heard are gathered as it were into one body all and every of whose members have a certain mutual communion amongst one another and a spiritual communion with their one only and true Head our Lord Jesus Christ as they really are so also are they rightly called the Church of Jesus Christ. Of both which to wit the Church and the Communion thereof we say in the Apostles Creed I believe the holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints 2. For this Church is nothing else but an Assembly of men called by the Gospel and believing on Jesus Christ or at least with their mouth professing his Name and Doctrine as saving although some more some less either sincerely and purely or firmly and constantly believe on Christ or at least outwardly in words and rites profess Christ. 3. For the Church whilst it is militant here on earth is wont according to the Sacred Scripture to be considered under a twofold respect 1. As an Assembly of Men and Women truly pious and believing and that do cordially and sincerely embrace and love and with their whole heart keep and order their lives and conversations according to that saving Doctrine of Jesus Christ which they profess with their Mouth Which Assembly is visible and certainly known to God only but is invisible unto us Seeing true Faith and Piety which lie hid within the heart none but God the alone indeed searcher of the Hearts and Reins can behold them 4. But to hold the saving Doctrine of Jesus Christ is not forthwith so perfectly to know all that is every way contained in the doctrine of Christ so as to err or hesitate in no one Article at all or no Sacred History or sense of the Holy Scripture but at least well and rightly to hold or understand all that without which we cannot rightly observe and perform the Commandments of Faith and Obedince nor consequently according to the Mind and Will of God obtain eternal Salvation Therefore all those Churches which agree in the belief and profession of necessary Truth we believe that they ought to be counted for true Churches of Jesus Christ although in the mean time they differ in many other things and in some respects not inconsiderably swerve from the Truth 5. The Church is considered as it is a visible Multitude of those that publickly profess the Faith and Doctrine of Jesus Christ although haply they do not truly believe in him which as to the outward Confession of the Mouth and other manifest signs of Faith of that kind is of it self even sufficiently known and visible unto us although it appear sometimes less evidently or clearly 6. Again both may be considered either as Catholick or universal which being spread throughout the whole World comprehends or contains all Congregations together either of those who truly believe or at least profess so to do or as local or particular which is gathered in certain places by parts severally for instance at Corinth in Galatia at Ephesus c. Of which this or the other whatever it be may not only err in doctrine but also revolt from the true Faith the profession thereof yea and oftentimes also doth actually revolt from the same the Catholick Church in the mean time still remaining safe entire notwithstanding Nor indeed is there any divine promise extant whereby the sincere profession of true doctrine and a continual succession therein or an uninterrupted and uniform continuance of the continual assistance of the Holy Ghost and of the Orthodox Faith and that to be always clearly seen is promised to any certain particular Church or Congregation yea indeed rather both examples and presages of the defection of many are every where obvious or easy to meet with in the Holy Scriptures Of the Marks or Notes of a visible Church 7. Furthermore the Notes and Marks such indeed as are certain and infallible which clearly demonstrate unto us and make a Church or Christian Assembly which is already gathered by the preaching of the Word visible may be reduced unto one only general that is unto the profession of that sacred and saving doctrine which was delivered by Jesus Christ in conjunction with at least an outward keeping of the Commandments of Jesus Christ. For whereas true Faith which is given unto the saving doctrine of Jesus Christ doth as the more inward form and as it were the Soul constitute and make a true and invisible Church of Jesus Christ it is necessary doubtless that the alone profession of that true and saving Faith which we have spoken of make the same visible unto us 8. But with labour and toil either to seek or demand or to desire to shew unto others other Notes or Marks whereby those who as yet are wholly ignorant what a true Chruch of Christ is or which or what is the saving Doctrine thereof may come certainly undoubtedly to the knowledg of the true Church and consequently to the knowledg of the Truth it self is altogether vain and foolish for that so to pretend is neither necessary nor profitable nay not possible rightly or orderly to be performed So far is it from such Marks consisting in those things which the World and Fleshly reason are wont so highly to esteem to wit in Antiquity Multitude Consent Succession of persons outward