us For the Lord saith to him whom he had healed of the palsie Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee Likewise to the adulteresse Iohn 5. Iohn 8. woman which was delivered he said goe thy way and sinne no more By which words he did not meane that any man could be free from sinne whiles he lived in this flesh but he doth commend unto us diligence and an earnest care that we I say should endevour by all meanes and beg of God by prayer that we might not fall againe into sinne out of which we are risen after a manner and that we may not be overcome of the flesh the world or the devill Zacheus the Publican being received into favour by the Lord he cryeth out in the Gospel Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I give Luke 9. to the poore and if I have taken from any man any thing by forged cavillation I restore him foure fold After the same manner we preach that restitution and mercy yea and giving of almes are necessary for them which doe truely repent And generally out of the Apostles words we exhort men saying Let not sinne reigne in Rom. 6. your mertall body that you should obey it through the lusts thereof Neither give ye your members as weapons of unrighteousnesse to sin but give your selves unto God as they that are alive from the dead and give your members as weapons of righteousnesse unto God Wherefore we condemne all the ungodly speeches of certain which abuse the preaching of the Gospel and say To returne unto God is very easie for Christ hath purged all our sinnes For givenesse of sinnes is easily obtained What therefore will it hurt to sinne And we need not take any great care for repentance c. Notwithstanding we alwaies teach that an entrance unto God is open for all sinners and that this God doth forgive all the sinnes of the faithfull onely that one sinne excepted which is committed against Mar. 3. the holy Ghost And therefore we condemne the old and new Novatians and Catharines and especially we condemne the Popes gainfull doctrine of penance and against his Simonie and Simonaical indulgences we use that sentence of Simon Peter Thy Acts 8. money perish with thee because thou thoughtest that the gift of God might be bought with money Thou hast no part or fâ—llowship in this matter for thy heart is not upright before God We also disallow those that thinke that themselves by their owne satisfactions can make recompende for their sinnes committed For we teach that Christ alone by his death and passion is the satisfaction propitiation and purging of all sins Neverthelesse we cease not to urge as was before said the mortification of the flesh and yet we adde further that it must not be proudly thrust upon God for a satisfaction Isa 53. 1 Cor. 1. for our sins but must humbly as it becometh the sonnes of God be performed as a new obedience to shaw thankefull mindes for the deliverance and full satisfaction obtained by the death and satisfaction of the Sonne of God Out of the Confession of BOHEMIA CHAP. 5. NOw that we know what sinne is in the next place we are taught concerning holy repentance which doctrine doth bring great comfort to all sinners and generally it is very profitable and necessary to salvation for all men as well for Christians which begin to learne as for those which have profited yea even for sinners that have fallen yet such which by the grace of God being converted doe repent Of this repentance Iohn Baptist did preach and after him Christ in these words Repent for the kingdome Matth 3. Mar. 1. of God is at hand Afterward also the Apostles preached therof throughout the whole world for so it is written And thus it behoved that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached Luke 24. in his name among all nations Now this repentance doth wholly arise out of a true knowlege of sinne and the wrath of God And to attaine unto this knowledge we must use the full and entire helpe of the Ministerie by preaching to lay open unto us both the doctrine of repentance or the law touching that righteousnesse which is due unto God and the sentence of God pronounced against sin and also of faith in Christ Iesus and of that holy satisfaction which he hath made for us by suffering most grievous torments This repentance and saving conversion doth our mercifull God by his peculiar gift offer and bestow and he writeth the same in the hearts of the faithfull even as he saith I will give you Ezech. 36. Heb. 8. Ezech. 36. Ierem. 31. a new heart and I will put nay spirit in the midst of you I wil cause you to walk in my waies Again That you may repent of your sins and of your Idolatry And again When I was converted I did repent This saving repentance which doth differ very much from the repentance of Esau and Judas taketh it true and right beginning from this gift of God who bestoweth it and from the Sermons of the word of God whereby sin is reprooved and it hath this in order first that it is a feare and terrour of the secret heart before God and that by repenting and sorrowing it doth tremble at this just and severe judgement and revengement whereupon ariseth a heavie trembling and unquiet conscience a troubled minde a heart so sorrowfull carefull and bruised that a man can have no comfort with himselfe and of himselfe but his soule is full of all griefe sadnesse anguish and terrour whereby he is much troubled because of the feare of that burning wrath which he seeth in the severe countenance of God We have an example in David when he saith There is nothing sound in my flesh because Psal 38. of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones because of my sinnes I am become miserable and crooked very sore I goe mourning all the day Such a terrour and true sense of sin doth worke in the faithfull an inward change of the minde and the soule and a constant detesting of sin and the causes and occasions thereof Hereunto it is streight way added by ditigent teaching of the troubled terrified and repentant that such men ought in a sincere affection of the heart with repentance and an humble submission of the minde by their confession and invocation to turne unto the Lord and by faith in Iesus Christ our Lord to conceive sure and undoubted trust in his mercie to hold fast the apprehended promise and to relye wholly thereon and seeing they have no righteousnesse of themselves earnestly and faithfully to desire of the Divine grace that God would have mercie on them and vouchsafe of his grace to forgive them their sins for the Son and his precious merits sake who was made an attonement or reconciliation for sin 1 Joh. 2. Gal. 3.
he must needs be condemned If God should as it were deale by the rule propounded in the law whom should he deliver for he sindeth all men to be sinners So saith Paul All have sinned and stand in need of the glory of God What is this to stand in neede of Gods glory That he should deliver thee and not thou thy selfe For thou canst not deliver thy selfe Thou hast neede of a Saviour Why dost thou vaunt thy selfe what maketh thee to presume of the law and of righteousnesse Seest thou not that which doth sight within thee dost thou not beare one that striveth and confesseth his weakenesse and desireth aide in the battell O miserable man that I am c. Now it may easily be perceived how needfull this doctrine is for the Church that men may know that they doe not satisfie the law of God and yet may have true comfort knowing how their imperfect obedience doth please God This doctrine hath beene horribly darkned and suppressed heretofore by certaine fond perswasions wherein unlearned men have imagined against the authoritie of the Scripture that they can fulfill the law of God and that they are just through the fulfilling of the law c. And that Monks are perfect and doe performe more notable and worthy workes then the law doth require In the meane while there is not a word how the Mediatour Christ is to be apprehended by faith but they willed man to doubt or else to trust in his owne workes But as touching this obedience we doe teach * Looke the third observat upon this confession that they which commit mortall sinnes are not just because God requireth this obedience that we should resist sinfull lusts They then which strive not against them but obey them contrary to the commandement of God and do things against their consciences they are unrighteous and doe neither retaine the holy spirit nor faith that is confidence and trust of Gods mercy For confidence which seeketh remission of sinnes cannot so much as be in such as are delighted with their sinnes and remaine without repentance Fifthly this point is needfull also to be taught by what means men may doe good workes We shewed a little before how our workes doe please God In this place we adde how they may be done * Looke the 8. Observation Albeit that men by their owne strength be able to doe out ward honest deedes in some sort and must also performe this civill obedience yet so long as men are voide of Faith they are in the power of the devill who driveth them to shamefull sinnes occupieth their mindes with wicked and blasphemous opinions for that is the kingdome and tyrannie of the Devill * Looke the 9. Observat Moreover nature by it selfe is weake and cannot without Gods helpe strengthen it self to the performance of any spirituall works And for that cause are men taught that in the Gospel the holy Spirit is promised who shall aide and governe the mindes of them who doe repent and beleeve the Gospel Wherefore in so great infirmitie of nature in the middest of these assaults of Satan and in all dangers faith must be exercised in calling upon God even throughout our whole life that we may continue alwaies in the faith and in our obedience towards God Therefore Zacharie saith I will poure forth the spirit of grace and of prayer upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem He calleth him the spirit of grace because the holy spirit doth confirme and comfort troubled mindes and beareth record that God is pleased with us He calleth him the spirit of prayer to the end wee should daily exercise our faith in prayer that by these exercises our faith might be confirmed and a new life grow up and increase in us There is no doubt but true vertues are the gifts of God such as are faith cleerenesse of judgement in discerning of points of religion courage of minde such as is requisite in them which teach and professe the Gospel true care and paines in governing of Churches true humilitie not to hunt after preferment not to be puft up with popular praise nor cast downe with their disliking and ill will true charitie c. These Princely vertues Paul calleth Gods gifts Romans 12 Having divers gifts according to the grace that is given us And of these he saith to the Corinthians These things worketh one and the same spirit distributing to every one according c. Vnto these gifts we must joyne our exercise which may both preserve the same and deserve an increase of them according to the saying To him that hath shall be given And it is notably said of Augustine Love deserveth an increase of love to wit when it is put in use For good workes have rewards as in this life so also after this life in the everlasting life Now because that the Church in this life is subject to the crosse and to the death of the body therefore many rewards are deferred untill the life to come which though it be undoubtedly bestowed through mercy for Christs sake on those which are justified by the faith of Christ yet there is also a rewarding of good workes according to that saying Your reward is great it heaven By this it is evident that the doctrine of good workes is through the goodnesse of God purely and truely taught in our Churches How full of obscuritie and confusion the doctrine of good workes was in former times all godly mindes know full well There was none that put men in minde of the difference of mans traditions and the law of God none that taught how good workes did please God in this so great infirmitie of ours To be briefe there was not one word of faith which is most needfull unto remission of sinnes But now that these maters be opened and unfolded godly consciences lay hold of comfort and of certaine hope of salvation and doe understand which is the true worship and service of God and know how it pleaseth God and how it doth merit at his hands This article is thus set downe in another Edition OVr Divines are falsly accused to forbid good workes For their writings extant upon the tenne Commandements and others of the like argument doe beare witnesse that they have to good purpose taught concerning every kinde of life and duties what trades of life and what workes in every Calling doe please God Of which things Preachers in former times taught little or nothing onely they did urge certain childish and needlesse works As keeping of holy dayes set fasts fraternities pilgrimages worshipping of Saints Friaries Monkeries and such trash whereof our adversaries having had warning they doe now forget them and doe not preach so concerning these unprofitable workes as they were went to doe Besides they beginne now to make mention of Faith which they were wont to passe over with silence But yet they cease not to obscure and darken this
of God doe not offend What can be said against these things Let a man amplifie the bond of a vow as much as he will yet can he never bring to passe that the vow shall take away Gods Commandement The Canons teach That in every vow the right of the superiour is excepted much lesse therefore can these vowes which are contrary to Gods Commandement be of force If so be that the bond of vowes had no cause why it might be changed then should not the Roman Bishops have dispensed there with For indeed it is not lawfull for man to disanull that bond which doth simply belong to the law of God But the Roman Bishops have judged very wisely that in this bond there must an equitie be used therefore they are often read to have dispensed with vowes The historie of the King of Arragon being called back out of a Monasterie is well known and there be many examples of our time Secondly why do our adversaries exaggerate the bond or the effect of the vow when as in the meane time they speake not a word of the very nature of a vow which ought to be in a thing possible which ought to be voluntarie and taken up of a mans owne accord and with advice or deliberation But it is not unknown how perpetuall chastitie is in the power of a man And how many amongst them is there that doth vow of his own accord and with advice Wenches and young maides before they know how to judge are perswaded yea sometimes also compelled to vow wherefore it is not meet to dispute so rigorously of the bond seeing that all men confesse that it is against the nature of a vow which is not done of a mans own accord or unadvisedly The Canons for the most part doe disanull vowes which are made before one be fifteene yeeres of age because that before one come to that age he seemeth not to have so much iudgement as to determine of a perpetuall life Another Canon permitting more to the weaknesse of men doth adde some yeeres moe for it forbiddeth a vow to be made before one be 18. yeeres of age But whether of these shall we follow the greatest part hath this excuse why they forsake Monasteries because that for the most part they wowed before they came to this age Last of all although the breaking of a vow may be reprehended yet it followeth not that the marriages of such persons are to be dissolved For Augustine in his 27. quest 1. cap of Marriages doth deny that they ought to be dissolved and his authoritie is not lightly to be esteemed although others afterward have thought otherwise And although the commandement of God touching wedlock doth free most men from vows yet our men doe also bring another reason concerning vows that they be frustrate because that all the worship of God instituted of men without the commandement of God and chosen to merit remission of sinnes and justification is wicked as Christ saith They do in vain worship me with the commandements of men And Paul doth every where teach that righteousnesse is not to be sought out of our observations and those worships which are devised by men but that it cometh by faith to those that beleeve that they have God pacified and reconciled to them for Christ not for any of their merits But it is evident that the Monks did teach that these made or counterfeited religions do deserve remission of sins and iustification and that they do satisfie for sins What else is this then to detract from the glory of Christ and to obscure and deny the righteousnesse of faith wherefore it followeth that these vowes thus used were wicked worships and therefore they be of no value For a wicked vow and that which is made against the commandement of God is of no force neither ought a vow to be a bond of iniquitie as the Canon saith Paul saith Ye are made voyd of Christ which seeke to be iustified by the law ye are fallen from grace that is they which do think that by their own works they do merit remission of sinnes and that they do please God for their own fulfilling of the law and do not perceive that for Christ his sake they do freely receive by faith the remission of their sinnes through the mercy of God and that they do please God through Christ they do loose Christ because they doe transferre the confidence which is due to Christ and to the promise of God unto works Also they oppose to the wrath of God not Christ the propitiatour but their owne works therefore they doe transferre the honour which is due unto Christ unto our works Now it is manifest that the Monks doe teach this that by their observations they do deserve remission of sinnes because they finde God mercifull unto them for these observations Wherefore they teach men to trust to their owne works not to the propitiation of Christ This is a wicked confidence and is contrary to the Gospel and in the judgement of God it shall be found to be vaine For our workes cannot be opposed to the wrath and judgement of God the wrath of God is then onely appeased when as we do by faith lay hold upon the free mercy promised for Christs sake Therefore they lose Christ which place their confidence not in Christ but in their own works Moreover the Monks have taught that their kinde of life is a state of perfection because they did observe not onely the commandements but also the counsels This error is chiefly contrary to the Gospel because they have feigned that they do so satisfie the commandements as that they can also do somewhat more and hereupon arose that horrible errour which they have feigned that they had merits of supererogation These they have applied for others that they might be satisfections for other mens sins If any man will odiously exaggerate these things how many things might he rehearse whereof the Monks themselves are now ashamed It is no light offence in the Church to propound unto thâ— people a certain worship devised by men without the commandement of God and to teach that such a worship doth justifie men because that the righteousnesse of faith in Christ which ought especially to be taught in the Church is obscured when as those marvellous religions of Angels feigning of poverty and humilitie and of single life are cast before mens eyes Moreover the commandements of God the true worship of God are obscured when men hear that Monks alone are in that state of perfection because that Christian perfection is this to feare God sincerely and again to conceive great faith and to trust assuredly that God is pacified toward us for Christ his sake to aske and certainly to look for help from God in all our affaires according to our calling and outwardly to do good works diligently and to tend upon our vocation In these things doth true perfection and the true
