nation wheresoever you shall not finde two Churches which doe wholely agree in prayer The authors of this difference I think were those which had the government of the Churches in all ages If so be any do agree it deserveth great commendation and is to be imitated of others Besides this there must be a meane and measure as in every other thing so also in publique prayers that they be not overlong and tedious let therefore the most time be given to teaching of the Gospel in such holy assemblies and let there be diligent heed taken that the people in the Assemblies be not wearied with overlong prayers so as when the preaching of the Gospel should be heard they through wearisomnesse either desire to goe forth themselves or to have the assembly wholly dismissed For unto such the Sermons seeme to be overlong which otherwise are briefe enough Yea and the Preachers ought to keepe a meane Likewise the singing in sacred assemblies ought to be moderated where it is in use That song which they call Gregories song hath many grosse things in it Wherefore it is upon good cause rejected of ours and of all other reformed Churches If there be any Churches which have faithfull prayer in good manner and no singing at all they are not therefore to be condemned for all Churches have not the commoditie and opportunitie of singing And certaine it is by testimonies of antiquitie that as the custome of singing hath been very ancient in the East Churches so it was long or it was received in the West Churches In ancient time there were Canonicall houres that is known prayers framed for certain houres in the day and chanted therein oft repeated as the Papists manner is which may be proved by many of their lessons appointed in their houres and divers other arguments Moreover they have many absurd things that I say no more and therefore are well omitted of our Churches that have brought in their stead matters more wholesome for the whole Church of God Hitherto also pertaineth the beginning of the 25. Art Of Catechising THe Lord injoyned his ancient people to take great care and diligence in instructing the youth well even from their insancie and moreover commanded expresly in his Law that they should teach them and declare the mysterie of the Sacraments unto them Now for as much as it is evident by the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles that God had no lesse care of the youth of this new people seeing he saith Suffer little children to come unto me for of such is the kingdome of heaven Therefore the Pastours doe very wisely which doe diligently and betimes Catechise their youth laying the first grounds of faith and faithfully teaching the principles of our Religion by expounding the Ten Commandements the Apostles Creed the Lords Prayer and the doctrine of the Sacraments with other like principles and chiefe heads of our Religion And here let the Church performe her faithfulnesse and diligence in bringing the children to be Catechised as being desirous and glad to have her children well instructed That which followeth in this Article is contained in the sixteenth Section Also CHAP. 28. Of the goods of the Church and right use of them THe Church of Christ hath riches through the bountifulnesse of Princes and the liberality of the faithfull who have given their goods to the Church for the Church hath need of such goods and hath had goods from ancient time for the maintenance of things necessarie for the Church Now the true use of the Church goods was and now is to maintaine learning in Schooles and in holy assemblies with all the service rites and buildings of the Church finally to maintaine teachers schollers and ministers with other necessary things and chiefly for the succour and reliefe of the poore But for the lawfull dispensing of these Ecclesiasticall goods let men be chosen that feare God wise men and such as are of good report for government of their families But if the goods of the Church by injurie of the time and the boldnesse ignorance or covetousnesse of some turned to any abuse let them be restored againe by godly and wise men unto their holy use for they must not winke at so impious an abuse Therefore we teach that Schooles and Colledges whereinto corruption is crept in doctrine in the service of God and in manners must be reformed that there must order be taken godly faithfully and wisely for the reliefe of the poore Out of the former Confession of HELVETIA Holy meetings VVE think that holy meetings are so to be celebrated that Artic. 23. above all things the word of God be propounded * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession to the people every day publiquely in a publique place and appointed for holy exercises also that the hidden things of the Scripture may daily be searched out and declared by those that are fit thereunto that the faith of the godly may be exercised and that we may continually be instant in prayer according as the necessitie of all men requireth As for other unprofitable and innumerable circumstances of ceremonies as vessels apparell vials torches or candles altars gold and silver so farre forth as they serve to pervert religion but especially Idols which are set up to be worshipped and give offence and all prophane things of that sort we doe remove them farre from our holy meeting Of Heretikes and Schismatiks ALso we remove from our holy meetings all those who forsaking Artic. 24. the propertie of the holy Church doe either bring in or follow strange and wicked opinions with which evill the Catabaptists are chiefly infected who if they doe obstinately refuse to obey the Church and the Christian instruction are in our judgement to be bridled by the Magistrate lest by their contagion they infect the flock of Christ Out of the Confession of BOHEMIA Of Catechizing CHAP. 2. IN the second place they teach the Christian Catechisme that is a Catholique doctrine and an instruction made with the mouth which agreeth in Christianisme with the ancient Church and holy fathers and this doctrine or instruction is the inward or secret thing and the marrow and the keie to the whole holy Scripture and containeth the summe thereof It is comprehended in the Ten Commandements in the Catholike Christian and Apostolike Creed wherein be 12. Articles which are expounded confirmed by the Nicene and Athanasius his Creed and by godly Catholique and generall Councels also in the forme of prayers to wlt of that holy prayer which the Lord appointed and in a summarie doctrine touching the Sacraments and such duties as we owe or be proper regard being had to every mans place and order in divers and distinct kindes of life whereunto he is called of God and there is an open confession and profession made that this Christian doctrine is that true full perfect and well pleased will of God necessarie to every faithfull Christian unto
onely inspiration of the lying spirit Vpon the same Do agree with the Canon law c. We would have it declared Obser 2. pag. 446. unto us what manner of law this Canon law is seeing that there be many things both in certaine ancient and especially in the Canons of the Popes flat repugnant to the word of God and to equitie Vpon the same As mortall sins and such as expell the holy Ghost c. why we Observ 3. 446. do think that this also hath need to be more diligently expounded we have shewed not once before Looke the 4. Sect. observ 1. and 2. upon this same Confess Also Sect. 8. observ 4. upon the Confession of Auspurge Vpon the same Where as the words of Christ did speake c. If so be that we Obser 4. pag. 448. should admit that Gospell according to the Egyptians wherein those words be attributed to Christ Vpon the Confession of Wirtemberge ANnd that it is a mysterie c. to wit a spirituall marriage Observ 1. 451. between Christ and his Church and not this carnall or corporall and humane marriage which is not appointed to represent that other which is spirituall Vpon the same The politique laws which are the ordinances of God c. we Obser 2 pag. 451. also do approve the politique laws touching these things so that the consciences be not snared and that which in this contract is meerely divine be administred according to the true word of God being distinguished from civill controversies which fall out in marriage Looke before observation 1. upon the former Confession of Helvetia IN THE NINETEENTH SECTION Vpon the latter Confession of Helvetia VVIth good laws made according to the word of God that is Obser 1. pag. 458. with such as doe not forbid that which God doth command in the morall law and by the voice of nature it selfe nor command that which he forbiddeth For otherwise by the name of the word of God the Iudaicall civill law might also be understood to the which not withstanding we are not bound in so much as it is civill but onely so farre forth as it is grounded upon a generall and perpetuall rule of justice Vpon the former Confession of Helvetia ACcording to iust and divine Laws c. That is agreeable to Observ 1. pag 400. equitie and righteousnesse and to conclude to the law of nature whereof God himselfe is the Author Vpon the same And the oath which we made to him c. That is an oath whereby Obser 2. pag. 460. subjects are bound to their Magistrates Vpon the Confession of Basil IN the number whereof we also desire to be c. These things are Obser 1. pag. 461. spoken in the person of the Magistrates themselves and not of the Pastours of the Church at Basil in so much as this Confession was published in the name of the Magistrates themselves Vpon the Confession of Bohemia THe people is taught that they ought to obey no man more then Obser 1. pag. 464. God This is so farre to be extended as that we must understand that we ought not to obey any in these things which pertaine to the conscience and to salvation but God alone seeing that the Apostle doth not except so much as the Angels themselves Gal. 1. The end of the Harmonie and of the Observations A GENERALL CONFESSION OF THE TRVE CHRISTIAN FAITH and Religion according to Gods Word and Acts of our Parliaments subscribed by the Kings Majestie and his Houshold with sundry others To the glory of God and good example of all men At Edinborough the 28. day of Ianuary The yeere of our Lord 1581. And in the 14. yeere of His Majesties Raigne WE all and every one of us under written protest that after long and due examination of our owne consciences in matters of true and false Religion are now throughly resolved in the truth by the Word and spirit of God And therefore we beleeve with our hearts confesse with our mouthes subscribe with our hands and constantly affirme before God and the whole world that this onely is the true Christian faith and religion pleasing God and bringing salvation to man which is now by the mercie of God revealed to the world by the preaching of the blessed Evangell and is received beleeved and defended by many and sundry notable Churches and Realms but chiefly by the Church of Scotland the Kings Majestie and three Estates of this Realm as Gods eternall truth and onely ground of our salvation as more particularly is expressed in the Confession of our Faith established and publikely confirmed by sundry Acts of Parliaments and now of a long time hath been openly professed by the Kings Majestie and whole body of this Realm both in burgh and land To the which confession and form of Religion we willingly agree in our consciences in all points as unto Gods undoubted truth and verity grounded onely upon his written word And therefore we abhorre and detest all contrary religion and doctrin but chiefly all kinde of Papistry in generall and particular heads even as they are now damned and confuted by the word of God and Church of Scotland but especially we detest and refuse the usurped authoritie of that Romane Antichrist upon the Scriptures of God upon the Church the civill Magistrate and conscience of men all his tyrannous Laws made upon indifferent things against our Christian liberty his erronious doctrin against the sufficiencie of the written word the perfection of the law the office of Christ and his blessed Evangell his corrupted doctrin concerning originall sin our naturall inabilitie and rebellion to Gods law our justification by faith onely our imperfect sanctification and obedience to the law the nature number and use of the holy Sacraments his five bastard sacraments with all his rites ceremonies and false doctrin added to the administration of the true Sacraments without the word of God his cruell judgement against infants departing without the Sacrament his absolute necessitie of Baptisme his blasphemous opinion of transubstantiation or reall presence of Christs body in the elements and receiving of the same by the wicked or bodies of men his dispensations with solemn oathes perjuries and degrees of marriage forbidden in the word his crueltie against the innocent divorced his devilish Masse his blasphemous Priesthood his prophane sacrifice for the sins of the dead and the quick his Canonization of men calling upon Angels or Saints departed worshipping of Images reliques and crosses dedicating of Churches Altars Daies Vows to creatures his Purgatory prayers for the dead praying or speaking in a strange language with his processions and blasphemous Letany and multitude of Advocates or Mediatours his manifold orders Auricular confession his dispersed uncertain repentance his generall and doubt some faith his satisfactions of men for their sins his justification by works Opus Operatum works of supererogation merits pardons peregrinations and stations his holy
