of that thing which by Christs owne words is assigned to this age and is imparted unto it For so Christ in generall and without exception giveth in charge not touching some but touching all Teach ye all nations and baptize them in the name Matth. 28. Act. 4. of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost And so over children this most holy name is called upon in which alone there is salvation This is further also taught that they who are once lawfully and truely baptized when they come to yeeres ought to do their endeavour that they may learn to acknowledge and know what holy Baptisme is and therewithall the Catholike and Christian faith without which Baptisme availeth nothing to the end that afterward when they doe desire to be partakers of the Lord his Supper they may with their owne mouthes and of their owne accord make profession of their faith and may renew their sanctification by which they were consecrated to the Lord. And such that is which are thus instructed our ministers receive unto this covenant of holy baptisme and * Looke the 1. Observation upon this confession by the laying on of hands do testifie to them that grace is conteined in baptisme to strengthen them to the warfare of faith and so after a convenient and godly manner with use of pure ceremonies and such as are profitable to edifying they bring them to the sacrament of the L. Supper without any reiteration of baptisme as there are evident tokens and examples to be seen of this matter in the Primitive Church which is the true and best maistresse of the posteritie and going before leadeth us the way For if so be that a man should even after a true manner enjoy the Baptisme of Christ and should by meanes here of be buried with Christ into his death to newnesse of life if afterward his life being prolonged he should not according to the doctrine of the holy Gospel shew forth a true and lively faith in Iesus Christ brotherly love towards all those that are consecrated to the Lord and so should leade a life unworthy his place or calling and unworthy of God and his neighbour and should not in baptisme conceive a lively hope of life everlasting such a one should assuredly give certain testimonie of himselfe that he had in vaine received grace in holy Baptisme wherein the name of the holy Trinity was called on over him the which thing God the Lord as his word declareth suffereth Exod. 20. by no meanes to escape unrevenged or unpunished Out of the FRENCH Confession VVE acknowledge that there be two onely Sacraments Artic. 35. common to the whole Church whereof the first is Baptisme the which is given to us to testifie our adoption because that therein we are ingrafted into Christs body that being washed in his blood we may also be renued to holinesse of life by his Spirit This also we say Although we are baptized but once yet the fruit of baptisme doth pertaine to the whole course of our life that this promise to wit that Christ will be alwaies unto us sanctification and justification may be sealed up in us with a sure and firme seale Furthermore although Baptisme be a Sacrament of faith and repentance yet seeing that God doth together with the Parents account their posteritie also to be of the Church we affirme that infants being borne of holy parents are by the authoritie of Christ to be baptized We say therefore that the element of water be it never so Artic. 38. fraile doth notwithstanding truely witnesse or confirme unto us the inward washing of our soules in the blood of Iesus Christ by the vertue and efficacie of the holy Ghost Out of the ENGLISH Confession VVE say that Baptisme is a Sacrament of the remission of Artic. 12. sinnes and of that washing which we have in the blood of Christ and that no person which will professe Christs name ought to be restrained or keept backe therefrom no not the very babes of Christians forsomuch as they be borne in sinne and pertaine unto the people of God Out of the Confession of BELGIA VVE beleeve and confesse that Iesus Christ which is the end of the law hath by his owne bloud sheading made an end of all other propitiatorie sacrifice for sinnes Also that Circumcision which was done by blood being abolished he hath instituted Baptisme in the place thereof whereby we are received into the Church of God and separated from all other nations and all kinde of strange religions being consecrated unto him alone whose badge and cognisance we weare Finally Baptisme is a token unto us that he will be our God for ever who also is our gracious Father Therefore the Lord hath commanded all his to be baptized with pure water In the name of the Father the Sonue and the holy Ghost To signifie that the blood of Christ doth internally through the operation of the Spirit performe and effect that in the soule which water doth externally worke in the bodies For as water being poured upon us and appearing in the body of him that is baptized moistning the same doth wash away the filthines of the body so the blood of Christ washing