terrified by this voice that reprooueth sinnes then let it heare thâ— peculiar promise of the gospel touching the Sonne of God and let him be assured that his sinnes are freelie remitted fâ—â— the Sonne of God hissake our Lord Iesus Christ who is our attonement and that of mercie not for any 〈◊〉 or loue of ours OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE Of the lawe CHAP. 6. WE acknowledge that the lâ—w of God whereof the 10. commaundementes are an abrigedment doth commaund the best the most iust and moste perfect workes and that man is not onelie bounde to obeie the morall precepts of the lawe but also if he should doe the workes of the 10. commaundements in such perfection and integritie as the lawe requireth that he should indeed be counted iust before God for his workes and should obtaine eternall saluation by his merites But whereas some men doe thinke that man can come to that state in this life as to be able by his works not onelie to fullfil the 10. commaundements but also to doe more and greater workes then are commaunded in the lawe which they call works of supererogation it is contrarie to the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles and it is repugnant to the iudgement of the true Catholike Church For the lawe was not giuen to this end to signifie that man might perfectlie fullfill the commaundements thereof in this life but to shew to man his imperfection to testifie of the vnrighteousnes of man and of the wrath of God against all men to stirre them vp to seke remission of their sinnes righteousnes and saluation by faith in the only Sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Christ Rom. 3. By the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne And Rom. 7. The law is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder sinne And Rom. 8. The wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God For it is not subiect to the lawe of God neither indeede can be And Galat. 3. Curssed is euerie man that continueth not in all thinges which are written in the booke of the lawe to doe them Augustine saith This first commaundement of iustice wherein we are commaunded to loue the Lorde with all our heart with all our soule and with all our minde whereupon followeth that other commaundement of louing our neighboure we shall fullfill in that life where we shall see him face to face But therfore it is euen now also commaunded vnto vs that we might be admonished what it behoueth vs to require by faith whether to send our hope before hand and by forgetting those thinges which are behinde what fore thinges we should stretch our selues vnto And hereby so far as I can iudge he hath profited much in this life in that righteousnes which is to be perfited who by profiting doth knowe how far he is from the perfection sf righteousnes And againe Charitie is a vertue whereby that is loued which is to be beloued This is in some greater in others lesser and in some none at all But the moste absolute loue which now cannot be increased so long as a man liueth here is not to be founde in anie man For so long as it may be increased that which is lesse then it ought to be commeth of our corruption by reason of which corruption there is not a iust man in the earth that doth good and sinneth not by reason of which corruption no flesh liuing shall be iustified in the sight of God for which corruptions sake If we saie that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the trueth is not in vs for the which also though we profit neuer so much yet it is necessary for vs to saie Forgiue vs our debtes although all our wordes deedes and thoughtes are alreadie forgiuen vs in baptisme And againe All the commaundements of God are counted as done when as whatsoeuer is not done is notwithstanding pardoned And Ierome saith This is onelie perfection vnto men if they know that they are vnperfect This is the true wisedome of man to know that he is imperfect and that I maie so speake the perfection of all iust men in the flesh is imperfect Of the Gospell of Christ CHAP. 8. ALthough manie preceptes of the law of God be conteined in the writings of the Euangelistes and Apostles and Christ himselfe doth teach that we must not rendâ—â— euill for euill nor looke vpon a woman wantonlie and such like yet we must not think that the Gospel of Christ is a new law whereby as the fathers in times past were saued vnder the olde testament by the olde law so now men vnder the new testament should be saued by a new law For except a man take the name of the law generallie for doctrine as the Prophets now and then do vse the name of the law certainlie the Gospell of Christ is not properlie a law as Paull doth commonlie vse the name of the law but it is a good and ioyfull message touching the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ that he onelie is the purger of our sinnes the appeaser of the wrath of God and our redeemer and sauiour Neither are the commaundements of the law which are conteined in the Apostles writings any new law but they are an interpretation of the olde law according to the iudgement of the holie Ghost which also were to be seene before and that not obscurelie in the writinges of the Prophets But they are repeated in the preaching of the gospell of Christ that the seueritie of the law of God and the corruption of our nature beeing declared we might be stirred vp to seeke and embrace Christ reuealed in his Gospell and that we maie know after what rule we are to frame our life through faith in Christ Wherefore if we will speake properlie of the law of God and Gospell of Christ as of Christ we are not to make a new lawgiuer seeing that he neither hath made a new law nor instituted a new politiâ—e kingdome in this earth so must we not make a new law of the Gospell which by more harde and seuere commaundements doth bring eternall saluation to the doers thereof But we thinke it to be most certaine that the naturall or morall law of the olde and new Testament is one and the same and that neither the men which liued vnder the olde Testament nor those which liue vnder the new Testament doe obteine eternal saluation for the merit of the workes of the law but onelie for the merit of our Lord Iesus Christ through faith Christ out of Isaiah doth recite his office for the which he was sent into the earth The spirit of the Lorde saith he is vpon me because he hath annointed me he hath sent me to preach the Gospell to the poore c. Here Christ teacheth that his proper office is not to make a new lawe which should terrifie and kill miserable sinners but to preach the Gospell which might comfort and quicken sinners Gal. 4. When the
Christ is and that afterward in the daie of resurrection this soule shall be ioyned againe with the bodie to take full possession of that ioy and eternall glorie which can not be expressed in words For they shall not câ—â—e into condemnation but by making a waie through it they shall passe from death into life The epistle to the Hebrewes to stirre vs vp to vse such exhortations saieth Exhort your selues among your selues exhort ye one another dailie so long as it is said to daie Let no man among you be hardned by the deceit of sinne For we enter into the rest which haue beleeued that is which haue obeied the voice of God while wee had time giuen vs. On the other side we must also holde this moste assuredlie that if anie man beeing polluted with sinnes and filthie deedes manifestlie contrarie to vertue do in dying departe out of this worlde without true repentance and faith that his soule shall certainlie goe into hell as did the soule of that rich man who wanted faith in the bottomeles pit whereof there is no droppe of grace and that in the daie of iudgement that moste terrible voice of the Sonne of God sounding in his eares shall be heard wherein he shall saie Departe from me ye curssed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Deuill and his Angells for they which haue done euill shall come forth to the resurrection of iudgement Therefore in teaching they doe continuallie vrge this that no man differ repentance and turning vnto God till he come to be olde or till he lieth sicke in his bed and in the meane time doe boldelie practise his wantonnes in sins and in the desires of the flesh and the world because it is written Doe not saie The aboundant mercie of the Lord will purge my sinnes for mercie and wrath doe hasten with him and his indignation shall lie vpon the sinners Make no tarying to turne vnto the Lord and put not of from daie to daie For suddenlie shall the wrath of the Lorde breake forth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in time of vengeance But that especiallie is a moste daungerous thing if anie man after he hath receiued the gift of the grace of God and that in the testimonie of a good conscience doth of set purpose and wantonlie sinne and contemne and make no account of all those exhortations and allurements proceeding ouâ— of a louing heart and that to this ende that he maie in time thinke on that which is for his health and repent and moreouer doth persist in a bold and blind perswasion of the mercie of God and trusting thereto doth sinne and doth confidentlie abuse it and goeth forward in that sort withouâ— repentance euen vnto the last pinch and then beginneâ—h being forced thereunto by the terrours of death and the feare of infernall punishments so late to conuert himselfe and to call for the mercie of the Lorde as when the seuere and intollerable anger of the Lord waâ—eth hotâ—â— and punishments rush and breake foorth as doth the great violence of floodes which can not be resisted Therefore of such a man which thing we speake with sorowe it is hard to beleeue that he can trulie repent and therefore it is to be doubted lest that be fulfilled in him which the Lord doth threaten by the Prophet Micheas That insteed of grace he shall feele the wrath of God and that it will come to passe that the wrath of God shall sley him For in a fearefull speach doth he saie thus Then shall they crie to the Lord but he will not heare them but he will hide his face foâ— them at that time because they haue continuallie liued wickedlie Yea the Lord himselfe saith Although they crie in mine 〈◊〉 with a loude voice yet will I not heare them seeing they would noâ— heare my voice when as all the daie long I spread out my hands to them and gaue them large time and space for grace For the which cause the holie Ghost crieth out and saith Todaie if ye will heare his voice harden not your hartes as in the giâ—uing in the daie of that tentation in the wildernes Therefore according to all these thinges our men doe diligentlie and out of the groundes of the Scripture exhort that euerie man do in time vse and follow this faithful counsell and necessarie doctrine that so he maie turne awaie the feare of this moste heauie daunger yea that he doe not betraie the health of his owne soule For vndoubtedly this horrible daunger is greatlie to be feared lest whatsoeuer here that doth rashlie or stubbornelie condemne or neglect this time of grace so louinglie graunted of the Lord he doe receiue and that worthelie that rewarde of eternall punishment which is due thereunto euen as saint Ambrose also amongst manie other thinges which he handleth diuerslie to this purpose doth thus write and in these wordes If any man at the verie point of death shall repent and be absolued for this could not be denied vnto him so departing out of this life dieth I dare not saie that he departeth hence in good case I do not affirme it neither dare I affirme or promise it to anie man because I would deceiue no man seeing I haue no certeintie of him Doe I therefore saie that be shall be damned neither doe I saie that he shall be deliuered 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 will repent when thou canst not sin thy sinnes haue left thee and not thou thy sinnes Yet that no man maie dispaire they teach this also that if anie man in the last hower of his life shew out signes of true repentance which thing doth fall out verie seldome for that is certainlie true which is written in the epistle to the Hebrues And this will we also doe so that God giue vs leaue to doe it that such a one is not to be depriued of instruction comforte absolution or remission of sinnes For the time of grace doth last so long as this lise doth last wherfore so long as we liue here it is meete that we should thinke of that Propheticall and Apostolicall sentence To daie seeing yee haue heard his voice harden not your heartes Now herein doe our men labour and endeuour them selues moste earnestlie that all men maie obeie this louing commaundement and counsell and that they speedelie repent before the sunne be darkened after a strange manner and the hilles be ouerwhelmed with darknes that laying sinne aside they would turne them selues to god by flying vnto him in true confidence and with a constant inuocation from the bottome of the heart and that they do their faithful indeuour that they be not repelled from the glorie of eternall life but that they maie liue with Christ
vaine shadowes which they reason to preuaile although a man fall againe into mortall sinne And in this matter they haue deuised new iugling trickes They confesse that these satisfactions are not recompences but they saie that we muste admitte such satisfactions as chastisements as Paull doth punish the Corinthian 1. Cor. 5. That chastisement was excommunication and we confesse that they which are guiltie of manifest hainous deedes are by a lawfull iudgement and order to be excommunicated neither is iust excommunication a vaine lightning Yet notwithstanding the power of the Church doth not punish by corporall force as by prison or by hunger but it doth onelie pronounce this sentence The prison and common punishments doe pertaine to ciuill gouernours But such is the frowardnes of certaine men that although they see themselues conuinced by the euidence of truth yet they seeke to dallie by sophistrie lest if they should giue place they should be thought to haue betrayed their fellowes God which seeth the heart knoweth that with a simple indeauour we haue sought out the trueth OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE Of Repentance CHAP. 12. SEing that we must alwaies acknowledge our sinnes and beleeue that they be forgiuen for Christ his sake wee thinke it also meete that men should alwaies repent in this life But diuers men expound repentance diuerslie commonlie they make three partes of repentance Contrition Confession and Satisfaction We will seuerallie and brieflie runne ouer these partes that we maie declare what we maie thinke to be in deede Catholike and Apostolike in this doctrine of Repentance Of Contrition CHAP. 13. WE call Contrition a feeling of the wrath of God or a sorrow and great feare of the minde raised by the knowledge of the greatnes of our sinnes and the weightines of the wrath of God And we thinke that such a Contrition as the law of God doth vse to stirre vp in man is necessarilie required in true repentance but to teach that it doth deserue remission of sinnes or that it is a purging of our sinnes before God we thinke it contrarie to the Apostolike doctrine God truelie doth not despise a contrite and an humble heart as the Psalme saith but therefore he doth not despise it because the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ tooke vpon him a contrite humble heart by whose onelie contrition and humiliation our sinnes are purged before God and his wrath is pacified Now we are made partakers of this pacification when with a contrite and humble heart we beleeue that Iesus Christ alone is our reconciler with the heauenlie Father Isa 53. He was wounded for out trangressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisment of our peace was vpon him and by his stripes we are healed 1. Ioh. 2. He is the propitiation for our sinnes Act. 10. To him giue all the Prophets witnes that through his name all that beleeue in him shall haue remission of their sinnes Also the examples of Cain Esau Saul Iudas Iscarioth and such like doe witnes that Contrition is not a merit of remission of sinnes For these men although they had so great contrition that it seemed to them a thing more tollerable to dispatch their life either by strangling or by thrusting themselues in with swordes rather then to suffer those horrible griefes yet could they not obteine remission of their sinnes The Glosse saith If we looke narrowlie to the matter remission of sinnes is to be attributed to the grace of God not to contrition Wherfore we confesse that to shew forth true repentance Contrition is necessarie yet not to this ende that it should be any merit or purging of our sinnes before God but that man acknowledging the greatnes of his sinnes should be stirred vp to seeke remission of sinnes saluation in the onelie free clemencie and mercie of God and that onelie for Iesus Christ our Lord his sake by faith Of Confession CHAP. 14. THey call confession a reckoning vp of sinnes before a Priest Therfore such confession as hath hitherto bin vsed as it was not commaunded of God so it is manifest that the auncient Church did not exact it with such seueritie as if it had beene necessarie to obteine eternal saluation And it is not to be doubted but that we ought to acknowledge our selues before God to be sinners and to confesse our sinnes to God yea the auncient Ecclesiasticall writers doe graunt that it is free for any one to reckon vp his sins before man vnles in some matter man be offended and the trueth by lauful and deuine calling is to be declared Chrysostome saith I will thee not to bewraie thy selfe openlie nor to accuse 〈◊〉 selfe before others but I counsell thee to obeie the Prophet saying Open thy waie vnto the Lorde And againe If thou ar◠ashamed to shew thy sinnes to any man then vtter them euerie daie in thine heart I saie nos goe confesse thy sinnes to they felow seruant that maie vpbraide thee with them but confesse them vnto God that is able to cure them Now although these wordes of Chrysostome vse to be expounded of those sinnes which were before confessed to a Priest yet is this exposition a manifest wresting of the meaning of Chrysostome and the Ecclesiasticall historie doth euidentlie witnes that this custome of confessing vnto a Priest was abrogated in the Church of Constantinople Augustine saith What haue I 〈◊〉 doe with men that they should heare my confessions as if they 〈◊〉 able to heale all my griefes They are verie curious to know an other mans life and verie slow in amending their own Ambrose saith Peter sorrowed and weept because he erred as man I doe not final what he saide I know that he wept I reade of his teares I doe not reade of his satisfaction And although we thinke that it is not necessarie to saluation to reckon vp sinnes before a Priest and that it is not any merite of remission of sinnes yet we endeuour that a generall confession of sinnes so farre as may be and is lawfull maie be reteined in our Churches and that for two causes One is that by this priuate conference the ignorant may be admonished and instructed in necessarie matters the other that by this occasion the Gospell of Christ touching remission of sinnes maie be heard priuatelie the which Gospell is the true Keie of the Kingdome of heauen and absolution from sinne and that by the hearing of the Gospell or absolution faith m aie be either conceiued or confirmed For that we may truelie repent we thinke that there is nothing more sure certaine then that of necessity we should haue faith to this ende that as the Gospel of Christ doth declare it so we may assuredlie beleeue that our sinnes are freely pardoned and forgiuen for our Lord Iesus Christ his sake We are not ignorant if we looke vnto our workes that we are not one he to doubt but also to dispaire of our saluation
