The Confession of Faith of English People in Exile
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A08068.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
THE CONFESSION of faith of certain English people, living in exile, in the Low countries.
Together with a brief note of the special heads of those things wherein we differ frō the Church of England.
2 Cor. 4, 13.
We believe: therefore have we spoken.
Harmony of Confess. in the preface set before it, in the Name of the French & Belgic Churches.
The Prelates & Priests always cry out, that we are Heretics, Schismatics, and Sectaryes. Howbeit let them know that the crime of Heresy is not to be imputed to them whose faith doth wholly rely upon most sure grounds of the Scripture; That they are not Schismatics, who entierly cleave to the true Church of God, such as the Prophets & Apostles do describe unto us; Nor they to be counted Sectaryes, who embrace the truth of God which is one and always like itself.
Reprinted in the year. 1607.
To the reverend and learned men, Students of holy Scripture, in the Christian Universities, of Leyden in Holland, of Sanctandrewes in Scotland, of Heidelburg, Geneva, and other the like famous schools of learning in the Low countries. Scotland, Germany, & France.
The English people exiled, in the Low coūtreys, wish grace and peace in Jesus Christ.
THis true Confession of our faith, in our judgment wholly agreeable to the sacred Scripture, we here exhibit unto all to be discussed: and unto you (reverend Sirs) we dedicate it for two causes. First, for that we know you are able in respect of your singular knowledge in the Scriptures, and hope you are willing in respect of your sincere piety, to convince our errors by the light of God's word, if anywhere we err out of the way. Secondly, that this testimony of Christian faith, if you also find it to agree with the word of truth, may by you be approved, either in silence or by writing, as you shall think best.
It may be, we shall be thought very bold, that being despised of all, yet doubted not to solicit you so many and so great learned men. But this we did, partly at the request of others to whom we would not deny it; partly with desire to have the truth through your help more defended & further spread abroad; partly constrained by our exile & other calamities almost infinite; partly also moved with love of our native country, and of these wherein now we live and others else where; wishing that all may walk with a right foot to the truth of ehe G • sspel, & praying daily unto God, that the great work of restoring religion & the Church decayed, which he hath happily begun in these latter times, by our Gracious Sovereign and the other Princes of these countries & ages (his servants) he would fully accomplish, to the glory of his name & • ternal salvation in Christ of his elect in all places of the earth.
Touching the causes which moved us to publish this Confession of faith, & to forsake the Church of Eugland as now it standeth, we have truly & as briefly as we could related them, in the Preface to the Reader, hereafter following: & therefore thought here to omit the repetition of them. The Lord Jesus always preserve you & your Vniversityes to the praise of his name, the ornament of good learning, th • propagation & maintenance of his pure Religion.
From Amsterdam in the low countries. The year of the last patience of the saints, 1598.
The preface to the Christian Reader.
IT may seem strange unto thee (Christian Reader) that any of the English nation should for the truth of the Gospel be forced to forsake their native country, & live in exile, especially in these days when the Gospel seemeth to have free passage & flourish in that land. And for this cause have our exile ben hardly thought of by many, and evil spoken of by some, who know not (as it seemeth) either the true estate of the Church of England, or causes of our forsaking and separation from the same, but hearing this sect (as they call it) to be every where spoken against, have (without all further search) accounted and divulged us as heretics, or Schismatics at the least. Yea some (and such as worst might) have sought the increase of our afflictions, even here also if they could: which thing they have both secretly and openly attempted. This hath Satan added unto all our former sorrows, envying that we should have rest in any part of the inhabited world, and therefore ceaseth not to make war with the remnant of the woman's seed, which keep the comcōmaundements of, God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. But the Lord that brought his former Israel out of Egypt & when they walked about from nation to nation, from one Kingdom to another people, suffered no man to do them wrong, but reproved Kings for their sakes: the same Lord yet liveth to maintain the right of his afflicted servants, whō he hath severed, and daily gathereth out of the world, to be unto himself a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a peculiar people & Israel of God: He is our hope and strength and help in troubles ready to be found, he will hyde us under his wings, and under his feathers we shall be sure, until these miseries be overpast.
And though we could for our partes well have borne this rebuke of Christ in silence, and left our cause to him who judgeth justly all the children of men: yet for the manifestation & clearing of the truth of God from reproaches of men, and for the bringing others together with ourselves to the same knowledge and fellowship off the Gospel, we have thought it needful & our duty to make known unto the world, our unfeigned faith in God, and loyal obedience towards our Prince and all Governers set over us in the Lord, together with the reasons of our leaving the Ministry worship and Church of England. Which are not (as they pretend) for some few faults & corcorruptions remaining, such as we acknowledge may be found in the perfectest Church on earth: Neither count we it lawful for any member to forsake the fellowship off the Church for blemishes and imperfections, which everyone according to his calling should studiously seek to cure, and to expect and further it, until either there follow redress or the disease be grow incurable, & the candlestick be moved out of the place. But we having through God's mercy learned to discern betwixr the true worship of God & the Antichristiā leitourgy; the true ministry of Christ & Antichristiā prelacy; the ordinances of Christ's testament & Popish canons: have also learned to leave the evil & choose the good, to forsake Babel the land of our captivity, & get us unto Zion the mount of the Lord's holiness, and place where his honor dwelleth.
But first we desire thee, good Reader, to understand, and mind that we have not in any dislyke of the Civil estate and politick government in that Common wealth, which we much like and love, separated ourselves from that Church: Neither have we shaken of our allegiance and dutiful obedience to our Sovereign PRINCE, the honorable Counsellers, and other Magistrates set over us, but have always and still do reverēce love and obey them everyone in the Lord, opposing ourselves against all enemies foreign or domestical: against all invasions, insurrections, treasons or conspiracies by whomsoever intended against the Prince and the State, and are ready to adventure our lives in their defense, if need require. Neither have our greatest adversaries ever ben able to attaint us of the least disloyalty in this regard. And though now we be exiled, yet do we daily pray & will for the preservation peace & prosperity of our Sovereign Prince & all the dominions of that kingdom.
