follow Neverthelesse although God that he may fully save us doe regenerate us and frame us to a holy life yet we confesse that the good works which we doe by the direction of his spirit are not so regarded of God as that we should be iustified thereby or deserve to be counted the children of God because we should waver with a perpetuall doubting and trembling unlesse we should relie upon that onely satisfaction whereby Christ Iesus hath discharged us of the punishment or forfeit for our offence Out of the ENGLISH Confession BEsides though we say we have no need at all by our owne works and deeds but appoint all the means of our salvation to be in Christ alone yet say we not that for this cause men ought to live loosely and dissolutely nor that it is ynough for a Christian to be Baptized onely and to beleeve as though there were nothing else required at his hand For true Faith is lively and can in no wise be idle Thus therefore teach we the people that God hath called us not to follow riot and wantonnesse but as Saint Paul saith Vnto good works to walke in them That we are delivered from the power of darknesse to the end that we should serve the living God to cut away all the remnants of sinne and to worke our salvation in feare and trembling that it may appeare that the spirit of sanctification is in our bodies and that Christ himselfe dwelleth in our hearts Out of the Confession of BELGIA VVE beleeve that the holy Ghost dwelling in out hearts doth Artic. 22. bestow upon us true faith that we may attaine unto the knowledge of this so great a mysterie The which faith doth imbrace Iesus Christ with all his merits doth challenge him unto it selfe as proper and peculiar and doth seeke for nothing besides him For it is necessarie that either all those things which are required unto our salvation be not in Christ or if all be in him that then he which by faith possesseth Iesus Christ hath also perfect salvation Therefore it is an horrible blasphemie against God to affirme that Christ is not sufficient but that we have need of other meanes besides him For there upon it should follow that Christ is onely in part our Saviour Wherefore we doe justly say with Saint Paul that we are iustified by faith alone or by faith without the workes of the law Yet to speake properly we doe not meane that faith by it selfe or of it selfe doth justifie us which is but onely as an instrument whereby we apprehend Christ which is our justice Christ therefore himselfe is our righteousnesse which imputeth all his merits unto us faith is but the instrument whereby we are coupled unto him by a participation and communion of all his benefits and whereby we are kept in that fellowship So that all those our effects are even more then enough unto us for our absolution from all our sinnes We beleeve that all our felicity doth consist in the remission of Artic. 23. our sinnes which we have by Iesus Christ and that in it alone all our righteousnesse before God is contained as S. Paul teacheth out of the Prophet David who declareth the happinesse of those men to whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works And the Rom. 4. Psal 32. Rom. 3 same Apostle saith that we are iustified by the redemption made in Christ Iesus We therefore leanning upon this as a sure foundation do yeeld all glory unto God having a most base and humble opinion of our selves knowing full well who and what manner of creatures we be in deed Therefore we doe not presume of our selves or of any of our own merits but being upholden by the only obedience of Christ crucified we doe rest altogether in it and to the intent it may become ours we beleeve in him This righteousnesse alone is all-sufficient both to cover all our iniquities and also to make us safe and secure against all temptations For it doth drive from our consciences all feare all horrour and dread whereby we might be hindred from approaching to God and need not to imitate the example of our first father who for feare flying from the presence of God went about to hide and cover himselfe with fig-leaves And truely if we trusting unto our selves never so little or to any other creature should present our selves before the Majestie of God it is certaine we should by and by be overwhelmed with it Therefore every one of us must rather cry out with David and say Lord enter not into iudgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be iustified We beleeve that this true faith being beilowed upon every Artic. 24. one of us by the hearing of the word of God and the operation of the holy spirit doth regenerate us and make us as it were new men raising us up unto newnesse of life and setting us free from the bondage of sin Wherefore this justifying faith is so farre from withdrawing men from a right and holy kinde of living or from making them more faint in godlinesse that on the contrary side no man without it can performe any good thing to this end that God may have the glory but men doe all things either in regard of themselves or else for feare of just condemnation Therefore it cannot be that this holy faith should be idle in a man Neither doe we speake of a vaine and dead faith but only of that which in the Scripture is said to worke by love and which mooveth a man to exercise himselfe in those works which God himselfe hath commanded in his word But these works which do come from the sincere root of faith are therefore good and acceptable unto God because they be sanctified by his grace but are nothing aavailable to justifie us For we are justified by saith in Christ yea even before such time as we could bring forth any good worke for our works before faith can no more be good then the fruit of a good tree before that the tree it selfe be good Therefore we doe good works yet not to merit any thing by them For what is it possible for us to merit Nay rather we by reason of the good works which we doe if we doe any are more bound unto God then God unto us For God is he which worketh in us both the will and the deed of his owne free mercie Whereupon it is our duties alwayes to have a regard unto that which is written When ye have done all that is commanded you say that we are unprofitable servants for we have that which we ought to doe Furthermore we doe not hereupon denie that God doth recompence good works in those that be his but we affirme that this recompence cometh of his meere grace because he crowneth his owne gifts in us Yea although we doe good works yet we doe not put any hope of salvation in them For we are not
moment is prone and ready to offend the Majesty of God But the Spirit of God which giveth witnessing to our spirit Rom 3. that we are the sonnes of God maketh us to resist filthy pleasures and to grone in Gods presence for deliverance from this bondage of corruption And finally so triumpheth over sinne that it reigneth not in our mortall bodies This battell have not the carnall men being destitute of Gods Spirit but doe follow and obey sinne with greedinesse and without repentance even as the Devill and their corrupt lusts doe pricke them But the sonnes of God as before is said doe fight against sinne doe sob and mourn when they perceive themselves tempted in iniquitie and if they fall they rise againe with unfained repentance and these things they doe not by their owne power but by the power of the Lord Iesus without whom they were able to doe nothing Iohn 15. What workes are reputed good before God VVE confesse and acknowledge that God hath given to man his holy law in which not onely are forbidden all Exod. 20. Deut. 5. such workes as displease and offend his godly Majestie but also are commanded all such as please him and as he hath promised to reward And these workes be of two sorts The one are done to the honour of God the other to the profit of our neighbours and both have the revealed will of God for their assurance To have one God to worship and honour him to call upon him in all our troubles to reverence his holy name to heare his word to beleeve the same to communicate with his holy Sacraments are the workes of the first Table To honour father mother Princes Rulers and superiour powers to love them to support them yea to obey their charges not repugning the commandement of Ephes 6. God to save the lives of innocents to represse tyranny to defend the oppressed to keep our bodies cleane and holy to live in sobernesse and temperance to deale justly with all men both in word and deed and finally to represse all appetite of our neighbours Ezâ—ch 22. Ier. 22. Esa 50. 1 Thess 4. Luke 2. hurt are the good workes of the second Table which are most pleasing and acceptable to God as those workes that are commanded by himselfe The contrarie whereof is sinne most odious which alwaies displeaseth him and provoketh him to anger As not to call upon him alone when we have need not to heare his word with reverence to contemne and despise it to have or to worship Idols to maintaine and defend idolatrie lightly to esteeme the reverent name of God to prophane abuse or contemne the Sacraments of Christ Iesus to disobey or resist Rom. 11. Ez ch 22. any that God hath placed in authoritie whilest they passe not over the bounds of their Office to murder or to consent thereto to beare hatred or to iuffer innocent blood to be shed if we may withstand it and finally the transgression of any other commandement in the first or second Table we confesse or affirme to be sinne by the which Gods hate and displeasure is kindled against the proud and unthankfull world So that good works we affirme to be those onely that are done in faith and at Gods commandement who in his law hath expressed what the things be that please him And evill works we affirme not onely those that expresly are done against Gods commandement but those also that in matters of religion and in worshipping of God have no other assurance but the invention and opinion of man which God Esa 26. Mat. 15. from the beginning hath ever rejected as by the Prophet Esay and by our Master Christ Iesus we are taught in these words In vaine doe they worship me teaching the doctrines and precepts of men The perfection of the Law and imperfection of man THe Law of God we confesse and acknowledge most just most equall most holy and most perfect commanding those things which being wrought in perfection were able to give Rom. 7. Psal 19. Deut. 5. Rom. 10. 