which is the saving power of God no man shall Rom 1. wittingly attaine unto faith and salvation according to that saying of Paul Therefore faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word Rom. 10. of God And againe How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Therefore herein our Preachers endevour themselves most earnestly that in our Ecclesiasticall meetings they may propound unto the people the sincere word of God without all mixture or inventions of men For which cause also they doe by an ancient custome recite in the mother and vulgar tongue which may be understood of all not onely those Chapters which are appointed to be read out of the Gospel at certaine times but also all other parts of holy Scripture and do exhort the people with an earnest desire to heare the word of God and to frequent those Ecclesiasticall meetings that by the diligent teaching of the Gospel and by often repeating it in their Sermons they may first teach the people repentance and faith and then the use and administration of the Sacraments and by this meanes prepare them to the right receiving of the Sacraments and afterwards also both whilest the Sacraments be administred and after they be administred they doe conveniently instruct them in all those things which the Lord commanded and chiefly in those things which do appertaine to the leading of an honest life and such a one as beseemeth a Christian profession as Christ saith Teach them to keep Matth 28. all things which I have commanded you In this place also is taught very diligently and as the matter requireth touching the difference which is to be observed betwixt the word or doctrine and worke of the law and betwixt the word and force of the holy Gospel The word or ministerie of the law and of the old Testament is the word of death feare and of the letter also the word of wrath and the word of malediction but the word of the New Testament that is of the holy Gospel is the ministerie of saith and the spirit of clearenesse or glory through our Lord Iesus Christ the word of grace of the new covenant the word of comfort and the messenger of peace Of them both the Apostle writeth thus The letter killeth but the spirit quickneth And Christ saith The words which I speake are spirit and life Also there is mention made of the use of the morall law in the fourth Chapter of this Confession beginning with these words This doctrine of the true knowledge of sinne c as is to be seene before 2 Cor. 3. Iohn 6. in the fourth Section whereunto all that Chapter appertaineth Out of the FRENCH Confession VVE beleeve that all the figures of the law are taken away by the coming of Christ howbeit we are assured that the truth and substance of them doth abide in him in whom they are all fulfilled Yet we must use the doctrine of the law and the Prophets both to frame our life aright and also that we may so much the more be confirmed in the promises of the Gospel Out of the Confession of BELGIA VVE beleeve that all the ceremonies figures and shadowes of the law have ceased at the coming of Christ so that now even the use of them ought to be taken away and abolished among Christians Yet in the meane time the truth and substance of them doth remaine to us in Christ in whom they are all fulfilled And therefore we doe still use the testimonies of the Law and the Prophets to confirme our selves in the doctrine of the Gospel and to leade an honest life unto Gods glory according to his will THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE doth by the way mention the doctrine of the Gospel and of the end thereof in the fourth and fifth Articles which we have placed in the ninth Section wherein iustification and remission of sinnes by faith in Christ is handled Out of the Confession of SAXONY ANd that the benefits of this Mediatour might be knowne unto mankinde and applied unto us there was a promise given straight in the beginning after the fall of our first parents and afterwards often times repeated and by voyce of the Prophets declared but most cleerely was it recited by the very Son and after wards by the Apostles And there was a ministery instituted to teach and to spread abroad that promise also there was a Church made and often renued by the same very voyce touching the Sonne of God our attonement By this Ministery the Sonne of God alwaies was is and shall be effectuall in the beleevers as it is said Rom. 1. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleeveth And he doth renue this ministerie when he saith As my Father sent me so doe I send you also Goe and preach repentance and remission of sinnes in my name He will that sinne should be reproved in all mankinde as he saith The spirit shall reprove the world of sinne because they beleeve not in me And Rom. 1. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men God will have his wrath to be acknowledged against all sinne and chiefly against the contempt of the Sonne as he saith in the Psalme Kisse the Sonne lest he be angrie and so ye perish from the way c. He will have us truely to be put in great feare by the knowledge of our darkenesse of our horrible wickednesse and our stubbornnesse And truely God himselfe doth amaze our hearts with the sense of his anger as Ezekiah saith Like a Lion he brake all my bones And to this judgement he doth not onely use the voyce of the ministery of the Law and of the Gospel but also all calamities be as it were the voyce of the law admonishing us of the wrath of God and calling us to repentance Now when the minde is terrified by this voyce that reproveth sinnes then let it heare the peculiar promise of the Gospel touching the Sonne of God and let him be assured that his sinnes are freely remitted for the Sonne of God his sake our Lord Iesus Christ who is our attonement and that of mercy not for any contrition or love of ours Out of the Confession of WIRTEMBERGE Of the Law CHAP. 6. VVE acknowledge that the Law of God whereof the Tenne Commandements are an abridgement doth command the best the most just and most perfect workes and that man is not onely bound to obey the morall precepts of the Law but also if he should doe the workes of the Tenne Commandements in such perfection and integritie as the Law requireth that he should indeed be counted just before God for his workes and should obtaine eternall salvation by his merits But whereas some men doe thinke that man can come to that state in this life as to be able by his workes not onely to fulfill the tenne Commandements but also to do more and greater works then are
come into condemnation but by making a way through Joan. 5. it they shall passe from death into life The Epistle to the Hebrews to stirre us up to use such exhortations saith Exhort your selves among your selves exhort ye one Heb. 4. another daily so long as it is said to day Let no man among you be hardned by the deceit of sin For we enter into the rest which have beleeved that is which have obeyed the voice of God while we had time given us On the other side we must also hold this most assuredly that if any man being polluted with sins and filthy deeds manifestly contrary to vertue doe in dying depart out of this world without true repentance and faith that his soule shall certainly goe into hell as did the soule of that rich man who wanted faith in the bottomlesse pit whereof there is no drop of grace and that in the day of judgement that most terrible voice of the Son of God sounding in his eares shall be heard wherein he shall say Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared Matth. 29. Joh. 5. for the Devill and his Angels for they which have done evill shall come forth to the resurrection of judgement Therefore in teaching they doe continually urge this that no man deferre repentance and turning unto God till he come to be old or till he lyeth sicke in his bed and in the meane time doe boldly practise his wantonnesse in sinnes and in the desires of the flesh and the world because it is written Doe not say The aboundant mercie of the Lord will purgo my sins for mercie and wrath do basten with him and his indignation shall lye upon the sinners Make no tarrying to turn unto the Lord put not off from day to day For suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord breaâ—e forth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in time of vengeance But that especially is a most dangerous thing if any man after he hath received the gift of the grace of God and that in the testimonie of a good conscience doth of set purpose and wantonly sinne and contemne and make no account of all those exhortations and allurements proceeding out of a loving heart and that to this end that he may in time think on that which is for his health and repent and moreover doth persist in a bold and blind perswasion of the mercie of God and trusting thereto doth sinne and doth confidently abuse it and goeth forward in that sort without repentance even unto the last pinch and then beginneth being forced thereunto by the terrours of death and the feare of infernall punishments so late to convert himselfe and to call for the mercie of the Lord as when the severe and intollerable anger of the Lord waxeth hot and punishments rush and breake forth as doth the great violence of floods which cannot be resisted Therefore of such a man which thing we speake with sorrow it is hard to beleeve that he can truly repent and therefore it is to be doubted lest that be fulfilled in him which the Lord doth threaten by the Prophet Micheas That instead of grace he shall feele the wrath of God and that it will come to passe that the wrath of God shall slay him For in a fearefull speech doth he say thus Then shall they cry unto the Lord but Mich. 3. he will not heare them but he will hide his face from them at that time because they have continually lived wickedly Yea the Lord himselfe saith Although they cry in mine eares with a loude Ezech. 8. Ier. 7. and 11. Isa 65. and 66. voyce yet will I not heare them seeing they would not heare my voyce when as all the day long I spread out my hands unto them and gave them large time and space for grace For the which cause the holy Ghost cryeth out and saith To day if ye will heare his Psal 95. Heb. 3. voyce harden not your hearts as in the grieving in the day of that tentation in the wildernesse Therefore according to all these things our men doe diligently and out of the grounds of the Scripture exhort that every man doe in time use and follow this faithfull counsell and necessary doctrine that so he may turne away the feare of this most heavie danger yea that he doe not betray the health of his own soule For undoubtedly this horrible danger is greatly to be feared lest whatsoever he be that doth rashly or stubbornly condemne or neglect this time of grace so lovingly granted of the Lord he doe receive and that worthily that reward of eternall punishment which is due thereunto even as Saint Ambrose also amongst many other things which he handleth diversly to this Lib 3. de poenit qui Augustini esse putatur purpose doth thus write and in these words If any man at the very point of death shall repent and be absolved fo this could not be denied unto him and so departing out of this life dieth I dare not say that he departeth hence in good case I doe not affirme it neither dare I affirme or promise it to any man because I would deceive no man seeing I have no certaintie of him Doe I therefore say that he shall be damned neither doe I say that he shall be delivered For what other thing I should say I know not Let him be commended to God Wilt thou then O brother be freed from doubting repent whiles thou art in health If thou wilt repent when thou canst not sin thy sins have left thee and not thou thy sins Yet that no man may despaire they teach this also that if any man in the last houre of his life shew our signs of true repentance which thing doth fall out very seldome for that is certainly true which is written in the Epistle to the Hebrews And this will we also doe so that God Heb. 6. give us leave to doe it that such a one is not to be deprived of instruction comfort absolution or remission of sins For the time of grace doth last so long as this life doth last wherefore so long as we live here it is meet that we should thinke of that Propheticall and Apostolicall sentence To day seeing ye have heard his Heb 3. voyce harden not your hearts Now herein doe our men labour and endeavour themselves most earnestly that all men may obey this loving commandement and counsell and that they speedily repent before the Sunne be darkened after a strange manner and the hils be overwhelmed with darknesse and that laying sinne aside they would turne themselves to God by flying unto him in true confidence and with a constant invocation from the bottome of the heart and that they doe their faithfull indeavour that they be not repelled from the glory of eternall life but that they may live with Christ and his Church in this life
workes are not without their effect but have their rewards Such a promise is this Give and it shall be given unto you And when Paul saith 1 Cor. 11. If we would iudge our selves we should not be iudged he speaketh of whole repentance not of those most vaine shadowes which they reason to prevaile although a man fall againe into mortall sinne And in this matter they have devised new jugling tricks They confesse that these satisfactions are not recompences but they say that we must admit such satisfactions as chastisements as Paul 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 judgement and order to be excommunicated neither is just 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 onely * Looke the 7. Obsâ—rvat pronounce this sentence The prison and common punishments doe pertaine to civill governours But such is the frowardnesse of certain men that although they see themselves convinced by the evidence of truth yet they seeke to dally by sophistrie lest if they should give place they should be thought to have betrayed their fellowes God which seeth the heart knoweth that with a simple indevour we have sought out the truth Out of the Confession of WIRTEMBERGH Of Repentance CHAP. 12. SEeing that we must alwaies acknowledge our sinnes and beleeve that they be forgiven for Christ his sake we thinke it also meete that men should alwaies repent in this life But divers men expound repentance diversly commonly they make three parts of repentance Contrition Confession and Satisfaction We will severally and briefly runne over these parts that we may declare what we may thinke to be in deed Catholike and Apostolike in this doctrine of Repentance Of Contrition CHAP. 13. VVE call Contrition a feeling of the wrath of God or a sorrow and great feare of the mind raised by the knowledge of the greatness of our sinnes and the weightinesse of the wrath of God And we thinke that such a Contrition as the law of God doth use to stirre up in man is necessarily required in true repentance but to teach that it doth deserve remission of sinnes or that it is a purging of our sinnes before God we thinke in contrary to the Apostolike doctrine God truely 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 upon him a contrite and humble heart by whose onely contrition and humiliation our sins 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 beleeve that Iesus Christ alone is our reconciler with the heavenly Father Isa 53. He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed 1 Iohn 2. He is the propitiation for our sinnes Act. 10. To him give all the Prophets witnesse that through his name all that beleeve in him shall have remission of their sinnes Also the examples of Cain Esau Saul Judas Iscarioth and such like doe witnesse 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 tolerable to dispatch their life either by strangling or by thrusting themselves in with swords rather then to suffer those horrible griefes yet could they not obtain remission of their sinnes The Glosse saith If we looke narrowly to the matter remission of sinnes is to be attributed to the grace of God not to contrition Wherefore we confesse that to shew forth true repentance Contrition is necessarie yet not to this end that it should be any merit or purging of our sinnes before God but that man acknowledging the greatnesse of his sinnes should be stirred up to seeke remission of sinnes and salvation in the onely free clemencie and mercy of God and that onely for Iesus Christ our Lord his sake by faith Of Confession CHAP. 14. THey call Confession a reckoning up of sinnes before a Priest Therefore such confession as hath hitherto beene used as it was not commanded of God so it is manifest that the ancient Church did not exact it with such severitie as if it had beene necessary to obtaine eternall salvation And it is not to be doubted but that we ought to acknowledge our selves before God to be sinners and to confesse our sinnes to God yea the ancient Ecclesiasticall writers doe grant that it is free for any one to reckon up his sinnes before man unlesse in some matter man be offended and the truth by lawfull and divine calling is to be declared Chrysostome saith I will thee not to bewraie thy selfe openly nor to accuse Chrysost in cap. 12. ad Heb. in hom 31. In Psal Miserere August lib. 10. Confess cap. 3. thy selfe before others but I counsell thee to obey the Prophet saying Open thy way unto the Lord. And againe If thou art ashamed to shew thy sins to any man then utter them every day in thine heart I say not goe confesse thâ— sinnes to thy fellow servant that may upbraide thee with them but confesse them unto God that is able to cure them Now although these words of Chrysostome use to be expounded of those sins which were before confessed to a Priest yet is this exposition a manifest wresting of the meaning of Chrysostome and the Eecclesiasticall history doth evidently witnesse that this custome of confessing unto a Priest was abrogated in the Church of Constantinople Augustine saith What have I to doe with men that they should heare my confessions as if they were able Ambr. super Luc. de poeniten Dist 1. Cap. Petrus to heale all my griefes They are very curious to know an other mans life and very slow in amending of their owne Ambrose saith Peter sorrowed and wept because he erred as man I doe not finde what he said I know that he wept I reade of his teares I doe not reade of his satisfaction And although * Looke the first observat upon this confession we thinke that it is not necessary to salvation to reckon up sinnes before a Priest and that it is not any merit of of remission of sinnes yet we endevour that a generall confession of sinnes so farre as may be and is lawfull may be retained in our Churches and that for two causes One is that by this private conference the ignorant may be admonished and instructed in necessarie matters the other that by this occasion the Gospel of Christ touching remission of sinnes may be heard privately the which Gospel is the true Key of the Kingdome of heaven and absolution from sinne and that by the hearing of the Gospel