we should thinke that then onelie we obteine remission of sins when we had deserued it by our former workes or when our repentance were well worthie of it For in true terrours the conscience findeth no worke which it maie oppose against Gods wrath but Christ is giuen and set forth vnto vs to appease the wrath of God This honour must not be transferred from Christ vnto our owne works therefore Paull saith Yeare saued freelie Againe Therefore by faith freelie that the promise might be sure that is thus shall remission be certaine when we know that it dependeth not vpon the condition of our vnworthines but is giuen vs for Christ his sake This is a sure and necessarie comfort to all godlie mindes that are terrified with the conscience of their sinnes And thus doe the holie fathers teach and there is a notable sentence in Saint Ambrose worthie the remembring in these wordes This God hath appointed that he which beleeueth in Christ should be saued without any work by faith alone receiuing the remission of sinnes Now this worde Faith doth not onelie signifie a knowledge of the historie of Christ but also to beleeue and assent unto this promise that is proper vnto the Gospell wherein remission of sinnes iustification and life euerlasting are promised vnto vs for Christs sake For this promise also doth pertaine to the history of Christ euen as in the Creede vnto the historie is added this article I beleeue the remission of sins And vnto this one the other articles touching the history of Christ are to be referred For the benefitte is the end of the historie therefore did Christ suffer and rise againe that for him remission of sinnes and euerlasting life might be giuen vnto vs. These things are found thus in an other edition ALso they teach that men cannot be iustified before God by their owne power merites or workes but are iustified for Christs sake thorough faith when they beleeue that they are receiued vnto fauour and their sinnes forgiuen thorough Christ who by his death hath satisfied for oâ—â— sinnes This faith doth god impute for righteousnes vnto them before himselfe Rom. 3. 4. For this cause Christ hath appointed the ministerie of teaching the gospel which preacheth repentance remission of sinnes and the preaching of either of these is general and laieth open the sinnes of all men and promiseth remision of them vnto al that beleeue for to the end that remission might not be doubted of but that all distressed mindes might know that they ought to beleeue that remission of sinnes is vndoubtedlie granted vnto them for Christ not for their owne merits or worthines All these doe certainlie obtaine remission of sinnes And when as we doe in this sort comfort our selues by the promise of the gospell and doe raise vp our selues by faith therewithall is the holie spirit giuen vnto vs. For the holie spirit is giuen and is effectual by the worde of god and by the Sacraments When as we do heare or meditate of the gospell or doe receiue the Sacraments and comforte our selues by faith therewithall the spirit of god is effectuall according to that of Saint Paull Gall 3. That the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ might be giuen to them that beleeue And to the Cor. The Gospell is the ministerie of the spirit And to the Rom. Faith commeth by hearing When as then we doe comforte our selues by faith and are freed from the terrours of sinne by the holie spirit our hearts do conceiue the other vertues acknowledge trulie the mercie of god and conceiue the true loue and the true feare of god trust and hope of gods helpe praier such like fruites of the spirit Such therefore as teach nothing concerning this faith whereby we receiue remission of sinnes but will haue mens consciences stand in doubt whether they obteine remission or no and doe adde further that this doubting is no sinne are iustlie condemned And these also doe teach that men maie obteine remission of sinnes for their owne worthines but they doe not teach to beleeue that remission of sinnes is giuen freelie for Christ sake Here also are condemned those phantasticall spirites which dreame that the holie ghost is giuen or is effectuall without the worde of god Which maketh them contemne the ministerie of the gofpel and sacraments and to seeke illumination without the word of god and besides the gospell And by this meanes they draw awaie mens mindes from the worde of god vnto their owne opinions which is a thing verie pernitious and hurtfull Such were in olde time the Manichees and Enthusiasts And such are the Anabaptists now a daies These and such like frensies we doe most constantlie condemne For they abolish the true vse of gods worde and doe falslie imagine that the holie spirit may be receiued without the word and sticking too much to their owne fancies they inuent wicked opinions and are the cause of infinite breaches These things are found thus in another edition FOr the obteining of this faith the ministery of teaching the gospell and ministring of the sacraments was ordeined For by the word and Sacraments as by certaine instruments the holie ghost is giuen who worketh faith where and when it pleaseth god in those that heare the gosspell faith I saie to beleeue that god not for our owne merites but for Christ doth iustifie such as beleeue that they are receiued into fauour for Christs sake They condemne the Anabaptists and others who are of opinion that the holie ghost is giuen vnto men without the outward word thorough their preparations and workes Also they teach that when we are reconciled by faith the righteousnes of good workes which God hath commaunded must follow of necessitie euen as Christ hath also commaunded If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements But for somuch as the infirmitie of mans nature is so great that no man can satisfie the lawe it is needfull that men should be taught not onelie that they must obey the lawe but also how their obedience pleaseth God lest that their consciences sinck downe into despaire when they see that they doe not satisfie the law This obedience therefore pleaseth god not because it satisfieth the lawe but because the person that performeth it is reconciled by Christ through faith and beleeueth that the reliques of sinne which remaineth in him be pardoned Wherfore we must alwaies holde that we do obtaine remissâ— no of sinnes and that a man is pronounced iust freelie for Christ through faith And afterward that this obedience towardes the law doeth also please god and is accounted a kinde of iustice and deserueth rewards For the conscience cannot oppose it owne cleannes or workes vnto the iudgement of God as the Psal witnesseth Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for no man shall be iustified in thy sight and Iohn saith If we saie that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selueâ— if we confesse
our obedience doth please god euen in this our so great infirmitie Now for any man to dispise or mislike this doctrine whereby both the honour of Christ is extolled and most sweete sure comfort offered vnto godlie mindes and which conteineth the true knowledge of gods mercie and bringeth forth the true worship of God and eternall life it is more then Pharisaicall blindnes Before time when as this doctrine was not set forth many fearefull consciences assaied to ease themselues by workes some fled to a monasticall life others did chuse out other workes thereby to merit remission of sinnes and iustification But there is no sure comforte without this doctrine of the gospell which willeth men to beleeue that remission of sinnes and iustification are freelie giuen vnto vs for Christs sake and this wholl doctrine is appointed for the true conflict of a terrified conscience But we will adde some testimonies Paull Rom. 3. We are iustified freelie by his grace through redemption that is in Christ Iesus whome god hath set forth to be a reconciliation thorough faith in his bloode Rom. 4. But to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodlie his faith is counted for righteousnes Ephes 2. By grace ye are saued through faith and not of your selues In these and such like sentences Paull doth plainlie teach that remission of sinnes and iustification are giuen vs freelie and not for the worthines of our workes And in the 4 to the Rom. he disputeth at large why this consolation is needefull for vs for if the promise did depend vpon the worthines of our works it should be vncertaine Wherefore to the end that we may haue sure and firme comforte against the feares of sinne and death and that our faith maie stand fast it is needefull that it leane onelie vpon the mercie of God and not vpon ouâ— worthines Therefore Paul saieth Therefore it is by faith according to grace that the promise might be sure For our works cannot be set against the iudgement of God according to that saying If thou markest our iniquities who shall indureâ—t And therefore Christ is giuen for a Mediatour to vs and this honour is not to be transfered vnto our workes When therefore we doe saie that we are iustified by faith we do not meane that we are iust for the worthines of that vertue but this is our meaning that we doe obteine remission of sins and imputation of righteousnes by mercie shewed vs for Christs sake But now this mercie can not be receiued but by faith And Faith doth not here signifie onelie a knowledge of the historie but it signifieth a beleefe of the promise of mercie which is graunted vs through our Mediatour Christ Iesus And seeing that faith is in this sorte vnderstoode of a confidence or trust of mercie Saint Paull and Saint Iames doe not disagree For where as Iames saith The Deuills beleeue and tremble he speaketh of an historicall faith now this faith doth not iustifie For the wicked and the deuill are conning in the historie But Paull when he saith Faith is reckoned for righteousnes he speaketh of a trust and confidence of mercie promised for Christs sake and his meaning is that men are pronounced righteouse that is reconciled through mercie promised for Christs sake whome we must receiue by faith Now this noueltie of this figuratiue speach of Saint Paull We are iustified by faith will not offend holie mindes if they vnderstand that it is spoken properlie of mercie and that herein mercie is adorned with true and due praises For what can be more acceptable to an afflicted and fearefull conscience in great greefes then to heare that this is the commaundement of God the voice of the bridgrome Christ Iesus that they should vndoubtedlie beleeue that remission of sinnes or reconciliation is giuen vnto them not for their owne worthines but freelie through mercie for Christs sake that the benefite might be certaine Now Iustification in these sayings of Saint Paull doth signifie remission of sins or reconciliation or imputation of righteousnes 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 holie fathers also doe teach the same For so saith Ambrose in his booke de â—â—at Gent. If so be that iustification which is by grace were due vnto former merittes so that it should not be a gift of the giuer but a â—warde of the worker the redemption by the bloode of Christ would growe to be of small account and the prerogatiue of mans works would not yeald vnto the mercies of God And of this matter there be many disputations in Saint Augustine And these are his wordes Forsomuch as by the law God sheweth to man his infirmitie that flying vnto his mercie by faith he might be saued For it is saide that he carieth both the law and mercie in his mouth The law to â—onuict the proude and mercie to iustifie those that are humbled Therefore the righteousnes of God through saith in Christ is reuealed vpon al that beleeue And the Mâ—leuitan Synode writeth Iâ— not this sufficientlie declared that the Law worketh this that sinne should be knowen and so against the victorie of sinne men should flie to the mercie of god which is set forth in his promises that the promises of God that is the grace of God might be sought vnto for deliuerance and man might beginne to haue a righteousnes howbeit not hiâ—â—â—ne but Gods Of good works WHen as we do teach in our Churches the most necessary doctrine and comforte of faith we ioyne therewith the doctrine of good workes to wit that obedience vnto the law of God is requisite in them that be reconciled For the Gospell preacheth newnes of life according to that saying I will put my lawes in their heartes This new life therefore must be an obedience towardes God The Gospell also preacheth repentance and faith cannot be but onlie in them that doe repent because that faith doth comfort the heartes in contrition in the feares of sin as Paul saith Being iustified by faith we haue peace And of repentance he saith Rom. 6. Our olde man is crucified that the bodie of sinne might be abolished that we might no more serue sinne And Esaie saith Where will the Lorde dwell In a contrite and humbled spirit c. Secondly among good works the chiefest that which is the chiefest worship of God is faith which doth bring forth manie other vertues which could neuer be in men except their hearts had first receiued to beleue How shall they call 〈◊〉 him in whome they doe not beleeue So long as mens mindes are in doubt whether God heareth them or not so long as euer they thinke that God hath reiected them they doe neuer truelie call vpon God But
he saith Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in my name that is acknowledging and naming oâ— calling vpon me as the redeemer high Priest and intercessor this high Priest alone goeth into the holiest place that is into the secret counsell of the deitie and seeth the minde of the eternal father and maketh request for vs and searching our hearts presenteth our sorrowes sighes and praiers vnto him It is plaine that this doctrine of the Mediatour was obscured and corrupted when men went to the mother Virgine as more mercifull and others sought other Mediators And it is plaine that there is no example to be seene in the Prophets or Apostles where prayer is made vnto men heare me Abraham or heare me O God for Abrahams sake but prayer is made vnto God who hath reuealed himselfe to wit to the eternall father to the sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ and to the holie Ghost that he would receiue heare and saue vs for the sonnes sake It is also expresselie made to the sonne as 2. Thess 2. Our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe and God and our father who hath loued vs strengthen you c. and Gen. 48. Iacob nameth God and the sonne the Mediator when he saith God before whome my fathers walked and the Angell that deliuered me out of all troubles that is the promised Sauiour blesse these children Therefore we vse these formes of inuocation I call vpon the O Almightie God eternall father of our Lord Iesus Christ maker of heauen earth together with thy sonne our Lord Iesus Christ and thy holie spirite O wise true good righteous moste free chaste and mercifull God haue mercie vpon me and for Iesus Christes sake thy sonne crucified for vs and raised vp againe heare and sanctifie me with thy holie spirit I call vpon the O Iesus Christ the sonne of God crucified for vs and raised vp againe haue mercie on me pray for me vnto the euerlasting father and sanctifie me with thy holie spirite In these forme we know what we praie vnto And seing there are testimonies of Gods word to be seene which shewe that this praying pleaseth God and is heard such praying maie be made in faith These thinges are not to be found in that inuocation which is made vnto men Some gather testimonies out of Augustine and others to shewe that the Saintes in heauen haue care of humane affaires This may more plainlie be shewed by Moses and Elias talking with Christ And there is no doubt but that such as are in happines praie for the Church but yet it followeth not thereupon that they are to be praied vnto And albeit we teach that men are not to be praied vnto yet we propound the histories of those that are in blessed state vnto the people Because it is necessary that the history of the Church be by some meanes knowne vnto all by what testimonies the Church is called together founded and how it is preserued and what kinde of doctrine hath benâ— published by the fathers Prophets Apostles and Martyrs In these histories we commaund all to giue thankes vnto God for that he hath reuealed himselfe that he hath gathered togither his Church by his son that he hath deliuered his doctrine vnto vs and hath sent teachers and hath shewed in them the witnesses of him selfe we commaund al to consider of their doctrine to strengthè their faith by those testimonies which God hath shewed in them That they likewise consider the examples of iudgement and punishments that the feare of God may be stirred vp in them we commaund them to follow their faith patience and other vertues that they learne that in God is no respect of persons and desire to haue themselues also receiued heard gouerned saued and helped as God receiued Dauid Manasses Magdalene the theefe on the Crosse We also teach how these examples are to be followed of euerie maâ— in his vocation because error in imitation and preposterous zeale is oft times the cause of great euills We also commend the diligence of the Saintes themselues who tooke heede of wasting Gods giftes in vaine And to conclude they that are moste fooles maie gather great stored doctrine out of these histories which doctrine is profitable to be published to the people so that superstition be â—eâ— aside OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WITTEMBERGâ— CHAP. 1. WE beleeue and confesse that there is one onelâ— God true eternall and infinite almightie maâ—â— of all thinges visible and inuisible and that in this one 〈◊〉 eternall godhead there are three properties or persons of them selues subsisting the Father the sonne and thâ— holie Ghost As the Prophetical and Apostolicall scriptures teach and the Creedes of the Apostles of Nice and of Athanasius declare Of the sonne of God CHAP. 2. VVE beleeue and confesse that the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ was begotten of his father from euerlasting true and euerlasting God consubstantiall with his Father c. Looke the rest in the 6. diuision Of the holie Ghost CHAP. 3. VVE beleeue and confesse that the holie Ghost proceedeth from God the Father from euerlasting that he is true and eternal God of the same essence maiestie glorie with the Father and the sonne as the holie Fathers by authoritie of the holie scripture wel declared in the Councel of Constantinople against Macedonius Of Inuocation of Saints CHAP. 23. THere is no doubt but the memorie of those Saintes who when they were in this bodelie life furthered the Church either by doctrine or writings or by miracles or by examples and haue either witnessed the trueth of the gospell by Martyrdome or by a quiet kinde of death fallen on sleep in Christ ought to be sacred with al the Godlie and they are to be commended to the Church that by their doctrine and examples we maie be strengthned in true faith and inflamed to follow true godlines We confesse also that the Saintes in heauen doe after their certaine manner pray for vs before God as the Angels also are carefull for vs and all the creatures doe after a certaine heauenlie manner groane for our saluation and trauell togither with vs as Paull speaketh But as the worship of inuocation of creatures is not to be instituted vpon their gronings so vpon the praier of Saints in heauen we may not alow the inuocation of saints For touching the inuocating of them there is no commaundement nor example in the holy scriptures For seeing al hope of our saluation is to be put not in the saints but in our Lord god alone through his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ it is cleere that not the Saints but God alone is to be praied vnto How shall they call one him saith Paul in whome they beleeue no t but we must not beleeue in the saints how then shal we pr ay vnto them And seeing it must needes be that he who iâ— praied vnto be a searcher of the heart the Saints ought not to be praied vnto because they
