accord in ceremonies or some point of doctrine with us 9. To make a separation from the Churches for every kinde of errour or by reason of the bad life of some persons 10. To maintain that where the true doctrine right manner of worship and pure administration of the Sacraments is excluded there is notwithstanding a true and Apostolical and pure Church because a continued succession of Bishops from the times of the Apostles can be demonstrated therein and contrarily to deny those to be true Churches which although they retain the pure doctrine the Sacraments intire and the right discipline yet cannot shew a personal and uninterrupted succession and continuation of Bishops 11. That the authority of any Bishop as such does extend beyond those things whereunto he is called by Christ 12. That the Church ha's authority to alter something in the holy Scripture or to dispense with the commands of God or frame new lawes binding the conscience 13. That it is not lawfull for Ministers of the Word to contract matrimony or at least to marry twice 14. That it is not lawfull for Ministers to receive a certain stipend 15. That it is lawfull to use an unknown tongue in the Church though no interpretation be added 16. That besides God and Jesus Christ the Mediatour it is lawfull for men to call upon Saints departed and to direct prayers and the sacrifice of thanksgiving to them 17. That it is not lawfull for Christians during the Fast of Lent and certain other daies to eate some kinds of food 18. That the Church does well in praying for the Soules of persons deceased that they may be delivered from fire of Purgatory CHAP. XXVI Having spoken of the first sort of men whose Ministry God useth in the government of the Church namely of Ecclesiastical Ministers their functions and other matters appendant there unto it remaineth that we deliver in brief what our belief is concerning the other viz the civil Magistrate For the Lord is wont to make use of his Ministry also especially if he be a Christian for the protection and preservation of his Church DOCTRINE I. That every Magistrate whither godly or wicked is from God and that therefore no Magistrate is simply to be resisted WE believe that every Magistrate as well wicked as godly is from the Lord God and that he is the Minister of God a 1 Pet. 2.14 sent for the punishment of evil doers and the praise of them that doe well and that in that respect he is to be b Rom. 13. â— 5 7. feared and honoured and obedience given to his commands as farre as may be with a good conscience and without transgressing the divine law and that not onely out of fear but also for conscience sake because God commands it so that as he is the Minister of God he is not to be resisted because c Rom. 13.2 5. Whosoever resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God and God himself DOCT. II. That the Magistrate is not to be obeyed when he commands any thing contrary to the will of God NEverthelesse if the Magistrate injoyns us any thing contrary to his will by whom he is sent and whose Minister he professeth himself to be we do not doubt with the Apostles but that we ought to deny obedience unto him and say d Acts. 5.29 We ought to obey God rather then men since such a Magistrate is not the Minister of God in that particular Wherefore a Rom. 13.5 if it behooveth us to be subject to obey the Magistrate for conscience sake and not onely out of fear then we conclude that in whole we cannot obey for conscience sake therein we ought not to obey for fear In other matters we know that b Rom. 13.2 he that resisteth the power resisteth God and receiveth damnation to himself DOCT. III. That we ought to pray for all Magistrates that they may faithfully discharge their duties and what the duty of every Magistrate is MOreover because it is the duty of every free Magistrate both in making of laws pronouncing of judgements and likewise in punishing offences to use all care and diligence that their subjects live according to virtue and nature and the laws of God the summe whereof is that c Tit. 2.12 we live soberly and so chastly and decently righteous and so quietly with our neighbour and godly in this present world and that they cannot perform this duty of themselves unlesse they be indued by God with the knowledge thereof and a Phil. 2.13 stirred up both to will and to doe therefore what we our selves do by the precept of the Apostle the same we teach others to do also namely that they pray for the Magistrates whatever they be that they may become both willing and able to acquit themselves of their charge that thereby wee may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all honesty and godlinesse that is that we may live commodiously and in peace together that the honour of the publick be regarded and true piety and religion maintained and promoted DOCT. IV. That it is the chief duty of a Christian Prince to undertake the care of Christian Religion BUt if the Magistrate be a Christian and godly person we