gouernment but for the moste parte they spent all their sermons in setting forth praises of humane traditions and in commending holie daies fastings the state of Monkes Fraternities Pilgrimages the worship of Saints Rosiers other vnprotable seruices now by the goodnes of God the Church is reclaimed vnto the true profitable worship which god doth require and approoue The Prophets doe bewaile this calamity of the Church in very vehement sermons that the true worship of god being forgotteÌ„ mens ceremonies a wicked confidence in ceremonies should haue place the chiefe in the Church From this error they reuoke the Church vnto the true seruice of God vnto good works in deed What can be more forceablie spoken then that sermon in the 49. Psal The God of Gods the Lord hath spoken and called the earth Here god doth preach vnto al mankinde condemning their vaine trust in ceremonies and propoundeth an other worship giuing them to vnderstand that he is highlie displeased with them that in the Church doe so preach ceremonies that they ouerturne the true worship of God Manie such like sermons are to be found in the Prophets as Esay Cap. 58. and Zachar. 7. Michah Cap 6. and Hosea crieth I will haue mercie and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God rather then burnt offerings And it is not vnknowen that many godlie and learned men haue heretofore greatlie wished that the doctrine touching the comfort of consciences and the difference of workes had beene more sound For both these parts of doctrine ought alwaies to be in the Church namelie the Gospell of faith for to instruct and comfort the consciences and also the doctrine that declareth which are good workes in deede and which is the true worship of god As for our aduersaries seeing that they doe corrupt the doctrine of faith they cannot afforde any sounde comforte to the consciences for they will haue men to stand in doubt of the remission of their sinnes yet afterwards they bâ—d men seeke remission of sinne by their owne workes they deuâ—â— Monkeries and other such workes and then they abolish the true worship of God for prayer and other spirituall exercises are laide aside when mens mindes are not established iâ— a sure trust in Christ Moreouer their workes of the second table cannot please god except faith goe with them For this obedience that is but begonne and is vnperfect doth please God for Christ sake alone Thirdlie they debase the workes commaunded of God and preferre mans traditions farre before them These they set out with moste goodlie titles calling them the perfection of the Gospell but in the meane time they speake so coldelie of the duetie of a mans calling of magistracie of marriage c. that many graue men haue doubted whether these states of life did please God or no. Therefore our preachers haue with great care and studie set forth both these kindes of doctrine teaching the gospell concerning faith and adioyning therewith a pure and holie doctrine of workes Of Faith FIrst touching faith and iustification they teach thus Christ hath fitly set downe the summe of the gospell wheÌ„ as in the last of Luke he willeth that repentance remission of sinnes should be preached in his name For the gospel reproueth and conuinceth sinnes requireth repentance and withall offreth remission of sinnes for Christ sake freelie not for our owne worthines And like as the preaching of repentance is generall euen so the promise of grace is generall and willeth all men to beleeue and to receiue the benefit of Christ as Christ him selfe saith Come vnto me all yee that are laden and Saint Paule saith He is riche towards all c. Albeit therefore that contrition in repentance be necessarie yet we must know that remission of sinnes was giuen vnto vs and that we are made iust of vniust that is reconciled oâ— acceptable and the sonnes of God freelie for Christ and not for the worthines of our Contrition or of any other workes which either go before or follow after But this same benefite must be receiued by faith whereby we must beleeue that remission of sinnes and iustification is giuen vs for Christs sake This knowledge and iudgement bringeth sure consolation vnto troubled mindes and how necessarie it is for the Church consciences that haue had experience can easilie iudge There is in it no absurditie no difficultie no craftie deceite Here needeth no disputations of predestination or such like for the promise is generall and detracteth nothing from good workes yea rather it doth stirre vp men vnto faith and vnto true good workes For remission of sinnes is remooued from our workes and attributed vnto mercie that it might be an vndoubted benefit not that we shoulde be idle but much more that wee shoulde knowe how greathe
no daunger of giuing offence This qualifying of traditions doth set free the consciences from superstitious opinions and from that olde torture and racking And yeâ— it bringeth great commendation to traditions because it sheweth the true vse of them All modest men will more willinglie obey the tradititions after they vnderstand that their consciences are set free from daunger in priuate that they must so farre obey as that the common peace be not disturbed nor the weake ones hurte Againe this interpretation doth defend and preserue publique good manners and discipline because it commaundeth to auoid offences Also to obserue publike holie daies the meetings in the Churches readinges c. doe serue for examples and to accustome the youth and the common sorte thereto Therefore such ordinances are not to be broken but rather with common care and trauell to be furthered These be the true and meete commendations of traditions which no doubt doe greatlie stirre vp such as are godlie and staied to loue defend and adorne the publique orders The Gospell teacheth to thinke reuerentlie not onelie of other ciuill lawes and orders but also of Ecclesiasticall and seeketh the true vse of them Yet notwithstanding it appointeth degrees and will haue the doctrine touching Christ and thinges that are heauenlie and euerlasting discerned from the schooling or Pedagogie of the Church This libertie whereof we speake now was not vnknowne to the Fathers For Augustine saith This whol kinde of thinges hath free obseruations and to this purpose he discourseth at large Irenaeus saith The disagreement in Fasting doth not breake of the agreement in Faith The Tripartite history gathereth together manie examples of rites disagreeing one from the other and in the end addeth a notable saying It was not the Apostles minde to prescribe anie thing touching holie daies but to preach godlines and a good conuersation But in so manifest a matter it is needles to heap vp manie testimonies But our aduersaries doe here make great outcries That by this doctrine publike discipline and order is ouerthrowne and disorder and anarchie brought in Likewise that good workes and mortification of the flesh are abolished according to Iouinians surmise These slaunders we haue partlie refuted alreadie there is no confusion or anarchie brought in nor the publique discipline ouerthrowne when as wee teach that traditions which haue a ciuill end and vse ought to be obserued And we teach also that offences must be foreseene and auoided But touching mortification we answere thus True and vnfeigned mortification is to beare the crosse to indure daungers troubles and afflictions This kinde of obedience is the worship of God and a spirituall worke as the Psal teacheth A sacrifice to God is a troubled spirit c. We teach moreouer that another kinde of exercise is necessarie It is the dutie of euerie Christian to bridle his flesh euen by bodelie discipline labours temperancie meditation of heauenlie thinges and such other exercises fitte for his age The neerest and proper end whereof must be this that fulnes and idlenes doe not prick him forward to sinne and that his minde maie be stirred vp and made more apt for heauenlie affections It is not to be thought that these exercises are a worship of God that deserue remission of sinnes or that they be satisfactions c. And this discipline must be continuall neither can certaine daies be sette and appointed equallie for all Of this discipline Christ speaketh Beware that your bodies be not oppressed with surfeting Againe This kinde of Deuills doth not goe out but by fasting and praier And Paull saith I chastice my bodie and bring it in bondage Wherefore we do not mislike fastings but superstitious opinions which be snares for mens consciences that are put in traditions Moreouer these exercises when as they are referred vnto that ende that we maie haue our bodies fitte for spirituall thinges and to doe our duties according to a mans calling c. they are good in the godlie and meritorious workes as the example of Daniell doeth testifie For they be works which God requireth to this end that they maie subdue the flesh This former article we found placed elsewhere in the fift place amongst those wherein the abuses that are changed are reckoned vp Of the difference of meates IT hath beene a common opinion not of the common sorte alone but also of such as are teachers in the Churches that the differences of meates and such like humane traditions are workes auaileable to merit remission both of the faulte and of the punishment And that the world thus thought it is apparant by this that dailie new ceremonies new orders new holie daies new fastes were appointed and the teachers in the Churches did exacte these workes at the peoples handes as a seruice necessarie to deserue iustification by and they did greatlie terrifie their consciences if aught were omitted * Of this perswasion of traditions manie discommodities haue followed in the Church For first the doctrine of grace is obscured by it and also the righteousnes of faith which is the moste especiall point of the Gospell and which it behoueth moste of all to be extant and to haue the preheminence in the Church that the merit of Christ maie be well knowen and faith which beleueth that sinnes are remitted through Christ and not for anie workes of ours maie be exalâ—ed farre aboue workes For which cause also Saint Paull laboureth much in this point he remooueth the law and humane traditions that he may shew that the righteousnes of Christ iâ— a farre other thing then such workes as these be namelie a faith which beleeueth that sinnes are freely remitted through Christ But this doctrine of Saint Paull is almost wholie smothered by traditions which haue breade an opinion that by making difference in meates and such like seruices a man must merit remission of sinnes and iustification In their doctrine of repentance there was no mention of faith onelie these satisfactorie works were spoken of Repentance seemed to stand whollie in these Secondlie these traditions obscured the Commaundements of God that they could not be knowne because that traditions were preferred far aboue the commaundementes of God All Christianitie was thought to be an obseruation of certeine holie daies rites fastes and attire These obseruations caried a goodlie title and name that they were the spirituall life and the perfect life In the meane season Gods commaundements touching euerie mans calling were of small estimation That the father brought vp his children that the mother bare them that the prince gouerned the common wealth these were reputed worldly affaires and vnperfect and farre inferior to those glistering obseruations orders And these errors did greatly torment good mindes which were grieued that they were hande-fasted to an vnperfect kinde of life in mariage in Magistracy and in other ciuill functions They had the Monkes and such like men in admiration and falselie imagined that their orders did more
alreadie c. Vpon the Confession of Auspurge THe Gospell bewraieth our sinne These wordes â—eeme thus to be vnderstood that the Gospell should bewray all kinde of sinne yet not properly by it selfe For the proper difference between the law and the Gospell is to be held fast to wit that the Gospel doth properly reprooue the sinne of infidellity and by an accident all other sinnes also but the law doth properlie reprooue all sinnes whatsoeuer are committed against it Vpon the same And deserueth reward Touching the word of meriting or deseruing which this Confession vseth oft in this Section Looke before in the 8. Sect. the 7. obseruat vpon this same Confession and looke the 1. obseruat vpon the Confess of Wirtemb in this Section And againe after in the 16. Sect. the first obseruat on this Confess Vpon the same Liuing in mortall sinne Looke before in the 4. Sect. the 2. obseruat vpon the Confess of Saxony Nor the righteousnes of workes Looke before in the 4. Sect. the 1. obser vpon the Confession of Saxonie Vpon the same And like as the preaching of repentance is general so the promise of grace General that is offered to all sorts of men indefinitely as wel to one as to another without difference of country sexe place time or age But we can not conceiue how repentance and the promise of grace can be said to be preached vniuersallie to euerie nation much lesse to all men particularlie for as much as experience doth plainly prooue that to be vntrue Vpon the same Here needeth no disputation of predestination Euen as we doe abhorre curious disputations that is such as passe the boundes of Gods worde touching predestination of which sort we take these words to be meant as most dangerous matters for grieuous falls so we affirme that whatsoeuer the holy ghost doth teach touching this point in the holy Scriptures is warilie and wiselie to be propounded and beleeued in the Church as well as other parts of Christian Religion which thing the Doctors of the Church both olde and new did and among the rest Master Luther himselfe in his booke de seruo arbitrio and els where Vpon the same That they be necessarie We take them to be necessarie because they doe necessarilie follow the true faith whereby we are iustified not that they concurre vnto the working of our iustification in Christ as either principall or secundarie causes for that faith it selfe as it is an inherent qualitie doth not iustifie but onely in as much as it doth apprehend and laie hold on Christ our righteousnes Vpon the same Albeit that men by their owne strength be able to doe outward honest deedes c. Looke in the 4. Sect. the 3. obseruat vpon this Confess Vpon the same Moreouer nature by it selfe is weake Without Christ without regeneration the nature of man can doe nothing but sinne For God by his grace doth create the hability of thinking willing and doing well not helping the old man in that he wanteth but by little little abolishing it According to that saying When we were dead in sinnes c. Ephes 2. But touching the weaknes of our nature looke that which was said in the 1. obseruation vpon the Confession of Bohemia Section 4. Vpon the Confession of Saxonie BEcause that God left this libertie in man after his fall Here also looke in the 4. Sect. the 1. obseru vpon the Confession of Bohemia and the 3. vpon the Confession of Auspurge Vpon the same Therefore although men by the natural strength Looke here againe the 1. obseruation vpon the Confession of Bohemia in the 4. Sect. also the 9. obser vpon the Confess of Auspurge in this same Sect. Vpon the Confession of Wirtemberge WE teach that good workes are necessarilie to be done and doe deserue c. That is obteine and that as it is â—ell added by and by after by the free mercie and goodnes of God Touching which point looke the 7. obser vpon the Confession of Auspurge in the 8. Section the 2. obser vpon the same Confess in this Sect. Also touching the necessitie of good workes looke the 7. obser vpon the same Confess in this selfe same Sect. IN THE 10. SECTION Vpon the latter Confession of Heluetia ANd no maruell if it erre How and in what respect the visible Church considered vniuersallie is said to erre it is afterward declared more fullie in this same Confession Vpon the Confession of Bohemia THe Heathenish life This saying the breethren in Bohemia did themselues expound thus vnto vs in their letters to wit that they speake here of the notes of the visible Church which are all ioyntlie to be considered that looke where both the errors of Idolaters and heretikes and impietie of life do openlie ouerflow there it can not safelie be affirmed that the visible Church of Christ is to be seene or is at all And yet notwithstanding there is no doubt to be made but some secret true members of Christ and such as it may be are onelie knowne to God be there hid therfore that there is a Church euen in Poperie as it were ouerwhelmed and drowned whence God will fetch out his elect and gather them to the visible Churches that are restored and reformed whereas Popery neuer was nor is the true Church Vpon the same But he that looseth In what sense we thinke that a true faith maie be loste we haue declared before in the fourth Sect. in the first obseruation of the Confession of Saxony and els where Vpon the same By Ecclesiastical punishment which is commonly called c. We take this to be so meant as that notwithstanding euerie Church hath hir liberty left vnto hir what way to exercise such discipline as is before said in the 1. obser vpon this same confess in the 8. Sect. As for this particular cursing to wit of this or that man if the word be taken for a 〈…〉 vnrepealable casting out from the Church of God 〈…〉 it to God alone and therefore we would not 〈…〉 in our Churches For the Church vseth onelie 〈…〉 as determineth nothing finallie following S. 〈…〉 22. Vpon the same 〈…〉 that is reprooue him admonish him 〈…〉 Vpon the Confession of Saxonie The sentence of excommunication c. Looke before in the 3. obser vpon the confess of Bohemia in this same section Vpon the Confession of Wirtemberge HAth authoritie to beare witnes of the holie scripture This authoritie and right you must vnderstand in this respect that the true Church of God discerning the Canonical bookes of the scripture from al others teacheth defendeth that nothing is to be added to or taken from the canon of the olde Hebrew or the new Scripture of the Christians Vpon the same Authoritie to iudge al doctrines and to interpret scripture To this we yeald with these cautions First that in
Christes owne commaundement we onelie caâ— vpon the heauenlie father by the selfe same Iesus Christ ouâ— onelie Mediatour euen as he himselfe also hath taught vs in the Lords praier For we are sure that we shall obteine aâ—â— those things which we aske of the father in his name OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE CHAP. 3. THE Churches with common consent among vs doe teach that the decree of the Nicene Councell concerning the vnitie of the diuine essence and of the three persons is true and without all doubt to be beleeued Tâ— wit that there is one diuine essence which is called and 〈◊〉 God eternall without bodie indiuisible of infinite poweâ— wisdome gooâ—nes the creator and preseruer of all thinges visible and inuisible and that there be three persons of the same essence power which also are coeternal the father the Sonne and the holie Ghost And they vse the name 〈◊〉 person in that signification in which the Ecclesiastical writers haue vsed it in this cause to signify not a part or quâ—litie in another but that which properlie subsisteth They condemne all heresies sprong vp against this aâ—cle as the Manichees who set downe two beginnings Goâ— and Euâ—lâ— they doe in like sort condemne the Valentiniaâ— Arrians Fâ—nomians Mahometistes and all such like The condemne also the Samosatenes olde and new who whâ—â— they earnestlie defend that there is but one person doe crâ—â—tilie and wickedlie dallie after the manner of Rhetoricians about the Word and the holie Ghost that they are not distinct persons but that the worde signifieth a vocall word and the spirit a motion created in things Artic. 21. We haue found this 21. Article set forth three diuers waies The first edition 1559. goeth thus INuocation is an honour which is to be giuen onelie to God almightie that is to the eternall father and to his sonne our sauiour Iesus Christ and to the holie Ghost And God hath proposed his soâ—ne Iesus Christ for a Mediatour and high Priest that maketh inâ—ercession for vs. He testifieth that for him alone our praiâ—rs are heard accepâ—â—d according to that saying whatsoeuer you aske the fathâ—â— in my name he shall giue it to you Againe There is one Mediatour betweene God and men Therefore let them that call vpon God offer vp their prayers by the sonne of God as in the end of prayers it is accustomed to be said in the Church through Iesus Christ c. These thinges are needfull to be taught concerning Inuocation as our men haue elsewhere more at large written of Inuocation But contrariwise the custome of inuocating Saintes that are departed out of this life is to be reprooued and quite throwne out of the Châ—rch because this custome transferreth the glorie due to God alone vnto men it ascribeth vnto the dead an omnipotencie in that saints should see the motions of mens hearts yea it ascribeth vnto the dead the office of Christ the Mediatour and without al doubt obscureth the glory of Christ Therfore we condemne the wholl custome of inuocating Saints departed thinke it is to be auoided Notwithstanding it profiteth to recite the true histories of holie men because their examples doe profitablie instruct if they be rightly propounded When we heare that Dauids fall was forgiuen him faith is confirmed in vs also The constancie of the auncient Martyrs doth now likewise strengthen the mindes of the godlie For this vse it is profitable to recite the histories But yet there had neede be discretion in applying examples The second edition is thus Artic. 21. COncerning the worship of Saints they teach thâ— it is profitable to propose the memory of Saints thaâ— by their examples we may strengthen our faith and that we may follow their faith and good works so far as euery man calling requireth as the Emperour may follow Dauids example in making warre to beat backe the Turkes for either of them is a King we ought also to giue God thankes that he hath propounded so many glorious examples of his mercie in the Saints of his Church that he hath adorned hiâ— Church with moste excellent giftes and vertues of holie men The Saints themselues also are to be commended who haue holilie vsed those giftes which they employed to the beautifying of the Church But the scripture teacheth not to inuocate Saints or to aske helpe of Saints but layeth onelie Christ before vs for a Mediatour propitiatour high priest and intercessour Concerning him we haue commaundements promises that we inuocate him should be resolued that our praiers are heard when we flie to this high priest and intercessour as Iohn saith Chap. 16. Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he wil giue it you c. and Ioh. 14. Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in my name that I will doe These testimonies bid vs flie vnto Christ they commaund vs to beleeue that Christ is the intercessour and peace maker they bid vs trust assuredlie that we are heard of the father for Christs sake But as touching the Saints there are neither commaundements nor promises nor examples for this purpose in the scriptures And Christes office and honour is obscured when men flie to Saints and take them for Mediatours and inuocate them and frame vnto themselues an opinion that the Saints are more gracious and so transferre the confidence due to Christ vnto Saints But Paull saith There is one Mediatour betweene God and men Therefore Christ especiallie requireth this worship that we should beleeue that he is to be sought vnto that he is the intercessour for whose sake we are sure to be heard c. In the third edition these things are thus found Artic. 21. TOuching the worship of Saints they teach that the memorie of Saints maie be set before vs that we may follow their faith and good workes according to our calling as the Emperor maie followe Dauids example in making warre to driue awaie the Turkes from his countrie for either of them is a King But the scripture teacheth not to inuocate Saints or to aske helpe of Saints because it propoundeth vnto vs one Christ the Mediator propitiatour high Priest and intercessour This Christ is to be inuocated and he hath promised that he wil heare our praiers and liketh this worshippe especiallie to wit that he be inuocated in all afflictions 1. Ioh. 2. If anie man sinne we haue an aduocate with God c. OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SAXONY Of Inuocating godly men that are departed out of this life Artic. 22. IN the 42. Chapter of Esaie it is written I am the Lorde this is my name I will not giue my glorie to another Inuocation is a glorie moste properlie belonging to God as the Lord saith Math. 4. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onlie shalt thou serue And it is an immooueable eternal decree of the first commaundement Thou shalt haue no strange Gods It is necessary therfore that the doctrine touching Inuocation should be most
his Church in this life for a time and in the other life for euer Amen OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE TOuching Repentance they teach that such as haue fallen after Baptisme may finde remission at what time they returne againe And that the Church is bounde to giue absolution vnto such as returne by repentance Now repentance or the conuersion of the vngodlie standeth properlie of these two parts The one is contrition that is a terror stricken into the conscience through the acknowledgement of sinne wherin we doe both perceiue gods displeasure and are greeued that we haue sinned and doe abhorre and eschue sinne according as Ioell preacheth Rent your heartes and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord your God c. The other parte is faith which is begotten in vs by the Gospell or by absolution doth beleeue that the sinnes are vndoubtedlie forgiuen for Christ sake and doth comfort the conscience freeing it from feares Of which faith spake Saint Paull when he saieth Beeing iustified by faith 〈◊〉 haue peace with God Afterward there must follow the good fruites of repentance that is obedience vnto God according to that saying We are debters not to the flesh to liue after the flesh For if ye liue after the flesh ye shall die But if by the spirit ye mortifie the workes of the flesh ye shall liue They condemne the Nouatians which would not absolue them which hauing fallen after baptisme returned to repentance They condemne also those that teach not that remission of sinnes commeth freelie by faith for Christ sake but labour to prooue that remission of sinnes commeth by the worthines of contrition of charitie or of some other works and would haue mens consciences in time of repentance to doubt whether they may obteine remissiō doe say plainly that this douting is no sin Likewise they condemne those which teach that Canonicall satisfactions are necessarie to redeeme eternal paines or the paines of purgatory Though we are of that minde that the calamities of this life may be asswaged by good workes as Esaie teacheth Chap. 58. Breake thy bread vnto the hungrie and the Lord shal giue thee rest continuallie Besides they condemne the Anabaptists who denie that they that are once iustified can againe loose the spirit of God Also they condemne those that stiflie holde that some may attaine to such a perfection in this life as that they cannot sinne any more This eleuenth Article we finde in some editions placed in the twelfth place and after the first periode we finde these wordes Now repentance consisteth properlie of these two partes one is contrition or terrours stricken into the conscience through the sight of sinne The other is faith which is conceiued by the gospel or by absolution doth beleue that for Christ sake the sinnes be forgiuen and comforteh the conscience and freeth it from terrours Then there must follow good workes which are fruites of repentance They condemne the Anabaptists who denie that men once iustified can loose the spirit of God doe stiflie holde that some men may attaine to such a perfection in this life that they can sinne no more In like case the Nouatians are condemned which would not absolue such as had fallen after Baptisme though they returned to repentance They also that teach that remission of sinnes is obteined for our owne loue or good works and such as teach that Canonicall satisfactions are necessarie to redeeme euerlasting or purgatorie paines are whollie misliked of vs. Concerning confession of sinnes they teach that priuate absolution is to be reteined still in Churches though it be a needeles thing in confession to make a rehearsall of the sinnes For it is an impossible thing to reckon vp all a mans offenses according as the Psalmist saith Who doth vnderstand his faults c. This twelfth Article we finde in the place of the eleuenth in some editions and it is word for word the same but that the last wordes are thus set downe Though a reckoning vp of al sinnes be not necessarie For it is impossible as the Psalmist saith c. Art 3. Of abuses Of confession THe Diuines and Canonists haue cast a great myst of darkenes chieflie vpon this point of Christian doctrine touching repentance as not onelie their bookes doe testifie but also the consciences of al the godlie which doe confesse that the intricate and endles disputations of the diuines and the infinite traditions about the matter of repentance was euen a fearefull racking of their consciences For they doe no where teach any certaintie how remission of sins is obteined And as for faith there is no word amongst them Yea they bid men to be alwaies in doubt of remission of sinnes Afterward they torment mens consciences with a harsh reckoning vp of their faults and with satisfactions For what a snare vnto a mans conscience was the tradition which requireth them to reckon vp all their sinnes As for satisfactions they did obscure and darken the benefit of Christ because that euen the learned among them did imagine that eternall death was recompensed by them But the vnlearned were perswaded that forgiuenes of the fault was purchased by such deedes What that their seruices for the most part were not commaunded of God as babling of praiers inuocation of Saints Pilgrimages and such like stuffe Thus was the pure doctrine of repentance ouerwhelmed with an huge heape of vnprofitable and euill opinions And it is manifest that the godly in manie ages past haue greatlie wished that this doctrine had beene more purelie taught Furthermore it is especiallie needefull that the doctrine of repentance should be taught in the Church most purelie and sincerely Therfore our Diuines haue laboured to cleare this point as much as might be And surelie they haue so opened and cleared it that the soundest euen amongst our aduersaries do confesse that in this matter they haue weldeserued of the Church for we do simply and plainlie without anie Sophistrie laie sorth that which the Gospell teacheth touchingrepentance that men may perceiue how they must returne vnto Christ by what meanes remission of sinnes is obteined what worship what workes doe please God First we teach that contrition is requisite thatis the true terrors and sorrows of the minde which feeleth the wrath of God is grieued for sinne committed and ceaseth to do euill And though these sorrows be requisite yet must we know that remission of sinnes is not graunted for the worthines of contrition or of these sorrowes but we must ioyne faith with them that is a trust and confidence of mercie promised for Christes sake and we holde that our sinnes are freelie forgiuen for Christes sake When we once are comforted in these terrours by faith we do vndoubtedlie obteine remission of sinnes as we haue said before And this faith our mindes do conceiue by the Gospell also by the absolution which preacheth and applieth the Gospell vnto the distressed consciences
because that our workes seeme they neuer so good cannot stand vpright before the seuere tribunal seat of God Neither are we ignorant that some doubt of the mercie and fauour of God doth alwaies cleaue to our flesh so long as we liue in the bodie But seeing that God doth promise vnto vs his free mercie for Christ his Sonnes sake and doth require of vs that we doe obedientlie beleeue the Gospell of his sonne he therewith also doth require that we mortifie the doubting of the flesh and haue a moste assured affiance in his mercie that we doe not accuse his promise to be so full of deceit as we are of doubting And that we maie conceiue sure confidence therein he placed our saluation not in the merites of our righteousnes which is vnperfect but onelie in the merites of his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ whose righteousnes as it is moste perfect so is it moste firme and constant in the iudgement of God Mar. 1. Repent and beleeue the Gospell He commaundeth vs to beleeue the Gospell which declareth vnto vs the certaine fauour of God toward vs for Christ his sake therefore he will not haue vs to doubt of his fauour toward vs but that we maie conceiue sure considence thereof Ioan 6. This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in him whome the Father hath sent If God require of vs that we beleeue in his Sonne certeinlie he would not haue vs to doubt but that we put our sure confidence in him Iames. 1. If anie of you want wisdome let him aske of him which giueth it namelie of God who giueth I saie to all men without exception vpbraideth not and it shall be giuen him but let him aske with confidence nothing doubting Hilarie saith The kingdome of heauen which the Prophets foreshewed Iohn preached and our Lord professed to consist in him selfe he will haue vs to hope for without anie doubting of a wauering will Otherwise iustification through faith is none at all if faith itselfe be doubtfull And Augustine saith He that doth dispaire of the pardon of his sinnes doth denie that God is mercifull he that doth distrust of the mercie of God doth great iniurie vnto God and as much as in him lieth he denieth that God hath loue trueth and power in which thinges all our hope doth consist Sixtus saith He which is doubtfull in faith is an infidell Wherefore we thinke that they who counsell vs to doubt of the fauour of God towards vs doe â—ot onelie dissent from the true iudgement of the Catholike Church but also prouide verie ill for the saluation of the Church Of Satisfaction CHAP. 15. AS touching satisfaction we beleeue and confesse that the alone passion and death of the onelie begotten sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ is a satisfaction for our sinnes and that this satisfaction of Christ is offered and applied to vs by the ministerie of the Gospell and is receiued of vs by faith We also confesse that after the satisfaction of Christ is applied and by faith receiued we ought necessarily to doe those good workes which God hath commaunded not that by them we might purge our sinnes before God but that we might bring forth good fruites of repentance and testifie our thankefullnes For as touching praier fasting giuing of almes such like works we thinke that they are diligentlie to be performed yet that they haue a farre other vse then that they should by their merites either satisfie God for our sinnes or applie vnto vs the merite of Christ OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Of Confession CHAP. 20. SEeing that true confession of sinnes and such as hath it beginning from godlines can be performed of no man whome his repentance and true sorow of minde doth not force thereunto it cannot be wrested out by anie precept Wherefore neither Christ himselfe nor the Apostles would commaund it Therfore for this cause our preachers doe exhort men to confesse their sinnes and therewithall they shew what fruit ariseth hereof that a man should secretlie seeke for comforte counsell doctrine instruction and at the hands of a man that is a Christian and wise yet by commaundement they vrge no man but doe rather affirme that such commaundements doe hinder godlines For that constitution of confessing sinnes vnto a priest hath driuen infinite soules vnto desperation and is subiect to so manie corruptions that of late it ought to haue bene abrogated and without doubt had bene abrogated if the gouernours of Churches of late time had burned with so great a zeale to remooue awaie stumbling blookes as in times past Nestorius the Bishoppe of Constantinople did burne who did vtterlie abolish secret confession in his Church because that a certaine noble woman going often to Church vnder pretence of doing the workes of repentance was deprehended to haue to doe with a Deacon Infinite such vndoubted sinnes were committed euerie where Moreouer the Pontifical laws do require that the hearer iudge of confession should be so holie learned wise mercifull that a man can hardlie finde out especiallie among those that are commonlie appointed to heare confessions to whom he might confesse him selfe And now the Schoolmen doe thinke that it is better to confesse sinnes to a laie man then to that Priest by whome we maie not looke to be edified in godlines This is the summe That confession bringeth more hurt then profit which sound repentance true sorow of the minde for sinnes committed doth not wring out Therfore seeing this is the gift of god alone that we maie repent of our sinnes be truelie sorowfull for that we haue sinned nothing that maie turne to saluation can be done in this matter by commaundementes as hath hitherto bene too too manifest euen by experience THE NINTH SECTION OF IVSTIFICATION BY FAITH AND OF good workes and their Rewards THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of the true Iustification of the faithfull CHAP. 15. TO iustifie in the Apostles disputation touching iustification doth signifie to remitte sinnes to absolue from the faulte and the punishment therof to receiue into fauour to pronounce a man iuste For the Apostle saith to the Rom. God is he that iustifieth who is he that can condemne Where to Iustifie and to condemne are opposed And in the Actes of the Apostles the Apostle saith Through Christ is preached vnto you forgiuenes of sinnes and from all things from which ye could not be iustified by the lawe of Moses by him euery one that beleueth is iustified For the lawe also in and in the Prophets we reade that If a controuersie were risen amongst anie and they came 〈◊〉 iudgement the Iudge should iudge them that is iustifie the righteous and make wicked or condemne the wicked And in the 5. chapter of Isaiah woe to them which iustifie the wicked for rewards Now it is most certaine that we are all by nature sinners and before the iudgement seat of God conuicted of
