much peevishnesse through which some do straight way upon very small occasion call their brethren heretikes schismatikes ungodly Mahometans let these speeches be thrown out against Atheists Epicures Libertines Arians Anabaptists such like mischevous persons which desire to have the Lords field utterly destroyed but let us every day grow in faith love and let us teach the flocks committed to our charge to fear God to hate vices and follow after vertues to denie the world and themselves obeying the commandement of our Lord and teacher Iesus Christ who biddeth us not to braule but to love each other Whose example in governing the Church if we will follow we shall raise up those that are afflicted take up those that are falne cōfort the feeble waken the drowsie and not negligently denounce Gods wrath against sinnes and shall draw out the sword of the same word which is no blunt one against hypocrites wolves dogs swine goates and to conclude against all wicked ones which in our Churches mingle themselves with the true sheepe and which cause the word of God to be evill spoken of It were a farre better thing surely then that which some do busying the sharpnesse of their wit in making of certaine trifles that forsooth the knowledge of such subtilties may shake out of our mindes all conscience It was justly said that the strength of the Gospel was weakened through the thorny subtilties of schoole-questions and we through our wayward disputations what else doe we then cause that the authoritie thereof be not strengthned but rather weakned and doe even stagger among the wicked We reade it excellently written in Livie a very grave writer that not onely grudges but also warres have an end and that oftentimes deadly foes become faithfull confederates yea and sometimes Citizens and that by the same speeches of the people of Rome very bitter or cruell enmities have beene taken up betweene men of great account And that which these few words wrought with the heathen shall not godlinesse toward God obtaine at the hands of Christians of Divines and of Pastours of Churches yea of the travell of reading and diligently examining and conferring of this booke shall not be irkesome if upright and sincere judgement if not prejudicate opinions but the love of one truth shall beare sway in all mens hearts it will shortly obtaine it That old contention about the celebrating of Easter very hotly tossed to and fro for two hundred yeeres or there about betweene the Greeks and the Latines was long since by us thought worthy of laughter but we must take good heed lest in a matter not altogether unlike we seeme to be wiser then both if so be that we desire to have the Church whole and not to leave it rent unto the posteritie and would have our selves be counted not foolish among men and not stubborne in the sight of God There hath scarce been any age which hath in such sort seene all Churches following altogether one thing in all points so as there hath not alwaies been some difference either in doctrine or in ceremonies or in manners and yet were not Christian Churches through the world therefore cut asunder unlesse peradventure then when the Bishop of Rome brake off all agreement and tyrannically injoyned to other Churches not what ought to be done but what himselfe would have observed but the Apostle did not so Barnabas indeed departed from Paul and Paul withstood Peter and surely for no trifle and yet the one became not more enemie or strange to the other but the selfe same spirit which had coupled them from the beginning never suffered them to be dis-joyned from them-selves It is the fashion of Romists to command to enforce to presse to throw out oursings and thunder excommunications upon the heads of those that whisper never so little against them but let us according to the doctrine of the holy Ghost suffer and gently admonish each other that is keeping the ground-work of faith let us build love upon it and let us joyntly repaire the wals of Sion lying in their ruines It remaineth that through the same Lord Christ we beseech our reverent brethren in the Lord whose Confessions published we set forth that they take this our paines in good part and suffer us to leane as it were to a certaine stay to the common consent of the reformed Churches against the accusations and reproches of the common adversaries of the truth But it had been to be wished that we might at once have set out all the Confessions of all the reformed Churches but because we had them not all therefore we set out them onely that were come to our hands to which the rest also so farre as we suppose may easily be drawne And we also could have wished that the thing might have beene made common to all the reformed Churches But when as the state of our Churches seemed to force the matter and that they could not abide any longer delay the right well beloved brethren will pardon us with whom by reason of the time we could not impart both the Harmonie it selfe and the Observations as also the intent of this whole Edition Whereas moreover we have put to moe confessions of one and the same Nation as of Auspurge and Saxonie as also the former and latter of Helvetia that was not done without cause for besides that one expoundeth another we thought it good also hereby to ridde them from all suspicion of inconstancie and wavering in opinion which the adversaries are wont to catch at by such repetitions of Confessions Yet why we would not adde some Confessions of the brethren of Bohemia often repeated we will straight way shew a cause and we hope that our reason will easily be liked of them And we have set downe every where two yea in some places three Editions of Auspurge for this respect lest in this diversitie we might seeme to have picked out that which rather favoured our side and to have utterly misliked the other Wherein notwithstanding we have not every where followed the order of times in which every of them came to light but the coppie which we had in our hands printed at Wirtemberge 1572. with a double Edition And we have therefore thought it meet to passe over the Apologies adjoyned to the Confessions as of Auspurge Bohemia Sueveland and England as well that the worke might not grow to be exceeding bigge as also that we might not seeme rather to increase disputations and controversies then to make an Harmonie of doctrine And as for our Observations our minde was to meet with the cavils of sophisters who we know well enough will take hold on the least matters that they may thereby set us on worke Wherefore lest they should charge us to set out a discord rather then a concord of Confessions we have added in the end very short Observations in which we lay open those things which might seeme some what obscurely spoken and
right hand of God the Father * Looke the 1. Observation on this Confession Iohn 14. Act. 3. which although it doe signifie an equall participation of glory and majestie yet it is also taken for a certaine place of which the Lord speaking in the Gospel saith That he will goe and prepare a place for his Also the Apostle Peter saith The heavens must containe Christ untill the time of restoring of all things And out of heaven the same Christ will returne unto judgement even then when wickednesse shall chiefly reigne in the world and when Antichrist having corrupted true religion shall fill all things with superstition and impietie and shall most cruelly destroy the Church with fire and bloodshed Now Christ shall returne to redeeme his and to abolish Antichrist by his coming and to judge the quicke and the dead For the dead shall arise and those which shall be found alive in that day Acts 17. which is unknowne unto all creatures shall be changed in the twinckling of an eye and all the faithfull shall be taken up to meete Christ in the ayre that thenceforth they may enter with him into heaven there to live for ever But the unbeleevers or ungodly 1 Cor. 15. Matth 25. 41. 