believe that it does especially belong to him to take a peculiar care of the Christian Religion besides their indeavours for the publick and civil benefit and maintaining the peace honour of the society over which he is placed seeing the Lord hath made him keeper of both Tables and commandeth him that as a Prince a Ios 18. he alwaies have the Law in his hands that he may as well b Deut. 13.5 punish idolaters blasphemers false prophets seducers c. As murderers and adulterers and this according to the examples of the godly Kings in Israel and the Christian Princes Constantine Valentinian Theodosius Iustinian and others abundantly confirming the same who according to the command of God did serve the Lord not only as private persons but as Kings as St. Austin hath most prudently observed concerning their duty out of the second Psalm and expounded the fame Epist 50. Ad Bonifacium Comiâ—em Tom. 2. DOCT. V. That the duty of a godly Prince is twofold and wherein the first part thereof consists MOreover seeing the duty of a pious Prince that is of such a Magistrate as hath a free power over any people and authority to institute or reform religion in his jurisdiction which he owes to Christ and the Church is twofold whereof one consists in things pertaining to religion and the other ha's regard to to the persons under his jurisdiction and subject unto him We believe as to the first that it is his duty in the first place to take diligent care that religion be established or being established be preserved pure in his principalities or kingdome or if corrupted that it be restored and reformed and this according to the pure Word of
THE WHOLE BODY OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION BY HIERON ZANCHIUS Translated out of Latine By D. RALPH WINTERTON LONDON Printed by JOHN REDMAYNE 1659. AN EPISTLE TO THE READER READER IF thou beest meerly English it is thy great Interest to welcome and embrace such labours as this is for know what thou art here presented with are the Orient irradiations of Zanchie's divine soul through the clear glasse of an ingenuous Interpreter without whose industry this rich Argosy had never arrived at our English shoar And what are the most precious commodities in forreign parts to us without the benefit of Importation I know not what reason Horace had to stile Translatours Servum pecus as if it were a meer journey-work and nothing else Surely if all Metaphrases might be measured by this the imploiment and art of reflecting uninfranchis'd learning into our own Dialect cannot justly come under the Satyrist's expression except it will admit the sense of usefulnesse and Commodity For the Authour Zanchie himself he did not only as many do fill up the number of Modern Divines but was is still accounted the very head of the chief Classis Flos delibatus Cleri the very flower of the prime choice neither is he one iot disfigured in this representation he is the same man even here only in an English garb Nor had this dresse now been put upon him but for their sakes who not able to have accesse to the persons of great ones are content to behold them in Effigie I 'le adde no more knowing that long and dark Entries doe rather injure then officiate to fair Buildings the Gates are open enter and entertain thy self The First Chapter Concerning the Holy Scriptures which are the foundation of all Christian Religion The First Doctrine That concerning God and matters pertaining to religion we are to believe God onely simply and absolutely AS concerning God and divine matters pertaining to the Kingdome of Christ and our salvation we believe that none can teach us better and more certainly then God himself Ambros epist 32. who can neither deceive nor be deceived Ioh. 1.18 The onely begotten Sonne which is in the besome of the Father he hath declared him DOCT. II. That God speakes unto us in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles ALthough God Rom 1.20 21. By the things which are made hath so made known unto all men in the world his eternall power and Godhead that as many as have known him and yet not glorified him as God are without excuse Yet we know that he hath in a more peculiar manner Heb. 1.1 Heb. 2.3 2 Pet. 1.21 Matth. 10.20 that is by his Prophets and Apostles who spake and wrote as they were moved by the holy Ghost revealed himself and his will more clearly and fully unto his Church and therefore that the writings of the Prophets and Apostles are the very word of God DOCT. III. That the writings of the Prophets and Apostles onely are Canonicall Books WE do not doubt but those are the writings of the Prophets and Apostles which the Church of God is therefore wont to call by the name of Canonicall books because knowing assuredly that they were given by inspiration of God she hath alwayes acknowledged them for the Canon and rule 2 Tim. 3.16 whereby all controversies about religion are to be examined The other books although they be contained in the volume of the Bible yet shee therefore calleth Apocrypha because shee hath no certain knowledge that they are from the holy Ghost as the others are DOCT. IV. What Books are Canonicall and what Apocrypha WE together with the whole Church before and since the coming of Christ do without all manner of doubting acknowledge and embrace these books of the old Testament for the undoubted word of God viz. Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomie Joshua Judges Ruth 1. Samuel 2. Samuel 1. Kings 2. Kings 1. Chronicles 2. Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalmes Proverbs Ecclesiastes Solomons Song Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos. Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi But these books following we count not Canonicall 1. Esdras 2. Esdras Tobit Judeth The rest of Esther Wisdome Ecclesiasticus Baruch with the Epistle of Jeremiah The Song of the three Children The Storie of Susanna The idol Bel and the Dragon The Prayer of Manasseh 1. Maccabees 2. Maccabees IN the new Testament we except none For although in former times there hath been some question concerning some of them yet afterwards in processe of time they have been acknowledged for Apostolicall as well as the rest Of the first sort are these that follow The Gospell according to St. Matthew The Acts of the Apostles The Gospell according to St. Mark The Epistles of St. Paul The Gospell according to St. Luke The 1. Epistle of St. Peter The Gospell according to St. Iohn The 1. Epistle of St. Iohn Of the second sort are these The Epistle to the Hebrews The Epistle of St. Iames. The 2. Epistle of St. Peter The 2. and 3. Epist of St. Iohn The Epistle of St. Iude. The Revelation FOr although those of which there hath never been question made may seem in some sort to be of greater authority then those of which there hath been question made Yet notwithstanding we believe one as well as the other as being both the undoubted word of God As concerning the books commonly called Apocrypha contained in the volume of the Bible we give them the next place after the Canonicall Scripture DOCT. V. That Doctrines of faith can onely be proved by the Canonicall Scripture Hieron in Praefat in Lib Sal Cyprian in Symb. pag 377. Concii Load cap 39. ANd therefore we use onely Canonicall Scripture to prove doctrines of faith and we teach also according to the opinion of the Fathers that the Canonicall onely is to be used As concerning the other books we grant that they have no small authoritie to confirme the same after that they are proved DOCT. VI. That the Canonicall Scripture received not authoritie from the Church WHerefore without all controversie this we hold and think most fit to be held That although the Church being taught by the primitive fathers to wit the Prophets and Apostles who received the doctrine immediately from God and committed it to writing and being also persuaded by the holy Ghost by a perpetuall and continued tradition what books are Canonicall and what not hath declared it unto posteritie from time to time and hath also given and doth still give testimonie thereunto of divine and heavenly truth We hold I say that notwithstanding all this the Canonicall Scripture neither received at any time not now hath any authoritie from the Church but from God alone who is the proper authour and giver thereof and therefore we say farther that of it self in as much as it is the word of God it hath power over all and is worthy to
be believed and obeyed by all simply and absolutely DOCT. VII That the authoritie of the Church is of great use and hath much power to bring men to believe the holy Scripture ANd yet we deny not but the authoritie of the Church hath great power to move men to hear and to read the holy Scripture as being truely the word of God according to that of St. Augustine Tom. 6. contra Epi Fund c 5. I had not believed the Gospel had not the authoritie of the Church moved me thereunto And yet the same Augustine every where professeth that where as he did believe he received it not from the Church but from the holy Ghost whose gift is faith DOCT. VIII That the Church hath no authoritie over the holy Scripture BUt to dispute whether the authoritie of the Church be not greater then the holy Scripture and much more to averre the affirmative part as if the Church beside the gift of trying spirits and discerning Canonicall Scripture from that which is not and testifying concerning it and interpreting of it had also power to adde to take from and despense with it This we judge to be more then sacriledge For it is God's commandment Ye shall not adde unto the Word which I command you Deut. 4.2 Revel 2â— 18.19 Deut 5 32. neither shall you diminish ought from it and you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left and further it is his will and pleasure that all and every one in all things simply obey him speaking unto those out of his holy word DOCT. IX That the holy Scripture is so perfect that we can neither adde unto it nor