1 Iohn 1. Rom. 10. Gal 3. Deut. 26. Ephes 1. Rom 4. light and able to bring man to eternall felicitie But our nature is so corrupt so weak and so unperfit that we are never able to fulfill the works of the Law in perfection Yea if we say we have no sinne even after we are regenerated we deceive our selves and the veritie of God is not in us And therefore it behoveth us to apprehend Christ Iesus with his justice and satisfaction who is the end and accomplishment of the law by whom we are set at this libertie that the curse and malediction of God fall not upon us albeit we fulfill not the same in all points For God the Father beholding us in the body of his Sonne Christ Iesus accepteth our imperfect obedience as it were perfect and covereth our works which are defiled with many spots with the justice of his Sonne we do not mean that we are so set at libertie that we owe no obedience to the law for that before we have plainly confessed but this we affirme that no man in earth Christ Iesus onely excepted hath given giveth or shal give in work that obedience to the law which the law requireth But when we have done all things we must fall down and unfeinedly confesse that we are Luke 10. unprofitable servants And therefore whosoever boast themselves of the merits of their own works or put their trust in the works of supererogation boast themselves of that which is naught and put their trust in damnable Idolatrie Of the Church AS we beleeve in one God Father Son and the holy Ghost so doe we most constantly beleeve that from the beginning there hath been and now is and to the end of the world shall be Matth 3. 8. one Church that is to say a companie and multitude of men chosen of God who rightly worship and imbrace him by true faith in Christ Iesus who is the onely head of the same Ephâ—s 1. Col. 1. Ephâ—â— 5. Church which also is the body and spouse of Christ Iesus which Church is Catholike that is universall because it containeth the Elect of all ages of all realmes nations and tongues be they of the Iewes or be they of the Gentiles who have communion and society Apoc. 7. with God the Father and with his Son Christ Iesus through the sanctification of his holy spirit therefore it is called the coÌ„munion not of profane persons but of Saints who as Citizens of the heavenly Ierusalem have the fruition of the most inestimable benefits to wit of one God one Lord Iesus one faith and of one Ephâ—s 2. Baptisme out of the which Church there is neither life nor eternall felicity And therefore we utterly abhor the blasphemie of those that affirme that men which live according to equitie and Ioâ— 5. 6. justice shall be saved what religion
life and death were set before him which if he would not consider nor doe his endeavour therein by choosing of evill he might loose all those good gifts The second part of the knowledge of a mans selfe namely before justification standeth in this that a man acknowledge a right the state of this fall sin and mortalitie For that free liberty of choice which God permitted to the will of man he abused and kept not the law of his justice but swerved therefrom and therein transgressed the commandement of God insomuch as he obeyed the devill and those lying speeches of his and gave credit unto them and performed to the devill such faith and obedience as was due to God alone whereby he stripped and bereaved himselfe and his posteritie of the state of perfection and goodnesse of nature and the grace of God and those good gifts of justice and the Image of God which in his creation were engraffed in him he partly lost them and partly corrupted and defiled them as if with horrible poyson one should corrupt pure wine and by this meanes he cast headlong both himselfe and all his off-spring into sinne death and all kinde of miseries in this life and into punishments eternall after this life Wherefore the spring and principall author of all evill is that cruell and detestable devill the tempter lyer and manslayer and next the free will of man which notwithstanding being converted to evill through lust and naughtie desires and by perverse concupiscence chooseth that which is evill Hereby sinnes according to these degrees and after this order may be considered and judged of The first and weightiest or most grievous sinne of all was without doubt after that sinne of Adam which the Apostle calleth Disobedience for the which death reigneth Rom. 5. over all even over those also which have not sinned with like transgression as did Adam A second kind is originall sin naturally ingendred in us and hereditarie wherein we are all conceived and borne into this world Behold saith David I was borne in iniquitie Psal 51. Ephes 2. and in sinne hath my mother conceived me And Paul We are by nature the children of wrath Let the force of this hereditarie destruction be acknowledged judged of by the guilt and fault by our pronenesse and declination by our evill nature and by the punishment which is laid upon it The third kinde of sinnes are those which are called Actuall which are the fruits of Originall sinne and doe burst out within without privily and openly by the powers of man that is by all that ever man is able to doe and by his members transgressing all those things which God commandeth and forbiddeth and also running into blindnesse and errours worthy to be punished with all kinde of damnation This doctrine of the true knowledge of sinne is of our men diligently handled and urged and to this end were the first and second Tables of the Law delivered to Moses of God that men especially might know themselves that they are conceived and borne in sin and that forthwith even from their birth and by nature they are sinners full of lusts and evill inclinations For hereof it commeth that straight even from the beginning of our age and so forth in the whole course of our life being stained and overcome with many sins men doe in heart thoughts and evill deeds breake and transgresse the commandements of God as it is written The Lord looked down from heaven to behold the children Psal 14. Rom. 3. of men to see if there were any that would understand and seeke God all are gone out of the way they have been made altogether unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one And againe When the Lord saw that the wickednesse of man was great in the Gen. 6. earth and all the cogitations of his heart were onely evill continually And againe The Lord said the imagination of mans heart is evill Gen. 8. even from his youth And Saint Paul saith We were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Ephes 2. Here withall this is also taught that by reason of that corruption and depravation common to all mankinde and for the the sinne transgressions and injustice which ensued thereof all men ought to acknowledge according to the holy Scripture their own just condemnation and the horrible and severe vengeance of God and consequently the most deserved punishment of death and eternall torments in hell whereof Paul teacheth us when he saith The wages of sin is death And our Lord Christ They which have Rom. 6. John 5. done evill shall goe into the resurrection of condemnation that is into pains eternall Where shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth They teach also that we must acknowledge * Looke the first observat upon this confession our weaknesse and that great miserie which is ingendered in us as also those difficulties from which no man can ever deliver or rid himselfe by any meanes or justifie himselfe that is procure or get righteousnesse to himselfe by any kinde of works deeds or exercises seeme they never so glorious For that will of man which before was free is now so corrupted troubled and weakened that now from henceforth of it selfe and without the grace of God it cannot chuse judge or wish fully nay it hath no desire nor inclination much lesse any abilitie to chuse that good wherewith God is pleased For albeit it fell willingly and of it owne accord yet by it selfe and by it owne strength it could not * Looke the second observat upon this confession rise againe or recover that fall neither to this day without the mercifull help of God is it able to doe any thing at all And a little after Neither can he which is man onely and hath nothing above the reach of this our nature helpe an other in this point For since that originall sin proceeding by inheritance possesseth the whole nature and doth furiously rage therein and seeing that all men are sinners and doe want the grace and justice Rom. 3. of God therefore saith God by the mouth of the Prophet Esaias Put me in remembrance Let us be judged together count thou if Esa 43. thou have any thing that thou mayest be iustified thy first father hath sinned and thy interpreters that is they which teach thee justice have transgressed against me and a little before speaking of works in the service of God after the invention of man he saith Thou hast not offered unto me the Ram of the burnt offerings neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices I have not caused thee to serve with an offering nor wearied thee with incense And unto the Hebrews it is written Sacrifice and offering and Heb 10. burnt offerings and sinne offerings thou wouldest not have Neither did dest thou approove those things which were offered according to the Law This also must we know