the soule doth cleanse it from sinne and doth make us the sonnes of God which before were the children of wrath Not that this materiall water doth these things but the sprinckling of the precious blood of the Son of God which is unto us as the red sea wherethrough we must passe that we may depart from the tyranny of Pharaih that is the Devill and enter into the spirituall land of Canaan Therefore the ministers verily doe deliver unto us the Sacraments and the visible thing but it is the Lord himselfe that giveth it unto us that is represented by the Sacrament namely the gifts and invisible graces washing purifying and cleansing our soules from all spots and iniquities renuing in like manner and filling our hearts with all comfort and to conclude giving unto us a certain perswasion of his Fatherly goodnesse cloathing us with the new man and putting off the old man with all his deeds For these causes we do beleeve that every one that desireth to obtaine eternall life ought to be baptized with one baptisme and that once alone which never afterwards is to be itcrated seeing that we cannot be borne twise Neither doth this Baptisme profit us onely at that moment when the water resteth upon us and when we are sprinckled with it but it is available throughout the whole time of our life Therefore here we doe detest the errour of the Anabaptists who are not onely content with one onely Baptisme and that once received but doe also condemne the Baptisme of infants yea of those that be borne of faithfull parents but we by the same reason doe beleeve that they ought to be baptized and sealed with the signe of the covenant for the which in times past the infants amongst
the use of the keyes which Christ spake of private admonition betweene private persons to wit Thou hast gained thy brother Vpon the same Those ancient customes were in time worne out of use Be it that Obser 6. pag. 132. those painfull punishments and satisfactions which cannot especially at these times be brought into use againe but that they will doe more hurt then good be worne out of use yet notwithstanding this doth nothing hinder but that every Church as it knoweth what is expedient may appoint a certaine kinde of Censure or Ecclesiasticall discipline which it may use where need so requireth that the Church may be satisfied as we have noted before in the first observation upon the Confession of Bohemia and hereafter in the 10. Section and in the third observation upon the Confession of Bohemia Vpon the same We give men warning of this also c. How temporall punishments Obser 7. pag. 132. may be said sometime to be deferred and sometime to be mitigated by good works we have declared a little before to wit in the third observation upon this confession Moreover the word merit both in the words which follow Repentance deserved that God should alter his purpose touching the destruction of Ninive and also in other places wheresoever either this or other Confessions doe use it it is without doubt thus to be taken for that which we say to obtaine and to get as it is often times used among the ancient Latine divines And whereas God here is said to have changed his minde we doe not doubt but that our brethren doe understand it as spoken after the manner of men as when he is said to repent him of some thing or else it is to be referred to the outward preaching of Ionas For as concerning God himselfe it was onely a threatning and not a sentence decreed Vpon the confession of Saxonie VVE affirme that the Ceremonie of private absolution is to be Observ â— page 134. retained in the Church How farre we thinke that this private confession and absolution is to be retained in the Church we have declared a little before to wit in the first observation upon the Confession of Bohemia Vpon the same In true Confession there must be these changes a mortification Observ 2. pag. 134. and a quickning Rom. 6. c. This is most truly said but in a divers sense For neither is contrition or a sense of sinne which is a fruit of sinne common to all signified by the name of mortification insomuch as it is a gift of the holy Ghost proper to the Elect but an abolishing of the old man or of the flesh or of that naturall corruption which taking it beginning of that contrition or sorrow which is according to God whereof that place Psal 5. 19. and Esa 66. 