take from it FOr the holy Scripture is so absolute and perfect containing in it abundantly whatsoever is needfull unto salvation that nothing can be added unto it and again it is penned with such divine wisdome that nothing can be taken from it DOCT. X. That we must rely and rest upon the holy Scripture THerefore do we rely and rest upon the doctrine of holy Scripture as also all that are godly ought to do holding fast that of the Apostle All Scripture is given by inspiration of God 2 Tim 3.16 and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse That the man of God may be perfect 17. throughly furnished unto all good works DOCT. XI That nothing is to be determined concerning religion without the word of God and that all things are to be corrected by it WHerefore also this is our judgement that nothing is to be determined in the Church concerning religion which hath not either pregnant proof out of the Canonicall Scripture or else may be evinced from thence by plain and necessarie consequence and that if ought at any time hath crept into the Church either concerning doctrine or worship which is not agreeable unto holy Scripture it ought either by a lawfull course absolutely be taken away or else be corrected by the word of God And again that all controversies concerning religion ought lawfully to be judged and decided by the said holy Scripture DOCT. XII That the Traditions which are truely Catholike and Apostolike are to be retained in the Church YEt such Traditions as it is certain that they are descended from the Apostles August Tom. 7. contr Donat. lib. 4. cap. 24. Et Tom. 2 ad Ian. Ep. 118. D. 11. cap. 8. and have alwayes been observed by all the Churches as that concerning sanctifying the Lords day in stead of the Sabbath and such like although we have no commandment in Scripture for keeping and observing them yet we think it fit that they should be retained in the Churches DOCT. XIII That the Scripture is perspicuous in those things which are necessarie unto salvation and therefore that it ought to be read of all WE understand and know that the whole doctrine of salvation is not onely sufficiently but also perspicuously delivered in holy Scripture seeing that God himself speaking unto his people used no other language but the vulgar that it might be understood of all And therefore we count it wonderfull injustice and very tyranny to interdict or debarre any one from reading or translating such books as God would have all men for their salvation to read and turn over again and again day and night Psal 1.2 DOCT. XIV That the faithfull interpretations of the godly and learned are not to be contemned ALthough the holy Scripture be perspicuous in those things which are necessarie unto salvation Yet we do not dislike the interpretations expositions of learned and godly men as well ancient as moderne which are fetched out of the same holy Scripture and as farre forth as the Scripture is expounded by the Scripture and that agreeably to the first principles of faith the summe whereof is contained in the Apostles Creed and also in the Creeds of the truely Oecumenicall or generall Councils both ancient and holy assembled together against known heretikes DOCT. XV. That the word of God is the onely prop of faith and foundation of Religion FOr our faith neither can nor ought to rely upon any thing else but the word of God delivered in the holy Scripture Rom. 10.17 For Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God To which whatsoever is repugnant be it written by what man soever we reject and whatsoever is agreeable unto it we embrace and what soever is neither according as it shall seem expedient or not expedient to the Churches we admit or reject and we teach that it is to be admitted or rejected CHAP. II. Concerning God the divine Persons and Properties DOCTRINE I. That there is but one God distinguished into three Persons Being then taught of God in the holy Scripture which is his word 1 Thess 4.9 we believe that there is but one God that is one most simple indivisible eternall living and most perfect Essence subsisting in three Persons to wit the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost being distinguished each from other but yet without all manner of division The authour and cause of all things DOCT. II. That each Person by himself is true God but yet so that there are not three Gods FOr thus we believe as we are taught out of the holy Scripture That the Father by himself is true perfect God the Sonne is God the holy Ghost is also God and yet there are not three Gods but one God Rom. 11.36 And of him and through him and to him are all things DOCT. III. That one Person is distinguished from another by Personall Properties and that by Essentiall Properties they are distinguished from all creatures BUt because the holy Scripture so speaketh of God that it attributes unto him many Properties both Essentiall and Personall and teacheth that by the Essentiall he is distinguished from all things created and by the Personall each Person from other Therefore we also believe that As