and spirituall motions true feare patience constancie faith invocation in most sharpe tentations in the middest of Satans subtill assaults in the terrours of sinne In these surely we had great neede to be guided and * Looke the 2. observar helped of the holy Spirit according to that saying of Paul The Spirit helpeth our infirmitie We condemne the Pelagians and all such as they are who teach that by the onely powers of nature without the holy Spirit we may love God above all and fulfill the Law of God as touching the substance of our actions We doe freely and necessarily mislike these dreames for they doe obscure the benefits of Christ For therefore is Christ the Mediatour set forth and mercy promised in the Gospel because that the Law cannot be satisfied by mans nature as Paul witnesseth when he saith 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 For albeit that mans nature by it selfe can after some sort * Looke the 3. observat upon this confession performe externall workes for it can containe the hands from theft and murder yet can it not make those inward motions as true feare true faith patience and chastitie unlesse the holy Ghost doe governe and helpe our hearts And yet in this place also doe we teach that it is also the commandement of God that the carnall motions should be restrained by the industrie of reason and by civill discipline as Paul saith The law is schoolemaster to Christ Also The law is given to the uniust These things are thus found in another edition As touching free will they teach that mans will hath some Artic. 18. libertie to worke a civill justice and to chuse such things as reason can reach unto But that it hath no power to worke the righteousnesse of God or a spirituall justice without the spirit of God Because that the naturall man perceiveth not the things that are of the spirit of God But this power is wrought in the heart when as men doe receive the spirit of God through the word These things are in as many words affirmed by Saint Augustine Lib. 3. Hypognost c. as before They condemne the Pelagians and others who teach that onely by the power of nature without the Spirit of God we are able to love God above all also to performe the commandements of God as touching the substance of our actions For although that nature be able in some sort to doe the externall workes for it is able to withhold the hands from theft and murder yet it cannot work the inward motions as the feare of God trust in God chastitie patience Touching the cause of sinne they teach that albeit God doth create and preserve nature yet the cause of sinne is the wil of the wicked to wit of the Devill and of ungodly men which turneth it selfe from God unto other things against the commandements of God when he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his owne This is found thus in an other edition TOuching the cause of sinne they teach that albeit God doth create and preserve our nature yet the cause of sinne is the will of the wicked to wit of the Devill and of ungodly men which will being destitute of Gods helpe turneth it selfe from God as Christ saith Ioan. 8. When he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his owne Out of the Confession of SAXONY ANd seeing the controversies which are sprung up doe chiefly pertaine unto two articles of the Creed namely to the article I beleeve the remission of sinnes and I beleeve the Catholike Church we will shew the fountaines of these controversies which being well weighed men may easily understand that our expositions are the very voyce of the Gospel and that our adversaries have sowed corruptions in the Church And first of the Article I beleeve the remission of sinnes HEre many and great corruptions are devised of our adversaries I beleeve nay say they I doubt also Then I will beleeve when I shall have merits enow Also they doe not say I beleeve certainely that remission is given freely for the Sonne of God not for any merits of ours or any worthinesse of ours Also They doe not rightly shew what sinne is and feigne that man is able to satisfie the Law of God and that by the fulfilling of the Law he becommeth just before God in this life Therefore first as touching sinne and the cause thereof we doe faithfully retaine the doctrine of the true Church of God Seeing that God in essence is one the eternall Father the coeternall Sonne being the image of the Father and the coeternall holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne of infinite wisedome power and goodnesse true just bountifull chaste most free as he describeth himselfe in his Law and seeing he hath therefore made the Angels and men that being from all eternitie he might impart unto them his light wisedome and goodnesse and that they should be the temples of God wherein God might dwell that God might be all in all as Paul speaketh he therefore created them at the beginning good and just that is agreeing with the minde and will of God and pleasing him He also gave them a cleere knowledge of God and of his will that they might understand that they were made of God that they might be obedient as it is written in the fifth Psalme Thou art not a God that loveth wickednesse But the devils and men abused the libertie of their will swarved from God and by this disobedience they were made subject to the wrath of God and lost that uprightnesse wherein they were created Therefore free will in the devill and in men was the cause of that fall not the will of God who neither willeth sinne nor alloweth it nor furdereth it as it is written When the Devill speaketh a lie he speaketh of his owne and he is the father of lying And 1 John 3. He that committeth sinne is of the devill because the devill sinneth from the beginning Now sinne is that whatsoever is contrary to the justice of God which is an order in the minde of God which he did afterward manifest by his own voyce in the Law and in the Gospel whether it be originall disobedience or actuall for the which the person is both guiltie and condemned with everlasting punishment except he obtaine remission in this life for the Sonne the Mediatours sake We doe also condemne the madnesse of Marcion the Manichees and such like which are repugnant in this whole question to the true consent of the Church of God Of Originall sinne Artic. 2. AS touching originall sinne we doe plainely affirme that we doe retaine the consent of the true Church of God delivered unto us from the first Fathers Prophets Apostles and the Apostles schollers even unto Augustine and after his time and we doe expresly condemne Pelagius and all those who have scattered in
the Church like doting follies to those of the Pelagians And we say that all men since the fall of our first parents which are borne by the coupling together of male and female doe together with their birth bring with them Originall sinne as Paul saith Rom. 5. By one man sinne entred into the world and by sinne death And Ephes 2. We were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Neither doe we dislike that usuall definition if it be well understood Originall sinne is a want of Originall iustice which ought to be in us Because that Originall justice was not onely an acceptation of mankinde before God but in the very nature of man a light in the minde whereby he might assuredly beleeve the word God and a conversion of the will unto God and an obedience of the heart agreeing with the judgement of the Law of God which which was graffed in the minde and as we said before man was the temple of God That Originall iustice doth comprehend all these things it may beunderstood by this saying Man was created after the Image and likenesse of God which Paul doth thus interpret Ephes 4. Put ye on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse where undoubtedly by true holinesse he understandeth all those vertues which shine in our nature and are given by God not ascited by art or gotten by instruction as now those shadowes of vertues such as they are in men be ascited because that then God dwelling in man did governe him And when we consider what Originall iustice doth signifie then the privation opposite thereunto is lesse obscure Therefore Originall sinne is both for the fall of our first parents and for the corruption which followed that fall even in our birth to be subject to the wrath of God and to be worthy of eternal damnation except we obtaine remission for the Mediatours sake And this corruption is to want now the light or the presence of God which should have shined in us and it is an estranging of our will from God and the stubbornnesse of the heart resisting the law of the minde as Paul speaketh and that man is not the temple of God but a miserable Masse without God and without justice These wants and this whole corruption we say to bee sinne not onely a punishment of sinne and a thing indifferent as many of the Sententiaries doe say That these evils are onely a punishment and a thing indifferent but not sinne And they doe extenuate this Originall evill and then they feigne that men may satisfie the law of God and by their owne fulfilling of the Law become just The Church must avoid ambiguities Therefore we doe expressely name these evils Corruption which is often named of the ancient writers Evill concupiscence But we distinguish those desires which were created in our nature from that confusion of order which hapned after our fall as it is said Ier. 10 The heart of man is wicked And Paul saith The wisedome of the flesh is omnit is against God This evill Concupiscence we say to be sinne and we affirme that this whole doctrine of sinne as it is propounded and taught in our Churches is the perpetuall consent of the true Church of God Of Free Will Artic. 4. NOw let us make manifest also the doctrine of free will Men truely instructed in the Church have alwaies distinguished betweene discipline and the newnesse of the spirit which in the beginning of life eternall and they have taught that in man there is such freedome of will to governe the outward motions of the members that thereby even the unregenerate may after a sort performe that outward discipline which is an externall obedience according to the Law But man by his naturall strength is not able to free himselfe from sinne and eternall death but this freedome and conversion of man unto God and this spirituall newnesse wrought by the Sonne of God quickning us by his holy Spirit as it is said If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his and the will having received the holy Ghost is not idle And we give God thankes for this unspeakable benefit that for the Sonne his sake and through him he giveth us the holy Ghost and doth governe is by his Spirit And we condemne the Pelagians and the Manichces as we have at large declared in an other place Of the difference of sinne Artic. 