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
notes thereof 26 27 28 Of Ecclesiasticall functions 29 Of the power and authoritie of the ministers 30 Of their lawfull calling election 31 Of Ecclesiasticall discipline 32 Of Excommunication and other Censures 33 Of the Sacraments in generall 34 Of Baptisme 35 Of the holy Supper of the Lord. 36 Of the efficacie and true communication of the thing signified by the signes 37 38 Of the Magistrate and politicke laws 39 40 The Articles of the English Confession OF one God in three Persons 1 Of Iesus Christ being the true Sonne of God and of the Incarnation and other works of Redemption and of his two natures being unseperably united and unconfounded 2 Of his last coming Of the holy Ghost and his works in us 3 Of the Catholique Church and the one onely King head and husband thereof 4 Of the divers degrees of the Church 5 Of the lawfull calling the Antichrist of Rome 5 Of the lawfull calling and Election of Ministers 6 Of their power and the use of the Keyes 7 Of marriage and a single life 8 Of the Canonicall Scriptures 9 Of the Sacraments and the number thereof 10 Of Baptisme 11 Of the holy Eucharist 12 Of the sale of Masses 13 Of Purgatorie 14 Of Ceremonies and Ecclesiasticall rites 15 Of Prayer in a vulgar tongue 16 Of the onely Intercessour and Mediatour Christ 17 Of the corruption of man through sinne of his iustification through Christ 18 Of the one onely sacrifice of Christ whereby we are perfectly reconciled to God 19 Of good works 20 Of the last resurrection of this flesh 21 The Articles of the Confession of Belgia OF the Essence or nature of God 1 Of the double knowledge of God 2 Of the beginning and author of the word of God 3 Of the Canonicall books of the old and new Testament 4 Of their authoritie 5 Of the Apocryphall books 6 Of the perfection of the Canonicall Scripture above all the doctrines of all men 7 Of three persons in one onely essence of God 8 Of the testimonies of both the Testaments whereby both the Trinitie of the persons and also their properties may be proved 9 Of the divine nature and generation of Iesus Christ the Son of God 10 Of the divine nature of the holy Ghost 11 Of the creation of the world and Angels and the distinguishing of them 12 Of the Providence of God and of his iust government both generall and speciall 13 Of the creation of man his fall corruption and servile free-will 14 Of originall sinne 15 Of free election iust reprobation 16 Of the repairing of man through Christ 17 Of the first coming of Christ and his true incarnation of the seed of David 18 Of his two natures hypostatically united in one onely person 19 Of the cause or end of his death and resurrection 20 Of his onely Priesthood and expiatorie sacrifice 21 Of faith the onely instrument of our iustification 22 Of true iustificatiō through Christ 23 Of regeneration and good works 24 Of the abrogating of the law and shadows 25 Of the onely Mediatour or Intercessour Christ against the Intercession of Saints 26 Of the Catholique Church 27 Of the unitie and communion thereof 28 Of true notes of the true Church 29 Of the government and Ecclesiasticall functions 30 Of the Election of Ministers Elders and Deacons and of their authoritie 31 Of Ecclesiasticall traditions 32 Of the Sacraments and their number 33 Of Baptisme 34 Of the Supper of the Lord. 35 Of Magistrates and their office and power 36 Of the last Iudgement 37 The Articles of the Confession of Auspurge OF God and the persons of the divinitie 1 Of originall sinne 2 Of the incarnarion of the Sonne of God 3 Of Iustification 4 Of the Preaching of Repentance and generall Remission 5 Of the righteousnesse of good works 6 Of the Church 7 Of the Sacraments which are administred by evill men 8 Of Baptisme 9 Of the Lords Supper 10 Of Repentance 11 Of Confession 12 Of the use of Sacraments 13 Of Ecclesiasticall order or degrees 14 Of Ecclesiasticall rites 15 Of civill ordinances 16 Of the last iudgement 17 Of free-will 18 Of the cause of sinne 19 Of good works 20 Of Invocation 21 Articles concerning the abuses which are changed in externall rites OF the Masse 1 Of either kinde of the Sacrament 2 Of Confession 3 Of the difference of meats and such like Popish traditions 4 Of the marriage of the Priests 5 Of the vows of Monks 6 Of Ecclesiasticall power 7 The chiefe points of the Confession of Saxonie OF Doctrine 1 Of originall sinne 2 Of the remission of sinnes and of Iustification 3 Of free-will 4 Of new obedience 5 What works are to be done 6 How good works may be done 7 How new obedience doth please God 8 Of rewards 9 Of the difference of sins 10 Of the Church 11 Of the Sacraments 12 Of Baptisme 13 Of the Lords Supper 14 Of the use of the whole Sacrament 15 Of Repentance 16 Of Satisfaction 17 Of Wedlocke 18 Of Confirmation and anointing 19 Of traditions or Ecclesiastical rites 20 Of a Monasticall life 21 Of the invocating of godly men departed out of this life 22 Of the civill Magistrate 23 The chiefe points of the Confession of Wirtemberge OF God and three persons in one Godhead 1 Of the Sonne of God 2 Of the holy Ghost 3 Of sinne 4 Of Iustification 5 Of the law 6 Of good works 7 Of the Gospell of Iesus Christ 8 Of the Sacraments 9 Of Baptisme 10 Of Confirmation 11 Of Repentance 12 Of Contrition 13 Of Confession 14 Of Satisfaction 15 Of Prayer 16 Of Fasting 17 * Of Almes 18 Of the Eucharist that is of the Sacrament of thanksgiving 19 * Of the Masse 20 Of holy orders 21 Of Marriage 22 * Of extreame Vnction 23 Of the invrcating of Saints 24 Of the remembrance of the dead 25 Of Purgatorie 26 * Of Monasticall vows 27 Of Canonicall houres 28 Of Fasting 29 Of the consecrating of water salt wine and other such like things 30 Of the holy Scripture 31 * Of the Pope 32 Of the Church 33 Of Councels 34 Of the Teachers of the Church 35 Of Ecclesiasticall Ceremonies 36 THE CONTENTS OF THE BOOKE FOLLOWING ACCORDING TO THE SECTIONS which are in number nineteene and of how many confessions each Section doth consist THE FIRST SECTION pag. 1. OF the holy Scripture being the true word of God and the interpretation thereof This Section consisteth of ten confessions to wit Of the former and latter confessions of Helvetia of that of Basil or Myllane of Bohemia or the Waldenses the French the English that of Belgia Saxonie Wirtemberge and Sheveland THE SECOND SECTION pag. 19. OF God in essence one in persons three and of his true worship This Section consisteth of 11. confessions to wit Of the former and latter confession of Helvetia that of Basil of Bohemia or the Waldenses the French the English that of Belgia Auspurge Saxonie Wirtemberge
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
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
obedience is most necessary in such things as belong properly to this ministery ordained of God For these sayings do not allot unto Bishops a kingdome without the Gospell Christ gave them certaine commandements and those he will have us obey Againe he forbad that any new found worship should be set up in the Church and such he will not have us yeeld unto There are certaine bonds and limits prefixed within which both the Pastours authority and our obedience must containe it selfe But these limites do those Bishops most malapertly remove who proudly challenge to themselves a triple power whereby they establish most pernicious errours to wit a Princely and supream power of interpreting the Scriptures Secondly a power of erecting new worship and service of God Thirdly a soveraigne power of making new lawes And thus they trans forme the Church into an humane government They imagine forsooth that as the Prince or highest Iudge in a Realme is to interpret the law and as the Prince hath power to make new lawes so the Bishops must have a power in the Church not unlike that And they cannot abide that the Church should be governed by the dumbe writings as they call them of the Prophets and Apostles which because sometime they scarse make the matter plaine enough which they do set down the ambiguity breedeth dissentions and discords Here therefore there must needs be say they a definitive voice of some soveraigne or high Iudge to interpret that which is ambiguous and doubtfully written And except all be tied to stand to their interpretation there will be no end of strife and controversies Againe unlesse they may according as times and occasions require make lawes what a disorder would there follow These things are set out with bigge words and they carry a shew of probability in them because they are in imitation of the civill government And surely such conceits as these have in all ages from the beginning of the world hurt the Church greatly and still will hurt it The godly are therefore to be admonished that they be not overtaken with these subtilties sleights God will have his Church governed by his word which Christ and his Apostles have left unto the Church and he will have this his voice to sound in the Church by the mouthes of his ministers And though it do containe a wisdome that is farre from reasons reach yet the word of the Prophets and Apostles is sure and not doubtfull Therefore Peter saith Ye do well in attending to the word of the Prophets as to a light in the darknes Besides the Church hath the gift of interpretation that is the understanding of the heavenly doctrine but that is not tyed to the name or degree of Bishops and therefore it is no power of interpreting like to the power of a Prince or highest Iudge But those that are learned in the word of God and born again by his spiritin what place soever they be they assent unto the word of God and understand the same some more some lesse Men must therefore judge wisely of those huge Bulwarkes of the peoples power Touching lawes to be made by the Bishops Peter saith in a word Why doe ye tempt God laying a yoke on them c. Out of the Confession of WIRTEMBERGE Of Order IT is evident by the holy Scriptures that all they which are indeed Artic. 