2 Tim. 2. shall descend with the devils into hell there to burne for ever and never to be delivered out of torments We therefore condemne all those which deny the true resurrection of the flesh and those which thinke amisse of the glorified bodies as did Ioannes Hiercsolymitanus against whom Ierome wrote We also condemne those which thought both the devils and all the wicked shal at the length be saved and have an end of their torments For the Lord himselfe hath absolutely set it downe that Their fire is never Mar. 9. quenched and their worme never dyeth Moreover we condemne the Iewish dreames that before the day of Iudgement there shall be a golden world in the earth and that the godly shall possesse the kingdomes of the world their wicked enemies being troad under foote For the Evangelicall truth Matth. 24 and 25. and Luke 18. and the Apostolike doctrine in the 2 to the Thessalonians 2. and in the 2 to Tim. 3. and 4 are found to teach farre otherwise Furthermore by his passion or death and by all those things Rom. 14. 5. which he did and suffered for our sakes from the time of his comming in the flesh our Lord reconciled his heavenly Father unto all the faithfull purged their sinne spoiled death broke in sunder condemnation and hell and by his resurrection from the dead he brought againe and restored life and immortalitie For he is our righteousnesse life and resurrection and to be short he is the fulnesse and perfection the salvation and most abundant sufficiencie of all the faithfull For the Apostle saith So it pleaseth the Father that all fulnesse should dwell in him And In him ye are compleat Coloss 1. and 2. For we teach and beleeve that this Iesus Christ our Lord is the onely and eternall Saviour of * Looke the 1. Observation on this Confession mankinde yea and of the whole world in whom are saved by faith all that ever were saved before the Law under the Law and in the time of the Gospel and so many as shall yet be saved to the end of the world For the Lord himselfe in the Gospel saith He that entereth not in by the doore unto the sheepfold but climeth up an other way he Joh. 10. is a thiefe and a robber I am the doore of the sheepe And also in another place of the same Gospel he saith Abraham saw my daies John 8. Acts 4. and reioyced And the Apostle Peter saith Neither is there salvation in any other but in Christ for among men there is given no other name under heaven whereby they might be saved We beleeve therefore that through the grace of our Lord Christ we shall be saved even as our fathers were For Paul saith That all our fathers 1 Cor. 10. did eate the same spirituall meate and dranke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the sprituall rocke that followed them and that rocke was Christ And therefore we reade that John said That Christ was that Lambe which was slaine from the beginning Apoc. 15. John 1. of the world And that John Baptist witnesseth That Christ is that Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world Wherefore we doe plainly and openly professe and preach that Iesus Christ is the only Redeemer and Saviour of the world the King and high Priest the true and looked for Messias that holy and blessed one I say whom all the shadows of the Law and the Prophesies of the Prophets did prefigure and promise and that God did performe and send him unto us so that now we are not to looke for any other And now there remaineth nothing but that we all should give all glory to him beleeve in him and rest in him onely contemning and rejecting all other aydes of our life For they are fallen from the grace of God and make Christ of no value unto themselves whosoever they be that seeke salvation in any other things besides Christ alone And to speake many things in few words with a sincere heart we beleeve and with libertie of speech we freely professe whatsoever things are defined out of the holy Scriptures and comprehended in the Creeds and in the Decrees of those foure first and most excellent Councels holden at Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon together with blessed Athanasius his Creed and all other Creeds like to these touching the mysterie of the Incarnation of our Lord Iesus Christ and we condemne all things contrary to the same And thus doe we retaine the Christian sound and Catholike faith wholly and inviolable knowing that nothing is contained in the foresaid Creeds which is not agreeable to the Word of God and maketh wholly for the sincere declaration of faith Out of the former Confession of HELVETIA The eternall Counsell of the restoring of man ANd though man by this fault was deputed to damnation Artic. 10. and had incurred most just wrath yet God the Father never ceased to have a care over him the which is manifest by the first promises by the whole Law which as it is holy and good teaching us the will of God righteousnesse and truth so doth it worke anger and stirre up not extinguish sins in us not through it own fault but by ours and by Christ ordained and exhibited for this purpose Iesus Christ and those benefits which we reap by him THis Christ the true Son of God being true God and true Artic. 11. man was made our brother when according tot the time appointed he had taken upon him whole man that is consisting of soule and body and in one indivisible person united two natures yet were not these natures confounded that he might restore us being dead to
setting forth of the truth and to the end that such as are not approved might be manifest Now as we acknowledge no other head of the Church then Christ so we doe not acknowledg every church to be the true church which vaunteth her selfe so to be but we teach that to be the true Church indeed in which the markes and tokens of the true church are to be found First and chiefly the lawfull or sincere preaching of the word of God as it is left unto us in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles which do all seeme to leade us unto Christ who in the Gospel hath said My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them â— Iohn 10. and they follow me and I give unto them eternall life A stranger they doe not heare but flie from him because they know not his voyce And they that are such in the Church of God have all but one faith and one spirit and therefore they worship but one God and him alone they serve in spirit and in truth loving him with all their hearts and with all their strength praying unto him alone through Jesus Christ the onely Mediatour and Intercessour and they seeke not life or justice but onely in Christ and by faith in him because they doe acknowledge Christ the onely head and foundation of his Church and being surely founded on him doe daily repaire themselves by repentance and doe with patience beare the crosse laid upon them and besides by unfeigned love joyning themselves to all the members of Christ doe thereby declare themselves to be the disciples of Christ by continuing in the bond of peace and holy unitie they do withall communicate in the Sacraments ordained by Christ and delivered unto us by his Apostles using them in no other manner then as they received them from the Lord himselfe That saying of the Apostle Paul is well knowne to all I received from the Lord that which I delivered 1 Cor 11. unto you For which cause we condemne all such churches as strangers from the true church of Christ who are not such as we have heard they ought to be howsoever in the meane time they bragge of the succession of Bishops of unitie and of antiquitie Moreover we have in charge from the Apostles of Christ To shunne Idolatrie and to come out of Babylon and to have no fellowship 1 Cor. 10. 1 Iohn 5. Apoc. 18. 