2. is understood is by little and little perfited in the elect and is the beginning of true conversion whereunto on the other side quickning is answerable that is a certaine restoring as it were from death unto life of the minde which was before in a manner dead in that corruption and being perswaded of the free remission of sinnes in Christ by faith it beginneth to hate sinne wherewith it was delighted to love God whom it hated and to conclude to will well and to do uprightly Vpon the same To shake of God and againe to loose c. Looke those things Observ 3. page 136. which are noted in the first observation of the 4. Section upon this Confession Vpon the same This whole custome was appointed for examples sake and is politicall Observ 4. page 137. c. We doe thinke that this custome of publique satisfaction before the Church is in such sort politicall that notwithstanding it may be referred to the Ecclesiasticall order and may altogether be distinguished from those punishments which are meerely civill and from those which are to be inflicted by the civill Magistrate For although such a publique kinde of acknowledging and detesting of sinnes being made in the Church is in no case to be thought to be of any value before God for the ransome of our sinnes much lesse that it should be a Sacrament yet we doe not doubt but that this abasing is both acceptable to God and commodious for the edifying of the Church and that in such places wherein it may be fruitfully used Vpon the same Hath no commandement to inioyne such punishments c. But it Obser 5 pag. 137. hath a commandement lawfully to binde and to loose and to try by diligent search which is true repentance Concerning which thing looke what we have spoken a little before in the 2. observation upon the confession of Auspurge and is hereafter taught more at large in the 11. Section where we doe expressely intreat of the power of the Keyes Vpon the same Are chiefly mitigated for the Sonne of God c. Where the Obser 6. pag. 138. question is of the Church of God we say that all blessings without any exception are bestowed upon it and the members thereof not chiefly but onely for the Sonne of God his sake And these words Even for the very conversions sake our punishments are mitigated because that in the Saints the legall promises being added to their works are not without their effect but have their rewards c. ought as they seeme to be thus taken by adding to them this interpretation They are not without their effect but that must be of meere grace and in respect of Christ alone in whom God doth vouchsafe even to reward both the Saints themselves and also good works having no regard to the blemishes of their works as we have said before in the 3. and 7. observations upon the confession of Auspurge Vpon the same It doth onely pronounce this sentence c. To wit according to Obser 7. pag. 138. the Ecclesiasticall judgements and censures whereof we made mention before and not by any civill authoritie as Officials as they be tearmed in Papacie use to doe Vpon the Confession of Wirtemberge ALthough we thinke that it is not necessary to salvation to râ—ckon Obser 1. pag. 141. up sins c. yet we endeavour that a generall confession of sins may be retained in our Churches c. Seeing that these things pertaine not to the Doctrine of faith but unto the use of Ecclesiasticall discipline of the libertie whereof in particular Churches we have oftentimes spoken else-where we doe not thinke it good that this law should be brought into our Churches being made and received in other places beside the word of God and the custome of the ancient pure Church which did never require private confession of every one of those which did professe the Christian Religion but onely of them of whose sins knowledge was taken in the assembly IN THE NINTH SECTION Vpon the Confession of Bohemia BVt such works as are taught of men what shew soever they have
much peevishnesse through which some do straight way upon very small occasion call their brethren heretikes schismatikes ungodly Mahometans let these speeches be thrown out against Atheists Epicures Libertines Arians Anabaptists such like mischevous persons which desire to have the Lords field utterly destroyed but let us every day grow in faith love and let us teach the flocks committed to our charge to fear God to hate vices and follow after vertues to denie the world and themselves obeying the commandement of our Lord and teacher Iesus Christ who biddeth us not to braule but to love each other Whose example in governing the Church if we will follow we shall raise up those that are afflicted take up those that are falne cōfort the feeble waken the drowsie and not negligently denounce Gods wrath against sinnes and shall draw out the sword of the same word which is no blunt one against hypocrites wolves dogs swine goates and to conclude against all wicked ones which in our Churches mingle themselves with the true sheepe and which cause the word of God to be evill spoken of It were a farre better thing surely then that which some do busying the sharpnesse of their wit in making of certaine trifles that forsooth the knowledge of such subtilties may shake out of our mindes all conscience It was justly said that the strength of the Gospel was weakened through the thorny subtilties of schoole-questions and we through our wayward disputations what else doe we then cause that the authoritie thereof be not strengthned but rather weakned and doe even stagger among the wicked We reade it excellently written in Livie a very grave writer that not onely grudges but also warres have an end and that oftentimes deadly foes become faithfull