another place He that beleeveth Acts 13. in him is made righteous And this righteousnesse or justification is the remission of sinnes the taking away of eternall punishment which the severe justice of God doth require and to be clothed with Christs righteousnesse or with imputation thereof also it is a reconciliation with God a receiving into favour whereby we are made acceptable in the beloved and fellow heires of eternall life For the confirming of which things and by reason of our new birth or regeneration there is an earnest added to wit the holy Ghost who is given and bestowed freely out of Ephes 1. that infinite grace for Christ his death bloud shedding and his resurrection All these things hath Paul described very excellently in his Epistle to the Romanes where he bringeth in Rom. 4. Psal 32. David speaking in this wise Blessed are they whose iniquitie is forgiven whereof he speaketh in that whole Chapter And to the Gal. 4. Rom. 8. Galathians he saith God sent forth his Son that we might receive the adoption Now because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son crying in your hearts Abba Father For whomsoever God doth justifie to them he doth give the holy Ghost and by him he doth first regenerate them as he promiseth by the Prophet saying I will give them a new heart and I will put my spirit Ezech 11. and 36. Rom 5. in the middest of them that as before sinne had reigned in them to death so also then grace might reigne by righteousnesse unto eternall life through Iesus Christ And this is the communion or participation of the grace of God the Father of the merit of Iesus Christ our Lord and of the sanctification of the holy Ghost this is the law of faith the law of the spirit and life written by the holy Ghost But the lively and never dying spring of this justification is our Lord Iesus Christ alone by those his saving works that is which give salvation from whom all holy men from the beginning of the world as well before the law was published and under the law and the discipline thereof as also after the law have and doe draw have and doe receive salvation or remission of their sins by faith in the most comfortable promise of the Gospel and doe apply and approper it as peculiar to themselves onely for the sole death of Christ and his blood-shedding to the full and perfect abolishing of their sinnes and the cleansing from them all whereof we have many testimonies in the Scripture Holy Peter before the whole countrey at Hierusalem doth proove by sound arguments that Salvation is not to be found in any other then in Act. 4. Christ Iesus alone and that under this large cope of heaven there is no other name given unto men whereby we may be saved And in another place he appealeth to the consenting voyces and testimonies of all the Prophets who spake with one minde and by one spirit as it were by one mouth and thus he said As touching this Iesus Act. 10. all the Prophets beare witnesse that through his name all that beleeve in him shall receive remission of sins And to the Hebrews it is written He hath by himselfe purged our sins and againe We Heb. 1. Eph. 1. 1 Jâ—h 2. have redemption through his blood even the remission of sins And St. John saith We have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation or attonement for our sinnes and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world And againe to the Hebrews We are sanctified by the offering of the body Heb. 10. of Iesus Christ once made and a little after he addeth with one only offering hath he consecrated for ever them that are sanctified namely of God by the spirit of God Therefore all sinners and such as are penitent ought to flie incontinently through their whole life to our Lord Iesus Christ alone for remission of their sins and every saving grace according to that in the Epistle to the Heb. 4. Hebrews Seeing that we have a great high Priest even Iesus the Son of God which is entered into heaven let us hold fast this profession which is concerning Christ our Lord and straight-way he addeth Let us therefore goe boldly unto the throne of grace that we may receive mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of need Also Christ himselfe crying out saith He that thirsteth let him come to Joh. 7. me and drinke And in another place He that cometh unto me shall not hunger and he that beleeveth in me shall never thirst Now they Joh. 6. that attaine to this justification by Christ our Lord are taught to take unto themselves true and assured comfort out of this grace and bountie of God to enjoy a good and quiet conscience before God to be certaine of their owne salvation and to have it confirmed to them by this means that seeing they are here the sons of God they shall also after death in the resurrection be made heires In the meane time they ought both to desire to be brought Rom. 8. Gal. 4. to this that they may receive the fruit of perfect salvation and also cheerefully to looke for it with that confidence according to the promise of the Lord that such shall not come into judgement Joh. 5. but that by making away they have already passed from death into life Of all other points of doctrine we account this the chiefest and weightiest as that wherein the summe of the Gospell doth consist Christianitie is founded and the precious and most noble treasure of eternall salvation and the onely and lively comfort proceeding from God is comprehended Therefore herein our Preachers doe labour especially that they may well instruct the hearts of men in this point of doctrine and so sow it that it may take deepe root Of goods works and a Christian life CHAP. 7. IN the seventh place we teach that they who are made righteous and acceptable to God by faith alone in Christ Iesus and that by the grace of God without any merits ought in the whole course of their life that followeth both altogether joyntly and every one particularly according as the order condition age place of every one doth require to performe and exercise those good works and holy actions which are commanded of God even as God commandeth when he saith Teach them to observe all things which I have commanded you Now these good works or holy actions are not certaine affections devised of flesh and blood for such the Lord forbiddeth but they are expressely shewed and propounded unto us by the spirit of God to doe the which God doth binde us the rule and chiefe square whereof God himselfe is in his word for so he saith by the Prophet Walke not in the Ezech. 20. commandements of your Fathers and keepe
water baptizing of Bels Conjuring of spirits Crossing Sauing Anointing Conjuring Hallowing of Gods good creatures with the superstitious opinion joyned therewith his worldly Monarchy and wicked Hierarchy his three solemned vows with all his shavelings of sundry sorts his erronious bloody decrees made at Trent with all the subscribers and approvers of that cruell and bloody band conjured against the Church of God And finally we detest all his vain allegories rites signes and traditions brought in the Church without or against the word of God and doctrin of this true reformed Church to the which we joyne our selves willingly in doctrin faith religion discipline and use of the holy Sacraments as lively members of the same in Christ our head promising and swearing by the great name of the Lord our God that we shall continue in the obedience of the doctrine and discipline of this Church and shall defend the same according to our vocation and power all the daies of our lives under the pains contained in the law and danger both of body and soule in the day of Gods fearefull judgement And seeing that many are stirred up by Satan and that Romane Antichrist to promise sweare subscribe and for a time use the holy Sacraments in the Church deceitfully against their own conscience minding hereby first under the externall cloake of Religion to corrupt and subvert secretly Gods true Religion within the Church and afterward when time may serve to become open enemies and persecuters of the same under vain hope of the Popes dispensation devised against the word of God to his greater confusion and their double condemnation in the day of the Lord Iesus We therefore willing to take away all suspition of hypocrisie and of such double dealing with God and his Church protest and call the searcher of all hearts for witnesse that our mindes and hearts do fully agree with this our confession promise oath and subscription So that we are not moved for any worldly respect but are perswaded onely in our conscience through the knowledge and love of Gods true Religion printed in our hearts by the holy Spirit as we shall answer to him in the day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed And because we perceive that the quietnesse and stabilitie of our Religion and Church doth depend upon the safetie and good behaviour of the Kings Majestie as upon a comfortable Instrument of Gods mercie granted to this Countrey for the maintaining of his Church and ministration of Iustice amongst us we protest and promise with our hearts under the same oath hand writ and pains that we shall defend his person and authoritie with our goods bodies and lives in the defence of Christs Evangell Libertie of our countrey ministration of justice and punishment of iniquitie against all enemies within this Realme or without as we desire our God to be a strong and mercifull defender to us in the day of our death and comming of our Lord Iesus Christ To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour and glory eternally Amen THE ESTATES OF SCOTLAND WITH THE INHABITANTS OF the same professing Christ Jesus and his holy Gospell To their naturall countrey-men and to all other Realmes and Nations professing the same Christ Jesus with them wish grace mercy and peace from God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the spirit of righteous judgement of salvation LOng have we thirsted deare brethren to have notified unto the world the summe of that doctrine which we professe and for the which we have sustained infamie and danger But such hath been the rage of Sathan against us and against Christ Iesus his eternall veritie lately borne amongst us that to this day no time hath been granted unto us to cleare our consciences as most gladly we would have done For how we have been tossed at times heretofore the most part of Europe as we suppose doth understand But seeing that of the infinite goodnesse of our God who never suffereth his afflicted utterly to be confounded above expectation we have obtained some rest and libertie we would not but set forth this briefe and plaine confession of such doctrine as is proponed unto us and as we beleeve and professe partly for satisfaction of our brethren whose hearts we doubt not have been and yet are wounded by the despitefull railing of such as yet have not learned to speake well and partly for stopping of the mouthes of the impudent blasphemers who boldly damne that which they have neither heard nor yet understood Not that we judge that the cankred malice of such is able to be cured by this our simple confession No we know the sweet savour of the Gospell is and shall be death to the sonnes of perdition but we have chief respect to our weake and infirme brethren to whom we would communicate the bottome of our hearts lest that they be troubled or carried away by diversitie of rumours which Satan spreads abroad against us to the defacing of this our most godly enterprise protesting that if any man shall note in this our confession any article or sentence repugning to Gods holy word and doe admonish us of the same in writing we by Gods grace doe promise unto him satisfaction from the mouth of God that is from his holy Scriptures or else reformation of that which he shall prove to be amisse For God we take to record in our consciences that from our hearts we abhorre all sects of heresie and all teachers of erronious doctrine and that with all humilitie we imbrace the puritie of Christs Gospell which is the onely food of our souls and therefore so precious unto us that we are determined to suffer the extremitie of worldly danger rather then that we will suffer our selves to be defrauded of the same for hereof we are most certainly perswaded that whosoever denieth Christ Iesus or is ashamed of him in the presence of men shall be denied before the Father and before his holy angels And therefore by the assistance of the Almightie the same our Lord Iesus we firmly purpose to abide to the end in the confession of this our faith as by articles followeth Of God VVE confesse and acknowledge one onely God to whom Deut. 6. Isa 44. Deut. 4. onely we must cleave whom onely we must serve whom onely we must worship and in whom onely we must put our trust who is eternall infinite unmeasurable incomprehensible omnipotent invisible one in substance and yet distinct in three Matth. 28. Gen. 1. persons the Father the Son and the holy Ghost By whom we confesse and beleeve all things in heaven and earth as well visible as invisible to have been created to be retained in their being and to be ruled and guided by his inscrutable providence to such end as his eternall wisdome goodnesse and justice hath appointed Prov. 16. them to the manifestation of his glory Of the creation of Man VVE confesse and knowledge this
commanded in the law which they call the workes of supererrogation it is contrary to the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles and it is repugnant to the judgement of the true Catholike Church For the law was not given to this end to signifie that man might perfectly fulfill the Commandements thereof in this life but to shew to man his imperfection and to testifie of the unrighteousnesse of man and of the wrath of God against all men and to stirre them up to seeke remission of their sinnes righteousnesse and salvation by faith in the onely Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 3. By the law cometh the knowledge of sinne And Rom. 7. The law is spirituall but I am carnall sold under sin And Rom. 8. The wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God For it is not subiect to the law of God neither indeed can be And Gal. 3. Cursed is every man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the law to doe them Augustine saith This De Spiritu litera cap. 36. first commandement of iustice wherein we are commanded to love the Lord with all our heart with all our soule and with all our mind whereupon followeth that other commandement of loving our neighbour we shalt fulfill in that Life where we shall see him face to face But therefore it is even now also commanded unto us that we might be admonished what is behoveth us to riquire by faith whither to send our hope before hand and by forgetting those things which are behinde what fore things we should stretch our selves unto And hereby so farre as I can iudge he hath profited much in this life in that righteousnesse which is to be perfited who by profiting doth know how farre he is from the perfection of righteousnesse And againe Charitie is a vertue whereby that is loved which is to be beloved This is in some greater in others lesser and in some none at August Icronim Epist 29. all But the most absolute love which now cannot be increased so long as a man liveth here is not to be found in any man For so long as it may be increased that which is lesse then it ought to be cometh of our corruption by reason of which corruption there is not a iust man in the earth that doth good and sinneth not by reason of which corruption no flesh living shall be iustified in the sight of God for which corruptions sake If we say that we have no sinne we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us for the which also though we profit never so much yet it is necessary for us to say Forgive us on debts although all our words deeds and thoughts are already forgiven us in baptisme And againe All the Commandements of God Lib. 1. Retract cap. 19. are counted as done when as whatsoever is not done is notwithstanding pardoned And Jerome saith This is onely perfection unto men if they know that they are perfect This is the true wisedome of man to know that he is imperfect and that I may so speake the perfection of all iust men in the flesh is imperfect Of the Gospel of Christ CHAP. 8. ALthough many precepts of the law of God be conteined in the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles and Christ himselfe doth teach that we must not render evill for evill nor lock upon a woman want only and such like yet we must not thinke that the Gospel of Christ is a new law whereby as the fathers in times past were saved under the Old Testament by the old law so men now under the New Testament should be saved by a new law For except a man take the name of the law generally for doctrine as the Prophets now and then doe use the name of the law certainly the Gospel of Christ is not properly a law as Paul doth commonly use the name of the law but it is a good and joyfull message touching the sionne of God our Lord Iesus Christ that he onely is the purger of our sinnes the appeaser of the wrath of God and our Redeemer and Saviour Neither are the commandements of the law which are contained in the Apostles writings any new law but they are an interpretation of the old law according to the judgement of the holy Ghost which also were to be seene before and that not obscurely in the writings of the Prophets But they are repeated in the preaching of the Gospel of Christ that the severitie of the law of God and the corruption of our nature being declared we might be stirred up to seeke and embrace Christ revealed in his Gospel and that we may know after what rule we are to frame our life through faith in Christ Wherefore if we will speak properly of the law of God and Gospel of Christ as of Christ we are not to make a new lawgiver seeing that he neither hath made a new law nor instituted a new politike kingdome in this earth so must we not make a new law of the Gospel which by more hard and severe commandements doth bring eternall salvation to the doers thereof But we thinke it to be most certaine that the naturall or morall law of the old and new Testament is one and the same and that neither the men which lived under the old Testament nor those which lived under the new Testament doe obtaine eternall salvation for the merit of the workes of the law but onely for the merit of our Lord Iesus Christ through faith Christ out of Isaiah doth recite his office for the which he was sent into the earth The Spirit of the Lord saith he is upon me bâ—cause Luke 4. he hath annointed me he hath sent me to preach the Gospel to the poore c. Here Christ teacheth that his proper office is not to make a new law which should terrifie and kill miserable sinners but to preach the Gospel which might comfort and quicken sinners Gal. 4. When the fulnesse of time was come God sent his Son made of a woman and made under the law that he might redeeme them which were under the law and that we by adoption might receive the right of sonnes And Acts 15. it is said Why tempt yee God to lay an yoke on the Disciples neckes which neither our fathers nor we were able to beare but we beleeve through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to be saved even as they c. And Augustine saith That people which received the old Testament was Contra Adimantum Manichaei discipulum cap. 3 held under certaine shadowes and figures of things before the coming of the Lord according to the wonderfull and most orderly division of times Yet therein was so great preaching and foretelling of the new Testament that in the Evangelicall and Apostolike discipline though it be painefull and divine no commandements or promises can be found which are wanting even in those old boookes