20. Christians are consecrated in baptisme by Christ the Son of God to be spirituall priests and that they ought alwaies to offer up to God spirituall sacrifices Neither is it unknowne that Christ in his Church hath instituted ministers who should preach his Gospel and administer the Sacraments Neither is it to be permitted to every one although he be a spirituall priest to usurpe a publike ministerie in the Church without a lawfull calling For Paul saith Let all things be done honestly and decently among you And againe Lay hands suddenly on no man Wherefore we doe not account it an unprofitable thing to prove as it were by certaine steps the faith of them that are to be admitted to the publike ministerie of the Gospel And it seemeth not a little to further concord and unitie to keepe a due order among the Ministers of the Church But the holy Scripture doth not teach us that Christ hath instituted in his Church such priests as should be Mediatours betweene God and men and pacifie the wrath of God towards men by their sacrifices and apply the merit of Christ to the quick and the dead without the preaching of the Gospel and administration of the Sacraments For if we will speake of the great and true Mediatour There is but one Mediatour betweene God and men Jesus Christ the Sonne of God * Looke the 2. Observat upon this confession If we will speake of the Mediatour of praying every godly man is made a Mediatour each for other through Iesus because that their dutie doth require that they should commend one anothers health to God in their prayers the which dutie also then every one doth performe when they say the Lords prayer in faith If we speake of the sacrifices which doe purge our sinnes and appease the wrath of God then is there one onely sacrifice which doth purge us and reconcile God unto us to wit the sacrifice of our Lord Iesus Christ which was once made on the Crosse And as Christ doth die no moe death hath no more Dominion over him so this sacrifice of his shall never be made againe but by his one oblation as it is written in the Epistle to the Hebrews He hath made perfect for ever those that be sanctified If we speake of the remembrance of this one sacrifice and of the applying of the merit thereof then the publike ministers of the Church which doe teach the Gospel publikely and administer the Sacraments according to the institution of Christ doe not onely make a true and right remembrance of this purging sacrifice but doe also apply by their dispensation the merit of this sacrifice to all those that doe receive the Gospel and the Sacraments by faith Therefore we cannot see what use there is of those kinde of men in the Church which are ordained for this purpose that they may have authoritie to sacrifice for the quicke and the dead Paul when as in his Epistles to the Corinthians and Ephesians he rehearseth those offices and ministeries which are necessary to the edifying and preserving of the Church he reckoneth Prophets Apostles Evangelists Pastors Doctors and such like but in this rehearsall he maketh no mention at all of private Priests of which sort the world is now full neither is it like that he would have omitted this kinde of Priests if either Christ had appointed it or if it had been profitable and necessary for the Church And Paul writeth that a Bishop ought to be apt to teach And Jerome teacheth that A Priest and a Bishop are all one Therefore it is evident that
worship of God consist it doth not consist in singlenesse of life in beggarie or in vile apparell The people also doth conceive many pernicious opinions of those false commendations of the Monasticall life They heare that single life is praised above measure therefore they live in marriage with offence of conscience They heare that beggers onely are perfect therefore they keep their possessions and buy and sell with offence of conscience They heare that the Gospel giveth counsell not to revenge therefore some that lead a private life are not afraid to revenge themselves For they heare that it is a counsell not a commandement Others do thinke that all Magistracie and civill offices are unworthy a Christian man We read examples of men who forsaking wedlock and leaving the government of the common wealth have hid themselves in Monasteries That they called to flie out of the world and to seek a kinde of life which is more acceptable to God neither did they see that God is to be served in those commandements which he himselfe hath delivered not in the commandements which are devised by men That is a good and perfect kinde of life which hath the commandement of God for it warrant It is necessary to admonish men of these things And before these times Gerson did reprehend this errour of the perfections of Monks and he witnesseth that in his time this was a new or strange voice that the Monasticall life is a state of perfection Thus many wicked opinions doe cleave fast unto vowes as that they merit remission of sinnes and justification that they are Christian perfection that they do keep the counsels and commandements that they have works of supererogation All these things seeing they be false and vaine do make vowes to be of none effect Out of the Confession of SAXONIE Of Wedlocke THe truth concerning Wedlock did at all times remain sincere Artic. 18. in the Church onely For the Church doth know that God doth most severely forbid wandring lusts amongst mankind and that he would have chastitie so to be understood and performed as he himselfe hath ordained it that we also may know that he is a pure and a chaste minde and may discerne him from devils who through the hatred they beare to God are delighted with the confusions of lusts and doe drive forward this weake nature of man that it may be horribly defiled Wherefore both the Heathen did every where admit certain foule examples and Heretikes at all times have spread abroad monstrous opinions touching wedlock as Clemens Alexandrinus and Epiphanius doe declare And the Turkish manner and the lawes of the Pope concerning single life have caused a great deformitie in this last old age of the world But Paul doth affirme that it is a signe of evill Spirits to forbid marriage Wherefore we do very carefully keep the sincere doctrine of God touching marriage and by the mercy of God our civill Magistrates have appointed and doe defend judgements for Marriage matters in their government and they do severely punish those wicked deeds which are contrary to the law of God and know that by the commandement of God they are injoyned to have a care to defend chastitie and wedlocke And we detaine this true definition agreeing with the commandements of God and the custome of the Apostolique Church Marriage is a lawfull and indissoluble conjunction onely of one man and of one woman to be kept because of the commandement of God who by this meane will have mankinde associated chastitie to be understood and lusts not to wander God in the beginning did consecrate this order saying thus They shall be two in one flesh to wit one man and one onely woman inseparably joyned together And againe this first law was established of Christ Matth. 19. Now that this coupling together may be lawfull we doe immutably observe the differences of persons that we may not make a mixture of those persons who by the law of God are not permitted to couple together * Looke the 1. Observation upon this confession Also we keepe the rules of the Canon law touching other neerer degrees as there be ordinances to be seene delivered with grave and wise deliberation in our Consistories Moreover we know it is the will of God that marriage should not be forbidden to any persons that be fit thereunto and which without marriage could not live without danger of their conscience as it is written Gen. 2. Matth. 19. 1 Cor. 7. Therefore we give leave to Priests and other persons to marrie which had rather live godly in marriage then in a single life to have wounded consciences so that they may not invocate God and live holily In affiances even according to the ancient lawes we will have the consent of Parents also seeing that Parents are moved with a probable reason Touching divorcements this rule is most firmely held that they doe sinne who either by adulterie or by forsaking be the first cause of distraction and adulterers and adulteresses and he and she that doth forsake the other are condemned by the voyce of them that preach in our Churches and of the Iudges in our Consistories and they be severely punished of our Magistrates But the innocent person when as the matter being well known he is set free is not forbid to marrie that he may invocate God and live holily For seeing that the Lord doth expressely set at libertie the innocent person Mat. 19. when as the other partie is polluted with adulterie we must understand a setting at libertie not in name onely but in deed And Paul speaketh after the same manner in the case of forsaking This our custome doth also agree with the most ancient Church The other lawes which we have in our Consistories * Looke the 2. Observat doe agree with the Canon law and we doe truely propound unto the people the whole doctrine touching marriage and chastitie We affirme that all commixtions and spilling of the seed without marriage are sinnes condemned of God * Looke the 3. observation as mortall sinnes and such as drive out of men the holy Ghost and that many grievous punishments are spread throughout mankinde by reason of lusts as it is written Fornicatours and adulterers God will iudge And there is a threatning of these punishments set down Levit. 18. Now we count that to be chastitie both to keep puritie in a single life and also to have the laws of wedlock observed and we affirme wedlock as we did before describe it to be a societie instituted and consecrated of God and that this verie society and the duties of a life in wedlock do please God And we condemne all those fanaticall spirits Basilides Tatianus Carpocrates and such like whereof some by one meanes and some by another did either condemne wedlock or did approve filthy confusions Also we condemne that Popish law which forbiddeth Priests to marry and giveth occasion of destruction to a great multitude of