substance and laying holde on thinges to be hoped for from the good will of God doth send out of it selfe charitie and then verie excellent fruites of all vertues yet doe we not attribute anie thing to these workes although they be the workes of godlie men but that saluation which we haue obteined wee doe whollie attribute to the verie grace of God And this indeed is the onelie true worship of God to wit a faith moste fruitfull of God workes and yet not putting anie confidence in workes OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BASILL WE confesse the remission of sinnes through faith in Christ crucified and though this faith doeth without intermission exercise and shew forth it selfe in the workes of charitie and by this meanes is tried yet we doe not attribute righteousnes and satisfaction for our sinnes vnto workes which are fruites of faith but onelie to a true confidence and faith in the blood of the lambe of God shed for vs. For we doe vnfeignedlie professe that all thinges are giuen vs freelie in Christ who is our righteousnes holines redemption waie trueth wisdome and life Therefore the faithfull doe worke not to satisfie for their sinnes but onelie that they maie in some sorte shewe them selues thankefull vnto God our Lorde for great benefits bestowed vpon vs in Christ And in the margent vpon the word Thankfull Thankefullnes consisteth in requiting of benefites receiued but we can requite nothing to God because he wanteth nothing Therefore we haue an eie to those thinges which he requireth of vs and those aâ—e faith and the workes of charitie he requireth Faith toward him selfe Charitie toward our neighbour OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA Of Christ our Lorde and of Iustification by Faith CHAP. 6. THE sixth point of Christian doctrine in our Churches is as touching sound and liuelie faith in Iesus Christ our Lorde and of true Iustification by this Faith And a little after Our men are taught to acknowledge this grace and truth and in all the sauing and wonderfull works which Christ brought to effect by faith to beholde those things which according to the meaning of the holie scripture are in a steadfast faith to be beeleeued and professed such are these The comming of Christ from heauen his conception natiuitie torments death buriall resurrection ascending into heauen his sitting at the right hand of God and his comming againe from thence to iudge the quicke and the dead In these principall effectes as in a chest wherein treasure is kept are all those sauing fruites of true iustification laide vp and from thence they are taken for the elect and faithfull that in spirit and conscience by faith they maie be made partakers thereof all which shall hereafter be perfectlie and fullie giuen vnto them in the daie of that ioyfull resurrection These thinges are also 〈◊〉 in the sixth Section so farre soorth as they describe the workes of Christ and the fruites thereof Out of this foundation of this iustifying faith and of true and perfect iustification thereby according to euident cleare testimonies in the scriptures we are further taught First that no man by his owne strength or by the power of his own wil or of flesh bloode can attaine vnto or haue this sauing or iustifying faith except God of his grace by the holy ghost by the ministerie of the gospell preached do plant it in the heart of whome he list and when he list so that that heart maie receiue all things which are offered to saluation and made knowne touching the same by the publike preaching of the worde and by the sacraments instituted of Christ Hereof holie Iohn Baptist saith Man can take nothing to himselfe except it be giuen him from aboue Also our Lord Christ himselfe saith No man commeth to me except the Father which sent me do drawe him And a litle after Except it be giuen him of my Father that is from aboue by the holie ghost And to Peter Christ said Flesh blood hath not reueiled this vnto thee Now this faith properlie is an assent of a willing heart to the wholl trueth deliuered in the Gospell whereby man is lightned in his minde and soule that he may rightly acknowledge and receiue for his onelie Sauiour his God and Lord Iesus Christ and vpon him as on a true â—ocke he maie builde his wholl saluation loue followe and enioie him repose all his hope and confidence in him and by this valiant confidence he maie lift vp him selfe and trust that for him and his onelie merite God is become to him louing gentle bountifull also that in him and for him he assuredlie hath and shall haue for euer eternall life according to his true promise which he confirmed with an othe saying Verelie I saie vnto you he that beleeueth in me hath eternall life And This is the will of him that sent me that he which seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him should haue eternal life and I wil raise him vp in the last daie Also This is life eternall that they know thee the true God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ And Isaiah saith By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie manie This faith alone and this inward confidence of the heart in Iesus Christ our Lord doth iustifie or make a man iust before God without any workes which he maie adde or anie merite of his of which faith Saint Paull saith But to him which worketh not at all but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the wicked man his faith is imputed for righteousnes And before he saide But now is the righteousnes of God made manifest without the lawe hauing witnes of the law and of the Prophetes to wit the righteousnes of God by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue And in another place He that beleeueth in him is made righteous And this righteousnes or iustification is the remission of sinnes the taking awaie of eternall punishment which the seuere iustice of God doth require and to be clothed with Christs righteousnes or with imputation thereof also it is a reconciliation with God a receiueing into fauour whereby we are made acceptable in the beloued and fellow heires of eternall life For the confirming of which thinges and by reason of our new birth or regeneration there is an earnest added to wit the holie Ghost who is giuen and bestowed freelie out of that infinite grace for Christ his death blood shedding and his resurrection All these thinges hath Paull described verie excellentlie in his Epistle to the Romanes where he bringeth in Dauid speaking in this wise Blessed are they whose iniquitie is forgiuen whereof he speaketh in that wholl Chapter And to the Galathians he saith God sent forth his Sonne that we might receiue the adoption Now because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne crying in your hearts Abba Father For whomesoeuer God doth
iustifie to them he doth giue the holie Ghost and by him he doth first regenerate them as he promiseth by the Prophet saying I will giue them a new heart and I will put my spirit in the middest of them that as before sinne had reigned in them to death so also then grace might reigne by righteousnes vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ And this is the communion or participation of the grace of God the father of the merit of Iesus Christ our Lorde and of the sanctification of the holie Ghost this is the lawe of faith the lawe of the spirit and life written by the holie Ghost But the liuelie and neuer drying spring of this iustification is our Lorde Iesus Christ alone by those his sauing workes that is which giue saluation from whome all holie men from the beginning of the world as well before the law was published and vnder the lawe and the discipline thereof as also after the lawe haue and doe drawe haue and doe receiue saluation or remission of their sinnes by faith in the moste comfortable promise of the gospell and doe applie and approper it as peculiar to themselues onelie for the sole death of Christ and his bloodshedding to the full and perfect abolishing of their sinnes and the clensing from them all whereof we haue manle testimonies in the Scripture Holie Peter before the wholl councell at Hierusalem doth prooue by sound arguments that Saluation is not to be found in any other then in Christ Iesus alone that vnder this large cope of heauen there is no other name giuen vnto men whereby we maie be saued And in another place he appealeth to the consenting voyces and testimonies of all the Prophets who spake with one minde and by one spirit as it were by one mouth and thus he saide As touching this Iesus all the Prophets beare witnes that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes And to the Hebrwes it is written He hath by himselfe purged our sinnes and againe We haue redemption through his blood euen the remission of sins And S Iohn saith we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous he is the propitiation or attonement for our sinnes and not for ours onlie but also for the sinnes of the wholl world And againe to the Hebrewes We are sanctified by the offering of the bodie of Iesus Christ once made and a litle after he addeth with one onlie offering hath he consecrated for euer them that are sanctified namely of God by the spirit of God Therfore al sinners and such as are penitent ought to flie incontinentlie thorough their wholl life to our Lord Christ alone for remission of their sinnes and euerie sauing grace according to that in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Seeing that 〈◊〉 haue a great high Priest euen Iesus the Sonne of God which is entered into heauen let vs holde fast this profession which is concerning Christ our Lord and straight way he addeth Let vs therefore goe boldlie vnto the throne of grace that we maie receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede Also Christ him selfe crying out saith He that thirsteth let him come to me and drinke And in an other place He that commeth vnto me shal not hunger he that beleeueth in me shal neuer thirst Now they that attaine to this iustification by Christ our Lord are taught to take vnto themselues true and assured comfort out of this grace bountie of God to enioy a good quiet conscience before God to be certaine of their owne saluation and to haue it confirmed to them by this meanes that seeing they are here the sonnes of God they shall also after death in the resurrection be made heires In the meane time they ought both to desire to be brought to this that they maie receiue the fruit of perfect saluation and also cheerefullie to looke for it with that confidence according to the promise of the Lord that such shall not come into iudgement but that by making awaie they haue alreadie passed from death into life Of al other points of doctrine we account this the chiefest and weightiest as that wherein the summe of the Gospell doth consist Christianitie is founded and the pretious and most noble treasure of eternall saluation the onelie and liuelie comforte proceeding from God is comprehended Therefore herein our preachers doe labour especiallie that they maie well instruct the hartes of men in this point of doctrine so sowe it that it maie take deepe root Of good workes and a Christian life CHAP. 7. IN the seuenth place we teach that they whoe are made righteous and acceptable to God by faith alone in Christ Iesus that by the grace of God without any merits ought in the wholl course of their life that followeth both all together iointlie euerie one particularlie according as the order condition age and place of euery one doth require to performe and exercise those good works and holie actions which are commaunded of God euen as God commaundeth when he saith Teach them to obserue all thinges which I haue commaunded you Now these good workes or holie actions are not certaine affections deuised of flesh and bloode for such the Lorde forbiddeth but they are expresselie shewed and propounded vnto vs by the spirit of God to do the which God doth binde vs the rule and chiefe square whereof God himselfe is in his word for so he saith by the Prophet Walke not in the commaundements of your Fathers and keepe not their iudgements and defile not your selues with their Idoles I am Iehouah your God walke ye in my commaundementes and keepe my iudgements and doe them Likewise Christ saieth Teach them those thinges which I haue commaunded you Therefore the 10. commaundements and loue which by faith workeâ—h righteousnes on the right hand on the left hand as well toward God as toward our neighbour is a certaine summe a most streight square a most artificiall shaping or description of all good workes Now an example of this square is the moste holie life of Christ whereof he himselfe saith Learne of me because I am meeke and humble in heart And what other thing would he teach by vttering those eight sentences of happines then to shewe what manner of life the true children of God ought to lead and what be the works which God hath commaunded Therefore according to these thinges they reach with all care and diligence touching the difference which is to be knowen and kept betwixt those works which are deuised and taught of men and those which are commaunded of God Those workes which are commaunded of God ought not to be interrmitted for humane traditions For Christ doth grieuoslie reprehend this in them that doe otherwise in the Pharises saying Why doe you transgresse the commaundements of God for your traditions And
God and of rewardes to doe the which Christ our Lord doth exhort in these words Be ye mercifull is your Father is mercifull Giue and it shall be giuen to you forgiue and ye shall be forgiuen And in an other place Sell your goods and giue almes get you bagges which waxe not olde a treasâ—â—e that cannot faile in heauen where no theefe commeth and where the moth corrupteth nothing Also When thou makest a feast call the poore the maimed the lame the blinde and thou shalt be blessed because they can not recompence thee for thou shalt be recompenced at the resurrection of the iust Also I was an hungred I thirsted I was a straunger naked sicke and in prison and in all thinges ye helped me by your seruice Verilie I saie vnto you In as much as ye did these thinges to one of the least of my brethren ye did them to me Come hither ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you before the beginning of the worlde By these it is plaine and manifest that those works which proceede of faith do please God are rewarded with aboundant grace to wit with the recompence of al kinde of good thinges blessings both in this life in the life to come Lastly this doctrine is shut vp with this or such like exhortation that no man can perfectlie doe these works of Christian godlines or fullie performe the commaundementes of God and that no man can be found who doth not faile in anie parte hereof and who is cleane without sinne as it is written There is not a man so iust on the earth who doth vprightlie and not sinne and that therefore euerie one ought to seeke and to enioy his perfection in Christ Iesus in his grace pretious sacrifice and merit by that faith and his iustification which consisteth in the remission of sinnes if he will not haue anie thing in himselfe that maie deserue damnation For Christ alone is our perfection and fulfilling of the lawe our life and righteousnes and whosoeuer receiue him by faith and doe whollie trust in him these men haue all their sinnes washed awaie in the bloode of Christ so that afterwarde they neede not to feare condemnation For thus Paull writeth Therefore now there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus which doe not walke according to the flesh but according to the spirit For to these men Christ iâ— made of God wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION WE beleeue that our wholl righteousnes doth consist in the remission of our sinnes which is also as Dauid doth testifie our onelie felicitie Therefore we do vtterlie reiect all other meanes whereby men do thinke that they maie be iustified before God and casting awaie all opinion of vertues and merits we doe altogether rest in the onelie obedience of Iesus Christ which is imputed to vs both that all our sins maie be couered and also that we may obtaine grace before god To conclude we beleeue that we cannot finde where to rest our selues if we decline neuer so litle from this foundation but rather we shall be alwaies vnquiet because we are not at peace with God till we be certenlie persuaded that we are loued in Iesus Christ because that in our selues we are worthie of all hatred We beleeue that by faith alone we are made partakers of this righteousnes as it is written He suffered to purchase saluation for vs That whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish And this is therefore done because the promises of life offered to vs in him are then applied to our vse and made effectuall to vs when we doe imbrace them nothing doubting but that we shall enioy those thinges wherof the Lorde by his owne mouth hath assured vs. Therefore that righteousnes which we obteine by faith doth depend vpon free promises whereby the Lord doth declare and testifie that we are beloued of him We beleeue that by the secret grace of the holie Ghost we are indued with the light of faith which is the free gifte of God and is proper to them alone to whome it pleased God to giue it so that the faithfull haue not whereof to boast in themselues seing that rather they are more then double debters because they are preferred before others And further we beleeue that faith is giuen to the elect not that they might once onelie be brought into the right waie but rather that they maie goe forwarde therein vnto the ende because that as the beginning is of God so is also the accomplishment We beleeue that we who by nature are the seruants of sinne are regenerated vnto a new life by meanes of this same faith and by this faith we receiue grace to liue holily whiles we doe imbrace that Euangelicall promise that the Lorde will giue vnto vs the holie ghost Therefore it is so farre that faith shoulde extinguish the desire to liue well and holilie that it doth rather increase and kindle it in vs whereupon good workes doe necessarilie follow Neuertheles although God that he maie fullie saue vs doe regenerate vs and frame vs to a holie life yet we confesse that the good workes which we doe by the direction of his spirit are not so regarded of God as that we shoulde be iustified thereby or deserue to be counted the children of God because we should wauer with a perpetuall doubting and trembling vnlesse we should relie vpon that onelie satisfaction whereby Christ Iesus hath discharged vs of the punishment or forfaite for our offence OVT OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION BEsides though we saie we haue no neede at all by our owne workes and deedes but appoint all the meanes of our saluation to be in Christ alone yet saie we not that for this cause men ought to liue looselie and dissolutelie nor that it is ynough for a Christian to be Baptized onelie and to beleeue as though there were nothing else required at his hande For true Faith is liuelie and can in no wise be idle Thus therefore teach we the people that God hath called vs not to follow riotte and wantonnes but as S. Paull saith Vnto good workes to walke in them That we are deliuered from the power of darkenes to the ende that 〈◊〉 should serue the liuing God to cutte awaie all the remnantes of sinne and to worke our saluation in feare and trembling that it maie appeare that the spirit of sanctification is in our bodies and that Christ himselfe dwelleth in our hearts OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BELGIA WE beleeue that the holie Ghost dwelling in oâ—â— heartes doth bestow vpon vs true faith that 〈◊〉 may attaine vnto the knowledge of this so great a mystery The which faith doth imbrace Iesus Christ with all his merites doth challenge him vnto it selfe as proper and peculiar and doth seeke for nothing besides him For it is necessarie that either all those things
which are required vnto our saluation be not in Christ or if all be in him that then he which by faith possesseth Iesus Christ hath also perfect saluation Therefore it is an horrible blasphemie against God to affirme that Christ is not sufficient but that we haue need of other meanes besides him For thereupon it should follow that Christ is onelie in parte our Sauiour Wherefore we doe iustlie say with Saint Paull that we are iustified by faith alone or by faith with out the workes of the law Yet to speak properly we do not meane that faith by it selfe or of it selfe doth iustifie vs which is but onelie as an instrumnet whereby we apprehend Christ which is our iustice Christ therfore himselfe is our righteousnes which imputeth all his ments vnto vs faith is but the instrument whereby we are coupled vnto him by a participation and communion of al his benefittes and whereby we are kept in that fellowshippe So that all those our effects are euen more then enough vnto vs for our absolution from all our sinnes We beleue that al our felicitie doth consist in the remission of our sins which we haue by Iesus Christ that in it alone al our righteousnes before God is conteined as S. Paul teacheth out of the Prophet Dauid who declareth the happines of those men to whom God imputeth righteousnes with out workes And the same Apostle saith that we are iustified by the redemption made in Christ Iesus We therfore leaning vpon this as a sure foundation doe yeald all glorie vnto God hauing a moste base and humble opinion of our selues knowing full well who and what manner of creatures we be in deede Therfore we doe not presume of our selues or of any of our owne merites but being vpholden by the onelie obedience of Christ crucified we doe rest altogether in it and to the intent it may become ours we beleeue in him This righteousnes alone is all sufficient both to couer all our iniquities and also to make vs safe and secure against all temptations For it doth driue from our consciences all feare all horrour and dread whereby we might be hindred from approching to God and neede not to imitate the example of our first father who for feare flying from the presens of god went about to hide and couer himselfe with figge leaues And truelie if we trusting vnto our selues neuer so litle or to any other creature should present our selues before the Maiestie of God it is certaine we should by and by be ouerwhelmed with it Therefore euerie one of vs must rather crie out with Dauid and saie Lord enter not into iudgement with thy serâ—â—nt for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified We beleeue that this true faith beeing bestowed vpon euerie one of vs by the hearing of the word of God and the operation of the holie spirit doth regenerate vs and make â—s as it were new men raising vs vp vnto newnes of life and setting vs free from the bondage of sinne Wherefore this iustifying faith is so farre from withdrawing men from a right and holie kinde of liuing or from making them more faint in godlines that on the contrarie side no man without it can performe any good thing to this ende that God may haue the glorie but men doe all things either in regard of themselues or els for feare of iust condemnation Therefore it cannot be that this holie faith should be idle in a man Neither doe we speake of a vaine and dead faith but onlie of that which in the Scripture is said to worke by loue and which mooueth a man to exercise himselfe in those workes which God himselfe hath commaunded in his word But these workes which doe come from the sincere roote of faith are therefore good and acceptable vnto God because they be sanctified by his grace but are nothing auaileable to iustifie vs. For we are iustified by faith in Christ yâ—â— euen before such time as we could bring forth any 〈◊〉 worke for our works before faith can no more be good the the fruite of a good tree before that the tree it selfe be gooâ— Therefore we doe good workes yet not to merit any thiâ—â— by them For what is it possible for vs to merit Nay 〈◊〉 we by reason of the good workes which we doe if we doe â—ny are more bound vnto God then God vnto vs For 〈◊〉 he which worketh in vs both the will and the deede of his owne 〈◊〉 mercie Whereupon it is our duties alwaies to haue a regarâ— vnto that which is written When ye haue done all that is commaunded you say that we are vnprofitable seruants for we haue 〈◊〉 that which we ought to doe Furthermore we doe not hereupon denie that God doth recompence good works in those 〈◊〉 be his but we affirme that this recompense commeth of his meere grace because he crowneth his owne gifts in vs. Yea although we doe good workes yet we doe not put any hoâ—â— of saluation in them For we are not able to bring forth any workes which are not polluted with the corruption of 〈◊〉 flesh and for that cause be worthie of punishment If it weâ— graunted that we were able to bring forth any such worke yet the bare rememberance of our sinnes were sufficient tâ— remooue that worke out of the sight of God Therefore we should alwaies stand in doubt staggering as it were this way and that way and our miserable consciences should be iâ— continnall torment vnles they should relie vpon the onely merite of our Sauiour Christ his death and passion and rest in it alone OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE THat we might obteine these benefits of Christs namely remission of sinnes iustification and life euerlasting Christ hath giuen his Gospell wherein these benefits are laied forth vnto vs as it is written in the last of Luc. that repentance should be preached and remission of sinnes in his name among all nations For whereas all men borne after a natural manner haue sinne in them and cannot truelie satisfie the law of God the gospell bewraieth our sinne sheweth â— Christ the Mediator so instructeth vs touching remission of sinnes When as the Gospell doth conuict vs of sinne oâ— hearts thereby terrified must firmelie beleeue that there is giuen vnto vs freely for Christs sake that remission of sinnes and iustification by faith by the which we must beleeue and confesse that these things are giuen vs for Christs sake who was made an oblation and hath appeased the fathers wrath for vs. Notwithstanding therefore that the Gospell doe require repentance yet to the ende that the remission of our sinnes maie be certaine and vndoubted it teacheth vs that remission is giuen vs freelie that is that it doth not depend vpon the condition of our owne worthines nor is giuen for any works that went before nor for the worthines of such as follow after For then should remission be vncertaine if
we should thinke that then onelie we obteine remission of sins when we had deserued it by our former workes or when our repentance were well worthie of it For in true terrours the conscience findeth no worke which it maie oppose against Gods wrath but Christ is giuen and set forth vnto vs to appease the wrath of God This honour must not be transferred from Christ vnto our owne works therefore Paull saith Yeare saued freelie Againe Therefore by faith freelie that the promise might be sure that is thus shall remission be certaine when we know that it dependeth not vpon the condition of our vnworthines but is giuen vs for Christ his sake This is a sure and necessarie comfort to all godlie mindes that are terrified with the conscience of their sinnes And thus doe the holie fathers teach and there is a notable sentence in Saint Ambrose worthie the remembring in these wordes This God hath appointed that he which beleeueth in Christ should be saued without any work by faith alone receiuing the remission of sinnes Now this worde Faith doth not onelie signifie a knowledge of the historie of Christ but also to beleeue and assent unto this promise that is proper vnto the Gospell wherein remission of sinnes iustification and life euerlasting are promised vnto vs for Christs sake For this promise also doth pertaine to the history of Christ euen as in the Creede vnto the historie is added this article I beleeue the remission of sins And vnto this one the other articles touching the history of Christ are to be referred For the benefitte is the end of the historie therefore did Christ suffer and rise againe that for him remission of sinnes and euerlasting life might be giuen vnto vs. These things are found thus in an other edition ALso they teach that men cannot be iustified before God by their owne power merites or workes but are iustified for Christs sake thorough faith when they beleeue that they are receiued vnto fauour and their sinnes forgiuen thorough Christ who by his death hath satisfied for oâ—â— sinnes This faith doth god impute for righteousnes vnto them before himselfe Rom. 3. 4. For this cause Christ hath appointed the ministerie of teaching the gospel which preacheth repentance remission of sinnes and the preaching of either of these is general and laieth open the sinnes of all men and promiseth remision of them vnto al that beleeue for to the end that remission might not be doubted of but that all distressed mindes might know that they ought to beleeue that remission of sinnes is vndoubtedlie granted vnto them for Christ not for their owne merits or worthines All these doe certainlie obtaine remission of sinnes And when as we doe in this sort comfort our selues by the promise of the gospell and doe raise vp our selues by faith therewithall is the holie spirit giuen vnto vs. For the holie spirit is giuen and is effectual by the worde of god and by the Sacraments When as we do heare or meditate of the gospell or doe receiue the Sacraments and comforte our selues by faith therewithall the spirit of god is effectuall according to that of Saint Paull Gall 3. That the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ might be giuen to them that beleeue And to the Cor. The Gospell is the ministerie of the spirit And to the Rom. Faith commeth by hearing When as then we doe comforte our selues by faith and are freed from the terrours of sinne by the holie spirit our hearts do conceiue the other vertues acknowledge trulie the mercie of god and conceiue the true loue and the true feare of god trust and hope of gods helpe praier such like fruites of the spirit Such therefore as teach nothing concerning this faith whereby we receiue remission of sinnes but will haue mens consciences stand in doubt whether they obteine remission or no and doe adde further that this doubting is no sinne are iustlie condemned And these also doe teach that men maie obteine remission of sinnes for their owne worthines but they doe not teach to beleeue that remission of sinnes is giuen freelie for Christ sake Here also are condemned those phantasticall spirites which dreame that the holie ghost is giuen or is effectuall without the worde of god Which maketh them contemne the ministerie of the gofpel and sacraments and to seeke illumination without the word of god and besides the gospell And by this meanes they draw awaie mens mindes from the worde of god vnto their owne opinions which is a thing verie pernitious and hurtfull Such were in olde time the Manichees and Enthusiasts And such are the Anabaptists now a daies These and such like frensies we doe most constantlie condemne For they abolish the true vse of gods worde and doe falslie imagine that the holie spirit may be receiued without the word and sticking too much to their owne fancies they inuent wicked opinions and are the cause of infinite breaches These things are found thus in another edition FOr the obteining of this faith the ministery of teaching the gospell and ministring of the sacraments was ordeined For by the word and Sacraments as by certaine instruments the holie ghost is giuen who worketh faith where and when it pleaseth god in those that heare the gosspell faith I saie to beleeue that god not for our owne merites but for Christ doth iustifie such as beleeue that they are receiued into fauour for Christs sake They condemne the Anabaptists and others who are of opinion that the holie ghost is giuen vnto men without the outward word thorough their preparations and workes Also they teach that when we are reconciled by faith the righteousnes of good workes which God hath commaunded must follow of necessitie euen as Christ hath also commaunded If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements But for somuch as the infirmitie of mans nature is so great that no man can satisfie the lawe it is needfull that men should be taught not onelie that they must obey the lawe but also how their obedience pleaseth God lest that their consciences sinck downe into despaire when they see that they doe not satisfie the law This obedience therefore pleaseth god not because it satisfieth the lawe but because the person that performeth it is reconciled by Christ through faith and beleeueth that the reliques of sinne which remaineth in him be pardoned Wherfore we must alwaies holde that we do obtaine remissâ— no of sinnes and that a man is pronounced iust freelie for Christ through faith And afterward that this obedience towardes the law doeth also please god and is accounted a kinde of iustice and deserueth rewards For the conscience cannot oppose it owne cleannes or workes vnto the iudgement of God as the Psal witnesseth Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for no man shall be iustified in thy sight and Iohn saith If we saie that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selueâ— if we confesse
our obedience doth please god euen in this our so great infirmitie Now for any man to dispise or mislike this doctrine whereby both the honour of Christ is extolled and most sweete sure comfort offered vnto godlie mindes and which conteineth the true knowledge of gods mercie and bringeth forth the true worship of God and eternall life it is more then Pharisaicall blindnes Before time when as this doctrine was not set forth many fearefull consciences assaied to ease themselues by workes some fled to a monasticall life others did chuse out other workes thereby to merit remission of sinnes and iustification But there is no sure comforte without this doctrine of the gospell which willeth men to beleeue that remission of sinnes and iustification are freelie giuen vnto vs for Christs sake and this wholl doctrine is appointed for the true conflict of a terrified conscience But we will adde some testimonies Paull Rom. 3. We are iustified freelie by his grace through redemption that is in Christ Iesus whome god hath set forth to be a reconciliation thorough faith in his bloode Rom. 4. But to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodlie his faith is counted for righteousnes Ephes 2. By grace ye are saued through faith and not of your selues In these and such like sentences Paull doth plainlie teach that remission of sinnes and iustification are giuen vs freelie and not for the worthines of our workes And in the 4 to the Rom. he disputeth at large why this consolation is needefull for vs for if the promise did depend vpon the worthines of our works it should be vncertaine Wherefore to the end that we may haue sure and firme comforte against the feares of sinne and death and that our faith maie stand fast it is needefull that it leane onelie vpon the mercie of God and not vpon ouâ— worthines Therefore Paul saieth Therefore it is by faith according to grace that the promise might be sure For our works cannot be set against the iudgement of God according to that saying If thou markest our iniquities who shall indureâ—t And therefore Christ is giuen for a Mediatour to vs and this honour is not to be transfered vnto our workes When therefore we doe saie that we are iustified by faith we do not meane that we are iust for the worthines of that vertue but this is our meaning that we doe obteine remission of sins and imputation of righteousnes by mercie shewed vs for Christs sake But now this mercie can not be receiued but by faith And Faith doth not here signifie onelie a knowledge of the historie but it signifieth a beleefe of the promise of mercie which is graunted vs through our Mediatour Christ Iesus And seeing that faith is in this sorte vnderstoode of a confidence or trust of mercie Saint Paull and Saint Iames doe not disagree For where as Iames saith The Deuills beleeue and tremble he speaketh of an historicall faith now this faith doth not iustifie For the wicked and the deuill are conning in the historie But Paull when he saith Faith is reckoned for righteousnes he speaketh of a trust and confidence of mercie promised for Christs sake and his meaning is that men are pronounced righteouse that is reconciled through mercie promised for Christs sake whome we must receiue by faith Now this noueltie of this figuratiue speach of Saint Paull We are iustified by faith will not offend holie mindes if they vnderstand that it is spoken properlie of mercie and that herein mercie is adorned with true and due praises For what can be more acceptable to an afflicted and fearefull conscience in great greefes then to heare that this is the commaundement of God the voice of the bridgrome Christ Iesus that they should vndoubtedlie beleeue that remission of sinnes or reconciliation is giuen vnto them not for their owne worthines but freelie through mercie for Christs sake that the benefite might be certaine Now Iustification in these sayings of Saint Paull doth signifie remission of sins or reconciliation or imputation of righteousnes that is an accepting of the person And herein we doe not bring in a new found opinion into the Church of God For the scripture doth set downe at large this doctrine touching faith and Saint Paul doth especially handle this point in some of his epistles the holie fathers also doe teach the same For so saith Ambrose in his booke de â—â—at Gent. If so be that iustification which is by grace were due vnto former merittes so that it should not be a gift of the giuer but a â—warde of the worker the redemption by the bloode of Christ would growe to be of small account and the prerogatiue of mans works would not yeald vnto the mercies of God And of this matter there be many disputations in Saint Augustine And these are his wordes Forsomuch as by the law God sheweth to man his infirmitie that flying vnto his mercie by faith he might be saued For it is saide that he carieth both the law and mercie in his mouth The law to â—onuict the proude and mercie to iustifie those that are humbled Therefore the righteousnes of God through saith in Christ is reuealed vpon al that beleeue And the Mâ—leuitan Synode writeth Iâ— not this sufficientlie declared that the Law worketh this that sinne should be knowen and so against the victorie of sinne men should flie to the mercie of god which is set forth in his promises that the promises of God that is the grace of God might be sought vnto for deliuerance and man might beginne to haue a righteousnes howbeit not hiâ—â—â—ne but Gods Of good works WHen as we do teach in our Churches the most necessary doctrine and comforte of faith we ioyne therewith the doctrine of good workes to wit that obedience vnto the law of God is requisite in them that be reconciled For the Gospell preacheth newnes of life according to that saying I will put my lawes in their heartes This new life therefore must be an obedience towardes God The Gospell also preacheth repentance and faith cannot be but onlie in them that doe repent because that faith doth comfort the heartes in contrition in the feares of sin as Paul saith Being iustified by faith we haue peace And of repentance he saith Rom. 6. Our olde man is crucified that the bodie of sinne might be abolished that we might no more serue sinne And Esaie saith Where will the Lorde dwell In a contrite and humbled spirit c. Secondly among good works the chiefest that which is the chiefest worship of God is faith which doth bring forth manie other vertues which could neuer be in men except their hearts had first receiued to beleue How shall they call 〈◊〉 him in whome they doe not beleeue So long as mens mindes are in doubt whether God heareth them or not so long as euer they thinke that God hath reiected them they doe neuer truelie call vpon God But