in his time of need receiveth me and contrarily He that despiseth you despiseth me This is also taught and handled * Looke the 9. Observation that the Priests ought not to use these keyes of the Lord otherwise then according to the meaning and will of Christ which is declared expressely in his word and according to the sure flat and expresse determinations of his judgement and that they doe not any manner of way according to mens opinions much lesse after their own minde or lust abuse these keyes for so it would come to passe that the keyes should swarve from their office And this is to be taken heed of that it be not by this meanes fulfilled in the misusing of them which the Lord hath said by the Prophet For you saith be is this Malac. 2. commandement O ye Priests if you will not heare it nor consider it in your hearts to give glory to my name saith the Lord of Hrasts I will send a curse upon you and will curse your blessings as I have cursed them already because you regard not in your hearts the feare of the Lord. Out of the FRENCH Confession SEeing that we are not made partakers of Christ but by the Artic. 25. Gospell we beleeve that that good order which by the authoritie of the Gospell is confirmed ought to be kept sacred and inviolablâ— and that therefore Pastours are necessarily required in the Church upon whose shoulders the burden of teaching the word and administring of the Sacraments doth lie whom also we ought to honour and reverently to heare if so be that they being lawfully called doe discharge their dutie not as though God did stand in need of such stayes and inferiour helps but therefore rather because that so it seemeth good to him to governe us as it were by using this bridle Therefore we detest all those fanaticall spirits who as much as in them lyeth desire that both this sacred ministerie or preaching of the word and the administration of the Sacraments were utterly abolished We beleeve that this true Church ought to be governed by that Artic. 29. regiment or discipline which our Lord Iesus Christ hath established to wit so that there be in it Pastours Elders and Deacons that the puritie of Doctrine may be retained vices repressed the poore and others that be in miserie according to their necessitie may be provided for and that there may be holy meetings for the edifying both of small and great We beleeve that all true Pastours in what place soever they be Artic 30. placed have the same and equall authoritie among themselves given unto them under Iesus Christ the onely head and the chiefe and alone universall Bishop and that therefore it is not lawfull for any Church to challenge unto it selfe Dominion or Soveraigntie over any other Church We beleeve that it is not lawfull for any man upon his owne Artic. 31. authoritie to take upon him the government of the Church but that every one ought to be admitted thereunto by a lawfull election so neere as may be and so long as the Lord giveth leave And this exception we doe expressely adde because that sometime as it fell our also in our daies the state of the Church being disturbed it was necessary that some should be raised up of the Lord extraordinarily which should repaire the ruines of the decayed Church Neverthelesse howsoever it be we beleeve that this rule is alwaies to be followed that all Pastours and Elders should have a testimonie of their calling Out of the ENGLISH Confession FVrthermore we beleeve that there be divers degrees of Ministers in the Church whereof some be Deacons some Artic. 5. Priests some Bishops to whom is committed the office to instruct the people and the whole charge and setting forth of Religion Yet notwithstanding we say that there neither is nor can be any one man which may have the whole superioritie in this universall state for that Christ is ever present to assist his Church and needeth not any man to supply his roome as his onely heire to all his substance and that there can be no one mortall creature which is able to comprehend or conceive in his minde the Vniversall Church that is to wit all the parts of the world much lesse able rightly and duely to put them in order and to governe them For all the Apostles as Cyprian saith were of like power among themselves and the rest were the same that Peter was And that it was said indifferently to them all Feedye indifferently to them all Goe into the whole world Indifferently to them all Teach ye the Gospell And as Hierome saith All Bishops wheresoever they be be they at Rome be they at Eugubium be they at Constantinople be they at Rhegium be all of like preeminence and of like Priesthood And as Cyprian saith There is but one Bishopricke and a peece thereof is perfitly and wholly holden of every particular Bishop And according to the judgement of the Nicene Councell we say that the Bishop of Rome hath no more jurisdiction over the Church of God then the rest of the Patriarks either of Alexandria or of Antioch have And as for the Bishop of Rome who now calleth all matters before himselfe alone except he doe his dutie as he ought to do except he minister the Sacrament except he instruct the people except he warne them and teach them we say that he ought not of right once to be called a Bishop or so much as an Elder For a Bishop as saith Austine is a name of labour and not of honour that the man that seeketh to have preeminence and not to profit may understand himselfe to be no Bishop And that neither the Pope nor any other worldly creature can no more be head of the whole Church or a Bishop over all then he can be the Bridegroome the light the salvation and life of the Church For these priviledges and names belong onely to Christ and be properly and onely fit for him alone And that no Bishop of Rome did ever suffer himselfe to be called by such a proud name and title before Phocas the Emperours time who as we know by killing his owne Soveraigne Mauritius the Emperour did by a trayterous villany aspire to the Empire Which was about the sixth hundred and thirteenth yeere after Christ was borne Also the Councell of Carthage did circumspectly provide that no Bishop should be called either the highest Bishop or chiefe Priest And therefore sithence the Bishop of Rome will now adaies so be called and challengeth unto himselfe an authoritie that is none of his besides that he doth plainly contrary to the ancient Councels and contrary to the old Fathers We beleeve that he doth give to himselfe as it is written by his own companion Gregory A presumptuous a prophane a sacrilegious and an antichristian name that he is also the King of pride that he is * Looke the 1.
suffered contradiction of sinners that he was wounded and plagued for our transgressions that he being the cleane innocent Lambe of God was damned in the Deut. 21. Gal. 3. presence of an earthly Iudge that we should be absolved before the tribunall seat of our God that he suffered not onely the cruell death of the Crosse which was accursed by the sentence of God but also that he suffered for a season the wrath of his Father which sinners had deserved But yet we avow that he remained the onely welbeloved and blessed Sonne of the Father even in Heb. 10. 1. the midst of his anguish and torment which he suffered in body and soule to make the full satisfaction for the sins of the people After the which we confesse and avow that there remaineth no other sacrifice for sinne which if any affirme we nothing doubt to avow that they are blasphemous against Christs death and the everlasting purgation and satisfaction purchased to us by the same Resurrection VVE undoubtedly beleeve that insomuch as it was impossible that the dolours of death should retaine in bondage Acts 2. 3. Rom. 6. the Author of life that our Lord Iesus crucified dead and buried who descended into hell did rise againe for our justification and destroying of him who was the author of death brought life againe to us that were subject to death and to the bondage of Matth. 28. Matth. 27. Ioh. 20. â—1 same we know that his resurrection was confirmed by the testimonie of his very enemies by the resurrection of the dead whose sepulchers did open and they did arise and appeared to many within the Citie of Ierusalem It was also confirmed by the testimonie of his Angels and by the senses and judgements of his Apostles and others who had conversation and did eate and drink with him after his resurrection Ascension VVE nothing doubt but the selfe same body which was born Acts 1. Matth. 1â— of the virgin was crucified dead and buried that it did rise againe and ascend into the heavens for the accomplishment of all things where in our names and for our comfort he hath received all power in heaven and earth where he sitteth at the right hand of the Father crowned in his kingdome Advocate 1 Iohn 2. 1 Tim. 2. Psal 110. and onely Mediatour for us Which glory honour and prerogative he alone amongst the brethren shall possesse till that all his enemies be made his footstoole As that we undoubtedly beleeve there shall be a finall judgement to the execution whereof we certainly beleeve that the same our Lord Iesus shall visibly returne even as he was seene to ascend And then we firmly beleeve that the time of refreshing and restitution of all things shall come in so much that those that from the beginning have suffered violence injury and wrong for righteousnesse sake shall inherite that blessed immortalitie promised Apoc. 20. Esa 66. from the beginning but contrariwise the stubborne inobedient cruell oppressors filthy persons Idolaters and all sorts of unfaithfull shall be cast into the dungeon of utter darknesse where their worme shall not die neither yet the fire shall be extinguished The remembrance of which day and of the judgement to be executed in the same is not onely to us a bridle wherby our carnall lusts are refrained but also such inestimable comfort that neither may the threatning of worldly Princes neither yet the feare of temporall death and present danger move us to renounce and forsake the blessed societie which we the members have with our head and onely Mediatour Christ Iesus Whom Esa 1. Col. 1. Heb. 9. 10. we confesse and avow to be the Messias promised the onely head of his Church our just Law-giver our onely high Priest Advocate and Mediatour In which honours and office if man or Angel presume to intrude themselves we utterly detest and abhorre them as blasphemous to our Soveraign and supreame governour Christ Iesus Faith in the holy Ghost THis faith and the assurance of the same proceedeth not Matth. 16. Iohn 14. 15. 19. from flesh and blood that is to say from no naturall powers within us but in the inspiration of the holy Ghost whom we confesse God equall with the Father and with the Sonne who sanctifieth us and bringeth us into all veritie by his own operation without whom we should remain for ever enemies to God and ignorant of his Sonne Christ Iesus For of nature we are so dead so blinde and so perverse that neither can we feele when we are pricked see the light when it shineth nor assent to the will of God when it is revealed unlesse the spirit of the Lord quicken that which is dead remove the darknes from our minds and bow our stubborne hearts to the obedience of his blessed wil. And so as we confesse that God the Father created us when we were not as his Sonne our Lord Iesus redeemed us when we were enemies to him so also do we confesse that the holy Ghost doth sanctifie and regenerate us without all respect of any merit proceeding from us be it before or be it after our regeneration To speake this one thing yet in more plain words as we willingly Rom. 5. spoile our selves of all honour and glory of our owne creation and redemption so doe we also of our regeneration and sanctification for of our selves we are not sufficient to thinke one good thought but he who hath begunne the worke in us is onely he that continueth in us the same to the praise and glory of his undeserved grace 2. Cor. 3. The cause of good workes SO that the cause of good workes we confesse to be not our Iohn 13. Ephes 2. free will but the spirit of our Lord Iesus who dwelling in our hearts by true faith bringeth forth such good workes as God hath prepared for us to walke in For this we most boldly affirme that it is blasphemie to say that Christ abideth in the hearts of such as in whom there is no spirit of sanctification And therefore we feare not to affirme that murderers oppressors cruell persecutors adulterers whoremongers filthy persons Idolaters drunkards theeves and all workers of iniquitie have neither true faith neither any portion of the spirit of the Lord Iesus so long as obstinately they continue in their wickednesse For how soone that ever the spirit of the Lord Iesus which Gods elect children receive by true faith taketh possession in the heart of every man so soone doth he regenerate and renue the same man so that he beginneth to hate that which before he loved and beginneth to love that which before he hated And from thence cometh that continuall battell which is betwixt the flesh and the spirit in Gods children so that the flesh and naturall man according to Gal. 5. the owne corruption lusteth for things pleasing and delectable unto it selfe grudgeth in adversitie is lifted up in prosperitie and at every
very word of God is preached and received of the faithfull and that neither any other word of God is to be fayned or to be expected from heaven and that now the word itself which is preached is to be regarded not the Minister that preacheth who although he be evill and a sinner neverthelesse the word of God abideth true and good Neither do we think that therefore the outward preaching is to be thought as fruitlesse because the instruction in true religion dependeth on the inward illumination of the spirit because it is written No man shall teach his neighbour For all Jer. 12. 1 Cor. 3. John 6. men shall know me And he that watreth or he that planteth is nothing but God who giveth the increase For albeit no man can come to Christ unlesse he be drawn by the heavenly Father and be inwardly lightned by the holy Ghost yet we know undoubtedly that it is the will of God that his word should be preached even outwardly God could indeed by his holy spirit or by the Ministery of an Angel without the Ministery of Saint Peter have taught Cornelius in the Acts but neverthelesse he referreth him to Peter of whom the Angel speaking saith he shall tell thee what thou must doe For he that illuminated inwardly by giving men the holy Ghost the self same by way of commandement said unto his Disciples Goe ye into the whole world and preach the Gospell to every creature And so Mark 16. Acts 16. Paul preached the word outwardly to Lydia a purple seller among the Philippians but the Lord inwardly opened the womans heart And the same Paul upon an elegant gradation fiâ—ly placed in the 10. to the Romanes at last inferreth therefore faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God We know in the meane time that God can illuminate whom and when he will even without the externall Ministery which is a thing appertaining to his power but we speake of the usuall way of instructing men delivered unto us of God both by commandement and examples We therefore detest all the heresies of Artemon the Manichees Valentinians of Cerdon and the Marcionites who denied that the Scriptures proceeded from the holy Ghost or else received not or polished and corrupted some of them And yet we do not deny that certain books of the old Testament were of the ancient authors called Apocriphall and of others Ecclesiasticall to wit such as they would have to be read in the Churches but not alleadged to avouch or confirme the authoritie of faith by them As also Austin in his 18 Book De civit Dei C. 38. maketh mention that in the books of the Kings the names and books of certaine Prophets are reckoned but he addeth that they are not in the Canon and that those books which we have suffice unto godlinesse CHAP. II. Of interpreting the holy Scriptures and of Fathers Councels and Traditions THE Apostle Peter hath said That the holy Scriptures are 2 Pet. 2. not of any private interpretation therefore we do not allow all expositions whereupon we do not acknowledge that which they call the meaning of the Church of Rome for the true and naturall interpretation of the Scriptures which forsooth the Defenders of the Romane Church do strive to force all men simply to receive but we acknowledge that interpretation of Scriptures for authenticall and proper which being taken from the Scriptures themselves that is from the phrase of that tongue in which they were written they being also wayed according to the circumstances and expounded according to the proportion of places either like or unlike or of moe and plainer accordeth with the rule of faith and charitie and maketh notably for Gods glory and mans salvation Wherefore we do not contemne the holy Treatises of the Fathers agreeing with the Scriptures from whom notwithstanding we do modestly dissent as they are deprehended to set down things meerely strange or altogether contrary to the same Neither doe we thinke that we doe them any wrong in this matter seeing that they all with one consent will not have their writings matched with the Canonicall Scriptures but bid us allow of them so farre forth as they either agree with them or disagree and bid us take those things that agree and leave those that disagree and according to this order we doe account of the Decrees or Canons of Councels Wherefore we suffer not our selves in controversies about Religion or matters of faith to be pressed with the bare testimonies of Fathers or Decrees of Councels much lesse with received customes or else with multitude of men being of one iudgement or with prescription of long time Therefore in controversies of religion or matters of faith we cannot admit any other Iudge then God himself pronouncing by the holy Scriptures what is true what is false what is to be followed or what to be avoided So we do not rest but in the judgements of spirituall men drawn from the word of God Certainly Ieremie and other Prophets did vehemently condemne the assemblies of Priests gathered against the Law of God and diligently forewarned us that we should not heare the Fathers or tread in their path who walking in their own inventions swarved from the Law Ezek. 20. 18. of God We do likewise reject humane Traditions which although they be set out with goodly titles as though they were Divine and Apostolicall by the lively voice of the Apostles and delivered to the Church as it were by the hands of Apostolicall men by meane of Bishops succeeding in their roomes yet being compared with the Scriptures disagree from them and by that their disagreement bewray themselves in no wise to be Apostolicall For as the Apostles did not disagree among themselves in doctrine so the Apostles Schollers did not set forth things contrary to the Apostles Nay it were blasphemous to avouch that the Apostles by lively voice delivered things contrary to their writings Paul affirmeth expressely that he taught the same things in all Churches And againe We 1 Cor. 4. 2 Cor. 1. saith he write no other things unto you then which ye read or also acknowledge Also in another place he witnesseth that he and his Disciples to wit Apostolicall men walked in the same 2 Cor. 12. way and ioyntly by the same spirit did all things The Iews also in time past had their traditions of Elders but these traditions were severely confuted by the Lord shewing that the keeping of them hindereth Gods Law and that God is in vain worshipped Mat. 15. Mar. 7. with such Out of the former Confession of HELVETIA THe Canonicall Scripture being the Word of God and delivered Artic. 1. Scriptura by the holy Ghost and published to the world by the Prophets and Apostles being of all other the most perfect and ancient Philosophie doth alone perfectly contein all piety and good ordering of life The interpretation hereof is to be Artic 2.