And whereas we have been accused of intrusion into the Magistrates office, as going about ourselves to reform the abuses in that land, it is a mere malicious calumny, which our adversaries have forged out of their own heart. We have always both by word & practice shown the contrary, neither ever attempted or purposed any such thing: but have endeavored thus only to reform ourselves and our lives according to the rule of God's word, by abstaining from all evil & keeping the commandments of Jesus: leaving the suppressing and casting out of those remnants of Idolatry, unto the Magistrates, to whom it belongeth.
And further we testify by these presents unto all men, & desire them to take knowledge heerof, that we have not forsaken any point of the true Ancient Catholic and Apostolic faith professed in our land: but hold the same grounds of Christian religion with them still, agreeing likewise herein, with the Dutch, Scottish, Germane, French, Helvetian, and all other Christian reformed Churches round about us, whose Confessions published, we cal to witness our agreement with them, in matters of greatest moment, being conferred with these Articles of our saith following. The things then only against which we contend, & which we mislike in the E • glish parish assemblies, are many reliqu • s of that m • n of sin (whom they pretend to have abandoned) yet retained among them, and with a high hand maintained, upholden, and imposed. The particulars whereof (being almost infinite) cannot well of us be set down, and would be tedious and irksome to thee (good Reader:) But the principal heads we will truly relate, and that • o briefly as in so large and confuse a subject we can.
First, in the planting and constituting of their Church (at the beginning of Queen Elizabets reign) they received at once into the body of that Church, as menbers, the whole land, which generally then stood for the most part professed Papists, who had revolted from the profession, which they made in the days of King Edward of happy memory, and shed much blood of many Christian Martyrs in Queen Mary's days. This people yet standing in this fearful sinful state, in Idolatry, blindness, superstition, and all manner wickedness, without any professed repentance, and without the means thereof, namely the preaching of the word going before, were by force & authority of Law only compelled, and together received into the bosom and body of the Church, their seed baptized, themselves receved and compelled to the Lord's supper, had this ministry and service (which now they use) enjoined & set over thē, and ever since they and their seed remain in this estate, being all but one body commonly called the Church of England. Here are none exempted or excluded, be they never so profane or wretched, no Atheist, adulterer, thief, or murderer, no liar, perjurer, Witch or conjurer, &c▪ all are one fellowship, one body, one Church. Now let the law of God be looked into, and there will be found, that such persons are not fit stones for the Lord's spiritual house, no meet members for Christ's glorious body. None of years may be received into the Church without fr • e professed faith repentance and submission unto the Gospel of Christ & his heavenly ordinances. Neither may any contynew there longer then they bring forth the fruyts of faith, walking as becometh the Gospel of Christ. Christ Jesus hath called & severed his servants out of and from the world. How then should this confused and mixed people be esteemed the orderly gathered true planted and right constituted Church of God?
Secondly, as they have retained the whole • rout of the popish multitude without any distinctiō, for menbers of their Church▪ so have they set over them (as reason was) the same popish Clergy & Prelacy, which they receved from the Romish Apostasy, and this day is to be found in the popish Churches: to wit, Archbs, Primates, Bbs. Metropolitans, Suffragans, Archdeacons, Deans, Chauncellors, Commissaries, and the rest of that rabble, which rule and govern these assemblies according to the Popish Canons, Rites, and Customs. These have the power and authority in their hands to set forth Injunctions, to make and depose Ministers, to excommunicate both Priests and people, which they do very exquisitly, if they yield not unto them their due homage and obedience. These have both Ecclesiastical and Civil authority, to reign as Princes in the Church and live as Lord's in the Common wealth, to punish, imprison, and persecute even to death all that dare but once mutter against their unlawful proceedings. Of these Prelates tyranny cruelty & unlawful authority, the better sort both of preachers and people have cried out, and long time sued unto the Prince and Parliament to have them removed out of the Church as bei • g the lymmes of Antichrist. But not prevailing. they are now content (fo • avoiding of the cross of Christ) to submit themselves & their souls to this Antichris • tian Hierarchy, and bear the sinful yok • and burden of their traditions, and to re • ceive and carry about the dreadful and d •• testable mark of the Beast upon them.
Thirdly, the inferior ministry of tha • Church, consisteth of Priests, Parsons, Vi • cars, Curates, hired preachers or Lecturers, with Clerks and other like Officers, which have received their offices callings and authority from their forenamed Lord's the Prelates to whom they swear their canonical obedience, and promise to perform it with all • reverence and submission. Their office i • to read over the service book & Bbs Decrees thereby to worship God, to marry, to bu • ry, to church women, to visit the sick, give him the Sacrament, and forgive him all his sins: & if their livings or benefices (as they are called) amount to a certain sum of money in the Princes book, then must they preach, or get some other to preach for them four sermons in a year in their parish. Where also must be noted that the most part of these Priests are utterly unlearned, and cannot preach at all: whereby it cometh to pass that most of the people are as blind as they were in the dark days of popery. These Ministers generally, as well preachers as other, live in fear & servitude under their foresaid Lord's the Bbs. For as without their license written and sealed they cannot preach, so upon their displeasure and for not obeying their injunctions, they are many times suspended, degraded, and if they will not be ruled, put in prison: so that sundry of thē have ben suspended and imprisoned for preaching against the Prelates, not subscribing to their devised Articles and Book of common prayer, not wearing the sqare cap and surplice, not reading the service book, & be tied to the same, not coming to the Bbs courts, visitations, inquisitions, &c. till now of late being wearied with these troubles, they give place to their tyranny, and are content to conform themselves, and yield their canonical obedience according to their oath, • eeping now silence, yea going back, bearing & bolstering the things which heretofore by word and writing they stood against, so long as there was any hope that the Prince & Counsel would have he • kened unto them, and put these adversary Prelates out of the Church.