place we adde how they maie be done Albeit that men by their owne strength be able to doe outward honest deedes in some sort and must also performe this ciuill obedience yet so long as men are voide of faith they are in the power of the Deuill who driueth them to shamefull sinnes occupieth their mindes with wicked and blasphemous opinions for that is the kingdome and tyrannie of the Deuil Moreouer nature by it selfe is weake cannot without gods helpe strengthen it sâ—lfe to the performaunce of anie spirituall workes And for that cause are men taught that in the Gospell the holie spirit is promised who shal aide and gouerne the mindes of them who do repent beleeue the Gospel Wherfore in so great infirmitie of nature in the middest of these assaultes of Sathan and in all daungers faith must be exercised in calling vpon God euen throughout our wholl life that we maie continue alwaies in the faith in our obedience towards God Therfore Zacharie saith I will poure forth the spiâ—it of grace of praier vpon the house of Dauid upon the inhabitans of Ierusalem He calleth him the spirit of grace because the holie spirit doth confirme and comforte troubled mindes and beareth record that God is pleased with vs. He calleth him the spirit of praier to the end we should dailie exercise our faith in praier that by these exercises our faith might be confirmed and a new life grow vp and increase in vs. There is no doubt but true vertues are the giftes of Go such as are faith clearenes of iudgement in discerning of pointes of religion courrage of minde such as is requisite in them which teach professe the Gospel true care paines in gouerning of Churches true humilitie not to hunt after preferment not to be puft vp with populare praise nor cast downe with their disliking and ill will true charitie c. These Princelie vertues Paull calleth Gods gifts Rom. 12. Hauing diuers giftes according to the grace that is giuen vs. And of these he saieth to the Cor. These thinges worketh one and the same spirit distrubuting to euerie one according c. Vnto these giftes we must ioyne our exercise which maie both preserue the same and deserue an increase of them according to the saying To him that hath shal be giuen And it is notably said of Augustine Loue deserueth an increase of loue to weet when t is put in vse For good workes haue rewardes as in this life so also after this life in the euerlasting life Now because that the Church in this life is subiect to the crosse and to the death of the bodie therefore many rewardes are differred vntill the life to come which though it be vndoubtedlie bestowed through mercy for Christs sake on those which are iustified by the faith of Christ yet there is also a rewarding of good workes according to that saying your rewarde is great in heauen By this it is euident that the doctrine of good workes is through the goodnes of God purelie and truelie taught in our Churches How full of obscuritie and confusion the doctrine of good workes was in former times all godlie mindes know full well There was none that put men in minde of the difference of mans traditions and the lawe of God none that taught how good workes did please God in this so great infirmitie of ours To be briefe there was not one word of faith which is most needfull vnto remission of sinnes But now that these matters be opened and vnfolded godlie consciences lay holde of comforte and of certaine hope of saluation and doe vnderstand which is the true worship and seruice of God and know how it pleaseth god and howe it doth merit at his handes This article is thus set downe in an other edition OVr diuines are falselie accused to forbid good workes For their writinges extant vpon the tenne commaundements and others of the like argument do beare witnes that they haue to good purpose taught concerning euerie kinde of life and duties what trades of life and what workes in euery calling doe please God Of which thinges preachers in former times taught litle or nothing onely they did vrge certaine childish and needles workes As keeping of holie daies set fasts fraternities pilgrimages worshipping of Saints friaries Monkeries and such trash wherof our aduersaries hauing had warning they do now forget them do not preach so concerning these vn profitable works as they were wont to doe Besides they begin now to make mention of faith which they were wont to pas ouer with silence But yet they cease not to obscure darken this doctrine of faith while they leaue the conscience in doubt would haue men to merit remission of sins by their workes and teach not that we doe by faith alone vndoubtedlie receiue remission of sinnes for Christes sake When as therfore the doctrine of faith which should be especially aboue others taught in the Church hath bene so long vnknowen as all men must needes graunt that there was not a word of the righteousnes of faith in all their sermons and that the doctrine of workes onelie was vsuall in the Churches for this cause our diuines did thus admonish the Churches First that our workes cannot reconcile God vnto vs or deserue remission of sins grace iustification at his hands But this we must obtaine by faith whiles we beleeue that we are receiued into fauour for Christ sake who alone is appointed the Mediatour intercessor by whom the father is reconciled to vs. He therfore that trusteth by his works to merit grace doth despise the merit and grace oâ— Christ and seeketh by his owne power without Christ to come vnto the father whereas Christ hath said expresselie of himselfe I am the waie the trueth and the life This Doctrine of faith is handled by Paule almoste in euerie Epistle Eph. 2. ye are saued freelie by faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes c. And lest anie here should cauill that we bring in a new found interpretation this wholl cause is vnderpropped with testimonies of the Fathers August doth in manie volumes defend grace the righteousnes of faith against the merit of works The like doth Ambrose teach in his booke De vocaâ— Gent. and els where for thus he saith in the forenamed place The redemption made by the bloode of Christ would be of small account and the prerogatiue of mans workes would not giue place to the mercie of God if the iustification which is by grate weere due to merites going before so as it should not be the liberalitie of the giuer but the wages or hire of the labourer This doctrine though it be contemned of the vnskilfull sorâ— yet â—ne godlie and fearefull conscience doth finde by experience that it bringeth verie great comfort because that the consciences cannot be quieted by anie workes but by faith alone when
as they beleeue assuredlie that God is appeased towards them for Christes sate as Paul teacheth Rom. 5. Beeing iustified by faith we 〈◊〉 peace with God This doctrine doth whollie belong to the conflict of a troubled conscience and can not be wel vnderstood but where the conscience hath felt a conflict Wherefore all such as haue had no experience thereof and al that are prophane men which dreame that Christian righteosnes iâ— naught else but a ciuill and philosophicall iustice are 〈◊〉 iudges of this matter In former ages mens consciences were vexed with the doctrine of works they neuer heard any comfort out of the Gospell Whereupon conscience draue some into Monasteries hoping there to merit fauour by a monasticall life Others found out other workes whereby to merit fauour to satisfie for sinne There was verie great neede therefore to teach this doctrine of faith in Christ and after so long time to renew it to the end that fearefull consciences might not want comfort but might know that grace and forgiuenes of sinnes and iustification were apprehended and receiued by faith in Christ Another thing which we teach men is that in this place the name of Faith doth not onelie signifie a bare knowledge of the historie which maie be in the wicked and is in the Deuill but it signifieth a faith which beleeueth not onelie the historie but also the effect of the historie to weete the article of remission of sinnes namelie that by Christ we haue grace righteousnes and remission of sins Now he that knoweth that the father is merciful to him through Christ this man knoweth God truelie he knoweth that God hath a care of him he loueth God and calleth vpon him In a worde he is not without God in the world as the gentiles are As for the deuilles and the wicked they can neuer beleeue this article of the remission of sinns And therefore they hate God as their enimie they call not vpon him they looke for no good thing at his handes After this manner doth Augustine admonish his reader touching the name of faith and teacheth that this word faith is taken in the scriptures not for such a knowledge as is in the wicked but for a trust and cofidence which doth comfort and cheare vp disquieted mindes Moreouer our deuines do teach that it is requisite to doe good workes not for to hope to deserue grace by them but because it is the will of God that we should do them And because that the holie spirit is receiued by faith our hartes are presentlie renued and doe put on new affections so as they are hable to bring forth good workes For so saith Ambrose Faith is the breeder of a good wil and of good actions For mans powers without the holie spirit are full of wicked affections and are weaker then that they can do anie good deede before God Besides they are in the deuilles power who driueth men forward into diuers sinnes into profane opinions and into very hainous crimes As was to be sene in the Philosophers who assaying to liue an honest life could not attaine vnto it but defiled themselues with open and grosse faultes Such is the weaknes of man when he is without faith and the holie spirit hath no other guide but the naturall powers of man Hereby euerie man maie see that this doctrine is not to be accused as forbidding good works but rather is much to be commended because it sheweth after what sorte we must doe good workes For without faith the nature of man can by no meanes performe the workes of the first and second table Without faith it cannot call vpon God hope in God beare the crosse but seeketh helpe from man and trusteth in mans helpe So it commeth to passe that all lustes and desires and all humane dâ—uises and counsells doe beare swaie so long as faith and trust in God is absent Wherfore Christ saith Without me ye can do nothing Ioan. 15. and the Church singeth Without thy power there is taught in man and there is nothing but that which is hurtfull OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SAXONY Of the remission of sinnes and of Iustification WE said before that these controuersies doe pertaine to the interpreting of two Articles of the Creede I beleeue the remission of sinnes and I beleeue the holie Catholike Church Neither doe we speake of not necessarie or sight thinges It is moste necessarie that in the Church the doctrine touching sinne should be propounded and that men should know what sinne is and that there should be an euident difference betweene politâ—call iudgements and the iudgement of God But seing our aduersaries doe not teach aright what sinne is they confirme in men an euill securitie and manie false opinions Againe what can be more miserable then either to obscure or to be ignorant of this great benefit namelie the Remission of sinnes and deliuerance from eternall death seing that there is no difference betwixt the Church and other men when as the light is extinguished concerning free Remission of sinnes for the Sonnes sake and concerning Faith whereby Remission must be receiued neither is there anie other comfort drawing vs back from eternall death neither can there be anie true Inuocation without this comfort God himselfe hath so often commaunded that his Sonne should be heard and the Gospell kepte which is a wonderfull decree brought forth out of the secret counsell of the Godhead when it was hidde from all creatures therefore it is moste necessarie that the true doctrine touching remission of sinnes should be kept vndefiled But in all ages euen from our first fathers time the deuils haue scattered subtill delusions against the true doctrine concerning the Sonne of God and especiallie in this article whome notwithstanding God hath oftentimes refuted good teachers being againe raised vp that the Church might not vtterlie perish Adam Seth Noe Sem Abraham Isaac Iacob and others after them did shewe the true difference betwixt the Church of God and other men and taught that to the Church was giuen the promise touching the Mediatour the Sonne of God and touching Remission of sinnes and that this Remission is to be receiued freelie for the Mediatours sake And they tied Inuocation to this God which had manifested himselfe by giuing a promise concerning the Mediatour and they had externall rites giuen them of God which were signes of the promise and the sinewes of the publike Congregation These rites did a great parte of the multititude imitate omitting the doctrine of the promises faith and when they had deuised this persuasion that men by obseruing these rites might deserue remission of sinnes they heaped vp manie ceremonies and by litle and litle boldnes went so farre as commonlie it commeth to passe that diuers men deuised diuers Gods So the heathen departed from the true Church of god and from the knowledge of the true god and the promise of the Redeemer The same thing also hapned after Moses
Moreouer to giue an euident token of his confession he found fault with the other which cursed Christ These thinges are done by him because this verie Messias beeing partner with him in his punishment in a woâ—de doth teach his minde and by 〈◊〉 some comfort the Worde is effectual in him and through 〈◊〉 the eternall Father doth poure the holie ghost into the heart of this hearer that he may kindle in him ioye loue inuocation hope of eternall life and other vertues Of Rewardes PAull saith Rom. 6. Eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lorde and they that are reconciled or iustified Are heires annexed with the Sonne of God and that for his sake not for their owne merittes Faith receiuing remission of sinnes and iustification and the hope of eternall life doe relie vpon the Sonne of god the Mediatour as it is said Ioh. 6. This is the will of the Father that â—â—erie one that beleeueth in him should haue eternall life And Rom. 5. Beeing iustified by faith we haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we haue accesse through faith vnto this grace wherin we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of eternall life He ioyneth faith and hope together and affirmeth that either of them doth relie vpon the Mediatour And it is manifest that hope ought not to relie on our workes because it is saide Psal 142. No man liuing shall be iustified in thy sight But as they which repent are accounted iust by faith for the onelie Sonne of god his sake and for him and thorough him are quickned so for him and not for our merites is eternall life giuen vnto vs as the theefe on the crosse heareth this promise To daie thou shalt be with me in Paradise Luc. 23. Neither must we dreame that the Sonne of god did merit or giue vnto vs a preparation onelie to eternall life but let that most comfortable saying of Hosee be alwaies in our sight O death I will be thy death O hell I wil be thy destruction For the Sonne of God thorough him we are deliuered form eternal death translated into life eternall as he saith I giue vnto them eternall life And. 1. Ioh. 5. He that hath the Sonne hath life And let hope be sure firme as Peter saith 1. Pet. 1. Hope perfectlie that is looke for eternall life not with doubtfull opinion in an assured hope to wit for the Mediatours sake And Augustine saith well in his booke of meditations The certainetie of our whole confidence consisteth in the blood of Christ Let vs holde both these points assuredlie that he which repenteth doth freelie by faith receiue remission of sinnes and iustification for the Sonne of god his sake and that he is an heire of eternall life as Paull saith Rom. 8. As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the Sonnes of God And if they be children they are also the heiresof God Yet notwithstanding this also is true that they which doe shake of the holie ghost falling from faith or sinning grieuouslie against their conscience and doe not returne vnto God by repentance are not heires as it is saide Gal. 5. They which do such things shall not inherit the kingdome of God And. 1. Tim. 2. Fight a good fight hauing faith and a good conscience which some haue put awaie and as concerning faith haue made shipwracke And Math. 25. I was hungrie and ye gaue me not to eate And These shall goe into euerlasting punishment but the righteous shall goe into life eternall Now although life eternall life is giuen to the regenerate for the Sonne of god yetwithall it is also a rewarde of good workes as it is said Your reward is plentifull in heauen as a patrimonie is the reward of the laboures of a sonne although it be giuen to the sonne for an other cause Moreouer god hath added vnto good workes certaine promises of his and therefore euen for the good workes of holie men God doth giue spirituall and corporall gifts euen in this life and that diuerselie as it seemeth good to his vnspeakable wisedome 1. Tim. 4. Godlines hath the promises of the life present of that that is to come Marc. 10. They shall receiue a hundred folde in this life but with tribulation and after this life eternall life Mat. 10. Whosoeuer shall giue vnto one of these little ones to drinke a cup of colde water onelie in the name of a disciple he shall not loose his rewarde Luc. 6. Giue and it shall be giuen to you Exod. 20. Honoure thy Father and thy Mother that thou maiest liue long vpon earth Isa 33. Bread shal be giuen him and his waters shal be sure they shall see the King in his glorie that is for obedience and good workes God doth giue quiet common weales an honest meeke gouernement c. Isa 58. Breake thy breade to the hungrie and thou shalt be as a garden that is watered c. The example of the widow at Sarepta is well knowne and the Psalmist saith Substance and riches are in his house For seeing that God in this mortall and miserable life doth gather his Church and will haue it to be an honest congregation he giueth there unto many places of entertainement he giueth nestes to godlie poore families for the bringing vp of their children and for the spreading abroad of doctrine to conclude he will preserue the societie of mankinde householdes and common weales and that to this ende that a Church may be gathered Therefore he giueth sometime a gouernment not troublesome peace a fruitfull land other good thinges for the prayers of holie men for their diligence and for common necessities sake as for Ioseph Naaman Daniel those kingdomes wherein they liued â—lorished the more And Ierem. 19. The banished in Babylon are commaunded to praie for the peace and holsome gouernment of that place where they were intertayned So also often times punishments are heaped vp for the sinnes of the Chuch as is to be seene in the punishment of the tribe of Beniamin Dauid and others Now god will haue vs to vnderstand that these benefits are necessarie for the bodie and to know that they be giuen of god in asking of them he will haue our faith to be exercised as we shall declare more at large in a fit place At this time we haue therefore added these few thinges that in this confession there might be also a Testimonie in our Churches that this true and necessarie doctrine touching good workes is faithfullie laide open OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE Of Iustification CHAP. 5. WE beleeue and confesse that to do and practize such righteousnes as is acceptable to God these vertues be necessarie Faith hope and loue and that man can not of him-selfe conceiue these vertues but doth receiue them of the fauour and grace of God and that faith doth worke by loue But we think that their iudgement doth
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
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
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
time or worthines of the Churches Authors that wrote them or other such like circumstance theâ—fore it seemed good without anie enuie or preiudice of other Confessions either more auncient or more famous to giue the first place to the latter Confession of Heluetia â—oth because the order thereof seemed more fitie and â—he wholl handling of doctrine more full and conuenient and also because that Confession was publiquelie approoued subscribed vnto by verie manie Churches of dâ—uers Naâ—â—onâ— Farther vpon â—his do the reâ—t fitly follow to wit â—he former confession of Heluetia then all other without any â—hoâ—sâ— indifferentlie saue that we had rather ioyne together thâ— Confessions of Germanie then sâ—uer them â—ach 〈…〉 according to â—hâ— argument of euerie Section 〈…〉 infoâ—â—ed to pâ—t that Confession of th◠〈…〉 as receâ—uâ—d somewhat â—â—te in the laâ—â— plâ—ce 〈…〉 if it shall not seeme fitte and conuenient to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may easilie be altered in the second edition as other Confessions also if anie such beside these shall be wanting may in their due place be adioyned To conclude that the godly Reader may want nothing and that no man may suspect anie thing to be taken awaie or added to anie of those Confessions we haue here set downe the articles or chiefe points in the order wherin they were first written Which we desire euerie man fauourably to interprete and to enioy this our labour rather seeking peace and agreement then malitiouslie hunting after occasions of dissensions PROPER CATALOGVES FOR EVERIE CONFESSION CONTEINED IN THIS HARMONIE AFTER THAT ORDER WHEREIN They were first written THE ARTICLES OF THE FORMER CONFESsion of Heluetia SCripture 1 Interpretation 2 Fathers 3 Humane Traditions 4 The drift of the Scripture 5 God 6 Man and his strength 7 Originall sinne 8 Free will 9 The eternall Counsell touching the restoring of man 10 Iesus Christ and those benefites which we reape by him 11 The drift of the doctrine of the Gospell 12 Faith and the force thereof 13 The Church 14 Of the Ministers of the word 15 Ecclesiasticall power 16 The choosing of Ministers 17 The head and Shepherd of the Church 18 The dueties of Ministers 19 Of the force and efficacie of the Sacraments 20 Baptisme 21 The Eucharist 22 Holie assemblies 23 Of Heretikes Schismatikes 24 Of thinges indifferent 25 Of the Magistrate 26 Of Holie Wedlocke 27 THE CHIEFE POINTS OF THE LATTER CONfession of Heluetia Of the holie Scripture being the true word of God 1 Of Interpreting the holie Scripture and of â—athers Councels and Traditions 2 Of God his vnitie and the Trinitie 3 Of Idoles or Images of God Christ and Saintes 4 Of the Adoration worshippe and Inâ—ocation of God through the onelie Mediatour Iesus Christ 5 Of the Prouidence of God 6 Of the creation of all thinges of Angells the Deuill and man 7 Of the fall of man sinne and the cause of sinne 8 Of free wâ—ll and so of mans power and abilitie 9 Of the Predestination of God and Election of the saintes 10 Of Iesus Christ being true God man and the onlie Sauiour of the world 11 Of the lawe of God 12 Of the Gospell of Iesus Christ of the Promises also of the spirit and the letter 13 Of Repentance and the Conuersion of man 14 Of the true iustification of the faithfull 15 Of Faith and good workes and of their reward and the merit of man 16 Of the Catholique holy Church of God and of the onely head of the Church 17 Of the Ministers of the Church their institution dueties 18 Of the Sacramentes of the Church of Christ 19 Of holie Baptisme 20 Of the holy Supper of the Lord. 21 Of holie and Ecclesiasticall assemblies 22 Of the Praiers of the Church of singing Canonicall houres 23 Of Holy daies fastes and choise of meates 24 Of Comforting or visiting the sicke 25 Of the buriall of the faithfull and the care that is to be had for the dead and of Purgatorie and the appeering of Spirites 26 Of Rites Ceremonies and thinges Indifferent 27 Of the goods of the Church 28 Of single life Wedlocke and the ordering of a Family 29 Of the Magistrate 30 THE ARTICLES OF THE CONFESSION OF Basill Of God 1 Of man 2 Of the care of God toward vs. 3 Of Christ being true God and true man 4 Of the Church 5 Of the Supper of our Lord. 6 Of the Magistrate 7 Of Faith and workes 8 Of the last daie 9 Of thinges commaunded and not commaunded 10 Against the error of the Anabaptistes 11 THE CHIEFE POINTS OF THE CONFESSION OF Bohemia Of the holy Scripture and of Eccâ—siasticall writers â— Of Christian Catechizing 2 Of the vnitie of the diuine essence of the three Persons 3 Of the knowledge of himselfe Also Of sinne the causes and fruites hereof and of the promises of God 4 Of repentance 5 Of Christ the Lord and of Iustification through faith in him 6 Of good workes which be holie actions 7 Of the holie Catholique Church the order and discipline hereof and moreouer of Antichrist 8 Of the Ministers of the Church 9 Of the word of God 10 Of the Sacraments in general 11 Of holy Baptisme 12 Of the Supper of the Lord. 13 Of the keies of Christ. 14 Of thinges accessorie that is of rites or Ecclesiasticall ceremonies 15 Of the politique or Ciuill Magistrate 16 Of Saints and their worship 17 Of fasting 18 Of single life and Wedlocke or the order of maried folke 19 Of the time of Grace 20 THE ARTICLES OF THE FRENCH CONFEssion Of God and his one onelie essence 1 Of the knowledge of God 2 Of the Caâ—onicall bookes of the holy Scripture 3 Of distinguishing the Canonicall bookâ— from the Apocryphall 4 Of the authoritie of the word of God 5 Of the Trinitie of the Persons in one onely essence of God 6 Of the Creation of the world 7 Of the eternal Prouidence of God 8 Of the fall of man and his free will 9 Of Originall sinne 10 Of the propagation of Originall sinne and of the effectes thereof 11 Of the free Election of God 12 Of the reparing of man from his fall through Christ 13 Of two natures in Christ 14 Of the hypostaticall vnion of his two natures 15 Of the death and resurrection of Christ and of the fruit thereof 16 Of the merit and fruit of the sacrifice of Christ 17 Of the remission of sinnes and true Iustification 18 Of the Intercession or Mediation of Christ 19 Of iustifying Faith and the gift and effectes thereof 20. 21. 22 Of the abolishing of Ceremonies and true vse of the Morall lawe 23 Of the intercession of Saintes Purgatorie and other superstitious traditions of the Popish sorte 24 Of the Ministerie of the Gospell 25 Of the vnitie of the Church and the true notes thereof 26. 27. 28 Of Ecclesiasticall functions 29 Of the power and authoritie of the ministers 30 Of their lawfull calling and election 31 Of Ecclesiasticall discipline 32
Of Excommunication and other Censures 33 Of the Sacraments in generall 34 Of Baptisme 35 Of the holie Supper of the Lorde 36 Of the efficacie and true communication of the thing signified by the signes 37. 38 Of the Magistrate and politike lawes 39. 40 THE ARTICLES OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION Of one God in three Persons 1 Of Iesus Christ being the true Sonne of God and of the Incarnation other workes of Redemption and of his two natures being vnseperablie vnited and vnconfounded 2 Of his last comming Of the holie Ghost and his workes in vs. 3 Of the Catholique Church and the one onelie King head and husband thereof 4 Of the diuers degrees of the Church 5 Of the primaâ—ie of the Antichrist of Rome 5 Of the lawful calling and Election of ministers 6 Of their power and the vse of the keies 7 Of mariage and a Single life 8 Of the Canonicall scriptures 9 Of the Sacramentes and the number thereof 10 Of Baptisme 11 Of the holy Eucharist 12 Of the â—â—le of Masses 13 Of Purgatorie 14 Of Ceremonies and Ecclesiasticall rites 15 Of prayer in a vulgare tounge 16 Of the onelie Intercessour and Mediatour Christ 17 Of the corruption of man through sinne of his iustification through Christ 18 Of the one onely sacrifice of Christ whereby we are perfectly reconciled to God 19 Of good workes 20 Of the last resurrectioÌ„ of this flesh 21 THE ARTICLES OF THE CONFESSION OF Belgia Of the essence or nature of God 1 Of the double knowledge of God 2 Of the beginning and author of the word of God 3 Of the Canonicall bookes of the olde and new Testament 4 Of their authoritie 5 Of the Apochryphall bookes 6 Of the perfection of the Canonicall Scripture aboue all the doctrines of all men 7 Of three persons in one onelie essence of God 8 Of the testimonies of both the testaments whereby both the Trinitie of the persons also their properties mâ—â— be prooued 9 Of the diuine nature and generation of Iesus Christ the Sonne of god 10 Of the diuine nature of the holy ghost 11 Of the creation of the world and Angells and the distinguishing of them 12 Of the Prouidence of God and of his iust gouernement both general special 13 Of the creation of man his fal corruption and seruile free wil. 14 Of Original sinne 15 Of free election iust reprobation 16 Of the repairing of man through Christ 17 Of the first comming of Christ and his true incarnation of the seede of Dauid 18 Of his two natures hypostatically vnited in one onelie person 19 Of the cause or end of his death and resurrection 20 Of his onelie Priesthoode and expiatorie sacrifice 21 Of faith the onelie instrument of our Iustification 22 Of true iustification through Christ 23 Of regeneration and good workes 24 Of the abrogating of the law and shadowes 25 Of the onelie Mediatour or intercessour Christ against the intercession of Saints 26 Of the Catholique Church 27 Of the vnitie and communion thereof 28 Of true notes of the true Church 29 Of the gouernement Ecclesiastical functions 30 Of the Election of Ministers Elders and Deaâ—ons and of their authoritie 31 Of Ecclesiastical traditions 32 Of the Sacraments and their number 33 Of Baptisme 34 Of the Supper of the Lord. 35 Of Magistrates and their office and power 36 Of the last Iudgement 37 THE ARTICES OF THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE Of God and the persons of the diuinitie 1 Of Original sinne 2 Of the incarnation of the Sonne of God 3 Of Iustification 4 Of the Preaching of Repentance and general Remission 5 Of the righteousnes of good wookes 6 Of the Church 7 Of the Sacraments which are administred by euil men 8 Of Baptisme 9 Of the Lords Supper 10 Of Repentance 11 Of Confession 12 Of the vse of Sacraments 13 Of Ecclesiastical order or degrees 14 Of Ecclesiastical riâ—â—s 15 Of ciuil ordinances 16 Of the laâ—â— Iudgement 17 Of frâ—â— wil. 18 Of the cause of sinne 19 Of good workes 20 Of â—nuocation 21 ARTICLES CONCERNING THE ABVSES VVHICH ARE changed in externall rites Of the Masse 1 Of either kinde of the Sacrament 2 Of Confession 3 Of the difference of meaâ—es and such like Popish traditions 4 Of the mariage of the Priestes 5 Of the vowes of Monkes 6 Of Ecclesiastical power 7 THE CHIEFE POINTS OF THE CONFESSION of Saxonie Of Doctrine 1 Of Originall sinne 2 Of the remission of sinnes and of Iâ— stification 3 Of freewill 4 Of new obedience 5 What workes are to be done 6 How good works maie be done 7 How new obedience doth please God 8 Of rewardes 9 Of the difference of sinnes 10 Of the Church 11 Of the Sacramentes 12 Of Baptisme 13 Of the Lords Supper 14 Of the vse of the wholl Sacrament 15 Of repentance 16 Of Satisfaction 17 Of Wedlocke 18 Of Confirmation and anointing 19 Of Traditions or Ecclesiastical rites 20 Of a Monasticall life 21 Of the inuocating of godlie men departed out of this life 22 Of the ciuill Magistrate 23 THE CHIEFE POINTES OF THE CONFESSION OF Wirtemberge Of God and three persons in one godhead 1 Of the Sonne of God 2 Of the holie Ghost 3 Of sinne 4 Of Iustification 5 Of the law 6 Of good Workes 7 Of the Gospell of Iesus Christ 8 Of the Sacraments 9 Of Baptisme 10 Of Confirmation 11 Of Repentance 12 Of Contrition 13 Of Confession 14 Of Satisfaction 15 Of Prair 16 Of Fasting 17 * Of Almes 18 Of the Eucharist that is of the Sacrament of thankesgiuing 19 * Of the Masse 20 Of holie orders 21 Of Mariage 22 * Of eâ—â—reame Vnction 23 Of the inuocating of Saints 24 Of the remembrance of the dead 25 Of Purgatorie 26 * Of Monasticall vowes 27 Of Canonicall houres 28 Of Fasting 29 Of the consecrating of water salt wine and other such like things 30 Of the holie Scripture 31 * Of the Pope 32 Of the Church 33 Of Councels 34 Of the Teachers of the Church 35 Of Ecclesiastical Ceremonies 36 THE CONTENTES OF THE BOOKE FOLLOWING ACCORDING TO THE SECTIONS WHICH are in number 19. and of how manie confessions ech Section doth consist THE 1. SECTION pag. 1. OF the holie Scripture beeing the true word of God and the interpretation thereof This Section consisteth of 10. confessions to wit Of the former and latter confessions of Heluetia of that of Basil or Myllane of Bohemia or the 〈◊〉 the French the English that of Belgia Saxonie Wirtemberge and Sueueland THE 2. SECTION pag. 18. OF God in essence one in persons three and of his true worship This Section 〈…〉 of 11. confessions to wit Of the former 〈…〉 confession of Heluetia that of Basil of 〈…〉 or the Waldenses the French the English thâ—t of Belgia Auspurge Saxonie Wirtemberge 〈◊〉 THE 3. SECTION pag 53. OF the eternall prouidence of God and the creation of the world This Section doth consist properly of foure Confessions onely to wit Of the
latter confession of Heluetia Basill the French and that of Belgia which alone haue expresse titles of these chiefe points of doctrine But these foure to wit the former confession of Heluetia the English that of Auspurge and Wirtemberge do by the waie make mention both of the prouidence of God and also of the creation of the world in the article of God as is to be seene in the 2. Section And the others to wit those of Bohem. Saxonie and Sueueland haue altogether omitted this part of doctrine THE 4. SECTION pag. 59. OF the fall of man of sinne and of free will This Section consisteth of 10. Confessions to wit Of the former and latter confessions of Heluetia of that of Basil Bohemia or the Waldenses the French English that of Belg. Auspurge Saxony and Wirtemb THE 5. SECTION pag. 84. OF eternal Predestination This Section consisteth of foure Confessions onely to wit Of the lâ—tter Confession of Heluetia that of Basil the French and that of Belgia THE 6. SECTION pag. 88. OF the reparing or deliuerance of man from his fall by Iesus Christ alone Also of his Person names office and the workes of Redemption This Section consisteth of 12. confessions to wit Of the former and latter Confessions of Heluetia that of Basill Bohemia the French the English that of Belgia Auspurge Saxony Wirtemberge Sueueland THE 7. SECTION pag. 1â—0 OF the lawe and the Gospell This Section consisteth of 7. confessions onely to wit Of the former and latter confessions of Heluetia that of Bohemia the French that of Belgia Saxony and Wirtemberge THE 8. SECTION pag. 212. OF Repentance and the Conuersion of man Tihs Section consisteth of 6. Confessions onely to wit Of the latter confession of Heluetia that of Bohem. Auspurge Saxony Wirtemb and Sueueland THE 9. SECTION pag. 242. OF Iustification by faith and of good works and their rewards This Section consisteth of 11. confessions to wit of the former and latter confessions of Heluetia that of Basill Bohemia the French the English that of Belgia Auspurge Saxony Wirtemberge and Sueueland THE 10. SECTION pag. 306. OF the holie Catholique Church This Section consisteth of 11. confessions to wit of the former and latter confessions of Heluetia that of Basill Bohemia the French the English that of Belgia Auspurge Saxonie Wirtemberge and Sueueland THE 11. SECTION pag. 337. OF the Ministers of the Church and of their calling and office This Section consisteth of 9. confessions to wit Of the former and latter confessions of Heluet. that of Bohemia the French the English that of Belgia Auspurge Wirtemberge and Sueueland THE 12. SECTION pag. 377. OF true and false Sacraments in generall This Section consisteth of 11. confessions Of the former confession of Heluetia and the declaration thereof the latter confess of Heluet. that of Basill Bohemia the French the English that of Belgia Auspurge Saxonie Wirtemberge and Sueueland THE 13. SECTION pag. 395. OF the Sacrament of holie Baptisme This Section consisteth of 10. confessions to wit Of the former confession of Heluetia and the declaration thereof of the latter conâ—es of Heluet. that of Bohemia the French the English that of Belgia Auspurge Saxonie Wirtemberge and Sueueland THE 14. SECTION pag 411. OF the holie Supper of the Lord. This Section consisteth of 11. confessions to wit of the former confession of Heluetia and the declaration thereof of the latter confes of Heluet. that of Basill Bohemia the French the English that of Belgia Auspurge Saxonie Wirtemberge and Sueueland THE 15. SECTION pag. 464. OF Ecclesiasticall Meetings This Section consisteth of 8. confessions to wit the former and latter confessions of Heluetia that of Bohemia the F eâ—ch the English that of Saxonie Wirtemberg and Sueueland THE 16. SECTION pag. 47â— OF Holie daies fasts and the choise of meats and of the visiting of the sicke and the care that is to be had for the dead This Sect. consisteth of 9. Confess to wit of the latter confession of Heluet. that of Basill Bohemia the French the English that of Auspurge Saxonie Wirtemberge and Sueueland THE 17. SECTION pag. 516. OF Ceremonies and rites which are indifferent in general This Section consisteth of 11. confessions to wit of the former and latter confessions of Heluetia that of Basill Bohemia the French the English that of Belgia Auspurge Saxonie Wirtemberge and Sueueland THE 18. SECTION pag. 540. OF Wedlock single life and Monasticall Vowes This Section consisteth of 8. confessions to wit of the former and latter confessions of Heluetia that of Bohemia the French the English that of Auspurge and Sueueland THE 19. SECTION pag. 578. OF the Ciuill Magistrate This Section consisteth of 10 confessions to wit of the former and latter confessions of Heluetia that of Basill Bohemia the French that of Belgia Auspurge Saxonie Wirtemberge and Sueueland A GENERAL CONFESSION OF THE TRVE CHRISTIAN FAITH AND RELIGION ACCORding to Gods word and actes of our Parliaments subscribed by the Kings Maiestie and his household with sun drie others To the glory of God and good example of all men At Edinborough the 28. day of Ianuarie The yeare of our Lord. 1581. And in the 14. yere of his Maiesties Raigne WE all and euerie one of vs vnder written protest that after long due examination of our owne consciences in matters of true and false Religion are now throughlie resolued in the truth by the word and spirit of God And therefore we beleeue with our hartes confesse with our mouthes subscribe with our handes and constantlie affirme before God and the whole world that this onelie is the true Christian faith and religion pleasing God and bringing saluation to man which is now by the mercie of God reuealed to the world by the preaching of the blessed Euangell and is receaued beleeued and defended by manie and sundrie notable Churches realms but chiefely by the Church of Scotland the Kings Maiestie three Estates of this Realm as Gods eternal trueth onely ground of our saluation as more particularlie is expressed in the confession of our Faith established and publikelie confirmed by sundrie actes of Parliaments and now of a long time hath beene openlie professed by the Kinges Maiestie and wholl bodie of this Realme both in burgh and land To the which confession and forme of Religion we willinglie agree in our consciences in all pointes as vnto Gods vndoubted trueth and veritie grounded onelie vpon his written word And therefore we abhorre and detest all contrarie religion doctrine but chiefelie all kinde of Papistrie in generall and particular heades euen as they are now damned and confuted by the word of God Church of Scotland but especiallie we detest andrefuse the vsurped authority of that Romane Antichrist vpon the Scriptures of God vpon the Church the ciâ—â—ll magistrate and conscience of men all his tyranous Lawes made vpon indifferent things against our Christian libertie his erronious doctrine against the sufficienâ—â— of the written word the perfection