2 Cor. 6. with her unlesse we meane to be partakers with her of all Gods plagues laid upon her But as for communicating with the true church of Christ we so highly esteeme of it that wee say plainly that none can live before God which doe not communicate with the true church of God but separate themselves from the same For as without the Arke of Noah there was no escaping when the world perished in the flood even so doe we beleeve that without Christ who in the church offereth himselfe to be enjoyed of the elect there can be no certaine salvation and therefore we teach that such as would be saved must in no wise separate themselves from the true Church of Christ But yet we doe not so strictly shut up the church within those markes before mentioned as thereby to exclude all those out of it which either doe not communicate in the Sacraments by reason that they want them or else not willingly nor upon contempt but being constrained by necessitie doe against their wils abstain from them or in whom faith doth sometimes faile though not quite decay nor altogether die or in whom some slips and errours of infirmitie may be found for we know that God had some friends in the world that were not of the common wealth of Israel We know what befell the people of God in the captivity of Babylon where they wanted their sacrifices seventy yeers We know very well what hapned to Saint Peter who denied his Master and what is wont daily to fall out among the faithfull and chosen of God which goe astray and are full of infirmities We know moreover what manner of Churches the Churches at Galatia and Corinth were in the Apostles time in which the Apostle Paul condemneth divers great and heinous crimes yet he calleth them the holy Churches of Christ Yea and it falleth out sometimes that God in his just judgement suffereth the truth of his word and the Catholike 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 we see fell out in the dayes of Eliah and at other times And yet in 1 Reg. 19. Apoc. 7. the meane time the Lord hath in this world even in this darkenesse his true worshippers and those not a few but even seven thousand and more For the Apostle crieth The foundation of the 2 Tim. 2. Lord standeth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are his c. Whereupon the Church of God may be tearmed invisible not that the men whereof it consisteth are invisible but because it being hidden from our sight and knowne onely unto God it cannot be discerned by the judgement of man Againe not all that are reckoned in the number of the church are Saints and the lively and true members of the church for there be many hypocrites which outwardly doe heare the word of God and publikely receive the Sacraments and beare a shew to pray unto God alone through Christ to confesse Christ to be their onely righteousnesse and doe seeme outwardly to worship God and to exercise the duties of charitie to the brethren and for a while through patience to indure in troubles and calamities And yet they are altogether destitute of the inward illumination of the spirit of God of faith and sinceritie of heart and of perseverance or continuance to the end And these men are for the most part at the length laid open what they be For the Apostle John saith They went out from among us but they were not of us 1 Iohn 2. for if they had beene of us they would have tarried with us Yet these men whilest they doe pretend religion they are accounted to be in the church howsoever indeed they be not of the church Even as traitours in a commonwealth before they be detected are counted in the number of good Citizens and as the cockle and darnell and chaffe are found amongst the wheate and as wennes and swellings are in a perfect body when they are rather diseases and deformities then true members of the body And therefore the Matth. 13. church is very well compared to a draw net which draweth up fishes of all sorts and to a field wherein is found both darnell and good corne We are to have a speciall regard that we judge not rashly before the time nor goe about to exclude cast off and cut away them whom the Lord would not have excluded nor cut off or
they set their mindes upon the body of Christ when they see the cup they set their mindes upon the blood of Christ when they see the bread broken and the wine poured out they consider how that the body of Christ was tormented and his blood poured out for their sakes as by bread the bodies are nourished and strengthened as by wine the mindes are made merry so the godly doe beleeve that by the body of the Lord delivered unto death for them they are fed to everlasting life also that by his blood poured out upon the crosse their consciences are renewed to conclude they doe feele the quickning power of Christ which doth confirme them In this sort is the Supper of the Lord accomplished spiritually thus are the bread and wine a Sacrament unto us and not bare and naked signes Hereupon now ariseth a very great rejoycing and thanksgiving for so great benefits also a praising and confessing of the name of God here those works which the Lord once finished are renued and represented but especially the death of the Lord is repeated which although it once hapned and now is past yet unto the faithfull it is as yet fresh and present For the remembrance of the death of Christ which we make in the Supper is farre more noble and holy then theirs who in some prophane banquet are mindfull of their companion when they drinke the wine that he gave them For among these he that is absent worketh nothing but in this holy Supper of the faithfull the Lord is present and doth worke effectually by the spirit in the hearts of them as he who according to his promises is in the middest of them By these things it is most evident that in the holy Supper we doe not take away our Lord Christ from his Church not deny that his body and blood is there received to be our nourishment unto life eternall but we together with our predecessours and the chiefe Prelates of our Religion did and as yet to this day doe deny that the very body of Christ is eaten carnally or that it is present every where corporally and after a naturall manner For we doe openly confesse according to the Scriptures and with all the holy Fathers that Iesus Christ our Lord left this world and went to his Father and that he now sitteth at the right hand of his Father in heavenly glory from whence he shall never descend or be drawne downe into this earthly and transitory world For the true presence of Christ in the Supper is heavenly not earthly or carnall Also we denie that the bread is turned into the body of Christ miraculously so that the bread should become the very body of Christ naturally and substantially yet after a spirituall manner To conclude we denie that the body of Christ is united with the signes by any other then a mysticall meane whereof we have spoken sufficiently in the generall consideration of a Sacrament Seeing therefore we have expressely said and written with the holy Fathers Tertullian Hâ—erome Ambrose and Augustine that the bread is a figure token and signe of the body of Christ and also that by bread and wine the body and blood of the Lord are signified This is it which we would make manifest to wit that the bread is not the very body of the Lord but a token or a Sacrament of his body And yet we do not therefore speake these things as though we did simply deny all kinde of the presence of Christ in the Supper for that kinde of presence which now we have confessed doth remaine true without any prejudice to these kinde of speeches Moreover the word This in this sentence This is my body doth not onely shew bread unto our corporall eyes but therewith also it she weth the very body of Christ unto the eyes of our minde Also we confesse that this use of the Supper is so holy and profitable that whosoever shall worthily that is with a true faith eate of this bread and drinke of this Cup of the Lord he doth receive heavenly gifts from the Lord but Whosoever shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cup unworthily that is without faith by which alone we are made partakers of the Lord and of salvation He doth eate and drinke iudgement unto himselfe as Paul wrote to the Corinthians Wherefore we doe often put this diligently into the heads of our people that they take heed that none of them abuse the Lords table but that every one examine himselfe and then eate of that bread and drinke of that cup. Also the Lords Supper is a badge unto us for as one loafe and one wine are made of many graines and grapes so we being the whole multitude of the faithfull are gathered together to be one bread and one body By this we testifie in an outward profession that we are redeemed by the blood of Christ and made the members of Christ to whom we give thanks in whom we are confederates and doe promise to performe mutuall duties one toward another Out of the Confession of BASILL Of the Supper of the Lord. VVE confesse that the Lord Iesus did institute his holy Supper Artic. 