life and make us fellow heires with himselfe He taking flesh of the most pure Virgin Mary the holy Ghost working together flesh I say being sacred by the union of the Godhead and like unto ours in all things sin onely excepted because it behooved our sacrifice to be unspotted gave the same flesh to death for the purgation of all sin The same Christ as he is to us a full and perfect hope and trust of our immortalitie so he placed his flesh being raised up from death into heaven at the right hand of his Almightie Father This Conquerour having triumphed over death sin and all the infernall devils sitting as our Captaine Head and chiefe high Priest doth defend and plead our cause continually till he doe reforme us to that Image after which we were created and bring us to the fruition of life everlasting we looke for him to come in the end of the world a true and upright Iudge and to give sentence upon all flesh being first raised up to that judgement and to advance the godly above the skie and to condemn the wicked both in soule and body to eternall destruction Who as he is the onely Mediatour Intercessor Sacrifice and also our high Priest Lord and King so we doe acknowledge and with the whole heart beleeve that he alone is our attonement redemption sanctification expiation wisdome protection and deliverance simply herein rejecting all meane of our life and salvation beside this Christ alone The laetter part of this Article we placed also in the second section which entreateth of the onely Mediatour Out of the Confession of BASILL Of Christ being true God and true man VVE beleeve and confesse constantly that Christ in the time hereunto appointed according to the promise of God was given to us of the Father and that so the eternall word of God was made flesh that is that this Son of God being united to our nature in one person was made our brother that we through him might be made partakers of the inheritance of God We beleeve that this Iesus Christ was conceived of the holy Ghost borne of the pure and undefiled Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate crucified and dead for our sins and so by the one oblation of himselfe he did satisfie God our heavenly Father for us and reconcile us to him and so by his death he did triumph and overcame the world death and hell Moreover according to the flesh he was buried descended into hell and the third day he rose againe from the dead These things being sufficiently approoved he in his soule and body ascended into heaven and sitteth there at the right hand that is in the glory of God the Father Almightie from thence he shall come to judge the quicke and the dead Moreover he sent to his disciples according to his promise the holy Ghost in whom we beleeve even as we doe beleeve in the Father and in the Sonne We beleeve that the last judgement shall be wherein our flesh shall rise againe and every man according as he hath done in this life shall receive of Christ Rom. 2. 2 Cor. 5. Joa 5. the Iudge to wit eternall life if he hath shewed forth the fruits of faith which are the works of righteousnesse by a true faith and unfeined love and eternall fire if he hath committed good or evill without faith or love Out of the Confession of BOHEMIA CHAP. 4. Towards the middle NEither hath any man of all things whatsoever any thing at all whereby he may deliver set free or redeeme himselfe from his sins and condemnation without Christ by whom alone John 15. they which truly beleeve are freed from sinne from the tyrannie and prison of the devill from the wrath of God and from death and everlasting torments And a little after towards the end of the said fourth Chapter Together with this point and after it considering that both the matter it selfe and order of teaching so requireth the Ministers of the Church teach us after our fall to acknowledge the promise of God the true word of grace and the holy Gospell brought to us from the privy counsell of the holy Trinitie concerning our Lord Christ and our whole salvation purchased by him Of these promises there be three principall wherein all the rest are contained The first was made in Paradise in these words I will put enmitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed Gen. 3. and her seed He shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his heele The second was made to Abraham which afterwards Iacob also and Moses did renew The third to David which the Prophets recited and expounded In these promises are described and painted forth those most excellent and principall works of 2 King 7. 23. Christ our Lord which are the very ground-worke whereon our salvation standeth by which he is our Mediatour and Saviour Psal 131. 89 namely his conception in the wombe of the Virgin Mary and his birth of her also for he was made the seed of the woman also Isa 9. 11. his afflictions his rising againe from death his sitting at the right hand of God where he hath obtained the dignitie of a Priest and King of which thing the whole life of David was a certaine type for which cause the Lord calleth himselfe another David Eph. 3. 4. and a Shepherd And this was the Gospell of those holy men before the Law was given and since And Chapter the 6. a little from the beginning For this is very certaine that after the fall of Adam no man was able to set himselfe at libertie out of the bondage of sin death and condemnation or come to be truly reconciled unto God but onely by that one Mediatour betweene God and man Christ Iesus through a lively faith in him who alone by his death and blood-shedding tooke from us that image of sinne and death and put upon us by faith the image of righteousnesse and life For he made unto us of God wisdome righteousnesse sanctification 1 Cor. 2. and redemption But first men are taught that these things are to be beleeved concerning Christ namely that he is eternall and of the nature of his heavenly Father the onely begotten Son begotten from everlasting and so together with the Father and the holy Ghost John 1. Heb. 1. Coloss 1. one true and indivisible God the eternall not created word the brightnesse and the Image or ingraven forme of the person of his Father by whom all things as well those things which may be seene as those which can not be seene and those things which are in heaven and those which are in the earth were made and created Moreover that he is also a true and naturall man our brother in very deed who hath a soule and a body that is true and perfect humane nature which by the power of the holy Ghost he tooke without all sin of Mary a pure Virgin
shall then rise out of the earth the soule and spirit of every one being joyned and coupled together againe to the same bodies wherein before they lived They moreover which shall be alive at the last day shall not die the same death that other men have done but in a moment and in the twinkling of an eye they shall be changed from corruption to an incorruptible nature Then the bookes shall be opened namely the bookes of every mans conscience and the dead shall be judged according to those things which they have done in this world either good or evill Moreover then shall men render an account of every idle word which they have spoken although the world doe now make but a sport and a jest at them Finally all the hypocrisie of men and the deepest secrets of their hearts shall be made manifest unto all so that worthily the onely remembrance of this judgement shall be terrible and fearfull to the wicked and reprobate But of the godly and elect it is greatly to be wished for and is unto them exceeding comfort For then shall their redemption be fully perfited and they shall reape most sweet fruit and commoditie of all those labours and sorrowes which they have suffered in this world Then I say their innocencie shall be openly acknowledged of all and they likewise shall see that horrible punishment which the Lord will execute upon those that have most tyrannically afflicted them in this world with divers kindes of torments and crosses Furthermore the wicked being convinced by the peculiar testimony of their owne conscience shall indeed be made immortall but with this condition that they shall burne for ever in that eternall fire which is prepared for the devill On the contrarie side the elect and faithfull shall be crowned with the crowne of glory and honour whose names the Sonne of God shall confesse before his Father and the Angels and then shall all teares be wiped from their eies Then their cause which now is condemned of heresie and impietie by the Magistrates and Iudges of this world shall be acknowledged to be the cause of the Son of God And the Lord shall of his free mercy reward them with so great glory as no mans minde is able to conceive Therefore we doe with great longing expect that great day of the Lord wherein we shall most fully enjoy all those things which God hath promised unto us and through Iesus Christ our Lord be put into full possession of them for evermore Out of the Confession of AUSPURGE ALso they teach that the word that is the Sonne of God tooke unto him mans nature in the wombe of the blessed Virgin Mary so that the two natures the divine and the humane inseperably joyned together in the unitie of one person are one Christ true God and true man who was borne of the Virgin Mary did truely suffer was crucified dead and buried that he might reconcile his Father unto us and might be a sacrifice not onely for the Originall sinne but also for all actuall sinnes of men The same also descended into hell and did truely rise againe the third day Afterward he ascended into heaven that he might sit at the right hand of the Father and reigne for ever and have dominion over all the creatures sanctifie those that beleeve in him by sending the holy Spirit into their hearts and give everlasting life to such as he had sanctified The same Christ shall openly come againe to judge them that are found alive and the dead raised up againe according to the Creede of the Apostles In the end of this Article after these words by sending his holy Spirit into their hearts these words are found in some Editions BY sending his Spirit into their hearts which may reigne comfort and quicken them and defend them against the Devil and the power of sin The same Christ shall openly come againe to judge the quicke and the dead c. according to the Creed of the Apostles Also they teach that in the end of the world Christ shall appeare to judgement and shall raise up all the dead and shall give unto men to wit to the godly and elect eternall life and everlasting joyes but the ungodly and the devils shall he condemne unto endlesse torments Also we condemne the Origenists who imagined that the devill and the damned creatures should one day have an end of their pains After the first period of this Article this is thus found else-where THey condemne the Anabaptists that are of opinion that the damned men and the devils shall have an end of their torments They condemne others also which now adaies do spread abroad Iewish opinions that before the resurrection of the dead the gody shall get the soveraigntie in the world and the wicked be brought under in every place Out of the Confession of SAXONIE Hitherto pertaineth a part of the third Article THE Son of God our Lord Iesus Christ who is the Image of the eternall Father is appointed our Mediator Reconciler Redeemer Iustifier and Saviour By the obedience and merit of him alone the wrath of God is pacified as it is said Rom 3. Whom he set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood And Heb. 10. It is impossible that the blood of Buls should take away sins But he offering a sacrifice for sins sitteth for ever at the right hand of God c. And although we doe not see as yet * Looke the first observat upon this confession in this our infirmitie the causes of this wonderfull counsell why mankinde was to be redeemed after this sort but we shall learn them hereafter in all eternitie yet these principles are now to be learned In this sacrifice there are to be seene justice in the wrath of God against sin infinite mercie towards us and love in his Son towards mankinde The severitie of his justice was so great that there be no reconciliation before the punishment was accomplished His mercie was so great that his Son was given for us There was so great love in the Son towards us that he derived unto himselfe this true and exceeding great anger O Son of God kindle in our hearts by thy holy spirit a consideration of these great and secret things that by the knowledge of this true wrath we may be sore afraid and that again by true comfort we may be lifted up that we may praise thee for ever Out of the Confession of WIRTEMBERGE VVE beleeve and confesse that the Son of God our Lord Iesus Christ begotten of his eternall Father is true and eternall God consubstantiall with his Father and that in the fulnesse of time he was made man to purge our sins and * Looke the 1. Observat upon this confession to procure the eternall salvation of mankinde that Christ Iesus being very God and very man is one person onely and not two and that in this one person there be two natures not one
come into condemnation but by making a way through Joan. 5. it they shall passe from death into life The Epistle to the Hebrews to stirre us up to use such exhortations saith Exhort your selves among your selves exhort ye one Heb. 4. another daily so long as it is said to day Let no man among you be hardned by the deceit of sin For we enter into the rest which have beleeved that is which have obeyed the voice of God while we had time given us On the other side we must also hold this most assuredly that if any man being polluted with sins and filthy deeds manifestly contrary to vertue doe in dying depart out of this world without true repentance and faith that his soule shall certainly goe into hell as did the soule of that rich man who wanted faith in the bottomlesse pit whereof there is no drop of grace and that in the day of judgement that most terrible voice of the Son of God sounding in his eares shall be heard wherein he shall say Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared Matth. 29. Joh. 5. for the Devill and his Angels for they which have done evill shall come forth to the resurrection of judgement Therefore in teaching they doe continually urge this that no man deferre repentance and turning unto God till he come to be old or till he lyeth sicke in his bed and in the meane time doe boldly practise his wantonnesse in sinnes and in the desires of the flesh and the world because it is written Doe not say The aboundant mercie of the Lord will purgo my sins for mercie and wrath do basten with him and his indignation shall lye upon the sinners Make no tarrying to turn unto the Lord put not off from day to day For suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord breaâ—e forth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in time of vengeance But that especially is a most dangerous thing if any man after he hath received the gift of the grace of God and that in the testimonie of a good conscience doth of set purpose and wantonly sinne and contemne and make no account of all those exhortations and allurements proceeding out of a loving heart and that to this end that he may in time think on that which is for his health and repent and moreover doth persist in a bold and blind perswasion of the mercie of God and trusting thereto doth sinne and doth confidently abuse it and goeth forward in that sort without repentance even unto the last pinch and then beginneth being forced thereunto by the terrours of death and the feare of infernall punishments so late to convert himselfe and to call for the mercie of the Lord as when the severe and intollerable anger of the Lord waxeth hot and punishments rush and breake forth as doth the great violence of floods which cannot be resisted Therefore of such a man which thing we speake with sorrow it is hard to beleeve that he can truly repent and therefore it is to be doubted lest that be fulfilled in him which the Lord doth threaten by the Prophet Micheas That instead of grace he shall feele the wrath of God and that it will come to passe that the wrath of God shall slay him For in a fearefull speech doth he say thus Then shall they cry unto the Lord but Mich. 3. he will not heare them but he will hide his face from them at that time because they have continually lived wickedly Yea the Lord himselfe saith Although they cry in mine eares with a loude Ezech. 8. Ier. 7. and 11. Isa 65. and 66. voyce yet will I not heare them seeing they would not heare my voyce when as all the day long I spread out my hands unto them and gave them large time and space for grace For the which cause the holy Ghost cryeth out and saith To day if ye will heare his Psal 95. Heb. 3. voyce harden not your hearts as in the grieving in the day of that tentation in the wildernesse Therefore according to all these things our men doe diligently and out of the grounds of the Scripture exhort that every man doe in time use and follow this faithfull counsell and necessary doctrine that so he may turne away the feare of this most heavie danger yea that he doe not betray the health of his own soule For undoubtedly this horrible danger is greatly to be feared lest whatsoever he be that doth rashly or stubbornly condemne or neglect this time of grace so lovingly granted of the Lord he doe receive and that worthily that reward of eternall punishment which is due thereunto even as Saint Ambrose also amongst many other things which he handleth diversly to this Lib 3. de poenit qui Augustini esse putatur purpose doth thus write and in these words If any man at the very point of death shall repent and be absolved fo this could not be denied unto him and so departing out of this life dieth I dare not say that he departeth hence in good case I doe not affirme it neither dare I affirme or promise it to any man because I would deceive no man seeing I have no certaintie of him Doe I therefore say that he shall be damned neither doe I say that he shall be delivered For what other thing I should say I know not Let him be commended to God Wilt thou then O brother be freed from doubting repent whiles thou art in health If thou wilt repent when thou canst not sin thy sins have left thee and not thou thy sins Yet that no man may despaire they teach this also that if any man in the last houre of his life shew our signs of true repentance which thing doth fall out very seldome for that is certainly true which is written in the Epistle to the Hebrews And this will we also doe so that God Heb. 6. give us leave to doe it that such a one is not to be deprived of instruction comfort absolution or remission of sins For the time of grace doth last so long as this life doth last wherefore so long as we live here it is meet that we should thinke of that Propheticall and Apostolicall sentence To day seeing ye have heard his Heb 3. voyce harden not your hearts Now herein doe our men labour and endeavour themselves most earnestly that all men may obey this loving commandement and counsell and that they speedily repent before the Sunne be darkened after a strange manner and the hils be overwhelmed with darknesse and that laying sinne aside they would turne themselves to God by flying unto him in true confidence and with a constant invocation from the bottome of the heart and that they doe their faithfull indeavour that they be not repelled from the glory of eternall life but that they may live with Christ and his Church in this life