errour of the Manichees who holde that the Deuills haue their beginning of themselues and are of their owne nature euill and not corrupted by willfull disobedience We beleeue that this moste gracious and mightie God after he had made al things left them not to be ruled after the will of chaunce or fortune but himselfe doth so continuallie rule and gouerne them according to the prescriâ—â— rule of his holie will that nothing can happen in this world without his decree and ordinance and yet God cannot be said to be either the author or guilty of the euils that happen in this world For both his infinite and incomprehensible power and goodnes streatcheth so farre that euen theâ— he decreeth and executeth his workes and deedes iustlie and holily when as both the deuil and the wicked doe vnâ—usâ—â—ie And whatsoeuer things he doth passing the reach of mans capacitie we will not curiouslie and aboue our capacitie inquire into them Nay rather we humblie and reuerentlie adore the secret yet iust iudgements of God For iâ— sufficeth vs as being Christs disciples to learne onely those things which he himselfe teachth in his word neither doâ—â— thinke it lawful to passe these boundes And this doctrine afordeth vs exceeding great comforte For by it we know that nothing befalleth vs by chaunce but all by the will of our heauenlie father who watcheth ouer vs with a fatherly care in deede hauing all things in subiection to him selfe so that not a haire of our heade which are euerie one numbred can be plucked awaie nor the least sparrow light on the ground without the will of our father In these things therefore doe we wholly rest acknowledging that God holdeth the Deuills and all our enemies so bridled as it were with snaffles that without his will and good leaue they are not able to hurt any of vs and in this place we reiect the detestable opinion of the Epicures who fained God to be idle to do nothing and to commit all things to chaunce THE FOVRTH SECTION OF MANS FALL SINNE AND FREE WILL. THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of mans fall sinne and the cause of sinne CHAP. 8. MAN was from the beginning created of God afer the Image of God â—n righteousnes and true holines good and vpright but by the instinct of the serpent and his owne fault falling from goodnes and vprightnes become subiect to sinne death and diuers calamities and such an one as he became by his fall such are all his ofspring euen subiect to sinne death and sundrie calamities And we take sinne to be that naturall corruption of man deriuedâ— spread from those our first parents vnto vs al through whâ—â—â— we being dorwned in euil concupiscenses and cleene turnâ— awaie from God but prone to all euill full of all wickednes distrust contempt hatred of God can do no goodâ— our selues no not so much as thinke of any And th at mâ—â— is euen as we do grow in yeares so by wicked thoughts wordes and deedes committed against the law of God we bring forth corrupt fruites worthie of an euill tree in 〈◊〉 respect we through our owne desert being subiect to thâ— wrath of God arein daunger of iust punishments so thâ— we had all beene cast awaie from God had not Christ the deliuerer brought vs backe againe By death therfore we vnderstand not onlie bodily death which is once to be suffered of all vs for sinnes but also euerlasting punishmentes due to our corruption and to 〈◊〉 sinnes For the Apostle saith we were dead in trespasses 〈◊〉 and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others 〈◊〉 God which is â—itch in mercie euen when we were dead by sinnâ— quickened vs together in Christ Againe As by one man sinneâ—tred into the world and by sinne death and so death went 〈◊〉 men for as much as all men haue sinned c. We therefore acknowledge that originall sinne is in all men we acknowledge that all other sinnes which spring hereout are both called and are in deede sinnes by whâ—â— name soeuer they be termed whether mortall or veniall 〈◊〉 also that which is called sinne against the holy Ghost whiâ—â— is neuer forgiuen we also confes that sinnes are not equall although they spring from the same fountaine of coruptioâ— and vnbeliefe but that some are more greeuous then other euen as the Lord hath said that It shall be easier for Sodoâ—â— then for the Citie that despiseth the word of the Gospell we therefore condemne all those that haue taught thinges contrarie to these but especiallie Pelagius and all the Pelagians together with the Iouinianistes who with the Stoikes count all sinnes equall we in this matter agree fullie with â— Augustine who produced and mainteined his sayings out of the holie scriptures Moreouer we condemne Florinus and Blastus against whome also Iraeneus wrote and al those that make god the author of sinne seeing it is expressely written Thou art not a god that loueth wickednes thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie and wilt destroy all that speak lies And againe when the Deuill speaketh a lie he speaketh of his owne because he is a lier the father of lying Yea there is euen in our selues sin corruption enough so that there is no need that god should infuse into vs eyther a new or greater measure of wickednes Therefore when God is saied in the scripture to harden to blinde and to deliuer vp into a reprobate sense it is to be vnderstoode that God doth it by iust iudgement as a iust iudge reuenger To conclude as often as god in the scripture is saide and seemeth to doe some euill it is not thereby meant that man doth not commit euill but that god doth suffer it to be done and doth not hinder it and that by his iust iudgement who could hinder it if he would or because he maketh good vse of the euill of men as he did in the sinnes of Iosephes brethren or because himselfe ruleth sinnes that they breake not out and rage more violentlie then is meete Saint Augustine in his Enchiridion saith After a wonderfull and vnspeakeable manner that is not done beside his wil which is done contrarie to his wil because it could not be done if he should not suffer it to be done and yet he doth not suffer it to be done vnwillinglie but willinglie neither would he being God suffer any euil to be done vnles being also almightie he could make good of euill Thus farre Augustine Other questions as whether god would haue Adam fall or whether he forced him to fall or why he did not hinder his fall and such like we account amongst curious questions vnlesse perchance the frowardnes of heretikes or of men otherwise importunate doe compell vs to open these points also out of the word of God as the godly Doctours of the Church haue often times done knowing that the Lord did forbid that man should not eate of
by his latter kinde of presence being not visible but spirituall is present in the ministers of the Church in the word and in the sacraments euen so also by the selfe same ministers worde and sacraments he is present with his Church and by these meanes doe the elect receiue him through inwarde faith in their heart and doe therefore ioyne themselues together with him that he maie dwell in them and they in him after such a sorte as is not apparent but hidden from the world euen by that faith spirituallie that is to saie in their soules and hearts by the spirit of truth of whome our Lord saith He abideth with you and shall be in you And I will come againe vnto you This iudgement declaration of our saith is not new or now first deuised but verie ancient Now that this was commonhe taught and meant in the Church of olde it is plaine and euident by the writinges of the auncient Fathers of the Church and by that decree wherein it is thus written and they are the wordes of Saint Augustine Our Lorde is aboue vntill the end of the worlde but the trueth of the Lorde is here also for the bodie of the Lorde wherein he rose againe must of necessitie be in one place but his truth is dispersed euerie where OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION WE beleeue that whatsoeuer is requisite to our saluation is offered and communicated vnto vs now at length in that one Iesus Christ as he who beeing giuen to saue vs is also made vnto vs wisdome righteousnes sanctification and redemption in so much as whosoeuer doth swarue from him doth renounce the mercie of the Father that is our onelie refuge We beleeue that Iesus Christ being the wisdome and eternall sonne of the father tooke vpon him our nature so that he is one person God and man Man I saie that might suffer both in soule and also in bodie and made like vnto vs in all things sinne onelie excepted for that his flesh was indeede the seede of Abraham and Dauid howbeit by the secret and incomprehensible power of the holie Ghost it was conceiued in doe time in the wombe of that blessed Virgin And therefore we detest as contrarie to that truth all those heresies wherewith the Churches were troubled in times past and namelie we detest those deuillish imaginations of Seruetus who gaue to our Lord Iesus Christ an imaginarie deity whom he said to be the Idea patterne of al thinges and the counterfeit or figuratiue sonne of God to conclude he framed him a bodie compacted of three elements vncreated and therfore he did mingle and ouerthrow both his natures We beleeue that in one and the same person which is Iesus Christ those two natures are truelie and inseperablie so conioyned that they be also vnited either of those natures neuertheles retaining it distinct proprietie so that euen as in this diuine coniunction the nature of the word reteining it proprieties remained vncreate infinite and filling all places so also the humane nature remained and shall remaine for euer finite hauing it naturall forme dimension and also proprietie as from the which the resurrection and glorification or taking vp to the right hand of the father hath not taken awaie the trueth of the humane nature Therefore we do so consider Christ in his deitie that we doe not spoile him of his humanitie We beleeue that God did declare his infinite loue and goodnes towards vs in this that he hath sent his sonne who should die and rise againe and fullfill all righteousnes that he might purchase eternall life for vs. We beleeue that by that onelie sacrifice which Iesus Christ offered on the crosse we are reconciled to God that we maie be taken for iust before him because we can not be acceptable to him nor enioy the fruite of our adoption but so farre foorth as he doth forgiue vs our sinnes Therefore we affirme that Iesus Christ is our entire and perfect washing in whose death we obteine full satisfaction whereby we are deliuered from all those sinnes whereof we are guiltie and from the which we could not be acquitted by anie other remedy OVT OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION WE beleeue that Iesus Christ the onely sonne of the eternall Father as long before it was determined before all beginnings when the fulnes of time was come did take of that blessed and pure virgine both flesh and all the nature of man that he might declare to the worlde the secret and hid wil of his father which wil had bene laide vp from before al ages and generations and that he might finish in his humane bodie the Mysterie of our redemption and might fasten our sinnes to the crosse and also that handwriting which was made against vs. We beleeue that for our sakes he died and was buried descended into hell the third daie by the power of his godhead returned to life and rose againe and that the fourth daie after his resurrection whiles his disciples beheld and looked vpon him he ascended into heauen to fullfill all things and did place in Maiestie and glorie the selfe same bodie wherewith he was borne wherein he liued on earth wherein he was iested at wherein he had suffered most painfull torments and cruell kinde of death wherein he rose againe and wherein he ascended to the right hand of the father aboue all rule aboue all power all force all Dominion and aboue euerie name that is named not onelie in this worlde but also in the worlde to come And that there he now sitteth and shall sit till all things be fully perfited And although the Maiestie and godhead of Christ be euerie where abound antlie dispersed yet we beleeue that his body as Saint Augustine saith must needes be still in one place and that Christ hath giuen Maiestie vnto his bodie but yet hath not taken awaie from it the nature of a bodie and that we must not so affirme Christ to be God that we denie him to be man and as the Martyr Vigilius saith That Christ hath left vs touching his humane nature but hath not lefe vs touching his diuine nature and that the same Christ though he be absent from vs concerning his manhead yet is euer present with vs concerning his godhead From that place also we beleeue that Christ shall come againe to execute that generall iudgement as well of them whome he shall finde aliue in the bodie as of them that shal be alreadie dead And therfore that our onelie succour and refuge is to flie to the mercie of our father by Iesus Christ and assuredlie to perswade our mindes that he is the Obteiner of forgiuenes for â—â—r sinnes And that by his bloode all our spots of sinne be washed cleane That he hath pacified and set at one all things by the bloode of his crosse That he by the same one onely sacrifice which he once offered vpon the Crosse hath brought to
Of the gospell of Iesus Christ and also of Promises of the spirit and of the letter CHAP. 13. THE gospell indeede is opposed to the lawe for the lawe worketh wrath and doeth denounce a cursse but the gospell doth preach grace and a blessing Iohn saith also The lawe was giuen by Moses but grace and trueth came by Iesus Christ Yet notwithstanding it is moste certaine that they which were before the lawe and vnder the lawe were not altogether destitute of the gospell For they had notable Euangelicall promises such as these are The seede of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed The scepter shall not be taken from Iuda vntil Silo come The Lord shall raise vp a Prophet from amongest his owne brethren c. And we doe acknowledge that the fathers had two kinde of promises reuealed vnto them euen as we haue For some of them were of present transitorie thinges such as were the promises of the lande of Canaan and of victories and such as are now a dayes concerning our dailie bread Othersome there were then also are now of heauenlie euerlasting things as of Gods fauour remission of sinnes life euerlasting through faith in Iesus Christ Now the fathers had not onelie outwarde or earthly but spiritual heauenly promises in Christ For the Apostle Peter saith that the Prophets which prophesied of the grace that should come to vs haue searched and inquired of this saluation Whereupon the Apostle Paul also saith that the gospell of God was promised before by the Prophets of God in the holie scriptures Hereby then it appeereth euidentlie that the fathers were not altogether destitute of all the Gospell And although after this manner our fathers had the gospell in the writinges of the Prophets by which they attained saluation in Christ through faith yet the gospell is properlie called that glad and happie tidings wherein first by Iohn Baptist then by Christ the Lorde himselfe and afterward by the Apostles their successours is preached to vs in the world that God hath now performed that which he promised from the beginning of the world hath sent yea and giuen vnto vs his onelie sonne and in him reconciliation with the father remission of sinnes all fulnes and euerlasting life The historie therefore set downe by the foure Euagelists declaring how these thinges were done or fulfilled of Christ and what he taught and did and that they which beleeued in him had al fulnes this I saie is truelie called the Gospell The preaching also and scripture of the Apostles in which they expound vnto vs how the sonne was giuen vs of the father and in him all things pertaining to life and saluation is truelie called the doctrine of the Gospell so as euen at this daie it looseth not that worthie name if it be sincere The same preaching of the Gospel is by the Apostle tearmed the spirit and the ministerie of the spirit because it is lining and workeing thorough faith in the eares yea in the hearts of the faithfull thorough the illumination of the holie spirit For the letter which is opposed vnto the spirit doth in deede signifie euerie outward thing but more speciallie the doctrine of the law which without the spirit faith worketh wrath stirreth vp sin in the mindes of theÌ„ that do not truly beleeue For which cause it is called by the Apostle the ministery of death for hitherto pertaineth that saying of the Apostle The letter killeth but the spirit giueth life The false Apostles preached the Gospel corrupted by mingling of the law therewith as though Christ could not saue without the law Such also were the Hebionites said to be which came of Hebion the heretike and the Nazarites which before time were called Myneans Al which we doe condemne sincerely preaching the worde and teaching that the beleeuers are iustified by the spirit onelie and not by the law But of this matter there shall follow a more large discourse in the title of iustification And although the doctrine of the Gospel compared with the Pharisees doctrine of the law might seeme when it was first preached by Christ to be a new doctrine the which thing also Ieremie prophesied of the new Testament yet in deed it not onelie was as yet is though the Papists call it new in regarde of Popish doctrine which hath of long time bin receiued an ancient doctrine but also the most ancient in the world For God from all eternitie fore ordeined to saue the world by Christ and this his predestination and eternal counsel hath he opened to the world by the Gospell Whereby it appeareth that the Euangelicall doctrine and religion was the moste auncient of all that euer were are or euer shal be Wherefore we saie that all they erre foullie and speake things vnworthy the eternall counsell of God who tearme the Euangelicall doctrine and religion a new start vp faith scarce thirtie yeares olde to whome that saying of Isaiah doth verie well agree Woe vnto them that speake good 〈◊〉 euill and euill of good which put darkenes for light and lightâ—â— darkenes that put bitter for sweete and sweete for sowre OVT OF THE FORMER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Therefore in the wholl Euangelicall doctrine this ought first and chiefely to be vrged that we are saued by the onelie mercie and grace of God and by Christ his merittes whereof that men may know how much they stand in neede their sinnes must be verie clearelie laid open vnto them by the law and by Christ his death OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA Of the word of God or the holie Gospell CHAP. 10. ANd seeing that the administration of thee new testâ— ment also the word and the sacraments are lawfully committed to the Ministers of the Church and their lippeâ— ought to preserue knowledge that the law maie be sought at their mouth therefore in this Chapter it is further taught what the word of God and the holie gospell is Now the Preaching of the word of God and of the Gospell is the true ministerie of grace instituted and commaunded of Christe our Lord wherein the full and perfect will of God touching eternall reconciliation necessarie to saluation and made manifest in the holie scripture is declared and preached vnto all people This doctrine did Christ giue in charge vnto his disciples in the wordes of this sentence Goye into all the world and preach the Gospell to euerie creature This doctrine doth Peter professe before Cornelius when he saith He commaunded vs to preach vnto the people and to testifie that this is he that is ordeined of God to be the Iudge of the quick and the dead To him also giue all the Prophets wines that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes This ministery is more honorable greater and more necessarie to saluation then are