6. that his holy passion might be remembred with thanksgiving his death declared and Christian charitie and unitie with true faith testified And as in Baptisme wherein the washing away of our sins is offered by the Minister of the Church and yet is wrought onely by the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost true water remaineth so also in the Supper of the Lord wherein together with the bread and wine of the Lord the true body and the true blood of Christ is offered by the Minister of the Church bread and wine remaineth Moreover we doe firmely beleeve that Christ himselfe is the meat of faithfull soules unto life eternall and that our soules by faith in Christ crucified are fed and moistned with the flesh blood of Christ so that we being Joh. 11. Eph. 1. 4. 5. Col. 1. members of his body as of our onely head doe live in him and he in us wherein at the last day through him and in him we shall rise againe to eternall joy and blessednesse And in the marginall note upon these words Our soules For it is a spirituall meate and therefore it is received of a faithfull soule that is the soules are made full strong mightie peaceable quiet merrie and lively to all things as the body is by the corporall meate Also upon those words The members of the head And so man is made a spirituall member of the spirituall bodie of Christ And in the margent upon these words To be present to wit Sacramentally and by a remembrance of faith which lifteth up a mans minde to heaven and doth not pull down Christ according to his humanitie from the right hand of God Now we doe not include into the bread and drinke of the Lord the naturall true and substantiall body
Chapt. touching Prayers did appertaine to the 15. Sect. if they might fitly have been separated most holy works and such as doe very much beseeme Christians whereunto our Preachers doe most diligently exhort their hearers For true fasting is as it were a renouncing of this present life which is alwaies subject to evill lusts and desires and a meditation of the life to come which is free from all perturbation And prayer is a lifting up of the minde unto God and such a familiar speech with him as no other thing can so greatly set a man on fire with heavenly affections and more mightily make the minde comformable to the will of God And though these exercises be never so holy and necessary for Christians yet seeing that a mans neighbour is not so much benefited by them 1 Cor. 13. as man is prepared that he may with fruit and profit have regard of his neighbour they are not to be preferred before holy doctrin godly exhortations and admonitions and also other duties whereby our neighbour doth presently receive some profit Whereupon we reade of our Saviour that in the night time he gave himselfe to prayer and in the day time to doctrine and to heale the sicke For as love is greater then faith and hope so to beleeve those things which come neerest unto love to wit such as bring assured profit unto men are to be preferred before all other holy functions whereupon S. Chrysostome writeth that Among the In Matth. Hom. 48. whole companie of vertues fasting hath the last place Of the commanding of Fasts CHAP. 8. BVt because that no mindes but these that be ardent and peculiarly stirred up by the heavenly inspiration can either pray or fast aright and with profit we beleeve that it is farre better after the example of the Apostles and the former and more sincere Church by holy exhortations to invite men hereunto then to wring them out by precepts such especially as do binde men under pain of deadly sin the which thing the Priests that were of late tooke upon them to doe when as then the order of Priests had not a little degenerated But we had rather leave the place time and manner both of praying and also of fasting to the arbitrement of the holy Ghost then to prescribe them by certaine laws especially such as may not be broken without some sacrifice of amends Yet for their sakes that be the younger and more imperfect sort 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 holy introductions to exercises they might be prepared hereunto so that it be done without binding 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 any of his Apostles have in any place made mention of such kinde of precepts and this doth Chrysostome also witnesse saying Thou seest that an upright life doth helpe more then all other things Now I tearme an upright life not the labour of In Matth. Hom. 47. Fasting nor the bed of haire or ashes but if thou doest despise money no other wise then it becommeth thee if thou burne with charitie if thou nourish the hungry with thy bread if thou overcome thy anger if thou doest not desire vain glory if thou be not possessed with envie for these be the things that he teacheth for he doth not say that he will have his fast to be followed howbeit he might have proponed those fortie dayes unto us but he saith Learne of me because I am meeke and lowly in heart Yea rather on the contrary side saith he eate all that is set before you Moreover we doe not read that any solemne or set fast was enjoyned to the ancient Church but that fast of one day For those fasts which as the Scripture doth witnesse were ordained of Prophets and of Kings it is certaine that they were no set fasts but enjoyned onely for their time to wit when as evident calamities either hanging over their heads or presently pinching them did so require it Seeing therefore that the Scripture as Saint Paul doth affirme doth instruct a man to every good work and yet is ignorant of these fasts which are extorted by precepts we doe not see how it could be lawfull for the successours of the Apostles to overcharge the Church with so great and so dangerous a burthen Truly Ireneus doth witnesse that in times past the observation of fast in Churches was divers and free as it is read in the Ecclesiasticall historie lib. 8. cap. 14. In the same booke Eusebius maketh mention that one Apollonius an Ecclesiasticall Writer among other arguments used this for one to confute the doctrine of Montanus the heretike Because he was the first that made lawes for fasts Thereupon Chrysostome saith in a certaine place Fasting is good but let no man be compelled thereunto And in another place he exhorteth him that is not able to fast to abstaine from dainties and yet affirmeth that it doth not much differ from fasting and that it is a strong weapon to represse the furie of the Devill Moreover experience also it selfe doth more then prove that these precepts concerning fasts have been a great hinderance to godlinesse Therefore when we saw it very evidently that the chief men in the Church did beside the authoritie of the Scripture take upon themselves this power so to enjoyne fasts as to binde mens consciences under paine of deadly sinne we did loose the consciences out of these snares but by the Scriptures and chiefly by Pauls writings which doe with a singular endeavour remove these rudiments of the world from the necks of Christians For we ought not lightly to account of that saying of Paul Let no man condemne you in meat and drinke or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moone or of the Sabbath daies And again Therefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though ye lived in the world are ye burdened with traditions For if Saint Paul then whom no man at any time did teach Christ more certainly doe earnestly affirme that through Christ we have obtained such libertie in outward things that he doth not onely not give authoritie to any creature to burden those which beleeve in Christ no not so much as with those ceremonies and observations which notwithstanding God himself appointed and would have to be profitable in their time but also denounceth that they be fallen away from Christ and that Christ shall nothing at all profit them who suffer themselves to be addicted thereunto what shall we then thinke of those commandements which men have devised of their owne braine not onely without any oracle but also without any example worthy to be followed and which are therefore made