able to bring forth any works which are not polluted with the corruption of our flesh and for that cause be worthy of punishment If it were granted that we were able to bring forth any such works yet the bare remembrance of our sinnes were sufficient to remoove that worke out of the sight of God Therefore we should alwaies stand in doubt staggering as it were this way and that way and our miserable consciences should be in continuall torment unlesse they should relie upon the onely merit of our Saviour Christ his death and passion and rest in it alone Out of the Confession of AUSPURGE THat we might obtaine these benefits of Christs namely remission of sins iustification and life everlasting Christ hath given his Gospel wherein these benefits are layed forth unto us as it is written in the last of Luke that repentance should be preached and remission of sinnes in his name among all nations For whereas all men borne after a naturall manner have sinne in them and cannot truely satisfie the Law of God * Locke the 1. Observat upon this confession the Gospell bewrayeth our sinne and sheweth us Christ the Mediatour and so instructeth us touching remission of sinnes When as the Gospell doth convict us of sinne our hearts thereby terrified must firmely beleeve that there is given unto us freely for Christs sake that remission of sinnes and justification by faith by the which we must beleeve and confesse that these things are given us for Christs sake who was made an oblation and hath appeased the Fathers wrath for us Notwithstanding therefore that the Gospell doe require repentance yet to the end that the remission of our sinnes may be certain and undoubted it teacheth us that remission is given us freely that is that it doth not depend upon the condition of our owne worthinesse nor is given for any works that went before nor for the worthinesse of such as follow after For then should remission be uncertaine if we should thinke that then onely we obtaine remission of sins when we had deserved it by our former works or when our repentance were well worthy of it For in true terrours the conscience findeth no worke which it may oppose against Gods wrath but Christ is given and set forth unto us to appease the wrath of God This honour must not be transferred from Christ unto our own works therefore Paul saith Ye are saved freely Againe Therefore by faith freely that the promise might be sure that is thus shall remission be certaine when we know that it dependeth not upon the condition of our unworthinesse but is given us for Christ his sake This is a sure and necessary comfort to all godly mindes that are terrified with the conscience of their sins And thus doe the holy fathers teach and there is a notable sentence in Saint Ambrose worthy the remembring in these words This God hath appointed that he which beleeveth in Christ should be saved without any worke by faith alone receiving the remission of sinnes Now this word Faith doth not onely signifie a knowledge of the History of Christ but also to beleeve and assent unto this promise that is proper unto the Gospel wherein remission of sinnes justification and life everlasting are promised untous for Christs fake For this promise also doth pertaine to the History of Christ even as in the Creed unto the History is added this article I beleeve the remission of sins And unto this one the other articles touching the History of Christ are to be referred For the benefit is the end of the Historie therefore did Christ suffer and rise again that for him remission of sins and everlasting life might be given unto us These things are found thus in another Edition ALso they teach that men cannot be justified before God by Artic. 4. their owne power merits or works but are justified for Christs sake through faith when they beleeve that they are received unto favour and their sins forgiven through Christ who by his death hath satisfied for our sins This faith doth God impute for righteousnesse unto them before himselfe Rom. 3. and 4. For this cause Christ hath appointed the ministerie of teaching Artic. 5. the Gospel which preacheth repentance and remission of sins and the preaching of either of these is generall and layeth open the sinnes of all men and promiseth remission of them unto all that beleeve for to the end that remission might not be doubted of out that all distressed mindes might know that they ought to beleeve that remission of sinnes is undoubtedly granted unto them for Christ and not for their owne merits or worthinesse All these doe certainly obtaine remission of sinnes And when as we doe in this sort comfort our selves by the promise of the Gospell and doe raise up our selves by saith therewithall is the holy spirit given unto us For the holy spirit is given and is effectuall by the word of God and by the Sacraments When as we doe heare or meditate of the Gospel or doe receive the Sacraments and comfort our selves by faith therewithall the spirit of God is effectuall according to that of Saint Paul Gal. 3. That the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve And to the Corinthians The Gospel is the ministerie of the spirit And to the Romanes Faith cometh by hearing When as then we doe comfort our selves by faith and are freed from the terrours of sin by the holy spirit our hearts doe conceive the other vertues acknowledge truly the mercie of God and conceive the true love and the true feare of God trust and hope of Gods helpe prayer and such like fruits of the spirit Such therefore as teach nothing concerning this faith whereby we receive remission of sinnes but will have mens consciences stand in doubt whether they obtaine remission or no and do adde further that this doubting is no sinne are justly condemned And these also doe teach that men may obtaine remission of sinnes for their own worthinesse but they doe not teach to beleeve that remission of sinnes is given freely for Christ sake Here also are condemned those phantasticall spirits which dreame that the holy Ghost is given or is effectuall without the word of God Which maketh them contemne the ministerie of the Gospel and Sacraments and to seek illumination without the word of God and besides the Gospel And by this means they draw away mens mindes from the word of God unto their own opinions which is a thing very pernicious and hurtfull Such were in old time the Manichees and Enthusiasts And such are the Anabaptists now adaies These and such like frensies we doe most constantly condemne For they abolish the true use of Gods word and do falsely imagine that the holy spirit may be received without the word and sticking too much to their own fancies they invent wicked opinions and are the cause of infinite breaches These things
c. that many grave men have doubted whether these states of life did please God or no. Therefore our Preachers have with great care and studie set forth these both kindes of doctrine teaching the Gospel concerning faith and adjoyning therewith a pure and holy doctrine of works Of Faith FIrst touching Faith and Iustification they teach thus Christ hath fitly set downe the summe of the Gospel when as in the last of Luke he willeth that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name For the Gospel * Looke the 5. observation upon this consession reproveth and convinceth sinnes and requireth repentance and withall offereth remission of sinnes for Christ sake freely not for our owne worthinesse And like as the preaching of repentance is generall even so the promise of grace is generall and willeth all men to beleeve and to receive the benefit of Christ as Christ himselfe saith Come unto me all ye that are laden And Saint Paul saith He is rich towards all c. Albeit therefore that contrition in repentance be necessary yet we must know that remission of sins was given unto us and that we are made just of unjust that is reconciled or acceptable and the sonnes of God freely for Christ and not for the worthinesse of our Contrition or of any other workes which either goe before or follow after But this same benefit must be received by faith whereby we must beleeve that remission of sinnes and justification is given us for Christs sake This knowledge and judgement bringeth sure consolation unto troubled mindes and how necessary it is for the Church consciences that have had experience can easily judge There is in it no absurditie no difficultie no craftie deceit * Looke the sixt observat upon this confession Here needeth no disputations of predestination or such like for the promise is generall and detracteth nothing from good workes yea rather it doth stirre up men unto faith and unto true good workes For remission of sinnes is removed from our workes and attributed unto mercy that it might be an undoubted benefit not that we should be idle but much more that we should know how greatly our obedience doth please God even in this our so great infirmitie Now for any man to despise or mislike this doctrine whereby both the honour of Christ is extolled and most sweet and sure comfort offered unto godly mindes and which containeth the true knowledge of Gods mercy and bringeth forth the true worship of God and eternall life it is more then Pharisaicall blindnesse Before time when as this doctrine was not set forth many fearfull consciences assaied to ease themselves by workes some fled to a monasticall life others did chuse out other workes whereby to merit remission of sinnes and justification But there is no sure comfort without this doctrine of the Gospel which willeth men to beleeve that remission of sinnes and justification are freely given unto us for Christs sake and this whole doctrine is appointed for the true conflict of a terrified conscience But we will adde some testimonies Paul Rom. 3. We are iustified freely by his grace through redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud Rom. 4. But to him that worketh not but beleeveth in him that iustifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Ephes 2. By grace ye are saved through faith not of your selves In these and such like sentences Paul doth plainly teach that remission of sinnes and justification are given us freely and not for the worthinesse of our workes And in the 4. to the Romans he disputeth at large why this consolation is needfull for us for if the promise did depend upon the worthinesse of our works it should be uncertain Wherefore to the end that we may have sure and firme comfort against the feares of sinne and death and that our faith may stand fast it is needfull that it leane onely upon the mercy of God and not upon our worthinesse Therefore Paul saith Therefore it is by faith according to grace that the promise might be sure For our workes cannot be set against the judgement of God according to that saying If thou markest our iniquities who shall indure it And therefore Christ is given for a Mediatour to us and this honour is not to be transferred unto our workes When therefore we doe say that we are iustified by faith we doe not meane that we are just for the worthinesse of that vertue but this is our meaning that we doe obtaine remission of sinnes and imputation of righteousnesse by mercy shewed us for Christs sake But now this mercy cannot be received but by faith And Faith doth not here signifie onely a knowledge of the history but it signifieth a beliefe of the promise of mercy which is granted us through our Mediatour Christ Iesus And seeing that faith is in this sort understood of a confidence or trust of mercy Saint Paul and Saint James doe not disagree For where James saith The Devils beleeve and tremble he speaketh of an historicall faith now this faith doth not justifie For the wicked and the devill are cunning in the historie But Paul when he saith Faith is reckoned for righteousnesse he speaketh of a trust and confidence of mercy promised for Christs sake and his meaning is that men are pronounced righteous that is reconciled through mercy promised for Christs sake whom we must receive by faith Now this noveltie of this figurative speech of Saint Paul We are iustified by faith will not offend holy mindes if they understand that it is spoken properly of mercy and that herein mercy is adorned with true and due praises For what can be more acceptable to an afflicted and fearefull conscience in great griefes then to heare that this is the commandement of God and the voyce of the Bridegroome Christ Iesus that they should undoubtedly beleeve that remission of sinnes or reconciliation is given unto them not for their owne worthinesse but freely through mercy for Christs sake that the benefit might be certaine Now Iustification in these sayings of Saint Paul doth signifie remission of sinnes or reconciliation or imputation of righteousnesse that is an accepting of the person And herein we doe not bring in a new found opinion into the Church of God For the Scripture doth set downe at large this doctrine touching faith and Saint Paul doth especially handle this point in some of his Epistles the holy Fathers doe also teach the same For so saith Ambrose in his booke de vocat Gent. If so be that Justification which is by grace were due unto former merits so that it should not be a gift of the giver but a reward of the worker the redemption by the blood of Christ would grow to be of small account and the prerogative of mans workes would not yeeld unto the mercies of God And of this matter there be
many disputations in Saint Augustine And these are his words Forsomuch as by the law God sheweth to man his infirmitie that flying unto his mercy by faith he might be saved For it is said that he carrieth both the law and mercy in his mouth The law to convict the proud and mercy to iustifie those that are humbled Therefore the righteousnesse of God through faith in Christ is revealed upon all that beleeve And the Milevitan Synole writeth Is not this suficiently declared that the law worketh this that sinne should be knowne and so against the victory of sinne men should flie to the mercy of God which is set forth in his promises that the promises of God that is the grace of God might be sought unto for deliverance and man might begin to have a righteousnesse howbeit not his owne but Gods Of good workes VVHen as we doe teach in our Churches the most necessarie doctrine and comfort of faith we joyne there with the doctrine of good workes to wit that obedience unto the law of God is requisite in them that be reconciled For the Gospel preacheth newnesse of life according to that saying I will put my lawes in their hearts This new life therefore must be an obedience towards God The Gospel also preacheth repentance and faith cannot be but onely in them that doe repent because that faith doth comfort the hearts in contrition and in the feares of sinne as Paul saith Being iustified by faith we have peace And of repentance he saith Rom. 6. Our old man is crucified that the body of sinne might be abolished that we might no more serve sinne And Isaiah saith Where will the Lord dwell In a contrite and humbled spirit c. Secondly among good workes the chiefest and that which is the chiefest worship of God is faith which doth bring forth many other vertues which could never be in men except their hearts had first received to beleeve How shall they call on him in whom they doe not beleeve So long as mens mindes are in doubt whether God heareth them or not so long as ever they thinke that God hath rejected them they doe never truely call upon God But when as once we doe acknowledge his mercy through faith then we flie unto God we love him we call upon him hope in him looke for his helpe obey him in afflictions because we doe now know our selves to be the sonnes of God and that this our sacrifice that is our afflictions doth please God These services doth Faith bring forth Very well therefore said Ambrose Faith is the mother of a good will and of iust dealing Our Adversaries will seem very honourably to set out the doctrine of good works and yet concerning these spirituall workes to wit faith and the exercises of faith in prayer and in all matters counsels and dangers of this life they speake never a word And indeed none can ever speake well of these exercises if the consciences be left in doubt and if they know not that God requireth faith as a speciall worship of his And when as that huge shew of outward workes is cast as a myst before mens eyes the mindes especially such as be not well instructed are led away from beholding these inward exercises Now it is very requisite that men should be taught and instructed concerning these inward workes and fruits of the spirit For these they be that make a difference betweene the godly and hypocrites As for exernall worship externall ceremonies and other outward workes the very hypocrites can performe them But these services and duties belong onely to the true Church true repentance feare faith prayer c. These kindes of worship are especially required and commended in the Scripture Psal 49. Offer unto God the sacrifice of praise and Call on me in the day of trouble c. Thirdly by this faith which doth comfort the heart in repentance we doe receive the Spirit of God who is given us to be our governour and helper that we should resist sinne and the devill and more and more acknowledge our owne weakenesse and that the knowledge and feare of God and faith may increase in us wherefore our obedience to God and a new life ought to increase in us as Saint Paul saith We must be renewed to the knowledge of God that the new law may be wrought in us and his Image which hath created us be renewed c. Fourthly we teach also how this obedience which is but begunne onely and not perfect doth please God For in this so great infirmitie and uncleannesse of nature the Saints doe not satisfie the law of God The faithfull therefore have need of comfort that they may know how their slender and imperfect obedience doth please God It doth not please him as satisfying his law but because the persons themselves are reconciled and made righteous through Christ and doe beleeve that their weaknesse is forgiven them as Paul teacheth There is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ c. Albeit then that this new obedience is farre from the perfection of the law yet it is righteousnesse and is worthy of a reward even because that the persons are reconciled And thus we must judge of those workes which are indeed highly to be commended namely * Looke the 7. Observation that they be necessarie that they be the service of God and spirituall sacrifices and do deserve a reward Neverthelesse this confolation is first to be held touching the person which is very necessary in the conflict of the confcience to wit that we have remission of sinnes freely by faith and that the person is just that is reconciled and an heire of eternall life through Christ and then our obedience doth please God according to that saying Now ye are not under the Law but under grace For our workes may not be set against the wrath and judgement of God But the terrours of sinne and death must be overcome by faith and trust in the Mediatour Christ as it is written O death I will be thy death And Iohn 6. Christ saith This is the will of the Father which sent me that every one which seeth the Sonne and beleeveth in him should have life everlasting And Saint Paul Being iustified by faith we have peace with God And the Church alwaies prayed for give us our trespasses And thus do the Fathers teach concerning the weaknesse of the Saints and concerning Faith Augustine in his exposition of the 30. Psalme saith Deliver me in thy righteousnesse For there is a righteousnesse of God which is made ours when it is given unto us But therefore it is called the righteousnesse of God lest man should thinke that he had a righteousnesse of himselfe For as the Apostle Paul saith To him that beleeveth in him that iustifieth the wicked that is that of a wicked maketh a righteous man If God should deale by the rule of the law which is set forth unto us