Splendour of Congregations or worldly Happiness c. of which many of late do vainly boast 9. Furthermore the duty of those who belong to this visible Church doth not only consist in every particular Man's professing with his mouth and in life this saving doctrine of Christ for himself but also in Believers being united and joyned together among themselves whether they be more or fewer in their doing or performing those things which ordinarily cannot nor use to be performed but in a Society or Congregation and which render the Society or Congregation it self more Illustrious and Conspicuous 10. Which sort or kind of duties besides hearing of the Word preached and the profession of Faith already spoken of are chiefly two to wit the use of the Sacraments as they are called and the exercise of Christian discipline of which more immediately CHAP. XXIII Of the Sacraments and other Sacred Rites 1. VVHen we speak of Sacraments we understand the outward Ceremonies of the Church or those sacred and solemn Rites whereby as by foederal signs and visible seals God doth not only represent and shadow out unto us his gracious benefits especially those promised in the Covenant of the Gospel but doth also in a certain manner clearly hold forth and seal the same unto us and we again likewise do openly and publickly declare and testifie that we do embrace all the promises of God with a true firm and obedient Faith and that we will always with continual and thankful remembrance celebrate with
absolutely bind the Consciences of Men before God and therefore none should depart from it even in the least to wit neither in Matter nor in Words nay nor in method or manner of Teaching Far be so proud a vanity from us who know that this honour agreeth not with any Writings of Men how accurate soever and diligently and long and much considered but only with the Word of God contained in the Holy Scriptures and who both know that from the abuse of such Writings which is too frequent and too common new Schisms Sects Condemnations Persecutions and other Scandals of that kind have more often arisen and do seriously bewail the same And this was our principal aim To satisfie the often earnest requests of those who judged that we owed this Service both to the Church and Common-Wealth and indeed for to promote the Publick good that is both for the more ample illustrating the Truth of God and for the the more happy procuring and on every side propagating of Peace in them both Another end is that we might by this means the more commodiously vindicate the truth of our Opinions and our Innocency against the inique accusations of those who when as themselves hold grievous and very hurtful errours among others that in the first place concerning fatal Predestination and other points annext thereto as also concerning the killing of Hereticks yet will be thought the only Orthodox Men and the altogether pure Reformed and stick not to fasten upon us not only Errours but also Heresies and Blaspemies yea who while themselves exercise new dominion in the Church and do not only cause Schisms and Sects but do also every where raise up direful Persecutions and Banishments against harmless Men do nevertheless complain of us whom having in part indeed cited in their Conventicle of Dort they very lately condemned yet unheard and without making our defence more than Calumniously as of the true Authors forsooth of all the Scandals and Disturbances that have been hitherto made in the Belgick Churches For the fuller conviction therefore of these Men before God and the whole Christian World of their manifest calumnie and manifold injustice hitherto used against us and withal for the truer information of all that are pious and lovers or studious of the Truth of God and the Churches Peace we have thought not without weighty and just cause that we were bound to set forth this publick and unanimous Declaration of our judgment touching almost the whole Christian Religion In the sraming indeed whereof we have first of all diligently endeavoured that there might not be omitted therein any Opinion or Doctrine either necessary or very useful and that there might not be any thing either false or confused or lastly any thing idle and superfluous contained in the same But that it might comprehend in it the very form of sound or rather of healing words which abundantly express unto us Christian Faith and Piety both briefly and plainly and no less methodically and as it were in a brief survey hold forth the whole thereof to be viewed of all and that by the unanimous consent of all the Brethren not so much as excepting those who are held shut up in Goals all which jointly and severally diligently read it before and in the fear of the Lord examined it by the rule of the Holy Scripture as far as they might by reason of the iniquity of the times and at length with one Heart and one Mouth did all approve of it And indeed we have called it not only a Confession of our Faith but also a Declaration of our Mind and Judgment for that such a Declaration promiseth somewhat more full and pregnant than a bare Confession of Faith alone doth For indeed we were