other those whom the Lord raiseth up extraordinarily calling and sending them into the Church that when the ordinary neglect their duty and destroy the Church they may both reduce them to good order and reforme the Church to it 's pristine estate and preserve it such were the Prophets in the Old Testament raised out of other tribes besides that of Levi and in the new the Apostles Prophets and Evangelists which the Lord peculiarly chose to himself that when all was destroy'd in every place aswell amongst the Israelites as Gentiles he might gather teach and preserve Churches to himself in all places by their ministry In the number of these extraordinarily called we cannot but place many and heroicall and couragious men and true servants of God in our times who when all was destroy'd were excited by the Spirit of Christ to oppose themselves against the Catholike Apostacie and to restore anew the ancient doctrine worship discipline in the Church and that notwithstanding the vain resistance and rage of the ordinary Bishops Kings and most powerfull Princes and all the world DOCT. XI That onely five orders of ministers of the word were constituted by Christ BUt we do not acknowledge that more orders of ministers of the word were instituted by Christ in the Church then those which the Apostle hath express'd in the Epistle to the Ephesians Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastours and Teachers Eph. 4.11 of which the first three he would not have confirm'd to any certain places to but to be now here now there either to gather Churches to themselves as the Apostles did or to water cherish and confirme those which were already planted by the Apostles as the Prophets and Evangelists did who for that reason ought not to have been perpetuall a Act. 20.28 Phil. 1.1 1 Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.7 1 Pet. 2.25 1 Pet. 5.1 Act. 14.23 Tit. 1.15 Iam. 5 14. Heb 6.1 1 Pet. 5.1 But the two latter he would should be consecrated for the governing and preserving of some certain Churches namely Pastors and Teachers and that to the end of the world whom therefore we use to call the ordinary and perpetuall ministers For whereas as the Apostles often make mention of Bishops Elders and Catechists that does not evince them to have been distinct orders of ministers of the word because they that were Pastors were alwayes the same with those which were signifi'd by the name of Bishops and very often with that of elders besides the Apostle Peter styles himself an Elder The office of the Catechists was performed not onely by the Pastors and Teachers but likewise by the Apostles themselves and the Evangelists DOCT. X. That wee doe not blame the Fathers for adding other orders of ministers BUt to omit such whose ministery was to endure but for a time and who we said were called extraordinarily let us speake onely of those which are ordinary and perpetuall Although we read in the Apostle but of two of these orders given to the Church by Christ a Eph. 4. â—â— namely Pastors and Teachers of which these did onely teach and those administer the Sacraments also and were encharged with the discipline and government of the Church Yet we do not blame the Fathers for that according to the various occasions both of dispensing the word and governing the Church they did also multiply divers orders of ministers since it was free for them so to do as likewise for us and since it is manifest that it was done by them for Religious intents touching order and decency and at that time to the edification of the Church DOCT. XI The same opinion confirmed with an explication of some of the Ecclesiasticall orders in the primitive Church FOr we know that our God is the God of order not of confusion and that the Church is preserved by order but ruin'd without it for which reason he appointed many distinct orders of ministers not onely heretofore in Israel but also afterwards in the Church gathered of Iews and Gentiles and upon the same reason likewise left it free to the Churches to adde or not adde others so it were unto edification Therefore whereas at first all ministers of the word were called both Pastors Bishops and Presbyters and were of equall authority till afterwards one began to preside over his collegues although not as a Lord but onely as a Ruler in a University over the other collegues and the care of the whole Church became especially comitted to him and so by way of eminency he alone was called by the name of Bishop and Pastor the rest of the ministery being contented with the title of Presbyters or elders so that in every City there was one Bishop and many Presbyters this we disapprove not in our judgement Concerning which the relation and opinion of St. Hierome aswell in other places as in his Epistle to Euagmis and in his commentaries on the Epistle to Titus Tit. c. 10. is received by us where he saith all this hath