10. SEeing it is said that sinnes remaine in the regenerate it is necessarie to have a difference of sinnes delivered unto us For out of that saying Luk. 11. He went and tooke unto him seven other spirits worse then himselfe and they enter in and dwelt there c. And of such like sayings it is manifest that some who are regenerate doe grieve and * Looke the 1. Observer upon this confession shake off the holy Ghost and are againe rejected of God and made subject to the wrath of God and eternall punishments And Ezech. 18. it is written when the righteous man shall turne from his righteousnesse and commit iniquitie he shall die therein and when the wicked man shall turne from his wickednesse and doe iudgement and iustice he shall live therein Therefore it is necessary that those sinnes which remaine in holy men in this mortall life and yet doe not shake off the holy Ghost be distinguished from other sinnes for the which man is againe made subject to the wrath of God and to eternall punishments So Paul Rom. 5. distinguisheth betweene sinne that reigneth and sinne that reigneth not And Rom. 8. he saith If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit ye shall live And in the first Epistle to Timothy Chap. 1. he giveth a rule Fight a good fight keeping faith and a good conscience Therefore when a man doth not keepe the faith but either wittingly or by some errour looseth some part of the foundation that is some article of faith or alloweth Idols as many doe which are deceived with false opinions or doe not uphold themselves by the comfort of faith but are overcome by doubting or by despaire or against their conscience doe breake any commandement of God he doth shake off the holy Ghost and is made againe subject to the wrath of God and to everlasting punishment Of these men faith Paul Rom. 8. If ye live according to the flesh ye shall die And 1 Cor. 6. Neither fornicatours nor adulterers nor Idolaters c. shall inherit the kingdome of God And that the oath Ezech. 18. doth cleerely say As I live saith the Lord I do not desire the death of a sinner but rather that he be converted and live In this oath two parts are joyned together conversion and life God doth desire and that with an oath the conversion of man therefore they doe not please him which retaine a purpose to sinne Now in
are found thus in another Edition FOr the obtaining of this faith the ministery of teaching the Gospel Artic. 5. and ministring of the sacraments was ordained For by the word and Sacraments as by certain instruments the holy Ghost is given who worketh faith where and when it pleaseth God in those that heare the Gospel faith I say to beleeve that God not for our own merits but for Christ doth justifie such as beleeve that they are received into favour for Christs sake They condemne the Anabaptists and others who are of opinion that the holy Ghost is given unto men without the outward word through their preparations and workes Also they teach that when we are reconciled by faith the righteousnesse Artic. 6. of good workes which God hath commanded must follow of necessitie even as Christ hath also commanded If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements But for so much as the infirmitie of mans nature is so great that no man can satisfie the law it is needfull that men should be taught not onely that they must obey the law but also how their obedience pleaseth God lest that their consciences sink down into despaire when they see that they doe not satisfie the law This obedience therefore pleaseth God not because it satisfieth the law but because the person that performeth it is reconciled by Christ through faith and beleeveth that the reliques of sinne which remaineth in him be pardoned Wherefore we must alwaies hold that we doe obtaine remission of sinnes and that a man is pronounced just freely for Christ through faith And afterward that this obedience towards the law doth also please God and is accounted a kinde of justice and * Looke the 2. observation upon this confession deserveth rewards For the conscience cannot oppose it owne cleannesse or workes unto the judgement of God as the Psal witnesseth Enter not into iudgement with thy servant for no man shall be instified in thy sight And John saith If we say that we have no sinne we deceive our selves If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgive our sinnes And Christ saith When ye have done all that ye can say ye we are unprofitable servants After that the person is reconciled and become just by faith that is acceptable to God his obedience pleaseth God and is accounted for a kind of justice as Joh. saith Every one that abideth in him sinneth not and 2 Cor. 1. Our reioycing is this the witnesse of our conscience This obedience must strive against evill desires and daily by spirituall exercises become more pure alwaies watching and carefull to doe nothing against conscience according to that saying The summe of the law is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfained But they which obey their wicked lusts and doe against their owne consciences * Looke the 3. 4 Obser living in mortall sinne doe neither retaine or hold the righteousnesse of faith * nor the righteousnesse of good works according to the saying of Paul they which doe such things shall not inioy the kingdome of God These things are thus set down in another Edition ALso they teach that this faith must bring forth good fruits and that it is behoovefull to doe the good works commanded of God because God requireth them and not upon any hope to merit justification by them For remission of sins and justification is apprehended by faith as Christ himselfe witnesseth When you have done all these things say we are unprofitable servants the same also doe the ancient Writers of the Church teach for Ambrose saith This is ordained of God that he that beleeveth in Christ shall be saved without worke by faith alone freely receiving remission of sins Hitherto also appertaineth the 20. Article THat our adversaries doe accuse us to neglect the doctrine of good works it is a manifest slander for the books of our Divines are extant wherein they doe godly and profitably teach touching good works what works in every calling doe please God And whereas in most Churches there hath been of a long time no word of the most speciall works namely of the exercises of faith and of the praise of such works as pertaine to Civill government but for the most part they spent all their Sermons in setting forth praises of humane traditions and in commending holy dayes fastings the state of Monks Fraternities Pilgrimages the worship of Saints Rosiers and other unprofitable services now by the goodnes of God the Church is reclaimed unto the true profitable worship which God doth require approove The Prophets do bewail this calamity of the Church in very vehement Sermons that the true worship of God being forgotten mens ceremonies and a wicked confidence in ceremonies should have place the chiefe in the Church From this error they revoke the Church unto the true service of God and unto good works in deed What can be more forceably spoken then that Sermon in the 49 Psalme The God of Gods the Lord hath spoken and called the earth Here God doth preach unto all mankinde condemning their vaine trust in ceremonies and propoundeth another worship giving them to understand that he is highly displeased with them that in tho Church doe so preach ceremonies that they overturne the true worship of God Many such like Sermons are to be found in the Prophets as Esay Cap. 58. and Zachar. 7. Michah Cap. 6. and Hosea cryeth I will have mercie and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God rather then burnt offerings And it is not unknown that many godly and learned men have heretofore greatly wished that the doctrine touching the comfort of consciences and the difference of works had been more sound For both these parts of doctrine ought alwaies to be in the Church namely the Gospel of faith for to instruct and comfort the consciences and also the doctrine that declareth which are good works indeed and which is the true worship of God As for our adversaries seeing that they doe corrupt the doctrine of faith they cannot affoord any sound comfort to the consciences for they will have men to stand in doubt of the remission of their sins and yet afterwards they bid men seeke remission of sin by their own works they devise Monkeries and other such works and then they abolish the true worship of God for prayer and other spirituall exercises are laid aside when mens mindes are not established in a sure trust in Christ Moreover their works of the second table cannot please God except faith goe with them For this obedience that is but begun and is unperfect doth please God for Christ sake alone Thirdly they debase the works commanded of God and preferre mans traditions farre before them These they set out with most goodly titles calling them the perfection of the Gospel but in the meane time they speake so coldly of the dutie of a mans calling of magistracie of marriage