yet so as they doe all things in the Church as he hath prescribed in his word which thing being so done the faithfull doe esteeme them as done of the Lord himselfe but touching the keies we have spoken somewhat before Now the * Looke the 5. observation upon this confession power that is given to the Ministers of the Church is the same and alike in all and in the beginning the Bishops or Elders did with a common consent and labour governe the Church no man lifted up himselfe above another none usurped greater power or authoritie over his fellow Bishops for they remembred the words of the Lord He which will be the chiefest among Luc. 20. you let him be your servant they kept in themselves by humility and did mutually aide one another in the governement and preservation of the Church Notwithstanding for orders sake some one of the ministers called the assembly together propounded unto the assembly the matters to be consulted of gathered together the voyces or sentences of the rest and to be briefe as much as lay in him provided that there might arise no confusion So did Saint Peter as we read in the Acts who yet for all that was neither above the rest nor had greater authority then the rest Very true therefore is that saying of Cyprian the Martyr in his booke De simpl Cler. The same doubtlesse were the rest of the Apostles that Peter was having an equall fellowship with him both in honour and power but the beginning hereof proceedeth from unitie to signifie unto us that there is but one Church Saint Jerome upon the Epistle of Paul to Titus hath a saying not much unlike this Before that by the instinct of the Devill there was partaking in religion the Churches were governed by the common advice of the Priests but after that every one thought that those whom he had baptised were his owne and not Christs It was decreed that one of the Priests should be chosen and set over the rest who should have the care of the whole Church laid upon him and by whose meanes all schismes should be removed Yet Jerome doth not avouch this as an order set downe of God For straight way after he addeth Even as saith he the Priests knew by the continuall custome of the Church that they were subiect to him that is set over them So the Bishop must know that they are above the priests rather by custome then by the prescript rule of Gods truth and they should have the government of the Church in common with them Thus farre Jerome Now therefore no man can forbid by any right that we may returne to the old appointment of God and rather receive that then the custome devised by men The offices of the ministers are divers yet notwithstanding most men doe restraine them to two in which all the rest are comprehended to the teaching of the Gospel of Christ and to the lawfull administration of the Sacraments For it is the dutie of the Ministers to gather together a holy assembly therein to expound the Word of God and also to apply the generall doctrine to the state and use of the Church to the end that the doctrine which they teach may profit the hearers and may build up the faithfull The Ministers dutie I say is to teach the unlearned and to exhort yea and to urge them to goe forward in the way of the Lord who doe stand still or linger and goe slowly forward moreover to comfort and to strengthen those which are faint-hearted and to arme them against the manifold temptations of Satan to rebuke offenders to bring them home that goe astray to raise them up that are fallen to convince the gainsaiers to chase away the wolfe from the Lords flocke to rebuke wickednesse and wicked men wisely and severely not to winke at nor to passe over great wickednesse and besides to administer the Sacraments and to commend the right use of them and to prepare all men by wholesome doctrine to receive them to keepe together all the faithfull in an holy unitie and to meete with schismes To conclude to catechise the ignorant to commend the necessitie of the poore to the Church to visit and instruct those that are sicke or intangled with divers temptations and so to keepe them in the way of life Lastly to looke diligently that there be publike prayers and supplications made in time of necessitie together with fasting that is an holy abstinencie and most carefully to looke to those things which belongeth to tranquillity safety and peace of the Church And to the end that the Minister may performe all these things the better and with more ease it is required in him that he be one that feareth God pray diligently giveth himselfe much to the reading of the Scripture and in all things and at all times is watchfull and doth shew forth a good example unto all men of holinesse of life And seeing there must needs be a discipline in the Church and that among the ancient fathers excommunication was in use and there were Ecclesiasticall judgements amongst the people of God wherein this discipline was exercised by godly men it belongeth also to the Ministers dutie for the edifying of the Church to moderate this discipline according to the condition of the time and publike estate and according to necessitie whereas this rule is alwaies to be holden that All things ought to be done to edification decently honestly without any oppression or tumult For the Apostle witnesseth that power was given to him of God to edifie and not to destroy 2 Cor. 10. And the Lord himselfe forbad the cockle to be plucked up in the Lords field because there would be danger lest the wheate also should be plucked up with it But as for the errour of the Donatists we doe here utterly detest it who esteemed and judged the doctrine and administration of the Sacraments to be either effectuall or not effectuall by the good or evill life of the Ministers For we know that the voyce of Christ is to be heard though it be out of the mouthes of evill Ministers forasmuch as the Lord himselfe said Doe as they Matth. 22. command you but according to their workes doe ye not We know that the Sacraments are sanctified by their institution and also by the word of Christ and that they are effectuall to the Godly although they be administred by ungodly Ministers Of which matter Augustine that blessed servant of God did reason diversly out of the Scriptures against the Donatists yet notwithstanding there ought to be a streight discipline amongst the Ministers For there must be diligent enquirie in the Synods touching the life and Doctrine of the Ministers Those that offend are to be rebuked of the Seniours and to be brought into the way if they be not past recovery or else to be deposed and as wolves to be driven from the Lords flocke by the true Pastors if
ought rather to obey God then men Whereof also is to be Causa 11. â—â—â—est 3. Cap. St Domiâ—â—â— seene the judgement of the old fathers and of the Canon law where they thus write and these are the words of St. Ierome If the Lord or Magistrate command those things that are not contrary to the holy Scriptures let the servant be subiect to the Lord but if he command any thing contrary let him rather obey the Lord of his spirit then of his body And a little after If it be good which the Emperour commandeth doe the will of him that commandeth if it be evill answer we ought rather to obey God then men The Conclusion ANd hitherto have been informed and shewed unto your Majestie in this writing the reasons and causes of our faith and doctrine and Christian religion such doctrine as the Ministers of our Churches all and singular every one according to the gift of God granted unto him doe with one consent of judgement hold talke of and preach and doe constantly maintaine and fight for the same not with the power of this world but by holy Scriptures against those that impugne it or by teaching do spread abroad contrary errours thereunto Neither yet without that modestie that becometh the profession of Christians doe they stubbornly rather then rigorously persist in this doctrine or have at any time heretofore persisted but if any thing be found herein not well taken by them and that by certaine grounds out of the word of God which ought to be the rule of judgement unto all men peaceably and with a meeke spirit as it ought to be done be shewed unto them they are ready and forward and thereunto as alwayes heretofore so now they offer themselves that after due consideration and true knowledge of the truth had they will most gladly and thankfully receive that doctrine which shall have better foundations and willingly reforme whatsoever shall have need to be amended Wherefore most excellent King and gracious Lord may it please your Majestie to examine this our confession and after diligent and due consideration had to way and consider whether any man worthily and for just cause may reject and condemne this doctrine as not agreeable to the holy Scripture nor Christian Verily we are of opinion that if any man presume to despise or condemne this doctrine he must of necessitie also condemne the holy Scripture from whence it was taken and the ancient and true Christian Doctors with whom it agreeth and also the holy Church it selfe which from the beginning and that constantly so hath and doth teach And hereby your Majestie may graciously perceive and determine whether the complaints and accusations of our Adversaries and such as favour not us and our Teachers be just or no. Wherefore most humbly we pray that your sacred Majestie will give no place or credit to our Adversaries in those matters which divers wayes without any ground they charge us withall when as without all humanitie they accuse us our Ministers and Preachers as if we had another religion and taught another doctrine then that which at this present we offer unto your Majestie or that we presume stubbornly to take in hand or do attempt any other thing against God and your Majestie and contrary to the institutions of this Common-wealth and to the publique law of the kingdome of Bohemia And your Majestie may well call to your remembrance that we have every way and at all times behaved our selves obediently and peaceably and in all things which may turne or belong to the preservation of your Majesties person and to the publique good and commoditie of the whole Realme in all such things I say we have indeauoured not to be behinde others and hereafter also we offer our selves most ready to performe the same according to our allegiance and dutie Neither doe we thinke it onely a point of vertue and to appertaine unto honesty alone and the good estate of the Common-wealth to yeeld our selves subject and faithfull to your Majestie for peace concord and the rewards of this life but much rather we acknowledge that it pleaseth God and that so is his will that every one for conscience sake should be obedient to the Magistrate and should reverence love honour and highly esteeme him even as our Teachers also doe deale both with us and with the people to performe this and oftentimes by teaching out of the word doe inforce it upon us both Here we commend our selves unto your Majestie as to the fatherly and liberall tuition care and protection of our most gracious Lord and doe most humbly beseech of your Majestie that unto these things which on the behalfe of Christian religion we have tendred unto your Majestie we may receive a courteous answer and such as God may be pleased withall The Almightie and everlasting God graciously preserve your Majestie in continuall health to the profit benefit and increase of his holy Christian Church Amen Proverb 20. Mercie and truth preserve the King for his throne is established with mercie Out of the FRENCH Confession VVE beleeve that God would have the world to be governed Artic. 