men Therefore he hath armed the Magistrates with the sword that they may punish the wicked and defend the good Moreover it is their dutie not onely to be carefull to preserve the civill government but also to endeavour that the ministerie may be preserved that all Idolatry and counterfeit worship of God may be cleane abolished that the kingdome of Antichrist may be overthrowne and that the kingdome of Christ may be enlarged To conclude it is their dutie to bring to passe that the holy word of the Gospell may be preached every where that all men may serve and worship God purely and freely according to the prescript rule of his word Moreover all men of what dignitie condition or state soever they be ought to be subject to their lawfull Magistrates and pay unto them subsidies and tributes and obey them in all things which are not repugnant to the word of God Also they must poure out their prayers for them that God would vouchsafe to direct them in all their actions and that we may leade a peaceable and quiet life under them with all godlinesse and honesty Wherfore wee condemne the Anabaptists and all those troublesone spirits which doe reject higher powers and Magistrates overthrow all laws and judgements make all goods common and to conclude doe abolish and confound all those orders and degrees which God hath appointed among men for honesties sake Out of the Confession of AUSPURGE COncerning civill affaires they teach that such civill ordinances Artic. 16. as be lawfull are the good works and ordinances of God As Paul witnesseth The powers which are be ordained of God They teach therefore that it is lawfull for Christians to beare offices to sit in judgement and to determine of matters by the Princes laws or by the laws of the Common-wealth to appoint punishments according to law to make lawfull warres to goe to warre to deale in bargains and contracts by laws to hold his own to take an oath at the request of the Magistrates to contract lawfull marriage and to follow such crafts and sciences as are approved by law They condemne the Anabaptists which forbid Christians these civill offices They likewise condemne them which have placed perfection under the Gospell in the renouncing of civill offices whereas it is spirituall that is it consisteth in the motions of the heart in the feare faith love and obedience of God For the Gospel speaketh of a certaine eternall righteousnesse of the heart yet doth it not take away civill or domesticall government but requireth most of all to have them preserved in this bodily life as the ordinances of God and that we should exercise love and charitie in such ordinances Wherefore Christians must of necessitie obey the Magistrates laws that now are save onely where they command and set forth any sinne For in such case they must obey God rather then men Act. 4. These things are thus found in another Edition COncerning civill things they teach that such civill ordinances Artic. 16. as are lawfull are the good works of God that Christians may lawfully beare office sit in judgements determine matters by the Princes or countrey laws lawfully appoint punishments lawfully make warre be souldiers make bargains and contracts by law hold their owne take an oath when the Magistrates require it marry a wife or be given in marriage They condemne the Anabaptists which forbid Christians to meddle with civill offices as also those that place the perfection of the Gospell not in the feare of God and faith but in forsaking civill offices For the Gospel teacheth an everlasting righteousnesse of the heart In the meane time it doth not disallow order and government of Common-wealths or families but requireth especially the preservation and maintenance thereof as of Gods own ordinance and that in such ordinances we should exercise love and charitie Christians therefore must in any wise obey their Magistrates and laws save onely then when they command any sinne For then they must rather obey God then men We condemne the Anabaptists which doe spread Iewish opinions afresh They imagine that the godly before the resurrection shall possesse the kingdomes of the world and the wicked and ungodly in all places be destroyed and brought under For we are sure that seeing the godly must obey the Magistrates that be over them they must not wring their rule and authoritie out of their hands nor overthrow governments by sedition forasmuch as Paul willeth every soule to be subject to the Magistrates We know also that the Church in this life is subject to the crosse and that it shall not be glorified till after this life as Saint Paul saith We must be made like to the image of the Sonne of God And therefore we do condemne and detest the folly and devillish madnesse of the Anabaptists The Conclusion THese are the principall articles that seeme to have any doubt or controversie in them For though we might have spoken of many more abuses yet to avoid tediousnesse we have onely set downe the chiefest by which it is easie to judge of the rest There have been great complaints of Indulgences and Pilgrimages and of the abuse of excommunication Parishes have been divers wayes molested by Catchpoles there have been many brawles and bickerings betweene Parish Priests and Monks about this who had greater right to the Parish and about commissions burials and extraordinary Sermons and other such innumerable things such like matters we have permitted that such as are the principal in this cause being shortly set down might the better be understood Neither have we here spoken or written any thing to any mans reproach Onely we have rehearsed such things as seemed necessary to be spoken to the end that it might be seene that nothing is received among us in doctrine or ceremonies contrary to the Scripture or the Catholike Church For it is evident that we have most diligently taken heed that no new or wicked opinions should creepe into the Church These articles above written we thought good to exhibit according to the Emperours his highnesse Edict wherein our confession might be extant and the summe of that doctrine which our Teachers do deliver among us might be seene and knowne If any thing be wanting in this confession we are ready if God permit to yeeld a more full information thereof according to the Scriptures Another Edition hath it thus VVE have set downe the summe of the doctrine of the Gospell that is needfull for the Churches And we are out of doubt that this our judgement in these points is in deed the doctrine set forth in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and whereunto the universall Church of Christ doth agree and consent and whereto the best learned Writers of the Church doe give testimonie in many places And we offer our selves to make a more large and ample explication of these things when need shall require Now we beseech God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ
upon the Confession of Auspurge Vpon the same That every Christian so often as he needeth these keyes c. ought Observ 8. page 252. to require them This is to be interpreted by those things which we spake of private absolution in the eighth Section in the 1. Observation upon this Confession and the first upon the Confession of Saxonie Vpon the same That the Priests ought not Whom they meane by the name Observ 9. page 252. of Priests it hath beene already shewed before in the 2. Observation upon the former Confession of Helvetia and shall straight after be repeated in the 3. Observation upon the English Confession in which signification it is henceforward to be taken in all the Confessions Vpon the English Confession ANd is Lucifer It is grown to a custome to call Satan Lucifer Observ 1. pag. 255. the prince of Devils upon a place of Esay misunderstood of some of the ancient Fathers Vpon the same By open excommunication There is also a certaine kinde of excommunication Observ 2. page 256. which is not publique or open and is used onely for a triall of repentance Againe this is so to be taken that as we have oft before admonished all and singular Churches may keep their holy libertie both in ordaining and putting in practise this manner of discipline So that there be good heed taken that the flock be not infected with a contagion of obstinacie and that the sacred mysteries be not cast to dogs and swine Vpon the same Vnto the unbeleeving a savour of death This must be understood Obser 3. pag. 256. to be the accidentall and not the proper end of the Ministerie of the Gospel arising not of the Gospel it selfe but of the contempt of the Gospel But this application of the similitude of the keies for the opening of all mens consciences which this Confession doth often use seemeth to be somewhat far from the meaning of Christ Vpon the same That the Priest in deed Touching the name of Priests looke Obser 4. pag. 256. the 2. Observation upon the former confession of Helvetia Againe it must be understood that when the question is of Ecclesiasticall Censures the lawfull intelligence of the Seigniorie must goe before the Priests judging That which is said touching power or authoritie must be understood of civill power which Ecclesiasticall functions have not at all or else of the authoritie of making lawes to mens consciences which resteth wholly in Christ the onely law-giver according to whose prescript and appointment his Ministers ought to judge and determine in the Churches Vpon the same Yea and the Bishop of Rome and a little after except he goe to Obser 5. pag. 257. worke By Bishop understand not him that now sitting Pope at Rome is called of other and tearmeth himselfe universall Bishop but such a Paster as being lawfully called in the Church of Rome if there were any true Church to be found did with his fellow laborers discharge a Christian ministerie Vpon the Confession of Auspurge NO more then doth the skill of musicke namely because it hath Obser â— pag. 259. a divers scope not that there is no more affinitie or agreement between the Ecclesiasticall ministery and the civill government