fulnes of time was come God sent his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the law that he might redeeme them which were vnder the law and that we by adoption might receiue the right of sonnes And Acts. 15 it is saide Why tempt ye God to laie an yoke vpon the Disciples neckes which neither our fathers nor wee were able to beare but we beleeue through the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ to be saued euen as they c. And Augustine saith That people which receiued the old Testament was helde vnder certaine shadowes and figures of thinges before the comming of the Lorde according to the wonderfull and moste orderlie diuision of times Yet therein was so great preaching and foretelling of the new Testament that in the Euangelicall and Apostolike discipline though it be painfull and diuine no commaundements or promises can be found which are wanting euen in those olde bookes THE EIGHT SECTION OF REPENTANCE AND THE CONVERSION OF MAN THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA CHAP. 14. THe gospel hath the doctrine of repentance ioyned with it for so saide the Lord in the Gospell In my name must repentance and remission of sinnes be preached among all nation Byrepentance we vnderstand the change of the minde in a sinfull man stirred vp by the preaching of the Gospell and by the holy spirit receiued by a true faith by which a sinneful man doth eftsonnes acknowledge his naturall corruption and aâ—â— his sinnes seeing them conuinced by the word of God iâ— hartely greeued for them and doth not onelie bewaile and freelie confesse them before God with shame but also doth loath and abhorre them with indignation thinketh seriouslie of present amendment and of a continuall care of innocencie and vertues wherein to exercise himselfe holilie all the rest of his life And surely this is true repentance namely an vnfeined turning vnto god and to all goodnes and a serious returne from the Deuill and from all euill Now we doe expresselie saie that this repentance is the meere gift of god and not the worke of our owne strength For the Apostle doth will the faithful Minister diligentlie to Instruct those which withstande the trueth if that at any time the Lord will giue them repentance that they may acknowledge the trueth Also the sinnefull woman in the gospell which washed Christs feete with her teares and Peter which bitterlie wept and bewailed his deniall of his Master doe manifestlie shew what minde the penitent man should haue to witte verie earnestlie lamenting his sins committed Moreouer the Prodigal sonne and the Publican in the Gospell that is compared with the Pharisie doe set forth vnto vs a most fit paterne of confessing our sinnes to God The Prodigall sonne saide Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee I am not worthie to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired seruants The Publican also not daring to lift vp his eies to heauen but knocking his brest he cryed God be mercifull vnto me a sinner And we dout not but the Lord receiued them to mercie For Iohn the Apostle saith If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to purge vs from all iniquitie If we saie wee haue not sinned we make him a lier and his word is not in vs. We beleeue that this sincere confession which is made to God alone either priuatelie betweene God and the sinner or openlie in the Church where that generall confession of sinnes is rehearsed is sufficient and that it is not necessarie for the obteining of remission of sinnes that any man should confesse his sinnes vnto the priest whispering them into his eares that the priest laying his hands on his head he might receiue absolution because that we finde no commaundement nor example thereof in the holie scripture Dauid protesteth saieth I made my fault knowne to thee and my vnrighteousnes did I not hide from thee I said I will confesse my wickednes to the Lord against my selfe and thou hast forgiuen the hainousnes ofmy sinne Yea and the Lord teaching vs to pray and also to confesse our sinnes saide So shall you praie Our father which art in heauen forgiue vs our debtes euen as we forgiue our debters It is requisite therefore that we should confesse our sinnes vnto god and be reconciled with our neighbour if we haue offended him And the Apostle Iames speaking generallie of confession saith Confes ech of you your sinnes one to another If so be that any man beeing ouerwhelmed with the burthen of his sinnes and troublesome temptations wil priuatelie aske counsell instruction or comfort either of a minister of the Church or of any other brother that is learned in the law of God we doe not mislike it Like as also we doe fullie alow that generall and publike confession which is wont to be rehearsed in the Church and in holie meetings whereof we spake before beeing as it is agreeable with the scripture As concerning the keies of the kingdome of heauen which the Lord committed to his Apostles they prate manie straunge thinges and of these keies they make swordes speares scepters and crownes and full power ouer mightie kingdoms yea ouer mens soules and bodies But we iudging vprightlie according to the word of God do saie that al ministers trulie called haue and exercise the keies or the vse of them when as they preach the Gospell that is to say when they doe teach exhorte reprooue and keepe in order the people committed to their charge For so doe they open the kingdome of God to the obedient and shut it against the disobedient These keies did the Lorde promise to the Apostles in the 16. Chapter of Mathew and deliue them in Iohn 20. Chapter Marke 16. Luke the 24. when as he sent forth his disciples and commaunded them To preach the Gospell in all the world to forgiue sinnes The Apostle in the Epistle to the Cor. saith That the Lorde gaue to his ministerâ— the ministerie of reconciliation And what this was he straighwaie maketh plaine and saieth The worde or doctrine of reconciliation And yet more plainelie expounding his words he he addeth that the ministers of Christ Do as it were go an imbassage in Christs name as if God himselfe should by his ministers exhort the people to be reconciled to god to weet by faithful obedience They vse the keies therfore when as they perswade to faith and repentance Thus do they reconcile men to God thus they forgiue sins thus do they open the kingdome of heauen and bring in the beleeuers much differing herein from those of whome the Lorde spake in the Gospell Wâ—t be vnto you lawyers for ye haue taken awaie the keie of knowledge You haue not entred in your selues and those that would haue entered ye forbad Rightlie therefore and effectuallie do ministers absolue when as they preach the Gospell of Christ and thereby
remission of sinnes which is promised to euerie one that beleeueth euen as euerie one is baptized and doe testifie of it that it doth particularlie appertaine to all Neither doe we imagine that this absolution is made anie whit more effectual for that which is mumbled into some priests eare or vpō some mans head particularly yet we iudge that men must be taught diligentlie to seeke remission of sinnes in the bloode of Christ and that euerie one is to be put in minde that forgiuenes of sinnes doth belong vnto him But how diligent and carefull euerie penitent man ought to be in the endeuour of a new life and in sleying the olde man raising vp the new man the examples in the gospel do teach vs. For the Lord saith to him whome he had healed of the palsie Behold thou art made hole sinne no more lest a worsse thing come vnto thee Likewise to the adulteres woman which was deliuered he said goe thy waie and sinne no more By which wordes he did not meane that any man could be free from sinne whiles he liued in this flesh but he doth commend vnto vs diligence and an earnest care that we I saie should endeuour by al meanes and begge of god by praier that we might not fall againe into sinne out of which we are risen after a manner and that we maie not be ouercome of the flesh the world or the deuill Zacheus the publicane being receiued into fauour by the Lorde he cryeth out in the gospell Beholde Lorde the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore if I haue taken from anie man anie thing by forged cauillation I restore him foure folde After the same manner we preach that restitution and mercie yea and giuing of almes are necessarie for them which doe truelie repent And generallie out of the Apostles words we exhort men saying Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodie that you should obey it through the lustes thereof Neither giue ye your members as weapons of vnrighteousnes to sinne but giue your selues vnto God as they that are aliue from the dead and giue your members as weapons of righteousnes vnto God Wherefore we condemne all the vngodlie speaches of certeine which abuse the preaching of the Gospel and saie To returne vnto God it is verie easie for Christ hath purged al our sinnes Forgiuenes of sinnes is easily obteined What therefore will it hurt to sinne And we neede not take anie great care for repentance c. Notwithstanding we alwaies teach that an enterance vnto God i◠open for all sinners and that this God doth forgiue all the sinnes of the faithful onelie that one sinne excepted which is committed against the holy ghost And therefore we condemne the olde and new Nouatians and Catharines and especiallie we condemne the Popes gaineful doctrine of penance and against his Simonie and Simoniacall indulgences we vse that sentence of Simon Peter Thy 〈◊〉 periesh with thee because thou thoughest that the gift of god might be bought with mony Thou hast no parte or fellowshippe in this matter for thy heart is not vpright before God We also disalow those that think that themselues by their owne satisfactions can make recompence for their sinnes committed For we teach that Christ alone by his death passion is the satisfaction propitiation and purging of all sinnes Neuertheles we cease not to vrge as was before said the mortification of the flesh and yet we adde further that it must not be proudly thrust vppon God for a satisfaction for our sinnes but must humblie as it becommeth the sonnes of god be performed as a new obedience to shew thankfull mindes for the deliuerance and full satisfaction obteined by the death and the satisfaction of the sonne of God OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA CHAP. 5. NOw that we know what sinne is in the next place we are taught concerning holie repentance which doctrine doth bring great comfort to all sinners and generallie it is verie profitable and necessarie to saluation for all men as well for Christians which beginne to learne as for those which haue profited yea euen for sinners that haue fallen yet such which by the grace of God being conuerted doe repent Of this repentance Iohn Baptist did preach and after him Christ in these words Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand Afterwarde also the Apostles preached thereof throughout the wholl world for so it is written And thus it hehooued that repentance and remission of sinnes shoulde be preached in his name among all nations Now this repentance doth whollie arise out of a true knowledge of sinne and the wrath of God And to attaine vnto this knowledge we must vse the full and entire helpe of the ministerie by peaching to laie open vnto vs both the doctrine of repentance or the law touching that righteousnes which is due vnto God and the sentence of God pronounced against sin also of faith in Christ Iesus and of that holy satisfaction which he hath made for vs by suffering moste greeuous torments This repentance and sauing conuersion doth our mercifull God by his peculiar gifte offer and bestowe and he writeth the same in the hearts of the faithfull euen as he saith I will giue you a new heart and I will put my spirit in the midst of you and I will cause you to walke in my waies Againe That you maie repent of your sinnes and of your Idolatrie And againe When I was conuerted I did repent This sauing repentance which doth differ verie much from the repentance of Esau and ludas taketh it true and right beginning from this gifte of God who bestoweth it and from the sermons of the word of God whereby sinne is reprooued 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 sorowing it doth tremble at this iust and seuere iudgement and reuengement whereupon ariseth a heauie trembling and vnquiet conscience a troubled minde a heart so sorrowfull carefull and bruised that a man can haue no comfort with himselfe and of himselfe but his soull is full of all griefe sadnes anguish and terrour wherby he is much troubled because of the feare of that burning wrath which he seeth in the seuere countenance of God We haue an example in Dauid when he saith There is nothing sound in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones because of my sinnes I am become miserable and crooked verie sore I goe mourning all the daie Such a terrour and true sense of sinne doth worke in the faithful an inward chaunge of the minde and the soule and a constant detesting of sinne and the causes and occasions thereof Hereunto it is streightwaie added by diligent teaching of the troubled terrified repentant that such men ought in a sincere affection of the heart with repentance an humble
submission of the minde by their confession and inuocation to turne vnto the Lord and by faith in Iesus Christ our Lorde to conceiue sure and vndoubted trust in his mercie to hold fast the apprehended promise and to relie whollie thereon and seeing they haue no righteousnes of themselues earnestlie and faithfullie to desire of the diuine grace that God would haue mercie on them vouchsafe of his grace to forgiue them their sinnes for the Sonne and his pretious merites sake who was made an attonement or reconciliation for sinne yea also a cursse that he might make or consecrate vs as holie vnto God For to such men that they may be stirred vp to the greater confidence that sure and pretious promise is propounded and by preaching ought to be propounded whereby the Lord doth saie Call vpon me iâ— the daie of trouble and I will deliuer thee and this they ought to doe as often as they haue neede and so long as they liue Hereof the iudgement of Saint Augustine is extant Lib. 1. de Penitentia Cap. 1. No man can well meditate of repentance except he be perswaded of the mercie of God toward him or as he saith but he that shall hope for indulgence Now al men which do truelie repent them of their sinnes in regarde thereof are sorowfull and mislike themselues ought to cease from the coÌ„mitting of euil learne to do that which is good for so writeth Esai in that place wherin he exhorteth to repentance And Iohn Baptist in the like sort admonishing the people saith See that you bring forth or do the 〈◊〉 worthie of repentance which doth chieflie consist in mortification or putting of the old man in putting on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes c. as the Apostolike doctrine doth signifie Moreouer the penitent are taught to come to the Phisitians of their soules and before them to confesse their sinnes to God yet no man is commaunded or vrged to tell and reckon vp his sinnes but this thing is therefore vsed that by this meane euerie one maie declare their griefe wherewith they be troubled and how much they mislike them-selues for their sinnes and maie peculiarlie desire and know that they obteine of their God counsell and doctrine how they maie hereafter auoid them and get instruction and comfort for their troubled consciences and absolution by the power of the Keies and remission of sinnes by the ministerie of the Gospell instituted of Christ and when these things are performed to them of the ministers they ought to receiue them at their handes with confidence as a thing appointed of God to profit and to doe seruice vnto them for their sauing health without doubting to enioy the remission of their sinnes according to the word of the Lord whose sinnes you remit they are remitted And they relying vpon this vndoubted faith ought to be certaine and of a resolute minde that through the ministerie of those keies concerning the power of Christ and his word all their sinnes be forgiuen them And therfore they which by this meanes and order obteine a quiet and ioyfull conscience ought to shew them-selues thankfull for this heauenlie bountifullnes in Christ neither must they receiue it in vaine or returne againe to their sinnes according to that faithful exhortation of Christ wherein he commaundeth vs to take heede Beholde then art made wholl sinne nomore lest a worsse thing happen vnto thee And see that thou sinne no more Now the foundation whereon the whol vertue and efficacie of this sauing repentance doth stay it selfe is the merit of the torments of the death and resurrection of our Lord and sauiour whereof he him selfe saith These thinges it behooued Christ to suffer and to rise againe the third daie and that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name to all people And againe Repent and beleeue the Gospell Also they teach that they whose sinne is publike and therefore a publike offence ought to giue an externall testimonie of their repentance when God doth giue them the spirit of repentance and that for this cause that it maie be an argument and testimonie whereby it may be prooued or made euident that the sinners which haue fallen and do repent do truelie conuert them selues also that it maie be a token of their reconciliation with the Church and their neighbour and an example vnto others which they maie feare and reuerence Last of all the wholl matter is shut vp with this or such like clause of admonition That euerie one shal be condemned whosoeuer he be which in this life doth not repent in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ according to that sentence pronounced by Christ Except ye repent ye shall al in like sort perish as they did who were slaine with the fall of the tower of Silo. Hitherto also perteineth that parte of the same confession which treateth Of the time of grace CHAP. 20. FVrthermore among all other thinges they teach concerning the time of grace and the fatherly visitation that men maie learne to consider that all that time of age they lead in this life is giuen them of God to be a time of grace in the which they maie seeke their Lord and God his grace and mercie and that they maie be loued of him and by this meanes obteine here their saluation in Christ whereof the Apostle also made mention in his sermon which he preached at Athens saying God hath assigned vnto man the times which were ordeined before and the bandes of their habitations that they should seeke the Lord if so be they might haue groped after him and found him And by the Prophet Esaie the Lorde saith In an acceptable time hâ—â—e I heard thee and in the daie of saluation haue I helped thee Beholde now saith Saint Paull is the acceptable time no◠〈◊〉 the daie of saluation Therefore at all times the people be admonished that whilest they liue on the earth and are in good health and haue in their hands and do presentlie enioy the time of grace offered by God they would truelie repent and beginne the amendment of their life and reconcile themselues to God that they would stirre vp their conscience by faith in Christ and quiet it by the ministerie of the Gospell in the Church and herein confirme themselues that God is mercifull vnto them and remitteth all their sinnes for Christ his sake Therefore when they are confirmed in this grace which is offred them to establish confirme their calling do faithfullie exercise themselues in good works then at the length they are also in an assured hope to looke for a comfortable end they must certenlie persuade theÌ„selues that they shal assuredlie be caried by the Angels into heauen eternall rest as was the soule of that godlie Lazarus that they maie be there where their Lord and redeemer Iesus