of the lawe the office of Christ and his blessed Euangell his corrupted doctrine concerning original sinne our naturall inabâ—lâ—tiâ— and rebellion to Gods law our instification by faith onelie our imperfect sanctification and obedience to the lawe the nature number and vse of the holie Sacraments his fine bastard sacraments with all his rites ceremonies and false doctrine added to the administration of the true Sacraments without the word of God his cruell iudgement against Infants departing without the Sacrament his absolute necessitieâ— Baptisme his blasphemous opinion of transsubst antiatioâ— or reall presence of Christes bodie in the elements and receiuing of the same by the wicked or bodies of men his dispensations with solemne othes periuries and degrees of mariage forbidden in the word his crueltie against the Innocent diuorced his deuilish Masse his blasphemous Priesthood his prophane sacrifice for the sinnes of the dead and the quick his Canonization of men calling vpon Angells or Saintes departed worshipping of Images reliques and crosses dedicating of Churches Altars Daies Vowes to creatures his Purgatorie praiers for the dead praying or speaking in a strange language with his processions and blasphemous Letany and multitude of Aduocates or Mediatours his manifolde orders Auricular confession his dispersed vncertaine repentance his generall and doubt some faith his satisfactions of men for their sinnnes his iustification by workes Opus Operatum woorkes of supererogation merites pardons peregrinations and stations his holie water Baptiâ—â—ng of Belles Coniuring of spirites Crossing Saâ—ing Annointing coniuring Hallowing of Gods good Creatures with the superstitious opinion ioyned therewith his worldlie Monarchie and wicked hierarchâ—e his three solemned vowes with all his shaâ—eliâ—gs of sundrie sortes his erronious bloodie decrees made at Trent with all the subscribers and approouers of that cruell and bloody band coniured against the Church of God And finallie â—e detest all his vaine allegories rites signes and traditions brought in the Church without or against the worde of God and doctrine of this true reformed Church to the which we toyne our selues willinglie in doctrine faith religion discipline and vse of the holie Sacraments as liuelie members of the same in Christ our head promising and swearing by the great name of the Lord our God that we shall continue in the obedience of the doctrine and discipline of this Church and shall defend the same according to our vocation and power all the daies of our liues vnder the paines contained in the law and danger both of bodie and soule in the date of Gods fearefull iudgement And seeing that manie are stirred vp by Satan and that Romane Antichrist to promise sâ—â—are subsâ—râ—â—â— and for a time vse the holy Sacraments in the Church deceitfully against their owne conscience minding hereby first vnder the externall cloake of Religion to corrupt and subuert secretlie Gods true Religion within the Church and afterward when time maie serue to become open enemies and persequuters of the same vnder vaine hope of the Popes dispensation deuised against the word of God to his greater confusion and their double condemnation in the daie of the Lord Iesus We therefore willing to take away all suspition of hypocrisie and of such double dealing with God and his Church protest and call the sâ—archer of all heartes for witnes that our mindes and heartes do fully agree with this our confession promise oth and subscription So that we are not mooâ—ed for anie worldlie respect but are persuaded onelie in our conscience through the knowledge and loue of Gods true religion printed in our heartes by the holie spirit as we shall answer to him in the daie when the secrets of all heartes shall be disclosed And because we perceiue that the quietnes and stabilitie of our religion and Church doth depend vpon the safetie and good behauioâ—r of the Kings maiestie as vpon a comfortable Instrumenâ— of Gods mercie graunted to this countrie for the manteining of his Church and ministration of Iustice amongst vs we protest and promise with our heartes vnder the same oth hand writ and paines that we shall defend his person and authoritie with our goods bodies and liues iâ— the defence of Christes Euangell Libertie of our countrie ministration of iustice and punishment of iniquity against all enemies within this realme or without as we desire our God to be a strong and mercifull defender to vs in the daie of our death and comming of our Lord Iesus Christ To whome with the father and the holy spirit bâ— all honour and glory eternallie Amen THE ESTATES OF SCOTLAND VVITH THE INHABITANTS OF THE SAME PROfessing Christ Iesus and his ho lie gospell To their naturall countrie men and to all other Realmes and nations professing the same Christ Iesus with them wish grace mercie and peace from God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the spirit of righteous iudgement of saluation LOng haue wee thirsted deare brethren to haue notified vnto the worlde the summe of that doctrine which wee professe and for the which we haue sustained infamie and daunger But such hath beene the rage of Sathan agaist vs and against Christ Iesus his eternall veritie latelie borne amongest vs that to this daie no time hath beene graunted vnto vs to cleare our consciences as moste gladlie we would haue done For how we haue beene tossed at times heretofore the moste parte of Europe as we suppose doth vnderstand But seing that of the infinite goodnes of our God who neuer suffereth his afflicted vtterlie to be confounded aboue expectation we haue obtained some rest and libertie we would not but set forth this briefe and plaine confession of such doctrine as is proponed vnto vs and as we beleeue and professe partlie for satisfaction of our brethren whose hearts we doubt not haue beene and yet are wounded by the despitefull railing of such as yet haue not learned to speake well and partlie for stopping of the mouthes of the impudent blasphemers who boldelie damne that which they haue neither heard nor yet vnderstoode Not that we iudge that the cankred malice of such is able to be cured by this our simple confession No we knowe the sweete sauour of the Gospell is and shall be death to the sonnes of perdition but we haue chiefe respect to our weake and infirme brethren to whome we woulde communicate the bottome of our hearts lest that they be troubled or carried awaie by diuersitie of rumours which Satan spreads abroad against vs to the defacing of this our moste godlie enterprise protesting that if anie man shall note in this our confession anie article or sentence repugning to Gods holie worde and doe admonish vs of the same in writing we by Gods grace doe promise vnto him satisfaction from the mouth of God that is from his holie Scriptures or else reformation of that which he shall prooue to be amisse For God we take to record in our consciences that from our hearts we abhorre all sectes of heresie and all teachers of
onlie sonne to be our brother and giuen vnto vs grace to acknowledge and embrace him for our Mediatour as before is said It behooued farther the Messias and Redeemer to be verie God and verie man because he was to beare the punishment due for our transgressions and to present him selfe in the presence of his Fathers iudgement as in our person to suffer for our transgression and inobedience by death to ouercome him that was author of death But because the onlie godhead could not suffer death neither yet could the onlie manhood ouercome the same he ioyned both together in one person that the imbecillitie of the one should suffer and be subiect to death which we had deserued and the infinite and inuincible power of the other to wit of the godhead should triumph and purchase to vs life libertie and perpetuall victorie and so we confesiâ— and moste vndoubtedlie beleeue Christes death Passion and Bâ—riâ—ll THat our Lord Iesus offered himselfe a voluntarie sacrifice vnto his Father for vs that he suffered contradiction of sinners that he was wounded and plagued for our transgressions that he being the cleane innocent lambe of God was damned in the presence of an earthlie iudge that we should be absolued before the tribunall seate of our God that he suffered not onelie the cruell death of the Crosse which was accursed by the sentence of God but also that he suffered for a season the wrath of his Father which sinners had deserued But yet we auow that he remained the onelie welbeloued and blessed sonne of the Father euen in the midst of his anguish and torment which he suffered in bodie and soule to make the full satisfaction for the sins of the people After the which we confesse and auow that there remaineth no other sacrifice for sinne which if anie affirme we nothing doubt to auow that they are blasphemous against Christes death and the euerlasting purgation and satisfaction purchased to vs by the same Resurrection WE vndoubtedlie beleeue that insomuch as it was impossible that the dolours of death should retaine in bondage the author of life that our Lord Iesus crucified dead and buried who descended into hell did rise againe for our iustification and destroying of him whoe was the author of death brought life againe to vs that were subiect to death and to the bondage of the same we knowe that his resurrection was confirmed by the testimonie of his verâ—e enimies by the resurrection of the dead whose sepulchers did open and they did arise and appeered to manie within the City of Ierusalem It was also confirmed by the testimonie of his Angells and by the senses and iudgements of his â—postles and others who had conuersation and did eate and drinke with him after his resurrection Ascension VVE nothing doubt but the selfe same bodie which was borne of the virgin was crucified dead buried that it did rise againe and asâ—end into the heauens for the accomplishment of al things where in our names for our comforte he hath receiued all power in heauen and earth where he sitteth at the right hand of the Father crowned in his kingdome aduocate and onelie Mediatour for vs. Which glorie honour and prerogatiue he alone amongst the brethren shal possesse till that all his enimies be made his footestole As that we vndoubtedlie beleeue there shal be a finall iudgement to the execution wherof we certainelie beleeue that the same our Lord Iesus shall visibly returne euen as he was seene to ascend And then we firmelie beleue that the time of refreshing and restitution of all thinges shall come in somuch that those that from the beginning haue suffered violence iniurie and wrong for righteousnes sake shall inherite that blessed immortalitie promised from the beginning but contrariwise the stubborne inobedient cruell oppressors filthie persons Idolaters and all sortes of vnfaithfull shal be cast into the dungeon of vtter darkenes where their worme shall not die neithet yet the fire shal be extinguished The remembrance of which daie and of the iudgement to be executed in the same is not onelie to vs a bridle wherby our carnall lustes are refrained but also such inestimable comforte that neither maie the threating of worldlie princes neither yet the feare of temporall death and present daunger mooue vs to renounce and forsake the blessed societie which we the members haue with our head onelie mediatour Christ Iesus Whom we confesse and auow to be the Messias promised the onelie head of his Church our iust lawe giuer our onelie high Priest aduocate and Mediatour In which honours and office if man or Angell presume to intrude themselues we vtterly detest and abhor them as blasphemous to our soueraigne and supreame gouernuor Christ Iesus Faith in the holie Ghost THis faith and the assurance of the same proceedeth not from flesh and bloode that is to saie from no naturall powers within vs but is the inspiration of the holie Ghost whome we confesse God equall with the Father with the sonne whoe sanctifieth vs and bringeth vs into all veritie by his owne operation without whome we should remaine for euer enimies to God and ignorant of his sonne Christ Iesus For of nature we are so dead so blinde so peruerse that neither can we feele when we are pricked see the light when it shineth nor assent to the will of God when it is reuealed vnlesse the spirit of the Lord quicken that which is dead remooue the darkenes from our mindes and bowe our stubborne heartes to the obedience of his blessed will And so as we confesse that God the Father created vs when we were not as his sonne our Lord Iesus redeemed vs when we were enimies to him so also doe we confesse that the holie Ghost doth sanctifie and regenerate vs without all respect of anie merit proceeding from vs be it before or be it after our regeneration To speake this one thinge yet in more plaine wordes as we willinglie spoile our selues of alâ— honour and glorie of our owne creation and redemption so doe we also of our regeneration and sanctification for of our selues we are not sufficient to thinke one good thought but he who hath begone the worke in vs is onelie he that continueth in vs the same to the praise and glorie of his vndeserued grace The cause of good workes SO that the cause of good workes we confesse to be not our free will but the spirit of the Lord Iesus whoe dwelling in our harts by true faith bringeth forth such good workes as God hath prepared for vs to walke in For this we most boldlie affirme that it is blasphemie to saie that Christ abideth in the heartes of such as in whom there is no spirit of sanctification And therefore we feare noâ— to affirme that murtherers oppressers cruell persecuters adulterers whormongers filthy persons Idolaters dronkerds the eues and all workers of iniquitie haue
neither true faith neither anie portion of the spirit of the Lord Iesus so long as obstinatlie they continue in their wickednes For how soone that euer the spirit of the Lord Iesus which Gods elect children receiue by true faith taketh possession in the heart of euerie man so soone doth he regenerate and renue the same man so that he beginneth to hate that which before he loued and beginneth to loue that which before he hated And from thence cometh that continual baâ—tel which is betwixt the flesh and the spirit in Gods children so that the flesh and naturall man according to the owne corruption lusteth for thinges pleasing and delectable vnto it selfe grudgeth in aduersitie is lifted vp in prosperitie and at euerie moment is prone and readie to offende the maiestie of God But the spirit of God which giueth witnessing to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God maketh vs to resist filthie pleasures and to grone in Gods presence for deliuerance from this bondage of corruption And finallie so triumpheth ouer sinne that it raigneth not in mortall bodies This battell haue not the carnall men being destitute of Gods spirit but doe follow and obeie sinne with greedines and without repentance euen as the Deuill and their corrupt lusts do pricke them But the Sonnes of god as before is saide doe fight against sinne doe sobbe and mourne when they perceiue themselues tempted in iniquitie and if they fall they rise againe with vnfained repentance and these things they do not by their owne power but by the power of the Lord Iesus without whome they were able to doe nothing What workes are reputed good before God WE confesse and acknowledge that God hath giuen to man his holie law in which not onlie are forbidden all such workes as displease and offend his godlie maiestie but also are commaunded all such as please him and as he hath promised to reward And these workes be of two sortes The one are done to the honour of God the other tâ— the profit of our neighbours and both haue the reuealed will of God for their assurance To haue one God to worship and honoure him to call vpon him in all our troubles to reuerence his holie name to heare his word to beleue the same to communicate with his holie Sacraments are the workes of the first table To honour father mother Princes Rulers and superior powers to loue them to support them yea to obey their charges not repugning to the commaundement of God to saue the liues of innocentes to repreâ— tyranny to defend the oppressed to keep our bodies cleanâ— and holie to â—ue in sobernes and temperance to deale iâ—stlie with all men both in word and deede and finally to repres all appetite of our neighbours hurt are the good works of the second table which are most pleasing and acceptable to God as those workes that are commaunded by himselfe The contrarie whereof is sinne most odious which alwaies displeaseth him and prouolâ—eth him to anger As not to caâ— vpon him alone when we haue need not to heare his worâ—â— with reuerence to contemne and despise it to haue orâ—â— worship Idolls to mainteine and defend idolatrie lightlie 〈◊〉 esteeme the râ—uâ—râ—nt name of God to prophane abuse oâ— contemne the Sacraments of Christ Iesus to disobey or resist any that God hâ—th placed in authoritie whilest theâ— passe not ouer the â—o indes of their office to murther orâ—o consent thereto to be are hatred or to suffer innocent blooâ— to be shed if we may withstand it and finallie the transgression of any other commaundement in the first or second table we confesse or affirme to be sinne by the which Gods hate and displeasure is kindled against the proude vnthankfull world So that good workes we affirme to be those onelie that are done in faith and at Gods commaundement who 〈◊〉 his law hath expressed what the things be that please him And euill workes we affirme not onelie those that expresselie are done against Gods commaundement but those also that in matters of religion and in worshipping of God haue no other assurance but the inuention and opinion of man which God from the beginning hath euer reiected as by the Prophet Esaie and by our Master Christ Iesus we are taught in these wordes In vaine doe they worship me teaching the doctrines and precepts of men The perfection of the law and imperfection of man THe law of God we confesse and acknowledge moste iust most equall most holie and most perfect commaunding those things which being wrought in perfection were able to giue light and able to bring man to eternall felicitie But our nature is so corrupt so weake and so vnperfit that we are neuer able to fullfil the workes of the law in perfection Yea if we saie we haue no sinne euen after we are regenerated we deceiue our selues and the verity of God is not in vs. And therefore it be houeth vs to apprehend Christ Iesus with his iustice and satisfaction who is the ende and accomplishment of the law by whome we are set at this libertie that the cursse and malediction of God fall not vpon vs albeit we fulfil not the same in al points For God the Father beholding vs in the body of his son Christ Iesus accepteth our imperfit obedience as it were persit and couereth our workes which are defiled with many spottes with the iustice of his Sonne we doe not meane that we are so set at libertie that we owe no obedience to the law for that before we haue plainlie confessed but this we affirme that no man in earth Christ Iesus onelie excepted hath giuen giueth or shall giue in worke that obedience to the law which the law requireth But when we haue done al things we must fall downe and vnfeinâ—dly confesse that we are vnprofitable seruantes And therefore whosoeuer boaste themselues of the merites of their owne workes or put their trust in the workes of supererogation boast themselues of that which is nought and put their trust in damnable Idolatrie Of the Church AS we beleeue in one God Father Sonne and the holie Ghost so doe we most constantlie beleeue that from the beginning there hath bene and now is and to the ende of the worlde shall be one Church that is to saie a companie and multitude of men chosen of God who rightly worship and imbrace him by true faith in Christ Iesus who is the onelie head of the same Church which also is the bodie and spouse of Christ Iesus which Church is Catholike that is vniuersall because it conteineth the elect of all ages of all realmes nations and tongues be they of the Iewes or be they of the Gentiles who haue communion and societie with god the father and with his Sonne Christ Iesus through the sanctification of his holie spirit and therefore it is called the communion not of prophane persons but of Saints who as
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
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
But especiallie it is both beleeued and by open confession made knowne as touching the holie Virgin Marie that she was a daughter of the blood royall of the house and familie of Dauid that deare seruant and friend of God and that she was chosen blessed of God the Father consecrared by the holie Ghost visited and sanctified aboue other of her sexe and also replenished with wonderfull grace and power of God to this ende that she might become the true mother of our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God of whom he vouchsased to take our nature and that shee was at all times before her birth in the same and after it a true chaste pure Virgin that by her best beloued sonne the sonne also of the liuing God through the price of his death and the effusion of his moste holie blood she was dearelie redeemed and sanctified as also made one of the deare partakers of Christ by the holie Ghost through faith being adorned with excellent giftes noble vertues and fruites of good workes renowned as happie before all others and made moste assuredlie a ioynt heire of euerlasting life And a litle after Furthermore it is taught in the church that no man ought so to reuerence holy men as we are to worship God much lesse their Images or to reuerence them with that worship and affection of minde which onelie are due to god alone And to be short by no meanes to honour them with deuine worship or to giue it vnto them For god saâ—eth by the Prophet Esaie I am 〈◊〉 Lord thy God this is my name I wil not giue mine honour to anotheâ— nor my glorie to Images Againe a litle after But euen as tâ—â— thing is gainesaid that the honour due to God should be gâ—uen to Saints so it is by no means to be suffered that the honour of the Lambe Christ our Lord and things belonging to him and due to him alone and apperteining to the proper and true Priesthoode of his nature should be transfeâ—red to them that is lest of them and those torments which they suffered we should make redeemers or merites in the life or els aduocates intercessours and Mediatours in heauen or that we should inuocate them and not them onelâ— but not so much as the holie Angells seeing they are nâ— God For there is one onelie redeemer who being once deliuered to death sacrificed himselfe both in his bodie and 〈◊〉 his bloode there is also one onely aduocate the most merciful Lord of vs all And they are not onelie to be reputed taken for saiâ—â— who are gone before vs and are fallen a sleepe in the Lord and dwell now in ioyes but also they who as there haue â—lwaies bene some vpon earth so doe likewise liue now on the earth such are all true godlie Christians in what place oâ— countrie soeuer here or there and among what people soeuer they lead their life who by beeing baptized in the name of the Lord may be sanctified and beeing indued with true faith in the sonne of God and set on fire are mutuallie enflamed with affection of diuine charitie and loue who also acknowledging the iustification of Christ doe vse both it and absolution from their sinnes and the communion of the sacrament of the bodie and bloode of Christ and diligentlie applie themselues to all holie exercises of pietie beseeming a Christian profession as also the Apostles cal such beleeuers in Christ which as yet like strangers are conuersant heere on earth according to the state of mortall men Saints As for example Ye are a chosen generation a royal priesthoode an holie nation a peculiar people Againe al the Saints grees you In like manner Salute all those that haue the ouersight of you and al the Saints that is all faithfull Christians For this cause it is taught that we ought with intire loue and fauour of the heart to embrace all Christians before all other people and when neede is from the same affection of loue to afforde vnto them our seruice and to helpe them further that we ought to mantaine the societie of holie friendship with those that loue and follow the trueth of Christ with all good affection to conceiue well of them to haue them in honour for Christes sake to giue vnto them due reuerence from the affection of Christian loue and to studie in procuring all good by our duetie seruice to pleasure them and finallie to desire their praiers for vs. And that Christians going astraie and entangled with sinnes are louinglie and gentlie to be brought to amendment that compassion is to be had on them that they are with a quiet minde in loue so as becommeth to be borne withall that praier is to be made vnto God for them that he would bring them againe into the waie of saluation to the ende that the holie Gospell maie be spread farther abroad and Christes glorie maie be made knowne and enlarged among all men OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION WE beleeue and acknowledge one onelie God who is one onelie and simple essence spirituall eternall inuisible immutable infinite incomprehensible vnspeakeable almightie moste wise good iust and mercifull The holie scripture teacheth vs that in that one and simple diuine essence there be three persons subsisting the father the sonne and the holie Ghost The father to wit the first cause in order the beginning of all thinges the sonne his wisdome and euerlasting word the holie ghost his vertue power efficacie the sonne begotten of the father from euerlasting the holie Ghost from euerlasting proceeding from the father and the sonne which three persons are not confounded but distinct yet not deuided but coessentiall coeternall coequal And to conclude in this mysterie we alow of that which those foure auncient Councells haue decreed and we detest all secâ—es condemned by those holie auncient doctors Athanasius Hylarie Cyrill Ambrose and such as are condemned by others agereeablie to Gods word Hetherto also belongeth the 2. Art This one God hath reuealed himselfe vnto men to be such a one first by the creation preseruation gouernment of his workes then much more clearlie in his worde c Seek the rest in the 3. diuision We beleeue that we by this one meanes obtaine libertie of praying to god with a sure confidence that it wil come to passe that he will shew him selfe a Father vnto vs. For we haue no entrance to the Father but by this Mediatour We beleeue because Iesus Christ is the onelie aduocate giuen vnto vs who also commaundeth vs to come boldelie vnto the Father in his name that it is not lawfull for vs to make our praiers in anie other forme but in that which god hath set vs downe in his worde and that whatsoeuer men haue forged of the intercession of Saints departed is nothing but the deceites sleightes of Sathan that he might withdrawe men from the right manner of
of life if we communicate with Christ and he be oures and we his by a true faith Let this comfort vs in the temptation touching predestination then which there is none more daungerous that the promises of God are generall to the faithfull in that he saith Aske and ye shall receiue Euerie one that asketh receiueth and to conclude in that we praie with all the Church of God Our father which art in heauen and for that in baptisme we are ingrafted into the bodie of Christ and are fedde in his Church often times with his flesh and bloode vnto euerlasting life Thereby we being strengthned we are commaunded to worke our saluation with feare and trembling according to that precept of Paul OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BASILL HEreupon we confesse that God before he had created the worlde had chosen all those to whome he would freelie giue the inheritance of eternall blessednes OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION WE beleeue that out of this vniuersall corruption damnation wherein by nature all men are drowned God did deliuer and preserue some whome by his eternall and immutable counsell of his owne goodnes and mercie without anie respect of their workes he did chuse in Christ Iesus and others he left in that corruption and damnation in whome he might as well make manifest his iustice by condemning them iustlie in their time as also declare the riches of his mercie in the others For some are not better then others til such time as the Lord doth make a difference according to that immutable counsell which he had decreed in Christ Iesus before the creation of the worlde neither was anie man able by his owne strength to make an entrance for himselfe to that good seeing that of our nature we can not haue so much as one right motion affection or thought till God do freelie preuent vs and fashion vs to vprightnes OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BELGIA WE beleeue that God after that the wholl ofspring of Adam was casâ—e headlong into perdition and destruction thorough the fault of the first man hath declared and shewed himselfe to be such a one as he is indeed namelie both mercifull and iust Mercifull by deliuering and sauing those from condemnation and from death whome in his eternall counsell of his owne free goodnes he hath chosen in Iesus Christ our Lord without any regard at all of their worke but Iust in leauing others in that their fall and perdition whereinto they had throwen themselues headlong OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE THe confession of Auspurge doth so mention predestination in the 20. article the title wherof is De fide Of faith that it affirmeth it to be a needles thing to dispute of predestination in the doctrine of iustification by faith Which in what sorte it may be said we haue declared in the. 6. obseru vpon this confess sect 9. where these wordes of the confess are rehearsed Also the SAXON CONFESSION Doth in the same sense by the way make mention of Predestination and Election about the end of the third Article where it treateth of faith which parte we haue therefore placed in the 9. section THE SIXTH SECTION OF THE REPAIRING OR DELIVERANCE OF MAN FROM HIS FALL BY IESVS CHRIST ALONE AND OF HIS PERSON NATVRES OFFICE and the workes of Redemption THE FORMER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of Iesus Christ being true god and man and the onely sauiour of the world CHAP. II. MOreouer we beleuee and teach that the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ was from all eternitie predestinated and foreordâ—ined of the father to be the Sauiour of the world And we beleeue that he was begotten not onely then when he tooke flesh of the Virgine Mary nor yet a litle before the foundations of the world were laide but before all eternity that of the father after an vnspeakeable manner For Isaiah saith Who can tâ—l his generation And Micheah saith Whose egresse hath bin from euerlasting For Iohn saieth In the beginning was the worde and the worde was with God and God was the worde c. Therefore the Sonne is coequall and consubstantiall with the father as touching his diuinitie true God not by name onelie or by adoption or by special fauour but in substance nature Euen as the Apostle saith elsewhâ—re This is the true God and life euerlasting Paul also saieth He hath made his sonne the heire of al things by whom also he made the world The same is the brightnes of his glorie the ingraued fâ—â—me of his person bearing vp al things by his mighâ—â—e worde Likewise in the Gospell the Lorde himselfe saith Father glorifie 〈◊〉 me with thy selfe with the glorie which I had with the before the worlde was Also else where it is written in the Gospeli The â—eweâ— tought how to kill Iesus because he saide that God was his father making himselfe equal with God We therefore doe abhorre the blasphemous doctrine of Arrius and all the Arrians vttered against the Sonne of God And especiallie the blaspemies of Michaell Seruetus the Spanyarde and of his complices which Sathan by them hath as it were drawen out of hell moste boldelie and impiouslie spread abroade throughout the worlde against the Sonne of God We teach also and beleeue that the eternal sonne of the eternall God was made the sonne of man of the seede of Abraham Dauid not by the meane of any man as Hebion affirmed but that he was moste purely conceiued by the holie Ghost and was borne of Marie who was alwaies a Virgine euen as the historie of the Gospel doeth declare And Paul saith He took in no sort the Angels but the seed of Abraham And Iohn the Apostle saith He that beleeueth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of god The flesh of Christ therefore was neither flesh in shew onelie nor yet flesh brought from heauen as Valentine and Marcion dreamed Moâ—eouer our Lord Iesus Christ had not a soule without sense and reason as Apollinaris thought nor flesh without a sâ—â—le as Eunomius did teach but a soull with it reason and flesh with it senses by which senses he felt true griefes in the time of his passion euen as he himselfe witnesseth when he said My soule is heauie euen to death And My soule is troubled c. We acknowledge therfore that there be in one the same Iesus Christ our Lord two natures the deuine and the humane nature we say that these two are so conioyned or vnited that they are not swallowed vp confounded or mingled together but rather vnited or ioyned together in one person the proprieties of ech nature being safe and remaining still so that we do worship one Christ our Lord and nâ—â— two I say one true god man as touching his diuine nature of the same substance with the father as touching his humane nature of the same substance with vs
send him vnto vs so that now we are not to looke for any other And now there remaineth nothing but that we all should giue all glorie to him beleeue in him and rest in him onelie contemning and reiecting al other aides of our life For they are fallen from the grace of God and make Christ of no value vnto themselues whosoeuer they be that seeke saluation in anie other things besides Christ alone And to speake manie thinges in few wordes with a sinceare heart we beleeue and with libertie of speach we freelie professe whatsoeuer thinges are defined out of the holy scriptures and comprehended in the Creedes and in the decrees of those foure first and moste excellent councells holden at Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon together with blessed Athanasius his Creede and all other Creedes like to these touching the mysterie of the incarnation of our Lord Iesus Christ and we condemne al things contrarie to the same And thus doe we retaine the Christian sounde Catholike faith wholie and inuiolable knowing that nothing is contained in the foresaid Creedes which is not agreeable to the worde of God and maketh wholie for the sincere declaration of faith OVT OF THE FORMER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA The eternal Counsel of the restoring of man ANd though man by this fault was deputed to damnation and had incurred moste iuste wrath yet God the father neuer ceased to haue a care ouer him the which is manifest by the first promises by the wholl law which as it is holie and good teaching vs the will of God righteousnes and trueth so doth it worke anger and stirre vp not extinguish sinnes in vs not through it owne fault but by ours and by Christ ordeined and exhibited for this purpose Iesus Christ and those benefittes which we reap by him THis Christ the true sonne of God beeing true God and true man was made our brother when according to the time appointed he had taken vpon him wholl man that is consisting of soule bodie and in one indiuisible person vnited two natures yet were not these natures confounded that he might restore vs beeing dead to life and make vs fellow heires with him-selfe He taking flesh of the moste pure virgine Marie the holie Ghost working together flesh I saie beeing sacred by the vnion of the Godhead and like vnto ours in all thinges sinne onelie accepted because it behooued our sacrifice to be vnspotted gaue the same flesh to death for the purgation of all since The same Christ as he is to vs a full and perfect hope aâ—â— trust of our immortalitie so he placed his flesh being raised vp from death into heauen at the right hand of his almightie father This conquerour hauing triumphed ouer death sinne and all the infernall deuills sitting as our captaine head and chiefe high Priest doth defend and plead our cause continuallie til he do reforme vs to that Image after which we were created and bring vs to the fruition of life euerlasting we looke for him to come in the end of the world a true and vpright iudge and to giue sentence vpon all flesh beeing first raised vp to that iudgement and to aduaunce the godlie aboue the skie and to condemne the wicked both in soul and bodie to eternall destruction Who as he is the onelie Mediatour intercessor sacrifice and also our high Priest Lord and King so we doe acknowledge and with the wholl heart beleeue that he alone iâ— our attonement redemption sanctification expiation wisdome protection and deliuerance simplie herein reiecting all mean of our life and saluation beside this Christ alone The latter parte of this article we placed also in the second section which entreateth of the onelie mediator OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BASILL Of Christ being true God and true man WE beleeue and confesse constantlie that Christ in the time hereunto appointed according to the promise of God was giuen to vs of the father and that so the eternall word of God was made flesh that is that this sonne of God being vnited to our nature in one person was made our brother that we through him might be made partakers of the inheritance of God We beleeue that this Iesus Christ was conceiued of the holie Ghost borne of the pure and vndefiled Virgine Marie suffered vnder Pontius Pilate crucified and dead for our sinnes and so by the one oblation of him selfe he did satisfie God our heauenlie father for vs and reconcile vs to him and so by his death he did triumph and ouercame the world death and hell Moreouer according to the flesh he was buried descended into hell and the third daie he rose againe from the dead These thinges being sufficientlie approoued he in soul and bodie ascended into heauen and sitteth there at the right hand that is in the glorie of God the father almightie from thence he shall come to iudge the quick and the dead Moreouer he sent to his disciples according to his promise the holie Ghost in whome we beleeue euen as we do beleeue in the father and in the sonne We beleeue that the last iudgement shall be wherein our flesh shall life againe and euerie man according as he hath done in this life shall receiue of Christ the Iudge to weete eternall life if he hath shewed forth the fruites of faith which are the workes of righteousnes by a true faith and vnfeigned loue and eternall fire if he hath committed good or euill without faith or loue OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA CHAP. 4. Towardes the middle NEither hath anie man of all thinges whatsoeuer anie thing at all whereby he maie deliuer set free or redeeme himselfe from his sinnes and condemnation without Christ by whome alone they which trulie beleeue are freed from sinne from the tyrannie and prison of the deuill from the wrath of God and from death and euerlasting torments And a litle after towardes the end of the said fourth Chap. Together with this point and after it considering that both the matter it selfe and order of teaching so requireth the ministers of the Church teach vs after our fall to acknowledge the promise of God the true word of grace and the holie gospell brought to vs from the priuy counsell of the holie Triâ—iâ—ie concerning our Lord Christ and our wholl saluation purchased by him Of these promise there be three principall wherein all the rest are contained The first was made in Paradise in these wordes I will out enmitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and her seede He shal breake thine head and thou shalt bruyse his heele The second was made to Abraham which afterwardes Iacob also and Moses did reneuâ— The third to Dauid which the Prophets recited expounded In these promises are described and painted forth those moste excellent and principall workes of Christ our Lorde which are the verse ground worke whereon our saluation standeth by which he is our Mediator
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