Fourthly, for administratiō, which is by Law imposed upon all both Clergy and Laity, (for so they distinguish them) they have gathered their Service book verbatim out of the Mass book, turning out of Latin into English the Suffrages, Prayers, Let any Collects, &c. (leaving out some of the gross pointes therein) keeping still the old fashio • of Psalms, Chapters, Pistles, Gospel • versicles, respondes, also T • Deum, Bened •• tus, Magnificat, Nunc dimittis, Our Father Lord have mercy upon us, The Lord be wi • you, O Lord open th • w my lyps, Glory to God • high, Lyft up your harts, O come let us reioyc • Glory be to the Father, Quicunque vult, & • These do they read daily morning an • evening all the year long in their priest • vestures, Surplice, cope, &c. some the • say, and some they sing, having in the Cathedral Churches, the Organs, Quer •• ters, singing men and boys, as in times pa • in pope • y. Many popish errors yet remain in that book, which their own preacher have noted, & found fault with. There a • they prescribed what prayers to read ov • the dead, over the co • n & grass, some time in the year. By it are they enjoined • keep their holy days to their Lady ( • they cal her) to all Saints and Angel • to all Christ's Apostles, (except Paul a • Barnabas) whose eyes they are cōmande • to fast, as also their Lent & Ember day • besides frydayes and saturdayes throug • out the whole year. By this book are t •• Ministers instructed how to marry, wi • the sign of the Ring, &c. to baptize the hallowed Font, with sign of 〈◊〉 cross, with Godfathers and Godmothers, asking the child whether it will forsake the devil and all his works, &c. to minister also their other sacrament or communion to the people kneeling, as when in popery they received their maker, the words of Christ's institution altered, and others instead of them taken out of the popes portuis, with innumerable such like enormities and fopperies wherewith it swarmeth. And this is all the worship and service which many parishes have usually, except peradventure some written Homilies which the unlearned Priests read unto them. This service must first be read, and hath the preeminence, even on the Lord's days, before any preaching, yea before the Bible itself. He that can read this book • distinctly, is fit enough with them to be a Priest, yea many that have ben Artificers, as Shoemakers, Tailors, Weavers, Porters, &c, and without any gifts or knowledge at all, save only to read English, have ben and are admitted, & to this day maintained by the Prelates in the Ministry.
To these Churches Ministers & Service must all the people there come every day, yea though they hav in the next parish a Preacher, and in their own a dumb unlearned Priest, yet are they all tied to their own Church and Minister, and must at the least twice a year, receve the Sacrament at his hands. If they refuse this, or do not ordinarily come to their parish Church, thē are they sūmoned, excommunicated, & imprisoned till they become obedient▪ In this bondage are our countrymen there held under their Priests and Prelates: and such as by the word of God witness against and condemn these abominations, they hate, punish, put to death, and persecute out of the Land.
Who now in whom any spark of true light is. cannot plainly perceive this their Ministry worship and Church to be false & adulterate? Doth Christ's eternal testament ordain and approve of such popish Lord's and Prelates to reign over his Church? Are these, those Christian Bishops that is Pastors, Teachers, and Elders, which he hath set in his Church and over his own people unto the ende of the world? Or can those Preachers which are thus created and deposed by, thus sworn and obedient unto their spiritual Lord's, be deemed true Teachers of the Gospel of Christ lawfully called and ordained to that Ministerye? Is that their English Mass the true & spiritual worship of God according to his own will? We are taught in the scriptures that there can be no agrement made betwixt Christ and Antichrist, betwixt the Laws of God and men's traditions; that the servants of Jesus may not submit unto or receive the mark of that Beast, neither drink of the cup of the whore of Babylon's fornications, or buy any of her wares; but must contend for the maintenance of that saith which was once gyven unto the saints, keeping their souls and bodies pure frō Antichristiā pollutions, touching no unclean thing, nor having any fellowship with the vnfruteful works of darkness, least by partaking with their sins they receve also of their plagues, & drynck of the wyne of the wrath of God, & be tormented in fire and brimstone, before the holy Angels and before the Lamb for evermore. If Christ be God, let us follow him: but if the Pope be God, what shall we say? Why have we left him, his Church and ministry, his worship & jurisdiction, or what halting and mocking with the Lord is this, to put away the Popes person, and retain his Prelacy and Ministry, his Laws, Traditions and Canons, his worship & service: or at the least to frame unto ourselves a worship Ministry and Church after the pattern and mould of the Apostasy of Rome? which what other thing is it, then to make an Image of that wild beast, and force men to worship it?
Thus seest thow briefly (good Christian Reader) the things which we mislike in the Church of England, and for which we have separated ourselves as God commandeth. To all these, if we were amongst them, should we be forced to submit our bodies & souls, or else suffer violence at the hands of the Prelates, & end our lives by violent death or most miserable imprisonment, as many of our brethren before us have done. For so great is the malice and power of those Romish Priests, that they persecute unto death such as speak against them: and such poor Christians as they cast into their noisome prysons, can seldom or never get out (except with shipwreck of conscience) until they be carried forth upon the Bere. Neither is there any care taken for their relief in this case: but being cast into prison, there they are detained without any alloweance of meat or money for their maintenance, be their want and poverty never so great. If they have anything of their own, there they are driven to spend it up: if they have nothing, there they are left by the Prelates to feed on the air. And that they may more readily be sterved, or weakened in the truth, they are commonly shut up in close prison, their friends & acquayntance being not suffered to come at them: Nay even their wives & children being kept and debarred from them by the tyranny of these bloody Prelates and their Instruments: whose hard harts and unnatural cruelty, if thou diddest understand (gentle Reader) as many of us have felt and to this day yet feel, it would make thy heart to bleed, considering their vnmercyfull and barbarous dealing. And how many souls have perished in their prisons through miserable usage, how many have ben put to death, and how many banished, though we could to their eternal infamy relate to all the world, yet will we not blaze abroad their acts (for we take no delight in laying opē their shame) but mourn for them in secret, committing our cause to God that judgeth justly, knowing that he that maketh inquisition for blood remembereth it, and will not forget the complaint of the poor. And thou (Christian Reader) vouch safe to remember unto God in thy prayers such as yet remain in bands and prison amongst them for the testimony of Jesus, enduring a hard sight of afflictions, and having the sentence of death in them selves, are like (if the Lord send not vnexspected deliverance) there to end their days.