impious distinction of Latria dulia and hyperdulia if so be that it be referred to religious worship should here be confirmed For otherwise as for civill honour which is due to the higher powers and to some other for honestie and orders sake we are so farre from rejecting it that we teach that seeing it is commanded of God it cannot be neglected of us without some wound of conscience Vpon the same SHe was made a deare companion of Christ by the holy Ghost Obser 1. pag. â—8 through faith Vnderstand this of that peculiar grace and mercy which was bestowed upon Mary alone whereby she was made the Mother of God that bare him and was also indued with an excellent faith and not as though any duties of the onely Mediatour Christ either of redemption or intercession were to be attributed to her as afterwards in plaine words is expressely declared Vpon the same MVch lesse their images The meaning of this is that we are Obser 3. pag. 2â— bound to honour in the Lord both the Saints that are alive and also the memory of them that are dead But to their Images we are not to give any shew of worship whether religious or civill for as much as that cannot be attempted without abominable superstition Vpon the Confession of Auspurge OFfer up their prayers by the Sonne of God as in the end of the Obser 1 pag. â—7 prayers it is accustomed to be said Through Iesus Christ our Lord c. These words doe not excuse the Popish prayers unto Saints which they conclude with this tearme of words for that he speaketh here of godly prayers unto God and not of idolatrous and superstitious prayers to Saints Vpon the Confession of Saxonie THere is no doubt but such as are in blisse pray for the Church Obser 1. pag. 43. c. Looke the first observation upon this Confession above in the 1. Section Vpon the same VVAsting Gods gifts in vain Concerning wasting and losing Obser 2. pag. 44. of the Spirit and of the gifts of the same look the first Observation upon this Confession in the 4. Sect. following IN THE FOVRTH SECTION Vpon the Confession of Bohemia THey teach also that we must acknowledge our weakenesse The Obser 1 pag. 66. termes of imbecillitie and difficultie which this Confession useth in many places must be referred either to the regenerate in whom the spirit struggling with the flesh can not without a wonderfull conflict get the upper hand or else unto that strife betweene reason and the affections whereof the Philosophers speake in which not the spirit with the flesh for the spirit is through grace in the regenerate onely but the reliques of judgement and conscience that is of the Image of God which for the most part are faulty do strive with the will wholly corrupted according to the saying of the Poet I see the better and like it well but follow the worse c. Which thing is largely and plainly set forth in the latter Confession of Helvetia Vpon the same IT could not rise againe or recover that fall This is thus to be taken Obser 2. pag. 67. not as though the first grace doth finde us onely weake and feeble before regeneration whereas we are rather stark dead in our sins and therefore we must be quickned by the first grace and after we be once quickned by the first be helped by the second following and confirmed and strengthned by the same continuing with us to the end of our race Vpon the Confession of Belgia THerefore whatsoever things are taught as touching mans free Obser 1. pag. 70. will c. This generall word Whatsoever we take to appertaine to those things onely which either the Pelagians or Papists or any other have taught touching this point contrary to the authoritie of the Scripture Vpon the Confession of Auspurge THat which in this Confession is said touching the libertie of Obser 1. pag. 71. mans nature to performe a civill iustice and cited out of the 3. book hypognosticon which is fathered upon Augustine we are taught it out of another place of the same Father namely in his Booke de gratia ad Valentinum Cap. 20. whose words are these The holy Scripture if it be well looked into doth shew that not onely the good wils of men which God maketh good of evill and having made them good doth guide them unto good actions and to eternall life but also those which are for the preservation of the creature in this life are so in Gods power that he maketh them bend when he will and whether he will either to bestow benefits upon some or to inflict punishments upon others according as he doth appoint in his most secret and yet without doubt most iust iudgement Vpon the same THis spirituall iustice is wrought in us when we are helped by Obser 2. pag. 72. and 73. the holy Ghost And a little after In these sure we had need to be guided and helped of the holy Spirit according to that saying of Paul The Spirit helpeth our infirmities c. Vnderstand this not of any naturall facultie which unto any good thing indeed is none at all but of the will regenerated which is very weake except it be aided by another grace even unto the end And so also must it be understood which is said a little after that The law of God can not be fulfilled by mans nature to wit though it be changed and renued according as we have declared in the former Observations upon the Confession of Bohemia which we advise you to looke over Vpon the same MAns nature can by it selfe performe c. By it selfe that is Obser 3. pag. 73. by it owne proper and inward motion yet so as the working and goodnesse of God who upholdeth the societie of men is not excluded which doth not indeed renue a man but preserveth that reason which is left in him though it be corrupt against the unbridled affections and disperseth the darknesse of the minde lest it overspread the light that remaineth and represseth the disorder of the affections lest they burst forth into act Vpon the Confession of Saxonie THat which is both here and else where in this Confession Obser 1. pag. 7â— and now and then in the Confession of Auspurge repeated touching the shaking off and losing the holy Spirit we take it thus that it is chiefly meant of the gifts which are bestowed even upon those also which pertain nothing to the Church as in Socrates Aristides Cicero and some others there shined certain sparks of excellent vertues Secondly of those gifts also which are bestowed upon those that are so in the Church that yet they are not of the Church nor truly regenerated by the spirit of adoption as may be seene in the examples of Saul Judas and such others For as concerning the spirit of sanctification which is onely in those that are truely regenerated it is
so great ungodlinesse For we at no hand offer up our prayers trusting to our own worthinesse but resting upon the only worthinesse and excellencie of the Lord Iesus Christ whose righteousnesse is ours by faith whereupon the Apostle for good cause to exempt us from this vaine feare or rather distrust saith that Christ was in all things made like unto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest in those things that were to be done with God for the cleansing of the peoples sins For in as much as he being tempted hath suffered he is also able to help those that are tempted And that he might encourage us to come the more boldly to this high Priest the same Apostle addeth Having therefore a great high Priest who hath entred the heavens even Iesus the Son of God let us hold fast this profession For we have not an high Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but he was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sin Let us therefore with boldnesse approach unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercie and finde grace to help in time of need The same Apostle saith that we have libertie to enter into the holy place through the blood of Iesus Let us therefore draw neer with a constant perswasion of faith c And againe Christ hath an everlasting Priesthood Wherefore he is able also to save them that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them What need many words when as Christ himself saith I am the way the trueth and the life No man commeth to the father but by me Why should we seek unto our selves any other Advocate especially seeing it hath pleased God himself to give us his own son for our advocate there is no cause why forsaking him we should seek another lest by continuall seeking we never finde any other For God undoubtedlie knew when he gave him unto us that we were miserable sinners Whereupon it is that according to Christs own commandement we onely call upon the heavenly Father by the self same Iesus Christ our onely Mediatour even as he himself also hath taught us in the Lords Prayer For we are sure that we shall obtaine all those things which we aske of the Father in his name Out of the Confession of AUSPURGE CHAP. 3. THE Churches with common consent among us doe teach Artic. 1. that the Decree of the Nicene Councell concerning the unitie of the Divine Essence and of the three persons is true and without all doubt to be beleeved To wit that there is one Divine Essence which is called and is God eternall without body indivisible of infinite power wisdome goodnesse the Creator and preserver of all things visible and invisible and that there be three persons of the same essence and power which also are coeternall the Father the Son and the holy Ghost And they use the name of person in that signification in which the Ecclesiasticall Writers have used it in this cause to signifie not a part or qualitie in another but that which properly subsisteth They condemne all heresies sprung up against this Article as the Manichees who set down two beginnings Good and Evill they doe in like sort condemn the Valentinians Arrians Eunomians Mahometists and all such like They condemn also the Samosatenes old and new who when they earnestly defend that there is but one person do craftily and wickedly dally after the manner of Rhetoricians about the Word and the holy Ghost that they are not distinct persons but that the Word signifieth a vocall word and the Spirit a motion created in things Artic. 21. We have found this 21. Article set forth three divers wayes The first Edition 1559. goeth thus INvocation is an honour which is to be given onely to God Almightie that is to the eternall Father and to his Son our Saviour Iesus Christ and to the holy Ghost And God hath proposed his Son Iesus Christ for a Mediatour and high Priest that maketh intercession for us He testifieth that for him alone our prayers are heard and accepted according to that saying Whatsoever you aske the Father in my name he shall give it to you Againe There is one Mediatour betweene God and men Therefore let them that call upon God offer up their prayers by the Son of God as in the end of prayers it is accustomed to be said in the Church through Iesus Christ c. These things are needfull to be taught concerning Invocation as our men have else-where more at large written of Invocation But contrariwise the custome of invocating Saints that are departed out of this life is to be reprooved and quite throwne out of the Church because this custome transferreth the glory due to God alone unto men it ascribeth unto the dead an Omnipotencie in that Saints should see the motions of mens hearts yea it ascribeth unto the dead the office of Christ the Mediatour and without all doubt obscureth the glory of Christ Therefore we condemne the whole custome of invocating Saints departed and thinke it is to be avoided Notwithstanding it profiteth to recite the true Histories of holy men because their examples doe profitably instruct if they be rightly propounded When we heare that Davids fall was forgiven him faith is confirmed in us also The constancie of the ancient Martyrs doth now likewise strengthen the mindes of the godly For this use it is profitable to the recite the Histories But yet there had need be discretion in applying examples The second Edition is thus Artic. 21. COncerning the worship of Saints they teach that it is profitable to propose the memory of Saints that by their examples we may strengthen our faith and that we may follow their faith and good works so farre as every mans calling requireth as the Emperour may follow Davids example in making warre to beate backe the Turks for either of them is a King we ought also to give God thanks that he hath propounded so many and glorious examples of his mercie in the Saints of his Church and that he hath adorned his Church with most excellent gifts and vertues of holy men The Saints themselves also are to be commended who have holily used those gifts which they employed to the beautifying of the Church But the Scripture teacheth not to invocate Saints or to aske help of Saints but layeth onely Christ before us for a Mediatour Propitiatour high Priest and Intercessour Concerning him we have commandements and promises that we invocate him and should be resolved that our prayers are heard when we flie to this high Priest and Intercessour as Iohn saith Chap. 16. Whatsoever ye shall aske the Father in my name he will give it you c. and Iohn 14. Whatsoever ye shall aske in my name that I will doe These testimonies bid us flie unto Christ they command us to beleeve that Christ is the Intercessour and Peace
