concerning ubiquitie a thing odious to God and his Church fetcht out of the distinction of the School-men but contrarie even to the opinion of the School-men had then nothing at all helped them And this is our belief and confession concerning the communion the true eating and the true presence of Christ's body DOCT. XVIII What rites and ceremonies are to be used at the celebration of the Lord's Supper COncerning the rites and ceremonies to be used at the celebration of the Lords Supper this onely we say That those are most to be approved which come nearest to the practice of the Apostles CHAP. XVII Concerning faith hope and charitie DOCTRINE I. That faith is very necessarie unto our communion with Christ and so that we may be made partakers of salvation FOr the ingrafting us into Christ and the furthering our communion with him the holy Spirit indeed useth externall meanes and instruments to wit the word of the Gospel and the Sacraments But yet unlesse by the same Spirit there be stirred up in us faith whereby we may embrace Christ offered unto us with all his treasures we must confesse that those outward meanes and instruments are not at all profitable unto us to salvation And therefore we doubt not to say that faith is necessarie to unite us unto Christ and to make us partakers of his benefits DOCT. II. What is understood by the name of faith BY the name of faith we understand not any humane opinion or perswasion concerning God and concerning Christ Eph. 1. â— but the gift of divine wisdome and prudence stirred up in our hearts by the holy Spirit upon the hearing of the word whereby giving assent unto all the word of God revealed in the holy Scripture and the Gospel most especially which brings us joyfull tidings of our redemption wrought by Christ we do therein truely understand God and his will Christ our Mediatour and his benefits we do certainly know and most lovingly embrace them we do upon a firme confidence which we conceive of the mercy of God and his infinite love towards us call upon him whereby we are as it were set on fire and inflamed to love him again and are forced as it were to performe faithfull service unto him and constantly throughout the whole course of our life glorifie him by our good works and deeds of charitie towards our neighbour DOCT. III. The confirmation of what hath been said concerning faith FOr true faith is not from the wit of man or naturall ingenie but it is the a Phil. 1.29 gift of God neither is it given unto all but to b Tit. 1.1 Act. 13.28 the elect onely neither is it onely an opinion uncertain and doubtfull but c Heb. 11.1 the substance of things hoped for firme and sure and a most certain evidence of things not seen neither cometh it by the hearing of humane reason but d Rom. 10.17 by hearing the word of God and relyes onely on the authoritie of Gods word and promise neither is it an hypocriticall and feigned assent but sincere and e â— Tim. 1.15 out of a pure heart neither is it a temporarie perswasion f Matt. 13.21 during for a while but constant and perpetuall although it be often weakened by our sins neither is it blind and rash but the onely g Eph. 1.8 wisdome whereby we know God and Christ and heavenly things and Christian prudence whereby we are taught not to abuse that knowlege of God but to use it to a right end neither is it a Iam. 2.20 dead but living and b Gal. 5.6 working by love DOCT. IV. That faith cometh not all at once but hath it's increase from time to time BUt although the faith of the elect never faileth totally and altogether but ever liveth yet we never knew it so perfect and complete in any but that every day it stands in need of increase for which the c Luk. 17.5 Apostles themselves prayed and we also at all times ought to pray DOCT. V. That confession of the truth cannot be separated from true faith WE believe also that true faith cannot consist without a willingnesse and readinesse to confesse the truth ingenuously as occasion is offered d Rom. â—0 10 For as the Apostle saith With the heart man believeth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation Wherefore we condemne libertines and others of the same mold and stamp who think that it is free for them in every place and in all companie to dissemble the truth and to fit themselves for all religions DOCT. VI. That hope ariseth from faith WE believe also that hope ariseth from faith and that faith is the foundation thereof according to the Apostle a Heb. 11.1 Faith is the substance of things hoped for For therefore do we hope for things to come and through patience assuredly expect them because we have the promise of God which we believe and whereon we rely DOCT. VII What hope is NOw hope is the gift of God whereby what good things God hath promised though yet neither had b Rom. 8.24 nor seen we do through patience waiting on the mercy of God for the onely merits of Iesus Christ so assuredly expect as we do certainly believe DOCT. VIII From whence ariseth the certainty of hope FOr the hope of us Christian men ariseth not from humane promises neither is it nourished by humane merits nor relyeth it thereupon but being supported and upheld by the onely truth of divine promises confirmed unto us many wayes and sealed in our hearts as likewise by the almightie power of God which promiseth declared in generall towards all believers but most especially manifested in Christ at what time he raised him up from the dead and exalted him above all heavens to sit