39. by laws and by civill government that there may be certaine bridles whereby the immoderate desires of the world may be restrained and that therefore he appointed kingdomes Common-wealths and other kindes of principalitie whether they come by inheritance or otherwise And not that alone but also whatsoever pertaineth to the state of righteousnesse as they call it whereof he desireth to be acknowledged the author Therefore he hath also delivered the sword into the hands of the Magistrates to wit that offences may be repressed not onely those which are committed against the second table but also against the first Therefore because of the Author of this order we must not onely suffer them to rule whom he hath set over us but also give unto them all honour and reverence as unto his Embassadours and Ministers assigned of him to execute a lawfull and holy function Also Art 40. THerefore we affirme that we must obey the Laws and Statutes that tribute must be paid and that we must patiently endure the other burdens to conclude that we must willingly suffer the yoke of subjection although the Magistrates be infidels so that the soveraigne government of God doe remaine whole or entire and nothing diminished Therefore we detest all those which doe reject all kinde of dominion and bring in a communitie and confusion of goods and who to conclude doe goe about to overthrow all order of law Out of the Confession of BELGIA VVE beleeve that the most gracious and mightie God did Artic. 36. appoint Kings Princes and Magistrates because of the corruption and depravation of mankinde and that it is his will that this world should be governed by laws and by a certaine civill government to punish the faults of men and that all things may be done in good order among
water baptizing of Bels Conjuring of spirits Crossing Sauing Anointing Conjuring Hallowing of Gods good creatures with the superstitious opinion joyned therewith his worldly Monarchy and wicked Hierarchy his three solemned vows with all his shavelings of sundry sorts his erronious bloody decrees made at Trent with all the subscribers and approvers of that cruell and bloody band conjured against the Church of God And finally we detest all his vain allegories rites signes and traditions brought in the Church without or against the word of God and doctrin of this true reformed Church to the which we joyne our selves willingly in doctrin faith religion discipline and use of the holy Sacraments as lively members of the same in Christ our head promising and swearing by the great name of the Lord our God that we shall continue in the obedience of the doctrine and discipline of this Church and shall defend the same according to our vocation and power all the daies of our lives under the pains contained in the law and danger both of body and soule in the day of Gods fearefull judgement And seeing that many are stirred up by Satan and that Romane Antichrist to promise sweare subscribe and for a time use the holy Sacraments in the Church deceitfully against their own conscience minding hereby first under the externall cloake of Religion to corrupt and subvert secretly Gods true Religion within the Church and afterward when time may serve to become open enemies and persecuters of the same under vain hope of the Popes dispensation devised against the word of God to his greater confusion and their double condemnation in the day of the Lord Iesus We therefore willing to take away all suspition of hypocrisie and of such double dealing with God and his Church protest and call the searcher of all hearts for witnesse that our mindes and hearts do fully agree with this our confession promise oath and subscription So that we are not moved for any worldly respect but are perswaded onely in our conscience through the knowledge and love of Gods true Religion printed in our hearts by the holy Spirit as we shall answer to him in the day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed And because we perceive that the quietnesse and stabilitie of our Religion and Church doth depend upon the safetie and good behaviour of the Kings Majestie as upon a comfortable Instrument of Gods mercie granted to this Countrey for the maintaining of his Church and ministration of Iustice amongst us we protest and promise with our hearts under the same oath hand writ and pains that we shall defend his person and authoritie with our goods bodies and lives in the defence of Christs Evangell Libertie of our countrey ministration of justice and punishment of iniquitie against all enemies within this Realme or without as we desire our God to be a strong and mercifull defender to us in the day of our death and comming of our Lord Iesus Christ To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour and glory eternally Amen THE ESTATES OF SCOTLAND WITH THE INHABITANTS OF the same professing Christ Jesus and his holy Gospell To their naturall countrey-men and to all other Realmes and Nations professing the same Christ Jesus with them wish grace mercy and peace from God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the spirit of righteous judgement of salvation LOng have we thirsted deare brethren to have notified unto the world the summe of that doctrine which we professe and for the which we have sustained infamie and danger But such hath been the rage of Sathan against us and against Christ Iesus his eternall veritie lately borne amongst us that to this day no time hath been granted unto us to cleare our consciences as most gladly we would have done For how we have been tossed at times heretofore the most part of Europe as we suppose doth understand But seeing that of the infinite goodnesse of our God who never suffereth his afflicted utterly to be confounded above expectation we have obtained some rest and libertie we would not but set forth this briefe and plaine confession of such doctrine as is proponed unto us and as we beleeve and professe partly for satisfaction of our brethren whose hearts we doubt not have been and yet are wounded by the despitefull railing of such as yet have not learned to speake well and partly for stopping of the mouthes of the impudent blasphemers who boldly damne that which they have neither heard nor yet understood Not that we judge that the cankred malice of such is able to be cured by this our simple confession No we know the sweet savour of the Gospell is and shall be death to the sonnes of perdition but we have chief respect to our weake and infirme brethren to whom we would communicate the bottome of our hearts lest that they be troubled or carried away by diversitie of rumours which Satan spreads abroad against us to the defacing of this our most godly enterprise protesting that if any man shall note in this our confession any article or sentence repugning to Gods holy word and doe admonish us of the same in writing we by Gods grace doe promise unto him satisfaction from the mouth of God that is from his holy Scriptures or else reformation of that which he shall prove to be amisse For God we take to record in our consciences that from our hearts we abhorre all sects of heresie and all teachers of erronious doctrine and that with all humilitie we imbrace the puritie of Christs Gospell which is the onely food of our souls and therefore so precious unto us that we are determined to suffer the extremitie of worldly danger rather then that we will suffer our selves to be defrauded of the same for hereof we are most certainly perswaded that whosoever denieth Christ Iesus or is ashamed of him in the presence of men shall be denied before the Father and before his holy angels And therefore by the assistance of the Almightie the same our Lord Iesus we firmly purpose to abide to the end in the confession of this our faith as by articles followeth Of God VVE confesse and acknowledge one onely God to whom Deut. 6. Isa 44. Deut. 4. onely we must cleave whom onely we must serve whom onely we must worship and in whom onely we must put our trust who is eternall infinite unmeasurable incomprehensible omnipotent invisible one in substance and yet distinct in three Matth. 28. Gen. 1. persons the Father the Son and the holy Ghost By whom we confesse and beleeve all things in heaven and earth as well visible as invisible to have been created to be retained in their being and to be ruled and guided by his inscrutable providence to such end as his eternall wisdome goodnesse and justice hath appointed Prov. 16. them to the manifestation of his glory Of the creation of Man VVE confesse and knowledge this
all the will of God and that in it all things are abundantly taught whatsoever is necessary to be beleeved of man to attaine salvation Therefore seeing the whole manner of worshipping God which God requireth at the hands of the faithfull is there most exquisitely and at large set downe it is lawfull for no man although he have the authoritie of an Apostle no not for any Angel sent from heaven as Saint Paul speaketh to teach otherwise then we have long since beene taught in the holy Scriptures For seeing it is forbidden that any one should adde or detract any thing from the Word of God thereby it is evident enough that this holy doctrine is perfect and absolute in all points and parcels thereof and therefore no other writings of men although never so holy no custome no multitude no antiquitie nor prescription of times nor personall succession nor any councels and to conclude no decrees or ordinances of men are to be matched or compared with these divine Scriptures and bare truth of God for so much as Gods truth excelleth all things For all men of their owne nature are lyars and lighter then vanitie it selfe therefore we doe utterly refuse whatsoever things agree not with this most certaine rule as we have beene taught by the Apostles when they say Trie the spirits whether they be of God And If any come unto you and bring not this doctrine receive him not to house c. Out of the SAXONS Confession Of Doctrine SEeing it is most undoubtedly true that God out of mankinde doth gather together unto himselfe a Church unto eternall life for and by his Sonne through preaching of that doctrine which is written in the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles we plainly avouch before God and the whole Church in heaven and in earth that we doe with a true faith embrace all the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and that in that very naturall meanning which is set downe in the Creeds of the Apostles of Nice and of Athanasius And these selfe same Creedes and the naturall meanning of them we have alwaies constantly embraced without corruption and will by Gods helpe alwaies embrace and in this faith doe we call upon the true God who sending his Sonne and giving cleare testimonies hath revealed himself in his Church joyning our prayer with all Saints in heaven and in earth and our Vide obseru 1. adhaac confâ—ss tum in hac sâ—ct tum in sâ—ct secunda declarations upon the Creeds are abroad containing the whole body and ground of doctrine which shew that this our protestation is most true We doe also very resolutely condemne all brainesicke fantasies which are against the Creeds as are the monstrous opinions of heathen men of the Iewes of the Mahometists of Marcion the Manichees of Samosatenus Servetus Arrius and those that deny the person of the holy Ghost and other opinions condemned by the true judgement of the Church Out of the Confession of WIRTEMBERGE Of the holy Scripture CHAP. 30. THe holy Scriptures we call those Canonicall books of the Vide obseru 1. in hanc Confess old and new Testament of whose authoritie there was never doubt made in the Church This Scripture we beleeve and confesse to be the Oracle of the holy Ghost so confirmed by heavenly testimonies that If an Angel from heaven preach any other thing let him be accursed Wherefore we detest all doctrine worship and Religion contrary to this Scripture But whereas some men thinke that all doctrine necessary to be known of us to true everlasting salvation is not contained in this Scripture and that the right of expounding this Scripture lyeth so in the power of chiefe Bishops that what they