sinnes But he offering a sacrifice for sinnes sitteth for euer at the right hand of God c. And although we doe not see as yet in this our infirmitie the causes of this wonderfull counsell why mankinde was to be redeemed after this sort but we shall learne them hereafter in all eternitie yet these principles are now to be learned In this sacrifice there are to be seene iustice in the wrath of God against sinne infinite mercie towards vs and loue in his Sonne towards mankinde The seueritie of his iustice was so great that there could be no reconciliation before the punishment was accomplished His mercie was so great that his Sonne was giuen for vs. There was so great loue in the Sonne towards vs that he deriued vnto himselfe this true and exceeding great anger O Sonne of God kindle in our hearts by thy holie spirit a consideration of these great and secret things that by the knowledge of this true wrath we may be sore afraide and that againe by true comforte we may be lifâ—ed vp that we may praise thee for euer OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE WE beleeue and confesse that the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ be gotten of his eternal Father is true and eternal God consubstantial with his father and that in the fullnes of time he was made man to purge our sinnes and to procure the eternall saluation of mankinde that Christ Iesus being verie God and verie man is one person onelie and not two and that in this one person there be two natures not one onelie as by testimonies of the holie scripture the holie Fathers haue declared in the Councells held at Nice Ephesus and Chalcedon Therfore we detest euerie heresie which is repugnant to this doctrine of the Sonne of God OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND ALSO we beleeue that our Sauiour Iesus Christ being true God was also made true man his natures not beeing confounded but so vnited in one and the same person that they shall neuer hereafter be dissolued Neither do we differ any thing in those points which the Church being taught out of the holie Gospells doth beleeue concerning our Sauiour Iesus Christ conceiued of the holie Ghost borne of the Virgine Marie and who at the length after he had discharged the office of preaching the Gospell died on the crosse and was buried and descended into hell and the third daie he was called backe from the dead vnto life eternall the which life when he had by diuers arguments prooued vnto witnesses hereunto appointed he was caried vp into heauen to the right hand of his Father from whence we looke that he should come to iudge the quick and the dead In the meane time let vs acknowledge that he is neuer thelesse present with his Church that he doth renew and sanctifie it and as his onelie beloued spouse beutifie it with all sortes of ornaments of vertues and in these things we doe nothing varie from the Fathers nor from the common consent of Christians we thinke it sufficient after this sorte to testifie our faith THE SEVENTH SECTION OF THE LAVV AND THE GOSPELL THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVEITA Of the lawe of God CHAP. 12. WE teach that the will of God is set downe vnto vs in the lawe of God to wit what he would haue vs to doe or not to doe what is good and iust or what is euill and vniust we therefore confes that the lawe is good and holie and that this lawe is by the finger of God either written in the heartes of men and so is called the lawe of nature or ingrauen in the two tables of stone and more largelie expounded in the bookes of Moses For plainnes sake we deuide it vnto the morall lawe which is contained in the commaundementes or the two tables expounded in the books of Moses and into the ceremoniall which doth appoint ceremonies and the worshipâ— of God and into the iudicial law which is occupied about politicall and domesticall affaires VVe beleeue that the wholl will of God and all necessarie precepts for euerie part of this life is fullie deliuered in this lawe For otherwise the Lord would not haue forbidden That anie thing should be either added or taken away from this law Neither would he haue commaunâ—â—d vs to goe straight forward in this and Not to decline out of the waie either to the right handor to the left We teach that this lawe was not giuen to men that we should be iustified by keeping it but that by the knowledge thereof we might rather acknowledge our infirmitie sinne and condemnation and so dispairing of our owne strength might turne vnto Christ by faith For the Apostle saith plainlie The law worketh wrath and by the law commeth knowledge of sinne And If there had bene a law giuen which could haue iustified and giuen vs life surely righteousnes should haue bene by the law But the spirit to wit of the law hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them which beleue Therfore the law was our schoolemaster to Christ that we might be iustified by faith For neither could there euer neither at this daie can anie flesh satisfie the law of God fullfill it by reason of the weaknes in our flesh which remaineth and sticketh fast in vs euen to our last breath For the Apostle saith againe That which the law could not performe in as much as it was weake through the flesh that did God performe sending his own sonne in similitude of flesh subiect to sinne Therfore Christ is the perfiter of the law and our fullfilling of it who as he tooke awaie the cursse of the law when as he was made a cursle for vs so doth he coÌ„municate vnto vs by faith his full filling thereof his righteousnes obedience is imputed vnto vs. The law of God therefore is thus farre abrogated as that it doeth not henceforth condemne vs neither work wrath in vs. For we are vnder grace and not vnder the law Moreouer Christ did fulfill all the figures of the law Wherefore the shadow ceased when the bodie came so that in Christ we haue now all trueth and fullnes Yet we do not therefore disdaine or reâ—ect the law We remember the wordes of the Lord saying I came not to destroie the law and the Prophets but to fullfill them We knowe that in the law are described vnto vs the kindes of vertues vices We know that the scripture of the lawe if it be expounded by the Gospell is very profitable to the Church and that therefore the reading of it is not to be banished out of the Church For although the countenance of Moses was couered with a vaile yet the Apostle affirmeth that the vaile is taken awaie and abolished by Christ We condemne al thinges which the olde or new heretikes haue taught against the lawe of God
griefes that he is assured lie receiued into fauour for Christ his sake This is the proper voice of the gospel this decree is brought by the Sonne out of the bosome of the eternall father and is sealed vp by his blood and resurrection Not to assent to this wil and decree is to contemne the Sonne of God and concerning this sinne Iohn saith cap. 3. He that beleeueth not the Some the wrath of God abideth on him But he that beleeueth that his sinnes be forgiuen for this Mediatours sake he doth now certainelie receiue remission of his sinnes for Christ his sake which is effectuall in him and quickneth and sanctifieth him by his holy Spirit and being now reconciled he is vndoubtedly accounted iust for the Mediatours sake is heir of eternal life Either to omit or to corrupt or to dislike this necessarie comfort touching conuersion is as much as manifestlie to extinguish the Gospel As touching this faith absolution ought both to admonish vs and also to confirme it as Dauid was confirmed when he heard this absolution 2. Reg. 12. The Lorde hath taken awaie thy sinne So know thou that the voice of the Gospell doth declare remission vnto thee also the which remission is namelie propounded to thee in absolution Doe not thou feigne that the Gospell doth nothing at all pertaine to thee but knowe that it was therfore published that by this meanes men imbracing the Gospell might be saued and that it is the eternall and immutable commaundement of God that thou shouldest beleeue it He that doth not by this faith imbrace the Gospell but is still doubting he doth in vaine heare the absolution WheÌ„ as by this comfort the hearts are quickned are now made the dwelling places of God Then is it necessarie that they should now begin a new obedience as is saide before But to returne to wicked deedes is * to shake of God and againe to loose that righteousnes and life as Iohn saith 1 Iohn 3. He that doth righteousnes is righteous he that committeth sinne is of the deuill But we haue before rehearsed the summe of the doctrine of new obedience Of satisfaction Arti. 17. NOw what a confusion there is in their doctrine of Satisfactions which they tearme workes not due inioyned by the Church it were long to rehearse and few before these times haue vnderstoode it but we doubt not but that this wholl part also is true lie and cleerely expounded in our Churches It was a custome among our first fathers that they which defiled themselues with murther Idolls or filthie lustes should be barred their companie and chieflie from their sacrifices This custome both the Sinagogue reteined and other nations also which were not altogether sauage in Asia and in Greece In the meane time they which were defiled wandred vp downe beeing branded with the marks of their guiltines as Orestes A drastus many others This custome in the beginning did the Church also keepe Those that were defiled it seuered from the mutuall society afterward it did not sodenlie receiue those againe that did repent that it might be knowne that they did vnfeignedlie aske pardon and for examples sake it might profite others but for certaine daies absolution was deferred that they might be seene to aske pardon publikelie So was that incestuous Corinthian debarred afterward receiued againe not without deliberation 1. Cor. 5. This wholl custome was appointed for examples sake and is politicall nothing at all pertaining to the Remission of sinnes But afterward thorough superstition it so encreased that fastes and forbearing the companie of man or wife were inioyned for manie yeares When these burthens had increased too much the Bishoppes did release them againe and this release of such rites was called Indulgence The Monkes not considering the historie of these things feigned that eternall punishment might be recompensed by the punishments of Purgatorie or other punishments of this life and they added that Satisfactions were inioyned of the Church that those punishments might be mitigated and that satisfactions shoulde be workes not due by the law of God We reiect these Monkish fables which euen they themselues doe not vnderstand and we retaine moste sure rules to wit That eternall punishments are remitted together with the fault for the Sonne his sake not for anie oâ—â— satisfactions according to that which is written in Hosea Cap. 13. O death I will be thy death O Hell I will be thy destruction Also Rom. 5. Being iustified by faith we haue peace Secondlie we saie that these not due workes whereof these men speake are not any worship of God or satisfactions but that they doe pertaine to this saying Mat. 15. They doe in vaine worship me with the commaundements of men And certainelie the power of the keies hath no commaundement to inioyne such punishments Also we feare that this applying of indulgences by which the Pope doth applie the merites of Saintes vnto others is but counterfeit and that the indulgences in times paste were nothing else but a releasing of the Canons which did nothing appertaine to those satisfactions whereof the monkes doe speake Now it is another thing to speake of satisfaction which is due as of the restoring of theft of that which hath bin gotten by vsury of another mans wife or his good name This restitution is a worke that is due pertaining to new obedience as Paull saith Eph. 4 Let him that hath stolne steale no more He that withholdeth another mans wife hath neither contrition faith nor new obedience Neither are the commaundements of god touching due satisfaction which we saie ought to be made to be mingled with those trifling songes of popish satisfactions Also this we confesse that in this life manie horrible punishments are spread ouer the Church ouer Empires ouer families for certaine sins of manie men yea euen of the Elect as the sedition that was raised vp against Dauid did not lightlie afflict that whol ciuil regiment many holy families Therfore we distinguish betwixt eternall punishment and the punishment of this life and we saie that eternall punishment is remitted onelie for the Sonne of God his sake when we are iustified and quickned by faith And albeit that euen temporall punishments are chieflie mitigated for the Sonne of God his sake who is the hearbour for the Church because this weake nature can not susteine the greatnes of the wrath of God as Daniel praieth Chap. 9. For the Lordes sake heare thou vs and haue 〈◊〉 vnto our helpe c. Yet wee teach this also that euen for the very* conuersions sake our punishments are mitigated because that in the Saints the legall promises being added to their workes are not without their effect but haue their rewardes Such a promise is this Giue and it shall be giuen vnto you And when Paull saith 1. Cor. 11. If we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged he speaketh of wholl repentance not of those moste
vaine shadowes which they reason to preuaile although a man fall againe into mortall sinne And in this matter they haue deuised new iugling trickes They confesse that these satisfactions are not recompences but they saie that we muste admitte such satisfactions as chastisements as Paull doth punish the Corinthian 1. Cor. 5. That chastisement was excommunication and we confesse that they which are guiltie of manifest hainous deedes are by a lawfull iudgement and order to be excommunicated neither is iust excommunication a vaine lightning Yet notwithstanding the power of the Church doth not punish by corporall force as by prison or by hunger but it doth onelie pronounce this sentence The prison and common punishments doe pertaine to ciuill gouernours But such is the frowardnes of certaine men that although they see themselues conuinced by the euidence of truth yet they seeke to dallie by sophistrie lest if they should giue place they should be thought to haue betrayed their fellowes God which seeth the heart knoweth that with a simple indeauour we haue sought out the trueth OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE Of Repentance CHAP. 12. SEing that we must alwaies acknowledge our sinnes and beleeue that they be forgiuen for Christ his sake wee thinke it also meete that men should alwaies repent in this life But diuers men expound repentance diuerslie commonlie they make three partes of repentance Contrition Confession and Satisfaction We will seuerallie and brieflie runne ouer these partes that we maie declare what we maie thinke to be in deede Catholike and Apostolike in this doctrine of Repentance Of Contrition CHAP. 13. WE call Contrition a feeling of the wrath of God or a sorrow and great feare of the minde raised by the knowledge of the greatnes of our sinnes and the weightines of the wrath of God And we thinke that such a Contrition as the law of God doth vse to stirre vp in man is necessarilie required in true repentance but to teach that it doth deserue remission of sinnes or that it is a purging of our sinnes before God we thinke it contrarie to the Apostolike doctrine God truelie doth not despise a contrite and an humble heart as the Psalme saith but therefore he doth not despise it because the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ tooke vpon him a contrite humble heart by whose onelie contrition and humiliation our sinnes are purged before God and his wrath is pacified Now we are made partakers of this pacification when with a contrite and humble heart we beleeue that Iesus Christ alone is our reconciler with the heauenlie Father Isa 53. He was wounded for out trangressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisment of our peace was vpon him and by his stripes we are healed 1. Ioh. 2. He is the propitiation for our sinnes Act. 10. To him giue all the Prophets witnes that through his name all that beleeue in him shall haue remission of their sinnes Also the examples of Cain Esau Saul Iudas Iscarioth and such like doe witnes that Contrition is not a merit of remission of sinnes For these men although they had so great contrition that it seemed to them a thing more tollerable to dispatch their life either by strangling or by thrusting themselues in with swordes rather then to suffer those horrible griefes yet could they not obteine remission of their sinnes The Glosse saith If we looke narrowlie to the matter remission of sinnes is to be attributed to the grace of God not to contrition Wherfore we confesse that to shew forth true repentance Contrition is necessarie yet not to this ende that it should be any merit or purging of our sinnes before God but that man acknowledging the greatnes of his sinnes should be stirred vp to seeke remission of sinnes saluation in the onelie free clemencie and mercie of God and that onelie for Iesus Christ our Lord his sake by faith Of Confession CHAP. 14. THey call confession a reckoning vp of sinnes before a Priest Therfore such confession as hath hitherto bin vsed as it was not commaunded of God so it is manifest that the auncient Church did not exact it with such seueritie as if it had beene necessarie to obteine eternal saluation And it is not to be doubted but that we ought to acknowledge our selues before God to be sinners and to confesse our sinnes to God yea the auncient Ecclesiasticall writers doe graunt that it is free for any one to reckon vp his sins before man vnles in some matter man be offended and the trueth by lauful and deuine calling is to be declared Chrysostome saith I will thee not to bewraie thy selfe openlie nor to accuse 〈◊〉 selfe before others but I counsell thee to obeie the Prophet saying Open thy waie vnto the Lorde And againe If thou ar◠ashamed to shew thy sinnes to any man then vtter them euerie daie in thine heart I saie nos goe confesse thy sinnes to they felow seruant that maie vpbraide thee with them but confesse them vnto God that is able to cure them Now although these wordes of Chrysostome vse to be expounded of those sinnes which were before confessed to a Priest yet is this exposition a manifest wresting of the meaning of Chrysostome and the Ecclesiasticall historie doth euidentlie witnes that this custome of confessing vnto a Priest was abrogated in the Church of Constantinople Augustine saith What haue I 〈◊〉 doe with men that they should heare my confessions as if they 〈◊〉 able to heale all my griefes They are verie curious to know an other mans life and verie slow in amending their own Ambrose saith Peter sorrowed and weept because he erred as man I doe not final what he saide I know that he wept I reade of his teares I doe not reade of his satisfaction And although we thinke that it is not necessarie to saluation to reckon vp sinnes before a Priest and that it is not any merite of remission of sinnes yet we endeuour that a generall confession of sinnes so farre as may be and is lawfull maie be reteined in our Churches and that for two causes One is that by this priuate conference the ignorant may be admonished and instructed in necessarie matters the other that by this occasion the Gospell of Christ touching remission of sinnes maie be heard priuatelie the which Gospell is the true Keie of the Kingdome of heauen and absolution from sinne and that by the hearing of the Gospell or absolution faith m aie be either conceiued or confirmed For that we may truelie repent we thinke that there is nothing more sure certaine then that of necessity we should haue faith to this ende that as the Gospel of Christ doth declare it so we may assuredlie beleeue that our sinnes are freely pardoned and forgiuen for our Lord Iesus Christ his sake We are not ignorant if we looke vnto our workes that we are not one he to doubt but also to dispaire of our saluation
vngodlines and guiltie of death But we are iustified that is acquitted from sinne and death by God the iudge through the grace of Christ alone and not by any respect or merit of ours For what is more plaine then that which Paule saieth All haue sinned and are destitute of the glorie of God and are iustified freelie by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus For Christ tooke vpon him selfe and bare the sinnes of the world and did satisfie the iustice of God God therfore is mercifull vnto our sinnes for Christ alone that suffred and rose againe and doth not impute them vnto vs. But he imputeth the iustice of Christ vnto vs for our owne so that now we are not onely clensed from sinne and purged and holie but also indued with the righteousnes of Christ yea and acquitted from sinne death and condemnation finallie we are righteous and heires of eternall life To speake properlie then it is God alone that iustifieth vs and that onelie for Christ by not imputing vnto vs our sinnes but imputing Christes righteousnes vnto vs. But because we doe receiue this iustification not by anie works but by faith in the mercie of god and in Christ therefore we teach and beleeue with the Apostle that sinnefull man is iustified onelie by faith in Christ not by the lawe or by anie workes For the Apostle saith We conclude that man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law If Abraham was iustified by workes he hath whereof to boast but not with God For that saith the scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes But to him that worketh not but beleueeth in him that iustifieth the vngodlie his faith is counted for righteousnes And againe You are saued by grace through saith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Not by workes lest anie might haue cause to boast c. Therefore because saith doth apprehend Christ our righteousnes aâ—â— doth attribute al to the praise of god in Christ in this respect 〈…〉 is attributed to faith chieflie because of Christ whome it receiueth and not because it is a work of ours For it is the gift of God Now that we doe receiue Christ by faith the Lord sheweth at large Ioa. 6. where he putteth eating for beleeuing and beleeuing for eating For as by eating we receiue meat so by beleeuing we are made partakers of Christ Therefore we doe not parte the benefite of iustification giuing part to the grace of God or to Christ a part to our selues our charitie workes or merit but we doe attribute it whollie to the praise of God in Christ and that through faith Moreouer our charitie and our workes cannot pleaâ—e God if they be done of such as are not iust wherfore we 〈◊〉 first be iust before we can loue or doe anie iust workes We are made iust as we haue said through faith in Christ â— the meere grace of God who doth not impute vnto vs oâ— sinnes but imputeth vnto vs the righteousnes of Christ yeâ— and our faith in Christ he imputeth for righteousnes vnâ—â— vs. Moreouer the Apostle doth plainelie deriue loâ— from faith saying The ende of the commaundement is loue prceeding from a pure heart a good conscience and a faith vnfeineâ— Wherefore in this matter we speake not of a fained vaine or dead faith but of a liuely and quicking faith which for Christ who is life and giueth life whome it apprehendeth both is in deed and is so called a liuelie faith doth prooue it selfe to be liuelie by liuely workes And therefore Iames doth speake nothinge contrarie to this our doctrine for he speaketh of a vaine and dead faith which certaine braggeâ— of but had not Christ liuing within them by faith Aâ—â— Iames also saieth that workes doe iustifie yet is he not contrarie to Saint Paull for then he were to be reiected but he sheweth that Abraham did shew his liuelie and iustifying faith by workes And so doe all the godlie who yet trust 〈◊〉 Christ alone not to their owne works For the Apostle said againe I liue howbeit not I but Christ liueth in me But the 〈◊〉 which now I liue in the flesh I liue through the faith of the sonne of God who loued me gaue himselfe for me I do not despise the gâ—â—â— of God for if righteousnes be by the law then Christ died in vain c. Of Faith and good workes Of their rewarde and of mans merit CHAP. 16. CHristian faith is not an opinion or humane persuasion but a sure trust and an euident and steadfast assent of the minde to be briefe a moste sure comprehensiâ—e of the trueth of God set forth in the scriptures and in the Apostles Creede yea and of God himselfe the chiefe blessednes and especiallie of Gods promise and of Christ who iâ— the consummation of all the promises And this faith is thâ—â—eere gift of God because God alone of his power doeth giue it to his elect according to measure and that when to whome and how much he will and that by his holie spirit through the meanes of preaching the Gospell and of faithfull praier This faith hath also her increases which vnles they were likewise giuen of God the Apostles would neuer haue saide Lord increase our saith Now all these thinges which we haue saide hitherto of faith the Apostles taught them before vs euen as we set them downe for Paul saieth Faith is the grounde or sure subsistence of things hoped for and the euidence or cleare and certeine comprehension of things which are not sâ—â—â—e And againe he saith that all the promises of God in Christ are yea and in Christ are Amen And the same Apostle saith to the Philippians that it was giuen them to beleeue in Christ And also God doeth distribute vnto euerie man a measure of faith And againe All men haue not faith and al doe not obey the Gospel Besides Luke witnesseth and saith As many as were ordeined to life beleeued And therefore he also calleth faith The faith of Gods elect And againe Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of god And in an other place he willeth meÌ„ to praie for faith And the same also calleth Faith Powreful and that sheweth it selfe by loue This faith doth pacifie the conscience and doth open vnto vs a free accesse vnto God that with confidence we maie come vnto him and may obteine at his handes whatsoeuer is profitable and necessarie The same faith doth keepe vs in our dutie which we owe to God and to our neighbour and doth fortifie our patience in aduersitie it doth frame and make a true confession and in a worde it doth bring forth good fruite of all sorts and good workes which are good in deede doe proceede from a liuely faith by the holie Ghost and are done of the faithfull according to the will or
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
when as once we doe acknowledge his mercie through faith then we flie vnto God we loue him we call vpon him hope in him looke for his helpe obeie him in afflictions because we doe now know our selues to be the sonnes of God and that this our sacrifice that is our afflictions doth please God These seruices doth faith bring forth Verie well therefore saide Ambrose Faith is the mother of a good wil and of iust dealing Our Aduersaries wil seâ—e verie honourablie to set out the doctrine of good workes and yet concerning these spirituall workes to wit faith and the exercises of faith in praier and in all matters counsells and daungers of this life they speake neuer a worde And in deede none can euer speake wel of these exercises if the consciences be left in doubt and if they know not that God requireth faith as a speciall worship of his And when as that huge shew of outward works is cast as a myst before mens eies the mindes especiallie such as be not well instructed are led aware from beholding these inward exercises Now it is verie requisite that men should be taught and instructed concerning these inwarde workes and fruites of the spirit For these they be that make a difference betweene the godlie and hypocrites As for externall worship externall ceremonies and other outwarde workes the verie hypocrites can performe them But these seruices and duties belong onelie to the true Church true repentance feare faith praier c. These kindes of worship are especiallie required and commended in the Scripture Psal 49. Offer vnto God the sacrifice of praise and Call on me in the day of trouble c. Thirdlie by this faith which doth comforte the heart in repentance we doe receiue the spirit of God who is giuen vs to be our gouernour helper that we should resist sinne and the deuill and more and more acknowledge our owne weakenes and that the knowledge and feare of God and faith maie increase in vs wherefore our obedience to God and a new life ought to increase in vs as Saint Paull saith We must be renued to the knowledge of God that the new lawe maie be wrought in vs and his Image which hath created vs be renued c. Fourthlie we teach also how this obedience which is but begunne onelie and not perfect doth please God For in this so great infirmitie and vncleannes of nature the Saints doe not satisfie the law of God The faithfull therefore haue neede of comforte that they maie know how their slender and imperfect obedience doth please God It doth not please him as satisfying his lawe but because the persons themselues are reconciled made righteous through Christ and doe beleeue that their weaknes is forgiuen them as Paull teacheth There is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ c. Albeit then that this new obedience is farre from the perfection of the Lawe yet it is righteousnes and is worthie of a rewarde euen because that the persons are reconciled And thus we must iudge of those works which are indeed highlie to be commended namelie * that they be necessarie that they be the seruice of God and spirituall sacrifices and doe deserue a rewarde Neuertheles this consolation is first to be held touching the person which is verie necessarie in the conflict of the conscience to weere that we haue remission of sinnes freelie by faith and that the person is iust that is reconciled and an heire of eternall life through Christ and then that our obedience doth please God according to that saying Now ye are not vnder the law but vnder grace For our workes maie not be set against the wrath and iudgement of God But the terrours of sinne and death must be ouercome by faith and trust in the mediatour Christ as it is written O death I will be thy death and Iohn 6. Christ saith This is the will of the Father which sent me that euerie one which seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him should haue life euerlasting and S. Paull Being iustified by faith we haue peace with God and the Church alwaies praieth forgiue vs our trespasses And thus do the fathers teach concerning the weaknes of the saints and concerning faith Augustine in his exposition of the 30. Psalm saith Deliuer me in thy righteousnes For there is a righteousnes of God which is made ours when it is giuen vnto vs. But therefore is it called the righteousnes of God lest man should thinke that he had a righteousnes of himselfe For as the Apostle Paull saith To him that beleeueth in him that iustifieth the â—â—ked that is that of a wicked maketh a righteous man If God should deale by the rule of the law which is set forth vnto vs he must needs be condemned If God should as it were deale by the rule propounded in the law whom should he deliuer for he findeth al men to be sinners So saith Paul Al haue sinned stand in need of the glory of god What is this to stand in need of Gods glorie That he should deliuer thee not thou thy selfe For thou canst not deliuer thy selfe Thou hast need of a Sauiour Why doest thou vaunt thy selfe what maketh thee to presume of the law and of righteousnes Seest thou not that which doeth fight within the doest thou not heare one that striueth and confesseth his weaknes and desireth aide in the battell O miserable man that I am c. Now it may easilie be perceiued how needefull this doctrine is for the Church that men may know that they doe not satisfie the law of God and yet may haue true comforte knowing how their imperfect obedience doth please God This doctrine hath beene horriblie darkened and suppressed heretofore by certeine fond perswasions wherein vnlearned men haue imagined against the authoritie of the scripture that they can fullfill the law of God and that they are iust through the fullfilling of the law c. And that Monkes are perfect and doe performe more notable worthie workes then the law doth require In the meane while there is not a worde how the Mediatour Christ is to be apprehended by faith but they willed man to doubt or else to trust in his own workes But as touching this obedience we doe teach that they which commit mortall sinnes are not iust because god requireth this obedience that we should resist sinnefull lusts They then which striue not against them but obeie them contrarie to the commaundement of God and doe things against their consciences they are vnrighteous and doe neither retaine the holy spirit nor faith that is confidence and trust of gods mercie For confidence which seeketh remission of sinnes cannot so much as be in such as are delighted with their sinnes and remaine without repentance Fiftlie this point is needfull also to be taught by what meanes men maie doe good workes We shewed a litle before how our workes doe please God In this
his time Ceremonies were appointed for this cause that they should be admonitions of the Mediatour of the Doctrine of Faith of free remission for the Mediatours sake But they feigned that sinnes were forgiuen for those rites and sacrifices and by this superstition they heaped vp sacrifices and forgot the Mediatour and were without true comfort and without true inuocation The same thing hapned also after the Apostles time the light of the gospell being lost wherein is propounded free remission for the Mediatours sake and that to be receiued by Faith They sought remission by Monasticall exercises by single life by diuers obseruations by the offering in the Masse by the intercession of dead men and manie monstrous superstitions were deuised as the histories of the wholl Church which succeeded the Apostles doe declare Against these errours the infinite mercie of God hath oftentimes restored the voice of the Gospell And as among the people of Israell he did often raise vp Prophets which should purge the doctrine diligentlie so in the Church after the Apostles time when the writings of Origen and Pelagius and the superstition of the people had corrupted the puritie of the gospell yet notwithstanding as in a mist the light of the gospell was againe kindled by Augustine and him followed Prosper Maximus and others who reprooued the false opinions touching this Article Afterward when the Monkes were sprong vp and that opinion which faigneth men to merit by their workes was a fresh spread abroad yet there were some of a better iudgement although they added stable to the foundation as Hugo Bernard Gilbert William of Paris Tauler Ambrose Wesell and others in other places And now by the voice of Luther the doctrine of the gospell is more cleered and more euidentlie restored and the Lambe shewed vnto vs as the Baptist saith Beholde the lambe of God that takâ—â—â— awaie the sinnes of the world He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath eternall life he that beleeueth not the wrath of God abideth on him This same voice of the Gospell our Churches doe puâ—lâ—â—â— and that without corruption and we doe discerne that discipline or righteousnes which a man not regenerat maie performe from the righteousnes of faith and that newnes whereof the gospell doth preach We saie that all men are to be restrained by discipline that is by that righteousnes which euen the vnregenerate ought and after a sorte maie performe which is an obedience in externall actions according to all the commaundements of God apperterning to all men Because that God left this libertie in man after his fall that the outward members might after a sorre obeie reason and the will in stirring vp or omitting outward motions as Achilles maie draw his sword or put it vp into the sheath Scipio maie restraine his members so that he meddle not with another mans wife as in their place these thinges are trulie and copiouslie declared Now it is moste certaine that this discipline is commaunded of God and that the breaking thereof is punished with present and eternall punishments euen in those which are not conuerted vnto god according to those sainges The law was made for the vniust He that taketh the sword shall perish with the sword Also Forniâ—atours and adulterers the Lorde will iudge Also Woe vnto thee which spoilest because thou shalt be spoiled And although all men ought to gouerne their manners by this discipline and God doth seuerelie commaund that all kingdomes should defend this discipline and he by horrible punishmentes doth declare his wrath against this outward contumacie yet this externall discipline euen where it is most honest is not a fulfilling of the law neither doth it deserue remission of sinnes neither is it that righteousnes wherby we are accepted before God nor that light shining in the nature or men as righteousnes shined in vs in our creation or as new righteousnes shall shine in vs in the life eternall But all this discipline is an externall gouernment such as it is like vnto the leafe of a figge tree wherewith our first parentes after their fall did couer their nakednes neither doth it anie more take awaie sinne and the corruption of nature and death then those figge leaues did Hence it is that Paul doth so often crie out that sinne is not taken awaie by the law Rom. 3. By the workes of the law no flesh shall be iustified in his sight And Rom. 8. When it was impossible to the law to iustifie c. And Gal. 2. If righteousnes doth come by the law then Christ died in vaine And Tit. 3. Not by the workes of righteousnes which we haue done but according to his mercie he hath saued vs. And it is a reproch vnto the Sinne of God to imagine that anie our workes are merittes or the price of remission of sinnes and that they are propitions for sinnes Therefore we do openlie condemne those Pharisaical Pelagian doting dreames which faâ—gne that that discipline is a fullfill ng of the law of god also that it doth deserue remission either of congreitie or of conâ—â—gnity or that it is a righteousnes whereby men are made acceptable to God And after a few pages in the same Article Seeing that the minde is raised vp by this faith it is certaine that remission of sinnes reconciliation and imputing of righteousnes is giuen for the ment of Christ alone and that Christ is effectuall in vs and doth by his holie spirit quicken the beleeuers and deliuer vs from eternall death and withall make vs heires of eternall life So saith Paul Rom. 3. We conclude that man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe Also we are iustified freelie by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood And Act. 10. To him giue all the Prophets wiâ—nes that all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes Now the wordes are knowne and manifâ—st Faith doth signifie not onelie the knowledge of the historie for that is also in the Deuilles of whome it is said The deuilles do beleue and tremble but it doth signifie to embrace al the Articles of Faith and among those this article I do beleâ—e the remission of sinnes neither do I beleue that it is onelie giuen to others but to me also This faith is also a confidence resting in the Mediatour according to that Beeing instified by faith we haue peace So that Paull speaketh of faith which consenting to all the articles of the Creede doth beholde and imbrace the promise for it ioyneth together faith and the promise Rom. 4. Therefore it is by faith that the premise might be sure In expounding the word Iustified it is vsuallie said To is iustified doth signifie of vnrighteous to be made righteous which beeing rightlie vnderstood doth agree also to our purpose Of vnrighteous to be made righteous that is acquitted from the guilt for the sonne of