confederates yea and sometimes Citizens and that by the same speeches of the people of Rome very bitter or cruell enmities have beene taken up betweene men of great account And that which these few words wrought with the heathen shall not godlinesse toward God obtaine at the hands of Christians of Divines and of Pastours of Churches yea of the travell of reading and diligently examining and conferring of this booke shall not be irkesome if upright and sincere judgement if not prejudicate opinions but the love of one truth shall beare sway in all mens hearts it will shortly obtaine it That old contention about the celebrating of Easter very hotly tossed to and fro for two hundred yeeres or there about betweene the Greeks and the Latines was long since by us thought worthy of laughter but we must take good heed lest in a matter not altogether unlike we seeme to be wiser then both if so be that we desire to have the Church whole and not to leave it rent unto the posteritie and would have our selves be counted not foolish among men and not stubborne in the sight of God There hath scarce been any age which hath in such sort seene all Churches following altogether one thing in all points so as there hath not alwaies been some difference either in doctrine or in ceremonies or in manners and yet were not Christian Churches through the world therefore cut asunder unlesse peradventure then when the Bishop of Rome brake off all agreement and tyrannically injoyned to other Churches not what ought to be done but what himselfe would have observed but the Apostle did not so Barnabas indeed departed from Paul and Paul withstood Peter and surely for no trifle and yet the one became not more enemie or strange to the other but the selfe same spirit which had coupled them from the beginning never suffered them to be dis-joyned from them-selves It is the fashion of Romists to command to enforce to presse to throw out oursings and thunder excommunications upon the heads of those that whisper never so little against them but let us according to the doctrine of the holy Ghost suffer and gently admonish each other that is keeping the ground-work of faith let us build love upon it and let us joyntly repaire the wals of Sion lying in their ruines It remaineth that through the same Lord Christ we beseech our reverent brethren in the Lord whose Confessions published we set forth that they take this our paines in good part and suffer us to leane as it were to a certaine stay to the common consent of the reformed Churches against the accusations and reproches of the common adversaries of the truth But it had been to be wished that we might at once have set out all the Confessions of all the reformed Churches but because we had them not all therefore we set out them onely that were come to our hands to which the rest also so farre as we suppose may easily be drawne And we also could have wished that the thing might have beene made common to all the reformed Churches But when as the state of our Churches seemed to force the matter and that they could not abide any longer delay the right well beloved brethren will pardon us with whom by reason of the time we could not impart both the Harmonie it selfe and the Observations as also the intent of this whole Edition Whereas moreover we have put to moe confessions of one and the same Nation as of Auspurge and Saxonie as also the former and latter of Helvetia that was not done without cause for besides that one expoundeth another we thought it good also hereby to ridde them from all suspicion of inconstancie and wavering in opinion which the adversaries are wont to catch at by such repetitions of Confessions Yet why we would not adde some Confessions of the brethren of Bohemia often repeated we will straight way shew a cause and we hope that our reason will easily be liked of them And we have set downe every where two yea in some places three Editions of Auspurge for this respect lest in this diversitie we might seeme to have picked out that which rather favoured our side and to have utterly misliked the other Wherein notwithstanding we have not every where followed the order of times in which every of them came to light but the coppie which we had in our hands printed at Wirtemberge 1572. with a double Edition And we have therefore thought it meet to passe over the Apologies adjoyned to the Confessions as of Auspurge Bohemia Sueveland and England as well that the worke might not grow to be exceeding bigge as also that we might not seeme rather to increase disputations and controversies then to make an Harmonie of doctrine And as for our Observations our minde was to meet with the cavils of sophisters who we know well enough will take hold on the least matters that they may thereby set us on worke Wherefore lest they should charge us to set out a discord rather then a concord of Confessions we have added in the end very short Observations in which we lay open those things which might seeme some what obscurely spoken and