according to their owne will give out is to be embraced for the meaning of the holy Ghost it is more easily said then proved The whole Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable 2 Tim. 3. to teach to improve to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect being throughly prepared to every good worke And Iohn 15. I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my father have I made knowne to you And those things which the Apostles received of Christ those have they by their preaching published in the whole world and by their writings delivered them to posteritie It is a plain case therefore that all things which are needfull to be knowne to salvation are contained in the Prophets Chrysost ad Titum hom â— and Apostles writings He hath revealed his owne word in due season by preaching which is all committed to me this is the preaching For the Gospel containeth things both things present and things to come as honour piety and faith yea and all things he hath ioyntly comprised in this one word preaching Againe Ierome ad Tit. Cap. 1. August super Joan. Cap. 11. Tract 40. Without authority of the Scriptures babbling hath no credit For seeing the Lord Iesus did many things al are not written as the same holy Evangelist himselfe witnesseth that the Lord Christ both said and did many things which are not written But those things were selected to be written which seemed to suffice for the salvation of those that beleeve For wheras they say that the right of expounding the Scripture lyeth in the power of cheif Bishops it is evident that the gift of expounding the scripture is not of mans wisedome but of the holy Ghost To every man saith Paul is given the manifestation of the spirit to profit withall for to one is given by the spirit the word of wisedome c. But the holy Ghost is altogether at libertie and is not tied to a certain sort of men but giveth gifts to men according to his own Num. 11. good pleasure Oh that all the people had power to prophecie and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them Debora a woman Iud. 4. the wife of Lapidoth is raised up to be a Prophetesse Againe I am Amos. 7. no Prophet nor Prophets sonne but I am a heard man and a gatherer of wilde figs. And yet Amos received the holy Ghost and was made a Prophet All these things worketh one and the 2 Cor. 12. same spirit distributing to every man as he will Many examples also do witnesse that chiefe Bishops have been often and very foulely deceived wherfore the gift of expounding the Scripture is not so tied to the Popes that whosoever shall be Pope must needs rightly expound the Scripture but the true meaning of the Scripture is to be sought in the Scripture it selfe and among those that being raised by the spirit of God expound Scripture by Scripture CHAP. XXXIIII Of Councels VVE confesse that Councels ought to have their judgements in the Church concerning the holy doctrine of Religion and that the authoritie of lawfull Councels is great but the authoritie of Gods Word must
right hand of God the Father * Looke the 1. Observation on this Confession Iohn 14. Act. 3. which although it doe signifie an equall participation of glory and majestie yet it is also taken for a certaine place of which the Lord speaking in the Gospel saith That he will goe and prepare a place for his Also the Apostle Peter saith The heavens must containe Christ untill the time of restoring of all things And out of heaven the same Christ will returne unto judgement even then when wickednesse shall chiefly reigne in the world and when Antichrist having corrupted true religion shall fill all things with superstition and impietie and shall most cruelly destroy the Church with fire and bloodshed Now Christ shall returne to redeeme his and to abolish Antichrist by his coming and to judge the quicke and the dead For the dead shall arise and those which shall be found alive in that day Acts 17. which is unknowne unto all creatures shall be changed in the twinckling of an eye and all the faithfull shall be taken up to meete Christ in the ayre that thenceforth they may enter with him into heaven there to live for ever But the unbeleevers or ungodly 1 Cor. 15. Matth 25. 41. 2 Tim. 2. shall descend with the devils into hell there to burne for ever and never to be delivered out of torments We therefore condemne all those which deny the true resurrection of the flesh and those which thinke amisse of the glorified bodies as did Ioannes Hiercsolymitanus against whom Ierome wrote We also condemne those which thought both the devils and all the wicked shal at the length be saved and have an end of their torments For the Lord himselfe hath absolutely set it downe that Their fire is never Mar. 9. quenched and their worme never dyeth Moreover we condemne the Iewish dreames that before the day of Iudgement there shall be a golden world in the earth and that the godly shall possesse the kingdomes of the world their wicked enemies being troad under foote For the Evangelicall truth Matth. 24 and 25. and Luke 18. and the Apostolike doctrine in the 2 to the Thessalonians 2. and in the 2 to Tim. 3. and 4 are found to teach farre otherwise Furthermore by his passion or death and by all those things Rom. 14. 5. which he did and suffered for our sakes from the time of his comming in the flesh our Lord reconciled his heavenly Father unto all the faithfull purged their sinne spoiled death broke in sunder condemnation and hell and by his resurrection from the dead he brought againe and restored life and immortalitie For he is our righteousnesse life and resurrection and to be short he is the fulnesse and perfection the salvation and most abundant sufficiencie of all the faithfull For the Apostle saith So it pleaseth the Father that all fulnesse should dwell in him And In him ye are compleat Coloss 1. and 2. For we teach and beleeve that this Iesus Christ our Lord is the onely and eternall Saviour of * Looke the 1. Observation on this Confession mankinde yea and of the whole world in whom are saved by faith all that ever were saved before the Law under the Law and in the time of the Gospel and so many as shall yet be saved to the end of the world For the Lord himselfe in the Gospel saith He that entereth not in by the doore unto the sheepfold but climeth up an other way he Joh. 10. is a thiefe and a robber I am the doore of the sheepe And also in another place of the same Gospel he saith Abraham saw my daies John 8. Acts 4. and reioyced And the Apostle Peter saith Neither is there salvation in any other but in Christ for among men there is given no other name under heaven whereby they might be saved We beleeve therefore that through the grace of our Lord Christ we shall be saved even as our fathers were For Paul saith That all our fathers 1 Cor. 10. did eate the same spirituall meate and dranke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the sprituall rocke that followed them and that rocke was Christ And therefore we reade that John said That Christ was that Lambe which was slaine from the beginning Apoc. 15. John 1. of the world And that John Baptist witnesseth That Christ is that Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world Wherefore we doe plainly and openly professe and preach that Iesus Christ is the only Redeemer and Saviour of the world the King and high Priest the true and looked for Messias that holy and blessed one I say whom all the shadows of the Law and the Prophesies of the Prophets did prefigure and promise and that God did performe and send him unto us so that now we are not to looke for any other And now there remaineth nothing but that we all should give all glory to him beleeve in him and rest in him onely contemning and rejecting all other aydes of our life For they are fallen from the grace of God and make Christ of no value unto themselves whosoever they be that seeke salvation in any other things besides Christ alone And to speake many things in few words with a sincere heart we beleeve and with libertie of speech we freely professe whatsoever things are defined out of the holy Scriptures and comprehended in the Creeds and in the Decrees of those foure first and most excellent Councels holden at Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon together with blessed Athanasius his Creed and all other Creeds like to these touching the mysterie of the Incarnation of our Lord Iesus Christ and we condemne all things contrary to the same And thus doe we retaine the Christian sound and Catholike faith wholly and inviolable knowing that nothing is contained in the foresaid Creeds which is not agreeable to the Word of God and maketh wholly for the sincere declaration of faith Out of the former Confession of HELVETIA The eternall Counsell of the restoring of man ANd though man by this fault was deputed to damnation Artic. 10. and had incurred most just wrath yet God the Father never ceased to have a care over him the which is manifest by the first promises by the whole Law which as it is holy and good teaching us the will of God righteousnesse and truth so doth it worke anger and stirre up not extinguish sins in us not through it own fault but by ours and by Christ ordained and exhibited for this purpose Iesus Christ and those benefits which we reap by him THis Christ the true Son of God being true God and true Artic. 11. man was made our brother when according tot the time appointed he had taken upon him whole man that is consisting of soule and body and in one indivisible person united two natures yet were not these natures confounded that he might restore us being dead to
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
setting forth of the truth and to the end that such as are not approved might be manifest Now as we acknowledge no other head of the Church then Christ so we doe not acknowledg every church to be the true church which vaunteth her selfe so to be but we teach that to be the true Church indeed in which the markes and tokens of the true church are to be found First and chiefly the lawfull or sincere preaching of the word of God as it is left unto us in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles which do all seeme to leade us unto Christ who in the Gospel hath said My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them â— Iohn 10. and they follow me and I give unto them eternall life A stranger they doe not heare but flie from him because they know not his voyce And they that are such in the Church of God have all but one faith and one spirit and therefore they worship but one God and him alone they serve in spirit and in truth loving him with all their hearts and with all their strength praying unto him alone through Jesus Christ the onely Mediatour and Intercessour and they seeke not life or justice but onely in Christ and by faith in him because they doe acknowledge Christ the onely head and foundation of his Church and being surely founded on him doe daily repaire themselves by repentance and doe with patience beare the crosse laid upon them and besides by unfeigned love joyning themselves to all the members of Christ doe thereby declare themselves to be the disciples of Christ by continuing in the bond of peace and holy unitie they do withall communicate in the Sacraments ordained by Christ and delivered unto us by his Apostles using them in no other manner then as they received them from the Lord himselfe That saying of the Apostle Paul is well knowne to all I received from the Lord that which I delivered 1 Cor 11. unto you For which cause we condemne all such churches as strangers from the true church of Christ who are not such as we have heard they ought to be howsoever in the meane time they bragge of the succession of Bishops of unitie and of antiquitie Moreover we have in charge from the Apostles of Christ To shunne Idolatrie and to come out of Babylon and to have no fellowship 1 Cor. 10. 1 Iohn 5. Apoc. 18. 