at his right hand and again by the obedience of Christ alone on whom we believe and in whom we trust it doth certainly and constantly expect the complement or accomplishment of our salvation to wit the resurrection from the dead the glorious coming of the great God and our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ and a full and plenarie possession of an heavenly inheritance DOCT. IX That from faith ariseth also love and charitie WE believe also that true charitie ariseth from true faith for faith worketh by love and thereby is declared the efficacie of faith St. Paul teacheth that the a Gal. 5.6 faith in Christ which is most available is that which worketh by love and to this purpose saith St. Iohn b 1 Iohn 4.2 He that loveth not knoweth not God Therefore we do not acknowledge them for brethren whosoever boast of their c Iam 2.15 16 faith and yet have not charitie For d 26. faith without works is dead DOCT. X. That charitie is the gift of God WE believe also that even charitie it self is the gift of God whereby we are so affected that with all our
which Christ was to come being gathered together and wonderfully increased and being after a miraculous manner delivered out of the bondage of Egypt that God might have a certain and visible Church separated from all gentiles and gathered together in one place in which the promise made unto the Fathers concerning Christ might be kept and God might be worshipped after such a manner as was best pleasing unto him even unto the coming of the true Redeemer promised Between these two I say the promise and the fulfilling thereof the Law which was delivered by Moses came between and contained in it three kinds of precepts Morall for the right ordering of a private life in the course of pietie Cermoniall according to the prescript rule whereof the Church was to be governed and Iudiciall concerning the government of the whole commonwealth in civil matters and concerning the ordering of private families in household government That by this meanes the people of God of whom Christ was to come might be kept from idolatrie and from following the profane customes and manners of the wicked gentiles That they might be kept within the compasse of their duty and service to God and obedience to Gods will and to conclude That they might be supported and upheld through saith and hope in the promise concerning true Redemption to be wrought by Christ which was to be fulfilled and that so they might be prepared every day more and more for the receiving and entertaining of Christ and all to this end That God might be glorified in his people DOCT. II. That whatsoever is necessarie unto salvation is contained in the Law of God BUt as for the two latter parts of the whole Law which belong nothing unto us to say nothing of them but onely of the former We believe that in this Law as it is delivered unto us in the books of Moses he Prophets and Apostels a 2 Tim. 3.16 all things necessarie unto our salvation are so perfectly and completely set down unto us and the will of God which he would have us to do here in this world is so farre forth revealed that b Deut. 4.2 b 12.32 nothing can be added thereto or diminished from it DOCT. III. That the Law of the Decalogue or ten Commandments is the exposition of the Law of Nature and the Map of Gods image FOr we believe That this Law is is the exposition of the Law of Nature which was perfectly wrote in the hearts of our first patents but in others imperfectly and but in part and therefore by this is condemned whatsoever is repugnant to that image of God after which man was at the first created and contrarily That is commanded whatsoever is agreeable unto it For it was Gods will by this Law to declare both what man was in his first estate and what he was made in his second and what he ought to be and further What he should be in the third in part and in the fourth perfectly by Christ That the Law of God is nothing else but the true lively expresse draught or Map of Gods image by which we are put in mind what we were what we are what we should be and what we shall be if we believe on Christ DOCT. IV. That the summe of the Law is reduced to these two heads the love of God and our neighbour WE believe and confesse according to the Doctrine of Christ That the summe or substance of the whole Law is contained in these two Commandments a Matt. 22.37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and b 39. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self The first of which is the summe of the former table and the other is the summe of the latter DOCT. V. That if God alone is to be loved with all the heart He alone also is to be worshipped NOw if the summe of the first table which containeth in it the whole worship which is due unto God consisteth in the perfect love of God alone from hence beside the expresse Commandments of God in other places expounding this Commandment we gather thus much and believe That God alone is to be adored invocated and worshipped with religious worship and that we are to swear onely by his name because these things are contained in the Commandment concerning the loving of God with all the heart To omit this that the image of God whereof the Law it self is a draught or map taught Adam the very same DOCT. VI. That concupiscence it self and the corruption of nature is a sinne ANd if by the Law of God that is condemned for a sinne whatsoever is not agreeable unto the first image of God that