setting forth of the truth and to the end that such as are not approved might be manifest Now as we acknowledge no other head of the Church then Christ so we doe not acknowledg every church to be the true church which vaunteth her selfe so to be but we teach that to be the true Church indeed in which the markes and tokens of the true church are to be found First and chiefly the lawfull or sincere preaching of the word of God as it is left unto us in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles which do all seeme to leade us unto Christ who in the Gospel hath said My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them â— Iohn 10. and they follow me and I give unto them eternall life A stranger they doe not heare but flie from him because they know not his voyce And they that are such in the Church of God have all but one faith and one spirit and therefore they worship but one God and him alone they serve in spirit and in truth loving him with all their hearts and with all their strength praying unto him alone through Jesus Christ the onely Mediatour and Intercessour and they seeke not life or justice but onely in Christ and by faith in him because they doe acknowledge Christ the onely head and foundation of his Church and being surely founded on him doe daily repaire themselves by repentance and doe with patience beare the crosse laid upon them and besides by unfeigned love joyning themselves to all the members of Christ doe thereby declare themselves to be the disciples of Christ by continuing in the bond of peace and holy unitie they do withall communicate in the Sacraments ordained by Christ and delivered unto us by his Apostles using them in no other manner then as they received them from the Lord himselfe That saying of the Apostle Paul is well knowne to all I received from the Lord that which I delivered 1 Cor 11. unto you For which cause we condemne all such churches as strangers from the true church of Christ who are not such as we have heard they ought to be howsoever in the meane time they bragge of the succession of Bishops of unitie and of antiquitie Moreover we have in charge from the Apostles of Christ To shunne Idolatrie and to come out of Babylon and to have no fellowship 1 Cor. 10. 1 Iohn 5. Apoc. 18. 2 Cor. 6. with her unlesse we meane to be partakers with her of all Gods plagues laid upon her But as for communicating with the true church of Christ we so highly esteeme of it that wee say plainly that none can live before God which doe not communicate with the true church of God but separate themselves from the same For as without the Arke of Noah there was no escaping when the world perished in the flood even so doe we beleeve that without Christ who in the church offereth himselfe to be enjoyed of the elect there can be no certaine salvation and therefore we teach that such as would be saved must in no wise separate themselves from the true Church of Christ But yet we doe not so strictly shut up the church within those markes before mentioned as thereby to exclude all those out of it which either doe not communicate in the Sacraments by reason that they want them or else not willingly nor upon contempt but being constrained by necessitie doe against their wils abstain from them or in whom faith doth sometimes faile though not quite decay nor altogether die or in whom some slips and errours of infirmitie may be found for we know that God had some friends in the world that were not of the common wealth of Israel We know what befell the people of God in the captivity of Babylon where they wanted their sacrifices seventy yeers We know very well what hapned to Saint Peter who denied his Master and what is wont daily to fall out among the faithfull and chosen of God which goe astray and are full of infirmities We know moreover what manner of Churches the Churches at Galatia and Corinth were in the Apostles time in which the Apostle Paul condemneth divers great and heinous crimes yet he calleth them the holy Churches of Christ Yea and it falleth out sometimes that God in his just judgement suffereth the truth of his word and the Catholike Faith and his owne true worship to be so obscured and defaced that the church seemeth almost quite rased out and not so much as a face of a church to remaine as we see fell out in the dayes of Eliah and at other times And yet in 1 Reg. 19. Apoc. 7. the meane time the Lord hath in this world even in this darkenesse his true worshippers and those not a few but even seven thousand and more For the Apostle crieth The foundation of the 2 Tim. 2. Lord standeth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are his c. Whereupon the Church of God may be tearmed invisible not that the men whereof it consisteth are invisible but because it being hidden from our sight and knowne onely unto God it cannot be discerned by the judgement of man Againe not all that are reckoned in the number of the church are Saints and the lively and true members of the church for there be many hypocrites which outwardly doe heare the word of God and publikely receive the Sacraments and beare a shew to pray unto God alone through Christ to confesse Christ to be their onely righteousnesse and doe seeme outwardly to worship God and to exercise the duties of charitie to the brethren and for a while through patience to indure in troubles and calamities And yet they are altogether destitute of the inward illumination of the spirit of God of faith and sinceritie of heart and of perseverance or continuance to the end And these men are for the most part at the length laid open what they be For the Apostle John saith They went out from among us but they were not of us 1 Iohn 2. for if they had beene of us they would have tarried with us Yet these men whilest they doe pretend religion they are accounted to be in the church howsoever indeed they be not of the church Even as traitours in a commonwealth before they be detected are counted in the number of good Citizens and as the cockle and darnell and chaffe are found amongst the wheate and as wennes and swellings are in a perfect body when they are rather diseases and deformities then true members of the body And therefore the Matth. 13. church is very well compared to a draw net which draweth up fishes of all sorts and to a field wherein is found both darnell and good corne We are to have a speciall regard that we judge not rashly before the time nor goe about to exclude cast off and cut away them whom the Lord would not have excluded nor cut off or
in the word of God This especially every one ought to take diligent heed of that he doe not by unlawfull means thrust himselfe into those offices For every one must waite untill he be called of God himselfe that he may have a certaine testimonie of his vocation and may know that it is from the Lord. Yet in what place of the world soever the Ministers of the word of God doe keep they have all of them the same and equall power and authoritie being all of them equally the Ministers of Christ the onely universall Bishop and head of the Church Moreover lest that this holy ordinance of God be despised and brought into contempt it is the dutie of all men to have a very honourable and reverent opinion of all the Ministers of the Word and Seniours of the Church even for that works sake wherein they doe labour also to be at peace and unitie with them and as much as possibly may be to abstaine from all manner of quarrellings and contentions one with another Out of the Confession of AUSPURGE COncerning Ecclesiasticall Orders they teach that no man Artic. 14. should publiquely in the Church teach or Minister the Sacraments except he be rightly called according as Saint Paul giveth commandement to Titus To ordaine Elders in every Citie Out of the Articles concerning abuses Of the power Ecclesiasticall THere have been great controversies touching the power and Artic. 7. authoritie of Bishops in which many have incommodiously mingled together the Ecclesiasticall power and the power of the sword And out of this confusion there hath sprung very great wars and tumults while that the Popes bearing themselves bold upon the power of the keyes have not only appointed new kindes of worship and service of God and burdened mens consciences by reserving of cases and by violent excommunications but also have laboured to transferre worldly kingdomes from one to another and to spoile Emperours of their power and authoritie These faults did godly and learned men long since reprehend in the Church and for that cause our Divines were faine for the comfort of mens consciences to shew the difference betweene the Ecclesiasticall and civill powers And they have taught that either of them because of Gods commandement is dutifully to be reverenced and honoured as the chiefest blessings of God upon earth Now their judgement is this that the power of the keyes or the power of the Bishops by the rule of the Gospel is a power or commandement from God of preaching the Gospel of remitting or retaining sins and of administring the Sacraments For Christ doth send his Apostles with this charge As the Father hath sent me so send I you Receive ye the holy Ghost whose sins ye forgive they are forgiven them and whose sins ye retaine they are retained Mar. 16. Go and preach the Gospel to every creature c. This power is put in execution onely by teaching or preaching the Gospel and administring the Sacraments either to many joyntly or to severall persons according to their calling For they be not corporall things but eternall that are granted unto us as an eternall righteousnesse the holy Ghost life everlasting These things cannot be gotten but by the ministerie of the Word and Sacraments As Paul saith The Gospel is the power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth Seeing then that the power Ecclesiasticall concerneth things eternall and is put in use onely by the ministery of the word it hindreth not the politicall government * Looke the 1. observation no more then doth the * skill of musicke or singing For the civill government is occupied about other matters then is the Gospel * Looke the 2. observation the Magistrate is to defend not the mindes but the bodies and bodily things against manifest injuries he restraineth men by the sword and corporall punishment that he may uphold peace and a civill justice Wherefore the Ecclesiasticall and civill powers are not to be confounded The Ecclesiasticall power hath a peculiar commandement to preach the Gospel and administer the Sacraments Let it not by force enter into another charge let it not turne worldly kingdomes from the right owners Let it not abrogate the Magistrates laws let it not withdraw from them lawfull obedience let it not hinder judgements touching any civill ordinances and statutes or contracts let it not prescribe lawes to the magistrate touching the forme of a common-wealth as Christ saith My kingdome is not of this world Againe Who made me a iudge over you And Paul to the Philip. 