Concerning ourselves, who through the mercy of God have found a place of rest in this land, for which benefyt we are always and everywhere humbly thankful: we desire (Christian Reader) thy charitable and Christian opinion of and holy prayers unto God for us, whose kingdom we seek, whose ordinances we desire to establish and obey: protesting with good consciences, that it is the truth of his Gospel only for which we strive against those cursed relics of Antichristian apostasy: unto which we dare in no wise submit ourselves, no not for a moment. For if it be not lawful for Christians at this day to retain the ceremonies of Moses Law together with the Gospel, as the Passover, Circumcision, the Priesthood, Sacrifices, &c. which yet were once commanded by God himself: how can we think it tolerable to observe the odious ceremonies of Antichrist, or submit ourselves to his laws, Priesthood, Hierarchy, & traditions, which the Lord never allowed, & which never entered into his heart: yea which he hath so severely forbidden, with fearful judgments threatened unto all that shall so do.
But because we have ben very grievously slaundred in our own nation, and the brute thereof hath followed us unto this land, whereby we have ben hardly deemed of by many without cause, we have ben forced at length to publysh this brief but true Confession of our faith, for the clearing of ourselves from slander, and satisfying of many who desired to know the things we hold. Wherein if in anything we err (as who is so perfect that he erreth not) we crave (good Reader) thy Christian brotherly censure and information, promising always (through the grace of God) to yield unto the truth when it shall be further shown us, and leave our errors when by the light of his word they shall be reproved. In like manner it shall be thy par • and duty to acknowledge and submytt unto the truth, by whomsoever it is professed, looking always rather to the preciousnes of the treasure itself then to the baseness of the vessels which contain it, or the infirmities of those that witness the same: in whose mortal bodies thow shalt see nothing but the marks and dying of our Lord Jesus Christ. But hold not thy faith in respect of men's persons, neither be thow moved at the evyl reports which have ben raised of us. Here hast thow the true sum of our Christian saith: try all things by the true light of God's word: and if thou shalt reap any profit by these our labors, give God the glory, and remember us unto him in thy prayers. Farewell in Christ Jesus.
1596.
THE CONFESSION of Faith of certain English people, living in the Low countries, exiled.
WE believe with the heart & confess with the mouth.
I.
THat there is but one God, one Christ, one Spirit, one Church, on • truth, one Faith, one true Religion, on • rule of godliness & obedience for all Chri •• tians, in all places, at all times, to be observed.
II.
God is a spirit, whose being is 〈◊〉 himself, and giveth being, moving, & preservation to all other things, being himself eternal, most holy, every way infinite, in greatness, wisdom, power, goodness, justice, truth, &c. In this Godhead there be three distinct persons, coeternal, coequal, and coessential, being everyone of them one and the same God, & therefore not divided but distinguished one from another by their several and peculiar property: The Father, of whom are the other persons, but he of none; the Son, begotten of the Father from everlasting; the holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son before all beginnings.
III.
God hath decreed in himself from everlasting touching all things, and the very least circumstances of everything, effectually to work and dispose them according to the counsel of his own will, to the glory of his name. And touching his chiefest creatures, GOD hath in Christ before the foundation of the world, according to the good pleasure of his will, foreordeyned some men and Angels, to eternal life, to be accomplished through Jesus Christ, to the praise of the glory of his grace. And hath also of old according to his just purpose foreappointed other both Angels and men, to eternal condemnation, to be accomplished through their own corruption and desert, to the praise of his justice.
IIII.
In the beginning, God made all things of nothing very good: and created man after his own image and likeness in righteousness and holiness of truth. But streightwayes after, by the subtlety of the serpent which Satan used as his instrument ( himself with his Angels having sinned before, & not kept their first estate, but left their own habitation:) first Eva, then Adam being seduced, did wittingly and willingly fall into disobedience and transgression of the commandment of God. For the which, death came upon all, and reigneth over all: yea even over infants also, which have not sinned after the like manner of the transgression of Adam, that is, actually: Hence also it is, that all since the fall of Adam, are begotten in his own likeness after his image, being conceived and formed in iniquity, and so by nature children of wrath and servants of sin, and subject to death, and all other calamities due unto sin, in this world and forever.
V.
Al mankind being thus fallen and become altogether dead in sin, & subject to the eternal wrath of God, both by original and actual corruption: Yet the elect, all and only, are redeemed, quickened, raised up and saved again, not of themselves, neither by works (least any man should boast himself) but wholly and only by God, of his free grace and mercy; through faith in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, that according as it is written, He that rejoiceth should rejoice in the Lord.
VI.
This therefore is life eternal, to know the only true God, and whom he hath sent into the world Jesus Christ. And on the contrary, the Lord will render vengeance in flaming fire unto them that know not God, and which obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
VII.
Now the rule of this knowledge faith and obedience, concerning the worship and service of God and all other Christian duties, is not men's opinions, devises, laws, constitutions, or traditions unwritten whatsoever, but only the written word of God, contained in the Canonical books of the old and New Testament.
VIII.
In this written word, God hath plainly reveled whatsoever he thought needful for us to know believe and acknowledge, touching the persō & Office of Jesus Christ; in whō all the promises of God are Yea, and in whom they are Amen, to the praise of God through us.
IX.
Touching his Person, the Lord Jesus, of whom Moses & the Prophets wrote, and whom the Apostles preached, is the everlasting Son of God the father by eternal generation, the brightness of his glory, & the engraven form of his Person, coessential coequal & coeternal God with him and with the holy Ghost: By whom he made the worlds, by whom he upholdeth and governeth all the works he hath made: Who also, when the fullness of time was come, was made man of a woman, of the Tribe of Judah, of the seed of David and Abraham, to wit, of Mary that blessed Virgin, by the holy Ghost coming upon her, & the power of the most High overshadowing her: and was also in all things like unto us, sin only excepted.