c. that many grave men have doubted whether these states of life did please God or no. Therefore our Preachers have with great care and studie set forth these both kindes of doctrine teaching the Gospel concerning faith and adjoyning therewith a pure and holy doctrine of works Of Faith FIrst touching Faith and Iustification they teach thus Christ hath fitly set downe the summe of the Gospel when as in the last of Luke he willeth that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name For the Gospel * Looke the 5. observation upon this consession reproveth and convinceth sinnes and requireth repentance and withall offereth remission of sinnes for Christ sake freely not for our owne worthinesse And like as the preaching of repentance is generall even so the promise of grace is generall and willeth all men to beleeve and to receive the benefit of Christ as Christ himselfe saith Come unto me all ye that are laden And Saint Paul saith He is rich towards all c. Albeit therefore that contrition in repentance be necessary yet we must know that remission of sins was given unto us and that we are made just of unjust that is reconciled or acceptable and the sonnes of God freely for Christ and not for the worthinesse of our Contrition or of any other workes which either goe before or follow after But this same benefit must be received by faith whereby we must beleeve that remission of sinnes and justification is given us for Christs sake This knowledge and judgement bringeth sure consolation unto troubled mindes and how necessary it is for the Church consciences that have had experience can easily judge There is in it no absurditie no difficultie no craftie deceit * Looke the sixt observat upon this confession Here needeth no disputations of predestination or such like for the promise is generall and detracteth nothing from good workes yea rather it doth stirre up men unto faith and unto true good workes For remission of sinnes is removed from our workes and attributed unto mercy that it might be an undoubted benefit not that we should be idle but much more that we should know how greatly our obedience doth please God even in this our so great infirmitie Now for any man to despise or mislike this doctrine whereby both the honour of Christ is extolled and most sweet and sure comfort offered unto godly mindes and which containeth the true knowledge of Gods mercy and bringeth forth the true worship of God and eternall life it is more then Pharisaicall blindnesse Before time when as this doctrine was not set forth many fearfull consciences assaied to ease themselves by workes some fled to a monasticall life others did chuse out other workes whereby to merit remission of sinnes and justification But there is no sure comfort without this doctrine of the Gospel which willeth men to beleeve that remission of sinnes and justification are freely given unto us for Christs sake and this whole doctrine is appointed for the true conflict of a terrified conscience But we will adde some testimonies Paul Rom. 3. We are iustified freely by his grace through redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud Rom. 4. But to him that worketh not but beleeveth in him that iustifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Ephes 2. By grace ye are saved through faith not of your selves In these and such like sentences Paul doth plainly teach that remission of sinnes and justification are given us freely and not for the worthinesse of our workes And in the 4. to the Romans he disputeth at large why this consolation is needfull for us for if the promise did depend upon the worthinesse of our works it should be uncertain Wherefore to the end that we may have sure and firme comfort against the feares of sinne and death and that our faith may stand fast it is needfull that it leane onely upon the mercy of God and not upon our worthinesse Therefore Paul saith Therefore it is by faith according to grace that the promise might be sure For our workes cannot be set against the judgement of God according to that saying If thou markest our iniquities who shall indure it And therefore Christ is given for a Mediatour to us and this honour is not to be transferred unto our workes When therefore we doe say that we are iustified by faith we doe not meane that we are just for the worthinesse of that vertue but this is our meaning that we doe obtaine remission of sinnes and imputation of righteousnesse by mercy shewed us for Christs sake But now this mercy cannot be received but by faith And Faith doth not here signifie onely a knowledge of the history but it signifieth a beliefe of the promise of mercy which is granted us through our Mediatour Christ Iesus And seeing that faith is in this sort understood of a confidence or trust of mercy Saint Paul and Saint James doe not disagree For where James saith The Devils beleeve and tremble he speaketh of an historicall faith now this faith doth not justifie For the wicked and the devill are cunning in the historie But Paul when he saith Faith is reckoned for righteousnesse he speaketh of a trust and confidence of mercy promised for Christs sake and his meaning is that men are pronounced righteous that is reconciled through mercy promised for Christs sake whom we must receive by faith Now this noveltie of this figurative speech of Saint Paul We are iustified by faith will not offend holy mindes if they understand that it is spoken properly of mercy and that herein mercy is adorned with true and due praises For what can be more acceptable to an afflicted and fearefull conscience in great griefes then to heare that this is the commandement of God and the voyce of the Bridegroome Christ Iesus that they should undoubtedly beleeve that remission of sinnes or reconciliation is given unto them not for their owne worthinesse but freely through mercy for Christs sake that the benefit might be certaine Now Iustification in these sayings of Saint Paul doth signifie remission of sinnes or reconciliation or imputation of righteousnesse that is an accepting of the person And herein we doe not bring in a new found opinion into the Church of God For the Scripture doth set downe at large this doctrine touching faith and Saint Paul doth especially handle this point in some of his Epistles the holy Fathers doe also teach the same For so saith Ambrose in his booke de vocat Gent. If so be that Justification which is by grace were due unto former merits so that it should not be a gift of the giver but a reward of the worker the redemption by the blood of Christ would grow to be of small account and the prerogative of mans workes would not yeeld unto the mercies of God And of this matter there be
many disputations in Saint Augustine And these are his words Forsomuch as by the law God sheweth to man his infirmitie that flying unto his mercy by faith he might be saved For it is said that he carrieth both the law and mercy in his mouth The law to convict the proud and mercy to iustifie those that are humbled Therefore the righteousnesse of God through faith in Christ is revealed upon all that beleeve And the Milevitan Synole writeth Is not this suficiently declared that the law worketh this that sinne should be knowne and so against the victory of sinne men should flie to the mercy of God which is set forth in his promises that the promises of God that is the grace of God might be sought unto for deliverance and man might begin to have a righteousnesse howbeit not his owne but Gods Of good workes VVHen as we doe teach in our Churches the most necessarie doctrine and comfort of faith we joyne there with the doctrine of good workes to wit that obedience unto the law of God is requisite in them that be reconciled For the Gospel preacheth newnesse of life according to that saying I will put my lawes in their hearts This new life therefore must be an obedience towards God The Gospel also preacheth repentance and faith cannot be but onely in them that doe repent because that faith doth comfort the hearts in contrition and in the feares of sinne as Paul saith Being iustified by faith we have peace And of repentance he saith Rom. 6. Our old man is crucified that the body of sinne might be abolished that we might no more serve sinne And Isaiah saith Where will the Lord dwell In a contrite and humbled spirit c. Secondly among good workes the chiefest and that which is the chiefest worship of God is faith which doth bring forth many other vertues which could never be in men except their hearts had first received to beleeve How shall they call on him in whom they doe not beleeve So long as mens mindes are in doubt whether God heareth them or not so long as ever they thinke that God hath rejected them they doe never truely call upon God But when as once we doe acknowledge his mercy through faith then we flie unto God we love him we call upon him hope in him looke for his helpe obey him in afflictions because we doe now know our selves to be the sonnes of God and that this our sacrifice that is our afflictions doth please God These services doth Faith bring forth Very well therefore said Ambrose Faith is the mother of a good will and of iust dealing Our Adversaries will seem very honourably to set out the doctrine of good works and yet concerning these spirituall workes to wit faith and the exercises of faith in prayer and in all matters counsels and dangers of this life they speake never a word And indeed none can ever speake well of these exercises if the consciences be left in doubt and if they know not that God requireth faith as a speciall worship of his And when as that huge shew of outward workes is cast as a myst before mens eyes the mindes especially such as be not well instructed are led away from beholding these inward exercises Now it is very requisite that men should be taught and instructed concerning these inward workes and fruits of the spirit For these they be that make a difference betweene the godly and hypocrites As for exernall worship externall ceremonies and other outward workes the very hypocrites can performe them But these services and duties belong onely to the true Church true repentance feare faith prayer c. These kindes of worship are especially required and commended in the Scripture Psal 49. Offer unto God the sacrifice of praise and Call on me in the day of trouble c. Thirdly by this faith which doth comfort the heart in repentance we doe receive the Spirit of God who is given us to be our governour and helper that we should resist sinne and the devill and more and more acknowledge our owne weakenesse and that the knowledge and feare of God and faith may increase in us wherefore our obedience to God and a new life ought to increase in us as Saint Paul saith We must be renewed to the knowledge of God that the new law may be wrought in us and his Image which hath created us be renewed c. Fourthly we teach also how this obedience which is but begunne onely and not perfect doth please God For in this so great infirmitie and uncleannesse of nature the Saints doe not satisfie the law of God The faithfull therefore have need of comfort that they may know how their slender and imperfect obedience doth please God It doth not please him as satisfying his law but because the persons themselves are reconciled and made righteous through Christ and doe beleeve that their weaknesse is forgiven them as Paul teacheth There is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ c. Albeit then that this new obedience is farre from the perfection of the law yet it is righteousnesse and is worthy of a reward even because that the persons are reconciled And thus we must judge of those workes which are indeed highly to be commended namely * Looke the 7. Observation that they be necessarie that they be the service of God and spirituall sacrifices and do deserve a reward Neverthelesse this confolation is first to be held touching the person which is very necessary in the conflict of the confcience to wit that we have remission of sinnes freely by faith and that the person is just that is reconciled and an heire of eternall life through Christ and then our obedience doth please God according to that saying Now ye are not under the Law but under grace For our workes may not be set against the wrath and judgement of God But the terrours of sinne and death must be overcome by faith and trust in the Mediatour Christ as it is written O death I will be thy death And Iohn 6. Christ saith This is the will of the Father which sent me that every one which seeth the Sonne and beleeveth in him should have life everlasting And Saint Paul Being iustified by faith we have peace with God And the Church alwaies prayed for give us our trespasses And thus do the Fathers teach concerning the weaknesse of the Saints and concerning Faith Augustine in his exposition of the 30. Psalme saith Deliver me in thy righteousnesse For there is a righteousnesse of God which is made ours when it is given unto us But therefore it is called the righteousnesse of God lest man should thinke that he had a righteousnesse of himselfe For as the Apostle Paul saith To him that beleeveth in him that iustifieth the wicked that is that of a wicked maketh a righteous man If God should deale by the rule of the law which is set forth unto us
yet so as they doe all things in the Church as he hath prescribed in his word which thing being so done the faithfull doe esteeme them as done of the Lord himselfe but touching the keies we have spoken somewhat before Now the * Looke the 5. observation upon this confession power that is given to the Ministers of the Church is the same and alike in all and in the beginning the Bishops or Elders did with a common consent and labour governe the Church no man lifted up himselfe above another none usurped greater power or authoritie over his fellow Bishops for they remembred the words of the Lord He which will be the chiefest among Luc. 20. you let him be your servant they kept in themselves by humility and did mutually aide one another in the governement and preservation of the Church Notwithstanding for orders sake some one of the ministers called the assembly together propounded unto the assembly the matters to be consulted of gathered together the voyces or sentences of the rest and to be briefe as much as lay in him provided that there might arise no confusion So did Saint Peter as we read in the Acts who yet for all that was neither above the rest nor had greater authority then the rest Very true therefore is that saying of Cyprian the Martyr in his booke De simpl Cler. The same doubtlesse were the rest of the Apostles that Peter was having an equall fellowship with him both in honour and power but the beginning hereof proceedeth from unitie to signifie unto us that there is but one Church Saint Jerome upon the Epistle of Paul to Titus hath a saying not much unlike this Before that by the instinct of the Devill there was partaking in religion the Churches were governed by the common advice of the Priests but after that every one thought that those whom he had baptised were his owne and not Christs It was decreed that one of the Priests should be chosen and set over the rest who should have the care of the whole Church laid upon him and by whose meanes all schismes should be removed Yet Jerome doth not avouch this as an order set downe of God For straight way after he addeth Even as saith he the Priests knew by the continuall custome of the Church that they were subiect to him that is set over them So the Bishop must know that they are above the priests rather by custome then by the prescript rule of Gods truth and they should have the government of the Church in common with them Thus farre Jerome Now therefore no man can forbid by any right that we may returne to the old appointment of God and rather receive that then the custome devised by men The offices of the ministers are divers yet notwithstanding most men doe restraine them to two in which all the rest are comprehended to the teaching of the Gospel of Christ and to the lawfull administration of the Sacraments For it is the dutie of the Ministers to gather together a holy assembly therein to expound the Word of God and also to apply the generall doctrine to the state and use of the Church to the end that the doctrine which they teach may profit the hearers and may build up the faithfull The Ministers dutie I say is to teach the unlearned and to exhort yea and to urge them to goe forward in the way of the Lord who doe stand still or linger and goe slowly forward moreover to comfort and to strengthen those which are faint-hearted and to arme them against the manifold temptations of Satan to rebuke offenders to bring them home that goe astray to raise them up that are fallen to convince the gainsaiers to chase away the wolfe from the Lords flocke to rebuke wickednesse and wicked men wisely and severely not to winke at nor to passe over great wickednesse and besides to administer the Sacraments and to commend the right use of them and to prepare all men by wholesome doctrine to receive them to keepe together all the faithfull in an holy unitie and to meete with schismes To conclude to catechise the ignorant to commend the necessitie of the poore to the Church to visit and instruct those that are sicke or intangled with divers temptations and so to keepe them in the way of life Lastly to looke diligently that there be publike prayers and supplications made in time of necessitie together with fasting that is an holy abstinencie and most carefully to looke to those things which belongeth to tranquillity safety and peace of the Church And to the end that the Minister may performe all these things the better and with more ease it is required in him that he be one that feareth God pray diligently giveth himselfe much to the reading of the Scripture and in all things and at all times is watchfull and doth shew forth a good example unto all men of holinesse of life And seeing there must needs be a discipline in the Church and that among the ancient fathers excommunication was in use and there were Ecclesiasticall judgements amongst the people of God wherein this discipline was exercised by godly men it belongeth also to the Ministers dutie for the edifying of the Church to moderate this discipline according to the condition of the time and publike estate and according to necessitie whereas this rule is alwaies to be holden that All things ought to be done to edification decently honestly without any oppression or tumult For the Apostle witnesseth that power was given to him of God to edifie and not to destroy 2 Cor. 10. And the Lord himselfe forbad the cockle to be plucked up in the Lords field because there would be danger lest the wheate also should be plucked up with it But as for the errour of the Donatists we doe here utterly detest it who esteemed and judged the doctrine and administration of the Sacraments to be either effectuall or not effectuall by the good or evill life of the Ministers For we know that the voyce of Christ is to be heard though it be out of the mouthes of evill Ministers forasmuch as the Lord himselfe said Doe as they Matth. 22. command you but according to their workes doe ye not We know that the Sacraments are sanctified by their institution and also by the word of Christ and that they are effectuall to the Godly although they be administred by ungodly Ministers Of which matter Augustine that blessed servant of God did reason diversly out of the Scriptures against the Donatists yet notwithstanding there ought to be a streight discipline amongst the Ministers For there must be diligent enquirie in the Synods touching the life and Doctrine of the Ministers Those that offend are to be rebuked of the Seniours and to be brought into the way if they be not past recovery or else to be deposed and as wolves to be driven from the Lords flocke by the true Pastors if