come into condemnation but by making a way through Joan. 5. it they shall passe from death into life The Epistle to the Hebrews to stirre us up to use such exhortations saith Exhort your selves among your selves exhort ye one Heb. 4. another daily so long as it is said to day Let no man among you be hardned by the deceit of sin For we enter into the rest which have beleeved that is which have obeyed the voice of God while we had time given us On the other side we must also hold this most assuredly that if any man being polluted with sins and filthy deeds manifestly contrary to vertue doe in dying depart out of this world without true repentance and faith that his soule shall certainly goe into hell as did the soule of that rich man who wanted faith in the bottomlesse pit whereof there is no drop of grace and that in the day of judgement that most terrible voice of the Son of God sounding in his eares shall be heard wherein he shall say Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared Matth. 29. Joh. 5. for the Devill and his Angels for they which have done evill shall come forth to the resurrection of judgement Therefore in teaching they doe continually urge this that no man deferre repentance and turning unto God till he come to be old or till he lyeth sicke in his bed and in the meane time doe boldly practise his wantonnesse in sinnes and in the desires of the flesh and the world because it is written Doe not say The aboundant mercie of the Lord will purgo my sins for mercie and wrath do basten with him and his indignation shall lye upon the sinners Make no tarrying to turn unto the Lord put not off from day to day For suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord breaâ—e forth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in time of vengeance But that especially is a most dangerous thing if any man after he hath received the gift of the grace of God and that in the testimonie of a good conscience doth of set purpose and wantonly sinne and contemne and make no account of all those exhortations and allurements proceeding out of a loving heart and that to this end that he may in time think on that which is for his health and repent and moreover doth persist in a bold and blind perswasion of the mercie of God and trusting thereto doth sinne and doth confidently abuse it and goeth forward in that sort without repentance even unto the last pinch and then beginneth being forced thereunto by the terrours of death and the feare of infernall punishments so late to convert himselfe and to call for the mercie of the Lord as when the severe and intollerable anger of the Lord waxeth hot and punishments rush and breake forth as doth the great violence of floods which cannot be resisted Therefore of such a man which thing we speake with sorrow it is hard to beleeve that he can truly repent and therefore it is to be doubted lest that be fulfilled in him which the Lord doth threaten by the Prophet Micheas That instead of grace he shall feele the wrath of God and that it will come to passe that the wrath of God shall slay him For in a fearefull speech doth he say thus Then shall they cry unto the Lord but Mich. 3. he will not heare them but he will hide his face from them at that time because they have continually lived wickedly Yea the Lord himselfe saith Although they cry in mine eares with a loude Ezech. 8. Ier. 7. and 11. Isa 65. and 66. voyce yet will I not heare them seeing they would not heare my voyce when as all the day long I spread out my hands unto them and gave them large time and space for grace For the which cause the holy Ghost cryeth out and saith To day if ye will heare his Psal 95. Heb. 3. voyce harden not your hearts as in the grieving in the day of that tentation in the wildernesse Therefore according to all these things our men doe diligently and out of the grounds of the Scripture exhort that every man doe in time use and follow this faithfull counsell and necessary doctrine that so he may turne away the feare of this most heavie danger yea that he doe not betray the health of his own soule For undoubtedly this horrible danger is greatly to be feared lest whatsoever he be that doth rashly or stubbornly condemne or neglect this time of grace so lovingly granted of the Lord he doe receive and that worthily that reward of eternall punishment which is due thereunto even as Saint Ambrose also amongst many other things which he handleth diversly to this Lib 3. de poenit qui Augustini esse putatur purpose doth thus write and in these words If any man at the very point of death shall repent and be absolved fo this could not be denied unto him and so departing out of this life dieth I dare not say that he departeth hence in good case I doe not affirme it neither dare I affirme or promise it to any man because I would deceive no man seeing I have no certaintie of him Doe I therefore say that he shall be damned neither doe I say that he shall be delivered For what other thing I should say I know not Let him be commended to God Wilt thou then O brother be freed from doubting repent whiles thou art in health If thou wilt repent when thou canst not sin thy sins have left thee and not thou thy sins Yet that no man may despaire they teach this also that if any man in the last houre of his life shew our signs of true repentance which thing doth fall out very seldome for that is certainly true which is written in the Epistle to the Hebrews And this will we also doe so that God Heb. 6. give us leave to doe it that such a one is not to be deprived of instruction comfort absolution or remission of sins For the time of grace doth last so long as this life doth last wherefore so long as we live here it is meet that we should thinke of that Propheticall and Apostolicall sentence To day seeing ye have heard his Heb 3. voyce harden not your hearts Now herein doe our men labour and endeavour themselves most earnestly that all men may obey this loving commandement and counsell and that they speedily repent before the Sunne be darkened after a strange manner and the hils be overwhelmed with darknesse and that laying sinne aside they would turne themselves to God by flying unto him in true confidence and with a constant invocation from the bottome of the heart and that they doe their faithfull indeavour that they be not repelled from the glory of eternall life but that they may live with Christ and his Church in this life
for a time and in the other life for ever Amen Out of the Confession of AUSPURGE TOuching Repentance they teach that such as have fallen after Baptisme may finde remission at what time they returne againe And that the Church is bound to give absolution unto such as returne by repentance Now repentance or the conversion of the ungodly standeth properly of these two parts The one is contrition that is a teriour stricken into the conscience through the acknowledgement of sinne wherein we doe both perceive Gods displeasure and are grieved that we have sinned and doe abhorre and eschew sinne according as Ioel preacheth Rent your hearts and not your garments and turne unto the Lord your God c. The other part is faith which is begotten in us by the Gospel or by absolution and doth beleeve that the sinnes are undoubtedly forgiven for Christ sake and doth comfort the conscience freeing it from feares Of which faith spake Saint Paul when he saith Being lustified by faith we have peace with God Afterward there must follow the good fruits of repentance that is obedience unto God according to that saying We are debters not to the flesh to live after the flesh For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die But if by the spirit ye mortifie the works of the flesh ye shall live They condemne the Novatians which would not absolve them which have fallen after Baptisme returned to repentance They condemne also those that teach not that remission of sinnes cometh freely by faith for Christ sake but labour to proove that remission of sinnes cometh by the worthinesse of contrition of charitie or of some other works and would have mens consciences in time of repentance to doubt whether they may obtaine remission and doe say plainly that this doubting is no sinne Likewise they condemne those which teach that Canonicall satisfactions are necessary to redeeme eternall paines or the paines of Purgatory Though * Looke the 3. Observat we are of that minde that the calamities of this life may be asswaged by good works as Esay teacheth Chap. 58. Breake thy bread unto the hungry and the Lord shall give thee rest continually Besides they condemne * Looke the 4. Observat the Anabaptists who deny that they that are once justified can againe lcose the spirit of God Also they condemne those that stiffely hold that some may attaine to such a perfection in this life as that they cannot sinne any more This eleventh Article we finde in some Editions placed in the twelfth place and after the first period we finde these words Now repentance consisteth properly of these two parts one is contrition or terrours stricken into the conscience through the sight of sinne The other is faith which is conceived by the Gospel or by absolution and doth beleeve that for Christ sake the sins be forgiven and comforteth the conscience and freeth it from terrours Then there must follow good works which are fruits of repentance They condemne the Anabaptists who denie that men once justified can loose the spirit of God and doe stiffely hold that some men may attaine to such a perfection in this life that they can sin no more In like case the Novatians are condemned which would not absolve such as had fallen after Baptisme though they returned to repentance They also that teach that remission of sins is obtained for our owne love or good works and such as teach that Canonicall satisfactions are necessary to redeeme everlasting or purgatorie paines are wholly misliked of us Concerning confession of sins they teach that private absolution is to be retained still in Churches though it be a needlesse thing in confession to make a rehearsall of the sins For it is an impossible thing to reckon up all a mans offences according as the Psalmist saith Who doth understand his faults c. This twelfth Article we finde in the place of the eleventh in some Editions and it is word for word the same but that the last words are thus set downe Though a reckoning up of all sinnes be not necessary For it is impossible as the Psalmist saith c. Art 3. Of abuses Of Confession THE Divines and Canonists have cast a great miste of darknesse chiefly upon this point of Christian doctrine touching repentance as not onely their books doe testifie but also the consciences of all the godly which doe confesse that the intricate and endlesse disputations of the Divines and the infinite traditions about the matter of repentance was even a fearefull racking of their consciences For they doe no where teach any certaintie how remission of sins is obtained And as for faith there is no word amongst them Yea they bid men to be alwayes in doubt of remission of sins Afterward they torment mens consciences with a harsh reckoning up of their faults and with satisfactions For what a snare unto a mans conscience was the tradition which requireth them to reckon up all their sins As for satisfactions they did obscure and darken the benefit of Christ because that even the learned among them did imagine that eternall death was recompensed by them But the unlearned were perswaded that forgivenesse of the fault was purchased by such deeds What that their services for the most part were not commanded of God as babling of prayers invocation of Saints Pilgrimages and such like stuffe Thus was the pure doctrine of repentance overwhelmed with an huge heap of unprofitable and evill opinions And it is manifest that the godly in many ages past have greatly wished that this doctrine had been more purely taught Furthermore it is especially needfull that the doctrine of repentance should be taught in the Church most purely and sincerely Therefore our Divines have laboured to cleare this point as much as might be And surely they have so opened and cleared it that the soundest even amongst our adversaries do confesse that in this matter they have well deserved of the Church For we doe simply and plainly without any Sophistry lay forth that which tho Gospel teacheth touching repentance that men may perceive how they must returne unto Christ by what means remission of sins is obtained what worship and what works doe please God First we teach that Contrition is requisite that is the true terrors and sorrows of the minde which feeleth the wrath of God is grieved for sin committed and ceaseth to doe evill And though these sorrows be requisite yet must we know that remission of sins is not granted for the worthinesse of contrition or of these sorrows but we must joyne faith with them that is a trust and confidence of mercie promised for Christs sake and we hold that our sins are freely forgiven for Christs sake When we once are comforted in these terrours by faith we do undoubtedly obtaine remission of sins as we have said before And this faith our mindes doe conceive by the Gospel also by the absolution which preacheth and applyeth the
Churches to be expounded most plainly and set out most clearely Christ faith that the Angels in heaven doe reioyce whensoever they see a sinner repem And therefore the Churches and the Angels themselves doe rejoyce at the pure doctrine of repentance thus set down Out of the Confession of SAXONIE Hitherto pertaine the first two last clauses of the third Article Of the remission of sinnes c. Which are thus set downe IT is most certaine that the preaching of Repentance doth pertaine to all men and accuse all men So also the promise is generall and offereth remission of sins to all according to those generall speeches Matth. 11. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavie loaden and I will refresh you Also Ioh. 3. That every one which beleeveth in him should not perish Rom. 10. Every one that beleeveth in him shall not be confounded Againe He that is Lord over all is rich unto all that call on him Rom. 11. The Lord hath shut up all under disobedience that he might have mercie on all Let every one comprise himselfe in this generall promise and not give himselfe to distrust but let them strive that they may assent to the word of God and obey the holy Ghost and desire that they may be helped as it is said Luk. 11. How much more will he give the holy Ghost to them that aske it Of Repentance Artic. 16. BY the mercie of God this part of Doctrine specially is declared in our Churches with great perspicuitie whereas the Sententiaries have wrapped it in most intricate Labyrinthes First we doe openly condemne the catharans and the Novatians who feigned that neither the elect could fall into sins against their conscience neither that they who had fallen after their amendment were to be received againe and our confutations of these furies are extant Neither doe we goe about to make brawlings about the word Repentance if any man like it better let him use the word Conversion which word the Prophets also have often used Moreover we doe willingly retaine the word Contrition and we say that the first part of Repentance or Conversion is Contrition which is truely to tremble through the knowledge of the wrath of God against sins and to be sorry that we have offended God and we say that there must needs be some such great feare and griefs in those that are converted and that they doe not repent which remaine secure and without griefe as it is said 2 Cor. 7. Ye sorrowed to repentance And Ezech. 20. And ye shall mislike your selves in your own sight and acknowledge your selves to be worthy of punishment and destruction And these true griefes are a feeling of the wrath of God as is declared more at large in another place But here we reproove our adversaries who feigne that Contrition doth deserve Remission of sinnes and that Contrition must be sufficient In either errour there be great mysts For remission is given freely for the Mediatours sake and what contrition can be sufficient Yea rather the more the sorrow increaseth without assurance of mercie so much the more mens hearts doe flie from God and no creature is able to sustaine the greatnesse of this sorrow whereof Esay speaketh Chap. 38. He brake all my bones like a Lion But those idle dreames of the Writers doe declare that they lead a carelesse life and that they are unskilfull in the Gospel Now these true sorrows doe arise when the sinne of the contempt of the Son of God as is declared in the Gospel is reprooved The spirit shall reproove the world of sin because they beleeve not in me Ioh. 16. And by the voice of the Morall law other sins are reprooved as Paul saith Rom. 3. By the law came the knowledge of sin As touching private confession to be made unto the Pastours we affirme that the ceremonie of * Looke the first observat upon this confession private absolution is to be retained in the Church and we doe constantly retaine it for many weightie causes yet withall we doe teach that men must neither command nor require the recitall of offences in that private talke because that recitall of offences is neither commanded of God nor a thing possible and it maketh godly mindes to doubt and it maketh faith faint And this we doe much more reprehend that in the doctrine of Repentance or Conversion our adversaries doe no where make mention of justifying faith whereof we have spoken before by which alone Remission of sins is truely received the heart is lifted up even when it hath a feeling of the wrath of God and we are freed from the sorrows of hell as it is written Rom. 5. Being iustified by faith we have peace Without this faith sorrows are no better then the repentance of Saul Judas Orestes and such like as are mentioned in Tragedies Neither doe our adversaries teach the Gospel but the Law and humane traditions either omitting this faith else fighting against it But seeing that in a true Conversion there must be these changes a mortification and a quickning as it is said Rom. 6. and in divers other places for doctrines sake we doe divide conversion or repentance into three parts into contrition faith and new obedience these things doth true conversion comprehend as the voice of God and the true experience of the Church doe declare Yet doe we not make contention either about the manner of speaking or about the number of the parts but we wish that all men may see those things which are necessary And it is most necessary for the Church that there should be a true plaine and most cleare doctrine touching the whole conversion which also is very often repeated in those Sermons which are set down in the Scriptures and that with great perspicuitie and without any intricate labyrinthes as the Baptist and Christ say Matth. 3. Repent and beleeve the Gospel Againe Repent Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world And Paul saith Rom. 3. All men are deprived of the glory of God Here he speaketh of contrition afterward of remission But we are iustified freely by his grace through redemption that is in Christ Iesus by faith Therefore it is necessary that in the doctrine of conversion or repentance there should mention be made of faith Neither is it sufficient that our adversaries say that they also doe speake of faith and that faith doth goe before repentance For they speake of the doctrine of knowledge I beleeve the forgivenesse of sinnes to wit that they be forgiven to others even as the devils doe know the Creed but the Gospel doth require this true faith which is an assurance of the mercie of God promised for the Sonne of God his sake and resting in the Sonne of God which faith I beleeve that remission of sins is given unto me also and that freely not for any Contrition not for any my merits but for the Sonne of God who