is in righteousnesse holinesse and uprightnesse wherein man was created we gather from hence that not onely the actions done with consent of will contrary to the will of God but also the very inward motions of concupiscence and therefore concupiscence it self and every corruption of nature is a sinne and so condemned by the Law of God because it is repugnant to the rectitude or uprightnesse and righteousnesse in which man was created and in which he might have continned and stood if he would DOCT. VII That the Law although it cannot be perfectly kept and fulfilled was not yet given in vain or to no end BUt although the Law of God is so perfect that a Rom. 7.15 no mortall man hath been able or is able to keep it wholly alwayes and in such a manner as it ought to be kept Yet we believe that it was not given in vain or to no end or purpose for as much God doth nothing in vain but all in infinite wisedome for his own glorie and for our profit and salvation DOCT. VIII That there is a threefold use and profit arising from the Law of God FOr First of all by the perfect Revelation of Gods will by this Law men might in former times and may now come the better unto the knowledge of God and what is pleasing unto him what is good and what bad what to be done and what to be avoided better I say then by the mere reliques of the Law of Nature which was left in mans mind and so all pretense of ignorance being quite taken away the Iews were made more unexcusable then other nations for not keeping the Law of God because from thence men are given to understand that the judgements of God against us are most just Secondly by the curses which are added against the transgressours of the Law men are better bridled as it were and kept in that they run not into sin and again by the blessings promised unto the observers of the Law men are incited and spurred on as it were to run in the way of Gods Commandments and keep his Law though not wholly and perfectly yet at least in part as concerning outward works and so they were the better kept
heart we both love again and also glorifie God the Father and Christ our Redeemer that we are inclined and moved to good will and bounty towards all men in generall yea even towards our enemies but especially towards the Saints and those which are of the houshold of faith Therefore we condemne all those which say that a man by his own naturall powers may love God above all things 1 Iohn 4.7 For Love is of God as saith St. Iohn DOCT. XI The signes and tokens of charitie BUt we do not believe that to be true Christian charitie which agreeth not with that description set down by St. Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinthians which is after this manner 1 Cor. 13.4 Charitie suffereth long and is kind Charitie envyeth not Charitie vaunteth not it self is not puffed up 5.6 Doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked 7. thinketh no evill Rejoyceth not in iniquitie but rejoyceth in the truth Bearethall things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things c. DOCT. XII That our communion with Christ and his Church is cherished and maintained by love and Charitie WE believe that by true love and charitie our communion with Christ and his Church is very much cherished increased and maintained Forasmuch as love joyneth together in one the persons loving and the persons loved For St. Iohn saith a 1 Ioâ— 4 16. He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him CHAP. XVIII Concerning Repentance ALthough all these faith hope and charitie repentance justification the study of good works and a holy life cannot really be separated one from another Yet forasmuch as they depend one upon another we know that in this regard they are to be distinguished and we are to take them into consideration each apart and enquire what they are and what their efficacie is We think good therefore briefly to set down our opinion and deliver our judgement concerning each of them beginning with Repentance which is the perpetuall individuall and inseparable companion of faith For although after Iustification it is perfected every day more and more yet because no man is justified without Repentance and the beginning thereof goeth before Iustification it self Therefore in the first place we are resolved to declare what our faith and belief is concerning this DOCTRINE I. That Repentance is necessarie to our Iustification and so also to our Communion with Christ WE believe that to our true partaking of Christs righteousnesse and our communion with him Repentance is necessarie whereby turning from sin and from the world by change of mind and will we may turn unto Christ cleave unto him and obtain in him and from him remission of sins and be endued with his righteousnesse and holinesse For the first thing that a Matt. 1.4 15. Iohn the Baptist and our Saviour preached was the Doctrine of Repentance for the remission of sins And Except ye Repent saith our Saviour ye shall all likewise perish DOCT. II. What we understand by the name of Repentance BY the name of Repentance we understand two things more especially The first is true and serious grief and sorrow for sins committed against God and that not so much for fear of punishment due unto sin as that we have offended God himself the chiefest good who is our Father and Maker The second is a true change of heart and mind will and purpose and of our whole life This part of Repentance which properly is by Christ called