These rules are often times repeated as Galat. 5. Thy which doe such thinges shall not inherit the kingdome of God Therefore it is necessarie to haue a care to auoide such falls If this manifest necessitie the great punishment to wit the losse of eternall life being set before their eies doe not mooue some to doe good workes they shew them selues to be of the number of those of whome it is said 1. Ioh. 3. He that committeth sinne is of the Deuill Also If anie man haue not the Spirit of Christ he is not his And there be manie causes of this necessitie First a debte that is an immutable order that the creatures should obeie God Therefore Paull saieth Rom. 8. Ye are debters Also lest the holie Ghost and faith be shaken of let there be a care to auoid present punishments because it is moâ—le certaine that manie falles euen of the Elect are fearefullie punished in this life as the Church speaketh in Micheas cap. 7. I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him And the histories of all times doe containe fearefull examples of punishments as Dauid Salomon Menasses Iosias Nabuchodonozor innumerable others were greiuoslie punished Wherein this is moste to be lamented that in the verse punishments manie sinnes are heaped vp as in the sedition raised vp against Dauid in the renting of the kingdome for the sinne of Salomon And touching the necessitie of doing good workes the Lord saith Mat. 5. Except your righteousnes exceed the righteousnes of the Scribes and of the Pharisies ye shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen The necessitie which is manifolde being thus considered these questions insue thereupon what workes are to be done How they maie be done In what sorte they doe please god What rewardes they haue what is the difference of sinnes * what sinnes do shake of the holie Ghost and what not What workes are to be done IT is the will of god that Faith and workes be gouerned by his word Therefore we must keepe the rule touching good workes both internall and externall contained in the commaundementes of god which doe pertaine to-vs as it is said Ezech. 23. Waâ—â—eye in my commaundements And these internall and externall workes doe then become the worship of god when they be done in faith and are referred to this end that god by this obedience may be glorified Now we haue shewed before that euen the vntegenerate maie performe this externall obedience or discipline as â—icero liueth honestlie and for his paines in gouernment deserueth well of all mankinde but his minde is full of doubts touching the Prouidence of god neither doth he knowe nor speake vnto the true god in inuocation neither doth he know the promises and he alwaies doubteth whether he be heard especiallie when he is in miscrie and then is he angrie with god and thinketh that he is vnâ—usâ—lie punished â—eiâ—g he was a honest Citizen profitable for the common wealth Such darkenes in the minde is great sinne such as reason not being i'luminated by god is not 〈◊〉 â—o iudge of Therefore inward obedience true knowledge of god the feare of god sorrowes in repentance trust to obteine mercie promised for the Sonne of god inuocation hope loue joy in god other vertues must be begunne also in the regenerate and they must be referred to a proper ende to wit that God maie be obeied These kindes of true worship cannot be giuen vnto God without the light of the gospel and without faith which our aduersaries who will see me to be ioylie preachers of good workes do neither vnderstand nor require seeing they omitte the doctrine of faith which is a confidence to obtaine mercie resting in the Sonne of god which is an especiall worke and the chiefe worshipe of God Of workes not commaunded of god we shall speake hereafter and we must holde fast that rule Math. 15. In vaine doe they worship me with the commaundements of men And in the Church it falleth out often times that ceremonies deuised by men are more carefullie kept then the commaundements of God yea the authoritie of â— harâ—â—aicall vniust traditions is preferred before the commaundements of God as in manie ages for the vniust and wicked commaundement of single life the commandement of god concerning true chastitie was horriblie violated Therefore we must consider of the difference of the lawe whereof we will speake againe hereafter How good workes maie be done GReat is the infirmitie of man and the deuill a most cruel enemie who for the hatred he beareth to God rageth against mankinde and doth endeuour all that he can especiallie to destroy the Church as it is written of Peter 1. Pet. 5. Watch because your aduersarie the deuill goethabout like a roaring Lyon seeking whome he maie deuour Therefore although men by their naturall strength maie after a sorte performe the externall discipline yet are they often ouercome by this common infirmitie and the deuill also doth often times force men not altogether sauage to commit horrible factes as he deceiued Eue and compelled the brethren of Ioseph Dauid and others innumerable Therefore what diligence or what aduisement can be sufficient for this most subtill enemie Here let vs laie holde vpon that most sweete comfort The sonne of God appeared to destroy the workes of the Deuill 1 Iohn 3. The sonne of God is the keeper of his Church as he saith Ioh. 10. Noman shall take my sheepe out of my handes He doth protect vs and also by his holie spirit doth confirme our mindes in true opinions as he doth beginne eternall life so doth he kindle in our heartes good motions faith the loue of God true inuocation hope chastitie and other vertues We are not Pelagians but we do humblie â—â—e thankes to the eternall God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and to his sonne Iesus Christ and to the holie Ghost both for the wholl benefit of saluation restored againe to mankinde and also for this benefit that the Sonne of God doth dwell in the Church and doth defend it with his right hand against the furies of the Deuills and men and doth driue awaie the deuills from vs and doth vpholde vs in this so great infirmitie of ours and by his word doth kindle in our mindes the knowledge of God and doeth confirme and gouerne our mindes by his holie spirit We do certainlie know that these benefits are in deede giuen vnto vs as it is said moste comfortablie in Zacharie cap. 12. I will powre out vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and praiers He nameth the spirit of grace because that in this comfort the sonne of God sealing vs by his holie spirit doth testifie that we are in fauour and that we are deliuered from the paines of hell Secondlie he nameth the spirit of praiers because that when we haue acknowledged the remission of sinnes we do not now fâ—ie
him Ioh. 6. By grace are ye saued through Faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes lest anie man should boast himselfe For we are his workemanshippe created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordeyned that we should walke in them Eph. 2. For seing it is our righteousnes and eternal life to know God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ and that is so farre from being the worke of slesh and blood that it is necessarie to be borne againe anew neither can we come to the Sonne except the Father draw vs neither know the Father except the Sonne reueale him vnto vs and Paull doth write so expreslie Not of your selues not of workes it is euident enough that our workes can helpe nothing at all that of vniust such as we are borne we maie become righteous because that as we are by nature the children of wrath and therefore vniust so we are not able to doe anie thing that is iust or acceptable to God but the beginning of all our righteousnes and saluation must proceede from the mercie of the Lord who of his onely fauour and the contemplation of the death of his Sonne did first offer the doctrine of truth and his Gospell sending those that should preach it and secondlie seing that naturall man can not as Paull saith 1. Cor. 2. perceiue the thinges that are of God he causeth also the beame of his light to arise in the darkenes of our heart that now we maie beleeue the gospell preached being persuaded of the trueth thereof by the holie Spirit from aboue and then foorthwith trusting to the testimonie of this spirit in the confidence of children to call vpon God and to saie Abba Father obteining thereby true saluation according to that saying Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued Of good workes proceeding out of faith through loue THese thinges we will not haue men so to vnderstand as though we placed saluation righteousnes in the slothful thoughtes of men or in faith destitute of loue which they call faith without forme seeing that we are sure that no man can be iust or saued except he doe chieflie loue moste earnestlie imitate God For those which he knew before he also predestinated to be made like to the image of his Sonne But no man can loue God aboue all thinges and worthelie imitate him but he which doth indeede knowe him and doth assuredlie looke for all good things from him Therefore we cannot otherwise be iustified that is as to become righteous so to be saued for righteousnes is euen our saluation then by beeing endued chiefelie with faith in him by which faith we beleeuing the Gospell and therefore being perswaded that God hath taken vs for his adopted children and that he will for euer shewe himselfe a louing father vnto vs let vs whollie depende vpon his pleasure This faith Saint Augustine doth call in his booke De Fide operibus Euangelicall To wit that which is effectuall through loue By this faith we are borne againe and the image of God is repaired in vs. By this Faith whereas we are borne corrupt our thoughtes euen from our childhoode beeing altogether bent vnto euill we become good and vpright For hereupon we beeing fullie satisfied with one God the spring of all good thinges that is neuer drie but runneth alwaies most plentifullie we doe forthwith shew our selues as it were Gods towardes others that is toward the true sonnes of god indeauouring by loue to profit them so much as in vs lieth For He that loueth his brother abideth in the light and is borne of God and is wholie giuen to the new and to the olde commaundement touching mutuall loue And this loue is the fullfilling of the wholl law as Paul saith The wholl law is fulfilled in one worde namelie this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Gal. 5. For whatsoeuer the law teacheth hitherto it tendeth and this one thing it requireth that at the length we maie be reformed to the perfect image of god being good in all things readie and willing to do men good the which we can neuer doe except we be adorned with all kindes of vertues For who can purpose and doe all thinges as the duetie of a Christian doth require 1. Cor. 10. to the true edifying of the Church and the sound profit of all men that is according to the lawe of God and to the glorie of god except that he both thinke speake and doe euerie thing in order and well and therefore be verie familiarlie acquainted with the wholl companie of vertues To whome good workes are to be ascribed and how necessarie they be CHAP. 5. BVt seeing that they which are the Children of God are rather ledde by the spirit of God then doe worke any thing themselues And that Of him through him for him are all things therefore whatsoeuer things we doe well and holilie are to be ascribed to none other then to this one onelie spirit the giuer of all vertues Howsoeuer it be he doth not compell vs but doth lead vs being willing Working in vs both to will and to doe Philip. 2. Whereupon Saint Augustine writeth verie well That God doth reward his workes in vs. And yet we are so farre from reiecting good workes that we doe vtterlie denie that anie man can fullie be saued except he be thus farre brought by the spirit of Christ that he finde no want at all in him touching those good workes whereunto god hath created him For there be diuers members of the same bodie therefore euerie one of vs haue not the same office 1. Cor. 12. It is so necessary that the law should be fullfilled that Heauen and earth shall sooner passe awaie then that one iotte or the least point therof shall be remitted Yet because god alone is good hath created all thinges of nothing and doth by his spirit make vs altogether new and doth wholie lead vs for in Christ nothing auaileth but a new creature none of all these thinges can be ascribed to mans strength and we must confesse that all things are the meere giftes of god whoe of his owne accord and not for anie meritte of ours doeth fauour and loue vs. By these thinges it maie sufficienlie be knowen what we beleeue iustification to be by whome it is wrought for vs and by what meane it is receiued of vs also by what places of scripture we are induced so to beleeue For although of manie we haue aledged a few yet by these few anie one that is but meanely conuersant in the scripture maie fullie perceiue that they which read the scriptures shall finde euerie where such kinde of sentences as doe attribute vnto vs nothing but sinne and destruction as Hosee saith and all our righteousnes and saluation to the Lord. Of the dueties of a Christian man CHAP. 6. NOw it cannot be doubted of what be the dueties
we teach that such as would be saued must in no wise separate themselues from the true Church of Christ But yet we do not so strictlie shut vp the Church within those markes before mentioned as thereby to exclude al those out of it which either doe not communicate in the sacraments by reason that they want them or else not willinglie nor vpon contempt but being constrained by necessitie do against their willes â—bstaine from them or in whome faith doth sometimes faile though not quite decaie nor altogether die or in whome some slippes and errors of infirmitie maie be found for we know that God had some friendes in the worlde that were not of the common wealth of Israell We know what befull the people of God in the captiuitie of Babylon where they wanted their sacrifices seuentie yeâ—es We know verie well what hapned to S. Peter who denied his Master and what is wont daylie to fall out among the faithfull and chosen of God which go astraie and are full of infirmities We know moreouer what manner of Churces the Churches at Galatia and Corinth were in the Apostles time in which the Apostle Paull condemneth diuers great and hevnous crimes yet he calleth them the holie Churches of Christ Yea and it fulleth out sometimes that God in his iust iudgement suffereth the trueth of his worde and the Catholique Faith and his owne true worship to be so obscured and defaced that the Church seemeth almost quite rased out and not so much as a face of a Church to remaine as wee see fell out in the daies oâ— Eliah and at other times And yet in the meane time the Lorde hath in this world euen in this darkenes his 〈◊〉 worshippers and those not a few but euen seuen thousand and more For the Apostle crieth The foundation of the Lord standeth sure and hath this seale the Lorde knoweth who are his c Whereupon the Church of God maie be termed inuisible not that the men whereof it consisteth are inuisible but because it being hidden from our sight and knowne onelie vnto God it cannot be discerned by the iudgement of man Againe not all that are reckoned in the number of the Church are saintes and the liuelie and true members of the Church for there be manie Hypocrits which outward lie doe heare the worde of God and publiquelie receiue the Sacramentes and beare a shew to praie vnto God alone through Christ to confesse Christ to be their onelie righteousnes and doe seeme outwardlie to worshippe God and to exercise the dueties of charitie to the bretheren and for a while through patience to indure in troubles calamities And yet they are altogether destitute of the inward illumination of the spirit of God of faith and sinceritie of heart and of perseuerance or continuance to the ende And these men are for the most part at the length laid open what they be For the Apostle Iohn saieth They went out from among vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue taried with vs. Yet these men whilest they doe pertend religion they are accounted to be in the Church howsoeuer indeed they be not of the Church Euen as traitours in a commonwealth before they be detected are counted in the number of good Citizens and as the cockell and darnell and chaffe are founde amongst the wheate and as wennes and swellinges are in a perfect bodie when they are rather diseases and deformities then true members of the bodie And therefore the Church is verie well compareed to a drawnet which draweth vp fishes of all sortes and to a fielde wherein is founde both darnell and good corne We are to haue a speciall regarde that we iudge not rashlie before the time nor go about to exclude cast of and cut awaie them whom the Lord would not haue excluded nor cut of or whome without some damage to the Church we cannot separate from it Againe we must be verie vigilant lest that the godlie falling fast a sleepe the wicked grow stronger and doe some mischiefe to the Church Furthermore we teach that it is carefully to be marked wherein especiallie the trueth and vnity of the Church consisteth lest that we either rashlie breede or nourish schismes in the Church It consisteth not in outward rites and ceremonies but rather in the trueth and vnity of the Catholike faith This Catholike faith is not taught vs by the ordinancesor lawes of men but by the holie scriptures a compendious short summe wherof is the Apostles creed And therfore we reade in the auncient writers that there was manifolde diuersities of ceremonies but that was alwaies free neither did any man think that the vnity of the church was therby broken or dissolued We saie then that the true vnitie of the Church doth consist in seuerall points of doctrine in the true and vniforme preaching of the gospell in such rites as the Lord himselfe hath expresly set downe and here we vrge that saying of the Apostle verie earnestly As many of vt therefore as are perfect let vs be thus in minded If any man thinke otherwise the Lord shall reueale the same vnto him And yet in that whereunto we haue attained let vs all follow one direction and all of vs be like affected one towardes another OVT OF THE FORMER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of the Church THis we holde that of such liuelie stones beeing by this meane built vpon this liuelie rocke the Church and the holy gathering together of al the Saints the Spouse of Christ which beeing clensed by his blood he shal once in time to come present without blot before his Father is founded The which Church though it be manifest to the ties of God alone yet is it not onelie seene and knowen by certaine outwarde rites instituted of Christ himselfe and by the worde of God as by a publique and lawfull discipline but it is so appointed that without these marks no man can be iudged to be in this Church but by the special priuiledge of God OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BASILL Of the Church WE beleeue a holie Christian Church that is a communion of Saints a gathering together of the faithfull in spirit which is holie and the Spouse of Christ wherein all they be Citizens which doe truelie confesse that Iesus is the Christ the Lambe that taketh away the sins of the worlde and doe shew forth that faith by the workes of loue And a little after This Church of Christ doth labour all that it can to keepe the bondes of peace and loue in vnitie Therefore it doth by no meanes communicate with Sectes and the rules of orders deuised for the difference of daies meates apparell and ceremonies OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA Of the holie Church and of the godlie institution and gouernement thereof and of Discipline Also of Antichrist CHAP. 8. IN the eight place it is taught touching the acknowledging of the
better and with more ease it is required in him that he be one that feareth God prayeth diligentlie giueth himselfe much to the reading of the Scripture and in all things and at all times iâ— watchful and doth shew forth a good example vnto al men of holines of life And seeing there must needes be a discipline in the Church and that among the auncient fathers excommunication was in vse there were ecclesiasticall iudgementes amongst the people of God wherein this discipline was exercised by godly men it belongeth also to the ministers duetie for the edifying of the church to moderate this discipline according to the condition of the time and publike estate according to necessitie whereas this rule is alwaies to be holdeÌ„ that Al things ought to be done to edification decentlie honestlie without any oppression or tumult For the Apostle witnesseth that power was giuen to 〈◊〉 of God to edifie not to destroie And the Lord himselfe for â—ad the cockâ—◠〈◊〉 be plucked vp in the Lords field because there would be danger 〈◊〉 â—â—e wheate also should be plucked vp with iâ— But as for the errour of the Donatists we do here vtterlie derest it who esteemed and iudged the doctrine and administration of the sacraments to be either effectuall or not effectual by the good or euil life of the Ministers For we know that the voice of Christ is to be heard though it be out of the mouthes of euill ministers forasmuch as the Lorde himselfe said Doe as they commaund you but according to their workes doe ye not We know that the Sacramentes are sanctified by their institution and also by the word of Christ and that they are effectuall to the Godlie although they be administred by vngodlie ministers Of which matter Augustine that blessed seruant of God did reason diuerslie out of the scriptures against the Donatists yet notwithstanding there ought to be a streight discipline amongst the ministers For their must be diligent enquirie in the Synodes touching the life and Doctrine of the ministers Those that offend are to be â—ebuked of the seniours to be brought into the way if they be not past recouerie or else to be deposed and as wolues to be driuen from the Lordes flocke by the true Pastors if they be E curable For if they once be false teachers they are in no wise to be tollerated neither doe we disalow of generall councels if that they be taken vp according to the example of the Apostles to the saluation of the Church and not to the destruction thereof The faithfull ministers also are worthie as good worke men of their reward neither doe they offend when as they receiue a stipend and all thinges that be necessarie for themselues and their familie For the Apostle sheweth that these thinges are for iust cause offered of the Church and receiued of the ministers they are likewise of right 1 Cor. 9. and 1. Tim. 5. in other places also The Anabaptists likewise are confuted by this Apostolical doctrine who condemne and raile vpon those ministers which liue vpon the ministerie OVT OF THE FORMER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of the ministerie of the word WE confesse that the Ministers of the Church are as Paull tearmeth them the fellow labourers of God by whome he doth dispence both the knowledge of himselfe and also remission of sinnes turne men to him selfe raise them vp comforte them and also terrifie and iudge them yet so that notwithstanding we doe ascribe all the vertue and efficacie that is in them vnto the Lord and giue a ministerie onelie to the ministers For it is certaine that this vertue efficacie is not to be tyed to any creature at all but is to be dispensed by the free fauour of God in what manner and to whome it pleaseth him For he that watereth is nothing neither he that planteth but God that giueth the increase Ecclesiasticall power NOw the authoritie of the word and feeding the flock of the lord which properlie is the power of the keys prescribing to all as well high as low what to do ought to be sacred and inuiolable and is to be committed onelie to those that are chosen and fitte to discharge it and that either by the diuine seruice of God or by the certaine and aduised suffrage of the Church or by their sentence to whome the Church hath assigned this charge The choosing of Ministers FOr this function is to be giuen to none whom the ministers and they to whome this charge is committed by the Church do not finde and iudge to be skilfull in the law of God to be of a blameles life and to beare a singuler affection to the name of Christ which seeing it is the true election of God is rightlie allowed by the consent of of the Church and by the laying on of the handes of the Priest The head and shepheard of the Church FOr Christ himselfe is the true head of his Church and he alone is the Shepheard who giueth gouernours Pastours and Doctors that by the outward administration of the keies they maie rightlie and lawfullie vse that authority Wherfore we do not acknowledge those that are Shepheardes and that head of Rome which haue the bare title and nothing els The dueties of Ministers THe chiefe duetie of this function is to preach repentance and remission of sinnes through Christe without ceasing to pray for the people to giue them-selues verie diligentlie without wearines to holie studies and to the worde of God and with the worde of God as with the sword of the spirit and by all kinde of meanes to persecute Sathan with deadlie hatred and to weaken his force to defend those citizens of Christ which are sound and to admonish reprehend and punish those that are infected and by a Godly consent of them which are chosen out of the ministers and the magistrate by discipline to shut out or by some other fitte meane to mulct those which proceed further in wickednes till such time as they do repent and may be saued For that is the returning to the Church for a diseased Citizen of Christ if hauing changed his minde and endeauour whereunto all this discipline doth tende he acknowledge confesse his errour and doth now of his owne accord require holesome discipline and by his new endeuour of godlines doth reioyce all the godlie Out of the declaration of the same confession which Luther him selfe approoued by his letters Anno 1537. WE beleeue and confesse that mankinde by the onelie mercie of God is iustified by faith through Christ and that the almightie God by the outward preaching of the gospell and the holie seales doth declare and set before our eies that saluation and happines which Christ without anie worke or merit of ours hath purchased for vs and giuen frelie vnto vs. But we are vniustly suspected of some as though we did attribute nothing to the preaching of
that we doe derogate any thing from their authority suing that the thing it selfe doth witnes that we haue attempted and done all those thinges according to the will of God which we haue attempted against the will of Ecclesiasticall persons These therefore be those thinges which we teach touching the office dignitie and power of the Ministers of the Church whome they cal Spirituall the which that we maie credit wee are mooued thereunto by those places of Scripture which for the moste part we rehearsed before THE TWELFT SECTION OF TRVE AND FALSE SACRAments in generall THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of the Sacraments of Christ CHAP. 19. GOD euen from the beginning added vnto the preaching of the word his sacraments or sacramental signes in his church And this doth the holie scripture plamlie testifie Sacraments be mysticall signes or holie rites or sacred actions ordained of God him selfe consisting of his word of outward signes and of things signified wherby he keepeth â—o continuall memorie and eftsones calleth to minde in his Church his great benefits bestowed vpon man and wherby he sealeth vp his promises and outwardly representeth and as it weare offereth vnto our sight those things which inwardly he performeth vnto vs and therewithall strengthneth and increaseth our faith through the working of Gods spirit in our hartes lastlie whereby he doth separate vs from all other people and religions and consecrateth and bindeth vs wholly vnto himselfe and giueth vs to vndo stand that he requireth of vs. These Sacraments are either of the olde testament or of the new The sacraments of the olde testament were circumcision and the pascall lambe which was offered vp in sacrifice and for that cause isreferred to the sacrifices which were in vse from the beginning of the world The sacraments of the new testament are baptisme and the supper of the Lord. Some there are which reckon seauen sacraments of the newe testament Of which number we graunt that repentance matrimonie and the ordination of ministers we meane not the popish but the Apostolicall ordination are verie profitable ordinances of God but no sacraments As for confirmation and extreame vnction they are meere deuises of men which the Church may verie well want without anie damage or discommoditie at all and therefore we haue them not in our Churches because there be certaine things in them which we can at no hand allow of As for that marchandise which the Romish prelates vse in ministring their sacraments we vtterlie abhor it The author and institutor of al sacraments is not any man but God alone for men can by no meanes ordaine sacramentes because they belong to the worship of God and it is not for man to appoint and prescribe a seruice of God but to embrace and retaine that which is taught vnto him by the Lord. Besides the sacramentall signes haue Gods promises annexed to them which necessarilie require faith now faith staieth it selfe onelie vpon the word of God And the word of God is resembled to writings or letters the sacraments to seales which the Lord alone setteth to his owne letters Now as the Lord is the author of the sacraments so he continually worketh in that Church where they be right lie vsed so that the faithfull when they receiue them of the ministers do know that the Lord worketh in his owne ordinance and therfore they receiue them as from the hand of God and the ministers faults if there be anie notorious in them can not hurt them seeing they do acknowledge the goodnes of the sacraments to depend vpon the ordinance of the Lord. For which cause they put a difference in the administration of the sacraments betweene the Lord and the Lordes ministers confessing that the substance of the sacraments is giuen them of the Lorde and the outward signes by the hands of the ministers Now the principall thing that in all the Sacramentes is offered of the Lorde and chieflie regarded of the godlie of all ages which some haue called the substance and matter of the sacraments is Christ our sauiour That onely sacrifice the lambe of God slaine from the beginning of the world the rocke also of which all our Fathers drank by whome all the elect are circumcised with circumcision made without handes through the holie spirit and are washed from all their sinnes and are nourished with the verie bodie and blood of Christ vnto eternall life Now in respect of that which is the cheife thing and the verie matter and substance of the sacraments the sacraments of both the testaments are equal For Christ the only mediatour and sauiour of the faithfull is the chiefe thing substance in them both one and the same God is author of them both They were giuen vnto both Churches as signes and seales of the grace and promises of God which should call to minde and renew the memorie of Gods great benefits to them and should distinguish the faithfull from althe religions in the world lastly which should be receiued spirituallie by faith and should binde the receiuers vnto the Church and admonish them of their duetie In these I saie such like things the sacraments of both Churches be not vnequall although in the outward signes they be diuerse And in deede we do yet put a greater difference between them for ours are more firme durable as those which are not to be changed to the end of the world Againe ours testifie that the substance and promise is all readie fulfilled performed in Christ whereas the other did onelie signifie that they should be performed And ours are more simple nothing paineful nothing so sumptuous nor so ful of ceremonies Moreouer they belong to a greater people that is dispersed thorough the face of the wholl earth Againe because they are more excellent and do by the spirit of God stirre vp in vs a greater measure of faith therefore a more plentifull measure of the spirite doth follow of them But now since that Christ the true Messias is exhibited vn to vs and the aboundance of grace is powred forth vpon the people of the new testament the sacraments of the olde law are surelie abrogated and ceased and in their steed the sacraments of the new testament are placed namelie for circumcision Baptisme and for the pascall lambe and sacrifices the Supper of the Lord. And as in the olde Church the sacraments consisted of the word the signe the thing signified so euen at this day they stand as it were of the same parts For the word of God maketh them Sacraments which before were none for they are consecrated by the word declared to be sanctified by him who first ordeined them To sanctify or consecrate a thing is to dedicate it vnto god vnto holy vses that is to take it froÌ„ the common and ordinarie vse and to appoint it to some holie vse For the signes that be in the Sacraments are drawne from common vse to thinges eternall and inuisible As
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
that without any good affection of him that vseth it This article we finde thus in another Edition COncerning the vse of the Sacramentes they teach that they were ordained not so much to be marâ—es and badges of profession amongst men as that they should be signes or testimonies of the will of God towards vs set forth vnto vs to stirre vp and confirme faith in such as vse them Whereupon they condemne those that teach that the sacraments do iustifie by the work done and doe not teach that faith to beleeue remission of sinnes is requisite in the vse of sacraments OVT OF THE CONFSSION OF SAXONIE Of the sacraments THe Church also is discerned from other Gentiles by by certaine rites or ceremonies instituted of God vsuallie called Sacraments as are Baptisme and the Lords Supper which notwithstanding are not onelie signes of a profession but much more as the auncient Fathers saide signes of grace that is they be ceremonies added to the promise of the Gospell touching grace that is touching the free remission of sinnes and touching reconciliation and the wholl benefit of our redemption the which are so instituted that euerie man maie vse them because they be pledges testimonies which declare that the benefits promised in the Gospell doe appertaine to euerie one For the voice of the Gospell is generall this vse doth be are witnes that this voice doth appertaine to euerie one which vseth the Sacraments OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE Of the Sacramentes THe worde Sacrament as also the worde Mysterie which interpreters do expounde Sacrament is very large But because some haue thought it good to restraine it to the number of seauen Sacraments we wil briefly runne ouer euerie one that we may shew what we finde wanting in the doctrine that some haue broched and what maie seeme to be repugnant to the meaning of that Church which is in deede Catholike or orthodoxe OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Of the Sacraments SEeing that the Church of Christ doth liue here in the flesh howbeit not according to the flesh it pleased the Lord also to teach admonish and exhort it by the outwarde worde And that this might be done the more commodiouslie he would also haue his to make much of an externall societie among them selues For which cause he gaue vnto them holie signes among which these are the chiefest Baptisme and the Lords Supper the which we doe not onelie think therfore to haue had the name of Sacraments among the Fathers because they are visible signes of inuisible grace as Saint Augustine doth define them but also for that purpose because that by them we doe consecrate our selues vnto Christ and doe binde our selues as it were by the othe or Sacrament of faith THE THIRTEENTH SECTION OF THE SACRAMENT OF Holie Baptisme THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of holie baptisme CHAP. 20. BAptisme was instituted and consecrated by God and the first that baptized was Iohn who dipped Christ in the water in Iorden From him it came to the Apostles whoe also did baptize with water The Lord in plaine words commaunded them To preach the Gospel and to baptize in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost And Peter also when diuers demaunded of him what they ought to doe said to them in the Acts Let euerie one of you be baptized in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and you shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost Whereupon Baptisme is called of some a signe of inâ—tiation of Gods people as that whereby the elected of God are consecrated vnto God There is but one Baptisme in the Church of God for it is sufficient to be once baptized or consecrated vnto God For baptisme once receiued doth continue all a mans life and is a perpetuall sealing of our adoption vnto vs. For to be baptized in the name of Christ is to be enrolled entered and receiued into the couenant and familie and so into the inheritance of the sonnes of God yea in this life to be called after the name of God that is to saie to be called the Sonne of god to be purged also from the filthines of sins to be indued with the manifolde grace of God for to lead a new and innocent life Baptisme therefore doth call to minde and keepe in remembrance the great benefit of God performed to mankinde for we are al borne in the pollution of sinne and are the Sonnes of wrath But God who is rich in mercie doth freelie purge vs from our sinnes by the blood of his Sonne and in him doth adopte vs to be his sonnes and by an holie couenant doth ioyne vs to himselfe and doth inrich vs with diuers giftes that we might liue a new life All these thinges are sealed vp vnto vs in Baptisme For inwardlie we are regenerated purified and renued of God through the holie Spirit and outwardlie we receiue the sealing of moste notable gifts by the water by which also those great benefites are represented and as it were set before our eyes to be looked vpon And therefore are we baptized that is washed and sprinckled with visible water For the water maketh cleane that which is filthie refresheth things that faile and faint and cooleth the bodies And the grate of God dealeth in like manner with the soule and that inuisible and spirituallie Moreouer by the Sacrament of Baptisme God doth seperate vs from all other religions and people and doth consecrate vs a peculiar people to himselfe We therefore by being baptized doe confesse our faith and are bound to giue vnto God obedience mortification of the flesh and newnes of life yea and we are billed souldiers for the holie warfare of Christ that all our life long we shoulde fight against the worlde Sathan and our owne flesh Moreouer we are baptized into one bodie of the Church that we might well agree with all the members of the Church in the same religion and mutuall duties We beleue that that of al other is the most perfect manner of baptisme wherin Christ was baptized and which the rest of the Apostles did vse in baptisme Those things therfore which by mans deuise were added afterwards vsed in the Church we thinke them nothing necessary to the perfection of Baprisme Of which kinde is exorcisme and the vse of lightes oyle salte spattle and such other things as namelie that baptisme is twise euerie yere consecrated with diuerse ceremonies For we beleeue that the baptisme of the Church which is but one was sanctifed in Gods first institution of it and is consecrated by the word and is now of full force by and for the first blessing of God vpon it We teach that baptisme should not be ministred in the Church by women or midwiues For Paul secludeth women from Ecclesiasticall callings but Baptisme belongeth to Ecclesiasticall offices We condemne the Anabaptists who denie that young infants borne of