with all kindes of vertues For who can purpose and doe all things as the dutie 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 law of God and to the glory of God except that he both thinke speake and doe every thing in order and well and therefore be very familliarly acquainted with the whole company of vertues To whom 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 Rom. 8. led by the Spirit of God then doe work any thing themselves And that Of him and through him and for him are all things therefore Rom. 11. whatsoever things we doe well and holily are to be ascribed to none other then to this one onely spirit the giver of all vertues Howsoever it be he doth not compell us but doth lead us being willing Working in us both to will and to doe Philip. 2. Whereupon Saint Augustine writeth very well That God doth reward his workes in us And yet we are so farre from rejecting good workes that we doe utterly deny that any man can fully be saved except he be thus far 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 divers members of the same body therefore every one of us have not the same office 1 Cor. 12. It is so necessary that the law should be fulfilled that Heaven and earth shall sooner passe away then any one iotte or the least point thereof shall be remitted Yet because God alone is good hath created all things of nothing and doth by his spirit make us altogether new and doth wholly lead us for in Christ nothing availeth but a new creature none of all these things can be ascribed to mans strength and we must confesse that all things are the meere gifts of God who of his owne accord and not for any merit of ours doth favour and love us By these things it may sufficiently be knowne what we beleeve justification to be by whom it is wrought for us and by what means it is received of us also by what places of Scripture we are induced so to beleeve For alalthough of many we have alledged a few yet by these few any one that is but meanly conversant in the Scripture may fully perceive that they which reade the Scriptures shall find every where such kinde of sentences as doe attribute unto us nothing but sinne and destruction as Hosea saith and all our righteousnesse and salvation to the Lord. Of the duties of a Christan man CHAP. 6. NOw it cannot be doubted of what be the duties of a Christian man and to what actions he ought chiefly to give himselfe namely to all those whereby every one for his part may profit his neighbours and that first in things pertaining to life eternall that they also may begin to know worship and feare God and then in things pertaining to this life that they may want nothing which is necessarie to the sustenance of the body For as the whole law of God which is a most absolute commandement of all righteousnesse is briefly contained in this one word Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe so in the performance of this love it is necessarie that all righteousnesse should be comprised and perfited Whereupon it followeth that nothing at all is to be reckoned among the duties of a Christian man which is not of force and effect to profit our neighbour and every worke is so much the more belonging to the duty of Christian man by how much his neighbour may the more be profited thereby Therefore next after Ecclesiasticall functions among the chiefe duties of a Christian man we place the government of the Common weale obedience to Magistrates for these be referred to the common profit that care which is taken for our wife children family and the honour which is due to parents because that without these the life of man cannot consist and lastly the profession of good arts and of all honest discipline because that except these be had in estimation we shall be destitute of the greatest good things which are proper to mankinde Yet in these and all other duties pertaining to mans like no man must rashly take any thing to himselfe but with a right conscience consider whereunto God doth call him To conclude let every man account that his dutie and that so much the more excellent a dutie the more that he shall profit other men thereby THE TENTH SECTION OF THE HOLY CATHOLIKE CHVRCH The latter Confession of HELVETIA Of the Catholike Church of God and of the head of the Church CHAP. 17. FOrasmuch as God from the beginning would have men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth therefore it is necessary that alwaies from the beginning at this day and to the end of the world there should be a Church that is a companie of the faithful called and gathered out of the world a communion I say of all Saints that is of them who doe truely know and rightly worship and serve the true God in Iesus Christ the Saviour by the word and the holy spirit and which by faith are partakers of all those good graces which are freely offered through Christ These all are Citizens of one and the same Citie living under one Lord under the same lawes and in the same fellowship of all good things for so the Apostle calleth them fellow Ephes 2. 1 Cor. 6. Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God tearming the faithfull upon the earth Saints who are sanctified by the blood of the Sonne of God Of these is that article of our Creed wholly to be understood I beleeve the Catholike Church the communion of Saints And seeing that there is alwaies but one God and one Mediatour betweene God and man Iesus Christ also one shepheard of the whole flocke one head of this body and to conclude one spirit one salvation one faith one Testament or covenant it followeth necessarily that there is but one Church which we therefore call Catholike because it is universall spread abroad through all the parts and quarters of the world and reacheth unto all times and is not limited within the compasse either of time or place Here therefore we must condemne the Donatists who pinned up the Church within the corners of Africke neither doe we allow of the Roman Clergie who vaunt that the Church of Rom◠〈◊〉 in a manner is Catholike The Church is divided by some into divers parts or divers sorts not that it is rent and divided from it selfe but rather distinguished in respect of the diversitie of the members that be in it One part thereof they make to be the Church militant the other the Church triumphant The militant warreth still on
brethren according to the measure of gifts which God hath bestowed upon every one Moreover to the end that these things may the better be observed it is the part and dutie of every faithfull man to separate himselfe according to Gods word from all those which are without the Church and to couple himselfe unto this company of the faithfull wheresoever God hath placed it yea though contrary Edicts of Princes and Magistrates doe forbid them upon paine of corporall death presently to ensue upon all those which doe the same Whosoever therefore doe either depart from the true Church or refuse to joyn themselves unto it do openly resist the commandement of God We beleeve that with great diligence and wisdome it ought to be searched and examined by the word of God what the true Artic. 29. Church is seeing that all the Sects that at this day have sprung up in the world doe usurpe and falsely pretend the name and title of the Church Yet here we doe not speake of the company of hypocrites which together with the good are mingled in the Church though properly they doe not pertaine to the Church wherein they are onely present with their bodies but onely of the manner how to distinguish the Body and Congregation of the true Church from all other Sects which doe falsely boast that they be the members of the Church Wherefore the true Church may be discerned from the false by these notes First if the pure preaching of the Gospell doe flourish in it if it have the lawfull administration of the Sacraments according to Christ his institution if it doe use the right Ecclesiasticall discipline for the restraining of vice Finally to knit up all in one word if it doe square all things to the rule of Gods word refusing whatsoever is contrary to it acknowledging Christ to be the onely head of the same By these notes I say it is certaine that the true Church may be discerned From the which it is not lawfull for any man to be severed Now who be the true members of this true Church it may be gathered by these marks and tokens which be common to all Christians such is faith by the vertue whereof having once apprehended