Resipiscence and by the Prophets Conversion unto God and Circumcision of heart according to the Doctrine of the Apostle proceedeth from the former for he joyneth both together saying a 2 Cor. 7.10 Godly sorrow worketh Repentance to salvation not to be repented of DOCT. III. That Repentance is the gift of God WE believe that Repentance is the gift of God proceeding from his mere grace not due to any meries or preparations of ours according to what the Apostle saith b 2 Tim. 2.25 If God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth c 26. And that they may recover themselves out of this snare of the devil and according to the Prophet d Ier. 31.18 Turn thou me and I shall be turned For thou art the Lord my God DOCT. IV. That for the stirring up of Repentance in us God ordinarily useth the word of the Law and Gospel and That the hearing of them both in the Church is therefore necessarie GOd to stirre up Repentance in us doth ordinarily use the expounding of the Law which discovereth our sins unto us and Gods wrath against sin as likewise the preaching of the Gospel which declareth unto us remission of sins and the grace of God in Christ As it is manifest to every godly man which looketh into the holy Scripture And therefore we judge that in the Church both are necessarie both the expounding of the Law and the preaching of the Gospel DOCT. V. The summe of the Doctrine concerning Repentance and in all every where and alwayes necessarie unto salvation to as many as are of years THe summe then of our belief concerning Repentance every where and alwayes necessarie unto salvation to as many as are of yeares is this That Repentance is the change of heart and mind wrought in us by the holy Spirit by the word of the Law and of the Gospel whereby Forasmuch as our sins and corruption of nature are as the Law teacheth things repugnant to the will of God and so stand in need to be purged away as the Gospel preacheth by the death of the Son of God We from our souls lament and bewail them detest and abhorre them humbly confessing them before God and begging pardon for the same resolving upon amendment of life and a constant studie of innocency and all Christian vertues and therein exercising our selves diligently all the dayes of our life to the glorie of God and the edifying of the Church DOCT. VI. That simply and absolutely we condemne not those parts of Repentance commonly so called viz. Contrition confession of sins and satisfaction COncerning the parts of Repentance before spoken of we list not much further to dispure being thoroughly perswaded out of the holy Scriptures that in brief it consists in a serious and earnest mortyfying of the old man and quickning of the new the former whereof hath force and efficacie from the death of Christ and the latter from his resurrection the holy Spirit communicating both unto us Yet simply and absolutely we condemne not that long agoe received and yet retained distinction in the Schooles of the parts of Repentance into contrition confession of sins and satisfaction with this proviso that they be examined at the rule of the holy Scriptures and not found to decline from the godly customes of the ancient Church As concerning contrition and confession of sins likewise both before God and our brother
to beget the Sonne is so proper to the Father that it can neither be attributed to the Sonne nor to the holy Ghost And again to be begotten cannot be attributed but to the Son onely and so likewise in the rest So also to be most simple eternall infinite every where present simply omniscient simply omnipotent simply good and the rest of like sort are so proper unto God that they cannot really or truely be communicated to any creature in such matter that it can be for instance sake good by an infinite goodnes or omnipotent by an infinite power c. As God is DOCT. IV. That the Essentiall Properties in God do not really differ from his Essence FOr we acknowledge that in God by reason of his simplicitie his Essentiall Properties do not really differ from his Essence and therefore that they cannot without this be communicated to any creature And therefore that no creature is or can be truely said to be simply for 〈…〉 sake omnipotent good just 〈…〉 As also our Lord Iesus speaking of one attribute taught us concerning all Matth. â—â— 17 saying There is none good that is simply but one that is God DOCT. V. That nothing is or can be simply such as God is unlesse it can be simply God also WHerefore whosoever hold that any created substance could ever be made or can now or hereafter be made partaker of the divine attributes or properties by which it may become such as God is as for example simply omnipotent c. They must also necessariny confesse that the same is or may be coessentiall with God For as much as even the Sonne himself is not simply Almightie but as he is coessentiall with the Father and so likewise the holy Ghost DOCT. VI. The confirmation of the foregoing doctrine FRom whence also we understand how it comes to passe that whereas the Sonne is no lesse Almightie then the Father and so in like manner the holy Ghost yet we say not that there are three Almighties Symbol Athan. but confesse with Athanasius and the whole Church that there is onely one Almightie because they have all one and the same essence Seeing then that no thing created hath one and the same essence with God but another and that farre diverse How can any created thing be made Almightie Or if any thing