willing to satisfie the hope and expectation of those who desired a more copious full and clear exposition or unfolding of our Judgment concerning for the most part all the Articles of the Christian Religion and withal also to put a bolt upon the mouth of those who having nothing justly to carp at in us would perswade the people that we would never agree together upon any common clear and uniform Judgment touching the chief heads of Religion that we did conceal some things of which we were ashamed to give our judgment in publick and that they were such which did overthrow the very chief heads and as it were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tenths or chief of the Spoils of Christianity or if we did sometimes also publish or utter these that we did hide and cover them by obscure doubtful and uncertain expressions or some general and deceitful coverings of words This false accusation of theirs although long since elsewhere often detected and sufficiently refuted by us yet had we rather obviate it even by a publick and general Declaration of our Belief than by other means more lyable to calumnie So secure is a good Conscience and the Confidence of a good Cause which we have thought worth our while even upon this occasion publickly to declare And this among others was a cause why we conceived or framed it not in meer Scripture-Words lest we should indeed nourish that suspition to wit that we sought lurking Holes and hid as some indeed think mischievous and prophane meanings under an equivocal covering of the words of the Sacred Scripture and that we might by this means cut off all new matter of calumniating from those whose solemn study and chief labour it is to blu◠and stain under any pretence or colour whatsoever the credit and good name of the Remonstrants with heinous reproaches or at least with sinister suspicions As to thorny and too subtile questions which are proper to your Universities and Schools and which neither advantage the knower nor prejudice the ignorant we have purposedly waved them leaving them to idle and to curious Wits and which are troubled with an incurable evil habit of disputing to whom it is matter of pleasure to make shew of their acuteness and from this kind of paste made to comfort the stomach with to seek or purchase to themselves the petty Garland of Victory We have bestowed our time and service on that Truth alone which is according to Godliness and indeed in conjunction with an ingenuous and open simplicity the which even the Unlearned may understand and the Learned ought not to disdain Lastly we have thought it best and safest to keep within the bounds of things necessary and in our judgment profitable waving and passing all other things of set purpose and that indeed the more commodiously to avoid both the extreams towit the excess and the defect For neither do we like their Opinion who will have nothing contained in Consessions and Declarations but what is precisely necessary to be known and believed We have thought it meet to have a regard o◠those things that are profitable also especially of those which in this kind excel the rest
But where we have not the Spirit of God going before us there we upon good right demuâ—â— and with-hold our assent and do both beg and grant pardon by course remembring that which our Saviour adviseth us Judg not that ye be not judged and which the Apostle Judg not any thing before the time untill the Lord come who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the Councils of Mens Hearts and then shall every Man have praise of God Hence we do not easily denounce an Anathema to him who we believe is held with a pure meer errour if he be otherwise pious fearing God and studious of a good Conscience and Divine Truth that is if he seem to us to love the Lord Jesus and highly to prize his Gospel by which alone he is willing to maintain his errour through which he ignorantly errs For we know how ready a matter it is in so great a multitude of Opinions so great a company of those that err so great a variety of wits or dispositions so great a plenty of hinderances and scruples so great weakness of judgments in such to slip and err and how easy it is by arguments true in appearance to be deceived and mistaken how harmless also it is in it self to err and to mistake in many things how great also clemency and kindness God is like to use towards such as simply err who pardoneth and remitteth even willful sins themselves to those that repent and how aliene or far from the gentle and meek disposition of our Lord Jesus it is not to pittie those that stray Lastly how sad and tragical disturbances that both rash and proud confidence of condemning hath at all times occasioned and made For Anathema's are wont to provoke Anathema's and where this chance is once cast all 's past and there is an end of all hope of remedy For the direful hatreds of parties suceed and the reins of hatreds being let loose they commonly at length with deadly and spiteful minds rush upon the slaughtering and Butchering of one another and the last fruit of these Condemnings and Anathematizings is an everlasting despair of cure That