3. Our conversation is in heaven 2 Cor. 10. The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty in God to throw downe the imaginations c. Thus doe our Divines discerne and distinguish the duties of each power one from the other and doe warne all men to honour both powers and to acknowledge both to be the good gift and blessing of God * Looke the 3. observation upon this confession If so be that the Bishops have any power of the sword they have it not as Bishops by the commandement of the Gospell but by mans law given unto them of Kings and Emperours for the civill government of their goods Yet this is a kind of function and charge diverse from the ministery of the Gospell Therefore when as the question is touching the jurisdiction of Bishops rule and dominion must be distinguished from Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction Againe by the Gospell or as they tearme it by Gods law Bishops as they be Bishops that is such as have the administration of the word and Sacraments committed to them have no jurisdiction at all but onely to forgive sinne also to know what is true doctrine and to reject such doctrine as will not stand with the Gospell and * Looke the 4. Observation to debarre from the communion of the Church such as are notoriously wicked not by humane force and violence but by the word of God And * herein of necessity the Churches ought by the law of God to perform obedience unto them according to the saying of Christ he that heareth you heareth me But when as they teach or determine any thing contrary to the Gospell then have the Churches a commandement of God which forbiddeth obedience to them Matt. 7. Beware of false Prophets Gal. 1. If an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel let him be accursed 2 Cor. 13. We cannot doe any thing against the truth but for the truth Also This power is given us to edifie and not to destroy So doe the Canons command 2. quaest 7. Cap. Sacerdotes Cap. Oves And Augustine in his Treatise against Petilians Epistle saith Neither must we subscribe to Catholike Bishops if they chance to erre or hold opinion which be against the Scriptures If so be * Looke the 6 Observat that they have any other power or jurisdiction in hearing and understanding certaiâ—â— cases as namely of Matrimony and
to be any longer defiled with such foilies Out of the Confession of BELGIA IN the meane time we beleeve that it is in deed profitable that Artic. 32. the Elders which doe governe in Churches should appoint some order among themselves so that they doe diligently take heed that in no case they do swarve or decline from those things which Christ himselfe our onely Master hath once appointed Therefore we doe reject all humane inventions and all those laws which were brought in to be a worship of God that mens consciences should any way thereby be snared or bound and we receive those onely which are fit either to cherish or maintaine concord or to keepe us in the obedience of God And hereunto * Looke the 1. observation upon this confâ—ssion excommunication is chiefly necessary being used according to the commandement of the word of God and other additions of Ecclesiasticall discipline annexed thereunto Out of the Confession of AUSPURGE Artic. 15. COncerning Ecclesiasticall rites which are ordained by mans authority they teach that such rites are to be observed as may be kept without sin and do tend to quietnesse and good order in the Church as namely set holidaies certain godly Psalmes and other such like rites But yet touching this sort of rites they teach that mens consciences are not to be burdened with superstitious opinions of them that is it must not be thought that these humane ordinances are righteousnesse before God or do deserve remission of sins or are duties necessary unto the righteousnesse revealed in the Gospel But this is to be thought of them that they are indifferent things which without the case of offence may be omitted But such as breake them with offence are faultie as those which do rashly disturbe the peace of the Churches Such traditions therefore as cannot be observed without sinne are rejected of us as the tradition of single life We reject also that impious opinion of traditions and vowes wherein they feigne that worships invented by mans authoritie doe merit remission of sins and are satisfactions for sin c. Of which like false opinions touching vowes and fastings not a few have been spread abroad in the Church by unlearned men This Article is thus to be found in another Edition COncerning Ecclesiasticall rites they teach that those rites are to be observed which may be kept without any sinne and are availeable for quietnesse and good order in the Church such as as are set holydaies feasts and such like Againe out of the 7. Article touching abuses of the same confession These words that follow pertaine to this place and the rest unto the eleventh Section Of the authoritie of the Ministers BEsides these things there is a controversie whether Bishops Here also be many things which might very fitly have been referred to the former Sect. by reason of speciall examples of meats and holy dayes here rehearsed but seeing that the title or this page is generall it could not here be pretermitted or Pastours have power to ordaine ceremonies in the Church and to make laws of meats and holidaies and degrees or orders of Ministers They that ascribe this power to the Bishops alledge this testimonie for it I have yet many things to say unto you but you cannot beare them away now But when that spirit of truth shall come he shall teach you all truth They alledge also the examples of the Apostles which commanded the Christians to abstaine from blood and that which was strangled They alledge the change of the Sabbath into the Lords day contrary as it seemeth to the morall law and they have no examples so oft in their mouthes as the change of the Sabbath They will needs have the Churches power and authoritie to be very great because it hath dispensed with a precept of the morall law But of this question our men doe thus teach that the Bishops have no power to ordaine any thing contrary to the Gospell as was shewed before The same also doe the Canons teach distinct 9. Moreover it is against the Scripture to ordaine or require the observation of any traditions to the end that we might merit remission of sinnes and satisfie for sinnes by them For the glorie of Christs merit receiveth a blow when as we seeke by such observations to merit remission of sinnes and justification And it is very apparant that through this perswasion traditions grew into an infinite number in the Church In the meane while the doctrine of faith and of the righteousnesse of faith was quite smoothered for ever and anone there were new holidaies made new fasts appointed new ceremonies new worships for Saints ordained because that the authors of such geare supposed by these works to merit remission of sinnes and justification After the same manner heretofore did the penitentiall Canons increase whereof we still see some footings in satisfactions Againe many writers imagine that in the New Testament there should be a worship like to the Leviticall worship the appointing whereof God committed to the Apostles and Bishops wherein they seeme to be deceived by the example of the law of Moses as if the righteousnesse of the New Testament were the outward observing of certain rites as the justice of the law was Like as therefore in the law it was a sinne to eate swines flesh c. so in the New Testament they place sinne in meates in daies in apparell and such like things and they hold oppinion that the righteousnesse of the New Testament can not stand without these From hence are those burdens that certaine meats defile the conscience that it is a mortall sinne to omit the canonicall houres that fastings merit remission of sinnes because they be necessary to the righteousnesse of the New Testament that a sin in a case reserved cannot be pardoned but by the authoritie of him that reserved it whereas the Canons speake onely of reserving of Canonicall punishments and not of the reserving of the fault Whence then have the Bishops power and authoritie of imposing these traditions upon the Churches for the burdening of mens consciences For there are divers cleare testimonies which inhibit the making of such traditions either for to deserve remission of sinnes or as things necessarie to the righteousnesse of the New Testament or to salvation Paul to the Coloss 2. Let no man iudge you in meat drinke or a peece of a holy day in the new moone or in the Sabbath Againe If ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though ye lived in the world are ye burdâ—ned with traditions as Touch not taste not handle not which all doe perish with the using and are the precepts and doctrines of men which have a shew of wisedome And to Titus he doth plainly forbid traditions For he saith Not listning to Jewish fables and to the precepts of men that abhorre the truth And Christ Matth. 15. saith of them which urge traditions Let
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
onely inspiration of the lying spirit Vpon the same Do agree with the Canon law c. We would have it declared Obser 2. pag. 446. unto us what manner of law this Canon law is seeing that there be many things both in certaine ancient and especially in the Canons of the Popes flat repugnant to the word of God and to equitie Vpon the same As mortall sins and such as expell the holy Ghost c. why we Observ 3. 446. do think that this also hath need to be more diligently expounded we have shewed not once before Looke the 4. Sect. observ 1. and 2. upon this same Confess Also Sect. 8. observ 4. upon the Confession of Auspurge Vpon the same Where as the words of Christ did speake c. If so be that we Obser 4. pag. 448. should admit that Gospell according to the Egyptians wherein those words be attributed to Christ Vpon the Confession of Wirtemberge ANnd that it is a mysterie c. to wit a spirituall marriage Observ 1. 