Christ the onely Saviour they doe flie sinne and follow righteousnesse loving the true God and their neighbours without turning either to the right hand or to the left and doe crucifie their flesh with the effects thereof not as if no infirmitie at all remained still within them but because they doe fight all their life long against the flesh by the power of the spirit having often recourse unto the blood death passion and obedience of our Lord Christ as unto a most safe refuge in whom alone they are assured to finde redemption for their sins through faith in him But on the other side the false Church doth alwaies attribute more unto her selfe to her owne decrees and traditions then to the word of God and will not suffer her selfe to be subject to the yoake of Christ neither doth administer the Sacraments so as Christ hath prescribed but at her own will and pleasure doth one while adde unto them another while detract from them Furthermore she doth alwaies leane more to men then to Christ and whosoever doe goe about to lead a holy life according to the prescript rule of Gods Word whosoever doth rebuke and reproove her faults as her covetousnesse and idolatry those she doth persecute with a deadly hatred By these marks therefore it is easie to discerne and distinguish both these Churches the one from the other Out of the Confession of AUSPURGE ALso they teach that there is one holy Church that shall continue alwaies Now to speake properly the Church of Christ is a congregation of the members of Christ that is of the Saints which doe truely beleeve and rightly obey Christ though in this life there be many wicked ones and hypocrites mingled with this companie and shall be to the day of judgement Now the Church properly so called hath her notes and marks to wit the pure and sound Doctrine of the Gospel and the right use of the Sacraments And for the true unitie of the Church it is sufficient to agree upon the Doctrine of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments Neither is it necessary that humane traditions or rites instituted by men should be alike every where according as Saint Paul teacheth There is one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all These things are thus set down in another Edition ALso they teach that there is one holy Church which is to continue alwaies Now the Church is a Congregation of Saints in which the Gospel is purely taught and the Sacraments rightly administred And unto the true Vnitie of the Church it is sufficient to agree upon the Doctrine of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments Neither is it necessary that humane traditions and rites or ceremonies ordained by man should be alike in all places as Saint Paul saith There is one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all Out of the Confession of SAXONY Of the Church GOd will have us to understand that mankinde is not borne by chance but that it is created of God and created not to eternall Artic. 11. destruction but that out of mankinde he might gather unto himselfe a Church to the which in all eternitie he might communicate his wisdome goodnesse and joy and he will have his Sonne to be seene for whom and through whom by his unspeakable wisdome and infinite mercie he hath repaired this miserable nature of men Therefore amongst men he would at all times have a companie whereunto he delivered the doctrine concerning his Sonne and wherein the Sonne himselfe did institute and preserve a ministerie to keepe and spread abroad that doctrine by the which he hath been is and will be effectuall and hath converted many to himselfe as Paul doth manifestly teach The Gospell is the power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth But it is to be marvelled at and to be lamented that the greatest part of mankinde being carried away with a horrible rage should contemne this voice and testimonie of God and the Son of God and that in this company which hath the name of the Church there have been alwaies many divisions and that the true Church hath been overcome by forreine and domesticall enemies When men doe looke upon these dissentions and doe see that they which imbrace other doctrines repugnant to the Gospell doe get the upper hand in kingdomes multitude and glory they doubt whether there be any Church of God which it is what manner of Church it is and where it should be And for prophane men it is a hard matter to judge hereof but the true Church doth certainly know out of the divine Testament whence these so great furies of men doe arise and yet that amongst them the Church of God
that his minde may be stirred up and made more apt for heavenly affections It is not to bee thought that these exercises are a worship of God that deserve remission of sinnes or that they be satisfactions c. And this discipline must be continuall neither can certain dayes be set and appointed equally for all Of this discipline Christ speaketh Beware that your bodies be not oppressed with surfetâ—ing Againe This kinde of Devils doth not goe out but by fasting and prayer And Paul saith I chastise my body 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 Moreover these exercises when as they are referred unto that end that we may have our bodies fit for spirituall things and to doe our duties according to a mans calling c. they are good in the godly and * Looke the 1. Observation upon this confession meritorious workes as the example of Daniel doth testifie For they be works which God requireth to this end that they may subdue the flesh This former Article we found placed elsewhere in the fifth place among those wherein the abuses that are changed are reckoned up Of the difference of meats Artic. 5. This Treatise of ceremonies repeated generally doth properly pertaine unto the Section next following and unto this Section the next must be added because here is speciall mention of fastings and holy daies as we mentioned in the former Article IT hath beene a common opinion not of the common sort alone but also of such as are teachers in the Churches that the differences of meates and such like humane traditions are works available to merit remission both of the fault and of the punishment And that the world thus thought it is apparant by this that daily new ceremonies new orders new holy dayes new fasts were appointed and the teachers in the Churches did exact these workse at the peoples hands as a service necessary to deserve justification by and they did greatly terrifie their consciences if ought were omitted * Of this perswasion of traditions many discommodities have followed in the Church For first the doctrine of grace is obscured by it also the righteousnesse of faith which is the most especiall point of the Gospel and which it behoveth most of all to be extant and to have the preheminence in the Church that the merit of Christ may be well known and faith which beleeveth that sinnes are remitted through Christ and not for any works of ours may be exalted farre above works For which cause also Saint Paul laboureth much in this point he removeth the law and humane traditions that he may shew that the righteousnesse of Christ is a farre other thing then such workes as these be namely a faith which beleeveth that sins are freely remitted through Christ But this doctrine of S. Paul is almost wholly smothered by traditions which have bred an opinion that by making difference in meats and such like services a man must merit remission of sinnes and justification In their doctrine of repentance there was no mention of faith onely these satisfactory works were spoken of Repentance seemed to stand wholly in these Secondly these traditions obscured the Commandements of God that they could not be knowne because that traditions were preferred farre above the Commandements of God All Christianitie was thought to be an observation of certaine holy dayes rites fasts and attire These observations carried a goodly title and name that they were the spirituall life and the perfect life In the meane season Gods Commandements touching every mans calling were of small estimation That the father brought up his children that the mother bare them that the Prince governed the common wealth these were reputed worldly