George conquests as of Mars of Sebastian and Paul freedome from the Plague of Anthony savegard for swine although the adversaries say they like not these things yet they keepe them still for gaine sake as plainly appeareth Now let us adde the third reason it is expressely written there is one Mediatour betweene God and men the man Christ Iesus on him ought we in all prayer to cast our eyes and to know the doctrine of the Gospel concerning him that no man can come unto God but by confidence in the Mediatour who together maketh request for us as himselfe saith No man cometh to the Father but by the Sonne And he biddeth us flie unto himselfe saying Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy loaden and I will refresh you and he himselfe teacheth the manner of Invocation when he saith Whatsoever ye shall aske the Father in my name he will give it you He nameth the Father that thou mayest distinguish thy invocation from heathenish and consider what thou speakest unto that thou maist consider him to be the true God who by sending his Sonne hath revealed himselfe that thy minde may not wander as the heathenish woman in the tragedy speaketh I pray un-unto thee O God whatsoever thou art c. But that thou maist know him to be the true God who by the sending crucifying and and raising up again of his Son hath revealed himselfe and maiest know him to be such a one as he hath revealed himselfe Secondly that thou mayest know that he doth so for a certaintie receive and heare us making our prayers when we flie to his Sonne the Mediatour crucified and raised up againe for us and desire that for his sake we may be received heard helped and saved neither is any man received or heard of God by any other meanes Neither is the praying uncertaine but he biddeth those that pray on this sort to be resolved through a strong faith that this worship pleaseth God and that they who pray on this manner are assuredly received and heard therefore he saith Whatsoever ye shall aske in my name that is acknowledging and naming or calling upon me as the Redeemer high Priest and Intercessour this high Priest alone goeth into the holiest place that is into the secret counsell of the Deitie and seeth the minde of the eternall Father and maketh request for us and searching our hearts presenteth our sorrowes sighes and prayers unto him It is plaine that this doctrine of the Mediatour was obscured and corrupted when men went to the Mother Virgin as more mercifull and others sought other Mediatours And it is plaine that there is no example to be seen in the Prophets or Apostles where prayer is made unto men heare me Abraham or heare me O God for Abrahams sake but prayer is made unto God who hath revealed himselfe to wit to the eternall Father to the Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ and to the holy Ghost that he would receive heare and save us for the Sonnes sake It is also expressely made to the Son as 2 Thess 2 Our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe and God and our Father who hath loved us strengthen you c. And Gen. 48. Iacob nameth God and the Sonne the Mediatour when he saith God before whom my fathers walked and the Angel that delivered me out of all troubles that is the promised Saviour blesse these children Therefore we use these formes of Invocation I call upon thee O Almighty God eternall Father of our Lord Iesus Christ maker of heaven an earth together with thy Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ and thy holy Spirit O wise true good righteous most free chaste and mercifull God have mercy upon me and for Iesus Christs sake thy Sonne crucified for us and raised up againe heare and sanctifie me with thy holy Spirit I call upon thee O Iesus Christ the sonne of God crucified for us and raised up againe have mercy on me pray for me unto the everlasting Father and sanctifie me with thy holy Spirit In these formes we know what we pray unto And seeing there are testimonies of Gods word to be seene which shew that this praying pleaseth God and is heard such praying may be made in faith These things are not to be found in that invocation which is made unto men Some gather testimonies out of Augustine and others to shew that the Saints in heaven have care of humane affaires This may more plainly be shewed by Moses and Elias talking with Christ And there is no doubt but that such as are in happinesse pray for the Church but yet it followeth not thereupon that they are to be prayed unto And albeit we teach that men are not to be prayed unto yet we propound the histories of those that are in blessed state unto the people Because it is necessary that the history of the Church be by some meanes known unto all by what testimonies the Church is called together and founded and how it is preserved and what kinde of doctrine hath beene published by the fathers Prophets Apostles and Martyrs In these histories we command all to give thankes unto God for that he hath revealed himselfe that he hath gathered together his Church by his Son that he hath delivered this doctrine unto us and hath sent teachers and hath shewed in them the witnesses of himselfe we command all to consider of this doctrine and to strengthen their faith by those testimonies which God hath shewed in them That they like wise consider the examples of judgement and punishments that the feare of God may be stirred up in them we command them to follow their faith patience and other vertues that they learne that in God is no respect of persons and desire to have themselves also received heard governed saved and helped as God received David Manasses Magdalene the thiefe on the Crosse We also teach how these examples are to be followed of every man in his vocation because error in imitation and preposterous zeale is oft times the cause of great evils We also commend the diligence of the Saints themselves who took heed of * De essusione S p sancti vide observat 1. ad hanc Confess Sect. 4. wasting Gods gifts in vaine And to conclude they that are most fooles may gather great store of doctrine out of these histories which doctrine is profitable to be published to the people so that superstition be set aside Out of the Confession of WITTEMBERGE CHAP. 1. VVE beleeve and confesse that there is one onely God true eternall and infinite almightie maker of all things visible and invisible and that in this one and eternall Godhead there are three properties or persons of themselves subsisting the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost As the Propheticall and Apostolicall Scriptures teach and the Creedes of the Apostles of Nice and of Athanasius declare Of the Sonne of God CHAP. 2. VVE beleeve and confesse that the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ was
which be without the reach of our capacity Nay rather we apply to our owne use that which the Scripture teacheth for our quietnesse and contentation sake to wit that God to whom all things are subject with a fatherly care watcheth for us so that not so much as a haire of our head falleth to the ground without his will and that he hath Satan and all our adversaries so fast bound that unlesse leave be given them they cannot doe us any little harme Out of the Confession of BELGIA VVE know God by two manner of wayes first by the making Artic. 2. preserving and governing of this whole world For that to our eyes is as a most excellent book in which all creatures from the least to the greatest are graven as it were characters and certaine letters by which the invisible things of God may be seen and known of us namely his everlasting power and Godhead as Paul the Apostle speaketh Rom. 1. Chap. 10. which knowledge sufficeth to convince and make all men without excuse c. Looke for the rest in the first Section of the Scripture and in the second Section of God Artic. 12. VVE beleeve that the Father by his word that is by the Son made heaven earth and all other creatures of nothing when he saw it fit and convenient and gave to every one his being forme and divers offices that they might serve their Creator and that he doth now cherish uphold and governe them all according to his everlasting providence and infinite power and that to this end that they might serve man and man might serve his God He also made the Angels all good by nature that they might be his Ministers and might also attend upon the Elect of which notwithstanding some fell from that excellent nature in which God had created them into everlasting destruction but some by the singular grace of God abode in the first State of theirs but the Devils and those wicked spirits are so corrupted and defiled that they be sworn enemies to good and all goodnesse which as theeves out of a watch tower lye in waite for the Church and all the members thereof that by their juglings and deceits they may destroy and lay waste all things Therefore being through their own malice addicted to everlasting condemnation they look every day for the dreadfull punishments of their mischiefs We therefore in this place reject the errour of the Saduces who denied that there were any spirits or Angels as also the errour of the Manichees who hold that the Devils have their beginning of themselves and of their own nature evill and not corrupted by wilfull disobedience We beleeve that this most gracious and mightie God after he had made all things left them not to be ruled after the will of chance or fortune but himselfe doth so continually rule and governe them according to the prescript rule of his holy 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 guiltie of the evils that happen in this world For both his infinite and incomprehensible power and goodnesse stretcheth so farre that even then he decreeth and executeth his works and deeds justly and holily when as both the devill and the wicked doe unjustly And whatsoever things he doth passing the reach of mans capacitie we will not curiously and above our capacitie inquire into them Nay rather we humbly and reverently adore the secret yet just judgements of God For it sufficeth us as being Christs Disciples to learne onely those things which he himself teacheth in his word neither doe we thinke it lawfull to passe these bounds And this doctrin affordeth us exceeding great comfort For by it we know that nothing befalleth us by chance but all by the will of our heavenly Father who watcheth over us with a Fatherly care indeed having all things in subjection to himself so that not a haire of our head which are every one numbred can be plucked away nor the least sparrow light on the ground without the will of our Father In these things therefore do we wholly rest acknowledging that God holdeth the Devils and all our enemies so bridled as it were with snaffles that without his will and good leave they are not able to hurt any of us and in this place we reject the detestable opinion of the Epicures who fained God to be idle to doe nothing and to commit all things to chance THE FOVRTH SECTION OF MANS FALL SIN AND FREE-WILL The latter Confession of HELVETIA Of mans fall fin and the cause of sin CHAP. 8. MAN was from the beginning created of God after the Image of God in righteousnesse and true holinesse good and upright but by the instinct of the Serpent and his own fault falling from goodnesse and uprightnesse became subject to sin death and divers calamities and such an one as he became by his fall such are all his off-spring even subject to sin death and sundry calamities And we take sin to be that naturall corruption of man derived or spread from those our first parents unto us all through which we being drowned in evill concupiscences and cleane turned away from God but prone to all evill full of all wickednesse distrust contempt and hatred of God can doe no good of our selves no not so much as thinke of any And that more is even as Matth. 12. we doe grow in yeers so by wicked thoughts words and deeds committed against the law of God we bring forth corrupt fruits worthy of an evill tree in which respect we through our own desert being subject to the wrath of God are in danger of just punishments so that we had all been cast away from God had not Christ the Deliverer brought us back again By death therefore we understand not only bodily death which is once to be suffered of all us for sins but also everlasting punishments due to our corruption and to our sins For the Apostle Eph. 2. saith We were dead in trespasses and sins and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others But God which is rich in mercie even when we were dead by sins quickened us together in Christ Againe As by one man sin entred into the world and by sin death and Rom. 5. so death went over all men for as much as all men have sinned c. We therefore acknowledge that originall sin is in all men we acknowledge that all other sins which spring here out are both called and are in deed sins by what name soever they be tearmed whether mortall or veniall or also that which is called sin against the holy Ghost which is never forgiven we also confesse that sins are not equall although they spring from the same fountaine Mar. 3. 1 Joh. 5. Matth. 10. 11. of corruption and unbeliefe but that some are more grievous then other even as the Lord hath
our nature so that he is one person God and man Man I say that might suffer both in soule and also in body and made like unto us in all things sin onely excepted for that his flesh was indeed the seed of Abraham and David howbeit by the secret and incomprehensible power of the holy Ghost it was conceived in due time in the wombe of that blessed Virgin And therefore we detest as contrary to that truth all those heresies wherwith the Churches were troubled in times past and namely we detest those devillish imaginations of Servetus who gave to our Lord Iesus Christ an imaginarie Deitie whom he said to be the Idea and patterne of all things and the counterfeit or figurative Son of God to conclude he framed him a body compacted of three elements uncreated and therefore he did mingle and overthrow both his natures We beleeve that in one and the same person which is Iesus Artic. 15. Christ those two natures are truly and inseperably so conjoyned that they be also united either of those natures neverthelesse retaining it distinct proprietie so that even as in this divine conjunction the nature of the word reteining it proprieties remained uncreate infinite and filling all places so also the humane nature remained and shall remaine for ever finite having it naturall forme dimension and also proprietie as from the which the resurrection and glorification or taking up to the right hand of the Father hath not taken away the truth of the humane nature Therefore we doe so consider Christ in his Deitie that we do not spoile him of his humanitie We beleeve that God did declare his infinite love and goodnesse Artic. 16. towards us in this that he hath sent his Son who should die and rise againe and fulfill all righteousnesse that he might purchase eternall life for us We beleeve that by that onely sacrifice which Iesus Christ offered Artic. 17. on the crosse we are reconciled to God that we may be taken for just before him because we cannot be acceptable to him nor enjoy the fruit of our adoption but so farre forth as he doth forgive us our sins Therefore we affirme that Iesus Christ is our entire and perfect washing in whose death we obtaine full satisfaction whereby we are delivered from all those sinnes whereof we are guiltie and from the which we could not be acquitted by any other remedie Out of the ENGLISH Confession VVE beleeve that Iesus Christ the onely Son of the eternall Artic. 2. Father as long before it was determined before all beginnings when the fulnesse of time was come did take of that blessed and pure Virgin both flesh and all the nature of man that he might declare to the world the secret and hid will of his Father which will had been laid up from before all ages and generations and that he might finish in his humane body the mystery of our redemption and might fasten our sins to the crosse and also that hand-writing which was made against us We beleeve that for our sakes he died and was buried descended into hell the third day by the power of his Godhead returned to life and rose againe and that the fourth day after his resurrection whiles his disciples beheld and looked upon him he ascended into heaven to fulfill all things and did place in Majestie and glory the selfe same body where with he was borne wherein he lived on earth wherein he was jested 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 above all rule above all power all force all Dominion and above every name that is named not onely in this world but also in the world to come And that there he now sitteth and shall sit till all things be fully perfected And although the Majestie and Godhead of Christ be every where aboundantly dispersed yet we beleeve that his body as S. Augustine saith must need be still in one place and that Christ hath given Majestie unto his body but yet hath not taken away from it the nature of a body 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 in touching his humane nature but hath not left us touching his Divine nature and that the same Christ though he be absent from us concerning his manhead yet is ever present with us concerning his Godhead From that place also we beleeve that Christ shall come again to execute that generall judgement as well of them whom be shall finde alive in the body as of them that shall be ready dead And therefore that our onely succour and refuge is to flie to the Artic. 18. mercie of our Father by Iesus Christ and assuredly to perswade our mindes that he is the Obtainer of forgivenesse for our sinnes And that by his blood all our spots of sin be washed cleane That he hath pacified and set at one all things by the blood of his crosse That he by the same one onely sacrifice which he once offered upon the Crosse hath brought to effect and fulfilled all things and that for that cause he said when he gave up the Ghost It is finished as though he would signifie that the price and ransome was now fully paid for the sin of mankinde If there be any that thinke this sacrifice not sufficient let them Artic. 19. goe in Gods name and seeke a better We verily because we know this to be the Onely sacrifice are well content with it alone and looke for none other and forasmuch as it was to be offered but once we command it not to be renewed againe and because it was full and perfit in all points and parts we doe not ordaine in place thereof any continuall succession of offerings To conclude we beleeve that this our selfe same flesh wherein Artic. 21. we live although it die and come to dust yet at the last shall returne again unto life by the means of Christs spirit which dwelleth in us and that then verily whatsoever we suffer here in the meane while for his sake Christ will wipe away all teares and heavinesse from our eyes and that we through him shall enjoy everlasting life and shall for ever be with him in glory So be it Out of the Confession of BELGIA VVE beleeve that our most mightie and graciâ—us God Artic. 17. when he saw that man had thus throwne himselfe into the damnation both of spirituall and corporall death and was made altogether miserable and accursed by his wonderfull wisdom and goodnesse was induced both to seeke him when through feare he had fled from his presence and also most lovingly to comfort him giving unto him the promise of his own Son to be boâ—â— of a woman which should breake the head of the Serpent and restore him to felicitie