2 Cor. 6. with her unlesse we meane to be partakers with her of all Gods plagues laid upon her But as for communicating with the true church of Christ we so highly esteeme of it that wee say plainly that none can live before God which doe not communicate with the true church of God but separate themselves from the same For as without the Arke of Noah there was no escaping when the world perished in the flood even so doe we beleeve that without Christ who in the church offereth himselfe to be enjoyed of the elect there can be no certaine salvation and therefore we teach that such as would be saved must in no wise separate themselves from the true Church of Christ But yet we doe not so strictly shut up the church within those markes before mentioned as thereby to exclude all those out of it which either doe not communicate in the Sacraments by reason that they want them or else not willingly nor upon contempt but being constrained by necessitie doe against their wils abstain from them or in whom faith doth sometimes faile though not quite decay nor altogether die or in whom some slips and errours of infirmitie may be found for we know that God had some friends in the world that were not of the common wealth of Israel We know what befell the people of God in the captivity of Babylon where they wanted their sacrifices seventy yeers We know very well what hapned to Saint Peter who denied his Master and what is wont daily to fall out among the faithfull and chosen of God which goe astray and are full of infirmities We know moreover what manner of Churches the Churches at Galatia and Corinth were in the Apostles time in which the Apostle Paul condemneth divers great and heinous crimes yet he calleth them the holy Churches of Christ Yea and it falleth out sometimes that God in his just judgement suffereth the truth of his word and the Catholike Faith and his owne true worship to be so obscured and defaced that the church seemeth almost quite rased out and not so much as a face of a church to remaine as we see fell out in the dayes of Eliah and at other times And yet in 1 Reg. 19. Apoc. 7. the meane time the Lord hath in this world even in this darkenesse his true worshippers and those not a few but even seven thousand and more For the Apostle crieth The foundation of the 2 Tim. 2. Lord standeth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are his c. Whereupon the Church of God may be tearmed invisible not that the men whereof it consisteth are invisible but because it being hidden from our sight and knowne onely unto God it cannot be discerned by the judgement of man Againe not all that are reckoned in the number of the church are Saints and the lively and true members of the church for there be many hypocrites which outwardly doe heare the word of God and publikely receive the Sacraments and beare a shew to pray unto God alone through Christ to confesse Christ to be their onely righteousnesse and doe seeme outwardly to worship God and to exercise the duties of charitie to the brethren and for a while through patience to indure in troubles and calamities And yet they are altogether destitute of the inward illumination of the spirit of God of faith and sinceritie of heart and of perseverance or continuance to the end And these men are for the most part at the length laid open what they be For the Apostle John saith They went out from among us but they were not of us 1 Iohn 2. for if they had beene of us they would have tarried with us Yet these men whilest they doe pretend religion they are accounted to be in the church howsoever indeed they be not of the church Even as traitours in a commonwealth before they be detected are counted in the number of good Citizens and as the cockle and darnell and chaffe are found amongst the wheate and as wennes and swellings are in a perfect body when they are rather diseases and deformities then true members of the body And therefore the Matth. 13. church is very well compared to a draw net which draweth up fishes of all sorts and to a field wherein is found both darnell and good corne We are to have a speciall regard that we judge not rashly before the time nor goe about to exclude cast off and cut away them whom the Lord would not have excluded nor cut off or
body he said to his disciples Got ye into the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature After the which manner also Paul the Apostle saith He that descended is even the same that ascended farre above all heavens that he might fill all things And he gave some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edification of the body of Christ Now the Lord doth use these his Ministers to instruct his Church so as he useth meats to nourish us the sower to sowe seed and Phisicians to heale our bodies For except himselfe doe give power and vertue whereby both the meate may be turned into nourishment and the seed may spring up and also the medicine may be made effectuall the outward worke doth nothing at all profit So except the Lord do give increase in the heart of the hearer the doctrine indeed in him which hath not faith is as it were a watering and planting but such as is without efficacie and unfruitfull but being received by faith into good ground and being trimmed by the inward husbandman the holy Ghost doth worke marvellously and profit Notwithstanding it hath so pleased the Lord to moderate the affaires of men that although by his owne power he doth all things in all men yet he vouchsafeth to use the Ministers as workers together For that saying of Paul is evident For we together are Gods labourers but he addeth Ye are Gods husbandrie and Gods building to wit that we might give unto God all the vertue efficacie accomplishing and perfiting of the worke and to the Ministers a service onely whereupon we doe truely say with Paul Who is Paul then and who is Apollos but the Ministers by whom ye beleeved and as the Lord gave to every man I have planted Apollos watered but God gave the increase So then neither is he that planteth any thing neither is he that watereth but God that giveth the increase And in this sense we doe know and willingly use these speeches and testimonies of the holy Scripture I have begotten you in Christ by the Gospel you are the Epistle of Christ written by us not with inke but with the spirit of the living God And Whose sinnes you remitte they are remitted to them Againe Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God And againe I send thee to the Gentiles that thou maist open their eyes Also the Scripture saith of Iohn Baptist He shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children c. For when all these things be done that is when we are borne againe when the holy Ghost is given to us when our sinnes be forgiven us when faith is given us and our eies opened and our hearts turned one and the selfe same spirit as the Apostle saith worketh them all who by his grace doth lighten their hearts and draw them unto him and that after a common order and meane to wit by the instrument or meane of his word and yet he might draw us without all meanes and without any instrument whether as much and whom it pleaseth him Therefore let no man glory in men but in him that giveth the increase Againe let no man despise men which are sent of the Lord of whom he pronounceth He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me This is our opinion as touching the ministery of the word agreeable as we hope to the Scripture and sound writers which also we have found often in Luthers and in his friends bookes Out of the Confession of BOHEMIA Of those that teach in the Church and who they be that governe them CHAP. 9. IN the ninth place it is taught concerning the acknowledging of the shepheards of soules or lawfull Ministers of sacred functions in the holy Church according to the degrees and order of divers cures and first that these are especiall members of the holy Ecclesiasticall communion and Christ his * Looke the 1. Observation upon this confess Matth. 10. Luke 10. Iohn 13. 1 Cor. 4. Vicegerents that is they who supply his place He that heareth them heareth Christ he that dâ—spiseth them despiseth Christ and his heavenly Father For to these is the ministery of the Word and Sacraments lawfully committed But Ministers ought not of their owne accord to prease forward in that calling but ought according to the example of the Lord and the Apostles to be lawfully appointed and ordained thereunto and that after this manner that from among a Matt. 10. Mar. 1. 6. 3. Act. 1. people that is sound in religion and feareth God such men may be chosen and called to the administration of holy functions as are strong and mightie in faith fearing God and having gifts requisite for the ministerie and be of an honest and blamelesse life And againe that above all things these be proved and tried by examination weather they be such and so afterward prayers and fastings 1 Tim 2. being made they may be confirmed or approved of the Elders * Looke the 2. Observation Heb. 5. by laying on of hands * Look the 3. Observat Hereof speaketh the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes Every high Priest is taken from among men that is to say from among the faithfull and such as are a spirituall priesthood And Paul laying before Timothie his owne example saith What things thou hast heard of me 2 Tim. 2. before many witnesses the same deliver to faithfull men which shall be able to teach others also Of such Priests or Ministers and of making ordaining and consecrating them and how the ordaining of them ought to be handled the Apostle teacheth evidently and 1 Tim. 3. Titus 1. plainely in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus Therefore it is not permitted to any among us to execute the office of the ministery or to administer holy functions of the Lords unlesse according to this custome of the Primitive Church and order appointed by God he come to this function and be called and assigned thereunto which thing may also manifestly appeare by the ancient Canons of the Church Saint Cyprian hath in like sort set downe the manner of ordaining Priests According to these things the ministers of lower degree especially they which are called * Looke the 4. Observat Deacons are a long time detained with our Elders and kept in exercise and this thing they doe very seriously making a streight trial and examination of their faith diligence following herein the example of the Primitive Church and also of Christ himselfe who kept his Disciples with him for the space of three yeeres Also the Apostles dealt so by others to the to the end that afterward godly men and such as were illuminated with the heavenly light might be taken and ordained from among them to higher degrees and to the executing of greater functions
Observat upon this confession Artic. 6. Lucifer which preferreth himselfe before his Brethren that he hath forsaken the faith and is the forerunner of Antichrist Further we say that the Minister ought lawfully duely and orderly to be preferred to that office of the Church of God and that no man hath power to wrest himselfe into the holy Ministerie at his owne pleasure Wherefore these persons doe us the greater wrong which have nothing so common in their mouthes as that we doe nothing orderly and comely but all things troublesomely and without order And that we allow every man to be a Priest to be a Teacher and to be an Interpreter of the Scriptures Moreover we say that Christ hath given to his Ministers power Artic. 