then between a Musician and a Magistrate when as they do both tend directly unto the selfe same onely though by means distinct and diverse one from the other and also both the Ministers in matters civill be subject to the magistrate and the magistrate in matters belonging to conscience is subject to the Ecclesiasticall ministerie and one doth leane and stay it selfe upon the other and one aide and succour the other Vpon the same The Magistrate is to defend not the minde but the bodies This Obser 1. pag. 259. also is to be understood as that notwithstanding this the Magistrate is the keeper and defender of both tables of this law Vpon the same If so be the Bishops have c. This doe we also acknowledge Obser 3. pag. 260. to be most true but we say that it was neither lawfull for the Princes to derive this power unto Bishops nor for the Bishops to take it when it was offered because the Lord hath so distinguished these two as he hath also severed them the one from the other And the Apostle doth expresly forbid Ministers to intangle themselves in the things of this life yea and the Apostles themselves did cast off even the care of the almes from themselves unto the Deacons that they might attend upon the word and prayers Vpon the same To debarre the wicked c. To wit by the judgement and Obser 4. pag. 260. verdict of the Presbyterie lawfully gathered together and not by the will and determination of any one man as was noted before in the third Observation upon the English Confession Vpon the same The Churches must performe unto them To wit to the Ministers Obser 5. pag. 260. of the word and to the Elders and not to such alone as now by the law of man carry the name of Bishops as proper and peculiar to themselves alone which is common to all Pastors equally as Hierome can testifie Vpon the same If so be they have any other power c. they have it by mans law Observat 6. pag 260. It seemeth the band of marriage should be excepted the knowledge whereof by Gods law belongeth to the Pastors and namely in this respect that it cannot be judged firme and sure or voyd and frustrate but by the word of God according to that That which God hath coupled let no man put asunder touching which point looke the 1. Observation upon the former Confession of Helvetia and the 2. upon the Confession of Wirtemberge in the 18. Section Vpon the same Christ Though Christ would also be the Minister of the circumcision Observat 7. pag 262. yet we would not have him ranged in the same order with others whether they be Prophets or Apostles Vpon the Confession of Wirtemberge IF we speake of the Mediatour of praying Look the 2. Observation Obser 1. pag. 265. upon the Confession of Saxonie in the 1. Section Vpon the same That except a Priest be ordained To wit when question is of Obser 2. pag. 266. such Elders or Priests as did attend upon the preaching of the word For there was also another sort of Elders whom the Apostle calleth governours 1 Cor. 12. IN THE TWELFTH SECTION Vpon the latter Confession of Helvetia THe thing signified is regeneration That is the blood of Christ Observat 1. pag. 273. by vertue whereof we are regenerated and washed from our sinnes For to speake properly the thing signified by water is the blood and by sprinkling the washing from sinnes and regeneration is signified Vpon the former Confession of Helvetia THe thing it selfe is regeneration Look the Observation that Obser 1. pag. 275. Obser 2. pag. 275. went next before upon the
Observat upon this confession Artic. 6. Lucifer which preferreth himselfe before his Brethren that he hath forsaken the faith and is the forerunner of Antichrist Further we say that the Minister ought lawfully duely and orderly to be preferred to that office of the Church of God and that no man hath power to wrest himselfe into the holy Ministerie at his owne pleasure Wherefore these persons doe us the greater wrong which have nothing so common in their mouthes as that we doe nothing orderly and comely but all things troublesomely and without order And that we allow every man to be a Priest to be a Teacher and to be an Interpreter of the Scriptures Moreover we say that Christ hath given to his Ministers power Artic. 7. to binde to loose to open to shut And we say that the office of loosing consisteth in this point that the Minister either by the preaching of the Gospell offereth the merits of Christ and full pardon to such as have lowly and contrite hearts and doe unfainedly repent themselves pronouncing unto the same a sure and an undoubted forgivenesse of their sins and hope of everlasting salvation Or else that the same Minister when any have offended their brothers mindes with some great offence or notable and open crime whereby they have as it were banished and made themselves strangers from the common followship and from the body of Christ then after perfit amendment of such persons doth reconcile them and bring them home againe and restore them to the companie and unitie of the faithfull We say also that the Minister doth execute the authoritie of binding and shutting as often as he shutteth up the gate of the kingdome of heaven against unbeleeving and stubborne persons denouncing unto them Gods vengeance and everlasting punishment Or else when he doth quite shut them out from the bosome of the Church * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession by open excommunication Out of doubt what sentence soever the Minister of God shall give in this sort God himselfe doth so well allow it that whatsoever here in earth by their means is loosed and bound God himselfe will loose and binde and confirme the same in heaven And touching the Keyes wherewith they may either shut or open the kingdome of heaven we with Chrysostome say They be the knowledge of the Scriptures with Tertullian we say They be the interpretation of the Law and with Eusebius we call them the word of God Moreover that Christs Disciples did receive this authoritie not that they should heare the private confessions of the people and listen to their whisperings as the common massing Priests doe every where now a dayes and doe it so as though in that one point lay all the vertue and use of the Keyes but to the end they should goe they should teach they should publish abroad the Gospell and be unto the beleeving a sweet savour of life unto life and unto the unbeleeving and unfaithfull * Looke the 2. observation upon this confession a savour of death unto death and that the mindes of godly persons being broght low by the remorse of their former life and errours after they once begun to looke up unto the light of the Gospel and beleeve in Christ might be opened with the word of God even as a doore is opened with a Key Contrariwise that the wicked and wilfull and such as would not beleeve nor returne into the right way should be left still as fast locked and shut up and as Saint Paul saith waxe worse 2 Tim. 3. and worse This take we to be the meaning of the Keys and that after this sort mens consciences be either opened or shut We say that the Priest in deed is a judge in this case But yet hath no manner of right to challenge an authoritie or power as Ambrose * Looke the 3. Observavation saith And therefore our Saviour Iesus Christ to reproove the negligence of the Scribes and Pharisees in teaching did with these words rebuke them saying Woe be unto you Scribes and Luk. 11. Matth. 21. Pharisees which have taken away the Keyes of knowledge and have shut up the kingdome of heaven before men Seeing then the Key whereby the way and entry to the kingdome of God is opened unto us is the word of the Gospel and the expounding of the Law and Scriptures we say plainly where the same word is not there is not the Key And seeing one manner of word is given Matth. 16. to all and one onely key belongeth to all we say there is but one onely power of all Ministers as concerning opening and shutting And as * Looke the 4. Observat upon this confession touching the Bishop of Rome for all that his flattering Parasites sing these words in his eares To thee will I give the keyes of the kingdome of heaven as though these keyes were sit for him alone and for no body else * Looke the 4. Observat upon this confession except he goe so to worke as mens consciences may be made pliant and be subdued to the word of God we deny that he doth either open or shut or hath the keyes at all And although he taught and instructed the people as would God he might ofice truely doe and perswade himselfe it were at the least any piece of his dutie yet we thinke his key to be never a whit better or of greater force then other mens For who hath severed him from the rest Who hath taught him more cunningly to open or better to absolve then his brethren Out of the Confession of BELGIA VVE beleeve that this Church ought to be ruled and governed Artic. 30. by that spirituall regiment which God himselfe hath delivered in his word so that there be placed in it Pastours and Ministers purely to preach and rightly to administer the holy Sacraments that there be also in it Seniours and Deacons of whom the Senate of Church might consist that by these means true Religion might be preserved and sincere doctrine in every place place retained and spread abroad that vicious and wicked men might after a spirituall manner be rebuked amended and as it were by the bridle of discipline kept within their compasse that the poore is like manner and those that be afflicted may be releeved either with aide or comfort according to the severall necessitie of every one For then shall all things in the Church be done in due and convenient order when faithfull and godly men are chosen to have the government of the same even as St. Paul hath prescribed in the first to Timothie the 3. and the first to Titus We beleeve that the Ministers Senours and Deacons ought Artic. 31. to be called to those their functions and by the lawfull election of the Church to be advanced into those roomes earnest prayer being made unto God and after the order and manner which is set downe unto us