and life everlasting through faith in Iesus Christ Now the fathers had not onely outward or earthly but spirituall and heavenly promises in Christ For the Apostle Peter saith that the Prophets which prophesied of the grace that should come to us have searched and inquired of this salvation Whereupon the Apostle Paul also saith that the Gospel of God was promised before by the Prophets of God in the holy Scriptures Hereby then it appeareth evidently that the fathers were not altogether destitute of all the Gospel And although after this manner our fathers had the Gospel in the writings of the Prophets by which they attained salvation in Christ through faith yet the Gospel is properly called that glad and happie tidings wherein first by Iohn Baptist then by Christ the Lord himselfe and afterward by the Apostles and their successours is preached to us in the world that God hath now performed that which he promised from the beginning of the world and hath sent yea and given unto us his onely Sonne and in him reconciliation with the Father remission of sinnes all fulnesse and everlasting life The history therefore set downe by the foure Evangelists declaring how these things were done or fulfilled of Christ and what he taught and did and that they which beleeved in him had all fulnesse this I say is truely called the Gospel The preaching also and Scripture of the Apostles in which they expound unto us how the Sonne was given us of the Father and in him all things pertaining to life and salvation is truely called the doctrine of the Gospel so as even at this day it looseth not that worthy 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 living and 2 Cor. 3. working through faith in the eares yea in the hearts of the faithfull thorough the illumination of the holy Spirit For the letter which is opposed unto the spirit doth indeed signifie every outward thing but more specially the doctrine of the Law which without the spirit and faith worketh wrath and stirreth up sinne in the mindes of them that doe not truely beleeve 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 giveth life The false Apostles preached the Gospel corrupted by mingling of the law there with as though Christ could not save 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 All which we doe condemne sincerely preaching the word and teaching that the beleevers are justified by the spirit onely and not by the law But of this matter there shall follow a more large discourse in the title of justification 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 Ieremy prophesied of the New Testament yet indeed it not onely was and as yet is though the Papists call it new in regard of Popish doctrine which hath of long time beene received an ancient doctrine but also the most ancient in the world For God 2 Tim. 1. from all eternitie fore-ordained to save the world by Christ and this his predestination and eternall counsell hath he opened to the world by the Gospel Whereby it appeareth that the Evangelicall doctrine and religion was the most ancient of all that ever were are or ever shall be Wherefore we say that all they erre foully and speake things unworthy the eternall counsell of God who tearme the Evangelicall doctrine and religion a new start up faith scarce thirty yeeres old to whom that saying of Isaiah doth very well agree Woe unto them that speake good of evill and evill of good which put darkenesse for light and light for darkenesse that put bitter for sweet and sweete for sowre Out of the former Confession of HELVETIA THerefore in the whole Evangelicall doctrine this ought first and chiefly to be urged that we are saved by the onely mercy and grace of God and by Christ his merits whereof that men may know how much they stand in need their sinnes must be verie cleerely laid open unto them by the law and by Christ his death Out of the Confession of BOHEMIA Of the word of God or the holy Gospel CHAP. 10. ANd seeing that the administration of the New Testament and also the Word and Sacraments are lawfully committed to the Ministers of the Church and their lips ought to preserve 1 Cor. 4. 2 Cor. 3. knowlege that the law might be sought at their mouth therefore in this Chapter it is further taught what the word of God and the holy Gospel is Now the Preaching of the word of God and Malac. 2. of the Gospel is the true ministery of grace instituted and commanded of Christ our Lord wherein the full and perfect will of God touching eternall reconciliation necessarie to salvation and made manifest in the holy Scripture is declared and preached unto all people This doctrine did Christ give in charge unto his disciples in the words of this sentence Goe ye into all the world Mark 16. and preach the Gospel to every creature This doctrine doth Peter professe before Cornelius when he saith He commanded us to Acts 20. preach unto the people and to testifie that this is he that is ordained of God to be the Iudge of the quicke and the dead To him also give all the Prophets witnesse that through his name all that beleeve in him shall receive remission of sinnes This ministery is more honourable greater and more necessarie to salvation then are the sacraments the which is proved by that sentence of the most excellent Apostle Saint Paul For Christ 1 Cor. 2. sent me not to Baptize that is not chiefly to doe this but to preach the Gospel For onely through the pure Gospel and the preaching thereof is saith sowed inwardly in the heart by the holy Ghost and from thence also must we conceive and seeke the true meaning of God and Christ touching all things necessary to salvation and also touching the sacraments themselves Amongst those who by reason of their age are able to use their understanding it is of necessitie that the preaching of the Gospel goe before the receiving of the Sacraments Whereof we may see an evident proofe in those three thousand which were converted by Peter Acts 2. Acts 8. also in Cornelius and in the Chamberlaine we may see that according to the example of Philip the question is thus to be made Doest thou beleeve with all thy heart Then it may be that thou who hast true faith grafted in thy heart mayest receive profit by the participation of the Sacraments For without the hearing of the word of God
THE EIGHT SECTION OF REPENTANCE AND THE CONVERSION OF MAN The latter Confession of HELVETIA CHAP. 14. THe Gospel hath the doctrine of repentance joyned with it for so said the Lord in the Gospel In my name must repentance and remission of sinnes be preached Luke 24 among all nations By repentance we understand the change of the minde in a sinfull man stirred up by the preaching of the Gospel and by the holy spirit received by a true faith by which a sinfull man dothest soones acknowledge his naturall corruption and all his sinnes seeing them convinced by the word of God and is heartily grieved for them and doth not onely be waile and freely confesse them before God with shame but also doth loath and abhorre them with indignation thinketh seriously of present amendment and of a continuall care of innocencie and vertues wherein to exercise himselfe holily all the rest of his life And surely this is true repentance namely an unfeigned turning unto God and to all goodnesse and a serious returne from the devill and from all evill Now we doe expresly say that this repentance is the meere gift of God and not the worke of our owne strength For the Apostle doth will the faithfull Minister diligently to Instruct those which withstand the truth if that at any time the Lord will give them repentance that 2 Tim. 2. they may acknowledge the truth Also the sinnefull woman in the Gospel which washed Christs feet with her teares and Peter which bitterly wept and be wailed his deniall of his Master doe manifestly shew what minde the penitent man should have to wit very earnestly lamenting his sins committed Moreover the Prodigall sonne and the Publican in the Gospel that is compared with the Pharisie doth set forth unto us a most fit patteme of confessing our sinnes to God The Prodigall sonne said Father I have sinned against heaven and against thee I am not worthy to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hiped servants The Publican also not daring to lift up his eyes to heaven but knocking his brest he cryed God be mercifull unto me a sinner And we doubt not but the Lord received them to mercy For Iohn the Apostle 1 Iohn 2. saith If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgive us our sinnes and to purge us from all iniquitie If we say we have not sinned we make him a lyar and his word is not in us We beleeve that this sincere confession which is made to God alone either privately betweene God and the sinner or openly in the Church where that generall confession of sinnes is rehearsed is sufficient and that it is not necessary for the obteining of remission of sinnes that any man should confesse his sinnes unto the Priest whispering them into his cares that the Priest laying his hands on his head he might receive absolution because that we finde no commandement nor example thereof in the holy Scripture David protesteth and saith I made my fault knowne to thee Psal 32. and my unrighteousnesse did I not hide from thee I said I will confesse my wickednesse to the Lord against my selfe and thou hast forgiven the hainousnesse of my sinne Yea and the Lord teaching us to pray and also to confesse our sinnes said So shall you pray Our Father Matth. 6. which art in heaven forgive us our debts even as we forgive our debters It is requisite therefore that we should confesse our sins unto God and be reconciled with our neighbour if we have offended him And the Apostle James speaking generally of confession saith Confesse each of you your sinnes one to another If so Iames 5. be that any man being overwhelmed with the burthen of his sins and trouble some temptations will privately 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 fully allow that generall and publike confession which is wont to be reheatsed in the Church and in holy meetings whereof we spake before being as it is agreeable with the Scripture As concerning the keies of the kingdome of heaven which the All these things which are spoken of the keies doe properly pertaine to the 10. Sect. Lord committed to his Apostles they prate many strange things and of these keies they make swords spears scepters and crowns and full power over mightie kingdomes yea and over mens souls and bodies But we judging uprightly according to the word of God doe say that all Ministers truely called have and exercise the keies or the use of them when as they preach the Gospel that is to say when they doe teach exhort reprove 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 Lord promise to the Apostles in the 16. Chapter of Matthew and delivered them in John 20. Chapter Marke 16. Luke the 24. when as he sent forth his disciples and commanded them To preach the Gospel in all the world and to forgive sinnes The Apostle in the Epistle to the Corinthians saith That the Lord gave to his Ministers the ministery of reconciliaiton 2 Cor. 5. And what this was he straight way maketh plaine and saith The word or doctrine of reconciliation And yet more plainly expounding his words he addeth that the Ministers of Christ Do as it were goe an embassage in Christ name as if God himselfe should by his Ministers exhort the people to be reconciled to God to wit by faithfull obedience They use the keies therefore when as they perswade to faith and repentance Thus doe they reconcile men to God thus they forgive sinnes thus doe they open the kingdomne of heaven and bring in the beleevers much differing herein from those of whom the Lord spake in the Gospel Wo be unto you Lawyers for ye have taken away the key of knowledge You have not entred in your selves and those that would have entered ye forbad Rightly therefore and effectually doe Ministers absolve when as they preach the Gospel of Christ and thereby remission of sinnes which is promised to every one that beleeveth even as every one is baptized and doe testifie of it that it doth particularly appertain to all Neither doe we imagine that this absolution is made any whit more effectuall for that which is mumbled into some priests care or upon some mans head particularly yet we judge that men must be taught diligently to seek remission of sinnes in the bloud of Christ and that every one is to be put in minde that forgivenesse of sinnes doth belong unto him But how diligent and carefull every penitent man ought to be in the endevour of a new life and in slaying the old man and raising up the new man the examples in the Gospel doe teach
us For the Lord saith to him whom he had healed of the palsie Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee Likewise to the adulteresse Iohn 5. Iohn 8. woman which was delivered he said goe thy way and sinne no more By which words he did not meane that any man could be free from sinne whiles he lived in this flesh but he doth commend unto us diligence and an earnest care that we I say should endevour by all meanes and beg of God by prayer that we might not fall againe into sinne out of which we are risen after a manner and that we may not be overcome of the flesh the world or the devill Zacheus the Publican being received into favour by the Lord he cryeth out in the Gospel Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I give Luke 9. to the poore and if I have taken from any man any thing by forged cavillation I restore him foure fold After the same manner we preach that restitution and mercy yea and giving of almes are necessary for them which doe truely repent And generally out of the Apostles words we exhort men saying Let not sinne reigne in Rom. 6. your mertall body that you should obey it through the lusts thereof Neither give ye your members as weapons of unrighteousnesse to sin but give your selves unto God as they that are alive from the dead and give your members as weapons of righteousnesse unto God Wherefore we condemne all the ungodly speeches of certain which abuse the preaching of the Gospel and say To returne unto God is very easie for Christ hath purged all our sinnes For givenesse of sinnes is easily obtained What therefore will it hurt to sinne And we need not take any great care for repentance c. Notwithstanding we alwaies teach that an entrance unto God is open for all sinners and that this God doth forgive all the sinnes of the faithfull onely that one sinne excepted which is committed against Mar. 3. the holy Ghost And therefore we condemne the old and new Novatians and Catharines and especially we condemne the Popes gainfull doctrine of penance and against his Simonie and Simonaical indulgences we use that sentence of Simon Peter Thy Acts 8. money perish with thee because thou thoughtest that the gift of God might be bought with money Thou hast no part or fâ—llowship in this matter for thy heart is not upright before God We also disallow those that thinke that themselves by their owne satisfactions can make recompende for their sinnes committed For we teach that Christ alone by his death and passion is the satisfaction propitiation and purging of all sins Neverthelesse we cease not to urge as was before said the mortification of the flesh and yet we adde further that it must not be proudly thrust upon God for a satisfaction Isa 53. 1 Cor. 1. for our sins but must humbly as it becometh the sonnes of God be performed as a new obedience to shaw thankefull mindes for the deliverance and full satisfaction obtained by the death and satisfaction of the Sonne of God Out of the Confession of BOHEMIA CHAP. 5. NOw that we know what sinne is in the next place we are taught concerning holy repentance which doctrine doth bring great comfort to all sinners and generally it is very profitable and necessary to salvation for all men as well for Christians which begin to learne as for those which have profited yea even for sinners that have fallen yet such which by the grace of God being converted doe repent Of this repentance Iohn Baptist did preach and after him Christ in these words Repent for the kingdome Matth 3. Mar. 1. of God is at hand Afterward also the Apostles preached therof throughout the whole world for so it is written And thus it behoved that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached Luke 24. in his name among all nations Now this repentance doth wholly arise out of a true knowlege of sinne and the wrath of God And to attaine unto this knowledge we must use the full and entire helpe of the Ministerie by preaching to lay open unto us both the doctrine of repentance or the law touching that righteousnesse which is due unto God and the sentence of God pronounced against sin and also of faith in Christ Iesus and of that holy satisfaction which he hath made for us by suffering most grievous torments This repentance and saving conversion doth our mercifull God by his peculiar gift offer and bestow and he writeth the same in the hearts of the faithfull even as he saith I will give you Ezech. 36. Heb. 8. Ezech. 36. Ierem. 31. a new heart and I will put nay spirit in the midst of you I wil cause you to walk in my waies Again That you may repent of your sins and of your Idolatry And again When I was converted I did repent This saving repentance which doth differ very much from the repentance of Esau and Judas taketh it true and right beginning from this gift of God who bestoweth it and from the Sermons of the word of God whereby sin is reprooved and it hath this in order first that it is a feare and terrour of the secret heart before God and that by repenting and sorrowing it doth tremble at this just and severe judgement and revengement whereupon ariseth a heavie trembling and unquiet conscience a troubled minde a heart so sorrowfull carefull and bruised that a man can have no comfort with himselfe and of himselfe but his soule is full of all griefe sadnesse anguish and terrour whereby he is much troubled because of the feare of that burning wrath which he seeth in the severe countenance of God We have an example in David when he saith There is nothing sound in my flesh because Psal 38. of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones because of my sinnes I am become miserable and crooked very sore I goe mourning all the day Such a terrour and true sense of sin doth worke in the faithfull an inward change of the minde and the soule and a constant detesting of sin and the causes and occasions thereof Hereunto it is streight way added by ditigent teaching of the troubled terrified and repentant that such men ought in a sincere affection of the heart with repentance and an humble submission of the minde by their confession and invocation to turne unto the Lord and by faith in Iesus Christ our Lord to conceive sure and undoubted trust in his mercie to hold fast the apprehended promise and to relye wholly thereon and seeing they have no righteousnesse of themselves earnestly and faithfully to desire of the Divine grace that God would have mercie on them and vouchsafe of his grace to forgive them their sins for the Son and his precious merits sake who was made an attonement or reconciliation for sin 1 Joh. 2. Gal. 3.