his Church in this life for a time and in the other life for euer Amen OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE TOuching Repentance they teach that such as haue fallen after Baptisme may finde remission at what time they returne againe And that the Church is bounde to giue absolution vnto such as returne by repentance Now repentance or the conuersion of the vngodlie standeth properlie of these two parts The one is contrition that is a terror stricken into the conscience through the acknowledgement of sinne wherin we doe both perceiue gods displeasure and are greeued that we haue sinned and doe abhorre and eschue sinne according as Ioell preacheth Rent your heartes and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord your God c. The other parte is faith which is begotten in vs by the Gospell or by absolution doth beleeue that the sinnes are vndoubtedlie forgiuen for Christ sake and doth comfort the conscience freeing it from feares Of which faith spake Saint Paull when he saieth Beeing iustified by faith 〈◊〉 haue peace with God Afterward there must follow the good fruites of repentance that is obedience vnto God according to that saying We are debters not to the flesh to liue after the flesh For if ye liue after the flesh ye shall die But if by the spirit ye mortifie the workes of the flesh ye shall liue They condemne the Nouatians which would not absolue them which hauing fallen after baptisme returned to repentance They condemne also those that teach not that remission of sinnes commeth freelie by faith for Christ sake but labour to prooue that remission of sinnes commeth by the worthines of contrition of charitie or of some other works and would haue mens consciences in time of repentance to doubt whether they may obteine remissiō doe say plainly that this douting is no sin Likewise they condemne those which teach that Canonicall satisfactions are necessarie to redeeme eternal paines or the paines of purgatory Though we are of that minde that the calamities of this life may be asswaged by good workes as Esaie teacheth Chap. 58. Breake thy bread vnto the hungrie and the Lord shal giue thee rest continuallie Besides they condemne the Anabaptists who denie that they that are once iustified can againe loose the spirit of God Also they condemne those that stiflie holde that some may attaine to such a perfection in this life as that they cannot sinne any more This eleuenth Article we finde in some editions placed in the twelfth place and after the first periode we finde these wordes Now repentance consisteth properlie of these two partes one is contrition or terrours stricken into the conscience through the sight of sinne The other is faith which is conceiued by the gospel or by absolution doth beleue that for Christ sake the sinnes be forgiuen and comforteh the conscience and freeth it from terrours Then there must follow good workes which are fruites of repentance They condemne the Anabaptists who denie that men once iustified can loose the spirit of God doe stiflie holde that some men may attaine to such a perfection in this life that they can sinne no more In like case the Nouatians are condemned which would not absolue such as had fallen after Baptisme though they returned to repentance They also that teach that remission of sinnes is obteined for our owne loue or good works and such as teach that Canonicall satisfactions are necessarie to redeeme euerlasting or purgatorie paines are whollie misliked of vs. Concerning confession of sinnes they teach that priuate absolution is to be reteined still in Churches though it be a needeles thing in confession to make a rehearsall of the sinnes For it is an impossible thing to reckon vp all a mans offenses according as the Psalmist saith Who doth vnderstand his faults c. This twelfth Article we finde in the place of the eleuenth in some editions and it is word for word the same but that the last wordes are thus set downe Though a reckoning vp of al sinnes be not necessarie For it is impossible as the Psalmist saith c. Art 3. Of abuses Of confession THe Diuines and Canonists haue cast a great myst of darkenes chieflie vpon this point of Christian doctrine touching repentance as not onelie their bookes doe testifie but also the consciences of al the godlie which doe confesse that the intricate and endles disputations of the diuines and the infinite traditions about the matter of repentance was euen a fearefull racking of their consciences For they doe no where teach any certaintie how remission of sins is obteined And as for faith there is no word amongst them Yea they bid men to be alwaies in doubt of remission of sinnes Afterward they torment mens consciences with a harsh reckoning vp of their faults and with satisfactions For what a snare vnto a mans conscience was the tradition which requireth them to reckon vp all their sinnes As for satisfactions they did obscure and darken the benefit of Christ because that euen the learned among them did imagine that eternall death was recompensed by them But the vnlearned were perswaded that forgiuenes of the fault was purchased by such deedes What that their seruices for the most part were not commaunded of God as babling of praiers inuocation of Saints Pilgrimages and such like stuffe Thus was the pure doctrine of repentance ouerwhelmed with an huge heape of vnprofitable and euill opinions And it is manifest that the godly in manie ages past haue greatlie wished that this doctrine had beene more purelie taught Furthermore it is especiallie needefull that the doctrine of repentance should be taught in the Church most purelie and sincerely Therfore our Diuines haue laboured to cleare this point as much as might be And surelie they haue so opened and cleared it that the soundest euen amongst our aduersaries do confesse that in this matter they haue weldeserued of the Church for we do simply and plainlie without anie Sophistrie laie sorth that which the Gospell teacheth touchingrepentance that men may perceiue how they must returne vnto Christ by what meanes remission of sinnes is obteined what worship what workes doe please God First we teach that contrition is requisite thatis the true terrors and sorrows of the minde which feeleth the wrath of God is grieued for sinne committed and ceaseth to do euill And though these sorrows be requisite yet must we know that remission of sinnes is not graunted for the worthines of contrition or of these sorrowes but we must ioyne faith with them that is a trust and confidence of mercie promised for Christes sake and we holde that our sinnes are freelie forgiuen for Christes sake When we once are comforted in these terrours by faith we do vndoubtedlie obteine remission of sinnes as we haue said before And this faith our mindes do conceiue by the Gospell also by the absolution which preacheth and applieth the Gospell vnto the distressed consciences
And for this cause do our diuines teach that priuate Absolution is to be reteined in the Church and they set out the dignitie of it and the power of the keies with true and verie large commendations namelie because the power of the keies doth dispense the Gospell not onelie to al in general but also to euerie * one in particular as Christ saith Thou hast wonne thy brother c. and because we must beleeue the voice of the Gospell which is dispensed vnto vs in absolution by the ministery of the Church no otherwise then a voice sounding from heauen This wholl benefit of absolution and of this ministerie hath heretofore beene whollie obscured with the false opinions of such as taught that absolution was naught worth without sufficient contrition and did afterwards wil men to misdoubt of absolution because no man knewe whether his contrition were sufficient or not What els was this but quite to take awaie from all consciences the comfort of the Gospell and to remooue out of the Church and cleane to abolish the ministery of the Gospel or the power of the keies whodoth not see that these pernitious errors are worthely reprooued Now seeing that confession yealdeth a place where to bestowe absolution in priuate and this custome doth vpholde the vnderstanding of the power of the keies and remission of sinnes among the people besides seeing that this conference auaileth much for admonishing and instructing of men therefore we doe duelie retaine Confession in our Churches yet so as that wee teach that reckoning vp of the faultes is not necessarie by Gods lawe and that mens consciences are not to be clogged with it For there is no commaundement in all the Apostles writinges sounding that way Againe this rehearsing of all ones sinnes is a thing impossible according to that in the Psalme Who can vnderstand his faultes And Ieremie saieth The heart of man is corrupt and vnsearchable But if no sinnes could be forgiuen but such as are reckoned vp mens consciences could neuer be at rest because they neither see nor can call to minde the greatest number of them Whereby it maie easilie be gathered that the ministerie of absolution and remission of sinnes doth not depend vpon the condition of numbring them vp all The auncient writers also doe testifie that this counting of sinnes by tale is a thing needles Chrysostome on the Epistle to the Heb. saith Let vs recken of it that we haue sins and let not the tongue alone vtter it but the conscience within vs also And let vs not barelie saie we are sinners but let vs recken vp our sinnes particularlie I doe not bid the to bewraie thy selfe openlie nor to occuse thy selfe to other but to followe the saying of the Prophet Laie open thy waies before the Lord confesse thy sinnes before God vtter thy sinnes with praier before the true iudge not remembring them with the tongue but with the conscience then in deed maist thou hope to finde mercie That sermon of Chrysostomes teacheth not onelie what is to be thought of reckoning vp of sinnes but doth also verie wiselie ioyne contrition and faith together as they are ioyned by vs. First he will haue vs acknowledge our sinnes vnfainedly and abhorre them from our heartes In the next place he teacheth to adde thereunto praier faith which maie assure vs that we are forgiuen Elsewhere he saith Acknowledge thy sins that thou maist as them away If thou are ashamed to shew thy sins to any man then vt them euerie day in thy heart I say not goe confes thy sins to thy fellow seruant that may vpbraide thee with them butconfes them vnto god that is able to cure thē The glosse vpon the dercees touching penance the 5. distinct graunteth that Confession was ordeyned of the Church and is not commaunded in the scriptures of the olde and new Testament of the same iudgement are manie of the Doctors Wherefore our iudgement touching the doctrine of confession is neither new nor without reason Lastlie there is moste need of all that the godlie shoulde be admonished touching satisfactions For there was more hurte and daunger in them then in numbring vp of sinnes in as much as they darkened the benefit of Christ because that the vnlearned thought they did obtaine remission of the guilt of sin for their owne workes sake and besides mens consciences were much distressed if aught were omitted that was inioyned for satisfaction Againe ceremonies and pilgrimages and such like fruitles workes were thought meete for satisfaction rather then thinges commaunded of God And forsooth their teachers themselues dreamed that eternall death was fullie redeemed by them Therfore we thought it needfull that godlie mindes should be set free from such errors and we teach that their canonicall satisfactions which they call workes not due c are neither auaileable for the remission either of the fault or euerlasting punishment nor yet necessarie It was a custome long since in the Church that in publike penance such as had fallen did returne to the Church againe should not be receiued without some punishment laid vpon them for examples sake from which custome these satisfactions did spring But the fathers minde was by such examples to fraie the people from sinnes they did not account that Ceremonie to be a iust recompence for the fault or for eternall death or for purgatorie paines These things were afterwards coyned by ignorant and vnlearned men But those auncient customes were in time worne out of vse and laid aside As for vs we doe not burden mens consciences with satisfactions but this weteach that the fruites of repentance are necessarie and that obedience the feare of God faith loue chastitie the wholl renuing of the spirit ought to increase in vs. We giue men warning of this also that sinnes are eftsonnes punished euen by temporal punishments in this life as Dauid Manasses manie others were punished and we teach that these punishments maie be mitigated by good works the whol practize of repentance as Paul declareth If we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged of the lord And repentance deserued that is obteined that God should alter his purpose touching the destruction of Niniuie Thus whereas before the disputations were intricate and endles and full of grosse opinions now that doctrine beeing purged is deliuered to the people so as it maie be vnderstoode and auaile much vnto godlines We doe still holde and set forth the true partes of repentance Contrition Faith Absolution Remission of sinnes Amendment of the wholl life Mitigation of present punishmentes and wee are in good hope that the godlie will not onelie not reprehend anie thing in this place but also will giue them thankes which haue purged this pointe of Christian doctrine which is requisite and profitable in all Churches to be expounded moste plainlie and set out moste clearelie Christ saith that the Angells in heauen doe reioyce whensoeuer they set
a sinner repent And therefore the Churches and the Angells themselues doe reioyce at the pure doctrine of repentance thus set downe OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SAXONIE Hitherto perteine first the two last clauses of the third Article Of the remission of sinnes c. Which are thus set downe IT is most certeine that the preaching of Repentance doth perteine to all men and accuse all men So also the promise is generall and offereth remission of sinnes to all according to those generall speaches Math. 11. Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie loaden and I will refresh you Also Ioh. 3. That euerie one which beleeueth in him should not perish Rom. 10. Euery one that beleeueth in him shal not be confounded Againe He that is Lord ouer al is rich vnto al that cal on him Rom. 11. The Lord hath shut vp al vnder disobedience that he might haue mercie on al. Let euerie one comprise himselfe in this generall promise and not giue himselfe to distrust but let them striue that they may assent to the worde of God obey the holie Ghost and desire that they may be helped as it is said Luc. 11. How much more wil he giue the holie Ghost to them that aske it Of Repentance Artic. 16. BY the mercie of God this parte of Doctrine speciallie is declared in our Churches with great perspicuitie wheras the SenteÌ„tiaries haue wrapped it in most intricate Labyrinthes First we doe openlie condemne the Catharans and the Nouarians who feigned that neither the elect could fal into sinnes against theâ— conscience neither that they who had fallen after their amendmeÌ„t were to be receiued again our confutations of these furies are extant Neither dowe goe about to make brawlings about the worde Repentance if any man like it better let him vse the worde Conuersion which worde the Prophets also haue often vsed Moreouer we doe willing he reteine the worde Contrition and we sale that the first part of repentance or Conuersion is Contrition which is truely to tremble through the knowledge of the wrath of God against sinnes and to be sorie that we haue offended God and we saie that there must needes be some such great feare and griefes in those that are conuerted that they doe not repent which remaine secure and without greefe as it is saide 2. Cor. 7. Ye sorowed to repentance And Ezech. 20. Andye shal mislike your selues in your owns 〈◊〉 and acknowledge your selues to be worthie of punishment and instruction And these true griefes are a feeling of the wrath of God as is declared more at large in an other place But here we reprooue our aduersaries who feigne that Contrition doth deserue remission of sinnes and that Contrition 〈◊〉 be sufficient In either errour there be great myâ—â—es For remission is giuen freelie for the mediatours sake and what contrition can be sufficients Yea rather the more the sorrow encreaseth without assurance of mercie so much the more mens heartes doe she from God and no creature is able to susteine the greatnes of this sorow whereof Esaie speaketh Chap. 38. He brake all my bones like a Lyon But those idle dreames of the writers doe declare that they leade a carelesse life and that they are 〈◊〉 in the Gospell Now these true sorowes doe arise when the sinne of the contempt of the Sonne of God as is declared in the Gospell is repreoued The spirit shall reprooue the worlde of sinne because they beleeue not in me Ioh. 16. And by the voice of the Morall law other sinnes are reprooued as Paull saith Rom. 3. By the law came the knowledge of sinne As touching priuate confession to be made vnto the Pastours we affirme that the ceremonie of priuate absolution is to be retained in the Church we doe constantlie retaine it for manie weightie causes yet with all we doe teach that men must neither commaund nor require the recitall of offenses in that priuate talke because that recitall of offences is neither commaunded of God nor a thing possible and it maketh godlie mindes to doubt and it maketh faith faint And this we doe much more reprehend that in the doctrine of Repentance or conuersion our aduersaries doe no where make mention of iustifying faith whereof we haue spoken before by which alone Remission of sinnes is truelie receiued the heart is lifted vp euen when it hath a feeling of the wrath of God and we are freed from the sorowes of hell as it is written Rom. 5. Being iustified by faith we haue peace Without this faith sorowes are no better then the repentance of Saul Iudas Orestes and such like as are mentioned in tragedies Neither doe our aduersaries teach the Gospell but the law and humane traditiones either omitting this faith or else fighting against it But seeing that 〈◊〉 true conuersion there must be these changes a mortification a quickning as it is said Rom. 6. in diuers other places for doctrines sake we doe deuide conuersion or repentance into three parts into contrition faith and new obedience these thinges doth true conuersion comprehend as the voice of God the true experience of the Church do declare Yet do we not make contention either about the manner of speaking or about the number of the partes but we wish that all men may see those thinges which are necessarie And it is moste necessarie for the Church that there should be a true plaine and most cleare doctrine touching the wholl conuersion which also is verie often repeated in those sermons which are set downe in the scriptures and that with great perspicuitie without anie intricate labyrinthes as the Baptist and Christ saie Math. 3. Repent and beleeue the Gospell Againe Repent Beholde the lambe of God that taketh awaie the sinnes of the world And Paule saieth Ro. 3. All men are depriued of the glorie of god Here he speaketh oâ— contrition afterward of remission But we are iustified freelie by his grace through redemption that is in Christ Iesus by faith Therefore it is necessarie that in the doctrine of conuersion or repentance there should mention be made of faith Neither is it sufficient that our aduersaries saie that they also doe speake of faith and that faith doth goe before repentance For they speake of the doctrine of knowledge I beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes to wit that they be forgiuen to others euen as the deuills doe know the Creede but the Gospell 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 saith I beleeue that remission of sinnes is giuen vnto me also and that freelie not for anie Contrition not for anie my merits but for the Sonne of God who by the infinite goodnes and wisedome of the godhead is appointed a Mediatour redeemer I know that the commaundement of God is immutable so that euerie one maie determine in these