was sufficientlie confirmed by such miracles as that wounderfull gift of tongues did cease so also the ceremone of laying on of handes whereby that gift was giuen did altogether as touching this thing cease Otherwise of a shadowe we must make a general Sacrament of the Church and those that are sicke must be shadowed ouer because that manie were healed by the shadowe of Peter In like sort we must make a generall Sacrament of the laying one of napkines because that manie were healed of their diseases when Paulls napkins were layde vpon then and we must â—e vpon the dead because that Paule by stretâ—ching himselfe vpon a young man did raise him vp from death And yet the Pastours of Churches must not haue libertie to haue no regard to instruct children and youth iâ— that doctrine which is in deede Godlie but they must be forced hereunto to teach the Catechisme verie diligently OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Of Baptisme CHAP. 17. AS touching Baptisme we confesse that which the Scripture doth in diuerse places teach thereof that we by it are buried into the death of Christ made one body and doe put on Christ that it is the fonte of regeneration washeth awaie sinnes and saueth vs. But all these thinges we do so vnderstand as Saint Peter hath interpreted them where he saith To the figure whereof Baptisme that now is â—â—swering doth also saue vs not by putting awaie of the filthe of the flesh but the profession of a good conscience toward God For without faith it is impossible to please God And we are saued by grace and not by our workes And seeing that Baptisme is a Sacrament of that couenant which God hath made with those that be his promising that he will be their god the god of their seede and that he will be a reuenger of wronges and take them for his people to conclude seeing it is a token of the renuing of the Spirit which is wrought by Christ therfore our Preachers do teach that it is to be giuen to Infants also as well as that in times past vnder Moses they were circumcised For we are in deed the Children of Abraham and therefore that promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seed doth no lesse perteine vnto vs then it did to that auncient people THE FOVRTENTH SECTION OF THE HOLIE SVPPER OF the Lord. THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of the holie Supper of the Lord. CHAP. 21. THE Supper of the Lord which is also called the Lords table and the Eucharist that is a thanksgiuing is therefore commonlie called a supper because it was instituted of Christ in that his last supper and doth as yet represent the same and in it the faithfull are spirituallie fed and nourished For the author of the supper of the Lord is not an Angell or man but the verie sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ who did first of all consecrate it to his Church And the same blessing consecration doth stil remaine amongst all those who celebrate no other supper but onelie that which the Lord did institute at that do recite the words of the supper of the Lord and in all things looke vnto Christ onelie by a true faith at whose hands as it were they doe receiue that which they do receiue by the ministerie of the ministers of the Church The Lord by this sacred rite would haue that great benefit to be kept in fresh remembrance which he did for mankinde to weet that by giuing vp his bodie to death and shedding his blood he hath forgiuen vs all our sinnes and redemed vs from eternall death and the power of the deuill and doth now feede vs with his flesh and giueth vs his blood to drink which things being apprehended hended spirituallie by a true faith doe nourish vs vp to life euerlasting And this so great a benefit is renued so oft as the supper is celebrated For the Lord said Doe this in remembrance of me By this holy Supper also it is sealed vp vnto vs that the very body of Christ was truelie giuen vp for vs and his blood was shed for the remission of our sinnes lest that our faith might somewhat wauer And this is outwardlie represented vnto vs by the minister in the sacrament after a visible manner and as it were laid before our eies to be seene which is inwardlie in the fonte muisiblie performed by the holie Ghost Outwardlie bread is offered by the minister and the wordes of the Lord are heard Receiue eate this is my bodie take it and deuide it amongest you drink ye all of this this is my blood Therefore the faithfull do receiue that which is giuen by the minister of the Lord do eat the bread of the Lord drinke of the Lordes cuppe But yet by the working of Christ through the holy ghost they receiue also the flesh blood of the Lord and do feede on them to life euerlasting For the flesh blood of Christ is true meat drink vnto euerlasting life yea Christ himselfe in that he was deliuered for vs and is our sauiour is that special thing and substance of the supper and therefore we suffer no thing to be put in his place But that it maie the better and more plainlie be vnderstood how the flesh and blood of Christ are the meat and drink of the faithfull and are receiued by the faithfull to life euerlasting we will adde moreouer these four things Eating is of diuerse sortes for there is a corporall eating whereby meat is taken into a mans mouth chewed with the teeth and is swallowed downe into the bellie After this manner did the Capernaits in times past think that they should eat the flesh of the Lord but they are confuted by him Iohn 6. For as the flesh of Christ can not be eaten bodilie without great wickednes crueltie so is it not meat for the belly as all men do confesse We therfore disalow that Canon in the Popes decrees Ego Berengarius de consecrat Distinct. 2 For neither did godlie antiquitie beleeue neither yet doe we beleeue that the bodie of Christ can be eaten corporallie and essentiallie with a bodilie mouth There is also a spirituall eating of Christs bodie not such a one whereby it maie be thought that the verie meat is changed into the spirit but wherby the Lords body blood remaining in their own essence and propriety those things are spiritually communicated vnto vs not after a corporall butafter a spiritual manner through the holy Ghost who dothapply and bestow vpon vs those things to wit remission of sinnes deliuerance and life euerlasting which are prepared for vs by the flesh and blood of our Lord which were giuen for vs so as Christ doth now liue in vs and we liue in him and doth cause vs to apprehend him by a true faith to this end that he maie become vnto vs such a spirituall meat and drink that is
by applying of masses it should be very vncertaine and our faith trust should be transferred from Christ vnto the work of a Priest so is it come to passe as all men see Now faith placed in the work of a man is whollie condemned These arguments with sundry other do witnes for vs that the opinion of the merit and applying of the masse for the quick and the dead was for good causes misliked and reprooued Now if we would stand to consider how farre this error is spread in the Church how the number of masses increased and how through this sacrifice forgiuenes both of the fault and of the punishment is promised to the quick and the dead it wil appeare that the Church is disfigured with shameful blots by this prophanation Ther neuer fell out a waightier cause in the Church O noble Emperour or more worthy for good and learned men to debate of it is the dutie of all the Godlie with most feruent praiers to craue at gods hand that the Church might be deliuered from these foule enormities All Kings and Bishops must with all their might endeuour that this wholl matter maie be rightlie laid forth and the Church purged Sixtlie the institution of a sacrament is contrarie to that abuse For there is not a word set downe of anie oblation for the sinnes of the quick and the dead but a commaundement to receiue the bodie and bloood of Christ and to doe it in the remembrance of the benefit of Christ This remembrance doth signifie not a bare representing of the historie as it were in a shew as they dreame that are the Patrons of merit by reason of the worke wrought but it signifieth by faith to remember the promise benefit to comfort the conscience and to render thankes for so great a blessing For the principall cause of the institution was that our faith might then be stirred vp and exercised when we doe receiue this pledge of Gods grace Besides the institution ordeineth that there should be a communication that is that the ministers of the Church should giue vntoothers the bodie and blood of the Lord. And this order was obserued in the primitiue Church Saint Paull is witnes to the Corinths when as he commaundeth That one should stâ—â— for another that there might be a common partaking of the Sacrament Now that the abuses of the priuate Masse be discouered for as much as they all for the most part were vsed for the application for the sinnes of other men and do not agree with the institution of Christ therefore they are left of 〈◊〉 our Churches And there is one common Masse appointed according to the institution of Christ wherein the Pastors of the Churches do consecrate themselues and giue vnto others the sacrament of the bodie and blood of Christ and this kinde of masse is vsed euerie holie daie and other daies also if anie be desirous to vse the sacrament Yet none are admitted to the communion except they be first tried and examined We adioyne moreouer godlie sermons according as Christ commaunded that there should be sermons when this ceremonie is vsed And in such sermons men are both taught diligentlie in other articles and precepts of the Gospel and also put in minde for what vse the sacrament was instituted to weet not that this ceremonie could merit for them remission of sinnes by the work done but that the sacrament is a testimonie and a pledge whereby Christ witnesseth vnto vs that he performeth his promises And in our sermons as men are taught diligently concerning other articles and precepts of the gospell so are they also put in minde for what vse the sacraments were instituted to weete not that the ceremonie should merit remission of sinnes by the bare work wrought but that the sacrament should be a testimonie and a pledge wherby Christ doth testifie that he performeth his promise and that his promises pertaine vnto vs that Christ giueth vs his bodie to testifie that he is effectuall in vs as in his members and his blood for a witnes vnto vs that we are washed with his blood The sacrament therefore doth profit them that do repent and seeke comfort therein and being confirmed by that testimonie do beleue that remission of sinnes is giuen them indeede and are thankfull vnto Christ for so great a benefit And so the application of the benefit of Christ is not by an other mans work but by euery mans own faith and his owne vse of the sacrament For when we in in our owne persons vse the Sacrament Christes institution of it doth belong vnto vs. This kinde of vse of the sacrament is holie and to be taught in the Churches which doth giue light vnto the doctrine of faith and of the spirituall exercises and true worship and bringeth vnto the consciences of the godlie verie great comfort and strength of faith Before these daies the Church hath beene farre otherwise taught touching the vse of the sacrament there was no word of anie thing but that this work was to be done But no man spake anie thing of faith or the comfort of consciences And mens consciences were racked with ouer great care paines of confessing themselues This they tooke to be the puritie which the gospell requireth whereas the gospell doth require true feare true faith and trust comforteth vs by the vse of this sacrament that they which do truelie repent maie assuredlie beleeue that God is become merciful vnto them by Christ though that our nature be fraile and vncleane and though that this our imperfect obedience be farre from the perfection of the law By all this that hath bene said it is cleare that the masse that is in vse amongst vs doth a gree with the institution of Christ and the manner of the primitiue Church And besides it doth notably lay open the true vse of the sacrament Such a common work was there in the Church of old time as Chrysostome doth witnes who saith that the Priest did stand at the aultar cal some vnto the communion put back others And by the decrees of the Nicen Synode it is euident that some one did celebrate the Liâ—urgie as the Grecians cal it and did minister the bodie and blood of the Lord to allthe rest For these are the words of the decree Let the Deacons in their order after the Priestes receiue the holy communion of a Bishop or of a Priest Here he doth expresselie say that the Priestes did receiue the sacrament of some one that ministred it And before Gregories time there is no mention of anie priuate Masse But as oft as the olde writers speake of a Masse it is euideÌ„t that they speak of a Masse that was common Seeing therefore that the rite and manner of the masse vsed with vs hath authority out of scripture example from the olde Church and that we haue onelie reiected certaine intollerable abuses we hope that the vse of our Churches
cannot be misliked As for other indifferâ—â— rites and ceremonies they are for the most parte obserued according to the vusal manner But the number of Masses iâ— not alike Neither was it the vse in the old times in the Churches wherunto was greatest resort to haue masse euerie daie as the Tripartite historie lib. 9. cap. 38. doth witnes Againe saith he in Alexandria eueri fourth and sixth daie of the weeke the scriptures are read and the Doctours do interpret them and all other things are done also except onelie the solemne manner of oblation 〈◊〉 offering This Article we finde else where placed in the third place among those wherin the abuses that be changed are reckoned vp in this manner Of the masse Art 3. OVr Churches is wrongfullie accused to haue abolished the Masse For the Masse is retained stil among vs celebrated with great reuerence Yea almost all the ceremonies that are in vse sauing that with the songes in Latine we mingle certein Psalmes in Dutch here and there which he added for the peoples instruction For therfore we haue need of ceremonies that the may teach the vnlearned that the Preaching of Gods word maie stirre vp some vnto the true feare trust and inuocation of God This is not only commaunded by S. Paull to vse a tongue that the people vnderstand but mans law hath also appointed it We vse the people to receiue the sacrament together if so be any be sound fit thereunto And that is a thing that doth increase the reuerence and due estimation of the publike ceremonies For none are admitted except they be first prooued and tried Besides we vse to put men in minde of the worthines and vse of a sacrament how great comforte it bringeth to fearefull consciences that they may learne to beleeue God and to looke for and craue al good things at his hands This worship doth please God such an vse of the Sacrament doth nourish pietie towardes God Therfore it seemeth not that Masses be more religiouslie celebrated among our aduersaries then with vs. But it is euident that of long time this hath bin the publike most greeuous complaint of al good men that Masses are filthilie prophaned beeing vsed for gaine And it is not vnknowen how farre this abuse hath spread it selfe in all Churches of what manner of men Masses are vsed onelie for a reward or for wages and how many doe vse them against the prohibition of the Canons Aud Paull doth greeuouslie threaten those which handle the Lords Supper vnworthelie saying He that shall eate this bread or drinke the cuppe of the Lord vnworthelie shall be guiltie of the bodie and bloode of the Lord. Therfore when we admonished the Priestes of this sinne priuate Masses were laide aside among vs seeing that for the most part there were no priuate Masses but onelie for lucres sake Neither were the Bishops ignorant of these abuses who if they had amended them in time there had now beene lesse dissension Heretofore by their dissembling they suffered much corruption to creepe into the Church now they begin though it be late to complaine of the calamities of the Church seeing that this hurlie burlie was raised vp by no other meane then by those abuses which were so euident that they could no longer be tolerated There were many dissentions concerning the Masse and as touching the Sacrament And peraduenture the world is punished for so long a prophaning of Masses which they who both could and ought to haue amended it haue so many yeares tolerated in their Churches For in the ten commaundements it is written He that abuseth the name of the Lord shall not escape vnpunished And from the beginning of the worlde there neither was nor is any diuine thing which might seeme so to be imployed to gaine as is the Masse There was added an opinion which did increase priuate Masses infinitelie to wit that Christ by his passion did satisfie for Originall sinne and appointed Masse wherein an oblation should be made for dailie sinnes both mortall and veniall Hereupon a common opinion was receiued that Masse is a worke that taketh awaie the sinnes of the quicke and the dead and that for the doeing of the worke Here mâ—n beganne to dispute whether one Masse saide for many were of as great force as particular Masses saide for particular men This disputation hath brought forth an in finite multitude of masses Concerning these opinions our preachers haue admonished vs that they do disagree from the holie Scriptures and hurt the glorie of the passion of Christ For the passion of Christ was an oblation and satisfaction not onelie for Originall sinne but also for all other sinnes as it is written in the Epistle to the Hebrewes We are sanctified by the oblation of Iesus Christ once made Also By one oblation he hath made perfit for euer those that are sanctified Also the Scripture teacheth that we are iustified before God through faith in Christ when we beleeue that our sinnes are forgiuen for Christ his sake Now if the Masse doe take awaie the sinnes of the quicke and the deade euen for the workes sake that iâ— done then iustification commeth by the worke of Masses and not by faith which the Scripture can not aware withall But Christ commaundeth vs to doe it in remembrance of himselfe therefore the Masse is instituted that faith in them which vse the Sacrament may remember what benefites it receiueth by Christ and that it may raise vp and comforte a fearefull conscience For this is to remember Christ to wit to remember his benefites and to feele and perceiue that they be in deede exhibited vnto vs. Neither is it sufficient to call to minde the historie because that the Iewes also and the wicked can doe that Therefore the Masse muste be vsed to this ende that there the Sacrament may be reached vnto them that haue neede of comforte as Ambrose saith Because I doe alwaies sinne therefore I ought alwaies to receiue a medicine And seeing that the Masse is such a communion of the Sacrament we doe obserue one common Masse euery holidaie and on other daies if any wil vse the Sacrament when it is offered to them which desired it Neither is this custome newlie brought into the Church For the auncient Fathers before Gregories time make no mention of any priuat Masse of the common Masse they speake much Chrysostome saitth That the Priest did dailie stand at the aultar and call some vnto the Communion and put backe others And by the auncient Canons it is euident that some one did celebrate the Masse of whome other Priests and Deacons did receiue the bodie of the Lord. For so the words of the Nicen canon do sounde Let the deacons in their order after the Priests receiue the holy communion of a Bishop or of a priest And Paul concerning the coÌ„munion commaundeth that one tarie for another that so there maie be a common participation Seeing therefore that among
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
moste profitable that children and young men be examined in the Catechisme by the Pastors of their Church and that they be commended if they be godlie and well instructed and that they be amended if they be ill instructed The rest is to be seene in the 14. sect where the confirmation vsed in Papisticall Baptisme is handled Hitherto also perteineth the 16. Art ss 2. Of Praier BY praier god is inuocated and true inuocation is a work of faith and can not be done without faith Now faith doth behold Christ and relie vpon his merites onelie Wherefore except thou shalt applie vnto thy selfe the merit of Christ by faith praier wil stand thee in no stead before God Now praier is necessarilie required for this purpose that by a due consideration of the promises of God faith may be stirred vp kindled in vs. Therfore it is not absurdly saide that sinnes are cleane taken away by praier yet must it not so be vnderstoode as though the verie worke of praier of it owne merit were a satisfaction for sinnes befor God but that by praier faith is stirred vp and kindled in vs by which faith we are made partakers of thâ— merit of Christ and haue our sinnes forgiuen vs onelie for Christ his sake For before that we doe by praier inuocate God it shall be necessarie to haue the merit of Christ applied to vs and receiued by faith Therefore it can not be that praier should be such a worke as that for the merit thereof we might obteine remission of our sinnes before God Psalme 108. Lette his praier be turned into sinne But it is not possible that praier should be turned into sinne if of it selfe it were so worthie a worke as that sinne thereby should be purged Isa 1. When you shall stretch out your hands I will turne my eies from you and when you shall multiplie your praiers I will not heare you But God would not turne awaie is eies from praier it of it owne worthines it were a satisfaction for our sinnes Augustine vpon the 108. Psal saith That praier which is not made through Christ doth not onelie not take awaie sinne but also it selfe is made sin Bernard de Quadrages Ser. 5. saith But some peraduenture doe seeke eternall life not in humilitie but as it were in confidence of their owne merites Neither doe I saie this let grace receiued giue a man confidence to praie but no man ought to put his confidence in his praier as though for his praier he should obteine that which he desireth The giftes which are promised doe onelie giue this vnto vs that we maie hope to obteine euen greater things of that mercie which giueth these Therefore let that praier which is made for temporall things be restreined to these wants onelie also let that praier which is made for the vertues of the soule be free from al filthy vncleane behauiour let that praier which is made for life eternal be occupied about the onelie good pleasure of God and that in all humilitie presuming as is requisite of the onelie mercie of God Of Almes CHAP. 18. WE doe diligentlie commend almes and exhort the Church that euerie man helpe his neighbour by euerie duetie that he may and testifie his loue But whereas it is saide in a certaine place That almes doe take away sinne as water doth quench fire we must vnderstand it according to the analogy of faith Eor what neede was there to the taking away of our sinnes of Christ his passion and death if sinnes might be taken awaie by the merit of almes And what vse were there of the ministerie of the Gospell if almes were appointed of God for an instrument whereby the death of Christ might be applied to vs Therefore that Christ his honour may not be violated and the ministerie of the Gospell may reteine it lawfull vse we teach that almes doth thus take away sinne not that of it selfe it is a worthie worke whereby sinne may either be purged or the merit of Christ applied but that it is a worke and fruite of charitie toward our neighbour by which worke we doe testifie our faith and obedience which we owe vnto God Now where faith is there Christ alone is acknowledged to be the purger of sins Therfore seing that almes doth testifie after their manner that Christ doth dwell in the Godlie it doth also testifie that they haue remission of sinnes For except almes be a worke of charitie which may beare witnes to faith in Christ it is so farre from signifying that man hath remission of sins through Christ that it doth euen stinke in the sight of God If I shall distribute saith Paull all my substance that it may be meate for the poore and shall not haue loue it profiteth me nothing Therfore we teach that good workes must be done necessarilie that God is to be inuocated and that almes is to be giuen that we may testifie our faith and loue and obeie the calling of God But in true repentance we teach that we obteine remission of sinnes onelie for the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ his sake through faith according to that which Peter saith To him doe all the Prophets beare witnes that through his name euerie one that beleeueth in him doth receiue remission of sinnes Of Canonicall howres CHAP. 27. AVgustine writeth in a certaine place that Ambrose the Bishop of Millane did ordaine that the assemblies of the Church should sing Psalmes whereby they might mutuallie comfort themselues whilest they looked for aduersitie and stirre vp them selues to beare the crosse lest the people saith he should pine awaie with the yrckesomnes of mourning This singing because it was vsed in a tongue commonly known it had both a godlie vse deserued great praise And by the Canonical decree it appeereth that those houres which they call Canonicall were an appointment of certeine times wherin the wholl holie Scripture should be publikelie ouerrunne euerie yere as in the schooles there be certain houres appointed for interpreting of authors Such a distribution of houres was peraduenture not vnprofitable for that time in it self it is not a thing to be condemned But to appoint a special kinde of priests to chaunt out those Canonicall hours to sing them in a strange tongue which commonlie is not known to the Church or is not our countrie tongue that in some place in the night in the day time without any intermission new singers very often taking one an others course to make hereof a worship not to this ende that by patience and the comforte of the scripture we might haue hope as Paul saith but that by the merit of this worke a man might mitigate the wrath of God and purge the sins of men before God this is it that is contrary to the meaning of that Church which is in deede Catholike 1. Cor. 14. When ye come together according as euery one of you hath a psalm or hath
deserue remission of sinnes and iustification Thirdlie traditions brought great daunger to mens consciences because it was not possible to keepe them all and yet men thought the obseruation of them to be necessarie duties Gerson writeth that manie fell into despaire and some murthered themselues because they perceiued that they could not keepe the traditions and all this while they neuer heard the comforte of the righteousnes of faith or of grace We see the Summistes and diuines gather together the traditions and seeke qualifications of them to vnburden mens consciences and yet all will not serue but som times they bring more snares vpon the conscience The schooles and pulpits haue bene so busied in gathering together the traditions that they had not leisure once to touch the scripture and to seeke out a more profitable doctrine of faith of the crosse of hope of the dignitie of ciuill affaires of the comfort of consciences in perilous assaultes Wherfore Gerson and some other diuines haue made grieuous complaints that they were hindered by braules about traditions that they could not be occupied in some better kinde of doctrine And Saint Augustine forbiddeth that mens consciences should be burdened with such kinde of obseruations doth verie wiselie warne Ianuarius to know that they are tobe obserued indifferentlie for so he speaketh Wherefore our ministers must not be thought to haue touched this matter vnaduisedlie for hatred of the Bishops as some do falselie surmise There was great need to admonish the Churches of those errours which did arise from mistaking of traditions for the Gospell driueth men to vrge the doctrine of grace and of the righteousnes of faith in the Church which yet can neuer be vnderstord if men suppose that they can merit remission of sinnes and iustification by obseruations of their owne choice Thus therefore they haue taught vs that we can neuer merit remission of sinnes and iustification by the obseruation of mans traditions and therefore that we must not thinke that such obseruations are necessarie dueties Hereunto they adde testimonies out of the scriptures Christ excuseth his disciples Math. 15. which kept not the receiued tradition which yet seemed to be about a matter not vnlawfull but indifferent and to haue some affinitie with the washings of the lawe and saith They worshippe me in vaine with the precepts of men Christ therefore requireth no vnprofitable worship and a litle after he addeth All that entreth in at the mouth deâ—ileth not the man Aagine Rom. 14. The kingdome of God is not meat and drinke Col. 2. Let no man iudge you in meate or drinke in a Sabboth or in an holie daie Againe If ye be dead with Christe from the rudiments of the world why as though yee liued in the world are ye burdened with â—raditions Touch not tast not handle not Act. 15. Peter saith why tempt ye God laying a yoke vpon the neâ—ks of the disciples which neither we nor our fathers were able to beare but by the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ we hope to be saued as did also they Here Peter forbiddeth to burthen the consciences with manie rites whether they be of Moses or of anie others appointing and 1. Tim. 4. he calleth the forbidding of meates a doctrine of deuills because that it is flat against the gospel to appoint or do such workes to the end that by them we maie merit remission of sinnes or iustification or because that there could be no Christianitie without them Here our aduersaries obiect against vs that our ministers hinder al good discipline and mortification of the flesh as Iouinian did But the contrarie maie be seene by our mens writings For they haue alwais taught touching the crosse that Christians must suffer afflictions This is the true earnest and vnfeigned mortification to be exercised with diuerse afflictions and to be crucified with Christ Moreouer they teach that euerie Christian must so by bodilie discipline or bodely exercises and labour exercise and keepe vnder himselfe that fulnes and slouth do not prick him vp to sinne nor that he maie by such exercises merit such remission of the fault or of eternall death and this corporall discipline must alwaies be plied not onelie in a few and those sette daies according to the commaundement of Christ Take heede that your bodies be not oppressed with surfeting Againe This kinde of deuill is not cast out but by fasting and praier And Paul saith I chastâ—â—e my bodie and bring it vnder subiection Where he plainlie sheweth that he did therefore chastice his bodie not that by disscipline he might merit remission of sinnes but that his body might be apt and fit for spirituall things to do his dutie according to his calling Therfore we do not condemne fasts themselues but the traditions which prescribe certeine daies and certeine meates with daunger to the consciences as though such workes as these were necessary duties Yet many of the traditions are obserued among vs which tend vnto this end that things may be done orderlie in the Church as namelie the order of lessons in the Masse and the chiefest holie daies But in the meane time men are admonished that such a seruice doth not iustifie before god and that there is no sinne to be put in such thinges if they be left vndone so it be without offence This libertie in humane rites ceremonies was not vnknowne to the fathers For in the East Church they kept Easter at another time then they did in Rome and when as they of the Church of Rome accused the East Church of schisme for this diuersity they were admonished by others that such fashions should not be alike euerie where And Ireneus saith the dissagreement about fasting doth not breake of the agrement of faith Besides Pope Gregorie in the 12. distinction insinuateth that such diuersitie doth not hurt the vnitie of the Church and in the Tripartite historie lib. 9. many examples of different rites are gathered together and these words are there rehearsed The minde of the Apostles was not to giue precepts of holie daies but to preach godlines and a good conuersation What is then to be thought of the Lords day and of such like rites vsed in Churches Hereunto they answer that it is lawful for the Bishops or Pastors to appoint ordinances wherby things may be done in order in the Church not that by them we should merit remission of sinnes or satisfie for sinnes or that mens consciences should be bound to esteme them as necessarie seruices and thinke that they sinne when they violate any one of them though it be without the offence of others So Paull ordeined that weomen should couer their heads in the congregation that the Interpreters of scripture should be heard in course or order in the Church Such like ordinances it behooueth the Churches to kepe for charitie and quietnes sake so farre forth that one offend not another that all thinges maie be done in order and without tumult in
Paull could not be withhâ—ld but in so fit a place he would plainelie haue declared this state of soules and would haue prescribed a meane vnto the Church whereby miserable soules might be deliuered from their torment But the true and Catholike Church in deed hath plainelie shewed that shee hath no certaintie at all concerning this third kinde of the state of soules in another world Chrysostome in his second sermon of Lazarus saieth If thou hast violently taken anie thing from anie man restore it and saie as doth Zacheus If I haue taken from anie man by forged cauillation I restore fourefoulde If thou art become an enimie to anie man be reconciled before thou come to iudgement Discharge all thinges here that without greefe thou maist beholde that tribunall seat Whilest we be here we haue manie excellent hopes But so soone as we depart thither it is not then in our power to repent nor to wash awaie our sinnes And againe He that in this present life shall not wash awaie his sinnes shall not finde any comforte afterward Augustine although he place certaine men in the middest betiwxt them that be verie good and those that be verie euill to the one sorte whereof he seemeth to assigne the place of Purgatorie yet in other places he doubteth of that matter and doth not define anie certaintie Therefore we must so thinke of this opinion of Augustine as he requireth that is we must receiue that which is confirmed either by the authority of the Scripture or by probable reason But it is euident that those places of the Scripture which are commonlie cited to establish Purgatorie are wrested from the naturall to a straunge sense and are farre otherwise expounded euen of the aâ—ncient writers themselues And those reasons which Augustine bringeth for his opinion do seme to leane to this foundation That we obtaine remission of our sinnes and life not onelie for Christ his sake through faith but also for the merites of our workes But how this agreeth with the true Apostolike doctrine we haue before declared Wherefore we thinke that this speculation of Purgatorie fire is to be left to it owne authors and that we must chiefely doe this as Paull exhorteth vs that we maie confirme our selues one another with speaches touching the assured faith of our resurrection and saluation in Christ Iesus for whose sake God doth so fauour the faithfull that in the middest of death he preserueth them and giueth them true peace OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Of praiers and fastinges CHAP. 7. VVE haue among vs praiers and Religious fastes which are moste holie workes and such as doe verie much beseeme Christians whereunto our Preaehers do most diligentlie exhorte their hearers For true fasting is as it were a renouncing of this present life which is alwaies subiect to euill lustes and desires and a meditation of the life to come which is free from all perturbation And praier is a lifting vp of the minde vnto God and such a familiar speach with him as no other thing can so greatlie set a man on fire with heauenlie affections more mightelie make the minde comformable to the will of God And though these exercies be neuer so holie and necessarie for Christians yet seeing that a mans neighbour is not so much benefited by them as man is prepared that he maie with fruit and profit haue regarde of his neighbour they are not to be preferred before holie doctrine godlie exhortations and admonitions and also other dueties whereby our neighbour doth presentlie receiue some profit Whereupon we reade of our Sauiour that in the night time he gaue him selfe to praier and in the daie time to doctrine and to heale the sicke For as loue is greater then faith and hope so to beleeue those thinges which come neerest vnto loue to wit such as bring assured profit vnto men are to be perferred before all other holie functions whereupon S. Chrysostome writeth that Among the wholl companie of vertues fasting hath the last place Of the Commaunding of Fastes CHAP. 8. BVt because that no mindes but these that be ardent and peculiarlie stirred vp by the heauenlie inspiration can either praie or faste aright and with profit we beleeue that it is farre better after the example of the Apostles and the former more sincere Church by holie exhortations to inuite men hereunto then to wring them out by preceptes such especiallie as doe binde men vnder paine of deadlie sinne the which thing the Priestes that were of late toke vpon them to doe when as then the order of Priestes had not a litle degenerated But we had rather leaue the placetime and manner both of praying and also of fasting to the arbitrement of the holie Ghost then to prescribe them by certaine lawes especiallie such as maie not be broken without some sacrifice of amends Yet for their sakes that be the younger and more imperfect sorte our Preachers doe not dislike that there should be an appointed time and meanes both for prayer and also for fasting that as it were by these holie introductions to exercises they might be prepared hereunto so that it be done without bynding of the conscience We were induced thus to thinke not so much for that all compulsion being against a mans will is repugnant to the nature of these actions but rather because that neither Christ himselfe nor anie of his Apostles haue in any place made mentioÌ„ of such kinde of precepts this doth Chrysostome also witnes saying Thou seest that an vpright life doth helpe more then all other thinges Now I tearme an vpright life not the labour of Fasting nor the bed of haire or ashes but if thou doest despise monie no otherwise then it becommeth thee if thou burne with charitie if thou nourish the hungrie with thy bread if thou ouercome thy anger if thou dost not desire vaine glorie if thou be not possessed with enuie for these be the thinges that he teacheth for he doth not saie that he will haue his fast to be followed howbeit he might haue proponed those 40. daies vnto vs but he saith Learne of me because I am meeke and lowlie in heart Yea rather on the contrarie side saith he eate all that is set before you Moreouer we doe not read that anie solemne or set faste was enioyned to the auncient Church but that faste of one daie For those fastes which as the scripture doth witnes were ordeyned of Prophets and of Kinges it is certaine that they were no set fastes but enioyned onelie for their time to wit when as euident calamities either hanging ouer their heads or presentlie pinching them did so require it Seeing therfore that the Scripture as S. Paull doth affirme doth instruct a man to euerie good worke and yet is ignorant of these fastes which are extorted by precepts we doe not see how it could be lawful for the successours of the Apostles to ouercharge the Church with so