Tithes c. They hold it by mans law and that in such places where the ordinary judges failing the Princes are constrained will they nill they to minister justice to their subjects for maintaining of peace And a few lines after So oft as we handle this place by and by our Adversaries cry out that the Bishops authoritie being overthrowne there followeth disorder that the peoples behaviour cannot be ordered that the common sort waxe lusty and unbridled and in a word there followeth a hellish life such a one as is painted out by Euripides in this verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They complaine also that when as some laws are abrogated the common people taketh it as a patterne how to deale with all the rest And so shaking off the bonds and reines of discipline and order they take an excessive libertie to themselves which breedeth infinite offences breaches betweene Princes scattering of Churches tumults warres and desolations To conclude they tell us here what an enemie to mankinde want of government is and how many vices and calamities arising out of this fountaine doe overflow the whole life of man They advise therefore for the avoiding of these so great evils to establish the authoritie of Bishops to retaine still the laws that have been in use before and also to beare with the inconveniences if there be any in them in respect of the common weaknesse of men and for quietnesse sake to dissemble them especially seeing there can no state or order be appointed which is without all manner of faults Here also they bring in that old saying That an evill well couched is not to be stirred They rehearse many examples how great overthrows followed upon the remooving of laws and the change of the forme of government in the Cities of Athens Sparta Rome and divers others At Rome how oft did the dissentions of the Consuls and the Tribunes stirre up great civill warres Though these Senatour like declamations be very plausible and incense the mindes of many against us yet they may be confuted by most true and substantiall arguments First therefore we desire that these our Accusers would turne over the Historie of the Church from time to time and that they would not thinke that those notable men the Prophets and Apostles were withit common sense and reason and so hard hearted that they caned not for the peace and quiet of their country or so barbarous and cruell that they made no great accompt of the discipline lawes and good order of the kingdome For those most wise vertuous and grave men Esay Ionas Ieremy Iohn Baptist * Look the 7. Observation Christ Peter Iames and Paul Did both know what a great good civill concord is and loved their country and country-men and also were greeved to behold the discords and renting a sunder of those notable common-wealthes How often did Christ weep when he spake of the discords and Tumults of his nation and the sacking of the City Albeit therefore the Prophets and Apostles did very well know and greatly like of those civill duties Yet were they constrained by the commandement of God to warre against the divels kingdome to preach heavenly doctrine to collect a Church unto God and to imploy their service to the eternall salvation of a great number of men These are the first lawes that ever were given and are to be preferred before all other Thou shalt have no other Gods Thou shalt not take the name of God in vaine And this concerning the sonne This is my beloved sonne heare him These lawes must needs be obeyed The true doctrine of God and his true worship must needs be embraced and received and all errors that tend to the dishonour of God must be abhorred and forsaken though all the world should breake and fall downe No humane thing must be preferred before Gods commandement not our life not our friends not the concord and agrement of neighbours and countrymen Moses a very wise man no doubt a politick man layeth upon the tribe of Levi the charg of teaching and knowing what great conflicts and dangers teachers shall meete withall he forewarneth them of that which he tooke to be most difficult of all other And chargeth them that the defence of true doctrine be most deare unto them for so he saith Deut. 33. These shall keepe thy word and shall forget their Parents children and brethren And hereof we have experience that it is no small burden that is laid upon the teachers of the word Our men are cruelly dealt with in many places We are sore oppressed and the discord in our country bringeth no small griefe unto us But as was said before the commandement of God concerning the embracing of the true doctrine of God and renouncing of errours must be preferred before these great inconveniences We are not ignorant what wise men have written of changing and altering lawes We remember well the saying of Plato that as the manners of doting parents so the customes and fashions of our country though none of the wisest are to be borne with all But these precepts have their bounds and limits within which they must be restrained Bondage without impiety may be borne but Idolatry is not to be borne with nor the light of the Gospell to be extinguished Againe why do our adversaries declaime of such a moderation unto us when as they in the meane while murder the Citizens and members of Christ They might easily establish peace and maintaine the author of good order if they would abolish superstition and unjust lawes But now they contend not for the safety of the Church but for their owne profits and pleasures They would not have the Idolatry of the Masse nor praying to the dead spoken against because they cannot abide that their gaine should decrease They forbid wandring lusts because the unmarried state is best for the keeping of their goods These things are in all mens eyes Therefore let them leave of their Senator like invectives wherein to use the old Poets words under a faire colour they seeke to establish shamelesse facts Hereto I adjoyne also the other part of our defence both true and unfeigned We doe not shake of government to bring in disorder We teach that the ministery of the Gospel is most highly to be reverenced and obeyed in those things which according to the gospel do properly belong to the ministery thereof And he is a wicked and an accursed wretch that doth not with reverence entertaine as most beautifull the feet of such as bring tiding of peace And as for the civill power which beareth the sword it hath been highly commended and approved in our writings Wherefore it is a vile slaunder that they object against us that we be enemies of government Hitherto also belongeth the ss in the end of this 7. Article THey alleadge against us also other sayings which command obedience Obey those that are set over you How oft must we answer that
weightie speech both of the rites of Moses and of the ceremonies appointed by the authoritie of man For Paul speaketh namely of both kindes denying them to be the righteousnesse of a Christian and forbidding to burden the consciences with such traditions If ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though ye lived in the world are ye burdened with traditions Touch not taste not handle not Matt. 15. All that entereth into the mouth defileth not the man And in that place Christ excuseth his Disciples that had broken a tradition that was in use among them and he addeth a notable saying They worship me in vaine with the commandements of men He denieth mans precepts to be true duties availeable unto righteousnesse before God Wherefore they are not the righteousnesse of a Christian nor yet necessarie duties Yet for all that it is apparant how wonderfully the services invented by man have multiplied and increased in the Church unto this day The Monks did daily heape up ceremonies both with new superstitions and also with new waies to bring in money And these trifles were thought to be the chiefest worship of God and the greatest godlinesse whereas Christ doth by a most grave and weightie Oracle forbid that such ceremonies should be accounted for services of God For he doth not forbid the appointing of traditions unto a civill end and use that is for good orders sake but he denieth that any such be any worship of God in saying In vaine doe they worship me And he teacheth that true worships be workes commanded of God as feare faith love patience chastitie walking in ones calling doing of ones dutie c. Acts 15. Peter saith Why doe ye tempt God laying a yoke on the Disciples necke which neither we nor our Fathers were able to beare but by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we beleeve to be saved as doe also they Here Peter sheweth that remission of sinnes and salvation cometh to us by Christ and not by the rites of Moses or the law and doth also give us to understand that such doe grievously sinne which doe burden mens consciences with such ordinances For it is no slight reproofe when he saith Why tempt ye God And 1 Tim. 4. He termeth the forbidding of of meats mariages and such like traditions doctrines of Devils But why doth he use such a sharpe speech His meaning was not that there should be no ordinances at all or that no differences of places and times should be observed but then he accounteth them to be doctrines of Devils when as the benefit of Christ is attributed unto them when they are reputed for righteousnesse and for necessarie services of God when an opinion of necessitie is fastened to them and mens consciences are racked and faith made of no force by them These discommodities Christ and his Apostles would have to be diligently avoided and for that cause they cry out so often and so earnestly against traditions And it is a wonder that the patrons of such superstitious opinions about traditions are no whit moved with such thundering speeches Now as for us we teach that those traditions are not to bee condemned which command nothing against the laws of God and have a civill use and end namely such as are ordained to this end that things might be done orderly in the Church Of which sort are the traditions about holy dayes the Lords day the Nativitie