and happinesse Moreover we confesse that God did then at the length fulfill his Artic. 18. promise made unto the Fathers by the mouth of his holy Prephets when in his appointed time he sent his onely and eternâ—â— Son into the world who took upon him the forme of a servant being made like unto men and did truly take unto him the nature of man with all infirmities belonging thereunto sin onely excepted when he was conceived in the wombe of the blessed Virgin Mary by the power of the holy Ghost without any means of man The which nature of man he put upon him not onely in respect of the body but also in respect of the soule for he had also a true soule to the intent he might be true and perfect man For seeing that as well the soule as the body of man was subject to condemnation it was necessary that Christ should take upon him as well the soule as the body that he might save them both together Therefore contrary to the heresie of the Anabaptists which deny that Christ did take upon him the flesh of man we confesse that Christ was partaker of flesh and blood as the rest of his brethren were that he came from the loynes of David according to the flesh I say that he was made of the seed of David according to the same flesh and that he is a fruit of the Virgins wombe borne of a woman the branch of David a flower of the root of Iesse comming of the tribe of Iuda and of the Iews themselves according to the flesh and to conclude the true seed of Abraham and David the which seed of Abraham he tooke upon him being made in all things like unto his brethren sin onely excepted as hath been said before so that he is indeed our true Emmanuel that is God with us We beleeve also that the person of the Son was by this conception Artic. 19. inseparably united and coupled with the humane nature yet so that there be not two Sons of God nor two persons but two natures joyned together in one person both which natures doe still retaine their owne proprieties So that as the divine nature hath remained alwayes uncreated without the beginning of dayes and tearme of life filling both heaven and earth so the humane nature hath not lost his proprieties but hath remained still a creature having both beginning of dayes and a finite nature For whatsoever doth agree unto a true body that it still retaineth and although Christ by his resurrection hath bestowed immortalitie upon it yet notwithstanding he hath neither taken away the trueth of the humane nature nor altered it For both our salvation and also our resurrection dependeth upon the trueth of Christs bodie Yet these two natures are so united and coupled in one person that they could not no not in his death be separated the one from the other Wherefore that which in his death he commended unto his Father was indeed a humane spirit departing out of his body but in the meane season the divine nature did alwaies remaine joyned to the humane even then when he lay in the grave so that his Deitie was no lesse in him at that time then when as yet he was an infant although for a small season it did not shew forth it selfe Wherefore we confesse that he is true God and true man true God that by his power he might overcome death and true man that in the infirmitie of his flesh he might die for us We beleeve that God which is both perfectly mercifull and Artic. 20. perfectly just did send his Son to take upon him that nature which through disobedience had offended that in the selfe same nature he might satisfie for sinne and by his bitter death and passion pay the punishment that was due unto sinne God therefore hath declared and manifested his justice in his owne Sonne being loaden with our iniquities but hath most mercifully powred forth and declared his gracious goodnesse unto us guiltie wretches and worthie of condemnation whilest that in his incomprehensible love towards us he delivered up his Sonne unto death for our sins and raised him up againe from death for our justification that by him we might obtaine immortalitie and life everlasting We beleeve that Iesus Christ is that high Priest appointed to Artic. 21. that office eternally by the oath of his Father according to the order of Melchisedech which offered himselfe in our name before his Father with a full satisfaction for the pacifying of his wrath laying himselfe upon the altar of the crosse and hath shed his blood for the cleansing of our sins as the Prophets had foretold For it is written that the chastisement of our peace was laid upon the Sonne of God and by his wounds we are healed Also that he was carried as a sheepe unto the slaughter reputed amongst sinners and unjust and condemned of Pontius Pilate as a malefactour though before he had pronounced him guiltlesse Therfore he payed that which he had not taken and being just suffered in soul and body for the unjust in such sort that feeling the horror of those punishments that were due unto our sins he did sweat water and blood and at length cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me