X
Touching his Office, Jesus Christ only is made the Mediator of the new Testament, even of the everlasting Covenant of grace between God & Man, to be perfectly and fully the Prophet, Priest, and King of the Church of God for evermore.
XI.
Unto this office, he was from everlasting by the just and sufficient authority of the Father, & in respect of his Manhood, from the woēb, called & separated & anointed also most fully & abundantly with all ne • cessary gifts, as it is writ̄, God hath not measured out the Spirit unto him.
XII,
This office to be Mediator, that is, Prophet, Priest, and King of the Church of God, is so proper to Christ, as neither in the whole, not in any part thereof, it can be transferred from him to any other.
XIII.
Touching his Prophecy, Christ hath perfectly revealed out of the bosom of his Father, the whole word and will of God, that is needful for his servants, either jointly or severally to know believe or obey: He also hath spoken and doth speak to his Church in his own ordinance, by his own Ministers and instruments only, and not by any false Ministry at any time.
XIIII.
Touching his Priesthood, Christ being consecrated, hath appeared once to put away sin, by the offering and sacrificing of himself: and to this end hath fully performed & suffered all those things by which God through the blood of that his cross, in an acceptable sacrifice, might be reconciled to his elect, and the blessing of Abraham come upon us to eternal life wherefore also having broken down th • partition wall, and therewith finished and removed all those rites, shadows, and ceremonies, he is now entered within the veil into the holy of holies, that is t • the very heaven, and presence of God where he forever liveth and sitteth a • the right hand of Majesty appearing before the face of his Father, to make intercession for such as come unto the throne of grace by that new and living way: and not that only, but maketh his people aspiritual house, an holy Priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through him. Neither doth the Father accept or Christ offer unto the Father any other worship, or worshippers.
XV.
Towching his Kingdom, Christ being • isen from the dead, ascended into heaven, set at the right hand of God the Father, having all power in heaven and earth given unto him, he doth spiritually govern his Church: exercising his power over all Angels and men, good and bad, t • the preservation and salvation of the elect to the overruling and destruction of th • reprobate: communicating & applying the benefits, virtue, & fruit of his prophecy and priesthood unto his elect, namely to th • remissiō, subduing, & taking away of thei • sins, to their iustificatiō, adoptiō of sonnes regeneration, sanctificatiō, preservation & strengthening in all their conflicts against Satan, the world, the flesh, & the temptations of them: continually dwelling in governing, and keeping their harts in h •• true faith & fear by his holy spirit: which having once given it, he never take • away from them, but by it still beget • and norisheth in them repentance, faith love, obedience, comfort, peace, joy hope, and all Christian virtues, unto im • mortality; notwithstanding that it b • sometimes through sin and tentatio • interrupted, smothered, and as it were o • erwhelmed for the time. And on th • contrary, ruling in the world over 〈◊〉 enemies, Satan, and all the vessels of wrath, limiting, using, restraining them • y his mighty power, as seemeth good • n his divine wisdom and justice, to the execution of his determinate counsel, • o wit, to their seduction, hardening, and condemnation, delivering them up to a reprobate mind, to be kept through their • wn desert in darkness, sin, and sensuality, unto judgment.
XVI
The Kingdom shall be then fully perfected, when he shall the second time come in glory with his mighty Angels, to judge both quick and dead, to abolish a rule authority and power, to put all his enemies under his feet, to separate and free all his chosen from them forever • to punish the wicked with everlasting perdition from his presence, to gather join, and carry the godly with himsel • into endless glory, and then to delive • up the kingdom to God, even the Fa • there, that so the glory of the Father ma • be full and perfect in the Son, the glo • rie of the Son in all his members, & God be all in all.
XVII.
In the mean time, besides his absolute rule in the world, Christ hath her • in earth a spiritual Kingdom & oeco • nomical regiment in his Church, which he hath purchased and redeemed to him • elf, as a peculiar inheritance. And albeit that many hypocrites do for the time • urke amongst them whiles the Church 〈◊〉 militant here on earth, yet Christ notwithstanding by the power of his word gathereth them which be his into the body of his Church, calleth them from out of the world, bringeth them to his •• ue faith, separating them frō amongst • nbeleevers, frō idolatry, false worship. • uperstition, vanity, dissolute life, and 〈◊〉 works of darkness, &c. making them • royal Priesthood, an holy nation, a peo • le set at liberty, to show forth the vir • es of him that hath called them out of • arknes into his marvelous light; gathe • ing and uniting them together, as mem • ers of one body, in his faith, love, and • oly order, unto all general and mutu • l duties, through his spirit instructing and governing them by such Officers & • awes as he hath prescribed in his word, • y which Officers and Laws he gover • eth his Church, and by none other.
XVIII.
To this Church he hath made the pr •• mises, and given the seals of his Cov • nant, presence, love, blessing & protecti • Here are the holy Oracles, as in t • Ark, surely kept and puerly taught. H • are all the fountaynes and springs of • grace continually replenished & flowi • forth. Heer is Christ lifted up to all N •• tions, hither he inviteth all men to • supper, his marriage feast: hither ou •• all men of all estates and degrees, that • knowledge him their Prophet, Priest a • King to repair, to be enrolled amongst his household servants, to be under his heavenly conduct and government, to lead their lives in his walled sheepfold and watered orchard, to have communion here with the Saints, that they may be made meet to be partakers of their inheritance in the kingdom of God.
XIX.
And as all his servants and subjects are called hither, to present their bodies and souls, and to bring the gyfts God hath given them, so being come, they are here by himself bestowed in their several order, peculiar place, due use, being fitly compact and knit together by every joint of help, according to th • effectual work in the measure of ever • part, unto the edification of itself in lov • Wherevnto when he ascended up o • high he gave gifts unto men, and distributed them unto several public function in his Church, having instituted and ra • tified to continue unto the worlds end only this public ordinary ministry o • Pastors, Teachers, Elders, Deacons, Helpers, 〈◊〉 the instruction, government, and service of his Church.