Passeover and the rest also about the holy readings and lessons and such like Now all rites of this kinde we retaine very willingly in our Churches And yet the Church is taught to know what to thinke of such customes to wit that they doe not merit remission of sinnes that they are not the righteousnesse of a Christian nor necessary duties unto Christian righteousnesse but indifferent things which a man may omit where there is no danger of giving offence This qualifying of traditions doth set free the consciences from superstitious opinions and from that old torture and racking And yet it bringeth great commendation to traditions because it sheweth the true use of them All modest men will more willingly obey the traditions after they understand that their consciences are set free from danger in private and that they must so far obey as that the common peace be not disturbed nor the weake ones hurt Againe this interpretation doth defend and preserve publique good manners and discipline because it commandeth to avoid offences Also to observe publike holy dayes the meetings in the Churches readings c. doe serve for examples and to accustome the youth and the common sort thereto Therefore such ordinances are not to be broken but rather with common care and travell to be furthered These be the true and meet commendations of traditions which no doubt doe greatly stirre up such as are godly and staied to love defend and adorne the publike orders The Gospel teacheth to thinke reverently not onely of other civill laws and orders but also of Ecclesiasticall and seeketh the true use of them Yet notwithstanding it appointeth degrees and will have the doctrine touching Christ and things that are heavenly and everlasting discerned from the schooling or Pedagogie of the Church This libertie whereof we speake now was not unknowne to the Fathers For Augustine saith This whole kinde of things hath free observations and to this purpose he discourseth at large Irenaeus saith The disagreement in fasting doth not break off the agreement in faith The Tripartite history gathereth together many examples of rites disagreeing one from the other and in the end addeth a notable saying It was not the Apostles mind to prescribe any thing touching holy dayes but to preach godlinesse and a good conversation But in so manifest a matter it is needles to heape up many testimonies But our adversaries doe here make great outcries That by this doctrine publike discipline and order is overthrowne and disorder and anarchie brought in Likewise that good workes and mortification of the flesh are abolished according to Jovinians surmise These slanders we have partly refuted already there is no confusion or anarchie brought in nor the publique discipline overthrowne when as we teach that traditions which have a civill end and use ought to be observed And we teach also that offences must be foreseene and avoided But touching mortification we answer thus True and unfeigned mortification is to beare the crosse to indure dangers troubles and afflictions This kind of obedience is the worship of God and a spirituall worke as the Psalme teacheth A sacrifice to God is a troubled spirit c. We teach moreover that another kinde of exercise is necessarie It is the dutie of every Christian to bridle his flesh even by bodily discipline labours temperancie meditation of heavenly things and such other exercises fit for his age The neerest and proper end whereof must be this that fulnesse and idlenesse doe not pricke him forward to sinne 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
for mens traditions but such as are condemned in Scripture but such as are contrary to the law of God such as binde the Conscience about meat drink and times and other outward things such as forbid marriage to them who have need thereof to live honestly and the rest of that stamp For such as agree with the Scripture and were ordained for good manners and the profit of men although they be not word for word expressed in the Scriptures neverthelesse in that they proceede from the commandement of love which ordereth all things most decently they are worthily to be accounted rather of God then of man Of this sort were those set downe by Paul that women should not pray in the Church bare-headed 1 Cor 14. 1 Cor. 14. nor men with their heads covered that they who are to communicate together should tarry one for another that no man should speake with tongues in the congregation without an Interpreter that the Prophets without confusion should deliver their Prophecies to be judged by them that sit by Many such the Church at this day for good cause observeth and upon occasion also maketh new which who so refuseth he despiseth the authoritie not of men but of God whose tradition it is whatsoever is profitable For whatsoever truth is said or written by his gift it is spoken and written who is truth as Saint Augustine hath godly written But oftentimes there is disputing about that what tradition is profitable what not that is what set forward godlinesse what doth hinder it But he that shall seek nothing of his owne but shall wholly dedicate himselfe to the publike profit he shall easily see what things are agreeable to the law of God what are not Furthermore seeing the estate of Christians is such that they are also helped by injuries the Christian will not refuse to obey no not unjust lawes so they have no wicked thing in them according to the saying of Christ If any man compell thee to goe with him one mile go with him two Even so servile the Christian ought to become all unto all that he may studie to do and suffer all things so that they be not contrary to the commandements of God to pleasure and profit men withall Hence it cometh to passe that every man so much the more willingly obeyeth the civill lawes which are not repugnant to religion the more fully he is indued with the faith of Christ THE EIGHTEENTH SECTION OF WEDLOCK SINGLE LIFE AND MONASTICALL VOWES The latter Confession of HELVETIA Of Single life Wedlocke and Houshold government CHAP. 29. SVch as have the gift of chastitie given unto them from above so as they can with the heart or whole minde be pure and continent and not be grievously burned with lust let them serve the Lord in that calling as long as they shall feele themselves indued with that heavenly gift and let them not lift up themselves above others but let them serve the Lord daily in simplicitie and humilitie For such are more apt for doing of heavenly things then they which are distracted with private affaires of their family but if againe the gift be taken away and they feele a continuall burning let them call to minde the words of the Apostle It is better to marry then to burne 1 Cor. 7. For wedlock which is the medicine of incontinencie and continencie it selfe was ordained by the Lord God himselfe who blessed it most bountifully and willeth man and woman to cleave Mat. 13. one to the other inseparably and to live together in great love and concord Whereupon we know the Apostle said Marriage Heb. 13. 1 Cor. 7. is honourable among all and the bed undefiled And againe If a Virgin marry she sinneth not We therefore condemne Poligamie and those which condemn second marriages We teach that marriages ought to be made lawfully in the feare of the Lord and not against the lawes which forbid certaine degrees to joyn in matrimony lest the marriages should be incestuous Let marriages be made with consent of the parents or such as be instead of parents and for that end especially for the which the Lord ordained marriages and let them be confirmed publikely in the Church with prayer and blessing of them Moreover let them be kept holy with peace faithfulnesse dutifulnes love also puritie of the persons coupled together Therefore let them take heed of brawlings debates lusts and adulteries Let lawfull judgements and holy Iudges be established in the Church which may maintaine marriages and may represse all dishonestie and shamefulnesse and before whom the controversies in matrimonie may be decided and ended Let children also be brought up of the Parents in the feare of the Lord and let Parents provide for their children remembring the saying of the Apostle He that provideth not for his owne hath 1 Tim. 5. denied the faith and is worse then an infidell But specially let them teach their children honest sciences whereby they may maintaine themselves let them withdraw them from idlenesse and plant in them a true confidence in God in all these things lest they through distrust or overmuch carelesse securitie or filthy covetousnesse waxe loose and in the end come to no good Now it is most certaine that those workes which parents doe in a true faith by the duties of marriage and government of their families are before God holy and good workes indeed and doe please God no lesse then prayers fastings and almes deeds For so the Apostle hath taught in his Epistles especially in those to Timothy and Titus And with the same Apostle we account the doctrine of such as forbid marriage or doe openly dispraise or secretly discredit it as not holy or cleane amongst the doctrines of Devils And we doe detest unclean single life licentious lusts and fornications both open and close and the continencie of dissembling hypocrites when as they are of all men most incontinent All that be such God will judge We doe not disallow riches and rich men if they be godly and use their riches well but we reprove the sect of the Apostoliques c. Out of the former Confession of HELVETIA Of holy Wedlocke VVE thinke that wedlock being appointed of God for all Artic. 37. men that be fit for it and are not called to some other thing is nothing repugnant to the holinesse of any degree The which as the Church doth consecrate and establish with a solemne exhortation and prayer so it is the dutie of the Magistrate to see that it be worthily kept and maintained * Looke the 1. Observation upon this confession and that it be not dissolved but upon just cause Therefore we doe farre reject this Monasticall single life and this whole slothfull kinde of life of superstitious men which is nothing else but an abominable devise as being as much repugnant to the Church as to the common wealth Out of the Confession of BOHEMIA Hitherto pertaineth