7. to binde to loose to open to shut And we say that the office of loosing consisteth in this point that the Minister either by the preaching of the Gospell offereth the merits of Christ and full pardon to such as have lowly and contrite hearts and doe unfainedly repent themselves pronouncing unto the same a sure and an undoubted forgivenesse of their sins and hope of everlasting salvation Or else that the same Minister when any have offended their brothers mindes with some great offence or notable and open crime whereby they have as it were banished and made themselves strangers from the common followship and from the body of Christ then after perfit amendment of such persons doth reconcile them and bring them home againe and restore them to the companie and unitie of the faithfull We say also that the Minister doth execute the authoritie of binding and shutting as often as he shutteth up the gate of the kingdome of heaven against unbeleeving and stubborne persons denouncing unto them Gods vengeance and everlasting punishment Or else when he doth quite shut them out from the bosome of the Church * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession by open excommunication Out of doubt what sentence soever the Minister of God shall give in this sort God himselfe doth so well allow it that whatsoever here in earth by their means is loosed and bound God himselfe will loose and binde and confirme the same in heaven And touching the Keyes wherewith they may either shut or open the kingdome of heaven we with Chrysostome say They be the knowledge of the Scriptures with Tertullian we say They be the interpretation of the Law and with Eusebius we call them the word of God Moreover that Christs Disciples did receive this authoritie not that they should heare the private confessions of the people and listen to their whisperings as the common massing Priests doe every where now a dayes and doe it so as though in that one point lay all the vertue and use of the Keyes but to the end they should goe they should teach they should publish abroad the Gospell and be unto the beleeving a sweet savour of life unto life and unto the unbeleeving and unfaithfull * Looke the 2. observation upon this confession a savour of death unto death and that the mindes of godly persons being broght low by the remorse of their former life and errours after they once begun to looke up unto the light of the Gospel and beleeve in Christ might be opened with the word of God even as a doore is opened with a Key Contrariwise that the wicked and wilfull and such as would not beleeve nor returne into the right way should be left still as fast locked and shut up and as Saint Paul saith waxe worse 2 Tim. 3. and worse This take we to be the meaning of the Keys and that after this sort mens consciences be either opened or shut We say that the Priest in deed is a judge in this case But yet hath no manner of right to challenge an authoritie or power as Ambrose * Looke the 3. Observavation saith And therefore our Saviour Iesus Christ to reproove the negligence of the Scribes and Pharisees in teaching did with these words rebuke them saying Woe be unto you Scribes and Luk. 11. Matth. 21. Pharisees which have taken away the Keyes of knowledge and have shut up the kingdome of heaven before men Seeing then the Key whereby the way and entry to the kingdome of God is opened unto us is the word of the Gospel and the expounding of the Law and Scriptures we say plainly where the same word is not there is not the Key And seeing one manner of word is given Matth. 16. to all and one onely key belongeth to all we say there is but one onely power of all Ministers as concerning opening and shutting And as * Looke the 4. Observat upon this confession touching the Bishop of Rome for all that his flattering Parasites sing these words in his eares To thee will I give the keyes of the kingdome of heaven as though these keyes were sit for him alone and for no body else * Looke the 4. Observat upon this confession except he goe so to worke as mens consciences may be made pliant and be subdued to the word of God we deny that he doth either open or shut or hath the keyes at all And although he taught and instructed the people as would God he might ofice truely doe and perswade himselfe it were at the least any piece of his dutie yet we thinke his key to be never a whit better or of greater force then other mens For who hath severed him from the rest Who hath taught him more cunningly to open or better to absolve then his brethren Out of the Confession of BELGIA VVE beleeve that this Church ought to be ruled and governed Artic. 30. by that spirituall regiment which God himselfe hath delivered in his word so that there be placed in it Pastours and Ministers purely to preach and rightly to administer the holy Sacraments that there be also in it Seniours and Deacons of whom the Senate of Church might consist that by these means true Religion might be preserved and sincere doctrine in every place place retained and spread abroad that vicious and wicked men might after a spirituall manner be rebuked amended and as it were by the bridle of discipline kept within their compasse that the poore is like manner and those that be afflicted may be releeved either with aide or comfort according to the severall necessitie of every one For then shall all things in the Church be done in due and convenient order when faithfull and godly men are chosen to have the government of the same even as St. Paul hath prescribed in the first to Timothie the 3. and the first to Titus We beleeve that the Ministers Senours and Deacons ought Artic. 31. to be called to those their functions and by the lawfull election of the Church to be advanced into those roomes earnest prayer being made unto God and after the order and manner which is set downe unto us
is therefore very requisite that purposing to come to the Supper of the Lord we doe trie our selves according to the commandement of the Apostle first with what faith we are indued whether we beleeve that Christ is come to save sinners and to call them to repentance and whether each man beleeve that he is in the number of them that being delivered by Christ are saved and whether he have purposed to change his wicked life to live holily and persevere through Gods assistance in true religion and in concord with his brethren and to give worthy thanks to God for his delivery c. We thinke that rite manner or forme of the Supper to be the most simple and excellent which commeth neerest to the first institution of the Lord and to the Apostles doctrine Which doth consist in declaring the word of God in godly prayers the action it selfe that the Lord used and the repeating of it the eating of the Lords body and drinking of his blood the wholesome remembrance of the Lords death and faithfull giving of thanks and in an holy fellowship in the union of the body of the Church We therefore disallow them which have taken from the faithfull one part of the Sacrament to wit the Lords cup. For these doe very grievously offend against the institution of the Lord who saith drinke you all of this which he did not so plainly say of the bread What manner of Masse it was that the Fathers used whether it were tollerable or intollerable we doe not now dispute But this we say freely that the Masse which is now used throughout the Romish Church for many and most just causes is quite abolished out of our Churches which particularly we will not now recite for brevities sake Truly we could not like of it because that of a most wholesome action they have made a vaine spectacle also because it is made a meritorious matter and is said for money likewise because that in it the Priest is said to make the very body of the Lord and to offer the same really even for the remission of the sins of the quicke and the dead Adde this also that they doe it for the honour worship and reverence of the Saints in heaven c. Out of the former Confession of HELVETIA Of the Lords Supper VVE say that the Supper is a mysticall thing wherein the Artic. 22. Lord doth indeed offer unto those that are his his body and blood that is himself to this end that he may more and more live in them and they in him not that the body and blood of the Lord are either naturally united to bread and wine or be locally here inclosed or be placed here by any carnall presence but that bread and wine by the institution of the Lord are signes whereby the true communication of his body and blood is exhibited of the Lord himselfe by the ministerie of the Church not to be meate for the belly which doth perish but to be nourishment unto eternall life We doe therefore use this holy meat oftentimes because that being admonished hereby we doe with the eyes of faith behold the death and blood of Christ crucified and meditating upon our salvation not without a taste of heavenly life and a true sense of life eternall we are refreshed with this spirituall lively inward food with an unspeakable sweetnes and we do rejoyce with a joy that cannot be expressed in words for that life which we have found and we do wholly with all our strength powre out thankesgiving for so wonderfull a benefit of Christ bestowed upon us Therefore we are most unworthily charged of some who thinke that we doe attribute very little to these holy signs For these things * Looke the 1. Observation upon this confession be holy to be reverenced as those which were instituted and received of our high Priest Christ exhibiting unto us after their manner as we have said the things signified giving witnes of the things done representing very difficult things us and by a certain wonderfull Analogie of things signified bringing light to those most evident mysteries Moreover they minister aide and helpe even to faith it selfe and to conclude they doo serve in stead of an oath to binde him that is entered into the profession of Christianitie Thus holily doo we thinke of the sacred signes But we doo alwaies attribute the force and vertue of quickning and sanctifying to him who is life it selfe to whom be praise for ever Amen Out of the declaration of the same confession Of the holy Supper of the Lord. THE Supper of the Lord is a Sacrament to wit the holy institution of the Lord whereby he doth renue and witnesse unto us his bountifulnesse to wit the communion of his body and blood and that by a visible signe For by bread and wine he doth declare unto us what he giveth namely himselfe to be the nourishment of our life for he by his body and blood doth feed us to life eternall Therefore the very gift of God that is the body and blood of the Lord to wit the body of the Lord delivered unto death for us and his blood shed for the remission of sinnes is the chiefest part of this Sacrament For the body and blood of Christ is thus made or prepared to be the lively meat of our soules The Son of God doth die in the flesh for us that he might quicken us he poureth out his blood that he might cleanse us from our sins To conclude he raiseth up his body from the dead that our bodies may receive hope and strength to rise againe Thus therefore doth the Lord offer himselfe to be eaten and possessed of us and not a certaine false imagination of a man or an idle picture in his stead For beside him there is nothing in heaven or in earth that may feed and satiate our soules Now we doe indeed eate the bodie and we doe indeed drinke the blood of our Lord but not so rawly as the Papists have hitherto taught to wit the bread being changed into naturall flesh substantially that is corporally or carnally or the body being included in the bread but spiritually that is after a spirituall manner and with a faithfull minde The Lord is eaten indeed and with fruit by faith that now he may live whole in his and his in him Moreover these holy gifts of God which are not given of any other then of the Lord himselfe according to the institution of the Lord are represented unto us by visible signes to wit bread and wine and offered to our senses not that we should rest in them but that our weaknesse may be helped and we may lift up our hearts unto the Lord knowing that here we must thinke upon greater things to wit not of eating bread or drinking wine but of receiving the Lord himselfe with all his gifts by a faithfull minde Therefore when the guests see the bread on the board