or absolution faith may be either conceived or confirmed For that we may truely repent we thinke that there is nothing more sure and certaine then that of necessitie we should have faith to this end that as the Gospel of Christ doth declare it so we may assuredly beleeve that our sinnes are freely pardoned and forgiven for our Lord Iesus Christ his sake We are not ignorant if we looke unto our workes that we are not onely to doubt but also to dispaire of our salvation because that our workes seeme they never so good cannot stand upright before the severe tribunall seate of God Neither are we ignorant that some doubt of the mercy and favour of God doth alwaies cleave to our flesh so long as we live in the body But seeing that God doth promise unto us his free mercy for Christ his Sonnes sake and doth require of us that we doe obediently beleeve the Gospel of his Sonne he there with also doth require that we mortifie the doubting of the flesh and have a most assured affiance in his mercy that we doe not accuse his promise to be so full of deceit as we are of doubting And that we may conceive sure confidence therein he placed our salvation not in the merits of our righteousnesse which is unperfect but onely in the merits of his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ whose righteousnesse as it is most perfect so it is most firme and constant in the judgement of God Mar. 1. Repent and beleeve the Gospel He commandeth us to beleeve the Gospel which declareth unto us the certaine favour of God toward us for Christ his sake therefore he will not have us to doubt of his favour towards us but that we may conceive sure confidence thereof Iohn 6. This is the worke of God that ye beleeve in him whom the Father hath sent If God require of us that we beleeve in his Sonne certainely he would not have us to doubt but that we put our sure confidence in him Jam. 1. If any of you want wisedome let him aske of him which giveth it namely of God who giveth I say to all men without exception and upbraideth not and it shall be given him but let him aske with confidence nothing doubting Hilarie saith The kingdome of heaven In Mat. cap. 5. which the Prophets foreshewed Iohn preached and our Lord professed to consist in himselfe he will have us to hope for without any doubting of a wavering will Otherwise iustification through faith is none In Manueli cap. 23. at all if faith it selfe be doubtfull And Augustine saith He that doth despaire of the pardon of his sinnse doth deny that God is morcifull he that doth distrust of the mercy of God doth great iniurie unto God and as much as in him lyeth he denieth that God hath love truth and power in which things all our hope doth consist Sixtus Sixtus Pontifex Tom. 1. Epist Sixti Pont sicis saith He which is doubtfull in faith is an infidell Wherefore we thinke that they who counsell us to doubt of the favour of God towards us doe not onely dissent from the true judgement of the Catholike Church but also provide very ill for the salvation of the Church Of Satisfaction CHAP. 15. AS touching satisfaction we beleeve and confesse that the alone passion and death of the onely begotten Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ is a satisfaction for our sinnes and that this satisfaction of Christ is offered and applied to us by the ministery of the Gospel and is received of us by faith We also confesse that after the satisfaction of Christ is applied and by faith received we ought necessarily to doe those good workes which God hath commanded not that by them we might purge our sinnes before God but that we might bring forth good fruits of repentance and testifie our thankefulnesse For as touching prayer fasting giving of almes and such like workes we thinke that they are diligently to be performed yet that they have a farre other use then that they should by their merits either satisfie God for our sinnes or apply unto us the merite of Christ Out of the Confession of SVEVELAND Of Confession CHAP. 20. SEeing that true confession of sinnes and such as hath it beginning from godlinesse can be performed of no man whom his repentance and true sorrow of minde doth not force thereunto it cannot be wrested out by any precept Wherefore neither Christ himselfe nor the Apostles would command it Therefore for this cause our Preachers doe exhort men to confesse their sins and there withall they shew what fruit ariseth hereof that a man should secretly seeke for comfort counsell doctrine instruction and at the hands of a man that is a Christian and wise yet by commandement they urge no man but doe rather affirme that such commandements doe hinder godlinesse For that constitution of confessing sinnes unto a Priest hath driven infinite soules unto desperation and is subject to so many corruptions that of late it ought to have beene abrogated and without doubt had beene abrogated if the governours of Churches of late time had burned with so great a zeale to remove away stumbling blocks as in times past Nestorius the Bishop of Constantinople did burne who did utterly abolish secret confession in his Church because that a certaine noble woman going often to Church under pretence of doing the workes of repentance was deprehended to have to doe with a Deacon Infinit such undoubted sinnes were committed every where Moreover the Pontificall lawes doe require that the hearer and judge of confession should be so holy learned wise mercifull that a man can hardly finde out especially among those that are commonly appointed to heare confessions to whom he might confesse himselfe And now the Schoolemen doe thinke that it is better to confesse sinnes to a laie man then to that Priest by whom we may not looke to be edified in godlinesse This is the summe That confession bringeth more hurt then profit which sound repentance and true sorrow of the minde for sinnes committed doth not wring out Therefore seeing this is the gift of God alone that we may repent of our sinnes and be truely sorrowfull for that wee have sinned nothing that may turne to salvation can be done in this matter by commandements as hath hitherto beene too too manifest even by experience THE NINTH SECTION OF IVSTIFICATION BY FAITH AND OF GOOD Workes and their Rewards The latter Confession of HELVETIA Of the true Justification of the faithfull CHAP. 15. TO justifie in the Apostles disputation touching justification doth signifie to remit sinnes to absolve from the fault and the punishment thereof to receive into favour to pronounce a man just For the Apostle faith to the Romans God is he that iustifieth Rom. 8. who is he that can condemne Where to justifie and to condemne are opposed And in the Acts of the Apostles the Apostle saith Through Christ is preached unto
you forgivenesse of sinnes Acts 13. and from all things from which ye could not be iustified by the law of Moses by him every one that beleeveth is iustified For in the Law also and in the Prophets we reade that If a controversie were risen amongst any and they came to iudgement the Iudge should Deut. 2. 5. iudge them that is iustifie the righteous and make wicked or condemne the wicked And in the 5. Chapter of Isaiah Woe to them which iustifie the wicked for rewards Now it is most certaine that we are all by nature sinners and before the Iudgement seat of God convicted of ungodlinesse and guilty of death But we are justified that is acquitted from sinne and death by God the Iudge through the grace of Christ alone and not by any respect or merit of ours For what is more plaine then that which Paul saith All have sinned and are destitute of the glory of God and are iustified Rom. 3. freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus For Christ tooke upon himselfe and bare the sinnes of the world and did satisfie the justice of God God therefore is mercifull unto our sinnes for Christ alone that suffered and rose againe and doth not impute them unto us But he imputeth the justice of Christ unto us for our owe so that now we are not onely cleansed 2 Cor. 3. from sinne and purged and holy but also indued with the righteousnesse of Christ yea and acquitted from sinne death and condemnation finally we are righteous and heires of eternall life Rom. 4. To speake properly then it is God alone that justifieth us and that onely for Christ by not imputing unto us our sinnes but imputing Christs righteousnesse unto us But because we doe receive this justification not by any works but by faith in the mercy of God and in Christ therefore we teach and beleeve with the Apostle that sinnefull man is justified onely by faith in Christ not by the law or by any workes For the Apostle saith We conclude that man is iustified by faith without the Rom. 3. Rom. 4. Gen. 15. workes of the law If Abraham was iustified by workes he hath whereof to boast but not with God For what saith the Scripture Abraham beleeved God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse But to him that worketh not but beleeveth in him that iustifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse And againe You are saved by grace through faith and that not of your selves Eph. 2. it is the gift of God Not by workes lest any might have cause to boast c. Therefore because faith doth apprehend Christ our rigteousnesse and doth attribute all to the praise of God in Christ in this respect justification is attributed to faith chiefly because of Christ whom it receiveth and not because it is a worke of ours For it is the gift of God Now that we doe receive Christ by faith the Lord sheweth at large John 6. where he putteth eating for beleeving and beleeving for eating For as by eating we receive meate so by beleeving we are made partakers of Christ Therefore we doe not part the benefit of justification giving part to the grace of God or to Christ and a part to our selves our charitie workes or merit but we doe attribute it wholly to the praise of God in Christ and that through faith Moreover our charitie and our works cannot please God if they be done of such are not just wherefore we must first be just before we can love or doe any just workes We are made just as we have said through faith in Christ by the meere grace of God who doth not impute unto us our sinnes but imputeth unto us the righteousnesse of Christ yea and our faith in Christ he imputeth for righteousnesse unto us Moreover the Apostle doth plainly derive love from faith saying The end of the commandement is love proceeding 1 Tim. 1. from a pure heart a good conscience and a faith unfeigned Wherefore in this matter we speake not of a fained vaine or dead faith but of a lively quickning faith which for Christ who is life and giveth life whom it apprehendeth both is indeed and is so called a lively faith and doth prove it selfe to be lively by lively workes And therefore James doth speake nothing contrary to this our doctrine for he speaketh of a vaine and dead faith which certain bragged of but had not Christ living within them by faith And James also saith that workes doe iustifie yet he is not contrarie Iames 2. to Saint Paul for then he were to be rejected but he sheweth that Abraham did shew his lively and justifying faith by workes And so doe all the godly who yet trust in Christ alone not to their owne workes For the Apostle said againe I live Gal. 2. howbeit not I but Christ liveth in me But the life which now I live in the flesh I live through the faith of the Sonne of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me I doe not despise the grace of God for if righteousnesse bee by the law then Christ died in vaine c. Of faith and good workes Of their reward and of mans merit CHAP. 16. CHristian faith is not an opinion or humane perswasion but a sure trust and an evident and steadfast assent of the minde to be briefe a most sure comprehension of the truth of God set forth in the Scriptures and in the Apostles Creede yea and of God himselfe the chiefe blessednesse and especially of Gods promise and of Christ who is the consummation of all the promises And this faith is the meere gift of God because God alone of his power doth give it to his elect according to measure and that when to whom and how much he will and that by his holy spirit through the meanes of preaching the Gospel and of faithfull prayer This faith hath also her increases which unlesse they were likewise given of God the Apostle would never have said Lord Luke 11. increase our faith Now all these things which we have said hitherto of faith the Apostles taught them before us even as we set them downe for Paul saith Faith is the ground or sure subsistence Heb. 11. of things hopeed for and the evidence or cleare and certaine comprehension of things which are not seene And againe he saith that all the promises of God in Christ are yea and in Christ are Amen 2 Cor. 1. And the same Apostle saith to the Philippians that it was given them to beleeve in Christ And also God doth distribute unto Rom. 12. 2 Thess 2 and 3. every man a measure of faith And againe All men have not faith and all doe not obey the Gospel Besides Luke witnesseth and saith As many as were ordained to life beleeved And therefore he also calleth faith The faith of Gods elect And againe Faith
able to bring forth any works which are not polluted with the corruption of our flesh and for that cause be worthy of punishment If it were granted that we were able to bring forth any such works yet the bare remembrance of our sinnes were sufficient to remoove that worke out of the sight of God Therefore we should alwaies stand in doubt staggering as it were this way and that way and our miserable consciences should be in continuall torment unlesse they should relie upon the onely merit of our Saviour Christ his death and passion and rest in it alone Out of the Confession of AUSPURGE THat we might obtaine these benefits of Christs namely remission of sins iustification and life everlasting Christ hath given his Gospel wherein these benefits are layed forth unto us as it is written in the last of Luke that repentance should be preached and remission of sinnes in his name among all nations For whereas all men borne after a naturall manner have sinne in them and cannot truely satisfie the Law of God * Locke the 1. Observat upon this confession the Gospell bewrayeth our sinne and sheweth us Christ the Mediatour and so instructeth us touching remission of sinnes When as the Gospell doth convict us of sinne our hearts thereby terrified must firmely beleeve that there is given unto us freely for Christs sake that remission of sinnes and justification by faith by the which we must beleeve and confesse that these things are given us for Christs sake who was made an oblation and hath appeased the Fathers wrath for us Notwithstanding therefore that the Gospell doe require repentance yet to the end that the remission of our sinnes may be certain and undoubted it teacheth us that remission is given us freely that is that it doth not depend upon the condition of our owne worthinesse nor is given for any works that went before nor for the worthinesse of such as follow after For then should remission be uncertaine if we should thinke that then onely we obtaine remission of sins when we had deserved it by our former works or when our repentance were well worthy of it For in true terrours the conscience findeth no worke which it may oppose against Gods wrath but Christ is given and set forth unto us to appease the wrath of God This honour must not be transferred from Christ unto our own works therefore Paul saith Ye are saved freely Againe Therefore by faith freely that the promise might be sure that is thus shall remission be certaine when we know that it dependeth not upon the condition of our unworthinesse but is given us for Christ his sake This is a sure and necessary comfort to all godly mindes that are terrified with the conscience of their sins And thus doe the holy fathers teach and there is a notable sentence in Saint Ambrose worthy the remembring in these words This God hath appointed that he which beleeveth in Christ should be saved without any worke by faith alone receiving the remission of sinnes Now this word Faith doth not onely signifie a knowledge of the History of Christ but also to beleeve and assent unto this promise that is proper unto the Gospel wherein remission of sinnes justification and life everlasting are promised untous for Christs fake For this promise also doth pertaine to the History of Christ even as in the Creed unto the History is added this article I beleeve the remission of sins And unto this one the other articles touching the History of Christ are to be referred For the benefit is the end of the Historie therefore did Christ suffer and rise again that for him remission of sins and everlasting life might be given unto us These things are found thus in another Edition ALso they teach that men cannot be justified before God by Artic. 