that the farre greater part doth there rather seeke kitchins well furnished then for poverty and hunger Now we must also consider of this let eloquent men excuse and praise the Monasticall life as they list yet alwaies this opinion is confirmed in men that are not prophane by this example that such works chosen by mans devise are the worship of God that is such works whereby God doth count himselfe to be honoured This opinion is to be reproved and to be pulled out of the minds of men and men are to be drawn back to the commandements of God according to this saying Mat. 15. In vain do they worship me with the commandements of men Also Walke not after the commandements of your fathers but walke ye in my commandements This is a true and notable reprehension of the Monasticall life Now if they doe faine hereunto merits and perfections the Gospel of Christ touching the righteousnesse of faith and true worship is the more obscured because it is a foule and horrible lie that monasticall observations should merit remission of sinnes or be of so great value as is Baptisme as Thomas doth expressely say Neither was antiquitie ignorant of this reprehension There is a narration extant whether it be true or written onely for doctrines sake yet doth it shew forth the judgements of godly men They write that when Antonie desired to know how much he had profited before God in those externall exercises there was shewed unto him a Coblers house at Alexandria being next doore to him He therefore going in speaketh to the good man of the house questioneth with him concerning doctrine and exercises of godlinesse The Cobler answereth sincerely touching doctrine Afterward he saith that in the morning in a short prayer he giveth thanks to God both for other benefits and that he sent his Sonne then that he doth aske remission of his sins for the Sones sake and pray that God would preserve the Church and his family also that he prayeth to the Sonne to make intercession for us and that hee doth rest in this faith and doth his domesticall affaires ioyfully and provide that his children may be well taught And usest thou no other streighter exercise saith Antonie why saith he doth he labour alittle trow you that provideth how his family shall be maintained and many things doe oftentimes happen which doe suâ—ely vexe him that governeth a house beside other burdens which he hath common with the Citizens Doest thou not see how many private and publike miseries there be in this life and to beare these well and in them to exercise faith and patience doest thou not think it a warfare hard enough Antonie went his way and understood that he was admonished not to preferre his owne exercises before the duties of this common life These and other like narrations are read which although they bee so written for doctrines sake yet they do declare the judgements of learned men Neither is it now needfull to adde a longer discourse especially seeing that no man is ignorant how that in those places where Monks be there is much wicked superstition in Monasteries and that the studies of doctrine are either none at all or very corrupt To deliberate of the meanes how to amend these things we leave it to them that are in authoritie Out of the Confession of WIRTEMBERGE Of Wedlocke CHAP. 21. VVE confesse that Wedlock is a kind of life instituted and approved of God and that it is * Looke the 1. observation a mystery that is as commonly it useth to be expounded a great Sacrament in Christ and his Church as Paul saith And because Christ doth evidently affirme that wedlock doth pertaine to this present life and the administration of the things of this life doe consist of publique laws being made upon right and probable reason therefore we teach that it is lawfull to marry in these degrees of consanguinitie and affinity which * Looke the 2. observation the politique lawes which are the ordinances of God do permit Also we teach that those which be young ought not to marry without the authority of their parents and that the marriage which is contracted by a rash and unlawfull consent of young parties without the authority of them in whose power they are is not to be counted as ratified For although there be certain cases wherein it is lawfull to marry without the consent of parents yet it seemeth not good to make a generall rule thereof as though every consent of young parties should ratifie the contract of marriage and as though privie marriages were to be approved For not onely the commandement of God doth require that children should honour their Parents but also naturall reason doth command that the consent of parents should be requested in making a marriage hitherto also are children called by the politique lawes And there is a decree of Pope Euarastus extant the words whereof be these Marriage as we have heard of our fathers and have found it delivered unto us of the Apostles and their successours is not otherwise made lawfull but when a wise is sought for at their hands and affianced by the neerest Parents who seeme to have authoritie over the maid or woman and in whose custodie she is Moreover we doe not doubt but that they which are in deed lovers of honesty do think that it is not free for the lay men onely as they call them but also for the Ministers of the Church to marry For the Epistle to the Heb. saith Marriage is honourable in all men and the bed that is undefiled And Paul alloweth of marriage in a Bishop affirmeth that the forbidding of marriage is a spirit of errours and a doctrine of devils For though this saying of Paul is commonly expounded of the Tatians and Eucratians who thought that marriage doth nothing at all differ from whordome yet notwithstanding seeing that marriage is forbidden in the popish decrees it is forbidden by the same reasons by the which marriage is wholly condemned and not in one kinde of men only For that saying is alledged out of Leviticus Be ye holy because I am holy and that of Paul Not in chambering and wantonnesse And againe They which are in the flesh cannot please God But seeing that these sayings of the Scripture do pertaine to all men certainly they might drive all godly men from marriage if they were fitly applied to forbid marriage unto Priests But we hope that all good men do think more honestly of marriage and that they do not dislike of that in the Ministers thereof which they did approve in the Church it selfe especially seeing that there be manifest examples of the Church when as yet it was but fresh and more pure wherein it was lawfull both for the Apostles which was the highest degree in the Church and also for Bishops to have their wives And we think that this thing is so to be understood that it was not only
some Dioces is subject to some one man and is even by the testimony of Ierome himselfe an old invention of mans appointment and not of Gods ordinance limited and hedged in by very many ancient Canons But as for the third kinde which roveth farre and wide not onely beyond the word of God but also beyond the most just Canons and is indeed Satannicall and Tyrannicall and as yet flourishing in the Romane false named Church we do detest it as a most certain pestilence of the Christian Church Vpon the same It were for the chiefe Bishops gentlenesse We suppose that this Observat 2. pag. 411. is not meant of the Popes gentlenesse whom all the purer Churches doe at once detest as that Antichrist but of that kinde of Bishops which in the Observation next before this we called the second sort Which though it be so yet it seemeth to be against the old Canons that that should here be hanged upon the Bishops gentlenesse which after lawfull intelligence they are rather bound to do both by Gods lawes and by mans or else they are to be removed from their Bishopprick Vpon the same To have rule taken from Bishops It is without all controversie Observ 3. page 411. that Christ did not onely distinguish but also both by word and his owne example sever the civill rule and jurisdiction from the Ecclesiasticall Besides that is also a plaine case that the goods purposed and appointed to the uses of the Churches were in old time given not to the Bishops own persons but to the Church it selfe Now how far it is expedient that the Bishops should carry the shew and appearance of any civill rule and jurisdiction it is the dutie of godly Magistrates to consider Vpon the same The Apostles decree touching things offered to Idols c. To wit Observ 4. page 414. touching that sort of things offered to Idols which is eaten at the table of devils or by the eating whereof men sinne against their weake brethren Like as the decree of the Apostles is expounded of Paul 1 Cor. 9. and 10. Vpon the Confession of Saxony NOt lawfull for Kings nor Bishops to make lawes or rites that Observ 1. pag. 416. can not stand with the word c. And therefore no mysticall rites that is which carry some mysterie or hid signification in them though not otherwise impious as namely such as should be parts of Gods doctrine or kindes of Sacraments but onely such lawes as pertainâ— to order and decencie as is said in the end of this Articlâ— and that not upon their private will and advise but by the judgement of a lawfull assembly IN THE EIGHTEENTH SECTION Vpon the former Confession of Helvetia BVt upon iust cause c. To wit taken from the word of God Observ 1. page 424. For we do not think that it is lawfull for men at their pleasure to made lawes concerning divorcements in marriages permitted and already contracted according to the word of God as they may doe in contracts which are meerely civill for the Lord hath said That which God hath ioyned together let no man separate But the matter being diligently weighed by them of whom it is profitable for the Church that counsell should be asked concerning such matters as be not meerly civill the civill Magistrate may prescribe in his jurisdiction what affinities and upon what conditions it may stand with the profit of the common peace to have permitted or forbidden Vpon the Confession of Bohemia EIther to chuse it to himselfe or to refuse it to wit if he be Obser 1. pag. 425. throughly privie to himself of his own strength and so that he do not binde himself by a vow as it is expounded a little after Vpon the same And women Ministers that is of those who have willingly submitted Obser 2. pag. 426. themselves to take care for the hospitals and for the poor and those that be sick whom notwithstanding the Apostle doth forbid to be received before they be threescore yeers old 1 Tim. 5. 