proceeded rather from custome then from the direct appointment of our Lord that the occasions and nurseries of dissensions and schismes might be taken away And in this respect we conceive Dist 93. c. 23 that what hath been constituted also as to Archbishops yea and the four Patriarchs created before the Council of Nice may be excused and defended although afterwards in processe of time all ha's been changed into the greatest tyrannie and ambition Which is the cause that by how much the more the simplicitie of the Apostolick times in those orders of ministers is follow'd and approched unto by so much the more it hath our approbation and we do judge it convenient that care be taken in all places to conforme the government thereunto DOCT. XII That one person as head can by no meanes be set over the whole Church BUt that one person should be set over all the Churches in the whole world as head of them and have authoritie and full power over them all is a thing we can in no wise admit of but contrarily do no lesse then abominate it and much rather if that person arrogate so much to himself by divine right Lib. 4. Regist Ep. 21. and lib. 6. Ep. 30. And we embrace the saying of Gregorie the first to Mauritius the Emperour Whosoever calleth himself Universal Priest or desireth to be called so he usurps that name to himself contrary to the precepts of the Gospel and the decrees of the Canons and is the fore-runner of Antichrist DOCT. XIII That not every one but he onely that is sent by Christ is to be admitted into the ministry WE believe also that it is necessary to the true and safe governing of the Church that not every one either obtruding himself or sent by others ought to be admitted into the ministry but that he who undertakes the ministry must be first known whether or no he be called and sent by God or Christ the head
of the Church to the Ecclesiasticall function and next that he be in a lawfull manner chosen and ordained by the Church it self according to the saying of the Apostle a Heb. 5 4. No man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron c. DOCT. XIV Who are called to the ministry by Christ BUt we believe them to be called by Christ to the ministry whom he hath enabled and made fit to undertake it and those fit to whom besides the desire of propagating the Kingdome of God and glorifying God by a holy life he hath given the knowledge of sound doctrine and abilitie to propound it to the people for their salvation as the Apostle teacheth both otherwhere and b 1 Tim. 3.2 Tit. 2.6 in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus For whom God chooseth and calleth to any function he endues them with gifts necessary to the performance of the same since he calleth us rather in deed then by words And therefore they who hold not the sound doctrine of the Gospel nor teach the same to the people but rather that which is contrary unto it whether they runne of their own accord or are sent by men entrusted with the ordinary authority of sending yet we acknowledge them not for ministers called by Christ and consequently do not account them fitting to be heard as St. Iohn saith a 2 Iohn 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed and God also by the Prophet Ieremie describeth those Prophets which were sent by him and those which were not in these words b Ier. 23.21 I have not sent these Prophets yet they ran I have not spoken to them yet they prophesied where explaining the former clauses by the latter he teacheth that those are not sent by him who speake not out of the mouth of God and on the contrarie that they who bring the word of God are sent by him And we are not to seek for the reason hereof For seeing c Eph. 4.12 ministers are sent of God for the edification of the Church which is rather destroyed by the doctrines of men but built up by the word of God certainly they are not sent by God who bring not his word with them DOCT. XV. That Christ calleth men to the ministry two wayes FUrthermore seeing all truly ministers are called by Christ we believe that he calleth men to the ministry after a double manner namely either a Gal. 1.1 immediately by himself alone or mediately by men that is by the Church and therefore they are both equally to be heard and accounted the true ministers of God DOCT. XVI How Christ declares to the Church those that are sent by him to be sent by himself alone WHereas those whom Christ himself calleth he declareth to be sent by himself by rendring them all fit for that charge he doth it more especially in them whom he calls and sends immediately by himself and by his Spirit extraordinarilie For he is wont to endue them largely with peculiar and excellent gifts and chiefly with the holy Ghost in abundant measure with ardent zeal of the glory of God singular knowledge of the word of God which they bring a profitable and perspicuous manner of teaching and consequently with happy successe of their labours whereby they are inabled with more speed and efficacie to