and God himselfe Christ Iesus into whose hands the Father hath delivered Joh. 13. all things And he hath instituted and appointed them for great and saving causes and such as are necessary for this Church and all those that beleeve to wit that like as by the preaching of the word so by the administration of the visible Sacraments and the mysteries thereof faith might be helped and furthered and that there might be an assured testimonie and confirmation of the favourable and well pleased will of God towards us and that they might give witnesse to that truth which is signified by them and should reach it out as doth the word to be apprehended by faith and that the mindes of the faithfull in the receiving of them should by faith receive the grace and truth whereof they be witnesses and applying it unto themselves should make it their own and confirme themselves therein and on the other side by giving themselves to God should consecrate and as it were by an oath religiously binde themselves to serve him alone and as it were be joyned together among themselves by the joyning and knitting as of one spirit so also of one body to wit of the Church Eph. 4. of the fellowship of Saints and of love And according to these things the Sacraments as in times past Circumcision was may be called the holy covenants of God Gen. 15. with his Church and of the Church with God the Ministers of faith and love by which the joyning and union of God and Christ our Lord with these beleeving people and theirs againe with Christ is made and persited and that among themselves in one spirituall body of the Church by which also even as by the word Christ and his spirit do cause in the faithfull that is in those that use them worthily a precious participation of his excellent merit neither doth he suffer them to be onely bare and naked ministers and ceremonies but those things that they signifie and witnesse outwardly that doth he worke inwardly to salvation profitably and effectually that is he cleanseth nourisheth satisfieth looseth payeth remitteth and confirmeth They therefore which contemn these Sacraments and through stubbornnesse will not suffer them to be of any force with themselves and making small account of them doe esteeme them as trifles or do otherwise abuse them contrary to the institution will or commandement of Christ all these do grievously sinne against the author thereof who hath instituted them and make a very great hazard of their salvation But if some man would willingly use these Sacraments according to the institution of Christ and yet cannot have leave * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession either intirely or without deceit so to doe as he would as if peradventure one that is taken be kept in prison or if one should be hindred by sleknesse or should live in strange countries among the enemies of the truth such a man in such a case if he doe wholly and truely beleeve the holy Gospel may by that faith be saved although he have not the use of the Sacraments wherefore Augustine upon Iohn cap. 16. hath this worthy saying Beleeve and thou hast eaten seeing that the Sacraments are not necessary to salvation but only by the addition of a certaine condition Also we teach this that the Sacraments of themselves or by their owne vertue for the workes sake or for the onely outward action that is for the bare participation receiving and use thereof cannot give grace nor a justifying or quickning faith to any which before was not inwardly quickned by the holy Ghost and hath no good motion within himselfe I say the Sacraments cannot give to any such either grace or justifying and quickning faith and therefore they cannot justifie any man nor inwardly quicken or regenerate any mans spirit for faith must goe before whereby the holy Ghost doth inwardly quicken and lighten man and stirre up or cause good motions in the heart Without this faith there is neither any justification nor salvation neither doe the Sacraments of or by themselves helpe any whit hereunto as in the holy Scripture manifest examples of this matter are found in many places especially in Judas who received the Sacrament of the Lord Christ himselfe did also execute the function Iohn 13. of a Preacher and yet he ceased not to remaine a devill an hypocrite and the lost sonne neither was he made better by the Sacrament or by the use thereof neither did this profit him any Act. 5. thing to salvation Also in Ananias and his wife who had been baptized of Apostles and had also without doubt received the Lords Supper and yet not withstanding they did continue in their wickednesse injustice and lies against the holy Ghost the Sacraments did neither take away their wickednesse nor give them the saving or justifying faith which maketh the heart the better by repenting and giveth it to God an upright obedient heart and doth appease the conscience Therefore the Sacraments did not give this conscience and this faith unto them as Circumcision and the Sacrifices of the Old Testament did not give a lively and justifying faith without the which faith those things availed nothing to eternall salvation or justification And so doth Saint Paul speake of all those things in his Epistle to the Romanes and bringeth in the example of Abraham and doth witnesse Rom. 4. that he had faith and righteousnesse which is availeable with God before that he was circumcised In like sort he writeth of the people of Israel that they also were baptized and they all did eate one and the same spirituall meate and did all drinke one and the same spirituall drinke but with many of them God was not pleased And therefore even in the abundance of all these things they were thought unworthy to be received and they were rejected of God For if a dead man or one that is unworthy doe come to the Sacraments certainly they doe not give him life and worthinesse but he that is such a one doth load himselfe with a farre greater burthen of fault and sinne seeing that he is unworthy the which thing the Apostle doth expresly declare in the doctrine touching the Supper of the Lord where he saith Whosoever 1 Cor. 10. doth eate of this bread or drinke of this cup of the Lord unworthily he is guiltie of the body and bloud of the Lord Also He doth eate and drinke iudgement to himselfe Lastly this also must be knowne that the veritie of the Sacraments doth never faile them so that they should become not effectuall at any time but in the institution of Christ * Looke the 2. observation upon this confession they doe alwaies exercise their vertue and efficacie in witnessing sealing confirming unto the worthy receivers present grace salvation but unto the unworthy their fault and condemnation whether they be administred by a good and honest Priest or
which Paul writing to Timothy saith Every creature of God is good and nothing is to be reiected which is received with thankesgiving for it is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer But wheras in the new Testament water is consecrated which they call holy water by the sprinkling whereof veniall sins are taken away and Devils are driven away and whereas salt also is consecrated to make things wholesome which otherwise be hurtfull it seemeth neither to be Apostolike nor Catholique For we are not commanded by the word of God to imitate the Leviticall sprinkling or Eilezeus his miracle but it was used by mans arbitrement and pleasure and therefore it appertaineth to this saying of Christ In vaine doe they worship me teaching for doctrines the precepts of men And it is evident that the sprinkling of the blood of Christ which is made by the word of the Gospel by Baptisme and the Lords Supper and received by saith doth purge us from our sinnes That therefore which is proper to the blood of Christ which by the ordinance of God was shed for our sinnes ought not to be attributed to water consecrated by the appointment of man And as touching that Elizeus did heale the barren waters by salt there is a miracle set before our eyes that thereby we may confirme that credit which we ought to give to the preaching of the Prophet but it is not set before us to be imitated without a special calling of God because the miracles of the Saints use not to be generall but personall And as touching that which Paul saith that creatures are sanctified by the word of God and by prayer he meaneth not that creatures as for example salt flesh egges hearbs are to be conjured that Satan by the use of them may be driven away but that all creatures are by the word of God every one appointed to their outward use which then serve for our good when we use them well by faith and praying unto God So God created salt to season meat and to preserve flesh from putrifying he created water to serve for drinke or washing or watering and not to drive away the devil Indeed in Baptisme he ordained * Looke the 1. Observation upon the confession of Saxonie Sect. 13. water to wash away sins but this is not the generall end why water was created but a speciall ordinance appointed by a speciall word of God For as touching the generall creation and sanctification of God there is no word of God that doth witnesse that the creatures which we before have rehearsed by conjurings are made profitable hereunto that they may take away sinnes and chase away the devils Now that which is brought in without the word of God to another use then God hath ordained it unto it cannot be done in faith but it becometh an abuse and doth rather bring destruction then salvation Rom. 14. Whatsoever is not of faith is sinne And Cyprian Epist 2. Lib. 2. saith If Christ alone is be heard we are not to consider what any other before us hath thought good to be done but what Christ who is before all hath done for we ought not to follow the custome of men but the truth of God c. Hitherto also pertaineth Chap. 22. of the same confession Of extreame unction VVE confesse that the Apostles anointed the sick with oyle and that the sick recovered their bodily health Also we confesse that the Epistle which beareth the name of Iames doth command that the Elders of the Church be called unto the sicke that they may anoint them with oyle and pray for them that they may obtaine health But these things were then practised profitably when as yet the Ministers of the Church were indued with the gift of healing the sicke corporally and wonderfully But after that this gift ceased the Gospel being confirmed in the Church the thing it selfe doth witnesse that this ceremonie of anointing is now idlely and unfruitfully used For they which now are anointed use not by this anointing to recover their bodily health yea this anointing is not used but on them of whose bodily health men doe dispaire Neither is there any word of God which doth promise the Gospel of Christ being published that this outward anointing should be of any force to take away sinnes and to give a spirituall and heavenly health Notwithstanding the Ministers of the Church are bound by dutie to visite the sicke and to pray together with the Church for their health * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession and to comfort them as well by the preaching of the Gospel as by dispensing of the Lords Supper And this is a godly anointing whereby the holy Ghost is effectuall in the beleevers CHAP. 24. Of the remembrance of the dead ALthough indeed there is no difference betweene a Saint resting in Christ and a faithfull man departed for everie one which dieth in the faith of Christ is a Saint yet because it hath pleased some to put a difference betwixt these two we also thought it good to make two severall Chapters thereof And first we thinke that it belongeth to a godly minde to made decent mention of his elders which have died in the faith of Christ and to shew forth toward their posteritie and friends which are alive in all dutifull manner that we can that thankfulnesse which is due to those benefits which we received of them Secondly faith requireth of us that we doe not think that the dead are nothing but that they doe indeed live before God to wit that the godly doe live blessedly in Christ and that the wicked doe live in an horrible expectation of the revelation of the judgement of God Also charitie requireth that we should wish all peace and happinesse to them that are dead in Christ This also is to be added that to testifie the hope of our resurrection we must burie our dead decently so neere as may be and as the time and conditions of men will suffer * Looke the 2. Observation upon this confession Therefore we thinke it is a profitable thing that at burials those things be rehearsed and expounded out of the holy Scriptures which do serve to strengthen our faith in the horror of death and to confirme our hope of the resurrection But that the dead are helped by those usuall watchings prayers and sacrifices and that by the merits thereof they be either delivered from their paines or obtaine a greater felicitie which is in heaven there is no testimony out of that doctrine which is indeed Propheticall and Apostolicall For there is one onely merit of eternall life and we have one onely redemption and deliverance to wit Passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and this merit is made ours when we beleeve in Christ and we have nothing to doe with it when we doe not beleeve the Gospel of Christ Iohn 3. God sent not his Sonne into the world that he should condemne the
unto many not onely beggerly and weake but also hurtfull not elements that is rudiments of holy discipline but also impediments of true godlinesse How much more unjustly shall any man take unto himselfe-authoritie over the inheritance of Christ to oppresse him with such kinde of bondage and how farre shall he remove us from Christ if we submit our selves unto him For who doth not see the glory of Christ to whom we ought wholly to live whom he hath wholly redeemed to himselfe and restored to libertie and that by his blood to be more obscured if beside his authoritie we doe binde our conscience to those laws which are the inventions of men then to those which have God for their Author although they were to be observed but onely for their time Certainly it is a lesse fault to play the Iew then the Heathen Now it is the manner of the Heathen to receive laws for the worship of God which have their beginning from mans invention onely God never being asked counsell of in the matter Wherefore if in any matter at all certainly here that saying of Paul taketh place Ye are bought with a great price be not made the servants of men 1 Cor. 7. Of the choise of meats CHAP. 9. FOr the same cause was that forbearing and chusing of meats enjoyned and tied to certaine daies which Saint Paul writing to Timothy calleth the doctrine of Devils Neither is their answer sufficient Who say that these things be spoken onely against the Manichies Encratites Tatians and Marcionites who did wholly forbid certaine kindes of meats and marriage For the Apostle in this place hath condemned those which command to abstaine from meats which God hath created to be taken with thankesgiving c. Now they also which doe but forbid to take certaine meats on certaine daies do neverthelesse command men to abstain from those meats which God hath created to be taken and are cousin germanes to the doctrine of the Devils the which also is evidently seene by the reason which the Apostle addeth For saith he Whatsoever God hath created it is good and nothing is to be refused that is received with giving of thanks Here he doth not take exception against any times although no man favoured frugalitie temperance and also choise chastisements of the flesh and lawfull fasting more greatly then he did Certainly a Christian must be frugall and sometime the flesh must be chastised by diminishing the daily and accustomed portion or diet but base meats and a meane doth serve better to this purpose then any kinde of meats to conclude it is meet for Christians now and then to take upon them a lawfull fast but that must not be an abstinence from certaine but from all meats nor from meats onely but also from all the dainties of this life whatsoever For what kinde of fast is this what abstinence only to change the kinde of dainties the which thing at this day they use to doe which are counted more religious then others seeing that S. Chrysostome doth not account it to be a fast if we continue wholly without meats even unto the evening except together with abstaining from meats we doe also containe our selves from those things which be hurtfull and bestow much of that leisure upon the studie and exercise of spirituall things That by Prayers and Fasts we must not looke to merit any thing CHAP. 10. MOreover our Preachers have taught that this fault is to be a amended in prayers and fasts that commonly men are taught to seeke to obtaine I know not what merit and justification by these works For As we are saved by grace through faith so also are we justified And touching the works of the law among the which prayers and fasts are reckoned Paul writeth thus For we through the Spirit waite for the hope of