9. And generally he forbiddeth women all other Ecclesiasticall ministery in the second Chapter of the same Epistle Vpon the same They doe preserve the purenesse as well of the spirit as of the body Observat 3. pag. 426. c. to wit resisting the burning For otherwise the purenesse both of the body and of the spirit is preserved in wedlocke of married parties that use it holily Vpon the same To take counsell of the elders and governours of the Church Obser 4. pag. 428. c. understand this of him who should be taken into the Ecclesiasticall Ministery being a single man as for the most part it is used in the Churches of Bohemia yet without any vow or constraint and with no prejudice to other Churches which doe not observe this difference For this necessitie of going to and asking counsell of the Presbyterie it is not laid upon others Concerning which thing we will not thinke it much to set down in this place what the brethren themselves of Bohemia did heretofore answer to a certaine godly and learned man admonishing them of these things that no man may be offended with those things which be read both in this place and else-where in their Confession touching the single life of Ministers The meaning say they of single life is evidently declared in the beginning of that article that it is not ordained of God by any commandement Neither doe we place any dignitie of the ministery in single life We do without doubt beleeve according to the words of Christ that that gift is given to some and to whom it is not given for them it is free to marry We have by the mercie of God both married and unmarried Ministers and we endeavour to keepe a meane in this matter The Monkish custome and other absurd things we have by the grace of God removed farre out of our Churches Thus did they write that they might the better expound themselves Vpon the confession of Saxonie ALso we keepe the rules of the Canon law touching other neerer Oâ—serv 1. page 445. degrees c. Our Churches also do herein attribute some thing to the degree of Cosin Germanes to avoyd the offence of those that be weake seeing that even certaine prophane Law-makers have forbidden this degree and Christian charitie doth command us to depart even from cur right in those things which of themselves be lawfull for their sakes that be weake But we admonish the people diligently that they do not thinke that this degree is forbidden in it selfe that is by the law of God either expressed or understood which is the law of nature As for other inferiour degrees of affinitie and whatsoever that law being not Canonicall but Tyrannicall hath decreed as though it were spirituall concerning corporall affinitie without the word of God which is agreeable to the civill laws we do abolish and detest it as proceeding from the
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
rehearsing the context of every Confession because we were to have regard of the order of things and doctrine rather then either of the time or worthinesse of the Churches and Authours that wrote them or other such like circumstance therefore it seemed good without any envie or preiudice of other Confessions either more ancient or more famous to give the first place to the latter Confession of Helvetia both because the order thereof seemed more fit and the whole handling of doctrine more full and convenient and also because that Confession was publiquely approved and subscribed unto by very many Churches of divers Nations Farther upon this doe the rest fitly follow to wit the former Confession of Helvetia and then all other without any choise indifferently save that we had rather ioyne together the Confessions of Germany then sever them each from other according to the argument of every Section Yet we were inforced to put that Confession of the foure Cities as received somewhat late in the last place Which order notwithstanding if it shall not seeme fit and convenient to any it may easily be altered in the second Edition as other Confessions also if any such besides these shall be wanting may in their due place be adioyned To conclude that the godly Reader may want nothing and that no man may suspect any thing to be taken away or added to any of those Cofessions we have here set downe the Articles or chiefe points in the order wherein they were first written Which we desire every man favourably to interpret and to enioy this our labour rather seeking peace and agreement then maliciously hunting after occasions of dissentions PROPER CATALOGVES FOR EVERIE CONFESSION CONTAINED IN THIS HARMONIF AFTER THAT ORDER wherein they were first written The Articles of the former Confession of Helvetia SCripture 1 Interpretation 2 Fathers 3 Humane Traditions 4 The drift of the Scripture 5 God 6 Man and his strength 7 Originall sinne 8 Free will 9 The eternall Counsell touching the restoring of man 10 Iesus Christ and those benefits which we reape by him 11 The drift of the doctrine of the Gospel 12 Faith and the force thereof 13 The Church 14 Of the Ministers of the word 15 Ecclesiasticall power 16 The choosing of Ministers 17 The head shepheard of the Church 18 The duties of Ministers 19 Of the force and efficacie of the Sacraments 20 Baptisme 21 The Eucharist 22 Holy assemblies 23 Of Heretikes and Schismatikes 24 Of things indifferent 25 Of the Magistrate 26 Of holy Wedlocke 27 The Chiefe points of the latter Confession of HELVETIA OF the holy Scripture being the true word of God 1 Of Interpreting the holy Scripture and of Fathers Councels and Traditions 2 Of God his unitie and the Trinitie 3 Of Idols or Images of God Christ and Saints 4 Of the Adoration worship and Invocation of God through the onely Mediatour Iesus Christ 5 Of the providence of God 6 Of the creation of all things of Angels the Devil and Man 7 Of the fall of man sinne and the cause of sinne 8 Of free will and so of mans power and abilitie 9 Of the Predestination of God and Election of the Saints 10 Of Iesus Christ being true God and man and the onely Saviour of the world 11 Of the law of God 12 Of the Gospel of Iesus Christ of the promises also of the spirit and the letter 13 Of Repentance and the Conversion of man 14 Of the true iustification of the faithfull 15 Of Faith and good works and of their reward and the merit of man 16 Of the Catholique and holy Church of God and of the onely head of the Church 17 Of the Ministers of the Church their institution and duties 18 Of the Sacraments of the Church of Christ 19 Of holy Baptisme 20 Of the holy Supper of the Lord. 21 Of holy and Ecclesiasticall assemblies 22 Of the Prayers of the Church of singing and Canonicall houres 23 Of holy dayes fasts and choise of meates 24 Of Comforting or visiting the sick 25 Of the buriall of the faithfull and the care that is to be had for the dead and of purgatorie and the appearing of Spirits 26 Of Rites Ceremonies and things indifferent 27 Of the goods of the Church 28 Of single life Wedlocke and the ordering of a Family 29 Of the Magistrate 30 The Articles of the Confession of Basil OF God 1 Of man 2 Of the care of God toward us 3 Of Christ being true God and true man 4 Of the Church 5 Of the Supper of our Lord. 6 Of the Magistrate 7 Of Faith and workes 8 Of the last day 9 Of things commanded and not commanded 10 Against the errour of the Anabaptistes 11 The chiefe points of the Confession of Bohemia OF the holy Scripture and of Ecclesiasticall writers 1 Of Christian Catechising 2 Of the unitie of the divine essence and of the three Persons 3 Of the knowledge of himselfe Also of sinne the causes and fruits hereof and of the promises of God 4 Of repentance 5 Of Christ the Lord and of Iustification through faith in him 6 Of good workes which be holy actions 7 Of the holy Catholique Church the order and discipline hereof and moreover of Antichrist 8 Of the Ministers of the Church 9 Of the word of God 10 Of the Sacraments in generall 11 Of holy Baptisme 12 Of the Supper of the Lord. 13 Of the Keyes of Christ 14 Of things accessory that is of rites or Ecclesiasticall ceremonies 15 Of the politique or civill Magistrate 16 Of Saints and their worship 17 Of fasting 18 Of single life and wedlocke or the order of married folke 19 Of the time of Grace 20 The Articles of the French Confession OF God and his one onely essence 1 Of the knowledge of God 2 Of the Canonicall bookes of the holy Scripture 3 Of distinguishing the Canonicall booke from the Apocryphall 4 Of the authoritic of the word of God 5 Of the Trinitie of the Persons in one onely essence of God 6 Of the creation of the world 7 Of the eternall providence of God 8 Of the fall of man and his free-will 9 Of originall sinne 10 Of the propagation of originall sinne and of the effects thereof 11 Of the free election of God 12 Of the repairing of man from his fall through Christ 13 Of two natures in Christ 14 Of the hypostaticall union of his two natures 15 Of the death resurrection of Christ and of the fruit thereof 16 Of the merit and fruit of the sacrifice of Christ 17 Of the remission of sinnes and true Iustification 18 Of the Intercession or Mediation of Christ 19 Of iustifying Faith and the gift and effects thereof 20 21 22 Of the abolishing of ceremonies and true use of the mor all law 23 Of the intercession of Saints Purgatory and other superstitious traditions of the Popish sort 24 Of the ministery of the Gospell 25 Of the unitie of the Church and the true