unto many not onely beggerly and weake but also hurtfull not elements that is rudiments of holy discipline but also impediments of true godlinesse How much more unjustly shall any man take unto himselfe-authoritie over the inheritance of Christ to oppresse him with such kinde of bondage and how farre shall he remove us from Christ if we submit our selves unto him For who doth not see the glory of Christ to whom we ought wholly to live whom he hath wholly redeemed to himselfe and restored to libertie and that by his blood to be more obscured if beside his authoritie we doe binde our conscience to those laws which are the inventions of men then to those which have God for their Author although they were to be observed but onely for their time Certainly it is a lesse fault to play the Iew then the Heathen Now it is the manner of the Heathen to receive laws for the worship of God which have their beginning from mans invention onely God never being asked counsell of in the matter Wherefore if in any matter at all certainly here that saying of Paul taketh place Ye are bought with a great price be not made the servants of men 1 Cor. 7. Of the choise of meats CHAP. 9. FOr the same cause was that forbearing and chusing of meats enjoyned and tied to certaine daies which Saint Paul writing to Timothy calleth the doctrine of Devils Neither is their answer sufficient Who say that these things be spoken onely against the Manichies Encratites Tatians and Marcionites who did wholly forbid certaine kindes of meats and marriage For the Apostle in this place hath condemned those which command to abstaine from meats which God hath created to be taken with thankesgiving c. Now they also which doe but forbid to take certaine meats on certaine daies do neverthelesse command men to abstain from those meats which God hath created to be taken and are cousin germanes to the doctrine of the Devils the which also is evidently seene by the reason which the Apostle addeth For saith he Whatsoever God hath created it is good and nothing is to be refused that is received with giving of thanks Here he doth not take exception against any times although no man favoured frugalitie temperance and also choise chastisements of the flesh and lawfull fasting more greatly then he did Certainly a Christian must be frugall and sometime the flesh must be chastised by diminishing the daily and accustomed portion or diet but base meats and a meane doth serve better to this purpose then any kinde of meats to conclude it is meet for Christians now and then to take upon them a lawfull fast but that must not be an abstinence from certaine but from all meats nor from meats onely but also from all the dainties of this life whatsoever For what kinde of fast is this what abstinence only to change the kinde of dainties the which thing at this day they use to doe which are counted more religious then others seeing that S. Chrysostome doth not account it to be a fast if we continue wholly without meats even unto the evening except together with abstaining from meats we doe also containe our selves from those things which be hurtfull and bestow much of that leisure upon the studie and exercise of spirituall things That by Prayers and Fasts we must not looke to merit any thing CHAP. 10. MOreover our Preachers have taught that this fault is to be a amended in prayers and fasts that commonly men are taught to seeke to obtaine I know not what merit and justification by these works For As we are saved by grace through faith so also are we justified And touching the works of the law among the which prayers and fasts are reckoned Paul writeth thus For we through the Spirit waite for the hope of righteousnesse Gal. 5. through faith Therefore we must pray but to this end that we may receive of God not that we may hereby give any thing unto him We must fast that we may the better pray and keepe the flesh within the compasse of it dutie and not before God to deserve any thing for our selves This onely end and use of prayers both the Scripture and also the writings and examples of the Fathers do prescribe unto us Moreover the case so standeth with us that although we could pray and fast so religiously and so perfectly do all those things which God hath injoyned us that nothing could more be required of us which hitherto no mortall man hath at any time performed yet for all this we must confesse that we are unprofitable servants Therefore what merit can we dreame of THE SEVENTEENTH SECTION OF CEREMONIES AND RITES WHICH ARE INDIFFERENT IN GENERALL The latter Confession of HELVETIA Of Rites Ceremonies and indifferent things CHAP. 27. VNto the ancient people in old time were given certaine ceremonies as a kinde of schooling or pedagogie to those which were kept under the law as under a Schoole-master or Tutor but Christ the deliverer being once come and the law taken away we which beleeve are no more under the law and the ceremonies are vanished and worne out of use And the Apostles were so farre from retaining them in the Church of Christ or repairing them that they witnessed plainly that they would not lay Rom. 6. any burden upon the Church Wherefore we should seeme to bring in and set up Iudaisme againe if so be we should multiply Ceremonies or Rites in the Church according to the manner of the old Church Therefore we are not of their judgement who would have the Church of Christ kept in with many and diverse Rites as it were with a certaine schooling or pedagogie For if the Apostles would not thrust upon the Christian people the ceremonies and rites which were appointed by God who is there I pray you that is well in his wits that will thrust upon it the inventions devised by man The greater that the heape of ceremonies is in the Church so much the more is taken not onely from Christian libertie but also from Christ and from faith in him whilest the people seeke those things in ceremonies which they should seeke in the onely Son of God Iesus Christ through faith Wherefore a few moderate and simple rites that are not contrary to the word of God do suffice the godly And that there is found diversitie of rites in the Churches let no man say therefore that the Churches doe not agree Socrates saith That it were not possible to set down in writing all the ceremonies of the Churches which are throughout Cities and Countries No Religion doth keep every where the same ceremonies although they admit and receive one and the selfe same doctrine touching them for even they which have one and the self same faith do disagree among themselves about ceremonies Thus much saith Socrates and we at this day having divers rites in the celebration of the Lords Supper and
middest of them and grant unto them any thing whereupon they shall agree These things most godly Emperour we doe here rehearse for no other cause then to shew our selves obedient to your sacred Majestie which would have us also to declare what is our judgement concerning the reforming of Religion For otherwise we have good hope that your sacred Majestie hath of late very well considered and doth sufficiently perceive what necessitie doth enforce us thereunto what fruit doth allure us and to conclude how worthy a thing this is for your sacred Majesty which is so much praised for Religion and clemencie that all the best learned and most godly men being called together they may finde out of the divine Scriptures what is to be thought of every point of doctrine which are at this time in controversie and then that it be expounded by the fit Ministers of Christ with all meeknesse and faithfulnesse to them which are thought to be detained in errours Notwithstanding herewithall it is to be feared that there will not be men wanting who will doe their endeavour to withdraw your sacred Majestie from this unto these men it seemed good to us in this sort to make answer as it were before your Majestie Let it please your sacred Majestie according to your most excellent clemencie for which you are renowned to take and interpret in good part both this same and all other things which we have here expounded and confessed for no other respect then to defend the glory of Christ Iesus our God as our dutie requireth and as it is meet we should to obey your sacred Majestie and to account us among those who truely doe from our hearts desire to shew our selves no lesse obedient and addicted to your Majestie in all humble subjection then were our blders being ready in this point so farre as is lawfull to spend both our goods and our lives The King of glory Iesus Christ grant unto your sacred Majestie both in this and in all other matters to doe all things to his glory and preserve it long and advance it happily both in health and in flourishing estate to the safetie of all Christendome Amen VERIE BRIEFE OBSERVATIONS VPON ALL THE FORMER HARMONY Wherein the doubtfull sayings of every Confession are made plaine the darke speeches opened and besides such as in outward shew seeme to be contrarie one to the other are with modestie reconciled And to be briefe such things wherein there is yet any controversie which indeed are very few are favourably marked and noted that they also may at length through Gods assistance come to be agreed upon by a common consent of all the Churches 1 Cor. 14. 32. The spirits of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets Phil. 3. 15. Let us therefore so many as be perfect be thus minded and if ye be otherwise minded God shall reveale even the same unto you Neverthelesse in that whereunto we are come let us proceed by one rule that we may minde one thing VERY BRIEFE OBSERVATIONS VPON THE FORMER HARMONIE ACCORDING TO THE ORDER of the Sections IN THE FIRST SECTION Vpon the Confession of Bohemia ACcording to the ancient custome This ancient custome Obser 1. pag. 8. we doe thus farre allow that libertie be be left to every Church to use or not to use those Postils as they call them yet so as we advise them to beware lest this culling out of some parts of the Scripture bring in a neglect of the other parts Vpon the Confession of Saxonie IOyning our Prayers with all Saints in heaven We learne in Obser 1. pag. 13. many places of the holy Scripture that the Angels according to the nature of their ministery which they are sent to performe doe further the salvation of the godly and it is evident by that saying Love doth not fall away and by the 6. Chap. vers 10. of the Apoc. that the spirits of the Saints taken up unto Christ do with their holy desires in some sort help forward the grace and goodnesse of God touching the full deliverance of the Church And thus we acknowledge that as well this and other places of the same Confession as also that place in the 23. Chap. of the Confession of Wirtemberge which followeth after the 2. Section pag. 45. are to be interpreted And we acknowledge no other intercession or intreating either of the blessed Angels or of the spirits of holy men that are now departed from us Vpon the Confession of Wirtemberge OF whose autho itie there was never doubt made What books Obser 1. pag. 13. these be may be seen out the French and Belgian Confessions where they are a Ireckoned up one by one And though that in the Catalogue of the bookes of the New Testament there are some to be found of which there hath beene some doubt made sometimes by the ancient Doctors of the Church yet at length by the common consent of the whole Catholique Church even they also were received and acknowledged for Canonicall And therefore there is no cause why they should now be refused for the scruples that some make about them IN THE SECOND SECTION Vpon the latter Confession of Helvetia FOr as touching their nature and essence they are so ioyned together Obser 1. pag. 19. Lest any man should slander us as though we did make the Persons all existing together but not all of the same essence or else did make a God of divers natures joyned together in one you must understand this joyning together so as that all the persons though distinct one from the other in properties be yet but one and the same whole Godhead or so that all and every of the Persons have the whole and absolute Godhead Vpon the same VVE reiect not the gods onely of the Gentiles but also the Images Obser 2. pag. 20. of Christians By Christians understand such as call themselves Christians in deed but yet do retain the use of images for the service of religion against the expresse commandement of God Vpon the former Confession of Helvetia REiecting herein all meanes of life and salvation save Christ alone Obser 1. pag. 24. Vnderstand it thus that here are excluded and condemned all those meanes that use to be matched with or made inferiour unto Christ by such as be superstitious and not instrumentall means ordained by the word of God whose help God doth so use that the whol force of the outward ministery is to be ascribed to God alone as is plainly set down afterward in the 12. Sect. in the declaration of this selfe same Confession where it intreateth of the ministerie and sacrifices Vpon the Confession of Bohemia IS above all to be honoured with high worship To wit with religious Obser 1. pag. 26. worship and such as properly respecteth the conscience which is all whole due to God alone as it is in plain tearmes afterwards set down lest any man should think that that false and