All which he suffered for the remission of our sins Wherefore we do not without just cause professe w th Paul that we know nothing out Iesus Christ and him crucified and that we doe account all things as dung in respect of the excellent knowledge of Iesus Christ our Lord finding in his wounds and stripes all manner of comfort that can be deserved Wherefore there is no need that either we should wish for any other meanes or devise any of our owne braines whereby we might be reconciled unto God besides this one oblation once offered by the which all the faithfull which are sanctified are consecrated or perfected for ever And this is the cause why he was called the Angel Jesus that is to say a Saviour because he shall save his people from their sinnes Last of all we doe beleeve out of the word of God that out Artic. 37. Lord Iesus Christ when the time appointed by God but unto all creatures unknowne shall come and the number of the elect shall be accomplished shall come againe from heaven and that after a corporall and visible manner as heretofore he hath ascended being adorned with great glory and majestie that he may appeare as Iudge of the quicke and the dead the old world being kindled with fire and flame and purified by it Then * Looke the second observat upon this confession all creatures and as well men as women and children as many as have beene from the beginning and shall be to the end of the world shall appeare before this high Iudge being summoned thither by the voyce of Archangels and the trumpet of God For all that have been dead
cleane contrary to the meaning of Christ our Lord and of the holy Scripture whereof the Apostle speaketh after this sort The time will come when 2 Tim 4. 2 Pet. 3. they will not suffer any longer the holy doctrine but having their cares itching shall after their own lusts get them an heap of teachers and shall turne their eares from the truth and shall be given unto fables The other evill or offence that we are to consider in Antichrist is a corrupt and naughtie life giving unto others a very ill example and is full of horrible sinnes hurtfull filthinesse and all kinde of vices which in the Antichristian church are openly practized and that freely without any kinde of punishment whereof the Apostle saith This know also that in the last daies shall 2 Tim 3. come perilous times For men shall be lovers of their owne selves covetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to parents unthankefull prophane without naturall affection such as cannot be pleased false accusers intemperate fierce not lovers or desirous of that which is good traiterous headie high minded lovers of pleasure more then of God having a shew of godlinesse but have denied the power thereof turne away therefore from such Of which time also Christ forespake in these words And then many shall be offended Matth. â—4 at these examples and shall betray one another and hate one another And many false Prophets shall arise and deceive many And because iniquitie shall increase many waies the love of many shall be cold But he that indureth to the end he shall be saved These words are to be understood of them which doe continue in the doctrine of Christ enduring all adversities where with they are assaied And in another place Christ crieth out Woe to the world because Mat. 18. Matth. 11. of offences And Blessed is he that shall not be offended in me Out of the FRENCH Confession THerefore we beleeve that it is not lawfull for any man to Artic 26. withdraw himselfe from the congregations and to rest in himselfe but rather that all men are to defend and to preserve the unitie of the church submitting themselves to the common instruction and to the yoake of Christ wheresoever God doth appoint that true Ecclesiasticall discipline although the Decrees of Magistrates doe gain-say it from which Order whosoever doe separate themselves they doe resist the ordinance of God We beleeve that very carefully and wisely the true Church Artic. 27. the name whereof too many do abuse is to be discerned Therefore we affirme out of the word of God that the Church is a company of the faithfull which agree together in following the word of God and in imbracing pure Religion wherein also they doe daily profit growing and confirming themselves mutually in the feare of God as they which have need daily to goe forward and to profit and who although they profit never so much must notwithstanding of necessitie daily flie to the remission of sinnes Yet we doe not deny but that many Hypocrites and Reprobates are mingled with the faithfull but their guilefull dealing is not able to take a way the name of the Church Therefore seeing we beleeve this to be so we withall boldly Artic. 