4. their owne power merits or works but are justified for Christs sake through faith when they beleeve that they are received unto favour and their sins forgiven through Christ who by his death hath satisfied for our sins This faith doth God impute for righteousnesse unto them before himselfe Rom. 3. and 4. For this cause Christ hath appointed the ministerie of teaching Artic. 5. the Gospel which preacheth repentance and remission of sins and the preaching of either of these is generall and layeth open the sinnes of all men and promiseth remission of them unto all that beleeve for to the end that remission might not be doubted of out that all distressed mindes might know that they ought to beleeve that remission of sinnes is undoubtedly granted unto them for Christ and not for their owne merits or worthinesse All these doe certainly obtaine remission of sinnes And when as we doe in this sort comfort our selves by the promise of the Gospell and doe raise up our selves by saith therewithall is the holy spirit given unto us For the holy spirit is given and is effectuall by the word of God and by the Sacraments When as we doe heare or meditate of the Gospel or doe receive the Sacraments and comfort our selves by faith therewithall the spirit of God is effectuall according to that of Saint Paul Gal. 3. That the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve And to the Corinthians The Gospel is the ministerie of the spirit And to the Romanes Faith cometh by hearing When as then we doe comfort our selves by faith and are freed from the terrours of sin by the holy spirit our hearts doe conceive the other vertues acknowledge truly the mercie of God and conceive the true love and the true feare of God trust and hope of Gods helpe prayer and such like fruits of the spirit Such therefore as teach nothing concerning this faith whereby we receive remission of sinnes but will have mens consciences stand in doubt whether they obtaine remission or no and do adde further that this doubting is no sinne are justly condemned And these also doe teach that men may obtaine remission of sinnes for their own worthinesse but they doe not teach to beleeve that remission of sinnes is given freely for Christ sake Here also are condemned those phantasticall spirits which dreame that the holy Ghost is given or is effectuall without the word of God Which maketh them contemne the ministerie of the Gospel and Sacraments and to seek illumination without the word of God and besides the Gospel And by this means they draw away mens mindes from the word of God unto their own opinions which is a thing very pernicious and hurtfull Such were in old time the Manichees and Enthusiasts And such are the Anabaptists now adaies These and such like frensies we doe most constantly condemne For they abolish the true use of Gods word and do falsely imagine that the holy spirit may be received without the word and sticking too much to their own fancies they invent wicked opinions and are the cause of infinite breaches These things
c. that many grave men have doubted whether these states of life did please God or no. Therefore our Preachers have with great care and studie set forth these both kindes of doctrine teaching the Gospel concerning faith and adjoyning therewith a pure and holy doctrine of works Of Faith FIrst touching Faith and Iustification they teach thus Christ hath fitly set downe the summe of the Gospel when as in the last of Luke he willeth that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name For the Gospel * Looke the 5. observation upon this consession reproveth and convinceth sinnes and requireth repentance and withall offereth remission of sinnes for Christ sake freely not for our owne worthinesse And like as the preaching of repentance is generall even so the promise of grace is generall and willeth all men to beleeve and to receive the benefit of Christ as Christ himselfe saith Come unto me all ye that are laden And Saint Paul saith He is rich towards all c. Albeit therefore that contrition in repentance be necessary yet we must know that remission of sins was given unto us and that we are made just of unjust that is reconciled or acceptable and the sonnes of God freely for Christ and not for the worthinesse of our Contrition or of any other workes which either goe before or follow after But this same benefit must be received by faith whereby we must beleeve that remission of sinnes and justification is given us for Christs sake This knowledge and judgement bringeth sure consolation unto troubled mindes and how necessary it is for the Church consciences that have had experience can easily judge There is in it no absurditie no difficultie no craftie deceit * Looke the sixt observat upon this confession Here needeth no disputations of predestination or such like for the promise is generall and detracteth nothing from good workes yea rather it doth stirre up men unto faith and unto true good workes For remission of sinnes is removed from our workes and attributed unto mercy that it might be an undoubted benefit not that we should be idle but much more that we should know how greatly our obedience doth please God even in this our so great infirmitie Now for any man to despise or mislike this doctrine whereby both the honour of Christ is extolled and most sweet and sure comfort offered unto godly mindes and which containeth the true knowledge of Gods mercy and bringeth forth the true worship of God and eternall life it is more then Pharisaicall blindnesse Before time when as this doctrine was not set forth many fearfull consciences assaied to ease themselves by workes some fled to a monasticall life others did chuse out other workes whereby to merit remission of sinnes and justification But there is no sure comfort without this doctrine of the Gospel which willeth men to beleeve that remission of sinnes and justification are freely given unto us for Christs sake and this whole doctrine is appointed for the true conflict of a terrified conscience But we will adde some testimonies Paul Rom. 3. We are iustified freely by his grace through redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud Rom. 4. But to him that worketh not but beleeveth in him that iustifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Ephes 2. By grace ye are saved through faith not of your selves In these and such like sentences Paul doth plainly teach that remission of sinnes and justification are given us freely and not for the worthinesse of our workes And in the 4. to the Romans he disputeth at large why this consolation is needfull for us for if the promise did depend upon the worthinesse of our works it should be uncertain Wherefore to the end that we may have sure and firme comfort against the feares of sinne and death and that our faith may stand fast it is needfull that it leane onely upon the mercy of God and not upon our worthinesse Therefore Paul saith Therefore it is by faith according to grace that the promise might be sure For our workes cannot be set against the judgement of God according to that saying If thou markest our iniquities who shall indure it And therefore Christ is given for a Mediatour to us and this honour is not to be transferred unto our workes When therefore we doe say that we are iustified by faith we doe not meane that we are just for the worthinesse of that vertue but this is our meaning that we doe obtaine remission of sinnes and imputation of righteousnesse by mercy shewed us for Christs sake But now this mercy cannot be received but by faith And Faith doth not here signifie onely a knowledge of the history but it signifieth a beliefe of the promise of mercy which is granted us through our Mediatour Christ Iesus And seeing that faith is in this sort understood of a confidence or trust of mercy Saint Paul and Saint James doe not disagree For where James saith The Devils beleeve and tremble he speaketh of an historicall faith now this faith doth not justifie For the wicked and the devill are cunning in the historie But Paul when he saith Faith is reckoned for righteousnesse he speaketh of a trust and confidence of mercy promised for Christs sake and his meaning is that men are pronounced righteous that is reconciled through mercy promised for Christs sake whom we must receive by faith Now this noveltie of this figurative speech of Saint Paul We are iustified by faith will not offend holy mindes if they understand that it is spoken properly of mercy and that herein mercy is adorned with true and due praises For what can be more acceptable to an afflicted and fearefull conscience in great griefes then to heare that this is the commandement of God and the voyce of the Bridegroome Christ Iesus that they should undoubtedly beleeve that remission of sinnes or reconciliation is given unto them not for their owne worthinesse but freely through mercy for Christs sake that the benefit might be certaine Now Iustification in these sayings of Saint Paul doth signifie remission of sinnes or reconciliation or imputation of righteousnesse that is an accepting of the person And herein we doe not bring in a new found opinion into the Church of God For the Scripture doth set downe at large this doctrine touching faith and Saint Paul doth especially handle this point in some of his Epistles the holy Fathers doe also teach the same For so saith Ambrose in his booke de vocat Gent. If so be that Justification which is by grace were due unto former merits so that it should not be a gift of the giver but a reward of the worker the redemption by the blood of Christ would grow to be of small account and the prerogative of mans workes would not yeeld unto the mercies of God And of this matter there be
many disputations in Saint Augustine And these are his words Forsomuch as by the law God sheweth to man his infirmitie that flying unto his mercy by faith he might be saved For it is said that he carrieth both the law and mercy in his mouth The law to convict the proud and mercy to iustifie those that are humbled Therefore the righteousnesse of God through faith in Christ is revealed upon all that beleeve And the Milevitan Synole writeth Is not this suficiently declared that the law worketh this that sinne should be knowne and so against the victory of sinne men should flie to the mercy of God which is set forth in his promises that the promises of God that is the grace of God might be sought unto for deliverance and man might begin to have a righteousnesse howbeit not his owne but Gods Of good workes VVHen as we doe teach in our Churches the most necessarie doctrine and comfort of faith we joyne there with the doctrine of good workes to wit that obedience unto the law of God is requisite in them that be reconciled For the Gospel preacheth newnesse of life according to that saying I will put my lawes in their hearts This new life therefore must be an obedience towards God The Gospel also preacheth repentance and faith cannot be but onely in them that doe repent because that faith doth comfort the hearts in contrition and in the feares of sinne as Paul saith Being iustified by faith we have peace And of repentance he saith Rom. 6. Our old man is crucified that the body of sinne might be abolished that we might no more serve sinne And Isaiah saith Where will the Lord dwell In a contrite and humbled spirit c. Secondly among good workes the chiefest and that which is the chiefest worship of God is faith which doth bring forth many other vertues which could never be in men except their hearts had first received to beleeve How shall they call on him in whom they doe not beleeve So long as mens mindes are in doubt whether God heareth them or not so long as ever they thinke that God hath rejected them they doe never truely call upon God But when as once we doe acknowledge his mercy through faith then we flie unto God we love him we call upon him hope in him looke for his helpe obey him in afflictions because we doe now know our selves to be the sonnes of God and that this our sacrifice that is our afflictions doth please God These services doth Faith bring forth Very well therefore said Ambrose Faith is the mother of a good will and of iust dealing Our Adversaries will seem very honourably to set out the doctrine of good works and yet concerning these spirituall workes to wit faith and the exercises of faith in prayer and in all matters counsels and dangers of this life they speake never a word And indeed none can ever speake well of these exercises if the consciences be left in doubt and if they know not that God requireth faith as a speciall worship of his And when as that huge shew of outward workes is cast as a myst before mens eyes the mindes especially such as be not well instructed are led away from beholding these inward exercises Now it is very requisite that men should be taught and instructed concerning these inward workes and fruits of the spirit For these they be that make a difference betweene the godly and hypocrites As for exernall worship externall ceremonies and other outward workes the very hypocrites can performe them But these services and duties belong onely to the true Church true repentance feare faith prayer c. These kindes of worship are especially required and commended in the Scripture Psal 49. Offer unto God the sacrifice of praise and Call on me in the day of trouble c. Thirdly by this faith which doth comfort the heart in repentance we doe receive the Spirit of God who is given us to be our governour and helper that we should resist sinne and the devill and more and more acknowledge our owne weakenesse and that the knowledge and feare of God and faith may increase in us wherefore our obedience to God and a new life ought to increase in us as Saint Paul saith We must be renewed to the knowledge of God that the new law may be wrought in us and his Image which hath created us be renewed c. Fourthly we teach also how this obedience which is but begunne onely and not perfect doth please God For in this so great infirmitie and uncleannesse of nature the Saints doe not satisfie the law of God The faithfull therefore have need of comfort that they may know how their slender and imperfect obedience doth please God It doth not please him as satisfying his law but because the persons themselves are reconciled and made righteous through Christ and doe beleeve that their weaknesse is forgiven them as Paul teacheth There is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ c. Albeit then that this new obedience is farre from the perfection of the law yet it is righteousnesse and is worthy of a reward even because that the persons are reconciled And thus we must judge of those workes which are indeed highly to be commended namely * Looke the 7. Observation that they be necessarie that they be the service of God and spirituall sacrifices and do deserve a reward Neverthelesse this confolation is first to be held touching the person which is very necessary in the conflict of the confcience to wit that we have remission of sinnes freely by faith and that the person is just that is reconciled and an heire of eternall life through Christ and then our obedience doth please God according to that saying Now ye are not under the Law but under grace For our workes may not be set against the wrath and judgement of God But the terrours of sinne and death must be overcome by faith and trust in the Mediatour Christ as it is written O death I will be thy death And Iohn 6. Christ saith This is the will of the Father which sent me that every one which seeth the Sonne and beleeveth in him should have life everlasting And Saint Paul Being iustified by faith we have peace with God And the Church alwaies prayed for give us our trespasses And thus do the Fathers teach concerning the weaknesse of the Saints and concerning Faith Augustine in his exposition of the 30. Psalme saith Deliver me in thy righteousnesse For there is a righteousnesse of God which is made ours when it is given unto us But therefore it is called the righteousnesse of God lest man should thinke that he had a righteousnesse of himselfe For as the Apostle Paul saith To him that beleeveth in him that iustifieth the wicked that is that of a wicked maketh a righteous man If God should deale by the rule of the law which is set forth unto us