corrupt worship should be established The moste parte do feigne that the workes of mans traditions as satisfactions such like doe merit remission of sinnes This opinion is apparantlie false for it remooueth the benefit of Christ vnto mans traditions And there needeth here no long confutation we will content our selues with one thundring saying of Saint Paull Ye are made void of Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the law Ye are fallen from Christ This saying teacheth that men doe not merit remission of sinnes by the proper workes either of Gods lawe or of mans traditions Others being put in minde what grosse absurditie there is in this first errour they beginne to talke more modestlie of traditions But yet they houlde still an errour that is not to be borne with all They saie That these workes though they doe not deserue remission of sinnes yet are they seruices of God that is workes the immediat ende whereof is that God by them might be honoured This errour also must be stiffelie withstoode For Christ saieth plainelie They worshippe me in vaine with the preceptes of men And Paull doth expresselie condemne will worshippe to the Coloss And seeing that the worshippe of God must be done in faith it is necessarie that we should haue the word of God that may testifie that the worke pleaseth God For how can the conscience offer a worke vnto God vnlesse there be a voice of God which maie declare that God will so be worshipped or serued with this honour But vngodlie men vnderstanding this Doctrine of faith haue in all ages with damnable boldnes deuised worshippes without commaundement or word of God which thing if it be lawfull to doe you can shew no cause why the heathenish sacrifices slaing of dogges sacrifices offered at Lampsacum to Priapus such like monstrous worship should not please God Whether hath mans foolehardines rushed not onelie amongst the Ethnicks in feigning worships but also among the Popish rout in deuising eftsons new foolish ceremonies in praier to the dead in the worshipping of saintes and in the babling of Monkes Here therefore let vs be watchfull and not suffer lawes to be thrust vpon the Churches which prescribe workes without the commaundement of God as Gods worshippe and mans righteousnes And whereas all our aduersaries euen they that speake moste modestlie doe tie this opinion of worshippe vnto those workes let vs know that it is a good worke to withstand them and by violating such traditions to shew a patterne by which the godlie may knowe what to iudge of them As Eusebius writeth of Attalus That he was commaunded by God to speake vnto a certaine man which ate nothing but bread salte and water that he would vse common meat lest he should bring others into errour Moreouer this second errour which maketh these workes to be the worshippe of God brake farther For manie in the Church were deceiued through a peruerse emulation of the Leuiticall ceremonies and did thinke that there should be some such rites in the new Testament and that they are the worshipe of God or things whereby God wil be honoured yea that they are righteousnes And for that cause they gaue authoritie to the Bishops to ordaine such rites and such seruices This Pharisaicall errour Christ and his Apostles noted who taught that the worship of the new Testament is repentance the feare of God faith and the workes of the tenne commaundementes as Paull saieth The kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but righteousnes and peace and ioie in the holie Ghost For he that in these serueth Christ pleaseth God and iâ— approoued of men The Monkes fained themselues to be Nazarites The Masse Priestes that sacrifice for the dead would haue men think that they imitate Aaron offering sacrifices But these examples doe not agree the rites of Monkes and the Priests mercenary Masses haue no word of god for them yea there are manie fonde opinions mingled with them which of necessitie must be reprooued in our Churches The third errour is the opinion of necessitie wherein they imagine that the Church is like vnto other humane gouernmentes For they surmise that it is a kingdome wherin the Bishoppes as if they were Kinges haue power to make new lawes that are besides the Gospell and that they must of necessitie be obeied euen as the Princes lawes must necessarilie be obeied especiallie seeing this life of man can not be without traditions And this opinion of the necessitie of these things hath stirred vp contentions whilst euerie one defendeth his owne rites inuented by man as simply necessarie But Christ and his Apostls teach that such rites set forth without Gods commaundement are not to be taken for thinges necessarie Against this libertie enacted and established by Gods authoritie the opinion which maintaineth that the violating of traditions about thinges indifferent though it be not in a case where offence maie be giuen is not to be receiued Hetherto belongeth the saying of Paull Let no man iudge you in meat and drinke and entercourse of â—olie daies c. For to iudge signifieth to binde the consciences and to condemne them that doe not obeie Againe Gal. 5 Stand in the libertie wherein Christ hath made you free Hitherto it hath bin shewed in what respect it is not lawful to appoint traditions or to approoue them Now some man may aske whether we would haue this life of man to be without order rites No surelie But we teach that the true Pastors of the churches may ordein publike rites in their churches but so as it be onelie for an end belonging to the bodie that is for good orders sake to wit such rites as auaile for the instruction of the people As for example set daies set lessons and such like and that without anie superstition and opinion of necessitie as hath bin said before so that it maie not be counted anie sinne to violate anie of these ordinances so it be not with giuing offence But if so be that they be broken with offence there where the Churches are well ordered and there is no error in doctrine let him that in such place breaketh theÌ„ know that he doth offend because he disturbeth the peace of the Church wel ordered or doth withdraw others from the true ministerie This reason doth sufficientlie warrant the authority of profitable traditions laieth no snare on mens consciences So the Church in the beginning of it ordained set daies as the Lords day the daie of Christs natiuity Easter PeÌ„ticost c. Neither did the church dispense with the moral precepts but Gods owne authority abrogated the ceremonies of Moses law And yet it was meet that the people should know when to come together to the hearing of the Gospel vnto the ceremonies which Christ did ordaine And for that cause certain daies were appointed to that vse without anie such opinions as were aboue mentioned And the general equity abideth stil in the moral law that at certeine
is it lawfull either to restore the olde ceremonies of the law or to deuise new to shadow forth the truth allreadie laide open and brought to light by the Gospell as in the daie light to set vp candles to signifie the light of the Gospel or to carie banners and crosses to signifie the victorie of Christ through his crosse Of which sort is al that wholl furniture of massing attire which they say doth shadow out the wholl passion of Christ many other things of that kinde Much lesse is it lawfull to ordaine ceremonies and holie rites by the merit whereof sinne may be purged the kingdome of heauen purchased For of that former kind of ceremonies and holie rites Christ out of Esay preacheth saying In vaine doe they worshippe me teaching for doctrines the precepts of men And Paull saith Let no man iudge you in meat or drink or part of an holie daie or of the new Moone c. Hitherto may be added the testimonies of Augustine others touching the obseruation of such ceremonies But touchgin the latter kinde of ceremonies it is manifest that they are wicked rites and reprochful to the death and resurrection of Christ by whose onelie merit we haue deliuerance from sinne and inheritance of eternall life by faith OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Of humane traditions CHAP. 14. FVrthermore touching the traditions of the Fathers or such as the Bishops and Churches doe at this daie ordaine this is the opinion of our men They reckon no tradirions for mens traditions but such as are condemned in Scripture but such as are contrarie to the law of God such as binde the conscience about me at and drinke and times and other outward things such as forbid mariage to them who haue neede therof to liue honestlie and the rest of that stamp For such as agree with the Scripture and were ordeined for good manners the profit of men although they be not word for worde expressed in the Scriptures neuertheles in that they proccede from the commaundement of loue which ordereth all things most decentlie they are worthely to be accounted rather of God then of man Of this sort were those set downe by Paull that women should not praie in the Church bareheaded nor men with their heades couered that they who are to communicate together should tary one for another that no mā should speak with tongues in the congregation without an interpreter that the Prophets without confusion should deliuer their Prophecies to be iudged by them that sit by Many such the Church at this daie for good cause obserueth and vpon occasion also maketh new which who so refuseth he despiseth the authoritie not of men but of God whose tradition it is whatsoeuer is profitable For whatsoeuer truth is saide or written by his gift it is spoken and written who is truth as Saint Augustine hath godly written But often times there is disputing about that what tradition is profitable what not that is what set forward godlines what doth hinder it But he that shall seeke nothing of his owne but shall wholly dedicate himselfe to the publike profit he shal easily see what things are agreable to the law of god what are not Furthermore seing the estate of Christians is such that they are also helped by iniuries the Christian will not refuse to obey no not vniust lawes so they haue no wicked thing in them according to the saying of Christ If any man compell thee to goe with him one mile go with him two Euen so surelie the Christian ought to become all vnto al that he may studie to do and suffer all things so that they be not contrarie to the commaundements of God to pleasure and profit men withall Hence it commeth to passe that euerie man so much the more willinglie obeyeth the ciuill lawes which are not repugnant to religion the more fullie he is indued with the faith of Christ THE EIGHTEENTH SECTION OF WEDLOCKE SINGLE LIFE AND MONASTIcall vowes THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of single life wedlocke and householde gouernement CHAP. 29. SVuch as haue the gift of chastitie giuen vnto them from aboue so as they can with the heart or wholl minde be pure and continent and not be grieuouslie burned with lust let them serue the Lord in that calling as long as they shall feele themselues indued with that heauenlie gift and let them not lifte vp themselues aboue others but let them serue the Lord dailie in simplicitie and humilitie For such are more apt for doing of heauenlie thinges then they which are distracted with priuate affaires of their familie but if againe the gift be taken away and they feele a continuall burning let them call to minde the words of the Apostle It is better to marrie then to burne For wedlocke which is the medicine of incontinencie continencie it selfe was ordeined by the Lord God himselfe who blessed it most bountifully and willeth man and woman to eleaue one to the other inseperablie and to liue together in great loue and concorde Whereupon we know the Apostle said Mariage is honourable among all the bedde vndefiled And againe If a Virgine marrie she sinneth not We therefore condemne Poligamie and those which condemne second mariages We teach that mariages ought to be made lawfullie in the feare of the Lord and not against the lawes which forbid certein degrees to ioine in matrimony lest the mariages should be incestuous Let mariages be made with consent of the parents or such as be in steed of parents for that ende especiallie for the which the Lord ordeined mariages and let them be confirmed publiquely in the church with praier and blessing of them Moreouer let them be kept holilie with peace faithfulnes duetifulnes loue and also puritie of the persons coupled together Therefore let them take heede of brawlings debates lusts and adulteries Let lawfull iudgements and holie Iudges be established in the Church which may mainteine mariages and may represse all dishonestie and shamefulnes and before whom the controuersies in matrimonie may be decided and ended Let children also be brought vp of the Parentes in the feare of the Lord and let Parentes prouide for their children remembring the saying of the Apostle He that prouideth not for his owne hath denied the faith and is worsse then an infidell But speciallie let them teach their children honest sciences whereby they may mainteine themselues let them withdraw them from idlenes and plant in them a true confidence in god in al these things lest they through distrust or ouermuch careles securitie or filthie couetousnes wax lose and in the end come to no good Now it is most certaine that those workes which Parents doe in a true faith by the dueties of mariage gouernment of their families are before God holie good workes in deed and doe please God no lesse then praiers fastings and almes deeds For so the Apostle hath taught in his
to the Church and thence were Pastours and Bishops taken But now the case is altered It is needeles to rehearse their vowes In olde time they came together into such places to learne but now they feigne that it is a kinde of life taken vp to merit remission of sinnes and iustification yea they say it is a state of perfection and preferre it to all other kinde of lifes that God ordained We haue therefore mentioned these things amplifying nothing odiouslie to the end that the doctrine of our men touching this matter might be vnderstood First touching such as ioyne in mariage thus they teach with vs that it is lawfull for any to marrie that is not fit for a single life forasmuch as vowes can not take away Gods ordinance commaundement The commaundement of God is To auoide fornication let euerie man haue his wife And not onelie the commaundement but also the creation and ordinance of God compelleth such vnto marriage as without the speciall worke of God are not exempted according to that saying It is not good â—or man to be alone They therefore that are obedient to this commaundement and ordinance of God doe not offend What can be saide against these thinges Let a man amplifie the bonde of a vow as much as he will yet can he neuer bring to passe that the vow shall take away Gods commaundement The Canons teach That in euery vow the right of the superiouâ— is excepted much lesse therefore can these vowes which are contrarie to Gods commaundement be of force If so be that the bond of vowes had no cause why it might be changed then should not the Romane Bishops haue dispensed therewith For in deede it is not lawfull for man to disanull that bond which doth simplie belong to the law of God But the Romane Bishops haue iudged verie wiselie that in this bond there must an equitie be vsed therefore they are often read to haue dispensed with vowes The historie of the King of Arragon beeing called backe out of a Monasterie is well knowne and there be many examples of our time Secondly why do our aduersaries exaggerate the bond or the effect of the vow when as in the meane time they speake not a word of the very nature of a vow which ought to be in a thing possible which ought to be voluntarie and taken vp of a mans owne accorde and with aduise or deliberation But it is not vnkowne how perpetuall chastitie is in the power of a man And how many amongst them is there that doth vowe of his owne accord and with aduise Wenches young maides before they know how to iudge are perswaded yea sometimes also compelled to vow wherfore it is not meete to dispute so rigorouslie of the bond seeing that all men confesse that it is against the nature of a vowe which is not done of a mans owne â—ccord or vnaduisedlie The canons for the most part doe disanull vowes which are made bâ—fore one be 15. yeares of age because that before one come to that age he seemeth not to haue so much iudgement as to determine of a perpetuall life Another Canon permitting more to the weaknes of men doth adde some yeares moe for it forbiddeth a vow to be made before one be 18. yeares of age But whether of these shall we follow the greatest parte hath this excuse why they forsake Monasteries because that for the moste parte they vowed before they came to this age Last of all although the breaking of a vowe may be reprehended yet it followeth not that the mariages of such persons are to be dissolued For Augustine in his 27. quest 1. Cap. of Mariages doth denie that they ought to be dissolued and his authoritie is not lightly to be esteemed although others afterward haue thought otherwise And although the commaundement of God touching wedlocke doth free moste men from vowes yet our men doe also bring another reason concerning vowes that they be frustrate because that al the worship of God instituted of men without the commaundement of God and chosen to merit remission of sinnes and iustification is wicked as Christ saith They doe in vaine worship me with the commaundements of men And Paull doth euerie where teach that righteousnes is not to be sought out of our obseruations and those worships which are deuised by men but that it commeth by faith to those that beleeue that they haue God pacified and reconciled to them for Christ not for any of their merits But it is euident that the Monkes did teach that these made or counterfeited religions doe deserue remission of sinnes and iustification and that they doe satisfie for sinnes What els is this then to detract from the glorie of Christ and to obscure and denie the righteousnes of faith wherefore it followeth that these vowes thus vsed were wicked worships and therefore they be of no value For a wicked vowe and that which is made against the commaundement of God is of no force neither ought a vowe to be a bond of iniquitie as the Canon saith Paul saith Ye are made voide of Christ which seeke to be iustified by the law ye are fallen from grace that is they which doe thinke that by their owne workes they doe merit remission of sinnes and that they doe please God for their owne fulfilling of the law and doe not perceiue that for Christ his sake they doe freelie receiue by faith remission of their sinnes through the mercie of God and that they doe please God through Christ they doe loose Christ because they do transferre the confidence which is due to Christ and to the promise of God vnto workes Also they oppose to the wrath of God not Christ the propitiatour but their owne workes therefore they doe transferre the honour which is due vnto Christ vnto our workes Now it is manifest that the Monkes doe teach this that by their obseruations they doe deserue remission of sinnes because they finde God merciful vnto them for these obseruations Wherefore they teach men to trust to their owne workes not to the propitiation of Christ This is a wicked confidence and is contrarie to the Gospell and in the iudgement of God it shall be sound to be vaine For our workes can not be opposed to the wrath and iudgement of God the wrath of God is then onelie appeased when as we doe by faith laie holde vpon the free mercie promised for Christs sake Therefore they loose Christ which place their confidence not in Christ but in their owne workes Moreouer the Monks haue taught that their kinde of life is a state of perfection because they did obserue not onely the commaundements but also the counsells This error is chiefelie contrarie to the gospel because they haue feigned that they do so satisfie the commaundements as that they can also do somwhat more hereupon arose that horrible errorwhich they haue feigned that they had merits of super erogation These they haue applied
for others that they might be satisfactions for other mens sinnes If anie man wil odiouslie exaggerate these thinges how many things might herehearse whereof the Monks themselues are now ashamed It is no light offence in the Church to propound vnto the people a certein worship deuised by men without the commaundement of God and to teach that such a worship doth iustifie men because that the righteousnes of faith in Christ which ought especiallie to be taught in the Church is obscured when as those maruelous religions of Angells feigning of pouerty and humilitie and of single life are cast before mens eies Moreouer the commaundements of God and the true worship of God are obscured when as men do heare that Monks alone are in that state of perfection because that Christian perfection is this to feare God sincerely and againe to conceiue great faith and to trust assuredlie that God is pacified toward vs for Christ his sake to ask and certainly to look for help from God in al our affaires according to our calling and outwardlie to do good workes dilligentlie and to tend vpon our vocation In these things doth true perfection and the true worship of God consist it doth not consist in singlenes of life in beggarie or in vile apparell The people also doth conceiue many pernitious opinions of those false commendations of the monasticall life They heare that single life is praised aboue measure therefore they liue in marriage with offence of conscience They heare that beggers onelie are perfect therefore they keepe their possessions buy and sell with offence of conscience They heare that the gospel giueth counsell not to reuenge therfore some that lead a priuat life are not afraid to reuenge themselues For they heare that it is a counsell not a commaundement Others do think that all Magistracie and ciuill offices are vnworthie a Christian man VVe read examples of men who forsaking wedlock and leauing the gouernment of the common wealth haue hid themselues in Monasteries That they called to flie out of the world and to seeke a kinde of life which is more acceptable to God neither did they see that God is to be serued in those commaundements which he himselfe hath deliuered not in the commaundements which are deuised by men That is a good and perfect kinde of life which hath the commaundement of God for it warrant It is necessarie to admonish men of these thinges And before these times Gerson did reprehend this errour of the perfection of Monkes and he witnesseth that in his time this was a new or strange voice that the Monasticall life is a state of perfection Thus many wicked opinions doe cleaue fast vnto vowes as that they merit remission of sinnes iustification that they are Christian perfection that they do keepe the counsells and commaundements that they haue works of supererogation All these thinges seing they be false and vaine do make vowes to be of no effect OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SAXONIE Of Wedlocke THe trueth concerning Wedlocke did at all times remaine sincere in the Church onelie For the Church doth know that God doth moste seuerelie forbid wandring lustes amongst mankinde and that he would haue chastitie so to be vnderstoode and performed as he himselfe hath ordeined it that we also maie know that he is a pure and a chaste minde and maie discerne him from deuils whoe through the hatred they beare to God are delighted with the confusions of lusts doe driue forward this weake nature of man that it maie be horriblie defiled Wherefore both the Heathen did euerie where admitte ceratine foule examples and Heretikes at all times haue spreade abroad monstrous opinions touching wedlocke as Clemens Alexandrinus and Epiphanius doe declare And the Turkish manners and the lawe of the Pope concerning single life haue caused a great deformitie in this last olde age of the world But Paull doth affirme that it is a signe of euill Spirites to forbid marriage Wherefore we doe verie carefullie keepe the sincere doctrine of God touching marriage and by the mercie of God our ciuill Magistrates haue appointed and doe defende iudgements for Marriage matters in their gouernment and they doe seuerelie punish those wicked deeds which are contrarie to the lawe of God and know that by the commaundement of God they are inioyned to haue a care to defende chastitie and wedlocke And we retaine this true definition agreeing with the commaundements of God and the custome of the Apostolique Church Marriage is a lawfull and indissoluble coniunction onelie of one man and of one woman to be kept because of the commaundement of God whoe by this meane will haue mankinde associated chastitie to be vnderstoode and lustes not to wander God in the beginning did consecrate this order saying thus They shall be two in one flesh to wit one man and one onelie woman inseperablie ioyned together And againe this first lawe was established of Christ Math. 19. Now that this coupling together maie be lawfull we doe immutably obserue the differences of persons that we maie not make a mixture of those persons whoe by the lawe of God are not permitted to couple together Also we keepe the rules of the Canon lawe touching other neerer degrees as there be ordinances to be seene deliuered with graue and wise deliberation in our Consistories Moreouer we know it is the will of God that Marriage should not be for bidden to anie persons that be fit thereunto and which without Marriage could not liue without daunger of their conscience as it is written Gen. 2. Math. 19 1. Cor. 7. Therefore we giue leaue to Priestes and other persons to marie which had rather liue godlie in Marriage then in a single life to haue wounded consciences so that they may not inuocate God and liue holilie In affiances euen according to the auncient lawes we will haue the consent of the Parentes also seeing that Parentes are mooued with a probable reason Touching diuorcementes this rule is most firmelie held that they doe sin who either by adultery or by forsaking be the first cause of distraction and adulterers and adultresses and he and shee that doth fosake the other are condemned by the voice of them that preach in our Churches and of the Iudges in our Consistories and they be seuerelie punished of our Magistrates But the innocent person when as the matter beeing well knowne he is set free is not forbid to marrie that he maie inuocate God liue holilie For seing that the Lord doth expresselie set at libertie the innocent person Math. 19. when as the other partie is polluted with adulterie we must vnderstande a setting at libertie not in name onelie but in deede And Paull speaketh after the same manner in the case of forsaking This our custome doth also agree with the auncient Church The other lawes which we haue in our Consistories doe agree with the Canon lawe and we doe trulie propound vnto the people the
reiected so long time all kindes of lust euen those which are not to be named be it spoken with reuerence to your sacred M. O noble Cesar haue more then horribly ouerthrowne this Ecclesiasticall order so that at this daie amongst men there be none more abhominable then they which beare the name of Priests THE NINTEENTH SECTION OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of Magistracie CHAP. 30. THE Magistracie of what sort soeuer it be is ordained of God him selfe for the peace and quietnes of mankinde and so that he ought to haue the chiefest place in the world If he be an aduersarie to the Church he may hinder and disturbe it very much but if he be a friend and a member of the Church he is a moste profitable and excellent member thereof which may profit it verie much and finallie may helpe and further it verie excellentlie His chiefest dutie is to procure and maintaine peace and publique tranquillitie Which doubtles he shall neuer do more happilie then when he shall be truelie seasoned with the feare of God and true religion namelie when he shall after the example of moste holie Kinges and Princes of the people of the Lorde aduaunce the preaching of the truth and the pure and sincere faith and shall roote out lies and all superstition with all impietie and Idolatrie and shall defend the Church of God For in deede we teach that the care of religion doth chieflie appertaine to the holie Magistrate let him therefore holde the worde of God in his handes and looke that nothing be taught contrary thereunto In like manner let him gouerne the people committed to him of God with good lawes made according to the worde of God Let him hold them in discipline and in their dutie and in obedience let him exercise iudgement by iudgeing vprightlie let him not accept anie mans person or receiue bribes let him deliuer widowes fatherles children and those that be afflicted from wrong let him represse yea and cut of such as are vniust either by deceit or by violence For he hath not receiued the sworde of God in vaine Therefore let him draw forth this sworde of God against all malefactours seditious persons theeues or murderers oppressours blasphemers periured persons and all those whome God hath commaunded him to punish or execute Let him suppresse stubborne heretiques which are heretiques in deede who cease not to blaspheme the maiestie of God and to trouble the Church yea and finallie to destroy it but if so be it be necessarie to preserue the saftie of the people by warre let him doe it in the name of God so that he first seeke peace by all meanes possible and vse it not saue onelie then when he can saue his subiects no waie but by warre And while as the Magistrate doth these things in faith he serueth God by those workes as with such as be good workes and shall receiue a blessing from the Lorde We condemne the Anabaptists who as they denie that a christian man should beare the office of a magistrate so also they deny that anie man can iustlie be put to death by the Magistrate or that the Magistrate maie make warre or that othes shoulde be performed to the Magistrates and such like thinges For as God will worke the saftie of his people by the Magistrate whome he hath giuen to be as it were a father of the world so all the subiects are commaunded to acknowledge this benefit of God in the Magistrate therefore let them honour and reuerence the Magistrate as the minister of God let them loue him fauour him and pray for him as their father and let them obey all his iust and equall commaundements Finallie let them pay all customes and tributes and all other dueties of the like sorte faithfullie and willinglie And if the common saftie of the countrie and iustice require it and the Magistrate do of necessitie make warre let them laie downe their life spend their blood for the common saftie and defence of the Magistrate and that in the name of God willinglie valiantlie and cherefullie For he that opposeth himselfe against the Magistrate doth procure the wrath of god against him We condemne therfore all contemners of Magistrates as rebells enemies of the common wealth seditious villaines in a word all such as do either openlie or closelie refuse to performe those duties which they ought to do c. THE CONCLVSION WE beseech God our most mercifull Father in heauen that he will blesse the Princes of the people and vs and his wholl people through Iesus Christ our onelie Lord and Sauiour to whome be praise and thankesgiuing both now and for euer OVT OF THE FORMER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of Magistracie SEing that euery Magistrate is of God his chiefe dutie except it please him to exercise a tyranie consisteth in this to defend religion from all blasphemie to procure it and as the Prophet teacheth out of the word of the Lord to put it in practise so much as in him lieth In which parte trulie the first place is giuen to the pure free preaching of the worde of God the instruction of the youth of Citizens and a right and diligent teaching in Schooles lawfull discipline a liberall prouision for the Ministers of the Church and a diligent care for the poore Secondlie to iudge the people according to iust diuine lawes to keepe iudgement and iustice to maintaine this publique peace to cherish the common wealth and to punish the offenders according to the quantitie of the fault in their riches bodie or life which things when he doth he performeth a due worship or seruice to God We know that though we be free we ought whollie in a true faith holilie to submit our selues to the Magistrate both with our bodie and with all our goods and indeauour of minde also to performe faithfulnes and the othe which we made to him so farre forth as his gouernment is not euidentlie repugnant to him for whose sake we doe reuerence the Magistrate OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BASILL Of Magistracie MOreouer God hath assigned to the Magistrate who is his minister the sword and chiefe externall power for the defence of the good and to take reuenge and punishment of the euill Therefore euerie Christian Magistrate in the number whereof we also desire to be doth direct all his strength to this that among those which are coÌ„mitted to his credit the name of God may be sanctified his kingdome may be enlarged and men may liue according to his will with an earnest rooting out of all râ—ughtines And in the margent This duetie also was inioyned to the heathenish Magistrate how much more to the Christian Magistrate ought it to be commended as to the true substitute of God Also Art 11. Sect. 1. 3. and 4. We doe clearelie protest that together with all other doctrines which are directlie contrarie to the
confession of Belgia AL the operations of the holie Ghost are hidden c. That is to saie both when the proper force of the holie spirit which is incomprehensible is regarded and seeing that his effectes doe exceed our senses Both which doe come to passe in these mysteries Vpon the same That which is eaten c. Namelie by faith as it is often iterated in this confession that is to saie that which is receiued spirituallie by the minde by beleeuing as the signe is eaten and dronken corporallie For the wordes eating and drinking can no otherwise be spoken of the minde and of faith which are the onelie instrumentes of receiuing the verie bodie and bloode of Christ then metaphoricallie or metonymicallie Vpon the same By the eating of his flesh and drinking of his bloode c. That is as hath beene said in the former obseruation by a spirituall participation the which sometimes by reason of the sacramentall receiuing and sometimes by reason of that spirituall life which Christ ingendereth in vs is metaphoricallie signified by the names of eating or drinking Vpon the same Although the sacramentes be ioyned to the thing c. Of the sacramentall vnion we haue spoken before in the second obseruation vpon the Confession of Bohemia Vpon the confession of Auspurge THat the body and blood of Christ are there in deed and are distributed c. We also doe alowe of this namely that the word of God is not deceitfull and therefore as often as the holy signes are rightly giuen that is according to Christ his institution that then also the thing signified by the signe which is the verie bodie of Christ crucified for vs and the very blood of Christ shedd for vs is also giuen to be receiued But we affirme that the thing signified is no otherwise coupled with the signe then sacramentallie The trueth of which sacramental coniunction doth not consist in this that wheresoeuer the signe is there the thing represented by the signe should also be present but in this that that which God promiseth by the signe he also doth offer to be receiued Therefore we hold that the bodie of Christ is not really present in with or vnder the bread otherwise then after this sacramentall manner both because it is a true body being circumscribed in his local situation and also hath truly ascended from the earth aboue the heauens that be subiect to our sight and shall there remaine from whence he exerciseth a gouernment ouer al these beneath euen as he is man vntill he come truely from thence to iudge both quicke and dead Moreouer we doe also auouch that as the signes are offered to the bodie so the thinges signified are offered to the minde and therefore that the signes are receiued of euery one with the hand and mouth that come vnto the supper the which vnto some namely to the worthie receiuets do turne vnto saluation but vnto others that is the vnworthy communicants by reason of the profanation of the signes and contempt of the thing signified they doe turne to condemnation As for the things signified those we affirme to be truely and effectuallie apprehended onely of those that be indued with a right minde and a true faith and that alwaies vnto saluation whereunto the distance of place is no hinderance by reason of the vnspeakeable operation of the holie Ghost And yet not so as that the substances should be mingled betwixt themselues or cleaue together in any place for Christs flesh abideth in heauen and ours vpon the earth but that these things being mysticallie vnited which in true distance of situation are seperated we might draw from the flesh of Christ all gifts necessary for our saluation and especiallie that liuely iuise wherby we are nourished to eternall life Therefore whatsoeuer they pretend which are of the contrarie iudgement the controuersie is not either of the signe or of the thinges signified or of the truth of the sacraments or of the receiuing of them or of the effectes but of the onely definition of the sacramentall coniunction also of the manner of receiuing the thinges signified Both which we contend to be so interpreted by some out of the word of God that if their opinion be once graunted both the truth of Christes bodie his assention into heauen and his second comming is consequentlie ouerthrowne Looke the exposition of this article expressed in the diuers editions of the Auspurge confession though not after the same manner in the same words and for the full declaration therof look in the admonition lately set forth by our bretheren the Neustadians in the 5. chapter out of the which our agreement in this point of doctrine rightly declared doth appeere vpon the same Art 1. Of the abuses For the Masse is retained still amongst vs c. The Princes and Diuines in the assemblie at Newburdge testified in the yeare 1561. as is manifest by the decrees of that assemblie that they by the word Masse doe vnderstand the administration of the Supper and do from the bottome of their hearts detest the Romish Masse And although we doe abhorre all contentions about words and doe acknowledge that the worde Masse is not newlie sprong vp in the latine Church yet seeing that the originall of this tearme namely because almes were sent from the faithfull in their vsuall meetings at their loue feasts is long since abolished and seeing that this worde hath these many yeares broken out into great abhomination and so great that none so grosse or execrable was euer heard of wee doe not with out cause together with the thing abolish the name it selfe out of our Churches As for the holie liturgy there we think that it is most rightly celebrated where it is most simply most nearelie vnto the first institution obserued And seing it is manifest that the ceremonies in the Romane Liturgie are partlie in them selues vnprofitable partlie tending rather to an ambitious shew and pompe then to edification partlie ridiculous and partlie either in themselues superstitious or else readie to be turned into superstition Therfore the moste of them or in a manner all we haue in euery place vtterlie swept awaie Yet so as that the Church hath her liberty leftin things indifferent as it is meet and shall be declared in the 17. Section As for the speaking or singing of any thing in the publique Liturgie in such a tongue as is vnknowne to the common people vnlesse there be an interpreter the Apostle doth plainlie forbid it 1. Cor. 14. Vpon the same A Ceremonie in the new couenant without faith doth merit nothing c. No nor yet in the olde Testament yea neither any ceremonie nor faith it selfe doth merit anie thing but whereas the externall worke being performed with faith according to Gods commaundement is acceptable vnto him all that we teach out of Gods word to be of grace and not of debt Whereof looke the 8.