reduce the Churches to the ancient that is the Apostolike frame and their lawfull and divine calling is more easily and certainly made known to the Churches a Eph. 4.12 Because all that Christ gives to the Churches as ministers he gives them to the edification thereof from whence the conclusion is easily consequent that by whose meanes we observe the Churches to be edified they are such as are called by Christ and their ministry is divine and lawfull DOCT. XVII That the calling of those ministers whom Christ sends extraordinarily and by himself is not alwayes confirmed by miracles nor is it needfull it should be so FOr we do not believe that miracles are alwayes necessary to the confirmation of the ministry of this kind of ministers since we do not read that the mission of all the Prophets was confirm'd by miracles but onely by the Spirit of God and the zeal of his glory wherewith they were enflamed and especially by the truth of the divine word which they preached not without advantage to the Saints that is the elect in the Church whereas on the other side some even false Prophets did performe signes and wonders a 2 Thes 2.9 which also the Apostle hath foretold should be done by Antichrist b Matt. 24.24 Christ before him Which notwithstanding because they brought not the word of God but lies and exhorted the people to go after strange Gods the Lord forbad them to be heard yea a Deut 3.2 10. he commanded they should be stoned to death DOCT. XVIII That the Churches which Christ restoreth by ministers extraordinarily sent are true Churches and consequently there is a lawfull ministry in them and they have lawfull authority of calling and ordaining ministers COnsidering the truth of what we have already deliver'd concerning ministers extraordinarily called by Christ we believe likewise that the Churches which Christ by their meanes and ministry restores and happily reformes in setting up the preaching of true doctrine with the lawfull administration of the Sacraments and purging the worship of God from idolatries and superstitions and recalling the true forms of discipline as much as is possible to be done and consequently communion with the Apostles that they are true Churches And from thence it followes that they have authority of calling and ordaining ministers in a lawfull manner and by that meanes to continue the succession of ministers amongst themselves So that there remaines no doubt but that ministers do there lawfully succeed and are the true ordinary ministers of the Church namely so long as together with the personall succession as it is called they likewise succeed and persist in the preaching of sound doctrine DOCT. XIX That as where true doctrine is there is a true Church so where it is not there is neither a true Church nor a lawfull ministry FOr we are well assured that as where the true doctrine onely even without a continued succession of Bishops from the beginning can be shown there is a true Church and likewise a true and lawfull ministry so on the contrary where onely a personall succession is boasted of but the purity of doctrine truely Christian is defaced there is no lawfull ministry since as the Church so the Ecclesiasticall ministry is not ty'd to persons but tot he word of God DOCT. XX. That the authority of ministers extends onely to those things whereunto themselves are called by Christ WE believe also that great authority is given by Christ to lawfull ministers namely as to the
performance of those things whereunto they are called a Matt. 28.19 to preach the Gospel b 1 Cor. 12.10 to expound the holy writ according to the analogy of faith c Heb. 6.1 to catechise d Gal. 6.6 to teach the people what is the will of God e 2 Tim. 4.1 to reprove and admonish both great and small f Iohn 20.21 to remit and retain sins ministerially g Matt. 18.18 to bind the impenitent and to loose those that repent also to administer the Sacraments which Christ ordained and according to the manner h Matt. 28.19 1 Cor. 11.23 c. deliver'd by him and exercise discipline as it is commanded by Christ and likewise k 1 Cor. 5.4 explained by the Apostle lastly to all those things which though not expressed in the holy word do notwithstanding appertain to order and decency and tend to edification not to destruction according to the generall rule deliver'd by the Apostle That a 1 Cor. 14.40 all things should be done in the Church in order decently and to edification For we do not believe that any authority is given to ministers to any other end then for the edification of the Church or that is of greater extent then the word of God And therefore we deny that any Bishop or even altogether have authority to constitute any thing against the Scriptures to adde to them or detract from them or make any alteration in them to dispense with the commands of God to make new articles of faith to institute new Sacraments to induce new kinds of worship into the Church to make laws which may binde the conscience or be of equall authority