sinne is they confirme in men an evill securitie and many false opinions Againe what can be more miserable then either to obscure or to be ignorant of this great benefit namely the remission of sinnes and deliverance from eternall death seeing that there is no difference betwixt the Church and other men when as the light is extinguished concerning free remission of sinnes for the Sonnes sake and concerning Faith whereby remission must be received neither is there any other comfort drawing us backe from eternall death neither can there be any true Invocation without this comfort and God himselfe hath so often commanded that his Son should be heard and the Gospel kept which is a wonderfull decree brought forth out of the secret counsell of the Godhead when it was hid from all creatures therefore it is most necessary that the true doctrine touching remission of sinnes should be kept undefiled But in all ages even from our first fathers time the devils have scattered subtill delusions against the true doctrine concerning the Sonne of God and especially in this article whom notwithstanding God hath oftentimes refuted good teachers being againe raised up that the Church might not utterly perish Adam Seth Noe Sem Abraham Isaac Iacob and others after them did shew the true difference betwixt the Church of God and other men and taught that to the Church was given the promise touching the Mediatour the Sonne of God and touching remission of sinnes and that this remission is to be received freely for the Mediatours sake And they tied Invocation to this God which had manifested himselfe by giving a promise concerning the Mediatour and they had externall rites given them of God which were signes of the promise and the sinewes of the publike Congregation These rites did a great part of the multitude imitate omitting the doctrine of the promises and faith and when they had devised this perswasion that men by observing these rites might deserve remission of sins they heaped up many ceremonies and by little and little boldnesse went so far as commonly it cometh to passe that divers men devised divers gods So the heathen departed from the true Church of God and from the knowlege of the true God and the promise of the Redeemer The same thing also hapned after Moses his time Ceremonies were appointed for this cause that they should be admonitions of the Mediatour of the Doctrine of Faith of free remission for the Mediatours sake But they feigned that sinnes were forgiven for those rites and sacrifices and by this superstition they heaped up sacrifices and forgot the Mediatour and were without true comfort and without true invocation The same thing hapned also after the Apostles time the light of the Gospel being lost wherin is propounded free remission for the Mediatours sake and that to be received by Faith They sought remission by Monasticall exercises by single life by divers observations by the offering in the Masse by the intercession of dead men and many monstrous superstitions were devised as the histories of the whole Church which succeeded the Apostles doe declare Against these errors the infinite mercy of God hath oftentimes restored the voyce of the Gospel And as among the people of Israel he did often raise up Prophets which should purge the doctrine diligently so in the Church after the Apostles time when the writings of Origen and Pelagius and the superstition of the people had corrupted the purity of the Gospel yet notwithstanding as in a myst the light of the Gospel was again kindled by Augustine and him followed Prosper Maximus and others who reproved the false opinions touching this Article Afterward when the Monkes were sprung up and that opinion which feigneth men to merit by their works was a fresh spread abroad yet there was some of a better judgement although they added stubble to the foundation as Huge Bernard Gilbert William of Paris Tauler Ambrose Wesell and others in other places And now by the voyce of Luther the doctrine of the Gospel is more cleered and more evidently restored and the Lambe shewed unto us as the Baptist saith Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the World He that beleeveth in the Sonne hath eternall life he that beleeveth not the wrath of God abideth on him The same voyce of the Gospel our Churches doe publish and that without corruption and we doe discerne that discipline or righteousnesse which a man not regenerate may performe from the righteousnesse of faith and that newnesse whereof the Gospel doth preach We say that all men are to be restrained by discipline that is by that righteousnes which even the unregenerate ought after a sort may performe which is an obedience in externall actions according to all the commandements of God appertaining to all men * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession Because that God left this libertie in man after his fall that the outward members might after a sort obey reason and the will in stirring up or omitting outward motions as Achilles may draw his sword or put it up into the sheath Scipio may restraine his members so that he meddle not with another mans wife as in their place these things are truely and copiously declared Now it is most certaine that this discipline is commanded of God and that the breaking thereof is punished with present and eternall punishments even in those which are not converted unto God according to those sayings The law was made for the uniust He that taketh the sword shall perish with the sword Also Fornicatours and adulterers the Lord will iudge Also Wee unto thee which spoilest because thou shalt be spoiled And although all men ought to governe their manners by this discipline and God doth severely command that all kingdomes should defend this discipline and he by horrible punishments doth declare his wrath against this outward contumacie yet this externall discipline even where it is most honest is not a fulfilling of the law neither doth it deserve remission of sinnes neither is it that righteousnesse whereby we are accepted before God nor that light shining in the nature of men as righteousnesse shined in us in our creation or as new righteousnesse shall shine in us in the life eternall But all this discipline is an externall government such as it is like unto the leafe of a figge tree where with our first parents after their fall did cover their nakednesse neither doth it any more take away sinne and the corruption of nature and death then those figge leaves did Hence it is that Paul doth so often cry out that sinne is not taken away by the law Rom. 3. By the workes of the law no flesh shall be iustified in his sight And Rom. 8. When it was impossible to the law to iustifie c. And Gal. 2. If righteousnesse doth come by the law then Christ died in vaine And Tit. 3. Not by the workes of righteousnesse which we
have done but according to his mercy he hath saved us And it is a reproch unto the Sonne of God to imagine that any our workes are merits or the price of remission of sinnes and that they are propitiations for sinnes Therefore we doe openly condemne those Pharisaicall and Pelagian doting dreames which feigne that that discipline is a fulfilling of the law of God also that it doth deserve remission either of congruity or of condignity or that it is a righteousnesse whereby men are made acceptable to God And after a few pages in the same Article Seeing that the minde is raised up by this faith it is certain that remission of sinnes reconciliation and imputing of righteousnesse is given for the merit of Christ alone and that Christ is effectuall in us and doth by his holy spirit quicken the beleveers and deliver us from eternall death and withall make us heires of eternall life So saith Paul Rom. 3. We conclude that man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law Also we are iustified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood And Acts 10. To him give all the Prophets witnesse that all that beleeve in him shall receive remission of sinnes Now the words are knowne and manifest Faith doth signifie not onely the knowledge of the historie for that is also in the Devils of whom it is said The devils doe beleeve and tremble but it doth signifie to embrace all the Articles of Faith and among those this article I do beleeve the remission of sinnes neither doe I beleeve that it is onely given to others but to me also This faith is also a confidence resting in the Mediatour according to that Being iustified by faith we have peace So that Paul speaketh of faith which consenting to all the articles of the Creed doth behold and imbrace the promise for it joyneth together faith and the promise Rom. 4. Therefore is it by faith that the promise might be sure In expounding the word Iustified it is usually said To be Iustified doth signifie of unrighteous to be made righteous which being rightly understood doth agree also to our purpose Of unrighteous to be made righteous that is acquitted from the guilt for the Sonne of God his sake that is laying hold by faith upon Christ himselfe who is our righteousnesse as Jeremie and Paul doe say because that by his merit we have remission and God doth impute his righteousnesse to us and for him doth account us just and by giving his holy Spirit doth quicken and regenerate us as it is said Iohn 5. This is life in his Sonne He that hath the Sonne hath eternall life he that hath not the Sonne of God hath not life And Rom. 3. That he may be iust and a iustifier And although newnesse is withall begun which shall be perfect in the life eternall whereunto we are redeemed yet neither for the new qualities nor for any works is any man in this life made just that is acceptable to God and heire of eternall life but onely for the Mediatours sake who suffered rose againe reigneth and prayeth for us shadowing and quickning us For although vertues are here begun yet be they still imperfect and the reliques of sinne do stick in us Therefore we must hold this comfort that the person is accepted for the Sonne of God his sake his righteousnesse being imputed to us as it is said Rom. 4. Abraham beleeved God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Also Blessed are they whose iniquities be forgiven and whose sins be covered Therefore this saying must be understood correlatively We are iustified by faith that is we are justified by confidence in the Son of God not for our qualitie but because he is the reconciler in whom the heart doth rest in confidence of the promised mercy for his sake Which confidence he doth raise up in us by his holy Spirit as Paul saith Ye have received the spirit of the adoption of the sons by whom we cry Abba father Here also we must speake of the exclusive member Paul doth often repeat the word Freely by which it is most certaine that the condition of our merits is excluded Therefore it is said in our Churches We are iustified by Faith aboue which we so understand and declare Freely for the onely mediatours sake not for our contrition or other our merits we have our sinnes forgiven us and are reconciled to God For although contrition and many other vertues are together with Faith or with this confidence kindled in us yet these vertues are not the cause or the merit of the Remission of sinnes neither doth the person please God in regard of them according to that saying No man living shall be iustified in thy sight but the person hath remission and doth certainly please God by reason of the Mediatour who must be apprehended by faith as it is said Eph. 3. By whom we have boldnesse and entrance with confidence by faith in him This whole doctrine is more manifest in the true conversion and daily invocation of the godly When we are in great feare by the knowledge of the wrath of God this one comfort is firme and sure to flie to the Son of God who faith Come unto me all ye that labour and are laden and I will refresh you Also As I live I will not the death of a sinner but that he returne and live Also Grace aboundeth more then sinne In these griefes if man be taught to doubt of the remission of sinnes sorrow will have the upper hand and then follow most grievous murmurings against God and desperation and eternall death but if man be caught that doubting is to be overcome by faith then shall he understand that by the word Faith is not onely signified the knowledge of the story he shall know that confidence doth relie upon the only Mediator and he shall perceive what is meant by these words Freely for the Mediatours sake remission is received by faith alone and so the person is made acceptable This wrastling hath at all times instructed some For though Origen and many other writers and sententiaries have brought forth an impure kind of doctrine yet in Augustine certain others we reade divers sentences which shew that they also received comfort out of these true fountains Who although they do sometime speak unproperly or things unlike because they were somewhat negligent in speaking yet we may easily gather what was their perpetuall judgement if we will judge aright Augustine upon the Psal 31. saith Who be happie not they in whom God shall not finde sins for those he findeth in all men For all men have sinned and are destitute of the glory of God Therefore if sinnes be found in all men it is evident that none are happie but those whose sins be forgiven This therefore the Apostle did thus commend Abraham
beleeved God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Here certainly Augustine by faith doth understand confidence which receiveth remission of sins and that which is said in Genesis and in Paul he doth altogether understand it as we expound it And in his booke De spiritu litera he saith By the law we feare God and by faith we flie to his mercie Bernard in his Sermon De Annunciatione saith First of all it is necessarie to beleeve that thou canst not have remission of sins but by the mercie of God But adde thereunto that thou maist also beleeve this that through him thy sins be forgiven thee This is the witnesse which the holy Ghost doth give in our heart saying Thy sins be forgiven thee For so doth the Apostle thinke that a man is iustified freely by faith In this sentence the judgement of our Churches is plainly and properly alleadged and like testimonies are to be found in this author Basil also in his Sermon of Humilitie doth most properly set forth our judgement in these words He that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord saying that Christ is made unto us of God wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption as it is written He that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord. For this is perfect and sound reioycing in God when as a man is not puffed up by reason of his own righteousnesse but doth acknowledge that he doth stand in need of the true righteousnesse and that he is iustified by faith alone in Christ Seeing therefore that by this which hath been spoken it is manifest what the word Faith doth signifie in this proposition We are iustified by Faith hereupon we may understand that the Monks and others doe dangerously erre which doe command those that are turned to God to doubt whether they doe please God This common errour of doubting is evidently refuted by these words Being iustified by Faith we have peace with God Also Therefore is righteousnesse of faith that the promise might be sure For so long as mens hearts are tormented with doubting they flie from God they doe not rest in God nor call upon him and the promise becometh unto them but a vaine sound because they give not consent unto it To conclude it is the eternall and immutable commandement of God that we should beleeve in the Son of God according to this saying The spirit shall convince the world of sinne because they beleeve not in me Also 1 Joh. 5. He that beleeveth not God maketh him a lyer Now it is a foolish cavill when they say that we must doubt in respect of our unworthinesse and not in respect of mercie For the promise was therefore given therefore the Son of God was appointed our Mediatour because we are unworthy and that for his sake having suffered being raised up againe and now making intercession for us and dwelling in us and cloathing us with his righteousnesse the Father might undoubtedly be mercifull to this miserable lumpe of ours being unworthy and full of filthinesse according to that saying There is now no condemation to them which walke in Christ Jesus Also it is absurd which they say that we must doubt by reason of our unworthinesse For we are not to doubt whether our unworthinesse doe displease God but with true sighes let us confesse that we are unworthy let us lay to the promise whereunto God hath commanded us to assent Neither is that saying Eccles 9. fitly applyed to this doubting Man knoweth not whether he be worthy of love or of hatred It is madnesse to imagine that Salomon should have any such meaning that neither the just nor the unjust ought to determine with themselves whether they please or displease God seeing it is most certaine that they which persevere in wicked deeds againe their conscience doe displease God But Salomon doth withdraw us from externall shews to the word of God as though he should say Doe not determine with thy selfe that by reason of thy prosperitie thou art in favour with God or by reason of thy adversitie thou art out of favour with him Alexander doth not therefore please God because he is a Conquerour and enjoyeth a large Empire Let not Iob in his calamitie nor David in his exile thinke that they be forsaken of God because they be miserable let them not judge according to these events or outward shews but by the word of God and then even in the middest of our miserie we shall receive this comfort As I live I will not the death of a sinner c. God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that every one that beleeveth in him should not perish c. To conclude This errour of doubting is altogether heathenish and doth abolish the Gospel and in true conversion taketh away comfort from them that feele the wrath of God Men are rather to be taught that this is undoubtedly the voice of the Gospel that we should beleeve the Sonne of God and be assured that grace doth abound much more then sinne and therefore let us withstand doubting by wrestling get the upper hand and by faith overcome it that we may have accesse to God invocate him and give him thanks These chiefe points of worship are fearefully hindred when mens mindes are shaken with the waves of doubting as experience teacheth Hereof it is evident why it is necessary that the Decree of the Tridentine Councell which confirmeth the errour of doubting should be reprooved Also by all that which hath been said it may be understood that we doe justly finde fault with that Synecdoche whereby some interpret Pauls words after this sort We are iustified by Faith that is by a formed love as they speake For they understand the word faith onely of knowledge and thinke that this is the meaning We are iustified by Faith that is we are prepared to righteousnesse that is to other vertues to wit obedience and fulfilling of the Law So this is it onely which they say Man is righteous for his own vertues then they will him to doubt whether he be furnished with those habits whereof they speake Now we have declared before that by Faith is signified a confidence resting in the Sonne of God the Reconciler for whom we are received and doe please God not for our vertues or fulfilling the Law And seeing that in this same comfort the confidence whereby we doe rest in the Sonne of God is indeed a motion kindled by the holy Ghost whereby the heart is quickened and freed from eternall death this conversion is called regeneration Ioh. 3. Except a man be borne againe of water and of the spirit And now man is made indeed the dwelling place of God who is effectuall in him as it is said Ioh. 14. If any man love me he will keepe my word and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and will dwell with him The eternall Father and the Son by the