righteousnesse Gal. 5. through faith Therefore we must pray but to this end that we may receive of God not that we may hereby give any thing unto him We must fast that we may the better pray and keepe the flesh within the compasse of it dutie and not before God to deserve any thing for our selves This onely end and use of prayers both the Scripture and also the writings and examples of the Fathers do prescribe unto us Moreover the case so standeth with us that although we could pray and fast so religiously and so perfectly do all those things which God hath injoyned us that nothing could more be required of us which hitherto no mortall man hath at any time performed yet for all this we must confesse that we are unprofitable servants Therefore what merit can we dreame of THE SEVENTEENTH SECTION OF CEREMONIES AND RITES WHICH ARE INDIFFERENT IN GENERALL The latter Confession of HELVETIA Of Rites Ceremonies and indifferent things CHAP. 27. VNto the ancient people in old time were given certaine ceremonies as a kinde of schooling or pedagogie to those which were kept under the law as under a Schoole-master or Tutor but Christ the deliverer being once come and the law taken away we which beleeve are no more under the law and the ceremonies are vanished and worne out of use And the Apostles were so farre from retaining them in the Church of Christ or repairing them that they witnessed plainly that they would not lay Rom. 6. any burden upon the Church Wherefore we should seeme to bring in and set up Iudaisme againe if so be we should multiply Ceremonies or Rites in the Church according to the manner of the old Church Therefore we are not of their judgement who would have the Church of Christ kept in with many and diverse Rites as it were with a certaine schooling or pedagogie For if the Apostles would not thrust upon the Christian people the ceremonies and rites which were appointed by God who is there I pray you that is well in his wits that will thrust upon it the inventions devised by man The greater that the heape of ceremonies is in the Church so much the more is taken not onely from Christian libertie but also from Christ and from faith in him whilest the people seeke those things in ceremonies which they should seeke in the onely Son of God Iesus Christ through faith Wherefore a few moderate and simple rites that are not contrary to the word of God do suffice the godly And that there is found diversitie of rites in the Churches let no man say therefore that the Churches doe not agree Socrates saith That it were not possible to set down in writing all the ceremonies of the Churches which are throughout Cities and Countries No Religion doth keep every where the same ceremonies although they admit and receive one and the selfe same doctrine touching them for even they which have one and the self same faith do disagree among themselves about ceremonies Thus much saith Socrates and we at this day having divers rites in the celebration of the Lords Supper and
may profit it very much and finally may help and further it very excellently His chiefest dutie is to procure and maintaine peace and publique tranquillitie Which doubtlesse he shall never doe more happily then when he shall be truly seasoned with the feare of God and true religion namely when he shall after the example of most holy Kings and Princes of the people of the Lord advance the preaching of the truth and the pure and sincere faith and shall root out lies and all superstition with all impietie and Idolatry and shall defend the Church of God For indeed we teach that the care of religion doth chiefly appertaine to the holy Magistrate let him therefore hold the word of God in his hands and look that nothing be taught contrary thereunto In like manner let him governe the people committed to him of God * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession with good laws made according to the word of God Let him hold them in discipline and in their dutie and in obedience let him excrcise judgement by judging uprightly let him not accept any mans person or receive bribes let him deliver widdows fatherlesse children and those that be afflicted from wrong let him represse yea and cut off such as are unjust either by deceit or by violence For he hath not received the sword of God in vaine Therefore let him draw forth this sword of God against all malefactours Rom. 13. seditious persons theeves or murderers oppressours blasphemers perjured persons and all those whom God hath commanded him to punish or execute Let him suppresse stubborn heretiques which are heretiques in deed who cease not to blaspheme the majestie of God and to trouble the Church yea and finally to destroy it but if so be it be necessary to preserve the safetie of the people by warre let him doe it in the name of God so that he first seeke peace by all means possible and use it not save onely then when he can save his subjects no way but by warre And while as the Magistrate doth these things in faith he serveth God by those works as with such as be good works and shall receive a blessing from the Lord. We condemne the Anabaptists who as they denie that a Christian man should beare the office of a Magistrate so also they deny that any man can justly be put to death by the Magistrate or that the Magistrate may make warre or that oathes should be performed to the Magistrates and such like things For as God will worke the safetie of his people by the Magistrate whom he hath given to be as it were a father of the world so all the subjects are commanded to acknowledge this benefit of God in the Magistrate therefore let them honour and reverence the Magistrate as the minister of God let them love him favour him and pray for him as their father and let them obey all his just and equall commandements Finally let them pay all customes and tributes and all other duties of the like sort faithfully and willingly * Looke the 2. Observat And if the common safetie of the countrey and justice require it and the Magistrate doe of necessitie make warre let them lay down their life and spend their blood for the common safetie and defence of the Magistrate and that in the name of God willingly valiantly and cheerefully For he that opposeth himselfe against the Magistrate doth procure the wrath of God against him We condemne therefore all contemners of Magistrates as rebels enemies of the Common-wealth seditious villaines and in a word all such as doe either openly or closely refuse to performe those duties which they ought to doe c. The Conclusion VVE beseech God our most mercifull Father in heaven that he will blesse the Princes of the people and us and his whole people through Iesus Christ our onely Lord and Saviour to whom be praise and thankesgiving both now and for ever Out of the former Confession of HELVETIA Of Magistracie SEeing that every Magistrate is of God his chiefe dutie except it please him to exercise a tyrannie consisteth in this to defend religion from all blasphemie and to procure it and as the Prophet teacheth out of the word of the Lord to put it in practise so much as in him lyeth In which part truly the first place is given to the pure and free preaching of the word of God the instruction of the youth of Citizens and a right and diligent teaching in Schooles lawfull discipline a liberall provision for the Ministers of the Church and a diligent care for the poore Secondly to judge the people according * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession to just and divine laws to keepe judgement and justice to maintaine this publique peace to cherish the Common-wealth and to punish the offenders according to the quantitie of the fault in their riches body or life which things when he doth he performeth a due worship or service to God We know that though we be free we ought wholly in a true faith holily to submit our selves to the Magistrate both with our body and with all our goods and indeavour of minde also to performe faithfulnesse and * Looke the 2. Observat the oath which we made to him so farre forth as his government is not evidently repugnant to him for whose sake we doe reverence the Magistrate Out of the Confession of BASILL Of Magistracie MOreover God hath assigned to the Magistrate who is his minister the sword and chiefe externall power for the defence of the good and to take revenge and punishment of the Rom. 13. evill Therefore every Christian Magistrate * Looke the 1. Observation upon this confession in the number whereof we also desire to be doth direct all his strength to this that among those which are committed to his credit the name of God may be sanctified his kingdome may be enlarged and men may live according to his will with an earnest rooting out of all naughtinesse And in the margent This dutie also was injoyned to the heathenish Magistrate how much more to the Christian Magistrate ought it to be commended as to the true substitute of God Also Art 11. Sect. 1. 3. and 4. We doe clearely protest that together with all other doctrins which are directly contrary to the sound and pure doctrine of Iesus Christ we doe not onely not receive but as abominations and blasphemies reject and condemne those strange and erroneous doctrines which the spirits of hurleburly among other damnable opinions doe bring forth saying c. that Magistrates cannot be Christians And in the margent The Magistrate doth then shew himself to be a good Magistrate when he is a true Christian The Conclusion LAst of all we submit this our Confession to the judgement of the holy Scripture of the Bible and therefore we promise that if out of the foresaid Scriptures we may be better
ought rather to obey God then men Whereof also is to be Causa 11. â—â—â—est 3. Cap. St Domiâ—â—â— seene the judgement of the old fathers and of the Canon law where they thus write and these are the words of St. Ierome If the Lord or Magistrate command those things that are not contrary to the holy Scriptures let the servant be subiect to the Lord but if he command any thing contrary let him rather obey the Lord of his spirit then of his body And a little after If it be good which the Emperour commandeth doe the will of him that commandeth if it be evill answer we ought rather to obey God then men The Conclusion ANd hitherto have been informed and shewed unto your Majestie in this writing the reasons and causes of our faith and doctrine and Christian religion such doctrine as the Ministers of our Churches all and singular every one according to the gift of God granted unto him doe with one consent of judgement hold talke of and preach and doe constantly maintaine and fight for the same not with the power of this world but by holy Scriptures against those that impugne it or by teaching do spread abroad contrary errours thereunto Neither yet without that modestie that becometh the profession of Christians doe they stubbornly rather then rigorously persist in this doctrine or have at any time heretofore persisted but if any thing be found herein not well taken by them and that by certaine grounds out of the word of God which ought to be the rule of judgement unto all men peaceably and with a meeke spirit as it ought to be done be shewed unto them they are ready and forward and thereunto as alwayes heretofore so now they offer themselves that after due consideration and true knowledge of the truth had they will most gladly and thankfully receive that doctrine which shall have better foundations and willingly reforme whatsoever shall have need to be amended Wherefore most excellent King and gracious Lord may it please your Majestie to examine this our confession and after diligent and due consideration had to way and consider whether any man worthily and for just cause may reject and condemne this doctrine as not agreeable to the holy Scripture nor Christian Verily we are of opinion that if any man presume to despise or condemne this doctrine he must of necessitie also condemne the holy Scripture from whence it was taken and the ancient and true Christian Doctors with whom it agreeth and also the holy Church it selfe which from the beginning and that constantly so hath and doth teach And hereby your Majestie may graciously perceive and determine whether the complaints and accusations of our Adversaries and such as favour not us and our Teachers be just or no. Wherefore most humbly we pray that your sacred Majestie will give no place or credit to our Adversaries in those matters which divers wayes without any ground they charge us withall when as without all humanitie they accuse us our Ministers and Preachers as if we had another religion and taught another doctrine then that which at this present we offer unto your Majestie or that we presume stubbornly to take in hand or do attempt any other thing against God and your Majestie and contrary to the institutions of this Common-wealth and to the publique law of the kingdome of Bohemia And your Majestie may well call to your remembrance that we have every way and at all times behaved our selves obediently and peaceably and in all things which may turne or belong to the preservation of your Majesties person and to the publique good and commoditie of the whole Realme in all such things I say we have indeauoured not to be behinde others and hereafter also we offer our selves most ready to performe the same according to our allegiance and dutie Neither doe we thinke it onely a point of vertue and to appertaine unto honesty alone and the good estate of the Common-wealth to yeeld our selves subject and faithfull to your Majestie for peace concord and the rewards of this life but much rather we acknowledge that it pleaseth God and that so is his will that every one for conscience sake should be obedient to the Magistrate and should reverence love honour and highly esteeme him even as our Teachers also doe deale both with us and with the people to performe this and oftentimes by teaching out of the word doe inforce it upon us both Here we commend our selves unto your Majestie as to the fatherly and liberall tuition care and protection of our most gracious Lord and doe most humbly beseech of your Majestie that unto these things which on the behalfe of Christian religion we have tendred unto your Majestie we may receive a courteous answer and such as God may be pleased withall The Almightie and everlasting God graciously preserve your Majestie in continuall health to the profit benefit and increase of his holy Christian Church Amen Proverb 20. Mercie and truth preserve the King for his throne is established with mercie Out of the FRENCH Confession VVE beleeve that God would have the world to be governed Artic. 39. by laws and by civill government that there may be certaine bridles whereby the immoderate desires of the world may be restrained and that therefore he appointed kingdomes Common-wealths and other kindes of principalitie whether they come by inheritance or otherwise And not that alone but also whatsoever pertaineth to the state of righteousnesse as they call it whereof he desireth to be acknowledged the author Therefore he hath also delivered the sword into the hands of the Magistrates to wit that offences may be repressed not onely those which are committed against the second table but also against the first Therefore because of the Author of this order we must not onely suffer them to rule whom he hath set over us but also give unto them all honour and reverence as unto his Embassadours and Ministers assigned of him to execute a lawfull and holy function Also Art 40. THerefore we affirme that we must obey the Laws and Statutes that tribute must be paid and that we must patiently endure the other burdens to conclude that we must willingly suffer the yoke of subjection although the Magistrates be infidels so that the soveraigne government of God doe remaine whole or entire and nothing diminished Therefore we detest all those which doe reject all kinde of dominion and bring in a communitie and confusion of goods and who to conclude doe goe about to overthrow all order of law Out of the Confession of BELGIA VVE beleeve that the most gracious and mightie God did Artic. 36. appoint Kings Princes and Magistrates because of the corruption and depravation of mankinde and that it is his will that this world should be governed by laws and by a certaine civill government to punish the faults of men and that all things may be done in good order among