by the communication of Gods Almightie power could be made Almightie it must needs follow that there are more Almighties then one which we count it blasphemie once to affirme DOCT. VII Heresies and Errours condemned THerefore we condemne and detest all heresies which have rose up against this article of our Faith and being fetcht back from hell have been condemned by the Holy Fathers in lawfull Councills viz. The Heresie of Cerinthus Ebion Valentius Marcion Manichaeus Arius Eunomius Sabellius Prax Fotinus and such like as Servitus and the Tritheites which hold that there be three Gods as likewise the blasphemies of the Iewes and Turks and also all Heresies which have been broched by the divel either against the Unitie of the Godhead or against the Trinitie of Persons and further such as either deny the Sonne to be true and eternall God and so the holy Ghost also or else confound the Persons and say that they are but one and the same but yet for divers respects called by divers names viz. Father Sonne and holy Ghost And to conclude we condemne also the errours of those who separate the essentiall Properties of God from his divine essence which they seem to us to do whosoever do teach that they may be communicated to any creature without the communication of essence or indeed rather which teach that they are communicated already CHAP. III. Concerning Gods foreknowledge and Praedestination DOCTRINE I. That God foreknew and foresaw all things from Eternitie WE believe that God Acts 15.18 from the beginning of the world yea even from Eternitie according to his infinite wisdome foreknew all things to come both the good which he would do and the evil which he would permit to be done so farre forth that nothing did or could lye hid from him And we doubt not but all things Hebr â— 13 whatsoever have been are shall or may be although they never come to passe are and have been alwayes naked and open in his sight DOCT. II. That God in his eternall counsel praedetermined all things and praeordained them to the best ends NEither do we believe onely That God foresaw all things and hath them ever present in his sight but also that in his most wise and eternall counsel he hath before determined all things Acts 4.28 whatsoever did or do concerne the creation and goverment of the world as also the gathering together of his Church out of the sinfull ofspring of Adam and likewise their redemption and salvation and further that of his infinite goodnes he hath before ordained all the evil which in his wisdome he purposed to suffer and permit to the best ends insomuch that there shall not an hair perish Luk. 21.18 Matt. 10.30 or fall from our head without the will of our heavenly Father DOCT. III. That God hath predestinated some men unto life and others unto death WHerefore we make no doubt of this That God out of men to speak nothing of the Angells whom at the creation he made all righteous in Adam but foresaw that they would all sin likewise in him Ephes â— 3.4 hath in Christ chosen some that they should be holy and without blame before him in love and hath also predestinated them unto eternall life of his meere grate and according to the good pleasure of his will Rom 9.22 but in his just judgement hath not vouchsafed to give his grace unto others as being the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction That in those his infinite mercie but in these his justice might be made known unto the world to his owne glorie DOCT. IV. That the Election of the Saints is of Gods mere Grace FOr as our Vocation unto Christ T it 3.7 Eph. 2.9 and our Iustification in Christ is merely of Gods grace and not of our works So also we hold that the predestination of the Saints is merely of grace because it was made in Christ That no flesh should glorie in his presence Ephes 1.3 1 Cor 1.29.31 but that he that gloryeth should glorie in the Lord. DOCT. V. That we are predestinated not onely to the end but also to the meanes WHereupon we believe also Eph. 1.3.4 that seeing God in Christ hath chosen us before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love We are predestinated not onely to the end which is eternall life and glorie but also to the Meanes tending to that End and especiall Faith whereby we are ingrafted into Christ and Regeneration also and true Repentance by which we are made in Christ a new creature
The differences between the Church Triumphant and the Church Militant ALthough the Church Triumphant and Militant are but one and the same Church yet it is easy to be understood what a great deal of difference there is between them For besides that this Militant Church doth consist onely of men whereas the Triumphant hath the blessed Angels also annexed and present here we have need of the preaching of the word the administration of the Sacraments and discipline concerning life and manners which things have no place in heaven Again from that are excluded all the ungodly and hypocrites but in this there are good bad mixt together And again those our brethren which are in heaven being now at liberty do triumph over their enemies and rejoyce with exceeding great joy being present with the Lord and beholding him face to face But we must still wrestle with flesh and bloud with the world with sin and with Satan the Prince of this world and we see here but darkly as in a glasse being absent from the Lord. And last of all it is so alwayes one the same that it is neither divided into parts nor subject to