XX,
This Ministry is exactly descrbed distinguished, limited concerning their office, their calling to their office their administration of their office, and their maintenance in in their office, by most perfect and plain laws in God's word: which laws it is not lawful for these Ministers, or for the whole Church wittingly to neglect, transgress, or violate in any part, nor yet to receive any other laws brought into the Church by any person whatsoever.
XXI.
None may usurp or execute a ministry, but such as are rightly called by the Church whereof they stand Ministers, unto such offices, and in such manner, as God hath prescribed in his word. And being so called, they ought to give all diligence to fulfil their Ministry to be found faithful and unblameable in all things.
XXII.
This Ministry is alike given to every Christian congregation, with like and equal power and commission to have & enjoy the same, as God offereth fit men and means, the same rules given to all for the election and execution thereof in all places.
XXIII,
As every Christian congregation hath power and commandment to elect and ordain their own Ministry according to the rules in God's word prescribed, & whilst they shall faithfully execute their office, to have them in superabundant love for their work sake, to provide for them, to honor them & reverence them, according to the dignity of the office they execute: So have they also power and commandment, when any such default, either in their life, doctrine, or administration breaketh out, as by the rule of the word debarreth them from, or depriveth them of their Ministry, by due order to depose them from the Ministry they exercised: yea if the case so require, and they remain obstinate & impenitent, orderly to cut them off by excommunication.
XXIIII.
Christ hath given this power to receive in or to cut of any member, to the whole body together of every Christian congregation, and not to any one member apart, or to more members sequestered from the whole, or to any other Congregation to do it for them: Yet so, as ech Congregation ought to use the best help they can heervnto, and the most meet member they have to pronounce the same in their public assembly.
XXV,
Every member • of each Christian congregation, how excellent, great, or learned soever, ought to be subject to this censure & judgment of Christ: Yet ought not the Church without great care and due advise to proced against such public persons.
XXVI,
As Christ hath for the keeping of this Church in holy and orderly communion, placed some special men over the Church, who by their office are to govern, oversee, visit, watch &c. So likewise for the better keeping thereof in all places, by all the members, he hath given authority and laid duty upon them all to watch one over another.
XXVII.
Finally, whilst the Ministers & people thus remain together in this holy order & Christian communion, ech one endevoring to do the will of God in their calling, and thus to walk to the glory of God, in the obedience of faith: Christ hath promised to be present with them, to bless & defend them against all fraud and force of their enemies, so as the gates of hell shall not prevail against thē.
XXVIII.
But when and where this holy order and diligent watch was intermitted, neglected, violated: Antichrist that man of sin, did together with other points of Christian faith corrupt also and alter the holy ordinances, offices, and administrations of the Church: and instead thereof brought in, and erected a strange new forged ministry, Liturgy, and government. Yea and the nations kingdoms and inhabitants of the earth were made druncken with this cup of fornications and abominations, and all people enforced to receive the Beasts mark and worship his image, and so brought into confusion and Babylonish bondage.
XXIX.
The present Hierarchy retained and used in England of Archbs, Primates, Lordbps, Metropolitans, Suffragans, Deans, Prebendaries, Canons, Peticanons, Archdeacons, Chancellors, Commissaries, Priests, Deacons or Halfpriests, Parsons, Vicars, Curates, Hierling roving Preachers, Church-ward̄s, Parish-clerks: Also their Doctors, Proctors, and other Officers of their spiritual Courts (as they call them) together with the whole rabble of the Prelates, and their Servitours from and under them set over these Cathedral and Parishonal Assemblies in this confusion, are a strange & Antichristian Ministry and Offices: and are not that Ministry above named, instituted in Christ's Testament, nor placed in or over his Church.
XXX,
These their Popish Offices, Entrance, Administration, and Maintenance, with their names, titles, privileges, & prerogatives: also the power and rule they usurp over and in these Ecclesiastical assemblies, over the whole Ministration and affairs thereof, yea one over another, creating Priests, citing, suspēding, silencing, deposing, absolving, excommunicating, &c, Their confounding of Ecclesiastical & Civil jurisdiction, causes, and proceedings in their persons, Courts, Cōmissions, Visitations, the Priests of less rule taking their Ministry from & exercising it under them by their prescription & limitation, swearing Canonical obedience unto thē, administering by their devised imposed stinted popish Liturgy, &c. Finally the dispensations which they use for Plurality of benefices, licences of Non residency, Licences to mary and eat flesh (both which with them are on certain days & times forbidden, &c,) These, we say, are sufficient proofs of the former assertion, the particulars therein being duly examined by & compared to the rules of Christ's Testament. Not to speak here, of their private Baptism, of the sign of the Cross used in Baptism, of questions propounded to the infants, of the Priests surplice, prayer over the dead at burial, kneeling at the Lord's supper, and other the like popish corruptions, almost infinite, retained and allowed among them.
XXXI.
These Ecclesiastical Assemblies, remaining thus in confusion & bondage under this Antichristian Ministry, Courts, Canons, worship, Ordinances &c. without freedom and power to redress any enormity among them, cannot be said in this confusion and subjection, truly to have Christ their Prophet Priest and King, neither can be in this estate (whilst we judge them by the rules of God's word) esteemed the true, visible, orderly gathered or cōstituted Churches of Christ, whereof the faithful may become or stand Members, or have any spiritual communion with them in their public worship and Administration.
XXXII.
Therefore are all that will be saved, bound by God's commandment, with speed to come forth of this Antichristian estate, leaving the suppression of it unto the Magistrate to whom it belongeth. And all such also as have received or exercised any of these false Offices or any pretended function or Ministry in or to this false and Antichristian constitution, are willingly in God's fear to give over and leave those unlawful Offices, and no longer to minister in this manner to these assemblies in this estate. Neither may any of what sort or conditiō soever, give any part of their goods, Lands, Money, or money worth to the maintenance of this false Ministry and worship, upon any commandment or under any color whatsoever.
XXXIII.