yea also a curse that he might make or consecrate us as holy unto God For to such men that they may be stirred up to the greater confidence that sure and precious promise is propounded and by preaching ought to be propounded whereby the Lord doth say Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee and this Psal 50. they ought to doe as often as they have need and so long as they live Hereof the judgement of St. 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 all men which doe truly repent them of their sins and in regard thereof are sorrowfull and mislike themselves ought to cease from the committing of evill and learne to doe that which is Isa 1. good for so writeth Esay in that place wherein he exhorteth to repentance And John Baptist in the like sort admonishing the people saith See that you bring forth or doe the fruits worthy of Luk. 3. Coloss 3. Ephes 4. repentance which doth chiefly consist in mortification or putting off the old man and in putting on the new man which after God is created righteousnesse c. as the Apostolike doctrine doth signifie Moreover the penitent are taught * Looke the first observat upon this confession to come to the Physicians of their souls and before them to confesse their sins to God yet no man is commanded or urged to tell and reckon up his sins but this thing is therefore used that by this means every one may declare their griefe wherewith they be troubled and how much they mislike themselves for their sinnes and may peculiarly desire and know that they obtaine of their God counsell and doctrine how they may hereafter avoyd them and get instruction and comfort for their troubled consciences and absolution by the power of the Keies and remission of sins by the ministerie of the Gospel instituted of Christ and when these things are performed to them of the Ministers they ought to receive them at their hands with confidence as a thing appointed of God to profit and to doe service unto them for their saving health and without doubting to enjoy the remission of their sinnes according to the word of the Lord whose sinnes you remit they are remitted And Joh. 20. they relying upon this undoubted 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 forgiven them And therefore they which by this means and order obtaine a quiet and joyfull conscience ought to shew themselves thankfull for this heavenly bountifulnesse in Christ neither must they receive it in vain or returne againe to their sins according to that faithfull exhortation of Christ wherein he commandeth us to take heed Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest Joh. 5. Joh. 8. a worse thing happen unto the. And see that thou sinne no more Now the foundation whereon the whole vertue and efficacie of this saving repentance doth stay it selfe is the merit of the torments of the death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour whereof he himselfe saith These things it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise againe the third day and that repentance and remission Luk. 24. of sins should be preached in his name to all people And againe Repent Mark 1. and beleeve the Gospel Also they teach that they whose sin is publike and therefore a publike offence ought to give an * Looke the second observat upon this confession externall testimonie of their repentance when God doth give them the spirit of repentance and that for this cause that it may be an argument and testimonie whereby it may be prooved or made evident that the sinners which have fallen and doe repent doe truely convert themselves Mark 5. and 18. 1 Tim. 5. also that it may be a token of their reconciliation with the Church and their neighbour and an example unto others which they may feare and reverence Last of all the whole matter is shut up with this or such like clause of admonition That every one shall be condemned whosoever 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 all in like sort perish as they did who were slaine with the fall of the tower of Silo. Hither to also pertain th that part of the same confession which treateth Of the time of grace CHAP. 20. FVrthermore among all other things they teach concerning the time of grace and the fatherly visitation that men may learne to consider that all that time of age they lead in this life is given them of God to be a time of grace in the which they may seeke their Lord and God his grace and mercie and that they may be loved of him and by this means obtaine here their salvation in Christ whereof the Apostle also made mention in his Sermon which he preached at Athens saying God hath assigned unto man the times which were ordained before and the bands of their habitations Act. 17. that they should seeke the Lord if so be they might have groped after him and found him And by the Prophet Esay the Lord saith In an acceptable time have I heard thee and in the day of salvation Isa 49. 2 Cor 6. have I helped thee Behold now saith Saint Paul is the acceptable time now is the day of salvation Therefore at all times the people be admonished that whilest they live on the earth and are in good health and have in their hands and doe presently enjoy the time of grace offered by God they would truely repent and begin the amendment of their life and reconcile themselves to God that they would stirre up their conscience by faith in Christ and quiet it by the ministerie of the Gospel in the Church and herein confirme themselves that God is mercifull unto them and remitteth all their sins for Christ his sake Therefore when they are confirmed in this grace which is offered them to establish and confirme their calling and doe faithfully exercise themselves in good works then at the length they are also in an assured hope to looke for a comfortable end and they must certainly perswade themselves that they shall assuredly be carried by the Angels into heaven and eternall rest as was the soule of that godly Lazarus that they may be there where their Lord and redeemer Iesus Luk. 16. Joan. 12. and 14. and 17. Christ is and that afterward in the day of resurrection this soule shall be joyned againe with the body to take full possession of that joy and eternall glory which cannot be expressed in words For they shall not
for a time and in the other life for ever Amen Out of the Confession of AUSPURGE TOuching Repentance they teach that such as have fallen after Baptisme may finde remission at what time they returne againe And that the Church is bound to give absolution unto such as returne by repentance Now repentance or the conversion of the ungodly standeth properly of these two parts The one is contrition that is a teriour stricken into the conscience through the acknowledgement of sinne wherein we doe both perceive Gods displeasure and are grieved that we have sinned and doe abhorre and eschew sinne according as Ioel preacheth Rent your hearts and not your garments and turne unto the Lord your God c. The other part is faith which is begotten in us by the Gospel or by absolution and doth beleeve that the sinnes are undoubtedly forgiven for Christ sake and doth comfort the conscience freeing it from feares Of which faith spake Saint Paul when he saith Being lustified by faith we have peace with God Afterward there must follow the good fruits of repentance that is obedience unto God according to that saying We are debters not to the flesh to live after the flesh For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die But if by the spirit ye mortifie the works of the flesh ye shall live They condemne the Novatians which would not absolve them which have fallen after Baptisme returned to repentance They condemne also those that teach not that remission of sinnes cometh freely by faith for Christ sake but labour to proove that remission of sinnes cometh by the worthinesse of contrition of charitie or of some other works and would have mens consciences in time of repentance to doubt whether they may obtaine remission and doe say plainly that this doubting is no sinne Likewise they condemne those which teach that Canonicall satisfactions are necessary to redeeme eternall paines or the paines of Purgatory Though * Looke the 3. Observat we are of that minde that the calamities of this life may be asswaged by good works as Esay teacheth Chap. 58. Breake thy bread unto the hungry and the Lord shall give thee rest continually Besides they condemne * Looke the 4. Observat the Anabaptists who deny that they that are once justified can againe lcose the spirit of God Also they condemne those that stiffely hold that some may attaine to such a perfection in this life as that they cannot sinne any more This eleventh Article we finde in some Editions placed in the twelfth place and after the first period we finde these words Now repentance consisteth properly of these two parts one is contrition or terrours stricken into the conscience through the sight of sinne The other is faith which is conceived by the Gospel or by absolution and doth beleeve that for Christ sake the sins be forgiven and comforteth the conscience and freeth it from terrours Then there must follow good works which are fruits of repentance They condemne the Anabaptists who denie that men once justified can loose the spirit of God and doe stiffely hold that some men may attaine to such a perfection in this life that they can sin no more In like case the Novatians are condemned which would not absolve such as had fallen after Baptisme though they returned to repentance They also that teach that remission of sins is obtained for our owne love or good works and such as teach that Canonicall satisfactions are necessary to redeeme everlasting or purgatorie paines are wholly misliked of us Concerning confession of sins they teach that private absolution is to be retained still in Churches though it be a needlesse thing in confession to make a rehearsall of the sins For it is an impossible thing to reckon up all a mans offences according as the Psalmist saith Who doth understand his faults c. This twelfth Article we finde in the place of the eleventh in some Editions and it is word for word the same but that the last words are thus set downe Though a reckoning up of all sinnes be not necessary For it is impossible as the Psalmist saith c. Art 3. Of abuses Of Confession THE Divines and Canonists have cast a great miste of darknesse chiefly upon this point of Christian doctrine touching repentance as not onely their books doe testifie but also the consciences of all the godly which doe confesse that the intricate and endlesse disputations of the Divines and the infinite traditions about the matter of repentance was even a fearefull racking of their consciences For they doe no where teach any certaintie how remission of sins is obtained And as for faith there is no word amongst them Yea they bid men to be alwayes in doubt of remission of sins Afterward they torment mens consciences with a harsh reckoning up of their faults and with satisfactions For what a snare unto a mans conscience was the tradition which requireth them to reckon up all their sins As for satisfactions they did obscure and darken the benefit of Christ because that even the learned among them did imagine that eternall death was recompensed by them But the unlearned were perswaded that forgivenesse of the fault was purchased by such deeds What that their services for the most part were not commanded of God as babling of prayers invocation of Saints Pilgrimages and such like stuffe Thus was the pure doctrine of repentance overwhelmed with an huge heap of unprofitable and evill opinions And it is manifest that the godly in many ages past have greatly wished that this doctrine had been more purely taught Furthermore it is especially needfull that the doctrine of repentance should be taught in the Church most purely and sincerely Therefore our Divines have laboured to cleare this point as much as might be And surely they have so opened and cleared it that the soundest even amongst our adversaries do confesse that in this matter they have well deserved of the Church For we doe simply and plainly without any Sophistry lay forth that which tho Gospel teacheth touching repentance that men may perceive how they must returne unto Christ by what means remission of sins is obtained what worship and what works doe please God First we teach that Contrition is requisite that is the true terrors and sorrows of the minde which feeleth the wrath of God is grieved for sin committed and ceaseth to doe evill And though these sorrows be requisite yet must we know that remission of sins is not granted for the worthinesse of contrition or of these sorrows but we must joyne faith with them that is a trust and confidence of mercie promised for Christs sake and we hold that our sins are freely forgiven for Christs sake When we once are comforted in these terrours by faith we do undoubtedly obtaine remission of sins as we have said before And this faith our mindes doe conceive by the Gospel also by the absolution which preacheth and applyeth the
Gospel unto the distressed consciences And for this cause doe our Divines teach * Looke the 5. Observat that private Absolution is to be retained in the Church and they set out the dignitie of it and the power of the Keyes with true and very large commendations namely because the power of the Keyes doth dispense the Gospel not onely to all in generall but also to every * one in particular as Christ saith Thou hast won thy brother c. and because we must beleeve the voice of the Gospel which is dispensed unto us in absolution by the ministery of the Church no otherwise then a voice sounding from heaven This whole benefit of absolution and of this ministerie hath heretofore been wholly obseured with the false opinions of such as taught that absolution was naught worth without sufficient contrition and did afterwards will men to misdoubt of absolution because no man knew whether his contrition were sufficient or not What else was this but quite to take away from all consciences the comfort of the Gospel and to remoove out of the Church and cleane to abolish the ministery of the Gospel or the power of the Keyes Who doth not see that these pernitious errors are worthily reprooved Now seeing that confession yeeldeth a place where to bestow absolution in private and this custome doth uphold the understanding of the power of the Keyes and remission of sins among the people besides seeing that this conference availeth much for admonishing and instructing of men therefore we doe duely retaine Confession in our Churches yet so as that we teach that reckoning up of the faults is not necessary by Gods Law and that mens consciences are not to be clogged with it For there is no commandement in all the Apostles Writings sounding that way Again this rehearsing of all ones sins is a thing impossible according to that in the Psalme Who can understand his faults And Jeremie saith The heart of man is corrupt and unsearchable But if no sins could be forgiven but such as are reckoned up mens consciences could never be at rest because they neither see nor can call to minde the greatest number of them Whereby it may easily be gathered that the ministerie of absolution and remission of sins doth not depend upon the condition of numbring them up all The ancient Writers also doe testifie that this counting of sins by tale is a thing needlesse Chrysostome on the Epistle to the Hebrews saith Let us reckon of it that we have sins and let not the tongue alone utter it but the conscience within us also And let us not barely say we are sinners but let us reckon up our sins particularly I doe not bid thee to bewray thy selfe openly nor to accuse thy selfe to other but to follow the saying of the Prophet Lay open thy wayes before the Lord confesse thy sins before God utter thy sins with prayer before the true Iudge not remembring them with the tongue but with the conscience and then indeed maist thou hope to finde mercie That Sermon of Chrysostomes teacheth not onely what is to be thought of reckoning up of sinnes but doth also very wisely joyne contrition and faith together as they are joyned by us First he will have us acknowledge our sins unfainedly and abhorre them from our hearts In the next place he teacheth to adde thereunto prayer and faith which may assure us that we are forgiven Else where he saith Acknowledge thy sins that thou maist do them away If thou art ashamed to shew thy sins to any man then utter them every day in thy heart I say not goe confesse thy sins to thy fellow servant that may upbraid thee with them but confesse them unto God that is able to cure them The Glosse upon the Decrees touching Penance the 5. distinct granteth that Confession was ordained of the Church and is not commanded in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament of the same judgement are many of the Doctors Wherefore our judgement touching the Doctrine of Confession is neither new nor without reason Lastly there is most need of all that the godly should be admonished touching satisfactions For there was more hurt and danger in them then in numbring up of sins in as much as they darkened the benefit of Christ because that the unlearned thought they did obtaine remission of the guilt of sinne for their owne works sake and besides mens consciences were much distressed if ought were omitted that was injoyned for satisfaction Again ceremonies and pilgrimages and such like fruitlesse works were thought meet for satisfaction rather then things commanded of God And forsooth their teachers themselves dreamed that eternall death was fully redeemed by them Therefore we thought it needfull that godly mindes should be set free from such errors and we teach that their Canonicall satisfactions which they call works not due c. are neither availeable for the remission either of the fault or everlasting punishment nor yet necessary It was a custome long since in the Church that in publike penance such as had fallen and did returne to the Church againe should not be received without some punishment laid upon them for examples sake from which custome these satisfactions did spring But the futhers minde was by such examples to fray the people from sins they did not account that Ceremonie to be a just recompence for the fault or for eternall death or for purgatory pains These things were after wards coyned by ignorant and unlearned men But those ancient customes * Looke the 6. Observat were in time worne out of use and laid aside As for us we doe not but then mens conciences with satisfactions but this we teach that the fruits of repentance are necessarie and that obedience the feare of God faith love chastitie and the whole renuing of the spirit ought to increase in us We give men warning * Looke the 7. Observation of this also that sins are eft-soones punished even by temporall punishments in this life as David Manasses and many others were punished and we teach that these punishments may be mitigated by good works and the whole practice of repentance as Paul declareth If we would â—udge our selves we should not be iudged of the Lord. And repentance deserved that is obtained that God should alter his purpose touching the destruction of Ninive Thus whereas before the disputations were intricate and endlesse and full of grosse opinions now that doctrine being purged is delivered to the people so as it may be understood and avails much unto godlinesse We doe still hold and set forth the true parts of Repentance Contrition Faith Absolution Remission of sinnes Amendment of the whole life Mitigation of present punishments and we are in good hope that the godly will not onely not reprehend any thing in this place but also will give them thanks which have purged this point of Christian doctrine which is requisite and profitable in all