affaires and unperfect and farre inferiour to those glistering observations and orders And these errors did greatly torment good mindes which were grieved that they were handfasted to an unperfect kinde of life in marriage in Magistracie and in other civill functions They had the Monks and such like men in admiration and falsely imagined that their orders did more deserve remission of sinnes and justification Thirdly traditions brought great danger to mens consciences because it was impossible to keep them all and yet men thought the observation of them to be necessarie duties Gerson writeth that many fell into despaire and some murdered themselves because they perceived that they could not keepe the traditions and all this while they never heard the comfort of the righteousnesse of faith or of grace We see the Summists and Divines gather together the traditions and seeke qualifications of them to unburden mens consciences and yet all will not serve but sometimes they bring more snares upon the conscience The Schooles and Pulpits have beene so busied in gathering together the traditions that they had not leasure once to touch the Scripture and to seeke out a more profitable doctrine of faith of the Crosse of hope of the dignitie of civill affaires of the comfort of consciences in perilous assaults Wherefore Gerson and some other Divines have made grievous 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 observations and doth very wisely warne Januarius to know that they are to be observed indifferently for he so speaketh Wherefore our Ministers must not be thought to have touched this matter unadvisedly for hatred of the Bishops as some doe falsely surmise There was great need to admonish the Churches of those errors which did arise from mistaking of traditions for the Gospel driveth men to urge the doctrine of grace and the of righteousnes of faith in the Church which yet can never be understood if men suppose that they can merit remission of sinnes and iustification by observation of their owne choice Thus therefore they have taught us that we can never merit remission of sinnes and justification by the observation of mans traditions and therefore that we must not thinke that such observations are necessarie duties Hereunto they adde testimonies out of the Scriptures Christ excuseth his disciples Matth. 15. which kept not the received tradition which yet seemed to be about a matter not unlawfull but indifferent and to have some affinitie with the washings of the law and saith They worship me in vaine with the precepts of men Christ therefore requireth no unprofitable worship and a little after he addeth All that entereth in at the mouth defileth not the man Againe Rom. 14. The kingdome of God is not meat and drinke Col. 2. Let no man iudge you in meat or drinke in a Sabbath or in an holy day Againe If ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though ye lived in the world are ye burdened with traditions Touch not taste not handle not
to be any longer defiled with such foilies Out of the Confession of BELGIA IN the meane time we beleeve that it is in deed profitable that Artic. 32. the Elders which doe governe in Churches should appoint some order among themselves so that they doe diligently take heed that in no case they do swarve or decline from those things which Christ himselfe our onely Master hath once appointed Therefore we doe reject all humane inventions and all those laws which were brought in to be a worship of God that mens consciences should any way thereby be snared or bound and we receive those onely which are fit either to cherish or maintaine concord or to keepe us in the obedience of God And hereunto * Looke the 1. observation upon this confâ—ssion excommunication is chiefly necessary being used according to the commandement of the word of God and other additions of Ecclesiasticall discipline annexed thereunto Out of the Confession of AUSPURGE Artic. 15. COncerning Ecclesiasticall rites which are ordained by mans authority they teach that such rites are to be observed as may be kept without sin and do tend to quietnesse and good order in the Church as namely set holidaies certain godly Psalmes and other such like rites 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 righteousnesse before God or do deserve remission of sins or are duties necessary unto the righteousnesse revealed in the Gospel But this is to be thought of them that they are indifferent things which without the case of offence may be omitted But such as breake them with offence are faultie as those which do rashly disturbe the peace of the Churches Such traditions therefore as cannot be observed without sinne are rejected of us as the tradition of single life We reject also that impious opinion of traditions and vowes wherein they feigne that worships invented by mans authoritie doe merit remission of sins and are satisfactions for sin c. Of which like false opinions touching vowes and fastings not a few have been spread abroad in the Church by unlearned men This Article is thus to be found in another Edition COncerning Ecclesiasticall rites they teach that those rites are to be observed which may be kept without any sinne and are availeable for quietnesse and good order in the Church such as as are set holydaies feasts and such like Againe out of the 7. Article touching abuses of the same confession These words that follow pertaine to this place and the rest unto the eleventh Section Of the authoritie of the Ministers BEsides these things there is a controversie whether Bishops Here also be many things which might very fitly have been referred to the former Sect. by reason of speciall examples of meats and holy dayes here rehearsed but seeing that the title or this page is generall it could not here be pretermitted or Pastours have power to ordaine ceremonies in the Church and to make laws of meats and holidaies and degrees or orders of Ministers They that ascribe this power to the Bishops alledge this testimonie for it I have yet many things to say unto you but you cannot beare them away now But when that spirit of truth shall come he shall teach you all truth They alledge also the examples of the Apostles which commanded the Christians to abstaine from blood and that which was strangled They alledge the change of the Sabbath into the Lords day contrary as it seemeth to the morall law and they have no examples so oft in their mouthes as the change of the Sabbath They will needs have the Churches power and authoritie to be very great because it hath dispensed with a precept of the morall law But of this question our men doe thus teach that the Bishops have no power to ordaine any thing contrary to the Gospell as was shewed before The same also doe the Canons teach distinct 9. Moreover it is against the Scripture to ordaine or require the observation of any traditions to the end that we might merit remission of sinnes and satisfie for sinnes by them For the glorie of Christs merit receiveth a blow when as we seeke by such observations to merit remission of sinnes and justification And it is very apparant that through this perswasion traditions grew into an infinite number in the Church In the meane while the doctrine of faith and of the righteousnesse of faith was quite smoothered for ever and anone there were new holidaies made new fasts appointed new ceremonies new worships for Saints ordained because that the authors of such geare supposed by these works to merit remission of sinnes and justification After the same manner heretofore did the penitentiall Canons increase whereof we still see some footings in satisfactions Againe many writers imagine that in the New Testament there should be a worship like to the Leviticall worship the appointing whereof God committed to the Apostles and Bishops wherein they seeme to be deceived by the example of the law of Moses as if the righteousnesse of the New Testament were the outward observing of certain rites as the justice of the law was Like as therefore in the law it was a sinne to eate swines flesh c. so in the New Testament they place sinne in meates in daies in apparell and such like things and they hold oppinion that the righteousnesse of the New Testament can