And being come forth of this Antichristiā-estate unto the freedom & true profession of Christ, besides the instructing and well guyding of their own families, they are willingly to join together in Christian communion and orderly covenant, and by free confession of the faith & obedience of Christ to unite themselves into peculiar & visible Congregations: wherein, as menbers of one body whereof Christ is the only head, they are to worship and serve God according to his word, remembering to keep holy the Lord's day.
XXXIIII.
Then also such to whom God hath given gifts to interpret the Scriptures, tried in the exercise of Prophecy, attending to study and learning may and ought (by the appointment of the Congregation) to prophesy, according to the proportion of faith, and so to teach publicly the word of God, for the edification, exhortation and comfort of the Church: Until such time as the people be meet for and God manifest men with able gifts and fitness to such Office or Offices as Christ hath appointed to the public Ministry of his Church: But no Sacraments to be administered until the Pastors or Teachers be chosen and ordained into their Office.
XXXV.
And then wheresoever there shall be a people fit, and men furnished with meet and necessary gifts, they are not only still to continue the exercise of Prophesy aforesaid, but also upon due trial to proceed unto choice and ordination of Officers for the Ministry and service of the Church, according to the rule of God's word: & so hold on still to walk forward in the ways of Christ for their mutual edification and comfort, as it shall please God to give knowledge and grace thereunto. And particularly, that such as be of the seed, or under the government of any of the Church, be even in their infancy received to Baptism and made partakers of the sign of God's covenant made with the Faithful & their seed throughout all generations. And that all of the Church that are of years, and able to examine themselves, d • communicate also in the Lord's supper, both men and women, and in both kind • bread and wine. In which clements as also in the water of baptism, even after they are consecrate, there is neither transubstantiation into, nor consubstantiation with the body and blood of Jesus Christ: whom the heavens must conteyn, until the time that all things be restored: But they are in the ordinance of God signs and seals of God's everlasting covenant with us, representing & offering to all the receivers, but exhibiting only to the true believers the Lord Jesus Christ & all his benefits unto righteousness, sanctification, and eternal life, through faith in his name, to the glory and praise of God.
XXXVI.
Thus being rightly gathered, established, & still proceeding in Christian communion and obedience of the Gospel of Christ, none is to separate for faults and corruptions, which may & so long as the Church consisteth of mortal men will fall out & arise among them, even in true constituted Churches, but by due order to seek redress • e thereof.
XXXVII.
Such as yet see not the truth, may not withstanding hear the public doctrine and prayers of the church, and with a meekness are to be sought by all means Yet none who are grown in years may be received into their communion as members, but such as do make confession of their faith, publicly desiring to be received as members, and promising to walk in the obedience of Christ. Neither any infants, but such as are the seed of the faithful by one of the parents, or under their education and government. And further not any from one congregation to be received members in another, without bringing certificate of their former estate & present purpose.
XXXVIII.
And although the particular Congregations be thus distinct and several bodies, everyone as a compact and knit city in itself, yet are they all to walk by one and the same rule, and by all means convenient to have the counsel and help one of another in all needful affairs of the Church, as members of one body in the common faith, under Christ their only head.
XXXIX.
It is the office and duty of Princes & Magistrates (who by the ordinance of God are supreme governors under him over all persons and causes within their Realms and dominions) to suppress and root out by their authority all false Ministries, voluntary religions, & counterfeit worship of God; to abolish and destroy the Idol Temples, Images, Altars, Vestments, & all other monuments of Idolatry and superstition; and to take and convert to their own civil uses not only the benefit of all such idolatrous buildings and monuments, but also the Revenues, Demeanes, Lordships, Possessions, Gleabes, and Maintenance of any false Ministries, and unlawful ecclesiastical functions whatsoever within their dominions. And on the other hand, to stablish and maintain by their laws every part of God's word, his Christian Religion, pure worship, and true Ministry described in his word; to cherish and protect all such as are careful to worship God according to his word, and to lead a godly life in all peace and loyalty; yea to enforce all their subjects whether Ecclesiastical or Civil, to do their duties to God and men, protecting & maintaining the good, punishing and restraining the evil, according as God hath commanded, whose Lieutenants they are here on earth.
XL.
And thus the protectiō & commandment of the Princes and Magistrates maketh it much more peaceable, though no whit at all more lawful, to walk in the ways and ordinances of Jesus Christ: which he hath commanded his Church to keep without spot and vurebukeable until his appearing in the end of the world, And in this behalf, therefore, the brethren thus minded and proceeding as is before said, are both continually to supplicate to God and as they may, to their Princes & Governors, that thus & under thē they may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
XLI.
And if God incline the Magigstrates hearts to the allowance and protection of the Church therein, it ought to be accounted a singular & happy blessing of God who grāteth such noursing Fathers & Mothers to his Church. And it behooveth all to be careful to walk worthy so great a mercy of God, in all thankfulness and obedience.
XLII,
But if God withhold the Magistrates allowance & furtherance herein, yet must we notwithstanding proceed together in Christian covenant & communion thus to walk in the obedience of Christ and confession of his faith and Gospel, even through the midst of all trials & afflictions, not accounting our goods, lands, wives, children, Fathers, Mothers, brethren, sisters, no nor our lives, dear unto us, so as we may finish our course with joy, remembering always that we ought to obey God rather then man: & grounding upon the commandment, commission, & promise of our Savior Christ, who as he hath all power in heaven and in earth, so hath also promised (if we keep his commandments, which he hath given without limitation of time, place, Magistrates allowance or disallowance) to be with us unto the end of the world: and when we have finished our course and kept the faith, to give us the crown of righteousness which is laid up for all that love his appearing.
XLIII.
Unto all men is to be given whatsoever is due unto them. Tributes, Customs, and all other such lawful & accustomed duties, ought willingly and orderly to be paid and performed: Our lands, goods, and bodies, to be submitted in the Lord to the Magistrates pleasure. And the Magistrates themselves every way to be acknowledged, reverenced, and obeyed according to godliness, not because of wrath only but also for conscience sake: And finally, all men so to be esteemed and regarded, as is due and meet for their place, age, estate and condition.
XLIIII.