Churches to be expounded most plainly and set out most clearely Christ faith that the Angels in heaven doe reioyce whensoever they see a sinner repem And therefore the Churches and the Angels themselves doe rejoyce at the pure doctrine of repentance thus set down Out of the Confession of SAXONIE Hitherto pertaine the first two last clauses of the third Article Of the remission of sinnes c. Which are thus set downe IT is most certaine that the preaching of Repentance doth pertaine to all men and accuse all men So also the promise is generall and offereth remission of sins to all according to those generall speeches Matth. 11. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavie loaden and I will refresh you Also Ioh. 3. That every one which beleeveth in him should not perish Rom. 10. Every one that beleeveth in him shall not be confounded Againe He that is Lord over all is rich unto all that call on him Rom. 11. The Lord hath shut up all under disobedience that he might have mercie on all Let every one comprise himselfe in this generall promise and not give himselfe to distrust but let them strive that they may assent to the word of God and obey the holy Ghost and desire that they may be helped as it is said Luk. 11. How much more will he give the holy Ghost to them that aske it Of Repentance Artic. 16. BY the mercie of God this part of Doctrine specially is declared in our Churches with great perspicuitie whereas the Sententiaries have wrapped it in most intricate Labyrinthes First we doe openly condemne the catharans and the Novatians who feigned that neither the elect could fall into sins against their conscience neither that they who had fallen after their amendment were to be received againe and our confutations of these furies are extant Neither doe we goe about to make brawlings about the word Repentance if any man like it better let him use the word Conversion which word the Prophets also have often used Moreover we doe willingly retaine the word Contrition and we say that the first part of Repentance or Conversion is Contrition which is truely to tremble through the knowledge of the wrath of God against sins and to be sorry that we have offended God and we say that there must needs be some such great feare and griefs in those that are converted and that they doe not repent which remaine secure and without griefe as it is said 2 Cor. 7. Ye sorrowed to repentance And Ezech. 20. And ye shall mislike your selves in your own sight and acknowledge your selves to be worthy of punishment and destruction And these true griefes are a feeling of the wrath of God as is declared more at large in another place But here we reproove our adversaries who feigne that Contrition doth deserve Remission of sinnes and that Contrition must be sufficient In either errour there be great mysts For remission is given freely for the Mediatours sake and what contrition can be sufficient Yea rather the more the sorrow increaseth without assurance of mercie so much the more mens hearts doe flie from God and no creature is able to sustaine the greatnesse of this sorrow whereof Esay speaketh Chap. 38. He brake all my bones like a Lion But those idle dreames of the Writers doe declare that they lead a carelesse life and that they are unskilfull in the Gospel Now these true sorrows doe arise when the sinne of the contempt of the Son of God as is declared in the Gospel is reprooved The spirit shall reproove the world of sin because they beleeve not in me Ioh. 16. And by the voice of the Morall law other sins are reprooved as Paul saith Rom. 3. By the law came the knowledge of sin As touching private confession to be made unto the Pastours we affirme that the ceremonie of * Looke the first observat upon this confession private absolution is to be retained in the Church and we doe constantly retaine it for many weightie causes yet withall we doe teach that men must neither command nor require the recitall of offences in that private talke because that recitall of offences is neither commanded of God nor a thing possible and it maketh godly mindes to doubt and it maketh faith faint And this we doe much more reprehend that in the doctrine of Repentance or Conversion our adversaries doe no where make mention of justifying faith whereof we have spoken before by which alone Remission of sins is truely received the heart is lifted up even when it hath a feeling of the wrath of God and we are freed from the sorrows of hell as it is written Rom. 5. Being iustified by faith we have peace Without this faith sorrows are no better then the repentance of Saul Judas Orestes and such like as are mentioned in Tragedies Neither doe our adversaries teach the Gospel but the Law and humane traditions either omitting this faith else fighting against it But seeing that in a true Conversion there must be these changes a mortification and a quickning as it is said Rom. 6. and in divers other places for doctrines sake we doe divide conversion or repentance into three parts into contrition faith and new obedience these things doth true conversion comprehend as the voice of God and the true experience of the Church doe declare Yet doe we not make contention either about the manner of speaking or about the number of the parts but we wish that all men may see those things which are necessary And it is most necessary for the Church that there should be a true plaine and most cleare doctrine touching the whole conversion which also is very often repeated in those Sermons which are set down in the Scriptures and that with great perspicuitie and without any intricate labyrinthes as the Baptist and Christ say Matth. 3. Repent and beleeve the Gospel Againe Repent Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world And Paul saith Rom. 3. All men are deprived of the glory of God Here he speaketh of contrition afterward of remission But we are iustified freely by his grace through redemption that is in Christ Iesus by faith Therefore it is necessary that in the doctrine of conversion or repentance there should mention be made of faith Neither is it sufficient that our adversaries say that they also doe speake of faith and that faith doth goe before repentance For they speake of the doctrine of knowledge I beleeve the forgivenesse of sinnes to wit that they be forgiven to others even as the devils doe know the Creed but the Gospel doth require this true faith which is an assurance of the mercie of God promised for the Sonne of God his sake and resting in the Sonne of God which faith I beleeve that remission of sins is given unto me also and that freely not for any Contrition not for any my merits but for the Sonne of God who
he must needs be condemned If God should as it were deale by the rule propounded in the law whom should he deliver for he sindeth all men to be sinners So saith Paul All have sinned and stand in need of the glory of God What is this to stand in neede of Gods glory That he should deliver thee and not thou thy selfe For thou canst not deliver thy selfe Thou hast neede of a Saviour Why dost thou vaunt thy selfe what maketh thee to presume of the law and of righteousnesse Seest thou not that which doth sight within thee dost thou not beare one that striveth and confesseth his weakenesse and desireth aide in the battell O miserable man that I am c. Now it may easily be perceived how needfull this doctrine is for the Church that men may know that they doe not satisfie the law of God and yet may have true comfort knowing how their imperfect obedience doth please God This doctrine hath beene horribly darkned and suppressed heretofore by certaine fond perswasions wherein unlearned men have imagined against the authoritie of the Scripture that they can fulfill the law of God and that they are just through the fulfilling of the law c. And that Monks are perfect and doe performe more notable and worthy workes then the law doth require In the meane while there is not a word how the Mediatour Christ is to be apprehended by faith but they willed man to doubt or else to trust in his owne workes But as touching this obedience we doe teach * Looke the third observat upon this confession that they which commit mortall sinnes are not just because God requireth this obedience that we should resist sinfull lusts They then which strive not against them but obey them contrary to the commandement of God and do things against their consciences they are unrighteous and doe neither retaine the holy spirit nor faith that is confidence and trust of Gods mercy For confidence which seeketh remission of sinnes cannot so much as be in such as are delighted with their sinnes and remaine without repentance Fifthly this point is needfull also to be taught by what means men may doe good workes We shewed a little before how our workes doe please God In this place we adde how they may be done * Looke the 8. Observation Albeit that men by their owne strength be able to doe out ward honest deedes in some sort and must also performe this civill obedience yet so long as men are voide of Faith they are in the power of the devill who driveth them to shamefull sinnes occupieth their mindes with wicked and blasphemous opinions for that is the kingdome and tyrannie of the Devill * Looke the 9. Observat Moreover nature by it selfe is weake and cannot without Gods helpe strengthen it self to the performance of any spirituall works And for that cause are men taught that in the Gospel the holy Spirit is promised who shall aide and governe the mindes of them who doe repent and beleeve the Gospel Wherefore in so great infirmitie of nature in the middest of these assaults of Satan and in all dangers faith must be exercised in calling upon God even throughout our whole life that we may continue alwaies in the faith and in our obedience towards God Therefore Zacharie saith I will poure forth the spirit of grace and of prayer upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem He calleth him the spirit of grace because the holy spirit doth confirme and comfort troubled mindes and beareth record that God is pleased with us He calleth him the spirit of prayer to the end wee should daily exercise our faith in prayer that by these exercises our faith might be confirmed and a new life grow up and increase in us There is no doubt but true vertues are the gifts of God such as are faith cleerenesse of judgement in discerning of points of religion courage of minde such as is requisite in them which teach and professe the Gospel true care and paines in governing of Churches true humilitie not to hunt after preferment not to be puft up with popular praise nor cast downe with their disliking and ill will true charitie c. These Princely vertues Paul calleth Gods gifts Romans 12 Having divers gifts according to the grace that is given us And of these he saith to the Corinthians These things worketh one and the same spirit distributing to every one according c. Vnto these gifts we must joyne our exercise which may both preserve the same and deserve an increase of them according to the saying To him that hath shall be given And it is notably said of Augustine Love deserveth an increase of love to wit when it is put in use For good workes have rewards as in this life so also after this life in the everlasting life Now because that the Church in this life is subject to the crosse and to the death of the body therefore many rewards are deferred untill the life to come which though it be undoubtedly bestowed through mercy for Christs sake on those which are justified by the faith of Christ yet there is also a rewarding of good workes according to that saying Your reward is great it heaven By this it is evident that the doctrine of good workes is through the goodnesse of God purely and truely taught in our Churches How full of obscuritie and confusion the doctrine of good workes was in former times all godly mindes know full well There was none that put men in minde of the difference of mans traditions and the law of God none that taught how good workes did please God in this so great infirmitie of ours To be briefe there was not one word of faith which is most needfull unto remission of sinnes But now that these maters be opened and unfolded godly consciences lay hold of comfort and of certaine hope of salvation and doe understand which is the true worship and service of God and know how it pleaseth God and how it doth merit at his hands This article is thus set downe in another Edition OVr Divines are falsly accused to forbid good workes For their writings extant upon the tenne Commandements and others of the like argument doe beare witnesse that they have to good purpose taught concerning every kinde of life and duties what trades of life and what workes in every Calling doe please God Of which things Preachers in former times taught little or nothing onely they did urge certain childish and needlesse works As keeping of holy dayes set fasts fraternities pilgrimages worshipping of Saints Friaries Monkeries and such trash whereof our adversaries having had warning they doe now forget them and doe not preach so concerning these unprofitable workes as they were went to doe Besides they beginne now to make mention of Faith which they were wont to passe over with silence But yet they cease not to obscure and darken this
have done but according to his mercy he hath saved us And it is a reproch unto the Sonne of God to imagine that any our workes are merits or the price of remission of sinnes and that they are propitiations for sinnes Therefore we doe openly condemne those Pharisaicall and Pelagian doting dreames which feigne that that discipline is a fulfilling of the law of God also that it doth deserve remission either of congruity or of condignity or that it is a righteousnesse whereby men are made acceptable to God And after a few pages in the same Article Seeing that the minde is raised up by this faith it is certain that remission of sinnes reconciliation and imputing of righteousnesse is given for the merit of Christ alone and that Christ is effectuall in us and doth by his holy spirit quicken the beleveers and deliver us from eternall death and withall make us heires of eternall life So saith Paul Rom. 3. We conclude that man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law Also we are iustified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood And Acts 10. To him give all the Prophets witnesse that all that beleeve in him shall receive remission of sinnes Now the words are knowne and manifest Faith doth signifie not onely the knowledge of the historie for that is also in the Devils of whom it is said The devils doe beleeve and tremble but it doth signifie to embrace all the Articles of Faith and among those this article I do beleeve the remission of sinnes neither doe I beleeve that it is onely given to others but to me also This faith is also a confidence resting in the Mediatour according to that Being iustified by faith we have peace So that Paul speaketh of faith which consenting to all the articles of the Creed doth behold and imbrace the promise for it joyneth together faith and the promise Rom. 4. Therefore is it by faith that the promise might be sure In expounding the word Iustified it is usually said To be Iustified doth signifie of unrighteous to be made righteous which being rightly understood doth agree also to our purpose Of unrighteous to be made righteous that is acquitted from the guilt for the Sonne of God his sake that is laying hold by faith upon Christ himselfe who is our righteousnesse as Jeremie and Paul doe say because that by his merit we have remission and God doth impute his righteousnesse to us and for him doth account us just and by giving his holy Spirit doth quicken and regenerate us as it is said Iohn 5. This is life in his Sonne He that hath the Sonne hath eternall life he that hath not the Sonne of God hath not life And Rom. 3. That he may be iust and a iustifier And although newnesse is withall begun which shall be perfect in the life eternall whereunto we are redeemed yet neither for the new qualities nor for any works is any man in this life made just that is acceptable to God and heire of eternall life but onely for the Mediatours sake who suffered rose againe reigneth and prayeth for us shadowing and quickning us For although vertues are here begun yet be they still imperfect and the reliques of sinne do stick in us Therefore we must hold this comfort that the person is accepted for the Sonne of God his sake his righteousnesse being imputed to us as it is said Rom. 4. Abraham beleeved God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Also Blessed are they whose iniquities be forgiven and whose sins be covered Therefore this saying must be understood correlatively We are iustified by faith that is we are justified by confidence in the Son of God not for our qualitie but because he is the reconciler in whom the heart doth rest in confidence of the promised mercy for his sake Which confidence he doth raise up in us by his holy Spirit as Paul saith Ye have received the spirit of the adoption of the sons by whom we cry Abba father Here also we must speake of the exclusive member Paul doth often repeat the word Freely by which it is most certaine that the condition of our merits is excluded Therefore it is said in our Churches We are iustified by Faith aboue which we so understand and declare Freely for the onely mediatours sake not for our contrition or other our merits we have our sinnes forgiven us and are reconciled to God For although contrition and many other vertues are together with Faith or with this confidence kindled in us yet these vertues are not the cause or the merit of the Remission of sinnes neither doth the person please God in regard of them according to that saying No man living shall be iustified in thy sight but the person hath remission and doth certainly please God by reason of the Mediatour who must be apprehended by faith as it is said Eph. 3. By whom we have boldnesse and entrance with confidence by faith in him This whole doctrine is more manifest in the true conversion and daily invocation of the godly When we are in great feare by the knowledge of the wrath of God this one comfort is firme and sure to flie to the Son of God who faith Come unto me all ye that labour and are laden and I will refresh you Also As I live I will not the death of a sinner but that he returne and live Also Grace aboundeth more then sinne In these griefes if man be taught to doubt of the remission of sinnes sorrow will have the upper hand and then follow most grievous murmurings against God and desperation and eternall death but if man be caught that doubting is to be overcome by faith then shall he understand that by the word Faith is not onely signified the knowledge of the story he shall know that confidence doth relie upon the only Mediator and he shall perceive what is meant by these words Freely for the Mediatours sake remission is received by faith alone and so the person is made acceptable This wrastling hath at all times instructed some For though Origen and many other writers and sententiaries have brought forth an impure kind of doctrine yet in Augustine certain others we reade divers sentences which shew that they also received comfort out of these true fountains Who although they do sometime speak unproperly or things unlike because they were somewhat negligent in speaking yet we may easily gather what was their perpetuall judgement if we will judge aright Augustine upon the Psal 31. saith Who be happie not they in whom God shall not finde sins for those he findeth in all men For all men have sinned and are destitute of the glory of God Therefore if sinnes be found in all men it is evident that none are happie but those whose sins be forgiven This therefore the Apostle did thus commend Abraham