holy Ghost doe quicken our hearts when as by faith they are raised up in this comfort as Paul saith Galat. 3. That ye might receive the promise of the spirit through faith Therefore we doe not speake of an idle faith and the unskilfull are deceived whiles they thinke that remission of sinnes doth happen to such as are idle without a certain motion of the minde without wrastling and without a feeling comfort of in true griefes in that age which now is able to understand the voice of doctrine according to that saying Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God And because that in repentance we propound comfort unto the conscience * Looke the 6. observation upon the August confess we doe not here adde questions of predestination or of election but we lead all Readers to the word of God and exhort them to learne the will of God out of his word as the eternall Father by expresse voice commanded Heare him Let them not looke for other revelations Hitherto also pertaineth the fifth Article Of new obedience THE whole benefit of the Son of God is to be considered for he will so take away sinne and death and deliver us from the kingdome of the Devill that sinne being altogether abolished and death vanquished he may restore unto us eternall life wherein God may communicate unto us his wisdome righteousnesse and joy and wherein God may be all in all This great benefit he doth begin in this miserable lumpe of ours in this life as it is written 2 Cor. 5. If so be we shall be found cloathed and not naked Also Matth. 10. They that shall continue to the end shall be saved Therefore when we receive remission of sins and are reconciled and sealed by the holy Ghost it is a horrible madnesse to waste these good gifts as these wasters are described in the parable of the house that was made cleane and in the second Epistle of Peter Chap. 2. it is said If they after they have escaped from the filthinesse of the world are yet tangled againe therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning Now these good gifts are wasted or powred out if a man doe not hold the foundation that is the Articles of Faith and either willingly or being deceived imbraceth wicked opinions or Idols also if a man doe fall grievously against his conscience These rules are oftentimes repeated as Galat. 5. They which doe such things shall not inherit the kingdome of God Therefore it is necessarie to have a care to avoide such falls If this manifest necessitie the great punishment to wit the losse of eternall life being set before their eyes doe not moove some to doe good works they shew themselves to be of the number of those of whom it is said 1 Joh. 3. He that committeth sin is of the Devill Also If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is not his And there be many causes of this necessitie First a debt that is an immutable order that the creatures should obey God Therefore Paul saith Rom. 8. Ye are debters Also lest the holy Ghost and faith be shaken of let there be a care to avoyd present punishments because it is most certaine that many falles even of the Elect are fearefully punished in this life as the Church speaketh in Micheas chap. 7. I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I have sinned against him And the Histories of all times doe containe fearefull examples of punishments as David Salomon Manasses Josias Nabuchodonozor and innumerable others were grievously punished Wherein this is most to be lamented that in the very punishments many sinnes are heaped up as in the sedition raised up against David and in the renting of the kingdome for the sinne of Salomon And touching the necessitie of doing good works the Lord saith Matth. 5. Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and of the Pharisees ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heaven The necessitie which is manifold being thus considered there questions insue thereupon what works are to be done How they may be done In what sort they doe please God What rewards they have what is the difference of sins * Looke the first observat upon this confession in the fourth Section what sins doe shake of the holy Ghost and what not What works are to be done IT is the will of God that Faith and works be governed by his word Therefore we must keepe the rule touching good works both internall and externall contained in the commandements of God which doe pertaine to us as it is said Ezech. 23. Walke ye in my commandements And these internall and externall works doe then become the worship of God when they be done in faith and are referred to this end that God by this obedience may be glorified Now we have shewed before that even the unregenerate may performe this externall obedience or discipline as Cicero liveth honestly and for his pains in government deserveth well of all mankinde but his minde is full of doubts touching the Providence of God neither doth he know nor speake unto the true God in invocation neither doth he know the promises and he alwaies doubteth whether he be heard especially when he is in misery and then is he angry with God and thinketh that he is unjustly punished seeing he was a honest Citizen and profitable for the Common-wealth Such darknesse in the minde is great sinne such as reason not being illuminated by God is is not able to judge of Therefore inward obedience true knowledge of God the feare of God sorrowes in repentance trust to obtaine mercie promised for the Sonne of God invocation hope love joy in God and other vertues must be begun also in the regenerate and they must be referred to a proper end to wit that God may be obeyed These kindes of true worship cannot be given unto God without the light of the Gospel and without faith which our adversaries who will seeme to be jolly preachers of good workes do neither understand nor require seeing they omit the doctrine of faith which is a confidence to obtaine mercy resting in the Sonne of God which is an especiall worke and the chiefe worship of God Of workes not commanded of God we shall speake hereafter and we must hold fast that rule Matth. 15. In vaine doe they worship me with the commandements of men And in the Church in falleth out oftentimes that ceremonies devised by men are more carefully kept then the commandements of God yea the authoritie of Pharisaicall and unjust traditions is preferred before the the commandement of God as in many ages for the unjust and wicked commandement of single life the commandement of God concerning true chastitie was horribly violated Therefore we must consider of the difference of the law whereof we will speake againe hereafter How good workes may be done GReat is the infirmitie of man
cover our great and unspeakable miseries Thus for the Mediatours sake both the person is received and also our works doe please God that in either of them our faith may shine Therefore Peter saith 1 Pet. 2. Offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God through Iesus Christ This comfort is set forth Rom. 8. Now there is no condemnation to them which doe walke in Christ Iesus And Rom. 3. Ye are not under the law but under grace In that place this question is asked whether our obedience doe please God seeing it doth not satisfie the law Paul answereth that it doth please God Because we are not under the law that is condemned by the law but we are under grace reconciled or received into favour Rom. 8. Who shall condemâ—e Christ hath died for us and is risen againe and sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh request for us that is holy men doe please God for the Son his sake who also offered his obedience for us and maketh request for us We must oppose these sayings to doubting lest faith and invocation be extinguished for doubting doth weaken our invocation Seeing therefore that we know both that new obedience as necessary and that helpe is certainly given us and that this obedience doth please God although it be unperfect and needie let us acknowledge the infinite mercie of God and give thanks for it and have a great care how to governe our actions because we know that we are both helped and that this obedience is acceptable to God for the Sons sake And let this necessitie be alwaies in our eyes that if the benefits of God to wit Iustification and Regeneration be shaken of we loose eternall life according to that saying We shall be cloathed if so be that we be not found naked And Rom. 8. If any have not the Spirit of Christ he is not his And alwaies in Iustification let there be also a beginning of newnesse of life The theefe hanging on the crosse hath good works and those both internall and externall it grieveth him that he had sinned and he confesseth that he is justly punished then by faith he doth acknowledge the Saviour and desireth salvation of him and therefore he heareth expresse absolution and the preaching of eternall life and the promise and resteth in this voice of the Messias and submitteth himselfe to God and doth not beare the punishment impatiently but is eased by acknowledging the Messias and by the hope of eternall life and giveth thanks to God Moreover to give an evident token of his confession he found fault with the other which cursed Christ These things are done by him because this very Messias being partner with him in his punishment in a word doth teach his minde and by the same comfort the Word is effectuall in him and through him the eternall Father doth poure the holy Ghost into the heart of this hearer that he may kindle in him joy love invocation hope of eternall life and other vertues Of Rewards PAul saith Rom. 6. Eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord and they that are reconciled or justified Are heires annexed with the Sonne of God and that for his sake not for their own merits Faith receiving remission of sins and justification and the hope of eternall life doe relie upon the Son of God the Mediatour as it is said Joh. 6. This is the will of the Father that every one that beleeveth in him should have eternall life And Rom. 5. Being iustified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have accesse through faith unto this grace wherein we stand and reioyce under the hope of eternall life He joyneth faith and hope together and affirmeth that either of them doth relie upon the Mediatour And it is manifest that hope ought not to relie on our works because it is said Psal 142. No man living shall be iustified in thy sight But as they which repent are accounted just by faith for the onely Sonne of God his sake and for him and through him are quickned so for him and not for our merits is eternall life given unto us as the thiefe on the crosse heareth this promise To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Luk 23. Neither must we dreame that the Sonne of God did merit or give unto us a preparation onely to eternall life but let that most comfortable saying of Hosea be alwaies in our sight O death I will be thy death O hell I will be thy destruction For by the Son of God and through him we are delivered from eternall death and translated into life eternall as he saith I give unto them eternall life And 1 Joh. 5. He that hath the Son hath life And let hope be sure and firme as Peter saith 1 Pet. 1. Hope perfectly that is looke for eternall life not with doubtfull opinion in an assured hope to wit for the Mediatours sake And Augustine saith well in his booke of Meditations The certaintie of our whole confidence consisteth in the blood of Christ Let us hold both these points assuredly that he which repenteth doth freely by faith receive remission of sins and justification for the Sonne of God his sake and that he is an heire of eternall life as Paul saith Rom. 8 As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God And if they be children they are also the heires of God Yet notwithstanding this also is true * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession in the 4. Sect. that they which doe shake of the holy Ghost falling from faith or sinning grievously against their conscience and doe not returne unto God by repentance are not heires as it is said Galat. 5. They which doe such things shall not inherit the kingdome of God And 1 Tim. 2. Fight a good fight having faith and a good conscience which some have put away and as concerning faith have made shipwracke And Matth. 25. I was hungry and ye gave me not to eate And These shall goe into everlasting punishment but the righteous shall goe into life eternall Now although life eternall is given to the regenerate for the Sonne of God yet withall it is also a reward of good works as it is said Your reward is plentifull in heaven as a patrimonie is the reward of the labours of a sonne although it be given to the sonne for another cause Moreoever God hath added unto good workes certaine promises of his and therefore even for the good works of holy men God doth give spirituall and corporall gifts even in this life and that diversly as it seemeth good to his unspeakable wisdome 1 Tim. 4. Godlinesse hath the promises of the life present and of that that is to come Mark 10. They shall receive a hundred fold in this life but with tribulation and after this life eternall life Matth. 10. Whosoever shall give unto one of
these little ones to drinke a cup of cold water onely in the name of a disciple he shall not loose his reward Luk. 6. Give and it shall be given to you Exod 20. Honour thy father and thy mother that thou maiest live long upon earth Isa 33. Bread shall be given him and his waters shall be sure they shall see the King in his glorie that is for obedience and good works God doth give quiet Common-weales an honest and meeke government c. Isa 58. Breake thy bread to the hungry and thou shalt be as a garden that is watered c. The example of the widow at Sarepta is well knowne and the Psalmist saith Substance and riches are in his house For seeing that God in this mortall and miserable life doth gather his Church and will have it to be an honest congregation he giveth thereunto many places of entertainment he giveth nests to godly poore families for the bringing up of their children and for the spreading abroad of doctrine to conclude he will preserve the societie of mankinde housholds and common weales and that to this end that a Church may be gathered Therefore he giveth sometime a government not troublesome peace a fruitfull land and other good things for the prayers of holy men for their diligence and for common necessities sake as for Joseph Naaman and Daniel those kingdomes wherein they lived flourished the more And Jerem. 19. The Banished in Babylon are commanded to pray for the peace and wholsome government of that place where they were intertained So also oftentimes punishments are heaped up for the sins of the Church as is to be seene in the punishment of the tribe of Beniamin David and others Now God will have us to understand that these benefits are necessary for the body and to know that they be given of God in asking of them he will have our faith to be exercised as we shall declare more at large in a fit place At this time we have therefore added these few things that in this confession there might be also a Testimonie in our Churches that this true and necessarie doctrine touching good works is faithfully laid open Out of the Confession of WIRTEMBERGE Of Iustification CHAP. 5. VVE beleeve and confesse that to doe and practice such righteousnesse as is acceptable to God these vertues be necessary Faith hope and love and that man cannot of himselfe conceive these vertues but doth receive them of the favour and grace of God and that faith doth worke by love But we thinke that their judgement doth farre disagree from the Apostolike and Catholike doctrine who teach that man is made acceptable to God and accounted just before God for those vertues and that when we come to stand before God in judgement we must trust to the merits of these vertues For man is made acceptable to God and counted just before him for the onely Son of God our Lord Iesus Christ through faith and when we appeare before the judgement seat of God we must not trust to the merit of any of those vertues which we have but onely to the merit of our Lord Iesus Christ whose merit is ours by faith And because that before the tribunall seat of God where the question is of true and eternall righteousnesse and salvation there is no place at all for the merits of men but onely for the mercie of God and the merits of our Lord Iesus Christ alone who is received of us by faith therefore we thinke that the ancient Fathers our Elders said truly that we are justified before God by faith alone Rom. 3. All have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood Galat. 