451. between Christ and his Church and not this carnall or corporall and humane marriage which is not appointed to represent that other which is spirituall Vpon the same The politique laws which are the ordinances of God c. we Obser 2 pag. 451. also do approve the politique laws touching these things so that the consciences be not snared and that which in this contract is meerely divine be administred according to the true word of God being distinguished from civill controversies which fall out in marriage Looke before observation 1. upon the former Confession of Helvetia IN THE NINETEENTH SECTION Vpon the latter Confession of Helvetia VVIth good laws made according to the word of God that is Obser 1. pag. 458. with such as doe not forbid that which God doth command in the morall law and by the voice of nature it selfe nor command that which he forbiddeth For otherwise by the name of the word of God the Iudaicall civill law might also be understood to the which not withstanding we are not bound in so much as it is civill but onely so farre forth as it is grounded upon a generall and perpetuall rule of justice Vpon the former Confession of Helvetia ACcording to iust and divine Laws c. That is agreeable to Observ 1. pag 400. equitie and righteousnesse and to conclude to the law of nature whereof God himselfe is the Author Vpon the same And the oath which we made to him c. That is an oath whereby Obser 2. pag. 460. subjects are bound to their Magistrates Vpon the Confession of Basil IN the number whereof we also desire to be c. These things are Obser 1. pag. 461. spoken in the person of the Magistrates themselves and not of the Pastours of the Church at Basil in so much as this Confession was published in the name of the Magistrates themselves Vpon the Confession of Bohemia THe people is taught that they ought to obey no man more then Obser 1. pag. 464. God This is so farre to be extended as that we must understand that we ought not to obey any in these things which pertaine to the conscience and to salvation but God alone seeing that the Apostle doth not except so much as the Angels themselves Gal. 1. The end of the Harmonie and of the Observations A GENERALL CONFESSION OF THE TRVE CHRISTIAN FAITH and Religion according to Gods Word and Acts of our Parliaments subscribed by the Kings Majestie and his Houshold with sundry others To the glory of God and good example of all men At Edinborough the 28. day of Ianuary The yeere of our Lord 1581. And in the 14. yeere of His Majesties Raigne WE all and every one of us under written protest that after long and due examination of our owne consciences in matters of true and false Religion are now throughly resolved in the truth by the Word and spirit of God And therefore we beleeve with our hearts confesse with our mouthes subscribe with our hands and constantly affirme before God and the whole world that this onely is the true Christian faith and religion pleasing God and bringing salvation to man which is now by the mercie of God revealed to the world by the preaching of the blessed Evangell and is received beleeved and defended by many and sundry notable Churches and Realms but chiefly by the Church of Scotland the Kings Majestie and three Estates of this Realm as Gods eternall truth and onely ground of our salvation as more particularly is expressed in the Confession of our Faith established and publikely confirmed by sundry Acts of Parliaments and now of a long time hath been openly professed by the Kings Majestie and whole body of this Realm both in burgh and land To the which confession and form of Religion we willingly agree in our consciences in all points as unto Gods undoubted truth and verity grounded onely upon his written word And therefore we abhorre and detest all contrary religion and doctrin but chiefly all kinde of Papistry in generall and particular heads even as they are now damned and confuted by the word of God and Church of Scotland but especially we detest and refuse the usurped authoritie of that Romane Antichrist upon the Scriptures of God upon the Church the civill Magistrate and conscience of men all his tyrannous Laws made upon indifferent things against our Christian liberty his erronious doctrin against the sufficiencie of the written word the perfection of the law the office of Christ and his blessed Evangell his corrupted doctrin concerning originall sin our naturall inabilitie and rebellion to Gods law our justification by faith onely our imperfect sanctification and obedience to the law the nature number and use of the holy Sacraments his five bastard sacraments with all his rites ceremonies and false doctrin added to the administration of the true Sacraments without the word of God his cruell judgement against infants departing without the Sacrament his absolute necessitie of Baptisme his blasphemous opinion of transubstantiation or reall presence of Christs body in the elements and receiving of the same by the wicked or bodies of men his dispensations with solemn oathes perjuries and degrees of marriage forbidden in the word his crueltie against the innocent divorced his devilish Masse his blasphemous Priesthood his prophane sacrifice for the sins of the dead and the quick his Canonization of men calling upon Angels or Saints departed worshipping of Images reliques and crosses dedicating of Churches Altars Daies Vows to creatures his Purgatory prayers for the dead praying or speaking in a strange language with his processions and blasphemous Letany and multitude of Advocates or Mediatours his manifold orders Auricular confession his dispersed uncertain repentance his generall and doubt some faith his satisfactions of men for their sins his justification by works Opus Operatum works of supererogation merits pardons peregrinations and stations his holy
Ministers of Christ Iesus yea this is more horrible they suffer women whom the holy Ghost will not suffer to teach in the Congregation to baptize and secondly because they have so adulterated both the one Sacrament and the other with their owne inventions that no part of Christs action abideth in the originall puritie For oyle sait spattle and such like in baptisme are but mens inventions adoration veneration bearing through streets and townes and keeping of bread in boxes or boists are prophanation of Christs Sacraments and no use of the same For Christ sesus said Take eat c. Do you this in remembrance of me By which words charge he sanctified bread and wine to be the Sacrment of his holy body and blood to the end that the one should be eaten and that all should drink of the other and not that they should be kept to be worshipped and honoured as God as the Papists have done heretofore who also have committed sacriledge stealing from the people the one part of the Sacrament to wit the blessed cup. Moreover that the Sacraments be rightly used it is required that the end and cause for which Sacraments were instituted be understanded and observed as well of the Minister as by the receivers For if the opinion be changed in the receiver the right use ceaseth which is most evident by the rejection of the sacrifices as also if the teacher plainly teach false doctrine which were odious and abominable before God albeit they were his owne ordinance because the wicked men use them to another end then God hath ordained The same we affirme of the Sacraments in the Papisticall Church in which we affirme the whole action of the Lord Iesus to be adultered as well in the external forme as in the end and opinion What Christ Iesus did and commanded to be done is evident by the Evangelists and by Saint Paul what the Priest doth at his Altar we need not to rehearse The end and cause of Christs institution and why the selfe same should be used is expressed in these words Doe ye this in remembrance of me As oft as ye shall eate this bread and drinke of this cup you shall shew forth that is extoll preach magnifie and praise the Lords death till he come But to what end and in what opinion the Priests say their Masse let the words of the their own Doctors and writings witnesse to wit that they as Mediatours betwixt Christ and his Church doe offer unto God the Father a sacrifice propitiatory for the sinnes of the quick and the dead which doctrine is blasphemous to Christ Iesus and making derogation to the sufficiencie of his onely sacrifice once offered for purgation of all those that shall be sanctified we utterly abhorte detest and renounce To whom Sacraments appertaine VVE confesse and acknowledge that Paptisme appertaineth as well to the insants of the faithfull as unto them that be of age and discretion And so we damne the errour of the Anabaptists who deny Baptisme to appertaine to children before they have faith and understanding But the Supper of the Lord we confesse to appertain to such onely as be of the houshold of faith and can trie and examine themselves as well in their faith as in their duty towards their neighbours Such as eate and drink at that holy Table without faith or being at dissention with their brethren do eate unworthily and therefore it is that in our Church our Ministers take publique and particular examination of the knowledge and conversation of such as are be admitted to the Table of the Lord Iesus Of the civill Magistrates VVE confesse and acknowledge Empires kingdomes domininions and cities to be distincted or ordained by God the powers and authoritie in the same be it of Emperours in their Empires of Kings in their Realmes Dukes and Princes in their dominions and of other Magistrates in their cities to be Gods holy ordinance ordained for manifestation of his own glory and for the singular profit and commoditie of mankinde so that whosoever goeth about to take away or to confound the whole state of civill pollicies now long established we affirme the same men not onely to be enemies to mankinde but also wickedly to fight against Gods expressed will We farther confesse and acknowledge that such persons as are placed in authoritie are to be beloved honoured feared and holden in most reverent estimation because they are the Lievetenants of God in whose seats God himselfe doth sit and Iudge yea even the Iudges and Princes themselves to whom by God is given the sword to the praise and defence of good men and to revenge and punish all malefactours Moreover to Kings Princes Rulers and Magistrates we affirme that chiefly and most principally the conservation and purgation of the Religion appertaineth so that not onely they are appointed for civill pollicie but also for maintenance of the true Religion and for suppressing of idolatry and superstition whatsoever As in David Iosaphat Ezechias Iosias and others highly commended for their zeale in that case may be espied And therefore we confesse and avow that such as resist the supreame power doing that thing which appertaineth to his charge do resist