beleeved God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Here certainly Augustine by faith doth understand confidence which receiveth remission of sins and that which is said in Genesis and in Paul he doth altogether understand it as we expound it And in his booke De spiritu litera he saith By the law we feare God and by faith we flie to his mercie Bernard in his Sermon De Annunciatione saith First of all it is necessarie to beleeve that thou canst not have remission of sins but by the mercie of God But adde thereunto that thou maist also beleeve this that through him thy sins be forgiven thee This is the witnesse which the holy Ghost doth give in our heart saying Thy sins be forgiven thee For so doth the Apostle thinke that a man is iustified freely by faith In this sentence the judgement of our Churches is plainly and properly alleadged and like testimonies are to be found in this author Basil also in his Sermon of Humilitie doth most properly set forth our judgement in these words He that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord saying that Christ is made unto us of God wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption as it is written He that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord. For this is perfect and sound reioycing in God when as a man is not puffed up by reason of his own righteousnesse but doth acknowledge that he doth stand in need of the true righteousnesse and that he is iustified by faith alone in Christ Seeing therefore that by this which hath been spoken it is manifest what the word Faith doth signifie in this proposition We are iustified by Faith hereupon we may understand that the Monks and others doe dangerously erre which doe command those that are turned to God to doubt whether they doe please God This common errour of doubting is evidently refuted by these words Being iustified by Faith we have peace with God Also Therefore is righteousnesse of faith that the promise might be sure For so long as mens hearts are tormented with doubting they flie from God they doe not rest in God nor call upon him and the promise becometh unto them but a vaine sound because they give not consent unto it To conclude it is the eternall and immutable commandement of God that we should beleeve in the Son of God according to this saying The spirit shall convince the world of sinne because they beleeve not in me Also 1 Joh. 5. He that beleeveth not God maketh him a lyer Now it is a foolish cavill when they say that we must doubt in respect of our unworthinesse and not in respect of mercie For the promise was therefore given therefore the Son of God was appointed our Mediatour because we are unworthy and that for his sake having suffered being raised up againe and now making intercession for us and dwelling in us and cloathing us with his righteousnesse the Father might undoubtedly be mercifull to this miserable lumpe of ours being unworthy and full of filthinesse according to that saying There is now no condemation to them which walke in Christ Jesus Also it is absurd which they say that we must doubt by reason of our unworthinesse For we are not to doubt whether our unworthinesse doe displease God but with true sighes let us confesse that we are unworthy let us lay to the promise whereunto God hath commanded us to assent Neither is that saying Eccles 9. fitly applyed to this doubting Man knoweth not whether he be worthy of love or of hatred It is madnesse to imagine that Salomon should have any such meaning that neither the just nor the unjust ought to determine with themselves whether they please or displease God seeing it is most certaine that they which persevere in wicked deeds againe their conscience doe displease God But Salomon doth withdraw us from externall shews to the word of God as though he should say Doe not determine with thy selfe that by reason of thy prosperitie thou art in favour with God or by reason of thy adversitie thou art out of favour with him Alexander doth not therefore please God because he is a Conquerour and enjoyeth a large Empire Let not Iob in his calamitie nor David in his exile thinke that they be forsaken of God because they be miserable let them not judge according to these events or outward shews but by the word of God and then even in the middest of our miserie we shall receive this comfort As I live I will not the death of a sinner c. God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that every one that beleeveth in him should not perish c. To conclude This errour of doubting is altogether heathenish and doth abolish the Gospel and in true conversion taketh away comfort from them that feele the wrath of God Men are rather to be taught that this is undoubtedly the voice of the Gospel that we should beleeve the Sonne of God and be assured that grace doth abound much more then sinne and therefore let us withstand doubting by wrestling get the upper hand and by faith overcome it that we may have accesse to God invocate him and give him thanks These chiefe points of worship are fearefully hindred when mens mindes are shaken with the waves of doubting as experience teacheth Hereof it is evident why it is necessary that the Decree of the Tridentine Councell which confirmeth the errour of doubting should be reprooved Also by all that which hath been said it may be understood that we doe justly finde fault with that Synecdoche whereby some interpret Pauls words after this sort We are iustified by Faith that is by a formed love as they speake For they understand the word faith onely of knowledge and thinke that this is the meaning We are iustified by Faith that is we are prepared to righteousnesse that is to other vertues to wit obedience and fulfilling of the Law So this is it onely which they say Man is righteous for his own vertues then they will him to doubt whether he be furnished with those habits whereof they speake Now we have declared before that by Faith is signified a confidence resting in the Sonne of God the Reconciler for whom we are received and doe please God not for our vertues or fulfilling the Law And seeing that in this same comfort the confidence whereby we doe rest in the Sonne of God is indeed a motion kindled by the holy Ghost whereby the heart is quickened and freed from eternall death this conversion is called regeneration Ioh. 3. Except a man be borne againe of water and of the spirit And now man is made indeed the dwelling place of God who is effectuall in him as it is said Ioh. 14. If any man love me he will keepe my word and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and will dwell with him The eternall Father and the Son by the
these little ones to drinke a cup of cold water onely in the name of a disciple he shall not loose his reward Luk. 6. Give and it shall be given to you Exod 20. Honour thy father and thy mother that thou maiest live long upon earth Isa 33. Bread shall be given him and his waters shall be sure they shall see the King in his glorie that is for obedience and good works God doth give quiet Common-weales an honest and meeke government c. Isa 58. Breake thy bread to the hungry and thou shalt be as a garden that is watered c. The example of the widow at Sarepta is well knowne and the Psalmist saith Substance and riches are in his house For seeing that God in this mortall and miserable life doth gather his Church and will have it to be an honest congregation he giveth thereunto many places of entertainment he giveth nests to godly poore families for the bringing up of their children and for the spreading abroad of doctrine to conclude he will preserve the societie of mankinde housholds and common weales and that to this end that a Church may be gathered Therefore he giveth sometime a government not troublesome peace a fruitfull land and other good things for the prayers of holy men for their diligence and for common necessities sake as for Joseph Naaman and Daniel those kingdomes wherein they lived flourished the more And Jerem. 19. The Banished in Babylon are commanded to pray for the peace and wholsome government of that place where they were intertained So also oftentimes punishments are heaped up for the sins of the Church as is to be seene in the punishment of the tribe of Beniamin David and others Now God will have us to understand that these benefits are necessary for the body and to know that they be given of God in asking of them he will have our faith to be exercised as we shall declare more at large in a fit place At this time we have therefore added these few things that in this confession there might be also a Testimonie in our Churches that this true and necessarie doctrine touching good works is faithfully laid open Out of the Confession of WIRTEMBERGE Of Iustification CHAP. 5. VVE beleeve and confesse that to doe and practice such righteousnesse as is acceptable to God these vertues be necessary Faith hope and love and that man cannot of himselfe conceive these vertues but doth receive them of the favour and grace of God and that faith doth worke by love But we thinke that their judgement doth farre disagree from the Apostolike and Catholike doctrine who teach that man is made acceptable to God and accounted just before God for those vertues and that when we come to stand before God in judgement we must trust to the merits of these vertues For man is made acceptable to God and counted just before him for the onely Son of God our Lord Iesus Christ through faith and when we appeare before the judgement seat of God we must not trust to the merit of any of those vertues which we have but onely to the merit of our Lord Iesus Christ whose merit is ours by faith And because that before the tribunall seat of God where the question is of true and eternall righteousnesse and salvation there is no place at all for the merits of men but onely for the mercie of God and the merits of our Lord Iesus Christ alone who is received of us by faith therefore we thinke that the ancient Fathers our Elders said truly that we are justified before God by faith alone Rom. 3. All have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood Galat. 3. The Scripture hath concluded all under sinne that the promise by the Faith of Iesus Christ should be given to them that beleeve And Chap. 5. We through the spirit waite for the hope of righteousnesse through faith For in Christ Iesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love Hilarie saith It offendeth the Scribes that man should forgive sinne for they behold nothing but man in Iesus Christ and that he should forgive that which the law could not release For faith alone doth iustifie Ambrose saith They are iustified freely because that working nothing nor requiting any thing by faith alone they are iustified by the gift of God And againe They are evidently blessed whose iniquities are forgiven without any labour or worke and whose sins are covered no helpe of repentance being required of them but onely this that they beleeve Many places might be alleadged as well out of the writings of the Prophets and Apostles as out of the holy Fathers whereby it is prooved that not onely in the beginning through the free mercie of God these vertues to wit Faith hope and love are given unto us but also afterward throughout our whole life and that in our extreame necessitie we are not able to stand before the severe tribunall seat of God but in the confidence of the onely free favour of God shewed unto us in Christ the Son of God For this is that both which Paul teacheth and the Ecclesiasticall writers doe interpret That we are justified before God by faith alone Of good works CHAP. 7. VVE say that good works commanded of God are necessarily to be done and that through the free mercie of God * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession they doe deserve certaine their own either corporall or spirituall rewards But we must not thinke that in the judgement of God where the question is concerning the purging of our sins the appeasing of the wrath of God and the merit of eternall salvation we should trust to those good works which we doe For all the good works which we doe are unperfect neither can they sustaine the severitie of the judgement of God but all our confidence is to be placed in the onely mercie of God for his Son our Lord Iesus Christ his sake Psal 142. Enter not into iudgement with thy servant for no flesh living shall be iustified in thy sight Gal. 5. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that ye cannot doe those things that ye would Rom. 7. I know that in me that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good Dan. 9. We doe not present our supplications before thee for our own righteousnesse but for thy great tender mercies Augustine saith Woe to the life of man be it never so commendable August confess lib. 9. cap. 13. In Monuali cap. 22. if thou examine it setting thy mercie aside And againe All my hope is in the death of my Lord. His death is my merit my refuge salvation life and my resurrection The mercie of the
and doth not teach that faith which beleeveth that grace is freely given us for Christs sake is necessarie in the use of the Sacraments but imagineth that men are just for the very use of the Sacraments even by the worke done and that without any good affection of him that useth it This Article we finde thus in another Edition COncerning the use of the Sacraments they teach that they were ordained not so much to be markes and badges of profession amongst men as that they should be signes or testimonies of the will of God towards us set forth unto us to stirre up and confirme faith in such as use them Whereupon they condemne those that teach that the Sacraments do justifie by the worke done and doe not teach that faith to beleeve remission of sinnes is requisite in the use of Sacraments Out of the Confession of SAXONIE Of the Sacraments THe Church also is discerned from other Gentiles by certaine Artic. 12. rites and ceremonies instituted of God and usually called Sacraments as are Baptisme and the Lords Supper which notwithstanding are not onely signes of a profession but much more as the ancient Fathers said signes of grace that is they be ceremonies added to the promise of the Gospel touching grace that is touching the free remission of sinnes and touching reconciliation and the whole benefit of our redemption the which are so instituted that every man may use them because they be pledges and testimonies which declare that the benefits promised in the Gospel doe appertaine to every one For the voice of the Gospel is generall this use doth beare witnesse that this voyce doth appertaine to every one which useth the Sacraments Out of the Confession of WIRTEMBERGE Of the Sacraments THe word Sacrament as also the word Mysterie which interpreters Artic. 9. doe expound Sacrament is very large But because some have thought it good to restraine it to the number of seven Sacraments we will briefly runne over every one that we may shew what we finde wanting in the doctrine that some have broached and what may seeme to be repugnant to the meaning of that Church which is indeed Catholique or Orthodoxe Out of the Confession of SUEVELAND Of the Sacraments SEeing that the Church of Christ doth live here in the flesh Artic. 16. howbeit not according to the flesh it pleased the Lord also to teach admonish and exhort it by the outward word And that this might be done the more commodiously he would also have his to make much of an externall societie among themselves For which cause he gave unto them holy signes among which these are the chiefest Baptisme and the Lords Supper the which we doe not onely thinke therefore to have had the name of Sacraments among the Fathers because they are visible signes of invisible grace as Saint Augustine doth define them but also for that purpose because that by them we doe consecrate our selves unto Christ and doe binde our selves as it were by the oath or Sacrament of faith THE THIRTEENTH SECTION OF THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY BAPTISME The latter Confession of HELVETIA Of holy Baptisme CHAP. 20. BAptisme was instituted and consecrated by God and the first that baptized was John who dipped Christ in the water in Jorden From him it came to the Apostles who also did baptize with water The Lord in plaine words commanded them To Matth. 28. preach the Gospel and to baptize in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost And Peter also when divers demanded of him what they ought to doe said to them in the Acts Act. 8. Let every one of you be baptized in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and you shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost Whereupon Baptisme is called of some a signe of initiation of Gods people as that whereby the elected of God are consecrated unto God There is but one Baptisme in the Church of God for it is sufficient to be once baptized or consecrated unto God For baptisme once received doth continue all a mans life and is a perpetuall fealing of our adoption unto us For to be baptized in the name of Christ is to be enrolled entered and received into the covenant and family and so into the inheritance of the sonnes of God yea and in this life to be called after the name of God that is to say to be called the sonne of God to be purged also from the flchinesse of sinnes and to be indued with the manifold grace of God for to leade 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 all borne in the pollution of sinne and are the sonnes of wrath But God who is rich in mercy doth freely purge us from our sinnes by the bloud of his Sonne and in him doth adopt us to be his sonnes and by an holy covenant doth joyne us to himselfe and doth inrich us with divers gifts that we might live a new life All these things are sealed up unto us in Baptisme For inwardly we are regenerated purified and renewed of God through the holy Spirit and outwardly we receive the sealing of most notable gifts by the water by which also those great benefits are represented and as it were set before our eyes to be looked upon And therefore are we baptized that is washed and sprinckled with visible water For the water maketh cleane that which is filthy refresheth things that faile and faint and cooleth the bodies And the grace of God dealeth in like manner with the soule and that invisibly and spiritually Moreover by the Sacrament of Baptisme God doth separate us from all other Religions of people and doth consecrate us a peculiar people to himselfe We therefore by being baptized doe confesse our faith and are bound to give unto God obedience mortification of the flesh and newnesse of life yea and we are billed souldiers for the holy warfare of Christ that all our life long wee should fight against the world Satan and our owne flesh Moreover we are baptized into one body of the Church that we might well agree with all the members of the Church in the same religion and mutuall duties We beleeve that * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession that of all other is the most perfect manner of baptisme where in Christ was baptised and which the rest of the Apostles did use in baptisme Those things therefore which by mans device were added afterwards and used in the Church * 2. Observation we thinke them nothing necessary to the perfection of Baptisme Of which kind is exorcisme and the use of lights oyle salt spattle and such other things as namely that baptisme is twise every yeer consecrated with divers ceremonies For we beleeve that the baptisme of the Church which is but one was sanctified in Gods first institution of it
but a vaine shadow Out of the Confession of WIRTEMBERGE Of Baptisme CHAP. 10. VVE acknowledge that Baptisme is to be ministred as well to infants as to those that are growne to full age and that it is to be used in the Church even to the end of this world in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost according to Christ his institution Also we beleeve and confesse that Baptisme is that Sea into the bottome whereof as the Prophet saith God doth cast all our sins and forgive them for Christ his Sons sake through faith But whereas some affirme that sinne remaining in man after Baptisme is not indeed sinne of it owne nature we thinke it to be a more pernitious errour then the common sort of men doth judge it to be For although we doe not doubt but that sinne which remaineth after baptisme is forgiven to the faithfull for Christ and by the free mercie of God is not imputed any longer before the tribunall seat of God yet if a man weigh and consider the nature thereof it is in deed in it selfe sinne by reason whereof as Augustine said before No man living is justified in the sight 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 captive unto the law of sinne which is in my members Here Paul speaketh of sin which remaineth after baptisme and 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 undoubtedly it is necessary that it be very sinne indeed For this is the nature of sinne that it strive against the holy Ghost And Galat. 5. it is said The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot doe the same things that ye would Here againe Paul speaketh of sinne remaining after Baptisme and doth manifestly attribute it to the nature of sinne to wit to lust against the spirit to be contrary to the Spirit and to hinder that righteousnesse may not be perfect in man Therefore sinne remaining after baptisme of it nature is indeed sinne although it be not imputed to him that beleeveth but is forgiven for Christ And therefore Augustine in his Book De Nupt. Concap ad Valer. Lib. 1. Cap. 25. saith It is answered that the concupiscence of the flesh is forgiven in Baptisme not that there should be no concupiscence but that it should not be imputed to sinne For although the guilt be already discharged yet the sinne remaineth till all our infirmities be healed c. And againe De Baptis parnulorum 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 hurt Moreover we teach that he that is baptized in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost is sprinckled with a spirituall anointing that is is made a member of Christ through faith and endued with the holy Ghost that the eares of his minde may be opened and the eies of his heart lightened to receive and understand heavenly things And it is evident that the use of the outward anointing was lawfull in that government which Moses instituted and that outward anointing was used also in the Church after that the Gospel was published But it is also evident that in the law of Moses there was a time for shadowes but now Christ being revealed It is the time of truth and the use of externall anointing pertaineth to the rudiments of the world Concerning the abrogating of these rudiments Paul saith Col. 2. If ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though ye lived in the world are ye burdened with traditions And Dyonisius whom they call Areopagita Iâ— Caelest Hicraâ— De Baptis and whom they thinke to have written out the ceremonies which the Apostles delivered to the Church doth insinuate that an outward anointing was used in the Church but withall hee doth insinuate and that not obscurely that this ceremonie was taken partly from the heathenish anointings which wrestlers did use and partly out of the law of Moses But by what authoritie or with what profit we may take examples of the Heathen how to worship God and to administer his Sacraments that saying of Moses Deut. 12. doth witnesse Take heed that thou doe not imitate the heathen and enquire after their ceremonies saying As these nations worshipped their Gods so will I doe likewise Ye shall not so doe unto the Lord 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 part is the use of externall anointing doe pertaine to the rudiments of this world to whose decrees Paul said before that we are not tied and whereof he saith in another place Seeing that ye know God yea rather are knowne of God how turne ye againe unto impotent and beggerly rudiments whereunto as from the beginning ye will be in bondage againe Furthermore how can it truely 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 Councels doe witnesse that this Ceremonie was instituted of Sylvester And the Ecclesiasticall Historie doth shew that the Apostles had no purpose to make lawes concerning holy dayes but to teach men true godlinesse and an upright conversation how much lesse did they purpose to institute externall anointings in the Church and to bring in shadowes where the Sunne doth shine most clearely There were added unto Baptisme certaine other Ceremonies also of salt durt apparell but because these are not thought necessary no not of themselves amongst whom they are used and are in some sort an idle imitation of those ceremonies which Christ sometime used in doing miracles there is no cause why we should take any care for them whilest we are conversant in so many necessarie things Of Confirmation CHAP. 11. VVE doe not doubt but that the Apostles in the beginning when the Gospel was revealed and confirmed in the day of Penticost did by the laying on of hands give unto the beleevers in Christ that wonderfull gift of the holy Ghost to wit that they might speake with tongues But of a personall and temporall fact of the Apostles a generall and temporall sacrament cannot be ordained in the Church without the speciall commandment of God And it is a horrible thing to be heard that the Sacrament of Confirmation such as the Bishops Suffragans use to give unto Children