3. The Scripture hath concluded all under sinne that the promise by the Faith of Iesus Christ should be given to them that beleeve And Chap. 5. We through the spirit waite for the hope of righteousnesse through faith For in Christ Iesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love Hilarie saith It offendeth the Scribes that man should forgive sinne for they behold nothing but man in Iesus Christ and that he should forgive that which the law could not release For faith alone doth iustifie Ambrose saith They are iustified freely because that working nothing nor requiting any thing by faith alone they are iustified by the gift of God And againe They are evidently blessed whose iniquities are forgiven without any labour or worke and whose sins are covered no helpe of repentance being required of them but onely this that they beleeve Many places might be alleadged as well out of the writings of the Prophets and Apostles as out of the holy Fathers whereby it is prooved that not onely in the beginning through the free mercie of God these vertues to wit Faith hope and love are given unto us but also afterward throughout our whole life and that in our extreame necessitie we are not able to stand before the severe tribunall seat of God but in the confidence of the onely free favour of God shewed unto us in Christ the Son of God For this is that both which Paul teacheth and the Ecclesiasticall writers doe interpret That we are justified before God by faith alone Of good works CHAP. 7. VVE say that good works commanded of God are necessarily to be done and that through the free mercie of God * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession they doe deserve certaine their own either corporall or spirituall rewards But we must not thinke that in the judgement of God where the question is concerning the purging of our sins the appeasing of the wrath of God and the merit of eternall salvation we should trust to those good works which we doe For all the good works which we doe are unperfect neither can they sustaine the severitie of the judgement of God but all our confidence is to be placed in the onely mercie of God for his Son our Lord Iesus Christ his sake Psal 142. Enter not into iudgement with thy servant for no flesh living shall be iustified in thy sight Gal. 5. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that ye cannot doe those things that ye would Rom. 7. I know that in me that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good Dan. 9. We doe not present our supplications before thee for our own righteousnesse but for thy great tender mercies Augustine saith Woe to the life of man be it never so commendable August confess lib. 9. cap. 13. In Monuali cap. 22. if thou examine it setting thy mercie aside And againe All my hope is in the death of my Lord. His death is my merit my refuge salvation life and my resurrection The mercie of the
and there which be added for the peoples instruction For therefore we have need of ceremonies that they may teach the unlearned and that the preaching of Gods word may stirre up some unto the true feare trust and invocation of God This is not onely commanded by Saint Paul to use a tongue that the people understand but mans law hath also appointed it We use the people to receive the Sacrament together if so be any be found fit thereunto And that is a thing that doth increase the reverence and due estimation of the publique ceremonies For none are admitted except they be first proved and tried Besides we use to put men in minde of the worthinesse and use of a Sacrament what great comfort it offereth unto them which repent to the end that men may learne to feare God and beleeve in him and to use prayer and supplication unto him looking for all good things at his hands This is the true worship of Christians These services of feare faith prayer hope c. God doth like of When therefore these services are performed and exercised in the use of Ceremonies then doth the using of the Sacraments please God So that when as the people is used to the ceremonie and advertised of the true use thereof the Masses are said with us after meet and godly manner And thus all things are ordered in the Church with greater gravitie and reverence then in times past It is not unknown that these many ages past there hath been common open complaintmade by good men of the abuse and prophaning of Masses For it is easie to be seene how farre this abuse hath spread it selfe in all temples and Churches what kinde of men they are that say the Masses flat contrary to the prescript of the Canons Also how shamefully they are turned to a matter of cursed lucre For many there be that say Masses without repentance onely for the bellies sake These things are too open and manifest to be kept any longer in hugger mugger Surely it seemeth that never any religious thing since the world began was so commonly turned into gain as the Masse But Saint Paul doth fearfully threaten them which deale otherwise with these Sacraments then is beseeming the dignitie of them where he saith He that eateth this bread and drinketh this cup unworthily is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. And in the Ten Commandements it is written He that abuseth Gods holy name shall not escape unpunished As therefore the world hath of thereto fore been justly punished for I dolatrie doubtlesse this shamelesse profaning of Masses will be fearefully revenged with grievous plagues And it may well be that the Church in these latter times is punished with blindnesse discord and wars and many other plagues chiefly for this one cause And yet these open and grosse abuses have the Bishops who cannot be ignorant of them not onely borne with all but also smoothly laughed at them And now all too late they begin to complaine forsooth of the calamitie of the Church when as no other thing hath been the occasion of the broiles of these times but the abuses themselves which were now become too open and evident that modest men could no longer bear them I would to God that the Bishops had as by their office they might have long before this bridled and restrained the covetousnesse or impudencie whether of Monks or of some others who changing the manner of the old Church have made the Masse a monie matter But it shall not be amisse now to shew whence these abuses did spring at the first There is an opinion spread abroad in the Church that the Supper of the Lord is a worke which being once done by the Priest deserveth remission of sins both of the fault and of the punishment not onely for him that doth it but also for thers and that because of the worke done although it be done without any good intent of the doer Likewife that if it be applied in the behalfe of the dead it is satisfactorie that is it deserveth remission of the paines of purgatorie And in this meaning they take the word Sacrifice when they call the Masse a sacrifice namely a worke that being done in the behalfe of some others doth merit for them both remission of the fault and of the punishments and that because of the very work done even without any good intent of him that useth it Thus they meane that the Priest in the Masse doth offer a sacrifice for the quick and the dead And after this perswasion was once received they taught men to seeke forgivenesse of sinnes and all good things yea and that the dead were freed from punishments by the benefit of the Masse And it made no matter what kinde of men they were that said the Masses for they taught that they were very available for others without any good motion of the user Afterward a question arose whether one Masse said for many was as available as severall Masses for severall persons And this disputation did augment the number of Masses and the gaine that came in by them out of measure But wee dispute not now of the gaine we onely accuse the impietie of them For our Divines doe prove plainly that this opinion of the meriting and applying of the Masse is both false and impious This is the state of this controversie between us and them And it is no hard matter for the godly to judge of this point if a man will but weigh the arguments that follow First we have proved before that men doe obtaine remission of sinnes freely by faith that is by sure trust to obtaine mercy for Christs sake It is then impossible for a man to obtaine remission of sinnes for another mans worke and that without any good motion that is without his owne faith This reason doth very evidently overthrow that monstrous and impious opinion touching the merit and application of the Masse Secondly Christs passion was an oblation and satisfaction not onely for originall sinne but also for all other sinnes as it is written in the Epistle to the Hebrews We are sanctified by the oblation of Christ once offered Againe By one oblation he hath made perfect for ever those that are sanctified To conclude a good part of the Epistle to the Heb. is spent in confirming this point that the onely sacrifice of Christ did merit remission of sinnes or reconciliation for others Therefore saith he The Leviticall sacrifices were oft times offered in one manner because they could not take away sinnes But Christ by his sacrifice hath at once satisfied for the sinnes of all men This honour of Christs sacrifice must not be transferred from him to the worke of a Priest For he saith expresly that by one oblation the Saints are made perfect Besides it is a wicked thing to place that trust in the worke of a Priest which should onely leane and stay it selfe upon the oblation and
is she appointeth at what times and where the Church shall come together For this civill end it is lawfull to make traditions But men that are not acquainted with the doctrine of Christ are not content with this end but they joyne superstitious opinions unto traditions and by superstition multiply traditions out of measure Of this there hath been complaint made in the Church not onely by late Writers as Gerson and others but also Saint Augustine Wherefore it is needfull to admonish the people what to thinke of the traditions which are brought into the Church by mans authoritie For it is not without cause that Christ and Paul doe so often speake of traditions and admonish the Church to judge wisely of traditions There was a common opinion not of the common sort alone but also of the Teachers in the Church that the difference of meats and such like works which the Ecclâ—siasticall traditions doe command are services of God which deserve remission of sinnes Also that such kindes of worship are Christian righteousnesse and as necessary as the Leviticall ceremonies in the Old Testament ever were and that they cannot be omitted without sinne no not then when they might be omitted without danger of giving offence These perswasions have brought forth many discommodities First the doctrine of the Gospell is hereby obscured which teacheth that sins are forgiven freely by Christ This benefit of Christ is transferred unto the worke of man And by reason of this opinion traditions were especially encreased because that these works were supposed to deserve remission of sins to be satisfactions and to be Christian righteousnesse Moreover for this cause especially doth Saint Paul so often and so earnestly give us warning to beware of traditions lest that Christs benefit should be transferred to traditions lest the glory of Christ should be obscured lest that true and found comfort should be withheld from mens consciences and in a word lest that faith that is trust of the mercie of Christ should be quite smothered These dangers Saint Paul would have avoided For it is greatly needfull that the pure doctrin of the benefit of Christ of the righteousnesse of faith and of the comfort of consciences should be continued in the Church Secondly these traditions have obscured the Commandements of God for this kinde of schooling was thought to be spirituall and the righteousnesse of a Christian man Yea the traditions of men were set aloft above the commandements of God All Christianitie was placed in the observation of certaine festivall dayes rites fasts and forme of apparell These beggerly rudiments carried goodly titles namely that they were the spirituall life and the perfection of a Christian In the meane while the commandements of God touching every calling were of small estimation that the Father brought up his children that the Mother bare them that the Prince governed the Common-wealth these works were little set by They were not taken to be any service of God The mindes of many stood in a continuall mamering whether marriage magistracie and such like functions of a civill life did please God or no. And this doubtfulnesse did trouble many very much Many forsaking their callings leaving the Common-wealth did shut up themselves in Monasteries that they might seeke that kinde of life which they thought did more please God yea which they supposed to merit remission of sins Thirdly the opinion of necessitie did much vexe and disquiet the consciences Traditions were thought necessary And yet no man though never so diligent did ever observe them all especially for that the number of them was infinite Gerson writeth That many fell into desperation some murthered themselves because they perceived well that they could not observe the traditions And all this while they never heard one comfortable word of grace and of the righteousnesse of faith We see that the Summists and Divines gather together the All this matter of the ceremonies and traditions in generall doth properly belong to the 17. Section next following but for as much as here is intreated of daies meats fasts it was requisite that it should be brought in this Section because the generals cannot well be severed from particulars traditions and seeke out qualifications of them for the unburdening of mens consciences but even they cannot satisfie themselves nor winde themselves out and sometimes also their very interpretations themselves doe snare mens consciences The Schooles also and Pulpits were so busied in numbring up the traditions that they had no leasure to handle the Scripture or to search out more profitable doctrine of faith of the Crosse of Hope of the excellencie of civill affairs or of the comfort of mens consciences in sore tentations Wherefore many good men have oft complained that they were hindered by these contentions about traditions that they could not be occupied in some better kinde of doctrine When as therefore such superstitious opinions did cleave fast unto the traditions it was necessary to admonish the Churches what they were to judge of traditions to free godly mindes from errour to cure wounded consciences and to set out the benefit of Christ We doe not goe about to weaken the authoritie of Ecclesiasticall power we detract nothing from the * Looke the 3 4 Observ upon this confession in the 11. Sect. dignitie of Bishops we doe not disturbe the good order of the Church Traditions rightly taken are better liked but we reprove those Iewish opinions onely Thus therefore we teach touching ceremonies brought into the Church by mans authoritie First touching traditions which are opposed to the commandement of God or cannot be kept without sinne the Apostles rule is to be followed We must obey God rather then men Of this sort is the tradition of single life Secondly touching other ceremonies which are in their owne nature things indifferent as Fasts Festivall daies difference of apparell and the like we must know that such observations doe neither merit remission of sinnes neither yet are they the righteousnesse or perfection of a Christian but that they are things indifferent which where is no danger of giving offence may well be omitted This judgement of ours hath these evident and cleere testimonies in the Gospel to the end that it may admonish the Church that the Gospel be not oppressed and obscured by superstitious opinions Rom. 14. The kingdome of God is not meat and drinke but righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Here Paul teacheth plainly that a Christians righteousnesse is the spirituall motions of the heart and not the outward observation of meates and daies c. Coloss 2. Let no man iudge you in meat drinke or a part of a holyday He forbiddeth that their consciences should be judged that is that their consciences should be condemned in the use of such things but will have them counted altogether indifferent things and such as pertaine not to the righteousnesse of the Gospel Then there followeth a long and a
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