28. affirme that where the word of God is not received and where there is no profession of that obedience which is due thereunto nor any use of Sacraments there if we will speake properly we cannot judge any Church to be Therefore we condemne the Papisticall assemblies because that the pure truth of God is banished from them and among them the Sacraments of Faith are corrupted counterfeited and falsified or altogether abolished and to conclude among whom all Superstitions and Idolatries are in full force And therefore we thinke that all they who joyne themselves to such actions and communicate there with doe separate themselves from the body of Christ Yet notwithstanding because that in Papacle there be some small tokens of a Church and the substance especially of Baptisme hath remained the efficacie whereof doth not depend upon him by whom it is ministred we confesse that they which are there baptized need not to be baptized the second time howbeit by reason of the corruptions which are mingled therewith no man can offer Infants there to be baptized but that he must defile himselfe Out of the ENGLISH Confession VVE beleeve that there is one Church of God and that the same is not shut up as in times past among the Iews into Artic. 4. some one corner or kingdome but that it is Catholike and universall and dispersed throughout the whole world So that there is now no nation which may truely complaine that they be shut forth and may not be one of the Church and people of God and that this Church is the Kingdome the Body and the Spouse of Christ that Christ alone is the Prince of this Kingdome that Christ alone is the Head of this Body and that Christ alone is the Bridegroome of this Spouse Out of the Confession of BELGIA VVE beleeve and confesse that there is one Catholike or Vniversall Artic. 27. Church which is the true Congregation or companie of all faithfull Christians which doe looke for their whole salvation from Christ alone in as much as they be washed in his blood and sanctified and sealed by his spirit Furthermore as this Church hath been from the beginning of the world so it shall continue unto the end thereof The which appeareth by this that Christ is our eternall King who can never be without subjects This Church God doth defend against all the fury and force of the world although for a small time it may seeme to be very little and as it were utterly extinguished to the sight of man even as in the perilous time of Achab God is said to have reserved to himselfe seven thousand men which bowed not their knees to Baal To conclude this holy Church is not situated or limited in any set or certaine place nor yet bound and tied to any certaine and peculiar persons but spread over the face of the whole earth though in minde and will by one and the same spirit through the power of faith it be wholly joyned and united together We beleeve that seeing this holy Companie and Congregation Artic. 28. consisteth of those that are to be saved and out of it there is no salvation therefore no man of how great dignitie and preheminence soever ought to separate and sunder himselfe from it that being contented with his own solitary estate he should live apart by himselfe But on the contrary side that all and every one are bound to associate themselves to this companie carefully to preserve the unitie of the Church to submit himselfe both to the doctrine and discipline of the same finally to put his necke willingly under the yoake of Christ as common members of the same body to seeke the edification of their
he saw many Plat. in vita â—ii 2. moe and more weightie causes why they ought to be restored to them againe Out of the Confession of AUSPURGE Art 5. Of Abuses Of the marriage of Priests VVHereas the Doctrine of Christ maketh honourable mention of marriage and willeth men to use the same not onely for procreation sake but also to bridle and avoyd lusts now a dayes the marriages of Priests are not onely by the Popes law but also by a new and unwonted crueltie forbidden and such as be made and contracted are dissolved and broken Which is so much the more unseemely for that these things are done in the Church which as she ought most of all to abhorre and detest filthinesse so should she with great care defend wedlocke for the avoiding of many grievous enormities Besides seeing that in all heathenish Common-wealthes that were but meanely well ordered marriage was in great account for very waightie causes what is there lesse seemely in the Church then either to breake in sunder the most holy knot of wedlocke or to punish marriage with punishments of death as though it were a most hainous offence Whence is it that this crueltie hath spread it selfe into the Church in which mutuall love should flourish most of all Moreover the matter it self doth testifie how much beastlinesse and how many villanies this popish law of single life doth bring forth no voice of man is able to shew how many vices have issued forth of this fountaine into the Church For to say nothing of Epicures who blush at nothing how many good and godly men have had ill successe in striving with their naturall weaknesse and at the last have fallen into horrible despaire Now whereto tendeth this new crueltie but that those innumerable