and there which be added for the peoples instruction For therefore we have need of ceremonies that they may teach the unlearned and that the preaching of Gods word may stirre up some unto the true feare trust and invocation of God This is not onely commanded by Saint Paul to use a tongue that the people understand but mans law hath also appointed it We use the people to receive the Sacrament together if so be any be found fit thereunto And that is a thing that doth increase the reverence and due estimation of the publique ceremonies For none are admitted except they be first proved and tried Besides we use to put men in minde of the worthinesse and use of a Sacrament what great comfort it offereth unto them which repent to the end that men may learne to feare God and beleeve in him and to use prayer and supplication unto him looking for all good things at his hands This is the true worship of Christians These services of feare faith prayer hope c. God doth like of When therefore these services are performed and exercised in the use of Ceremonies then doth the using of the Sacraments please God So that when as the people is used to the ceremonie and advertised of the true use thereof the Masses are said with us after meet and godly manner And thus all things are ordered in the Church with greater gravitie and reverence then in times past It is not unknown that these many ages past there hath been common open complaintmade by good men of the abuse and prophaning of Masses For it is easie to be seene how farre this abuse hath spread it selfe in all temples and Churches what kinde of men they are that say the Masses flat contrary to the prescript of the Canons Also how shamefully they are turned to a matter of cursed lucre For many there be that say Masses without repentance onely for the bellies sake These things are too open and manifest to be kept any longer in hugger mugger Surely it seemeth that never any religious thing since the world began was so commonly turned into gain as the Masse But Saint Paul doth fearfully threaten them which deale otherwise with these Sacraments then is beseeming the dignitie of them where he saith He that eateth this bread and drinketh this cup unworthily is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. And in the Ten Commandements it is written He that abuseth Gods holy name shall not escape unpunished As therefore the world hath of thereto fore been justly punished for I dolatrie doubtlesse this shamelesse profaning of Masses will be fearefully revenged with grievous plagues And it may well be that the Church in these latter times is punished with blindnesse discord and wars and many other plagues chiefly for this one cause And yet these open and grosse abuses have the Bishops who cannot be ignorant of them not onely borne with all but also smoothly laughed at them And now all too late they begin to complaine forsooth of the calamitie of the Church when as no other thing hath been the occasion of the broiles of these times but the abuses themselves which were now become too open and evident that modest men could no longer bear them I would to God that the Bishops had as by their office they might have long before this bridled and restrained the covetousnesse or impudencie whether of Monks or of some others who changing the manner of the old Church have made the Masse a monie matter But it shall not be amisse now to shew whence these abuses did spring at the first There is an opinion spread abroad in the Church that the Supper of the Lord is a worke which being once done by the Priest deserveth remission of sins both of the fault and of the punishment not onely for him that doth it but also for thers and that because of the worke done although it be done without any good intent of the doer Likewife that if it be applied in the behalfe of the dead it is satisfactorie that is it deserveth remission of the paines of purgatorie And in this meaning they take the word Sacrifice when they call the Masse a sacrifice namely a worke that being done in the behalfe of some others doth merit for them both remission of the fault and of the punishments and that because of the very work done even without any good intent of him that useth it Thus they meane that the Priest in the Masse doth offer a sacrifice for the quick and the dead And after this perswasion was once received they taught men to seeke forgivenesse of sinnes and all good things yea and that the dead were freed from punishments by the benefit of the Masse And it made no matter what kinde of men they were that said the Masses for they taught that they were very available for others without any good motion of the user Afterward a question arose whether one Masse said for many was as available as severall Masses for severall persons And this disputation did augment the number of Masses and the gaine that came in by them out of measure But wee dispute not now of the gaine we onely accuse the impietie of them For our Divines doe prove plainly that this opinion of the meriting and applying of the Masse is both false and impious This is the state of this controversie between us and them And it is no hard matter for the godly to judge of this point if a man will but weigh the arguments that follow First we have proved before that men doe obtaine remission of sinnes freely by faith that is by sure trust to obtaine mercy for Christs sake It is then impossible for a man to obtaine remission of sinnes for another mans worke and that without any good motion that is without his owne faith This reason doth very evidently overthrow that monstrous and impious opinion touching the merit and application of the Masse Secondly Christs passion was an oblation and satisfaction not onely for originall sinne but also for all other sinnes as it is written in the Epistle to the Hebrews We are sanctified by the oblation of Christ once offered Againe By one oblation he hath made perfect for ever those that are sanctified To conclude a good part of the Epistle to the Heb. is spent in confirming this point that the onely sacrifice of Christ did merit remission of sinnes or reconciliation for others Therefore saith he The Leviticall sacrifices were oft times offered in one manner because they could not take away sinnes But Christ by his sacrifice hath at once satisfied for the sinnes of all men This honour of Christs sacrifice must not be transferred from him to the worke of a Priest For he saith expresly that by one oblation the Saints are made perfect Besides it is a wicked thing to place that trust in the worke of a Priest which should onely leane and stay it selfe upon the oblation and
the sects and opinions of other nations Iohn assembled his flock at Ephesus and taught the Gospel and by the use of the Sacraments the whole companie did declare that they imbraced this doctrine and did invocate this God who delivered the Gospel and that they were separated from the worshippers of Diana Iupiter and other Idols For God will bee seene and have his Church heard in the world and have it distinguished by many publique signes from other nations So no doubt the first Fathers Adam Seth Enoch Noe Sem Abraham had their meetings and afterward the civill government of Israel had many rites that their separation from the Gentiles might be more evident Also God gave a peculiar promise to his congregation Matth. 18. Wheresoever two or three be gathered together in my name I will be in the middest of them Also Whatsoever they agreeing together shall desire it shall be done to them And in the 149. Psalme His praise is in the Church of the Saints And the promises wherein God doth affirme that he will preserve his Church are so much the sweeter because we know that he doth preserve and restore the publique ministerie in well ordered meetings as also in the very words of the Supper this promise is included where he commandeth that The death of the Lord should be shewed forth and this Supper distributed till he come c. Hitherto also pertaineth the last part of the 12. Article of this Confession where these things are found touching the revenues of Monastories IN many places the Churches want Pastours or else Pastours want living These men ought chiefly to be relieved out of the revenues of rich Monasteries then the studies of those which be poore must thereby be furthered and in some places Schooles may be erected especially seeing that it is necessary that the Church should discharge the expences of many poore that they might learne that so out of that number Pastours and Ministers may be chosen to teach the Churches Also hospitals are thence to be relieved wherein it is necessary that the poore which have beene sick a long time should be nourished A great part of the revenues in these countries is by the goodnesse of God transferred to such uses which are indeed godly to wit to nourish Pastours the poore and Schollers to erect Schooles and to relieve Hospitals that which remaineth is bestowed in every Monasterie upon the guiding and ordering of things pertaining to their houses and to think that this is not very sumptuous it is but foolishnesse As for the richer Abbots in these dayes upon what uses they lavish out the revenues the examples of many doe declare whom we could name who do both hate learning Religion and vertue and do waste these almes ravenously and either set no Pastours over their Churches or if they have any they suffer them to starve Out of the Confession of WIETEMBERGE Hitherto pertaineth first the 11. Article Of this Confession VVE think that it is most 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 godly 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 used in Papisticall Baptisme is handled Hitherto also pertaineth the 16 Art ss 2. Of Prayer BY Prayer God is invocated and true invocation is a worke of faith and cannot be done without faith Now faith doth behold Christ and relie upon his merits onely Wherefore except thou shalt apply unto thy selfe the merit of Christ by faith prayer will stand thee in no stead before God Now prayer is necessarily required for this purpose that by a due consideration of the promises of God faith may be stirred up and kindled in us Therefore it is not absurdly said that sins are cleane taken away by prayer yet must it not so be understood as though the very worke of prayer of it own merit were a satisfaction for sins before God but that by prayer faith is stirred up and kindled in us by which faith we are made partakers of the merit of Christ and have our sinnes forgiven us onely for Christ his sake For before that we doe by prayer invocate God it shall be necessarie to have the merit of Christ applied to us and received by faith Therefore it cannot be that prayer should be such a worke as that for the merit thereof we might obtaine remission of our sins before God Psalme 108. Let his prayer be turned into sinne But it is not possible that prayer should be turned into sinne if of it selfe it were so worthy a worke as that sinne thereby should be purged Isa 1. When you shall stretch out your hands I will turne my eyes from you and when you shall multiply your prayers I will not heare you But God would not turne away his eyes from prayer if of it owne worthinesse it were a satisfaction for our sins Augustine upon the 108. Psal saith That prayer which is not made through Christ doth not onely not take away sinne but also it selfe is made sin Bernard de Quadrages Ser. 5. saith But some peradventure doe seeke eternall life not in humilitie but as it were in confidence of their own merits Neither doe I say this let grace received give a man confidence to pray but no man ought to put his confidence in his prayer as though for his prayer he should obtaine that which he desireth The gifts which are promised doe onely give this unto us that we may hope to obtain even greater things of that mercie which giveth these Therefore let that prayer which is made for temporall things be restrained in these wants onely also let that prayer which is made for the vertues of the soul be free from all filthy and uncleane behaviour and let that prayer which is made for life eternall be occupied about the onely good pleasure of God and that in all humilitie presuming as is requisite of the onely mercie of God Of Almes CHAP. 18. VVE do diligently commend almes and exhort the Church that every man help his neighbour by every dutie that he may and testifie his love But whereas it is said in a certaine place That almes doe take away sinne as water doth quench fire we must understand it according to the analogie of faith For what need was there to the taking away of our sins of Christ his passion and death if sins might be taken away by the merit of almes And what use 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 us Therefore that Christ his honour may not be violated and the ministerie of the Gospell may retaine it lawfull use we teach that almes doth thus take away sinne not that of it selfe it is a worthy worke whereby sinne may either be purged or the
themselves be members of the Church and rightly understand the doctrine thereof and give no help unto those that establish false doctrine and exercise unjust crueltie and remember this saying I will honour them that honour me And Daniel in the fourth Chapter exhorteth the King of Babylon to acknowledge the wrath of God and to shew mercy to the banished Church when he saith Redeeme thy sinnes with righteousnesse and with mercy towards the poore and there shall be a healing of thy transgressions And since they are among the principall members of the Church let them provide that judgement be rightly exercised in the Church as Constantine Theodosius Arcadius Martian Charles the great and many godly Kings have provided that judgement in the Church should be sincerely executed But of the difference of both states namely of the Ministerie of the Gospel and the civill Magistracie there are many writings in our Church which declare that we teach no phantasticall nor seditious opinions but doe shew the necessary doctrine delivered in the Gospel touching both degrees profitable to godlinesse 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 delivered from God in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and in the Creeds we nothing doubt and it may be understood out of the ancient and purer writers to bee agreeable to the ancient and purer Churches Now the matter it selfe declareth that we have not sought to dispute about new fangled curious and subtle questions neither doe strive about authoritie or riches but onely to unfold and bring to light from the great darknesse of traditions and opinions that doctrine which is necessary to the true invocation of God to true worship to the right knowledge of the Sonne of God and to the salvation of soules and doe in most simple and plaine manner propound the same unto the Churches For all wise men must needs 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 evident profitable for consciences and for manners comparison doth declare For we avoid not the judgements of the godly yea rather we desire that the whole true Church of God that is all the faithfull and learned wheresoever they are may understand what we say who we doubt not will be witnesses that this doctrine is the consent of the true Catholike Church of God Also we offer our selves at any time to a more full declaration in every point and think 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 necessary for the Church we intreat that our Churches may not be condemned as if they either imbraced errours or foolishly or seditiously stirred up strife without any weightie cause The truth and weight of the matters may deliver us from this unjust accusation Next after a godly manner we admonish the Councel it selfe They see that old abuses and many great errours are as yet sticking in the Church because in all ages even from the beginning of mankinde the devill continueth scattering his seed of errour and since that time through the ignorance of men by superstition they are either confirmed or doe shoote forth againe And now for that the vanitie of many superstitions is knowne the times require a reformation and unlesse the Governours provide that the truth may be brought to light great division in opinions is like to follow especially because in this last age of the world great confusion is to be feared Therefore let the Councel see to it that they condemne not a manifest truth And if a godly sort they will deliberate how they may provide for the Churches and if a more ample declaration shall be demanded of us men learned of understanding loving the truth and fearing God must be chosen to consult together of these so weighty matters Neither let them onely strive with us in number of vices seeing it is manifest by many prejudices of what opinion the Bishop of Rome others that are are addicted unto him who now by the space of many yeeres have not onely set forth against us Edicts written with blood but also have slain many of our side and there be many that neither understand nor looke after any truth of doctrine but being already corrupted with prophane perswasions doe thinke this to be an especiall part of politique men to defend the present state and to maintaine their owne authoritie And for this purpose they seeke fit Ministers by sophisticall juggling to jest out the truth Wherefore now we testifie that we will not reject the truth although it be condemned by the judgements of such men And we openly professe that we consent not to the Councel of Trent which heretofore hath sent abroad Decrees partly false partly captious and sophisticall but doe earnestly request that both we may be heard in the same matter and that the errors before confirmed by the Decrees of the Tridentine Councel may be reformed And we reverently beseech the most worthy Emperour Carolus â—ugustus that he give not leave to the Adversaries to oppresse the truth by their presumption and to strengthen their crueltie which they exercise against innocents and to stirre up greater dissention by their unjust Decrees And now we commend the Church and our selves to the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ who we know by the voyce of the Gospel gathereth together to himselfe an everlasting Church and we pray him that he would governe us and not suffer the light of his Gospel to be extinguished nor the assemblies of them that rightly call upon him to be dispersed An Addition ANd we request all that teach in the Churches neere adjoyning or elsewhere that receive the Confession exhibited at Auspurge 1530. that when they reade these things if in any point they finde any want they would lovingly admonish us thereof for that it was not our purpose to bring up any other kinde of doctrine but plainly to receite the summe of the Confession of Anspurge and the common consent of these Churches and we desire that we may be favourably and not quarrelously judged of We purpose not to stirre up new contentions but especially we pray to the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ that was crucified for us and rose againe that prayed in his agonie that we might be one in God that he would make us also in the most Churches one in himselfe We whose names are subscribed hereunto who doe now teach in the Churches and Vniversities under mentioned doe protest that in this writing which we desire to have rightly and not quarrelously understood we have recited the common doctrine published in the Churches and