when as once we doe acknowledge his mercie through faith then we flie vnto God we loue him we call vpon him hope in him looke for his helpe obeie him in afflictions because we doe now know our selues to be the sonnes of God and that this our sacrifice that is our afflictions doth please God These seruices doth faith bring forth Verie well therefore saide Ambrose Faith is the mother of a good wil and of iust dealing Our Aduersaries wil seâ—e verie honourablie to set out the doctrine of good workes and yet concerning these spirituall workes to wit faith and the exercises of faith in praier and in all matters counsells and daungers of this life they speake neuer a worde And in deede none can euer speake wel 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 works is cast as a myst before mens eies the mindes especiallie such as be not well instructed are led aware from beholding these inward exercises Now it is verie requisite that men should be taught and instructed concerning these inwarde workes and fruites of the spirit For these they be that make a difference betweene the godlie and hypocrites As for externall worship externall ceremonies and other outwarde workes the verie hypocrites can performe them But these seruices and duties belong onelie to the true Church true repentance feare faith praier c. These kindes of worship are especiallie required and commended in the Scripture Psal 49. Offer vnto God the sacrifice of praise and Call on me in the day of trouble c. Thirdlie by this faith which doth comforte the heart in repentance we doe receiue the spirit of God who is giuen vs to be our gouernour helper that we should resist sinne and the deuill and more and more acknowledge our owne weakenes and that the knowledge and feare of God and faith maie increase in vs wherefore our obedience to God and a new life ought to increase in vs as Saint Paull saith We must be renued to the knowledge of God that the new lawe maie be wrought in vs and his Image which hath created vs be renued c. Fourthlie we teach also how this obedience which is but begunne onelie and not perfect doth please God For in this so great infirmitie and vncleannes of nature the Saints doe not satisfie the law of God The faithfull therefore haue neede of comforte that they maie know how their slender and imperfect obedience doth please God It doth not please him as satisfying his lawe but because the persons themselues are reconciled made righteous through Christ and doe beleeue that their weaknes is forgiuen them as Paull 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 Lawe yet it is righteousnes and is worthie of a rewarde euen because that the persons are reconciled And thus we must iudge of those works which are indeed highlie to be commended namelie * that they be necessarie that they be the seruice of God and spirituall sacrifices and doe deserue a rewarde Neuertheles this consolation is first to be held touching the person which is verie necessarie in the conflict of the conscience to weere that we haue remission of sinnes freelie by faith and that the person is iust that is reconciled and an heire of eternall life through Christ and then that our obedience doth please God according to that saying Now ye are not vnder the law but vnder grace For our workes maie not be set against the wrath and iudgement of God But the terrours of sinne and death must be ouercome 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 euerie one which seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him should haue life euerlasting and S. Paull Being iustified by faith we haue peace with God and the Church alwaies praieth forgiue vs our trespasses And thus do the fathers teach concerning the weaknes of the saints and concerning faith Augustine in his exposition of the 30. Psalm saith Deliuer me in thy righteousnes For there is a righteousnes of God which is made ours when it is giuen vnto vs. But therefore is it called the righteousnes of God lest man should thinke that he had a righteousnes of himselfe For as the Apostle Paull saith To him that beleeueth in him that iustifieth the â—â—ked that is that of a wicked maketh a righteous man If God should deale by the rule of the law which is set forth vnto vs he must needs be condemned If God should as it were deale by the rule propounded in the law whom should he deliuer for he findeth al men to be sinners So saith Paul Al haue sinned stand in need of the glory of god What is this to stand in need of Gods glorie That he should deliuer thee not thou thy selfe For thou canst not deliuer thy selfe Thou hast need of a Sauiour Why doest thou vaunt thy selfe what maketh thee to presume of the law and of righteousnes Seest thou not that which doeth fight within the doest thou not heare one that striueth and confesseth his weaknes and desireth aide in the battell O miserable man that I am c. Now it may easilie be perceiued how needefull this doctrine is for the Church that men may know that they doe not satisfie the law of God and yet may haue true comforte knowing how their imperfect obedience doth please God This doctrine hath beene horriblie darkened and suppressed heretofore by certeine fond perswasions wherein vnlearned men haue imagined against the authoritie of the scripture that they can fullfill the law of God and that they are iust through the fullfilling of the law c. And that Monkes are perfect and doe performe more notable worthie workes then the law doth require In the meane while there is not a worde how the Mediatour Christ is to be apprehended by faith but they willed man to doubt or else to trust in his own workes But as touching this obedience we doe teach that they which commit mortall sinnes are not iust because god requireth this obedience that we should resist sinnefull lusts They then which striue not against them but obeie them contrarie to the commaundement of God and doe things against their consciences they are vnrighteous and doe neither retaine the holy spirit nor faith that is confidence and trust of gods mercie For confidence which seeketh remission of sinnes cannot so much as be in such as are delighted with their sinnes and remaine without repentance Fiftlie this point is needfull also to be taught by what meanes men maie doe good workes We shewed a litle before how our workes doe please God In this
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 forgiuen for those rites and sacrifices and by this superstition they heaped vp sacrifices and forgot the Mediatour and were without true comfort and without true inuocation The same thing hapned also after the Apostles time the light of the gospell being lost wherein is propounded free remission for the Mediatours sake and that to be receiued by Faith They sought remission by Monasticall exercises by single life by diuers obseruations by the offering in the Masse by the intercession of dead men and manie monstrous superstitions were deuised as the histories of the wholl Church which succeeded the Apostles doe declare Against these errours the infinite mercie of God hath oftentimes restored the voice of the Gospell And as among the people of Israell he did often raise vp Prophets which should purge the doctrine diligentlie so in the Church after the Apostles time when the writings of Origen and Pelagius and the superstition of the people had corrupted the puritie of the gospell yet notwithstanding as in a mist the light of the gospell was againe kindled by Augustine and him followed Prosper Maximus and others who reprooued the false opinions touching this Article Afterward when the Monkes were sprong vp and that opinion which faigneth men to merit by their workes was a fresh spread abroad yet there were some of a better iudgement although they added stable to the foundation as Hugo Bernard Gilbert William of Paris Tauler Ambrose Wesell and others in other places And now by the voice of Luther the doctrine of the gospell is more cleered and more euidentlie restored and the Lambe shewed vnto vs as the Baptist saith Beholde the lambe of God that takâ—â—â— awaie the sinnes of the world He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath eternall life he that beleeueth not the wrath of God abideth on him This same voice of the Gospell our Churches doe puâ—lâ—â—â— and that without corruption and we doe discerne that discipline or righteousnes which a man not regenerat maie performe from the righteousnes of faith and that newnes whereof the gospell doth preach We saie that all men are to be restrained by discipline that is by that righteousnes which euen the vnregenerate ought and after a sorte maie performe which is an obedience in externall actions according to all the commaundements of God apperterning to all men Because that God left this libertie in man after his fall that the outward members might after a sorre obeie reason and the will in stirring vp or omitting outward motions as Achilles maie draw his sword or put it vp into the sheath Scipio maie restraine his members so that he meddle not with another mans wife as in their place these thinges are trulie and copiouslie declared Now it is moste certaine that this discipline is commaunded of God and that the breaking thereof is punished with present and eternall punishments euen in those which are not conuerted vnto god according to those sainges The law was made for the vniust He that taketh the sword shall perish with the sword Also Forniâ—atours and adulterers the Lorde will iudge Also Woe vnto thee which spoilest because thou shalt be spoiled And although all men ought to gouerne their manners by this discipline and God doth seuerelie commaund that all kingdomes should defend this discipline and he by horrible punishmentes doth declare his wrath against this outward contumacie yet this externall discipline euen where it is most honest is not a fulfilling of the law neither doth it deserue remission of sinnes neither is it that righteousnes wherby we are accepted before God nor that light shining in the nature or men as righteousnes shined in vs in our creation or as new righteousnes shall shine in vs in the life eternall But all this discipline is an externall gouernment such as it is like vnto the leafe of a figge tree wherewith our first parentes after their fall did couer their nakednes neither doth it anie more take awaie sinne and the corruption of nature and death then those figge leaues did Hence it is that Paul doth so often crie out that sinne is not taken awaie 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 righteousnes doth come by the law then Christ died in vaine And Tit. 3. Not by the workes of righteousnes which we haue done but according to his mercie he hath saued vs. And it is a reproch vnto the Sinne of God to imagine that anie our workes are merittes or the price of remission of sinnes and that they are propitions for sinnes Therefore we do openlie condemne those Pharisaical Pelagian doting dreames which faâ—gne that that discipline is a fullfill ng of the law of god also that it doth deserue remission either of congreitie or of conâ—â—gnity or that it is a righteousnes whereby men are made acceptable to God And after a few pages in the same Article Seeing that the minde is raised vp by this faith it is certaine that remission of sinnes reconciliation and imputing of righteousnes is giuen for the ment of Christ alone and that Christ is effectuall in vs and doth by his holie spirit quicken the beleeuers and deliuer vs from eternall death and withall make vs heires of eternall life So saith Paul Rom. 3. We conclude that man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe Also we are iustified freelie by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood And Act. 10. To him giue all the Prophets wiâ—nes that all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes Now the wordes are knowne and manifâ—st Faith doth signifie not onelie the knowledge of the historie for that is also in the Deuilles of whome it is said The deuilles do beleue and tremble but it doth signifie to embrace al the Articles of Faith and among those this article I do beleâ—e the remission of sinnes neither do I beleue that it is onelie giuen to others but to me also This faith is also a confidence resting in the Mediatour according to that Beeing instified by faith we haue peace So that Paull speaketh of faith which consenting to all the articles of the Creede doth beholde and imbrace the promise for it ioyneth together faith and the promise Rom. 4. Therefore it is by faith that the premise might be sure In expounding the word Iustified it is vsuallie said To is iustified doth signifie of vnrighteous to be made righteous which beeing rightlie vnderstood doth agree also to our purpose Of vnrighteous to be made righteous that is acquitted from the guilt for the sonne of
God his sake that is laying holde by faith vpon Christ himselfe who 〈◊〉 our righteousnes as Ieremie Paul do saie because that by his merit we haue remission and God doth impute his righteousnes to vs and for him doth account vs iust and by giuing his holie spirit doth quicken and regenerate vs as it is saide Ioh. 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 newnes is withall begunne which shall be perfect in the life eternal wherunto we are redeemed yet neither for the new qualities nor for any workes is any man in this life made iust that is acceptable to God and heire of eternall life but onelie for the Mediatours sake who suffered rose againe reigneth and praieth for vs shadowing and quickning vs. For although vertues are here begunne yet be they still imperfect the reliques of sinne do sticke in vs. Therefore we must holde this comfort that the person is accepted for the Sonne of God his sake his righteousnes beeing imputed to vs as it is said Rom. 4. Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes Also Blessed are they whose inicâ—ities be forgiuen and whose sinnes be couered Therefore this saying must be vnderstood correlatiuelie We are iustified by faith that is we are iustified by confidence in the Sonne of God not for our quality but because he is the reconciler in whom the heart doth rest in confidence of the promised mercie for his sake Which confidence he doth raise vp in vs by his holie Spirit as Paull saith Ye haue receiued the Spirit of the aâ—â—ption of the sonnes by whom we crie Abba Father Here also we must speake of the exclusiue member Paull doth often repeat the word Freely by which it is moste certaine that the condition of our merites is excluded Therefore it is saide in our Churches We are iustified by Faith alone which we so vnderstand and declare Freely for the onelie Mediatours sake not for our contrition or other our merites we haue our sinnes forgiuen vs and are reconciled to God For although contrition and many other vertues are together with Faith or with this confidence kindled in vs yet these vertues are not the cause or the merit of the Remission of sinnes neither doth the person please God in regarde of them according to that saying No man liâ—ing shall be iustified in thy sight but the person hath remission and doth certenlie please God by reason of the Mediatour who must be apprehended by faith as it is saide Eph. 3. Bâ— whome we haue boldnes and entrance with confidence by Faith in him This wholl doctrine is more manifest in the true conuersion and dailie inuocation of the godlie When we are in great feare by the knowledge of the wrath of God this one comfort is fâ—rme and sure to flie to the Sonne of God who saith Come vnto me all ye that labour and are loaden and I will refresh you Also As I liue I will not the death of a sinner but that he returne and liue Also Grace aboundeth more then sinne In these griefes if man be taught to doubt of the remission of sinnes sorrow will haue the vpper hand and then follow moste greeuous murmurings against God and desperation and eternall death but if man be taught that doubting is to be ouercome by faith then shall he vnderstand that by the worde Faith is not onelie signified the knowledge of the storie he shall know that confidence doth relie vpon the onelie Mediatour and he shall perceiue what is meant by these wordes Freely for the Mediatour sake remission is receiued by faith alone and so the person is made acceptable This wrastling hath at all times instructed some For though Origen manie other â—ritâ—â—s 〈◊〉 sententiaries haue brought forth an impuâ—e kinde of doctrine yet in Augustine and certaine others we â—eede diuers sentences which shew that they also receiued comfort out of th se true fountains Who although they dâ—e 〈◊〉 speake vnproperlie of thinges vnlike because they were 〈…〉 negligent in speaking yet we maie 〈…〉 what was their perpetuall iudgement if we will iudge 〈◊〉 Augustine â—â—on the Psal 31. saith Who be happieâ— not they â—n whome god shall not sinde sinnes for those he findeth in all men For all men haue sinned and are destitute of the glorie of God Therefore if sinnes be found in 〈◊〉 men it is euident that none are happie but those whose sinnes it forgiuen This therefore the Apostle did thus commend Abraâ—aâ— beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes Here certainlie Augustine by faith doth vnderstand confidence which receiueth remission of sinnes and that which is said in Genesis and in Paull he doth altogether vnsterstand 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 〈◊〉 saith First of all it is necessarie to beleeue that thou canst not haue remission of sinnes but by the mercie of God But aâ—â—â— thereunto that thou maist also beleeue this that through him thy sinnes be forgiuen thee This is the witnes which the holie Ghost doth â—iâ—e in our heart saying Tâ—y sinnes be forgiuen thee For so doth the Apostle thinke that a man is iustified freelie by faith In this sentence the iudgement of our Churches is plainlie and properlie alledged and like testimonies are to be sound in this author Basill also in his sermon of Humilitie doth most properly set forth our iudgement in these wordes He that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lorde saying that Christ is maie vnto vâ— of God wisedome and righteousnes and sanctification and 〈◊〉 aâ— it is written He that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lorde For this is perâ—â—ct and sound reioycing in God when as a man is not puffed vp by reason of his owne righteousnes but doth acknowledge that he doth stand in neede of the true righteousnes and that he is iustified by faith alone in Christ Seeing therefore that by this which hoth bin spoken it is manifest what the worde Faith doth signifie in this proposition We are iustified by Faith herereupon we maie vnderstand that the Monkes and others doe daungerouslie erâ—e which doe commaund those that are turned to God to doubt whether they doe please God This common errour of doubting is euidentlie refuted by these wordes Being iustified by Faith we haue peace with God Also Therefore is righteousnes 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 vpon him and the promise becommeth vnto them but a vaine sound because they giue not consent vnto it To conclude it is the eternall and immutable commaundement of God that we should