men Therefore he hath armed the Magistrates with the sword that they may punish the wicked and defend the good Moreover it is their dutie not onely to be carefull to preserve the civill government but also to endeavour that the ministerie may be preserved that all Idolatry and counterfeit worship of God may be cleane abolished that the kingdome of Antichrist may be overthrowne and that the kingdome of Christ may be enlarged To conclude it is their dutie to bring to passe that the holy word of the Gospell may be preached every where that all men may serve and worship God purely and freely according to the prescript rule of his word Moreover all men of what dignitie condition or state soever they be ought to be subject to their lawfull Magistrates and pay unto them subsidies and tributes and obey them in all things which are not repugnant to the word of God Also they must poure out their prayers for them that God would vouchsafe to direct them in all their actions and that we may leade a peaceable and quiet life under them with all godlinesse and honesty Wherfore wee condemne the Anabaptists and all those troublesone spirits which doe reject higher powers and Magistrates overthrow all laws and judgements make all goods common and to conclude doe abolish and confound all those orders and degrees which God hath appointed among men for honesties sake Out of the Confession of AUSPURGE COncerning civill affaires they teach that such civill ordinances Artic. 16. as be lawfull are the good works and ordinances of God As Paul witnesseth The powers which are be ordained of God They teach therefore that it is lawfull for Christians to beare offices to sit in judgement and to determine of matters by the Princes laws or by the laws of the Common-wealth to appoint punishments according to law to make lawfull warres to goe to warre to deale in bargains and contracts by laws to hold his own to take an oath at the request of the Magistrates to contract lawfull marriage and to follow such crafts and sciences as are approved by law They condemne the Anabaptists which forbid Christians these civill offices They likewise condemne them which have placed perfection under the Gospell in the renouncing of civill offices whereas it is spirituall that is it consisteth in the motions of the heart in the feare faith love and obedience of God For the Gospel speaketh of a certaine eternall righteousnesse of the heart yet doth it not take away civill or domesticall government but requireth most of all to have them preserved in this bodily life as the ordinances of God and that we should exercise love and charitie in such ordinances Wherefore Christians must of necessitie obey the Magistrates laws that now are save onely where they command and set forth any sinne For in such case they must obey God rather then men Act. 4. These things are thus found in another Edition COncerning civill things they teach that such civill ordinances Artic. 16. as are lawfull are the good works of God that Christians may lawfully beare office sit in judgements determine matters by the Princes or countrey laws lawfully appoint punishments lawfully make warre be souldiers make bargains and contracts by law hold their owne take an oath when the Magistrates require it marry a wife or be given in marriage They condemne the Anabaptists which forbid Christians to meddle with civill offices as also those that place the perfection of the Gospell not in the feare of God and faith but in forsaking civill offices For the Gospel teacheth an everlasting righteousnesse of the heart In the meane time it doth not disallow order and government of Common-wealths or families but requireth especially the preservation and maintenance thereof as of Gods own ordinance and that in such ordinances we should exercise love and charitie Christians therefore must in any wise obey their Magistrates and laws save onely then when they command any sinne For then they must rather obey God then men We condemne the Anabaptists which doe spread Iewish opinions afresh They imagine that the godly before the resurrection shall possesse the kingdomes of the world and the wicked and ungodly in all places be destroyed and brought under For we are sure that seeing the godly must obey the Magistrates that be over them they must not wring their rule and authoritie out of their hands nor overthrow governments by sedition forasmuch as Paul willeth every soule to be subject to the Magistrates We know also that the Church in this life is subject to the crosse and that it shall not be glorified till after this life as Saint Paul saith We must be made like to the image of the Sonne of God And therefore we do condemne and detest the folly and devillish madnesse of the Anabaptists The Conclusion THese are the principall articles that seeme to have any doubt or controversie in them For though we might have spoken of many more abuses yet to avoid tediousnesse we have onely set downe the chiefest by which it is easie to judge of the rest There have been great complaints of Indulgences and Pilgrimages and of the abuse of excommunication Parishes have been divers wayes molested by Catchpoles there have been many brawles and bickerings betweene Parish Priests and Monks about this who had greater right to the Parish and about commissions burials and extraordinary Sermons and other such innumerable things such like matters we have permitted that such as are the principal in this cause being shortly set down might the better be understood Neither have we here spoken or written any thing to any mans reproach Onely we have rehearsed such things as seemed necessary to be spoken to the end that it might be seene that nothing is received among us in doctrine or ceremonies contrary to the Scripture or the Catholike Church For it is evident that we have most diligently taken heed that no new or wicked opinions should creepe into the Church These articles above written we thought good to exhibit according to the Emperours his highnesse Edict wherein our confession might be extant and the summe of that doctrine which our Teachers do deliver among us might be seene and knowne If any thing be wanting in this confession we are ready if God permit to yeeld a more full information thereof according to the Scriptures Another Edition hath it thus VVE have set downe the summe of the doctrine of the Gospell that is needfull for the Churches And we are out of doubt that this our judgement in these points is in deed the doctrine set forth in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and whereunto the universall Church of Christ doth agree and consent and whereto the best learned Writers of the Church doe give testimonie in many places And we offer our selves to make a more large and ample explication of these things when need shall require Now we beseech God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ
that he will vouchsafe to rule preserve purge and increase his Church which he hath purchased and redeemed by the blood of his Sonne Amen The faithfull and subiects to the Emperours Maiestie Iohn Duke of Saxonie Elector George Marques of Brandembrough Ernest Duke of Luneborough Philip the Lantgrave of the Hesses Iohn Frederick Duke of Saxonie Francis Duke of Luneborough Wolfgang Prince of Anhalt The Senate and Magistrates of Nurnborough The Senate of Reutling Out of the Confession of SAXONY Artic. 23. Of the civill Magistrate BY the benefit of God this part also of doctrine of the authoritie of the Magistrate that beareth the sword and of the authoritie of Laws and Iudgements and of the whole civill state is godlily set forth and by great travell and many writings the manifold and great furies of the Anabaptists and other fantasticall men are refuted We teach therefore that in the whole doctrine of God delivered by the Apostles and Prophets and degrees of the civill state are avouched and that Magistrates Laws order in judgements and the lawfull societie of mankinde are not by chance sprung up among men And although there be many horrible confusions which grow from the Devill and the madnesse of men yet the lawfull government and societie of men is ordained of God and whatsoever order is yet left by the exceeding goodnesse of God it is preserved for the Church sake as it is said Rom. 13. and Psal 126. Except the Lord keepe the Citie in vaine he watcheth that keepeth it c. Therefore in themselves they are things good to beare the authoritie of a Magistrate to be a Iudge to be a Minister to execute judgements to make lawfull warres and to be a souldier in lawfull warres c. And a Christian man may use these things as he useth meat drinke medicines buying and selling Neither doth he sinne that is a Magistrate and dischargeth his vocation that exerciseth judgement that goeth to warre that punisheth lawfully those that are condemned c. And subiects owe unto the civill Magistrate obedience as Paul saith Romanes 13. Not onely because of wrath that is for feare of corporall punishment wherewith the rebellious are rewarded by the Magistrate but also for conscience sake that is rebellion is a sinne that offendeth God and withdraweth the conscience from God This heavenly doctrin we propound unto the Churches which establisheth lawfull authoritie and the whole civill state and we shew the difference of the Gospell and the civill government God would have all men to be ruled and kept in order by civill government even those that are not regenerate in this government the wisdome justice and goodnesse of God toward mankinde is most clearely to be seene His wisdome is declared by order which is in the discerning of vertues and vices and in the societie of mankinde under lawfull government and in contracts guided and disposed by marvellous wisdome Then the justice of God appeareth in civill government in that he will have open sinnes to be punished by the Magistrates and when they that are in authoritie doe not take punishment on offenders God himselfe miraculously draweth them unto punishment and proportionably doth lay upon grievous sins grievous punishment in this life as it is said Matth. 26. Whosoever taketh the sword shall perish with the sword and Heb. 3. Whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge In these punishments God will have to be seene the differences of vertues and vices and will have us learne that God is wise just true and chaste The goodnesse of God also toward mankinde is seene in that he preserveth the societie of men after this order And for that cause doth he maintaine it that from thence his Church may be gathered and he will have Common-wealthes to be places for the entertainment of his Church And the civill government is one thing which keepeth in order all men even those that are not regenerate and forgivenesse of sins and righteousnesse in the heart which is the beginning of life and of eternall salvation which by the voice of the Gospell is effected in the hearts of them that beleeve is another thing Both these benefits God hath bestowed upon mankinde and will have us to understand the difference of civill justice and light in our hearts Neither doth the Gospell condemne or overthrow Common-wealths or families And although it belong not to those that teach in the Church to give particular laws of politique government yet the word of God doth generally teach this of the power of the Magistrate First God would that the Magistrate without all doubt should sound forth the voice of the morall law among men touching discipline according to the ten commandements or the law naturall that is he would have by the voice of the Magistrate first soveraigne and immutable laws to be propounded forbidding the worship of Idols blasphemies perjuries unjust murders wandring lusts breach of of wedlock theft and fraud in bargains contracts and judgements The second dutie Let the Magistrate be an observer of these divine and immutable lawes which are witnesses of God and chiefe rules of manners by punishing all those that transgresse the same For the voyce of the law without punishment and execution is little availeable to bridle and restraine men Therefore it is said by Saint Paul Rom. 13. The Magistrate is a terrour to him that doth evill and giveth honour to them that doe well And well hath it beene said of old The Magistrate is a keeper of the Law that is of the first and second Table as concerning discipline and good order The third dutie of the civill Magistrate is to adde unto the law naturall some other lawes defining the circumstances of the naturall law and to keep and maintaine the same by punishing the transgressours but at no hand to suffer or defend lawes contrary to the law of God or nature as it is written Isa 10. Woe be to them that make wicked lawes For kingdomes are the ordinance of God wherein the wisedome and justice of God that is just lawes ought to rule even as the wise King and one that feared God Jehosaphat said 2 Chron. 19. Ye exercise not the iudgement of men but of God who is with you in iudgement Let the feare of God be with you and doe all things diligently For although many in kingdomes doe despise the glory of God yet notwithstanding this ought to be their especiall care to heare and imbrace the true doctrine of the Sonne of God and to cherish the Churches as the second Psalme speaketh And now ye Kings understand and be learned ye that iudge the earth And Psal 23. Ye Princes open your gates that is open your kingdomes to the Gospel and give entertainement to the Sonne of God And Isa 49. and Kings and Queenes shall be thy nurces that is let common wealths be nurces of the Church let them give entertainement to the Church and to godly studies Let Kings and Princes
Vniversities wherein we teach the Gospel and we are perswaded that this is the true sincere and incorrupt doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ agreeing with the Apostles and Prophets and with the Creeds and that it is necessarie for the Churches and we pray our Lord Iesus Christ who was crucified for us and rose againe that hee would mercifully governe and defend these Churches Also we offer our selves to further declaration in every Article This was written Anno 1551. Iuly â—0 in the Towne of Wirtemberg where the Pastours of the Churches neere adjoyning were met together c. Out of the Confession of WIRTEMBERGE The Conclusion which is placed in the latter end of the 35. Chapter VVE have rehearsed those things which seeme good both to be approved and also to be refuted or amended in the Ecclesiasticall doctrine and in the whole administration of the Church And if any thing be spoken either more briefly or more obscurely then so great a matter would require our Preachers doe promise that they wil expound them more largely and more cleerely That which remaineth we beseech all the godly through Iesus Christ the Sonne of God our onely Saviour that which thing we hope they will doe of their owne accord every one according to his office and calling would take unto himselfe a true and earnest endeavour to reforme the Church It cannot be denied but that hitherto for these many yeeres not onely the discipline of the Church hath decayed and the manners thereof have beene corrupted with great and horrible vices and they have very much degenerated from the honestie of our Elders but that also the doctrine of the Church hath beene depraved in suffering and bearing with corruptions which if hereafter they be either dissembled or confirmed every man that is but meanly wise may consider how great evils are like to follow in the Church of God Those execrations and cursings are well known whereunto the law of God doth addict the transgressours of his word And Josias the King of Iuda was endued with an heroicall minde when he repaired the Church and although the wrath of God was by his godly repentance and obedience mittigated after that the book of the law was found out and well knowne that those punishments which the Church of God at that time had desâ—rved through the neglect of his word and their impietr might be deferred till another time yet notwithstanding such was the severitie of God against the contemnets of his word and the impenitent that the King although he were very godly could not altogether take it away from them and appease it Now we think that in these times the wrath of God is no lesse yea much more grievously kindled and set on fire against the assembly of his Church by reason of so many hainous wicked deeds and offences which even in that people which glorieth in the Name of God are more evident then that they can be denied and more cleere then that they may be excused then in times past when as yet the Sonne of God was not made knowne to the world by his Gospel And the judgement of God shall be so much the more severe by how much his benefits are the greater which he seemeth to have bestowed both in the former and also at these present times upon unthankfull men But many other things have need of amendment in the Church and ministery thereof and especially the doctrine of Repentance Iustification and the use of the Sacraments and single life of the Ministers of the Church doe require a godly amendment If these things by the mercy of God and by the diligence and care of all good men shall be restored according to the writings of the Prophets and the Apostles and according to the true Catholique consent of the ancient and purer Church we shall not onely give unto God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ a most acceptable worship but also the whole Christian world shall be stirred up to declare their thankfulnesse and obedience in all dutifull manner that they may We truly doe not know of any errour in our Preachers either in doctrine or in the other administration of the Church yet we doe not doubt but that they are indued with so great modestie and godlinesse that if they be admonished by the testimony of the heavenly doctrine and by the true consent of the Catholique Church they will in no case be wanting to the edifying of the Church And as much as lyeth in us and in our government we will do our endeavour that the mercy of God helping us none of those duties may be pretermitted of us whereby we hope that the true quietnesse of the Church and salvation in Iesus Christ the Sonne of God may be preserved Out of the Confession of SUEVELAND Of Secular Magistrates CHAP. 23. IN the former points we have declared that our Preachers doe place that obedience which is given unto Magistrates among good workes of the first degree and that they teach that every man ought so much the more diligently to apply himselfe to the publique lawes by how much he is a more sincere Christian and richer in faith In the next place they teach that to execute the office of a Magistrate it is the most sacred function which can happen unto man from God whereupon also it is come to passe that they which are endued with publike authoritie are in the Scriptures called Gods For when as they doe justly and orderly behave themselves in their function it goeth well with the people both in doctrine and in life because that God doth use so to moderate our affaires that for the greater part the safetie and destruction of the subjects doth depend upon them which are the Governours Wherefore none doe more worthily execute Magistracie then they which of all others are the most Christian and Bishops and other Ecclesiasticall men were promoted by most godly Emperours and Kings to an externall government in civill affaires Wherein though they were religious and wise yet in this one point they offended because they were not able to discharge both those functions sufficiently and it was necessary that either they should be wanting to the Churches in ruling them by the word or to the commonwealth in governing it by authoritie The Conclusion THese be the chiefe points most mightie and religious Emperour wherein our Preachers have somewhat swerved from the common doctrine of Preachers being forced thereunto by the only authoritie of the Scriptures which is worthily to be preferred before all other traditions These things being so declared as the shortnes of time would give us leave we thought it good to offer them to your sacred majestie and that to this end that we might both give account of our faith to thee whom next unto God we doe chiefly honour and reverence and might also shew how necessary it is speedily and earnestly to consult of a way and meane whereby a thing of so great