any change neither of which can be said truely of the Church Militant DOCT. III. That the Church Militant is in such sort one and the same and that Catholike that yet notwithstanding it is not with it alwayes after one and the same manner and besides it is distinguished into divers particular Churches WE therefore acknowldge that although the Militant Church alwayes was and is one and the same and that Catholike because it alwayes had from the foundation of the world and in all places one and the same Head which is Christ who knitteth and uniteth unto himself into one body all the elect gathered out of every nation Yet it neither was nor is with it alwayes after one and the same manner and besides it is distinguished into many particular Churches being as many and divers members thereof according to the varietie of times places and people For in the earthly Paradise before sin it was with it after one manner after sin and before the floud and in the time of the Patriarchs after another under the Law after another under Grace after another and in the time of Christ amongst the Iews onely after another and after Christ's glorification after another being by the Apostles gathered out of Iews and Gentiles and that not in one place but in many nor out of one people but many nor retaining at all times and in all places the same ceremonies In which respects we are wont to say that it was one before Christ and another after and that the Church of the Old Testament but this of the New and that again we reade was wont to be called the old people and this the New And as concerning particular Churches we read of one at Rome another at Corinth another at Ephesus and others in other places DOCT. IV. That the Catholike Church being but one consists of many particular Churches AGain although for many and divers respects already signified there alwayes have been and yet are many and divers and particular Churches Yet we acknowledge that as concerning the substance there alwayes hath been but one and the same consisting of them all and that Catholike and Apostolike and Holy One Because it alwayes was and is gathered into a Eph. 1.23 one body under b 4.4 Eph. 1.22 one Head Iesus Christ by c Eph. 4. â— one and the same Spirit And because there is d 5. one faith of all and one confession of the faith Catholike Because it is extended to all times and places and consists of all kinds of persons and people Apostolike Because it was e Eph. 2.20 founded upon the foundation which the Apostles laid that is Iesus Christ and built upon the doctrine of the Apostles which was also the doctrine of the Prophets from the foundation of the world and Holy Not as if it had no sin but because inasmuch as it is ingrafted into Christ and endued with the gifts of repentance and faith therefore no sins are imputed unto it but it hath obtained free pardon of them all and again because it is made partaker of Christ's Spirit sanctifying and regenerating and further because the righteousnesse and holinesse of Christ is imputed unto it in which regard it is said to be a Eph. 5.27 without spot or wrinkle that is in Christ her b 23. Head and husband DOCT. V. How it may be known concerning particular Churches whether they be true Churches or no. AS concerning particular Churches we believe that it may be known whether they be true Churches gathered together in the Lord by this if they have their building according to the will of the Lord Iesus that is on the c Mattâ— 28.19 preaching of the Gospel the administration of the Sacraments instituted and ordained by Christ and the d 20. keeping and observing of his commandments We therefore acknowledge those for the true Churches of Christ in which first of all the pure doctrine of the Gospel is preached heard and received and so received and that onely that there is neither place nor care given unto any other which is contrarie thereto For both these are the properties of the flock or sheep of Christ both to a Ioh. 10.4 hear the voyce of their own sheepherd and b 5. not to follow a stranger And again in which the Sacraments instituted by Christ are as farre as it is possible to be done rightly and duely administred and received that is according to Christs institution and where also such Sacraments as are but the inventions of men are not received And last of all in which the Discipline of Christ hath place that is where both publikely and privately by c Matt. 1 8 15 c. Tit. 1.9 admonitions corrections and where need shall require by excommunications also but yet out of charitie care is taken for the keeping and observing of Christs commandments that so all men may live a sober righteous and godly life to the glorie of God and the mutuall edification of one another For where wickednesse and all manner of uncleannesse in life goes openly unpunished and notorious offences contrarie to the doctrine of Christ scape without censure there we believe that some good and godly men may be found but that a godly and Christian congregation is there we believe not For this the Lord himself saith a Iohn 13.35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye love one another But what love can be there where no care is had that according to the doctrine of Christ when brethren sin they may be corrected and repent be gained unto the Lord and saved DOCT. VI. From what succession of Bishops it may be demonstrated that some Church is Apostolike SO also we acknowledge that from the perpetuall succession