moment is prone and ready to offend the Majesty of God But the Spirit of God which giveth witnessing to our spirit Rom 3. that we are the sonnes of God maketh us to resist filthy pleasures and to grone in Gods presence for deliverance from this bondage of corruption And finally so triumpheth over sinne that it reigneth not in our mortall bodies This battell have not the carnall men being destitute of Gods Spirit but doe follow and obey sinne with greedinesse and without repentance even as the Devill and their corrupt lusts doe pricke them But the sonnes of God as before is said doe fight against sinne doe sob and mourn when they perceive themselves tempted in iniquitie and if they fall they rise againe with unfained repentance and these things they doe not by their owne power but by the power of the Lord Iesus without whom they were able to doe nothing Iohn 15. What workes are reputed good before God VVE confesse and acknowledge that God hath given to man his holy law in which not onely are forbidden all Exod. 20. Deut. 5. such workes as displease and offend his godly Majestie but also are commanded all such as please him and as he hath promised to reward And these workes be of two sorts The one are done to the honour of God the other to the profit of our neighbours and both have the revealed will of God for their assurance To have one God to worship and honour him to call upon him in all our troubles to reverence his holy name to heare his word to beleeve the same to communicate with his holy Sacraments are the workes of the first Table To honour father mother Princes Rulers and superiour powers to love them to support them yea to obey their charges not repugning the commandement of Ephes 6. God to save the lives of innocents to represse tyranny to defend the oppressed to keep our bodies cleane and holy to live in sobernesse and temperance to deale justly with all men both in word and deed and finally to represse all appetite of our neighbours Ezâ—ch 22. Ier. 22. Esa 50. 1 Thess 4. Luke 2. hurt are the good workes of the second Table which are most pleasing and acceptable to God as those workes that are commanded by himselfe The contrarie whereof is sinne most odious which alwaies displeaseth him and provoketh him to anger As not to call upon him alone when we have need not to heare his word with reverence to contemne and despise it to have or to worship Idols to maintaine and defend idolatrie lightly to esteeme the reverent name of God to prophane abuse or contemne the Sacraments of Christ Iesus to disobey or resist Rom. 11. Ez ch 22. any that God hath placed in authoritie whilest they passe not over the bounds of their Office to murder or to consent thereto to beare hatred or to iuffer innocent blood to be shed if we may withstand it and finally the transgression of any other commandement in the first or second Table we confesse or affirme to be sinne by the which Gods hate and displeasure is kindled against the proud and unthankfull world So that good works we affirme to be those onely that are done in faith and at Gods commandement who in his law hath expressed what the things be that please him And evill works we affirme not onely those that expresly are done against Gods commandement but those also that in matters of religion and in worshipping of God have no other assurance but the invention and opinion of man which God Esa 26. Mat. 15. from the beginning hath ever rejected as by the Prophet Esay and by our Master Christ Iesus we are taught in these words In vaine doe they worship me teaching the doctrines and precepts of men The perfection of the Law and imperfection of man THe Law of God we confesse and acknowledge most just most equall most holy and most perfect commanding those things which being wrought in perfection were able to give Rom. 7. Psal 19. Deut. 5. Rom. 10. 1 Iohn 1. Rom. 10. Gal 3. Deut. 26. Ephes 1. Rom 4. light and able to bring man to eternall felicitie But our nature is so corrupt so weak and so unperfit that we are never able to fulfill the works of the Law in perfection Yea if we say we have no sinne even after we are regenerated we deceive our selves and the veritie of God is not in us And therefore it behoveth us to apprehend Christ Iesus with his justice and satisfaction who is the end and accomplishment of the law by whom we are set at this libertie that the curse and malediction of God fall not upon us albeit we fulfill not the same in all points For God the Father beholding us in the body of his Sonne Christ Iesus accepteth our imperfect obedience as it were perfect and covereth our works which are defiled with many spots with the justice of his Sonne we do not mean that we are so set at libertie that we owe no obedience to the law for that before we have plainly confessed but this we affirme that no man in earth Christ Iesus onely excepted hath given giveth or shal give in work that obedience to the law which the law requireth But when we have done all things we must fall down and unfeinedly confesse that we are Luke 10. unprofitable servants And therefore whosoever boast themselves of the merits of their own works or put their trust in the works of supererogation boast themselves of that which is naught and put their trust in damnable Idolatrie Of the Church AS we beleeve in one God Father Son and the holy Ghost so doe we most constantly beleeve that from the beginning there hath been and now is and to the end of the world shall be Matth 3. 8. one Church that is to say a companie and multitude of men chosen of God who rightly worship and imbrace him by true faith in Christ Iesus who is the onely head of the same Ephâ—s 1. Col. 1. Ephâ—â— 5. Church which also is the body and spouse of Christ Iesus which Church is Catholike that is universall because it containeth the Elect of all ages of all realmes nations and tongues be they of the Iewes or be they of the Gentiles who have communion and society Apoc. 7. with God the Father and with his Son Christ Iesus through the sanctification of his holy spirit therefore it is called the coÌ„munion not of profane persons but of Saints who as Citizens of the heavenly Ierusalem have the fruition of the most inestimable benefits to wit of one God one Lord Iesus one faith and of one Ephâ—s 2. Baptisme out of the which Church there is neither life nor eternall felicity And therefore we utterly abhor the blasphemie of those that affirme that men which live according to equitie and Ioâ— 5. 6. justice shall be saved what religion
soever they have professed For as without Christ Iesus there is neither life nor salvation so shall there none be participant thereof but such as the Father hath given unto his Sonne Christ Iesus and those in time to come unto him avow his doctrine and beleeve in him we apprehend the children with the faithfull parents This Church is invisible known only to God who alone knoweth whom he hath chosen and comprehendeth as well as is said the Elect that be departed commonly called the Church triumphant as those that ye live and sight against sinne and Satan and shall live hereafter The immortalitie of the soules THe Elect departed are in peace and rest from their labours Apâ—c 14. Apoc. 7. not that they sleepe and come to a certaine oblivion as some phantastikes doe affirme but that they are delivered from all feare and torment and all temptation to which we and all Gods Elect are subject in this life and therefore doe beare the name of the Church militant as contrariwise the reprobate and unfaithfull departed have anguish torment and paine that cannot be expressed So that neither are the one nor the other in such sleep that they feele not their torment as the parable of Christ Iesus in the 16. of Luke his words to the thiefe and these words of the Luke 16. soules crying under the Altar O Lord thou art righteous and Apoc. 6. iust how long shalt thou not avenge our blood upon these that dwell in the earth doe testifie Of the notes by which the true Church is discerned from the false and who shall be iudge of the doctrine BEcause that Satan from the beginning hath laboured to deck his pestilent Synagogue with the title of the Church of God and hath inflamed the hearts of cruell murderers to persecute Gen. 4. 21. 17. trouble and molest the true Church and members thereof as Caine did Abel Ishmael Isaac Esau Jacob and the whole priesthood of the Iewes Christ Iesus himselfe and his Apostles after Mat. 23. Iohn 11. Acts 3. hiw It is a thing most requisite that the true Church be discerned from the filthy Synagogues by cleere and perfect notes lest we being deceived receive and imbrace to our condemnation the one for the other The notes signes and assured tokens whereby the immaculate spouse of Christ Iesus is knowne from the horrible harlot the Church malignant we affirme are neither antiquitie title usurped lineall descent place appointed nor multitude of men approving an errour for Cain in age and title was preferred to Abel and Seth Ierusalem had prerogative above all places of the earth where also were the Priests lineally descended from Aaron and greater number followed the Scribes Pharisies and Priests then unfainedly beleeved and approved Christ Iesus and his doctrine and yet as we suppose no man of sound judgement will grant that any of the forenamed were the Church of God The notes therefore of the true Church of God we beleeve confesse and avow to be first the true preaching of the word of God in the which God hath revealed himselfe unto us as the writings of the Prophets and Apostles doe declare Ioh 1. 20. Secondly the right administration of the Sacraments of Christ Iesus which must be annexed unto the word and promise of Rom 4. God to seale and confirme the same in our hearts Lastly Ecclesiasticall discipline uprightly ministred as Gods word prescribeth 1 Cor. 5. whereby vice is repressed and vertue nourished Wheresoever then these former notes are seene and of any time continue be the number never so few above two or three there without all doubt is the true Church of Christ who according to his promise is in the middest of them Not in the universall of which we have before spoken but particular such as was in Corinthus Acts 16. 18. 1 Cor. 2. Acts 20. Gallacia Ephesus and other places in which the Ministerie was planted by Paul and were of himselfe named the Churches of God and such Churches we the inhabitants of the Realme of Scotland professours of Christ Iesus professe our selves to have in our Cities townes and places reformed For the doctrine taught in our Churches is contained in the written word of God to wit in the Books of the Old and New Testaments in those Books we mean which of the ancient have been reputed Canonicall In the which we affirme that all things necessarie to be beleeved for the salvation of mankinde are sufficiently expressed The interpretation whereof we confesse neither appertaineth to private nor publique person neither yet to any Church for any preheminence or prerogative personall or locall which one hath above another but appertaineth to the Spirit of God by the which also the Scripture was written When controversie then happeneth for the right understanding of any place or sentence of scripture or for the reformation of any abuse within the Church of God we ought not so much to looke what men before us have said or done as unto that which the holy Ghost uniformely speaketh within the body of the Scriptures and unto that which Christ Iesus himselfe did and commanded to be done For this is one thing universally granted that the Spirit of God which is the spirit of unitie is in nothing contrary to himselfe 1 Cor. 1â—â— If then the interpretation determination or sentence of any Doctor Church or Councel repugne to the plaine word of God written in any other place of the Scripture it is a thing most certaine that there is not the true understanding and meaning of the holy Ghost although that Councels Realmes and Nations have approved and received the same For we dare not receive or admit any interpretation which repugneth to any principall point of our faith or to any other plaine text of Scripture or yet unto the rule of charitie The authoritie of the Scriptures AS we beleeve and confesse the Scriptures of God sufficiently to instruct and make the man of God perfect so doe we 1 Tim. 3. affirme and avow the authoritie of the same to be of God and neither doe depend on men nor Angels We affirme therefore that such as alledge the Scripture to have no other authoritie but that which he hath received from the Church are blasphemous against God and injurious to the true Church which alwaies heareth and obeyeth the voyce of her own spouse and Pastour Iohn 10. but taketh not upon her to be maistresse over the same Of the generall Councels of their power authoritie and causes of their convention AS we do not rashly damne that which godly men assembled together in generall Councel lawfully gathered have proponed unto us so without just examination we doe not receive whatsoever is obtruded unto men under the name of a generall Councel for plain it is as they were men so have some of them manifestly erred and that in matters of great weight and importance So farre then as the Councel proveth