not stand without these From hence are those burdens that certaine meats defile the conscience that it is a mortall sinne to omit the canonicall houres that fastings merit remission of sinnes because they be necessary to the righteousnesse of the New Testament that a sin in a case reserved cannot be pardoned but by the authoritie of him that reserved it whereas the Canons speake onely of reserving of Canonicall punishments and not of the reserving of the fault Whence then have the Bishops power and authoritie of imposing these traditions upon the Churches for the burdening of mens consciences For there are divers cleare testimonies which inhibit the making of such traditions either for to deserve remission of sinnes or as things necessarie to the righteousnesse of the New Testament or to salvation Paul to the Coloss 2. Let no man iudge you in meat drinke or a peece of a holy day in the new moone or in the Sabbath Againe If ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though ye lived in the world are ye burdâ—ned with traditions as Touch not taste not handle not which all doe perish with the using and are the precepts and doctrines of men which have a shew of wisedome And to Titus he doth plainly forbid traditions For he saith Not listning to Jewish fables and to the precepts of men that abhorre the truth And Christ Matth. 15. saith of them which urge traditions Let
valiant and notable men deserve well at the hands of godly men as Gedeon Ezechias Iosias and Constantine and sundry others Wherefore you must thinke it your dutie also to take heed lest such things as be godly and profitably brought to light and reformed by God and learned men be smoothered againe and lest that wicked abuses be established by your authoritie The Psalme saith for thy temples sake in Ierusalem the King shall offer gifts unto thee The proper gifts that Kings are to bestow upon the Church are to search out true doctrine and to see that good teachers be set over the Churches to give diligence that the controversies of the Church may be rightly decided Not to take away true and holy doctrine but to raise it up and to set it forward and to defend it and rightly to set it in order and to maintaine the quiet concord of the Church By these true gifts most noble Emperour you may adorne the Church of Christ which especially both Christ himself requireth and the Churches that are rent and torne in most horrible manner doe crave at your hands Last of all seeing that humane traditions ought to give place to times and opportunities especially in the Church wherein there should be more regard had of the salvation of the godly and of love and publike peace then of any humane traditions it were a great deale better to make shew of abrogating this silly tradition of single life then to strengthen lusts to dissolve marriages to exercise crueltie against the Priests and their wives and chidren to oppresse true and holy doctrine and to make havocke of the Church We do therefore commend this matter of their marriage unto your piety and bountie O noble Emperour as that which hath no difficultie or doubtfulnesse in it For they that be governours both may and ought to abolish an unjust law And the laws of single life whether they be new or old belong only to humane equitie in mitigating whereof the authoritie of the Church should be of great force We could bring very many examples out of the Histories of all times and countries in which there might be seene horrible examples of judgements which followed upon uncleane lusts Among many other causes of the generall flood there is mention made of fleshly lusts Afterward five cities were swallowed up in an opening of the earth so as the lake called Asphalites was left as a perpetuall monument of that punishment when the Israelites were departed out of Egypt and divers had defiled themselves by going in unto Moabitish women the twelve Princes of the tribes were hanged up and twentie foure thousand men were slaine The Cananites after this were cleane rooted out and among the causes thereof incestuous copulations are namely reckoned up shortly after followed the overthrow of the tribe of Beniamin for abusing the Levites wife After this David was driven out of his kingdome for adultery And Ieremie in divers places cryeth out that these three idolatry oppressions and adulteries are the causes of those great calamities which overwhelmed the whole nation of the Iews then when they were carried captives to Babylon These things are written for this purpose that we might know certainly that God is displeased with wandring lusts of uncleannesse and that uncleane and incestuous persons do not fall into punishments by chance but are punished of God Therefore the destructions of heathenish Cities also doe put us in minde of the wrath of God against these villanies Sibaris was overthrowne Athens Sparta and Thebes being tossed with civill warres received due punishment of their filthinesse And Rome when it brought forth many Neroes and Heliogabales at length it came to ruine the Empire being rent into sundry parts by the warres of sundry barbarous nations There is also a long Catalogue in Aristotle of cities wherein there happened changes of government and seditions for uncleane lusts Besides all which punishments Paul warneth the Church that there is another judgement that followeth upon these lusts and that is madnesse or fury as it is written Rom. 1. and Ephesians 4. And it may well be that this judgement hath seased upon our Ecclesiasticall governours who for the most part are open Epicures open defenders of Idols that they may get wealth and authoritie and scoffe at those heavenly sayings which threaten vengeance upon Idolaters uncleane persons and Parricides They vaunt that they doe all things well which they do for their kingdomes sake and that such are good subjects and love quietnesse and peace that allow of errours and open naughtinesse that they may uphold the Majestie of the Popes kingdome The whole world can beare witnesse that there is a God that doth revenge all filthinesse uncleannesse and oppression Wherefore though they now deride and scoffe at these speeches yet let them know that they shall one day stick fast in those punishments whereunto the world it selfe doth call them Seeing then it is a cleare case that the law of single life is directly against the commandement of God we thinke that the Priests and others do very well which joyne in honest marriage as Paul saith that a Bishop must be chosen that is the husband of one wife We judge also that the Rulers both may and ought to abolish this law of the Pope For they are foulely deceived that think either that marriage is forbidden to Priests by Gods law or else that the Kings or Bishops may make a law to forbid them marriage And if that Rulers will not helpe the Church in this behalfe yet the godly doe well which follow the Apostles rule which saith That we must rather obey God then men To conclude seeing the defence of the Popes law hath many faults joyned with it as namely the strengthning of wandring lusts superstitions and murdering of godly Priests every one may see that our Churches deale well in abolishing and condemning that law of the Pope And we beseech the most renowned Emperour that he will not defile himselfe with defending that uncleane single life and with the blood of the Priests for it is written Blessed is he that hath pitie on the poore and needy the Lord shall deliver him in the evill day This Article we found elsewhere placed in the second place amongst those wherein the abuses that are changed be mentioned Of the marriage of Priests Art 2. THere was a common complaint of the examples of such Priests as were not continent For which cause also Pope Pius is reported to have said that there were certaine causes for which marriage was forbidden to Priests but there were many weightier causes why it should be permitted again For so Platina writeth When as therefore the Priests among us fought to avoyd these publike offences they married wives and taught that it was lawfull for themselves to joyn in marriage First because that Paul saith To avoide fornication let every man have his wife Again It is better to marry then to burn Secondly