with the divine Law to domineer in the Church and over the consciences of the faithfull to forbid what God hath licensed and left free or lastly to command any thing as necessary to salvation not contained in the word of God seeing not even the whole Church can with truth be said to have this authority DOCT. XXI That we do not deny the civill authority of such Bishops as are also Princes NEverthelesse we do not gain-say but that Bishops who are also Princes beside their Ecclesiasticall authority have their politicall rights and secular powers aswell as other Princes have authority in ruling over temporalls the power of the sword some a right of electing and confirming Kings and Emperours and of constituting and administring other civil affaires to compell the people that are their subjects to performe their obedience to them And therefore we confesse that their politicall commands which can be observed without transgressing the divine law are to be obeyed by their subjects not onely out of fear but for conscience sake For we know a Rom. 15.1 2. that all power is from God and whosoever resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God also that a 1 Pet. 2 17 18. Kings are to be honoured and that we ought to be subject to Princes and Lords with all fear not onely to the good and gentle but also to the froward and perverse DOCT. XXII That matrimony ought to be as free for ministers of the Church for for as for others BUt we believe that this is necessary to the good deportment and salvation of ministers and to the honour of the ministry and so to the right governing of the Church to wit that marriage be as freely permitted to them as it is to all Lay-persons seeing Christ hath not forbidden it to any sort of men yea speaking of single life he saith b Mat. 19.11 All men cannot receive this saying namely that commends singlenesse of life intimating that which the Apostle hath in plaine termes expounded namely c 1 Cor. 7.9 If a man cannot contain he ought to marry d Heb. 13.4 For we confesse with the Apostle that marriage is honourable in all and the bed undefiled DOCT. XXIII That it is good and commendable for any one that is indued with the gift of continencie to abstain from Marriage NOtwithstanding we deny not but such as have received the gift of continencie from God have greater advantage to exercise the holy function and to serve the Church then such as are joyn'd in matrimony by reason of the many weighty cares and troubles which marriage is attended with whereby they are oftentimes even unwillingly drawn away from their divine contemplations to domestick affaires and the incombrances of the present life according to the saying of the Apostle a 1 Cor. 7.32 33. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord how he may please the Lord But he that is married careth for the things that are of the World how he may please his Wife and is divided Wherefore as they are not unworthy of praise who therefore take a Wife that they may live unto God with a clean and pure conscience so they are highly to be commended who the better to imploy their endeavours in the Church choose a chast single life and continue therein so long as is possible for them DOCT. XXIV That marriages are to be contracted in the Lord and religiously observed MOreover we know and confesse that all marriages are to be contracted a 1 Cor. 7.39 in the Lord according to the divine law and that of nature and that they are also holily to be observed according to the honest and good customes of places and that it is unlawfull for any man to put away his Wife b Matth. 19.9 saving for the cause of fornication but if an unbelieving woman refuse to cohabit with her believing Husband out of hatred to religion she is not to be retained by force c 1 Cor. 7.15 for the faithfull Husband is not under bondage in such cases but God hath called him to peace DOCT. XXV That it is no lesse lawfull for him that hath divorced an adultresse or is forsaken by an unbelieving Wife to contract new matrimonie then for him whose Wife is deceased WE believe also that it is not lesse lawfull for him who hath either lawfully repudiated an adulteresse or is deserted by an unbelieving Wife to enter into marriage anew then for a person whose former Wife is dead For that saying of the Apostle concerning all unmarried persons and Widowes is perpetually true and wholesome a 1 Cor. 7.8 9. It is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they cannot contain let them marry for it is better to marry then c. DOCT. XXVI That some ought to be appointed in the Church to judge of controversies touching Marriage BUt we do not approve that any of these things be done in the Church without the lawfull cognisance judgement opinion of the Church and the Christian Magistrate where there is any and therefore we conceive that there ought to be constituted some pious knowing and prudent persons for the cognisance and judgement of masters touching matrimony so that nothing