Gods ordinance and therefore cannot be guiltlesse And farther we affirme that whosoever deny unto them their aide counsell and comfort whilest the Princes and Rulers vigilantly travell in execution of their office that the same men deny their helpe support and counsell to God who by the presence of his Lieutenant doth crave it of them The gifts freely given to the Church ALbeit that the word of God truly preached and the Sacraments rightly ministred and discipline executed according to the word of God be the certaine and infallible signes of the true Church yet we meane not that every particular person joyned with such company is an elect member of Christ Iesus For we acknowledge and confesse that darnell cockell and chaffe may be sown grow and in great aboundance lye in the middest of the wheat that is the reprobate may be joyned in the societie of the elect and may externally use with them the benefits of the Word and Sacraments But such being but temporall professors in mouth and not in heart doe fall backe and continue not to the end And therefore they have no fruit of Christs death resurrection nor ascension but such as with heart unfainedly beleeve and with mouth boldly confesse the Lord Iesus as before we have said shall most assuredly receive these gifts First in this life the remission of sins and that by onely faith in Christs blood In so much that albeit sin remaine and continually abide in these our mortall bodies yet it is not imputed unto us but is remitted and covered with Christs justice Secondly in the generall judgement there shall be given to every man and woman resurrection of the flesh For the sea shall give her dead the earth those that therein be inclosed yea the eternall God shall stretch out his hand on the dust and the dead shall arise uncorruptible and that in the substance of the same flesh that every man now beareth to receive according to their works glory or punishment For such as now delight in vanitie crueltie filthinesse superstition or idolatry shall be adjudged to the fire unquenchable in which they shall be tormented for ever as well in their own bodies as in their souls which now they give to serve the devill in all abhomination But such as continue in well doing to the end boldly professing the Lord Iesus we constantly beleeve that they shall receive glory honour and immortalitie to raigne for ever in life everlasting with Christ Iesus to whose glorified body all his elect shall be made like when he shall appeare againe in judgement and shall render up the kingdome to God his Father who then shall be and ever shall remaine all in all things God blessed for ever to whom with the Sonne and with the holy Ghost be all honour and glory now and ever So be it The Kings Majesties charge to all Commissioners and Ministers within his Realm SEeing that We and Our houshold have subscribed and given this publique Confession of our Faith to the good example of Our Subjects We command and charge all Commissioners and Ministers to crave the same confession of their Parishioners and proceed against the refusers according to Our laws and order of the Church delivering their names and lawfull processe to the Ministers of Our house with all haste and diligence under the pain of 40. pound to be taken from their stipend that We with the advise of Our Counsell may take order with such proud contemners of God and Our laws Subscribed with Our hand At Holyrudhous 1581. the 2. day of March the 14. yeere of Our Reign Now unto the King everlasting immortall invisible unto God only wise be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen
that God doth give a reward to our good deeds yet withall we teach with Augustine that God doth crowne in us not our deserts but his owne gifts And therefore whatsoever reward we receive we say that it is a grace and rather a grace then a reward because those good things which we doe we doe them rather by God then by our selves and because Paul saith What hast thou that 1 Cor 4. thou hast not received If thou hast received it Why dost thou boast as though thou hadst not received it And that which the blessed Martyr Cyprian doth gather out of this place That we must not boast of any thing seeing nothing is our owne We therefore condemne those who defend the merits of men that they may make frustrate the grace of God Out of the former Confession of HELVETIA NOw we attaine unto these so divine benefits and the true sanctification of the spirit of God by Faith which is the meere gift of God not by any either our strength or merits which faith being a sure and undoubted substance and laying hold on things to be hoped for from the good will of God doth send out of it selfe charitie and then very excellent fruits of all vertues yet doe we not attribute any thing to these workes although they be the workes of godly men but that salvation which we have obtained we do wholly attribute to the very grace of God And this is indeed the onely true worship of God to wit a faith most fruitfull of good workes and yet not putting any confidence in works Out of the Confession of BASILL VVE confesse the remission of sinnes through faith in Christ crucified and though this faith doth without intermission exercise and shew forth it selfe in the workes of charitie and by this meanes is tried yet we doe not attribute righteousnesse and satisfaction for our sins unto works which are fruits of faith but onely to a true confidence and faith in the blood of the Lambe of God shed for us For we doe unfainedly professe that all things are given us freely in Christ who is our righteousnesse holidesse redemption way truth wisdome and life Therefore the faithfull do worke not to satisfie for their sinnes but onely that they may in some sort shew themselves thankefull unto God our Lord for great benefits bestowed upon us in Christ And in the Margent upon the word Thankefull Thankefulnesse consisteth in requiting of benefits received but we can requite nothing to God because he wanteth nothing Therefore we have an eye to those things which herequireth of us and those are faith and the workes of charitie he requireth faith toward himselfe Charitie toward our neighbour Out of the Confession of BOHEMIA Of Christ our Lord and of Iustification by Faith CHAP. 6. THe sixth point of Christian doctrien in our Churches is as touching sound and lively faith in Iesus Christ our Lord and of true Iustification by this faith And a little after Our men are taught to acknowledge this grace and truth and in all the saving and wonderfull workes which Christ brought to effect by faith to behold those things which according to the meaning of the holy Scripture are in a stedfast faith to be beleeved and professed such are these The comming of Christ from heaven his conception nativitie torments death buriall resurrection ascending into heaven his sitting at the right hand of God and his coming againe from thence to judge the quicke and the dead In these principall effects as in a chest wherein treasure is kept are all those saving fruits of true justification laid up and from thence they are taken for the Elect and faithfull that in spirit and conscience by faith they may be made partakers thereof all which shall hereafter be perfectly and fully given unto them in the day of that joyfull resurrection These things are also found in the sixth Section so farre forth as they describe the workes of Christ and the fruits thereof Out of this foundation of this justifying faith and of true and perfect justification thereby according to evident and cleare testimonies in the Scriptures we are further taught First that no man by his owne strength or by the power of his owne will or of flesh and blood can attaine unto or have this saving or justifying faith except God of his grace by the holy Ghost and by the ministery of the Gospel preached doe plant it in the heart of whom he list and when he list so that that heart may receive all Rom. 10. 2 Theff 3. things which are offered to salvation and made known touching the same by the publike preaching of the word and by the sacraments instituted of Christ Hereof holy Iohn Baptist saith Man Iohn 3. can take nothing to himselfe except it be given him from above Also our Lord Christ himselfe saith No man cometh to me except the Father Iohn 6. which sent me doe draw him And a little after Except it be given him of my Father that is from above by the holy Ghost And to Peter Christ said Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee Matth. 16. Now this faith properly is an assent of a willing heart to the whole truth delivered in the Gospel whereby man is lightened in his minde and soule that he may rightly acknowledge and receive for his onely Saviour his God and Lord Iesus Christ and upon him as on a true rocke he may build his whole salvation love follow and enjoy him and repose all his hope and confidence in him and by this valiant confidence he may lift up himselfe and trust that for him and his onely merit God is become to him loving gentle bountifull and also that in him and for him he assiredly hath and shall have for ever eternall life according to his true promise which hee confirmed with an oath saying Verily I say unâ—o you he that beleeveth in me hath Iohn 6. eternall life And This is the will of him that sent me that he which seeth the Sonne and beleeveth in him shall have eternall life and I will raise him up in the last day Also This is life eternall that they know thee the true God and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ And Isaiah saith By his knowledge shall my righteous servant iustifie many This faith alone and this inward confidence of the heart in Iesus Christ our Lord doth justifie or make a just before God without any workes which he may adde or any merit of his of which Saint Paul saith But to him that worketh not at all but beleeveth in him Rom. 4. that iustifieth the wicked man his faith is imputed for righteousnesse And before he said But now is the righteousnesse of God made manifest Rom. 3. without the law having witnesse of the law and of the Prophets to wit the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all that beleeve And in
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