impious distinction of Latria dulia and hyperdulia if so be that it be referred to religious worship should here be confirmed For otherwise as for civill honour which is due to the higher powers and to some other for honestie and orders sake we are so farre from rejecting it that we teach that seeing it is commanded of God it cannot be neglected of us without some wound of conscience Vpon the same SHe was made a deare companion of Christ by the holy Ghost Obser 1. pag. â—8 through faith Vnderstand this of that peculiar grace and mercy which was bestowed upon Mary alone whereby she was made the Mother of God that bare him and was also indued with an excellent faith and not as though any duties of the onely Mediatour Christ either of redemption or intercession were to be attributed to her as afterwards in plaine words is expressely declared Vpon the same MVch lesse their images The meaning of this is that we are Obser 3. pag. 2â— bound to honour in the Lord both the Saints that are alive and also the memory of them that are dead But to their Images we are not to give any shew of worship whether religious or civill for as much as that cannot be attempted without abominable superstition Vpon the Confession of Auspurge OFfer up their prayers by the Sonne of God as in the end of the Obser 1 pag. â—7 prayers it is accustomed to be said Through Iesus Christ our Lord c. These words doe not excuse the Popish prayers unto Saints which they conclude with this tearme of words for that he speaketh here of godly prayers unto God and not of idolatrous and superstitious prayers to Saints Vpon the Confession of Saxonie THere is no doubt but such as are in blisse pray for the Church Obser 1. pag. 43. c. Looke the first observation upon this Confession above in the 1. Section Vpon the same VVAsting Gods gifts in vain Concerning wasting and losing Obser 2. pag. 44. of the Spirit and of the gifts of the same look the first Observation upon this Confession in the 4. Sect. following IN THE FOVRTH SECTION Vpon the Confession of Bohemia THey teach also that we must acknowledge our weakenesse The Obser 1 pag. 66. termes of imbecillitie and difficultie which this Confession useth in many places must be referred either to the regenerate in whom the spirit struggling with the flesh can not without a wonderfull conflict get the upper hand or else unto that strife betweene reason and the affections whereof the Philosophers speake in which not the spirit with the flesh for the spirit is through grace in the regenerate onely but the reliques of judgement and conscience that is of the Image of God which for the most part are faulty do strive with the will wholly corrupted according to the saying of the Poet I see the better and like it well but follow the worse c. Which thing is largely and plainly set forth in the latter Confession of Helvetia Vpon the same IT could not rise againe or recover that fall This is thus to be taken Obser 2. pag. 67. not as though the first grace doth finde us onely weake and feeble before regeneration whereas we are rather stark dead in our sins and therefore we must be quickned by the first grace and after we be once quickned by the first be helped by the second following and confirmed and strengthned by the same continuing with us to the end of our race Vpon the Confession of Belgia THerefore whatsoever things are taught as touching mans free Obser 1. pag. 70. will c. This generall word Whatsoever we take to appertaine to those things onely which either the Pelagians or Papists or any other have taught touching this point contrary to the authoritie of the Scripture Vpon the Confession of Auspurge THat which in this Confession is said touching the libertie of Obser 1. pag. 71. mans nature to performe a civill iustice and cited out of the 3. book hypognosticon which is fathered upon Augustine we are taught it out of another place of the same Father namely in his Booke de gratia ad Valentinum Cap. 20. whose words are these The holy Scripture if it be well looked into doth shew that not onely the good wils of men which God maketh good of evill and having made them good doth guide them unto good actions and to eternall life but also those which are for the preservation of the creature in this life are so in Gods power that he maketh them bend when he will and whether he will either to bestow benefits upon some or to inflict punishments upon others according as he doth appoint in his most secret and yet without doubt most iust iudgement Vpon the same THis spirituall iustice is wrought in us when we are helped by Obser 2. pag. 72. and 73. the holy Ghost And a little after In these sure we had need to be guided and helped of the holy Spirit according to that saying of Paul The Spirit helpeth our infirmities c. Vnderstand this not of any naturall facultie which unto any good thing indeed is none at all but of the will regenerated which is very weake except it be aided by another grace even unto the end And so also must it be understood which is said a little after that The law of God can not be fulfilled by mans nature to wit though it be changed and renued according as we have declared in the former Observations upon the Confession of Bohemia which we advise you to looke over Vpon the same MAns nature can by it selfe performe c. By it selfe that is Obser 3. pag. 73. by it owne proper and inward motion yet so as the working and goodnesse of God who upholdeth the societie of men is not excluded which doth not indeed renue a man but preserveth that reason which is left in him though it be corrupt against the unbridled affections and disperseth the darknesse of the minde lest it overspread the light that remaineth and represseth the disorder of the affections lest they burst forth into act Vpon the Confession of Saxonie THat which is both here and else where in this Confession Obser 1. pag. 7â— and now and then in the Confession of Auspurge repeated touching the shaking off and losing the holy Spirit we take it thus that it is chiefly meant of the gifts which are bestowed even upon those also which pertain nothing to the Church as in Socrates Aristides Cicero and some others there shined certain sparks of excellent vertues Secondly of those gifts also which are bestowed upon those that are so in the Church that yet they are not of the Church nor truly regenerated by the spirit of adoption as may be seene in the examples of Saul Judas and such others For as concerning the spirit of sanctification which is onely in those that are truely regenerated it is
the use of the keyes which Christ spake of private admonition betweene private persons to wit Thou hast gained thy brother Vpon the same Those ancient customes were in time worne out of use Be it that Obser 6. pag. 132. those painfull punishments and satisfactions which cannot especially at these times be brought into use againe but that they will doe more hurt then good be worne out of use yet notwithstanding this doth nothing hinder but that every Church as it knoweth what is expedient may appoint a certaine kinde of Censure or Ecclesiasticall discipline which it may use where need so requireth that the Church may be satisfied as we have noted before in the first observation upon the Confession of Bohemia and hereafter in the 10. Section and in the third observation upon the Confession of Bohemia Vpon the same We give men warning of this also c. How temporall punishments Obser 7. pag. 132. may be said sometime to be deferred and sometime to be mitigated by good works we have declared a little before to wit in the third observation upon this confession Moreover the word merit both in the words which follow Repentance deserved that God should alter his purpose touching the destruction of Ninive and also in other places wheresoever either this or other Confessions doe use it it is without doubt thus to be taken for that which we say to obtaine and to get as it is often times used among the ancient Latine divines And whereas God here is said to have changed his minde we doe not doubt but that our brethren doe understand it as spoken after the manner of men as when he is said to repent him of some thing or else it is to be referred to the outward preaching of Ionas For as concerning God himselfe it was onely a threatning and not a sentence decreed Vpon the confession of Saxonie VVE affirme that the Ceremonie of private absolution is to be Observ â— page 134. retained in the Church How farre we thinke that this private confession and absolution is to be retained in the Church we have declared a little before to wit in the first observation upon the Confession of Bohemia Vpon the same In true Confession there must be these changes a mortification Observ 2. pag. 134. and a quickning Rom. 6. c. This is most truly said but in a divers sense For neither is contrition or a sense of sinne which is a fruit of sinne common to all signified by the name of mortification insomuch as it is a gift of the holy Ghost proper to the Elect but an abolishing of the old man or of the flesh or of that naturall corruption which taking it beginning of that contrition or sorrow which is according to God whereof that place Psal 5. 19. and Esa 66. 2. is understood is by little and little perfited in the elect and is the beginning of true conversion whereunto on the other side quickning is answerable that is a certaine restoring as it were from death unto life of the minde which was before in a manner dead in that corruption and being perswaded of the free remission of sinnes in Christ by faith it beginneth to hate sinne wherewith it was delighted to love God whom it hated and to conclude to will well and to do uprightly Vpon the same To shake of God and againe to loose c. Looke those things Observ 3. page 136. which are noted in the first observation of the 4. Section upon this Confession Vpon the same This whole custome was appointed for examples sake and is politicall Observ 4. page 137. c. We doe thinke that this custome of publique satisfaction before the Church is in such sort politicall that notwithstanding it may be referred to the Ecclesiasticall order and may altogether be distinguished from those punishments which are meerely civill and from those which are to be inflicted by the civill Magistrate For although such a publique kinde of acknowledging and detesting of sinnes being made in the Church is in no case to be thought to be of any value before God for the ransome of our sinnes much lesse that it should be a Sacrament yet we doe not doubt but that this abasing is both acceptable to God and commodious for the edifying of the Church and that in such places wherein it may be fruitfully used Vpon the same Hath no commandement to inioyne such punishments c. But it Obser 5 pag. 137. hath a commandement lawfully to binde and to loose and to try by diligent search which is true repentance Concerning which thing looke what we have spoken a little before in the 2. observation upon the confession of Auspurge and is hereafter taught more at large in the 11. Section where we doe expressely intreat of the power of the Keyes Vpon the same Are chiefly mitigated for the Sonne of God c. Where the Obser 6. pag. 138. question is of the Church of God we say that all blessings without any exception are bestowed upon it and the members thereof not chiefly but onely for the Sonne of God his sake And these words Even for the very conversions sake our punishments are mitigated because that in the Saints the legall promises being added to their works are not without their effect but have their rewards c. ought as they seeme to be thus taken by adding to them this interpretation They are not without their effect but that must be of meere grace and in respect of Christ alone in whom God doth vouchsafe even to reward both the Saints themselves and also good works having no regard to the blemishes of their works as we have said before in the 3. and 7. observations upon the confession of Auspurge Vpon the same It doth onely pronounce this sentence c. To wit according to Obser 7. pag. 138. the Ecclesiasticall judgements and censures whereof we made mention before and not by any civill authoritie as Officials as they be tearmed in Papacie use to doe Vpon the Confession of Wirtemberge ALthough we thinke that it is not necessary to salvation to râ—ckon Obser 1. pag. 141. up sins c. yet we endeavour that a generall confession of sins may be retained in our Churches c. Seeing that these things pertaine not to the Doctrine of faith but unto the use of Ecclesiasticall discipline of the libertie whereof in particular Churches we have oftentimes spoken else-where we doe not thinke it good that this law should be brought into our Churches being made and received in other places beside the word of God and the custome of the ancient pure Church which did never require private confession of every one of those which did professe the Christian Religion but onely of them of whose sins knowledge was taken in the assembly IN THE NINTH SECTION Vpon the Confession of Bohemia BVt such works as are taught of men what shew soever they have
instructed we will at all times obey God and his holy word most thankfully Out of the Confession of BOHEMIA Of the civill power or civill Magistrate CHAP. 16. FVrthermore it is taught out of the holy Scripture that the civill Magistrate is the ordinance of God and appointed by God who both taketh his originall from God and by the effectuall power of his presence and continuall aide is maintained to governe the people in those things which appertaine to the life of this body here upon earth whereby also he is distinguished from that spirituall state whereof is that worthy sentence of Paul There is no power but of God and the power that is is ordained Rom. 13. of God Then according to these points all they that being indued with this authoritie doe beare publique offices of what kinde soever they be being in the degree of Magistrates necessarily must know acknowledge and remember this that they are Gods deputies and in his stead and that God is the Soveraigne Lord and King even of them all as well as of other men to whom at length in the last day they must give an account of the degree wherein they were placed of their dominions and of the whole administration of their government whereof it is expressely written in the book of Wisdome and else-where And seeing they doe governe in stead of God upon earth and Sap. 6. are his Lieutenants it is meet that they frame themselves to the example of the superiour Lord by following and resembling him and by learning of him mercie and justice As touching these therefore such an instruction hath been delivered that they who are in authoritie ought to doe good unto others according to that which Christ saith They that are mightie are called gracious or Luk. 22. bounteous Lords and that in regard of their dutie they are especially bound thereunto and that this is their speciall charge that they cherish among the people without respect of persons justice peace and all good things that are appertaining unto the time that they protect and defend their peaceable subjects their rights their goods their life and their bodies against those that wrong and oppresse them or doe any waies indammage or hurt them also against the unjust violence of the Turks together with others that doe the like to succour and defend them and so to serve the Lord God herein that they beare not the sword in vain but valiantly couragiously and faithfully use the same to execute the will and works of God therewith Hereof in the holy Scripture such are called Gods and of Saint Paul the Ministers of God The Magistrate saith he is the Minister of God for thy good who Psal 8 2. Ioh. 10. Rom. 13. 1 Pet 2. is sent as Peter saith to take vengeance on those that doe evill and to give honour unto those that doe good But for as much as the Magistrate is not onely the power of God in that sort as the Scripture doth ascribe that title even to an heathen Magistrate as Christ said unto Pilate Thou couldest Ioh 19. have no power over mee unlesse it were given thee from above but the Christian Magistrate ought also to be a partaker and as it were Apoc. 1. and 19. 1 Tim. 6. Isa 49. a Minister of the power of the Lambe Iesus Christ whom God hath in our nature made Lord and King of Kings that Kings of the earth who in times past had been heathen might come under the power of the Lambe and give their glory unto the Church Maâ—th 15. Luk. 13. and become nources thereof which then began to be fulfilled when they received Christian religion and made them nests under the tree of Mustard-seed which is faith Then for this cause the Christian Magistrate is peculiarly taught to be such a one that he should well use this glory and portion of his authoritie which he hath common with the Lambe and that he betray it not to Satan and to Antichrist unlesse he will be transformed into that beast and hideous Monster which carrieth the beast and that he be not ashamed of the name of Iesus Christ our Lord and that by this authoritie of his he set forth the truth of the holy Gospell make way for the trueth wheresoever be a defender of the Ministers and people of Christ suffer not so farre as in him lieth Idolatry or the tyrannie of Antichrist much lesse follow the same although he be driven to sustaine some harme therefore and so lay down his Crown before the Lambe and serve him together with the spirituall Kings and Priests of the holy Church that is with all the faithfull and Christians that are called to eternall life Whereunto also the second Psalme doth exhort Magistrates which it is profitable often to remember where it is thus read And now ye Psal 2. Kings understand and be ye learned that iudge the earth serve the Lord with feare and reioyce unto him with trembling Hereupon it followeth and is concluded by force of argument namely that whosoever doth use in such sort as hath been said this ordinary power of God and of the Lamb with patience in their adversities as well on the right as on the left hand they shall receive for this thing and for their labour a large and infinite reward and blessing of God upon earth and also in the life to come through faith in Christ and contrariwise upon the wicked cruell and blood-thirstie that repent not shall come the pains of fearefull vengeance Psal 82. Sap 6. in this life and after this life everlasting torment Moreover the people also are taught of their dutie and by the word of God are effectually thereto inforced that all and every of them in all things so that they be not contrary unto God performe their obedience to the superiour power first to the Kings Majestie then to all Magistrates and such as are in authoritie in what charge soever they be placed whether they be of themselves good men or evil so also to all their Ministers and such as are sent with commission from them to reverence and honour them and yeeld unto them all things whatsoever by right are due unto them and performe and pay unto them honour tribute custome and such like whereunto they are bound But in things pertaining to mens soules to faith and eternall salvation of those the people is taught * Looke the a. observation that they ought to obey no man more then God but God onely and his holy word above all things and especially according to that which the Lord commandeth Give unto Cesar the things which are Cesars and unto God the things which Matth. 22. are Gods But if some should attempt to remove any from this Christian and true opinion they ought to follow the example of the Apostles who with a bold courage nothing at all daunted answered the Magistrate and counsell of Ierusalem in this manner We