we might therefore avoid these mischiefs we have carefully and purposely forborn Anathema's deeming it sufficient ingenuously to have spoken the Truth and to have shewed the errour leaving in the mean time unto others a free judgment touching every errour and the greatness of the errour but chiefly to him who alone judgeth righteously and searcheth the Hearts and Reins of Men. We have already sufficiently sacrificed to unseasonable Anathema's and to those direful forms of sentencing to punishment each other we condemn we execrate and curse c. It is now time that we sacrifice to Christian Concord Meekness and Charity After so many sad and dismal cursings whereby on every side the fiercenâ—is of hatreds and mortal fallings out hath been irritated and exasperated let us lay aside such Enemy-like and exulcerated Minds and by gentleness by long-suffering by kindness by the Holy Spirit of Christ by love unfeigned by the word of Truth by the power of God by the Armour of Righteousness on the right hand and on the left after the example of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his Apostles let us fight against Errours that to our utmost power we may save those that err and deliver them out of the danger of Eternal Perdition Let us not be many masters for one is our Master Let us assent to or approve of the wholsome words of our Lord Jesus Christ and that doctrine which is according to Godliness Let us shun vain questions and strifes of words from which arise envy strife railings evil surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth supposing that gain is godliness Let not us condemn or shut out of the Communion of the Church those that Christ doth not condemn nor shut out of his Kingdom Again let us not become the Servants of Men but withal neither let us be Lords over the Faith of others Let our moderation appear unto all and in modesty and mutual charity bear with one another being certainly perswaded that none is lightly to be condemned or blotted out of the register of Christians that holds fast his Faith in Christ and in hope of the good things promised by him doth seek from the heart to obey his Commands though in the mean time he err in many things that in some sort or other concern Religion the which holy and worthily to be praised moderation or equanimity when the best and greatest God shall have inspired the hearts either of all or at least of the most of those who bear rule in Churches and Commonwealths with then at length the Truth of the Gospel will every where flourish and an holy peace in the Lord and Concord will set up a settled place of abode among all that are truly Godly The which that it may shortly come to pass in the whole World especially in the Christian but most of all in the Reformed we humbly beseech of God through Jesus Christ in Spirit and Truth These things thus premised we shall now come directly to the heads of our Declaration as those which we would have alwayes joyned by an indissoluble tye with this very Preface The Confession or Declaration of the Ministers or Pastours which in the United Provinces are called Remonstrants concerning the chief points of Christian Religion CHAP. I. Of the Sacred Scripture and its Authority Perfection and Perspicuity I. WHosoever desireth to worship God aright and certainly and undoubtedly to be everlastingly saved he must of necessity first of all believe that God is and that he is a bounteous rewarder of those that seek him and therefore must conform himself according to that Rule and Square which it is undoubtedly manifest was delivered and prescribed by the true God himself the supream Law-giver and established upon the promise of Eternal Life 2. That God is and that he hath at sundry times and in divers manners spoken in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets and that he hath at length in the last times most fully declared and manifested his last Will by his only-begotten Son hath been a thing confirmed by so many and great Proofs Signs Wonders mighty Deeds or Works Gifts or Distributions of the Holy Ghost and other wonderful Effects and certain Events of several Prophesies and Testimonies of Men worthy of belief that any more certain more substantial and more compleat cannot be given or justly desired 3. The whole Declaration of the Divine Will which pertaineth unto Religion is contained in the Books of the Old and New Testaments and indeed authentically only in those which are called Canonical or which it can upon no just ground be doubted but that they were written or approved of by those Men who were inspired with and