farre disagree from the Apostolike and Catholike doctrine who teach that man is made acceptable to God and accounted iust before god for those vertues and that when we come to stand before god in iudgement we must trust to the merittes of these vertues For man is made acceptable to god and counted iust before him for the onelie sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ through faith and when we appeare before the iudgement seate of God we must not trust to the merit of anie of those vertues which we haue but onelie to the merit of our Lorde Iesus Christ whose merit is ours by faith And because that before the tribunall seat of God where the question is of true and eternal righteousnes and saluation there is no place at al for the merites of men but onelie for the mercie of god and the merites of our Lord Iesus Christ alone who is receiued of vs by faith therefore we think that the auncient Fathers our Elders said truelie that we are iustified before god by faith alone Rom. 3. All haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloode Galat. 3. The Scripture hath concluded al vnder sinne that the promise by the Faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue And Cap. 5. We thorough the spirit waite for the hope of righteousnes through faith For in Christ Iesus neither Circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue Hilarie saieth It offendeth the Scribes that man should forgiue sinne for they beheldâ— nothing but man in Iesus Christ and that he should forgiue that which the law could not release For faith alone doth iustifie Ambrose saith They are iustified freelie because that workeing nothing nor requitting any thing by faith alone they are iustified by the gift of God And againe They are euidentlie blessed whose iniquities are forgiuen without any labour or work and whose sins are couered no helpe of repentance beeing required of them but onelie this that they beleeue Manie places might be alledged as well out of the writinges of the Prophettes and Apostles as out of the holie Fathers whereby it is prooued that not onelie in the beginning through the free mercie of god these vertues to wit Faith hope and loue are giuen vnto vs but also afterward throughout our wholl life and that in our extreame necessitie we are not able to stand before the seuere tribunal seat of god but in the confidence of the onelie free fauour of god shewed vnto vs in Christ the Sonne of god For this is that both which Paul teacheth and the Ecclesiasticall writers doe interpret That we are iustified before god by faith alone Of good workes CHAP. 7. WE saie that good workes commaunded of god are necessarilie to be done and that through the free mercie of god they do deserue certaine their own either corporal or spiritual rewardes But we must not think that in the iudgement of god where the question is concerning the purging of our sins the appeasing of the wrath of god and the merit of eternall saluation we should trust to those good works which we do For al the good works which we do are vnperfect neither caÌ„ they susteine the seuerity of the iudgement of god but al our confidence is to be placed in the onelie mercie of god for his Sonne our Lord Iesus 〈…〉 his sake Psalm 142. Enter not into iudgement with 〈…〉 no flesh liuing shall be iustified in thy sight Galat. 5. 〈…〉 luâ—â—eth against the Spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrarie one to the other so that ye cannot doe those 〈…〉 â—e woulde Rom. 7. I know that in me that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good Don. 9. We doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnes but for thy great tender mercies Augustine saith Woe to the life of man be is neuer so â—ommâ—ndable if thou examine iâ— setting thy mercie aside And againe All my hope is in the death of my Lorde His death is my meriâ—te my refuge saluation life and my resurrection The mercie of the Lorde is my meriâ—te I am not without merit so long as the Lorde of mercies is not wanting And if the mercies of the Lorde he manie I abound in merittes Gregorie saith Therefore our righteous Aduocate shall defend vs in the daie of iudgement because we know and accuse our selues to be vniust Therefore let vs not trust to our teares nor to our actions but to the alledgeing of our Aduocate Bernard saith Our reioycing is this the testimonie of our conscience not such a testimonie as that proude Pharisie had his thought being seduced and seducing him giuing witnes of himselfe and his witnes was not true But then is the witnes true when the spirit beareth witnes with our spirit Now I beleeue that this testimonie consisteth in three thinges For first of all it is necessarie to beleeue that thou canst not haue remission of sinnes but through the fauour of God Secondlie that thou canst haue no good worke at all except the also giue it to thee Lastlie that thou canst not deserue eternall life by anie workes except that also be giuen thee freelie OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Of Iustification and of Faith CHAP. 3. OVr preachers doe somewhat differ from the late receiued opinions about those things which the people were commonly taught concerning the meane wherby wee are made partakers of the redemption wrought by Christ and touching the dueties of a christian man Those points which we haue followed we will indeauour to lay open moste plainely to your sacred Maiestie and also to declare verie faithfullie those places of Scripture by which we were forced hereunto First therefore seeing that we were taught of late yeares that workes were necessarily required to iustification our preachers haue taught that this wholl iustification is to be ascribed to the good pleasure of God and to the meritte of Christ and to be receiued by Faith alone To this they were mooued especiallie by these places of Scripture As manie as receiued him to them he gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name which are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Ioh. 1. Verilie verilie I saie vnto you except a man be borne againe a new he cannot see the kingdome of God Ioh. 3. No man knoweth the Sonne but the Father neither knoweth anie man the Father but the Sonne and he to whome the Sonne will reueale him Mat. 11. Blessed arâ— thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and blood hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen Mat. 16. No man can come to me except my Father draw
that without any good affection of him that vseth it This article we finde thus in another Edition COncerning the vse of the Sacramentes they teach that they were ordained not so much to be marâ—es and badges of profession amongst men as that they should be signes or testimonies of the will of God towards vs set forth vnto vs to stirre vp and confirme faith in such as vse them Whereupon they condemne those that teach that the sacraments do iustifie by the work done and doe not teach that faith to beleeue remission of sinnes is requisite in the vse of sacraments OVT OF THE CONFSSION OF SAXONIE Of the sacraments THe Church also is discerned from other Gentiles by by certaine rites or ceremonies instituted of God vsuallie called Sacraments as are Baptisme and the Lords Supper which notwithstanding are not onelie signes of a profession but much more as the auncient Fathers saide signes of grace that is they be ceremonies added to the promise of the Gospell touching grace that is touching the free remission of sinnes and touching reconciliation and the wholl benefit of our redemption the which are so instituted that euerie man maie vse them because they be pledges testimonies which declare that the benefits promised in the Gospell doe appertaine to euerie one For the voice of the Gospell is generall this vse doth be are witnes that this voice doth appertaine to euerie one which vseth the Sacraments OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE Of the Sacramentes THe worde Sacrament as also the worde Mysterie which interpreters do expounde Sacrament is very large But because some haue thought it good to restraine it to the number of seauen Sacraments we wil briefly runne ouer euerie one that we may shew what we finde wanting in the doctrine that some haue broched and what maie seeme to be repugnant to the meaning of that Church which is in deede Catholike or orthodoxe OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Of the Sacraments SEeing that the Church of Christ doth liue here in the flesh howbeit not according to the flesh it pleased the Lord also to teach admonish and exhort it by the outwarde worde And that this might be done the more commodiouslie he would also haue his to make much of an externall societie among them selues For which cause he gaue vnto them holie signes among which these are the chiefest Baptisme and the Lords Supper the which we doe not onelie think therfore to haue had the name of Sacraments among the Fathers because they are visible signes of inuisible grace as Saint Augustine doth define them but also for that purpose because that by them we doe consecrate our selues vnto Christ and doe binde our selues as it were by the othe or Sacrament of faith THE THIRTEENTH SECTION OF THE SACRAMENT OF Holie Baptisme THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of holie baptisme CHAP. 20. BAptisme was instituted and consecrated by God and the first that baptized was Iohn who dipped Christ in the water in Iorden From him it came to the Apostles whoe also did baptize with water The Lord in plaine words commaunded them To preach the Gospel and to baptize in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost And Peter also when diuers demaunded of him what they ought to doe said to them in the Acts Let euerie one of you be baptized in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and you shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost Whereupon Baptisme is called of some a signe of inâ—tiation of Gods people as that whereby the elected of God are consecrated vnto God There is but one Baptisme in the Church of God for it is sufficient to be once baptized or consecrated vnto God For baptisme once receiued doth continue all a mans life and is a perpetuall sealing of our adoption vnto vs. For to be baptized in the name of Christ is to be enrolled entered and receiued into the couenant and familie and so into the inheritance of the sonnes of God yea in this life to be called after the name of God that is to saie to be called the Sonne of god to be purged also from the filthines of sins to be indued with the manifolde grace of God for to lead a new and innocent life Baptisme therefore doth call to minde and keepe in remembrance the great benefit of God performed to mankinde for we are al borne in the pollution of sinne and are the Sonnes of wrath But God who is rich in mercie doth freelie purge vs from our sinnes by the blood of his Sonne and in him doth adopte vs to be his sonnes and by an holie couenant doth ioyne vs to himselfe and doth inrich vs with diuers giftes that we might liue a new life All these thinges are sealed vp vnto vs in Baptisme For inwardlie we are regenerated purified and renued of God through the holie Spirit and outwardlie we receiue the sealing of moste notable gifts by the water by which also those great benefites are represented and as it were set before our eyes to be looked vpon And therefore are we baptized that is washed and sprinckled with visible water For the water maketh cleane that which is filthie refresheth things that faile and faint and cooleth the bodies And the grate of God dealeth in like manner with the soule and that inuisible and spirituallie Moreouer by the Sacrament of Baptisme God doth seperate vs from all other religions and people and doth consecrate vs a peculiar people to himselfe We therefore by being baptized doe confesse our faith and are bound to giue vnto God obedience mortification of the flesh and newnes of life yea and we are billed souldiers for the holie warfare of Christ that all our life long we shoulde fight against the worlde Sathan and our owne flesh Moreouer we are baptized into one bodie of the Church that we might well agree with all the members of the Church in the same religion and mutuall duties We beleue that that of al other is the most perfect manner of baptisme wherin Christ was baptized and which the rest of the Apostles did vse in baptisme Those things therfore which by mans deuise were added afterwards vsed in the Church we thinke them nothing necessary to the perfection of Baprisme Of which kinde is exorcisme and the vse of lightes oyle salte spattle and such other things as namelie that baptisme is twise euerie yere consecrated with diuerse ceremonies For we beleeue that the baptisme of the Church which is but one was sanctifed in Gods first institution of it and is consecrated by the word and is now of full force by and for the first blessing of God vpon it We teach that baptisme should not be ministred in the Church by women or midwiues For Paul secludeth women from Ecclesiasticall callings but Baptisme belongeth to Ecclesiasticall offices We condemne the Anabaptists who denie that young infants borne of
the free mercie of God is not imputed anie longer before the tribunall seate of God yet if a man weigh and consider the nature thereof it is in deede in it selfe sinne by reason wherof as Augustine saide before No man liuing is iustified in the fight of God and there is not a iust man in the earth which doth good and sinneth not Rom. 7. I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the lawe of sin which is in my members Here Paull speaketh of sin which remaineth after baptisme he affirmeth that it doth rebell against the law of his minde that is against the affection of the holy Ghost Now that which rebelleth against the holy Ghost vndoubtedly it is necessary that it be very sin indeede For this is the nature of sinne that it striue against the holie Ghost And Galat. 5. it is said The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrarie one to the other so that ye cannot doe the same thinges that ye would Here againe Paull speaketh of sinne remaining after baptisme and doth manifestlie attribute to it the nature of sinne to wit to lust against the Spirit to be contrarie to the Spirit and to hinder that righteousnes maie not be perfect in man Therefore sinne remaining after baptisme of it nature is indeed sinne although it be not imputed to him that beleeueth but is forgiuen for Christ And therefore Augustine in his booke De Nupt. Concup ad Valer. Lib. 1. Cap. 25. saith It is answered that the concupiscence of the flesh is forgiuen in Baptisme not that there should be no concupiscence but that it shoulde not be imputed to sinne For although the guilt be alreadie discharged yet the sinne remaineth till all our infirmitie be healed c. And againe De Baptis paruâ—lorum de Cons Dist 4. Cap. Per Baptismum Through Baptisme it is brought to passe that the flesh of sinne be made voide yet it is not so made voide that ingendered concupiscence should not remaine in the flesh but that it should not hurte Moreouer wee teach that he which is baptized in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost is sprinckled with a spirituall anointing that is is made a member of Christ through faith and endued with the holie Ghost that the eares of his minde maie be opened and the eies of his heart lightened to receiue and vnderstand heauenlie things And it is euident that the vse of outwarde annointing was lawfull in that gouernement which Moses instituted and that outward annointing was vsed also in the Church after that the Gospell was published But it is also euident that in the law of Moses there was a time for shadowes but now Christ being reuealed it is the time of truth and the vse of externall annointing pertaineth to the rudiments of the world Concerning the abrogating of these rudiments Paul saith Col. 2. If ye be deâ—d with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though ye 〈◊〉 in the worlde are ye burdened with traditions And Dyoniâ—iâ—â— whome they call Areopagita and whom they thinke to haue written out the ceremonies which the Apostles deliuered to the Church doth insinuate that an outward anointing was vsed in the Church but with all he doth insinuate and that not obscurelie that this ceremonie was taken partlie from the heathnish annointings which wrestlers did vse partlie out of the law of Moses But by what authoritie or with what profitte we maie take examples of the Heathen how to worship God and to administer his Sacraments that saying of Moses Deut 12 doth witnes Take heede that thou do not imitate the heathen and enquire after their ceremonies saying As these nations worshipped their Gods so will I doe likewise Ye shall not doe so vnto the Lorde your God And that saying of Christ Mat. 15. In vaine doe they worship me teaching for doctrine the precepts of men And it is not to be doubted that the ceremonies of Moses whereof one parte is the vse of externall anointing doe pertaine to the rudiments of this world to whose decrees Paull said before that we are not tied and whereof he saith in another place Seeing thâ—â— ye know God yea rather are knowne of God how turne ye againe vnto impotent and beggerlie rudiments whereunto as from the beginning ye will be in bondage againe Furthermore how can it truelie be affirmed as Fabianus writeth that the making or ceremonie of the outward anointing should be taught of the Apostles seeing that the Acts of Councells doe witnes that this Ceremonie was instituted of Syluester And the Ecclesiasticall hystorie doth shâ—we that the Apostles had no purpose to make lawes concerning holie daies but to teach men true godlines and an vpright conuersation how muchlesse did they purpose to institute externall annointings in the Church and to bring in shadowes where the sunne doth shine most clearely There were added vnto Baptisme certaine other ceremonies also of salte durte apparell but because these are not thought necessarie no not of themselues amongest whome they are vsed and are in some sort an idle imitation of those ceremonies which Christ sometime vsed in doing miracles there is no cause why we should take anie care for them whilest we are conuersant in so manie necessarie thinges Of confirmation CHAP. 11. WE doe not doubt but that the Apostles in the beginning when the Gospell was reuealed and confirmed in the daie of Pentecost did by the laying one of hands giue vnto the beleeuers in Christ that wounderfull gift of the holie Ghost to wit that they might speake with tongues But of a personall and temporall fact of the Apostles a generall and temporall sacrament can not be ordained in the Church without the speciall commaundement of God And it is a horrible thing to be heard that the Sacrament of confirmation such as the Bishoppes Suffragans vse to giue vnto Children should excell in dignitie the Sacrament of Baptisme For thus some of them are not ashamed to write of the sacrament of Confirmation As one thing saie they is done of the greater that is of the chiefe Bishoppes which cannot be done of the lesser so is it to be worshipped and embraced with greater reuerence For to the Apostles it was commaunded of God that by the laying on of handes they should giue to those that beleeue in Christ the giftes of the holie Ghost Now we must not vnderstand this properlie of those priuat giftes of the holie Ghost which are necessarie to euerie one vnto saluation for those the faithfull receiue by the preaching of the Gospell and by baptisme but we must vnderstand it of the publique giftes of the holie Ghost to wit speaking with diuers tounges and other giftes which then were necessarie for the publique confirmation of the Gospell touching Christ Therefore after that the authority of the Gospell