villanies might be confirmed in the Churches and that wicked men might sinne more freely This matter needeth no disputation at all For this new law defended by our Adversaries which forbiddeth Priests to marry and dissolveth those that are contracted is flat contrary to the law of nature to the law of God to the Gospell to the constitutions of ancient Synods and to the examples of the ancient Church Onely in this calling we need the godlinesse and equitie of the most excellent Emperour whom we beseech for his godlinesse and duties sake that he would seeke some remedie for the Church by abolishing this tyrannicall law For as all unjust crueltie doth displease God so that most of all which is exercised against godly and learned Priests which deserve well of the Church And in this case we have not onely the word of God threatning most grievous plagues against them which exercise crueltie on the Priests but also there are examples to be seene in all ages which doe plainly testifie that such threatnings are not in vaine For to let passe infinite other examples the Tribe of Beniamin was almost quite destroyed for abusing the Priests wife that came thither as a stranger For when as the dead body of the woman which died after she had been so abused was cut in pieces and sent to all the Princes of Israel all the people judged that such outrage ought most severely to be revenged And when they could not get the authors of this shamefull fact to be delivered unto them for to be punished the whole Tribe of Beniamin receiving a great overthrow was punished for it Now in these dayes the Priests are vexed with sundry injuries they are when no other crime is objected unto them but marriage racked with most horrible torments and so put to death their miserable wives and little children being throwne out of house and home wander up and downe as banished persons without any certaine place of abode or house to dwell in Paul calleth The forbidding of marriage the doctrine of Devils which to be true not onely these filthy vices which the single life hath brought into the Church but also the crueltie which by reason of this law is exercised upon Priests and their wives and children doe testifie plainly For the Devill is a murtherer and he is chiefly delighted with the miseries of the godly But the devisers of such counsell shall one day have their just reward from God We judge that such crueltie is not worthy for Christians to use nor profitable to the Church of God Whereas they object the authoritie of the Popes law why doe they not alledge the authoritie of the Canons against those shamefull examples of uncleane single life and those villanies that were worthy of most severe punishment The authoritie of the Popes decree which is contrary to the law of nature and the commandement of God should be of no waight Men are so made by nature that they should be fruitfull Whereupon the Lawyers say That the coniunction of man woman is by the law of nature And the same the first book of Moses teacheth in the first and second Chapters Againe when Saint Paul saith To avoide fornication let every man have his wife it is certaine that he biddeth all which are not apt for a single life to joyne in marriage And Christ doth admonish that all are not fit for a single life when he saith All men doe not receive this thing Moreover neither mens laws nor any vows are of force which are against the commandement of God And the event it selfe doth testifie that nature cannot be changed by mans law For we see what vile filthinesse this single life doth bring forth and if there be any honest men which endeavour to keepe themselves chaste they perceive right well how great a burden how great danger there is in this thing and they doe especially be waile this slavery of their order Certaine men went about in the Nicene Synod to make a law to forbid Priests the use of their wives This law was resused by the holy Synod and the Latine Churches in the old time was not so severe in this point for they did put from the ministery onely such as when they had taken upon them any Ecclesiasticall function did afterwards marry wives yet they did not forbid marriage But this is a new law of the Pope unknowne to the ancient Churches and Synods which doth wholly forbid marriages and breaketh of such as are contracted But it is evident that either part of this decree is flat contrary to the Gospell They alledge against us the authoritie of the Church and of Synodes which the Popes themselves that were Authors of this decree did impudently contemne and godly Priests did evidently withstand this new law For the Ecclesiasticall Histories doe testifie that it was never layed upon the Churches without great contentions and resistance The Bishop of Tarracon writeth to Syricius the Pope That the Priests of Spaine could not be brought to admit that law which forbad them the use of their wives What a stirre doth Syricius keepe there How sharply doth he write For these are the words of Syricius which are