Eph. 4. 3. Nevertheless in that whereunto by the help and guidance of Christ we have already attained let us walk by the same rule and be alike minded or affected and if in any thing we be otherwise-minded God will reveal even this unto us Phil. 3. 15 16. Grant he that we may daily more and more to his Glory grow and make progress in true Faith Piety Charity Prudence Gentleness Meekness and other holy Endowments and Christian Virtues and endeavour patiently to bear with and gently or mildly to amend one anothers Infirmitities Errors and Failings that being rooted and grounded in Love we may be able together with all Saints to apprehend what is that breadth and length and depth and heighth and that love of Jesus Christ which passeth all understanding that so we may be filled even unto or with the whole fulness of God To him who with infinite redundancy is able to do above all those things which we ask or think according to that power which worketh in us to him we say be Glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages World without end Amen FINIS A Prolepsis concerning a four-fold sort of dissenters touching things of this kind Objections of the first and second sort 1 Cor. 1. 12. A general Answer What is the true use and end of Consessions That they are not precisely necessary That yet they are useful and lawful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they are sometimes also necessary Three remedies against the abuses of them Of their true and false authority * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of their three-â—old abuse For a moderate liberty to examine them Against the unbridled Licentiousness of some Nor bands of Consciences That they are not limits nor bounds within which Religion is to be shut up * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Conclusion of what hath been said 1 Cor. 1 12. Of bâ—waring of an accidental abuse The scope of this Consession Against the Calumnies of some Of the matter of this Consession Against the third sort of dissenters What heads herâ— are chiefly expounded and why 1 John 2. 4. Of the five controverted points in Holland * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Against rash Anathema's Gal. 1. 8. 1 Cor. 16. 22. Mat. 7. 1. 1 Cor. 4. 5. An exhortation to the study of peace moderation and forbearance 1 Pet. 2. 23. Apoc. 2. 23. Jam. 2. 1. Ma. 2. 3. 10. 1 Tim. 6. 4 5. Phil. 4. 5. The Foundation of Religion is Faith in God * Heb. 11. 6. †◠Mat. 7. 21. Gal. 6. 16. ‖ Heb 11. 1 Joh. 1. 18. The Revelation of the Godhead in the Old New Testament * Heb. 2. 3 4. Deut. 29. per totum Act. 2. 22. 1 Thes. 1. 5 1 Joh. 1. 1 3. The Canonical Books of the Old Testament †2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. 2 Pet. 1. 20 21. ‖ Luk. 16. 29. 24. 27 45 46 47. Act. 17. 2 3 24. 14. 26. 22 23. Rom. 1. 2. The â—oâ—ks of the New Testament * Luk. 1. 1 2 3. Joh. 19. 35. 20. 31. Act. 1. 1. divers other places †2 Pet. 3. 15 16. 1 Thes. 2. 2. Eâ—h 2. 3 â—◠‖ 2 Pet. 3. 1. 1. Joh. ◠◠〈◊〉 4. * Rev. 1. 1. 12. 18 19. with other places The certainty of both The Apochryphal Books Arguments for the certainty and truth of the Scriptures ‖ Act. 5. 11 13 14 15. Heb. 2. 3 4. Act. 10. 37 38 39. * Act. 2. 14 c. Act. 5. 29 30 31 32. †Mat. 5. 6 7 8. chapters ‖ 2 Pet. 1. 4. Heb 8. 6. 2 Cor. 7. 1. * Rom. 10. 18. 1 Cor. 2. 3 4. 2 Cor. 3. throughâ— out 2 Cor. 4. 2 3 4 5. c. 2 Cor. 6. 4 5 c. Col. 1. 6. 23. Act. 5. 14 c. Act. 19. 11 12. and so following A Prolepsis or prevention and answering of an objection touching the Testimony of the Church †Luk. 1. 1. Col. 4. 16. 1 Thes. 5. 27. and 2 Thes. 3. 17. ‖ Eph. 2. 20. Act. 2. 42. 1 Thes. 2. 13. * Rom. 10. 14 15 16 17. Joh. 10. 3 4 27. 1 Pet. 1. 23 24 25. chap. 2. 1 2 3 c. The Authority of the Sacred Scripture †Esa. 1. 2 3. Heb. 1. 1. ‖ Deut 4. 2. 12. 32 2 Tim. 3. 15. 2 Pet. 1. 21. ‖ Mat. 15. 9. 16. 6. Gal. 1 8 9. The Sacred Scripture is the only Rule of Controversies of Faith * Isa. 8. 20. Act. 17. 11. †Jam 4. 12. Maâ— 13 8. ‖ Psal. 19. 8 9. 119. 105. Luk. 16. 29 31. * Deut. 6. 6 7 c. chap. 11. 8. so on †1 Joh. 4. 1. so on ‖ 1 Thes. 5. 21. * Prov. 2. 2 3 4 c. chap. 3. vers 13. so on Psal. 1. 2. †Act 17. 11. 2 Pet. 1. 19. And not the Church or a Synod c. * See the places 〈…〉 a little before 〈◊〉 8. 20. c. ‖ Psal n 9. 33 so on Eph 1. 16. so following chap. 314 15 c. Mat. 7. 7 8 c. Jam. 1. 5. An exaâ—â—â—nation and conâ—â—tation of the contrary errour Mat. 23. 8 9 Rom 15. 18 Gal. 1. 8. and so following The Perfection and sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures * 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 1 Pet. 1. 23 24 25. 2 Pet 1 19 20 21. †Rom. 10. 9 c. Mat. 5 6 7 ch through out Heb. 5. 9. Gal. 5. 6. 6. 15 1. Joh. 5. 1. c. * Psal. 19. 8 c. Psa. 119. 105 130. 2 Cor. 3. 14 15 c. 4. 3 4 â— Pet. 1. 19. The clearnâ—ss and perspicuity thereof †Joh. 5. 39. 40. 2. Pet. 1. 19. Luk. 16. 29. c. 1 Thes. 5. 20. ‖ Psa. 25. 12 14. Joh. 7. 17. 8. 47. The causes of its obscurity * Job 3 18 19 c. 〈◊〉 5. 39 40 c 12. 39 40 c. ‖ 2 Pet. 3. 16 2 Cor. 3. 14. * Acts 8. 30 31 c. 18. 24 25 c. And of its Interpretation †1 Cor. 12 7 8 c. chap. 14. throughout 1 Thess. 5. 20 21. Which is the best sure st Explication of Scripture ‖ Heb. 4. 12 13. 1 Pet. 1 23 24 25. Jam. 1. 18 21. * Mat. 4. 4 5 c. and ch 22. 19. 2 Pet. 1. 20 21. 2 Cor. 3. 13 14 15 A prolâ—psis or prevention of an objection The two chief heads of Religion * Joh. 17. 3. 1 John 2. 23. chap 5. 11 12. 2 Joh. 9 Three things to be known of God †Heb. 11. 6 7 c. Acts 14. 15 c. ch 17. 24 c. But not equally or alike necessary A twofold knowledge of God ‖ Job 28. 28. Jer. 2. 8. 22. 16 Hoâ— 6. 6. Tit. 1. 16. 1 Joh. 2 3 4 c. and ch 3. 6. Of the Nature of God *