blood of the Lord. And in the 10. coÌ„maundements it is written He that abuseth Gods holie name shall not escape vnpunished As therefore the worlde hath oft heretofore beene iustlie punished for â—dolatrie so doubtles this shameles profaniâ—â— of Masses wil be fearefully reuenged with greeuous plagues And it maie well be that the Church in these latter times iâ— punished with blindenes discord and warres and manie other plagues chiefelie for this one cause And yet these oâ—â— and grosse abuses haue the Bishoppes whoe cannot be ignorant of them not onelie borne with all but also smothâ—â— laughed at them And now all to late they beginne to complaine forsooth of the calamitie of the Church when as 〈◊〉 other thing hath beene the occasion of the broiles of these times but the abuses themselues which were now become too open and euident that modest men coulde no longer beare them I would to God that the Bishoppes had as by their office they might haue long before this brideled restrained the couetousnes or impudencie whether of Monks or of some others whoe chaunging the manner of the olde Church haue 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 deserueth remission of sinnes both of the fault and of the punishment not onelie for hiâ— that doeth it but also for others and that because of the worke done although it be done without anie good intent of the doer Likewise that if it be applied in the behalfe of the dead it is satisfactorie that is it deserueth remission of the paines of purgatorie And in this meaning they take the worde Sacrifice when they call the 〈◊〉 a sacrifice namelie a worke that being done in the behalâ—e of some others doth merit for them both remission of the 〈◊〉 of the punishmentes and that because of the verie worke done euen without any good intent of him that 〈…〉 they meane that the Priest in the Masse doth offer a sacrifice for the quicke and the dead And after this perswasion was once receiued they taught men to seeke forgiuenes of sinnes and all good thinges yea that the dead were fâ—eed from punishmentes by the benefit of the Masse And it made no matter what kinde of men they were that sâ—â—ed the Masses for they taught that they were verie auaileable for others without any good motion of the vser Afterwarde a question arose whether one Masse said for many was as auaileable as seueral Masses for seueral persons And this disputation did augment the number of Masses and the gaine that came in by them out of measure But we dispute not not now of the gaine we onelie accuse the impietie of them For our Diuines doe prooue planlie that this opinion of the meriting applying of the Masse is both false and impious This is the state of this controuersie betweene vs and them And it is no hard matter for the godlie to iudge of this point if a man wil but weigh the arguments that folow First we haue prooued before that men doe obtaine remission of sinnes freelie by faith that is by sure trust to obtaine mercy for Christes sake It is then impossible for a man to obâ—aine remission of sinnes for another mans work and that without anie good motion that is without his owne faith This reason doth very euidentlie ouerthrowe that monstrous and impious opinion touching the merit and application of the Masse Secondly Christes passion was an oblation satisfaction not onelie for originall sinne but also for all other sinnes as it is written in the epistle to the Hebr. We are sanctified by the oblation of Christ once offered Againe By one oblation he hath made perfect for euer those that are sanctified To conclude a good part of the Epistle to the Heb. is spent in confirming this point that the onelie sacrifice of Christ did merit remission of sinnes or reconciliation for others Therfore saith he the Leuiticall sacrifices were oft times offered in one manner because they could not take awaie sinnes But Christ by his sacrifice hath 〈◊〉 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 expresselie that by one oblation the Saints are made perfect Besides it is a wicked thing to place that trust in the work of a priest which should onelie leane and staie it selfe vpon the oblation and intercession of Christ the high Priest Thirdlie Christ in the institution of the Lordes supper doth not commaund the Priestes to offer for others either quick or dead vpon what ground then or authoritie was this worship ordeined in the Church as an offering for sins without anie commaundement of God But that is yet more grosse far from al reasoÌ„ that the masse should be applied to deliuer the soules of such as are dead For the masse was ordeined for a remembrance that is that such as receiued the supper of the Lord should stirre vp and confirme their faith and comfort their distressed consciences with the remembrance of Christes benefits Neither is the masse a satisfaction for the punishment but it was instituted for the remission of the fault to wit not that it should be a satisfaction for the fault but that it might be a sacrament by the vse whereof we might be put in minde of the benefit of Christ and the forgiuenes of the fault Seing therefore that the applying of the Supper of the Lord for the deliuerance of the dead is receiued without warrant of scripture yea quite contrarie to scripture it is to be condemned as a new and vngodlie worship or seruice Fourthlie a Ceremonie in the new couenant without faith meriteth nothing neither for him that vseth it nor for others For it is a dead worke according to the saying of Christ The true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and trueth The same doth the 11. Chap. to the Heb. throughout prooue By faith Abell offered a better offering vnto God Also without faith it is impossible to please God Therfore the masse doth not merit remission of the fault or of the punishment euen for the verie workes sake performed This reason doth euidentlie ouerthrow the merit as they cal it which ariseth of the verie worke that is done Fiftlie the applying of the benefit of Christ is by a mans owne faith as Paull witnesseth Rom 3. Whome God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood this applying is made frelie And therefore it is not made by another mans work nor for another mans work For when we vse the sacrament this application is made by our owne work by our owne faith not by another mans work For surely if we could haue no remission but
moste profitable that children and young men be examined in the Catechisme by the Pastors of their Church and that they be commended if they be godlie and well instructed and that they be amended if they be ill instructed The rest is to be seene in the 14. sect where the confirmation vsed in Papisticall Baptisme is handled Hitherto also perteineth the 16. Art ss 2. Of Praier BY praier god is inuocated and true inuocation is a work of faith and can not be done without faith Now faith doth behold Christ and relie vpon his merites onelie Wherefore except thou shalt applie vnto thy selfe the merit of Christ by faith praier wil stand thee in no stead before God Now praier is necessarilie required for this purpose that by a due consideration of the promises of God faith may be stirred vp kindled in vs. Therfore it is not absurdly saide that sinnes are cleane taken away by praier yet must it not so be vnderstoode as though the verie worke of praier of it owne merit were a satisfaction for sinnes befor God but that by praier faith is stirred vp and kindled in vs by which faith we are made partakers of thâ— merit of Christ and haue our sinnes forgiuen vs onelie for Christ his sake For before that we doe by praier inuocate God it shall be necessarie to haue the merit of Christ applied to vs and receiued by faith Therefore it can not be that praier should be such a worke as that for the merit thereof we might obteine remission of our sinnes before God Psalme 108. Lette his praier be turned into sinne But it is not possible that praier should be turned into sinne if of it selfe it were so worthie a worke as that sinne thereby should be purged Isa 1. When you shall stretch out your hands I will turne my eies from you and when you shall multiplie your praiers I will not heare you But God would not turne awaie is eies from praier it of it owne worthines it were a satisfaction for our sinnes Augustine vpon the 108. Psal saith That praier which is not made through Christ doth not onelie not take awaie sinne but also it selfe is made sin Bernard de Quadrages Ser. 5. saith But some peraduenture doe seeke eternall life not in humilitie but as it were in confidence of their owne merites Neither doe I saie this let grace receiued giue a man confidence to praie but no man ought to put his confidence in his praier as though for his praier he should obteine that which he desireth The giftes which are promised doe onelie giue this vnto vs that we maie hope to obteine euen greater things of that mercie which giueth these Therefore let that praier which is made for temporall things be restreined to these wants onelie also let that praier which is made for the vertues of the soule be free from al filthy vncleane behauiour let that praier which is made for life eternal be occupied about the onelie good pleasure of God and that in all humilitie presuming as is requisite of the onelie mercie of God Of Almes CHAP. 18. WE doe diligentlie commend almes and exhort the Church that euerie man helpe his neighbour by euerie duetie that he may and testifie his loue But whereas it is saide in a certaine place That almes doe take away sinne as water doth quench fire we must vnderstand it according to the analogy of faith Eor what neede was there to the taking away of our sinnes of Christ his passion and death if sinnes might be taken awaie by the merit of almes And what vse were there of the ministerie of the Gospell if almes were appointed of God for an instrument whereby the death of Christ might be applied to vs Therefore that Christ his honour may not be violated and the ministerie of the Gospell may reteine it lawfull vse we teach that almes doth thus take away sinne not that of it selfe it is a worthie worke whereby sinne may either be purged or the merit of Christ applied but that it is a worke and fruite of charitie toward our neighbour by which worke we doe testifie our faith and obedience which we owe vnto God Now where faith is there Christ alone is acknowledged to be the purger of sins Therfore seing that almes doth testifie after their manner that Christ doth dwell in the Godlie it doth also testifie that they haue remission of sinnes For except almes be a worke of charitie which may beare witnes to faith in Christ it is so farre from signifying that man hath remission of sins through Christ that it doth euen stinke in the sight of God If I shall distribute saith Paull all my substance that it may be meate for the poore and shall not haue loue it profiteth me nothing Therfore we teach that good workes must be done necessarilie that God is to be inuocated and that almes is to be giuen that we may testifie our faith and loue and obeie the calling of God But in true repentance we teach that we obteine remission of sinnes onelie for the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ his sake through faith according to that which Peter saith To him doe all the Prophets beare witnes that through his name euerie one that beleeueth in him doth receiue remission of sinnes Of Canonicall howres CHAP. 27. AVgustine writeth in a certaine place that Ambrose the Bishop of Millane did ordaine that the assemblies of the Church should sing Psalmes whereby they might mutuallie comfort themselues whilest they looked for aduersitie and stirre vp them selues to beare the crosse lest the people saith he should pine awaie with the yrckesomnes of mourning This singing because it was vsed in a tongue commonly known it had both a godlie vse deserued great praise And by the Canonical decree it appeereth that those houres which they call Canonicall were an appointment of certeine times wherin the wholl holie Scripture should be publikelie ouerrunne euerie yere as in the schooles there be certain houres appointed for interpreting of authors Such a distribution of houres was peraduenture not vnprofitable for that time in it self it is not a thing to be condemned But to appoint a special kinde of priests to chaunt out those Canonicall hours to sing them in a strange tongue which commonlie is not known to the Church or is not our countrie tongue that in some place in the night in the day time without any intermission new singers very often taking one an others course to make hereof a worship not to this ende that by patience and the comforte of the scripture we might haue hope as Paul saith but that by the merit of this worke a man might mitigate the wrath of God and purge the sins of men before God this is it that is contrary to the meaning of that Church which is in deede Catholike 1. Cor. 14. When ye come together according as euery one of you hath a psalm or hath
earth And Psal 23. Yâ—e Princes open your gates that is open your kindomes to the gospell and giue entertainment to the Sonne of God and Esa 49. And Kings and Queenes shallhe thy nurces that is let common-welthes be nurces of the Church let them giue entertainment to the Church and to godlie studies Let Kinges and Princes themselues be members of the Church and rightlie vnderstand the doctrine thereof and giue no help vnto those that establish false doctrine and exercise vniust crueltie and remember this saying I will honour them that honuor me And Daniell in the 4. Chap. exhorteth the King of Babylon to acknowledge the wrath of God and to shew mercie to the bannished Church when he saieth Redeeme thy sinnes with righteousnes and with mercie toward the poore and there shall be a healing of thy transgression And since they are among the principall members of the Church let them prouide that iudgement be rightlie exercised in the Curch as Constantine Theodosius Arcadius Martian Charles the great manie godlie Kinges haue prouided that iudgement in the Church should be sincerely executed But of the difference of both states namely of the ministerie of the gospell and the ciuill magistracie there are many writinges in our Church which declare that we teach no fantasticall nor seditious opinions but doe shew the necessarie doctrine deliuered in the gospell touching both degrees profitable to godlines and common peace Thankes be to God THis is the summe of that doctrine which by the blessing of God with one consent we teach in our Churches which to be the sincere meaning of the doctrine deliuered from God in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and in the Creedes we nothing doubt and it may be vnderstood out of the auncient purer writers to be agreeable to the ancient and puâ—er Churches Now the matter it selfe declareth that we haue not sought to dispute about newfangled curious and subtle questions neither doe striue about authoritie or riches but onelie to vnfolde and bring to light from the great darkenes of traditions and opinions that doctrine which is necessarie to the true inuocation of God to true worship to the right knowledge of the Sonne of God and to the saluation of soules and doe in moste simple and plaine manner propound the same vnto the Churches For all wise men must needes confesse that there was much obscuritie and many errours in the doctrine of the Monkes and many snares of conscience in the Popes traditions and whether doctrine is true plaine euident profitable for consciences and for manners comparison doth declare For we auoide not the iudgements of the Godly yea rather we desire thatthe wholl true Church of God that is al the faithfull learned wheresoeuer they are may vnderstand what we say who we doubt not will be witnesses that this doctrine is the consent of the true Catholique Church of God Also we offer our selues at any time to a more full declaration in in euerie point and we thinke that this rehearsall of our doctrine now made is agreeable to the confession exhibited at Auspurge Anno. 1530. For as much therefore as the doctrine which we here recite is true and necessarie for the Church we intreat that our Churches may not be condemned as if they either imbraced errours or foolishlie or seditiouslie stirred vp strife without any weightie cause The truth and weight of the matters may deliuer vs from this vniust accusation Next after a godly manner we admonish the Councell itselfe They see that olde abuses and many great errours are as yet sticking in the Church because in al ages euen from the beginning of mankinde the deuil coÌ„tinueth scattering his seed of errour and since that time through the ignorance of men by superstition they are either confirmed or do shoote forth againe And now for that the vanitie of many superstitions is known the times require a reformation vnles the gouernours prouide that the trueth may be brought to light great diuision in opinions is like to follow especially because in this last age of the worlde great confusion is to be feared Therfore let the councel see to it that they condemne not a manifest truth And if in a godly sort they wil deliberate how they may prouide for the churches if a more ample declaration shal be demaunded of vs men learned of vnderstanding louing the truth fearing god must be chosen to consult together of these so weighty matters Neither let them only striue with vs in number of vices seeing it is manifest by many preiudices of what opinion the Bishop of Rome and others are that are adicted vnto him who now by the space of many yeares haue not onelie set forth against vs edicts written with bloode but also haue slaine many of our side and there be many that neither vnderstand nor looke after any truth of doctrine but being alreadie corrupted with prophane perswasions doe thinke this to be an especiall parte of politique men to defend the present state and to mainteine their owne authoritie And for this purpose they seeke fit Ministers by sophisticall iugling to â—est out the truth Wherefore now we testifie that we will not reiect the truth although it be condemned by the iudgements of such men And we openlie professe that we consent not to the Councell of Trent which heretofore hath sent abroade decrees partlie false partly captious and sophisticall but doe earnestly request that both we may be heard in the same matter and that the errours before confirmed by the decrees of the Tridentine Councell may be reformed And we reuerently beseâ—ch the most worthy Emperour Carolus Auguâ—â—us that he giue not leaue to the Aduersaries to oppresse the truth by their presumption and to strengthen their crueltie which they exercise against innocents and to stare vp greater dissention by their vniust decrees And now we commend the Church and our selues to the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ who we know by the voice of the Gospell gathereth together to himselfe an euerlasting Church and we praie him that he would gouerne vs and not suffer the light of his Gospell to be extinguished nor the assemblies of them that rightlie call vpon him to be dispersed AN ADDITION AND we request all that teach in the Churches neâ—re adioyning or els where that receiue the Confession exhibited at Auspurge 1530. that when they reade these things if in any point they finde any want they would louinglie admonish vs thereof for that it was not our purpose to bring vp any other kinde of doctrine but plainlie to recite the summe of the Confession of Auspurge and the common consent of these Churches and we desire that we may be fauourablie and not quarrelouslie iudged of We purpose not to stirre vp new contentions but especially we pray to the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ that was crucified for vs and rose againe that praied in his agonie that we might be one