And thus, we labor to give unto God y t which is God's & unto Caesar that which is Caesars, and unto all men, that which belongeth unto them: Endevoring ourselves to have always a clear conscience towards God and towards men: And having hope in God that the resurrection of the dead shall be of the just unto life, & of the unjust unto condemnation, everlasting. Now if any take this to be heresy, then do we with the Apostle freely confess that after the way which they call heresy, we worship God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, believing all things that are written in the Law and in the Prophets and Apostles: and whatsoever is according to this rule of truth published in our own country or holden by any reformed Churches in their Confessions abroad in the world. We do also reject and detest all strange and heretical opinions & doctrines of all Heretics both old and new whatsoever.
XLV.
Finally, whereas we are much slandered and traduced as if we denied or misliked that form of prayer commonly called the Lord's prayer: we thought it needful here also concerning it to make known, that we believe and acknowledge it to be a most absolute and most excellent form of prayer, such as no men nor Angels can set down the like. And that it was taught and appointed by our Lord Jesus Christ, not that we should be tied to the use of those very words, but that we should according to that rule make all our requests and thanksgiving unto God, forasmuch as it is a perfect form & pattern, containing in it plain & sufficient directions of prayer, for all occasions & necessities, that have ben, are, or shall be, to the Church of God, or any member thereof, to the end of the world.
Now unto him that is able to keep us that woe fall 〈◊〉 and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with joy, that is, to God only wise, our Savior, be glory and majesty, and dominion, & power, both now 〈◊〉 forever, Amen.
The heads of the differences between us and the Church of England as it standeth at this day, concerning divers corruptions of Antichrist yet remaining among them.
I.
T Hat Christ the Lord hath by his last Testament given to his Church, and set therein, sufficient ordinary Offices, with the manner of calling or Entrance, Works, and Maintenance, for the administration of his holy things, and for the sufficient ordinary instruction guydance & service of his Church, to the end of the world.
2. That every particular Church hath like & full interest & power to enjoy and practice all the ordinances of Christ given by him to his Church to be observed therein perpetually.
3. That a true visible Church, is a company of people called and separated from the world by the word of God, and joined together by voluntary profession of the faith of Christ, in the fellowship of the Gospel. And that therefore no profane persons, unbelievers or wicked livers, may be received retained or c • ̄pelled to be members in the Church of Christ, which is his body; God having in all ages appointed & made a separation of his people from the world, before the Law, under the Law, & now in the time of the Gospel.
4. That discreet, faithful, & able men (though not yet in office of Ministry) may preach the Gospel and whole truth of God, that men being first brought to knowledge, & converted to the Lord, may then be joined together in holy comunion with Christ our head and one with another.
5. That being thus joined, every Church hath power in Christ to choose and take unto themselves meet and sufficient persons, into the Offices and functions of Pastors, Teachers, Elders, Deacons and Helpers, as those which Christ hath appointed in his Testament, for the feeding, governing, serving, & building up of his Church. And that no Antichristian Hierarchy or ministry, of Popes. Arch-bishops, Lord bishops, Suffragans, Deans, Arch-deacons, Chauncellors, Parsons, Vicars, Priests, Dumb-ministers, or any such like, may be set over the Spouse & Church of Christ, nor retained therein.
6. That the Ministers aforesaid being lawfully called by the Church where they are to administer, ought to continue in their functions according to God's ordinance, and carefully to f • ed the flock of Christ committed unto them, being not enjoined or suffered to bear Civil offices withal, neither burdened with the execution of Civil affairs, as the celebration of marriage, bu • ying the dead &c. which things belong as well to those without as within the Church.
7. That the due maintenance of the Officers aforesaid, should be of the free and voluntary contribution of the Church, that according to Christ's ordinance, they which preach the Gospel may live of the Gospel: and not by Popish Lordships and livings, or Jewish Tithes & Offerings. And that therefore the Lands & other like revenues of the Prelates & Clergy yet remaining (being still also baits to allure the Jesuits & Seminaries into the Land, & incitements unto them to plot & prosecute their wonted evil courses, in hope to enjoy them in time to come) may and ought to be taken away, & converted to better use, as those of the Abbeys & Nunneries have been heretofore by the Princes power and authority, to the honor of God & great good of the Reālme.
8. That all particular Churches ought to be so constituted, as having their own peculiar Officers, the whole body of every Church may meet together in one place, & jointly perform their duties to God & one towards another. And that the censures of admonition and excommunicatiō should in due manner be executed, for sin, convicted, & obstinately stood in. This power also to be in the body of the Church whereof the parties so offending & persisting are members.
9. That the Church is not to be governed by Popish Canons, Courts, Classes, Customs, or any human inventions, but by the Laws & rules which Christ hath appointed in his Testament. That no Apocrypha writings, but only the Ca • nical scriptures are to be used in the Church. And that the Lord is to be worshipped and called upon in spirit & truth, according to that form of prayer given by the Lord Jesus, Mat. 6. & after the Liturgy of his own Testament, not by any other framed or imposed by men, much less by one translated from the Popish 〈◊〉 , as the Book of common prayer &c.
10. That the Sacraments, being seals of God's covenant, ought to be administered only to the faithful, & Baptism to their seed or those under their government. And that according to the simplicity of the Gospel, without any Popish or other abuses, in either Sacrament.
11. That the Church is not to be urged to the observation of days & times, Jewish or Popish, save only to sanctify the Lord's day: Neither to be laden in things indifferent, with rites & ceremonies, Whatsoever invented by men; but that Christian liberty may be rete • ned: And what God hath left f • ee, none to make bound.
12. That all monuments of Idolatry in garments or any other things, all Temples, Altars, Chapels, & other places dedicated heertofore by the Heathens or Antichristians to their fa 〈…〉 worship, ought by authority to be rased & bolished, not suffered to remain, for nourishing superstition, much less employed to the tr 〈…〉 worship of God.
13. That Popish degrees in Theology, i 〈…〉 forcement to single life in Colleges, abuse the study of profane heathen Writers, w 〈…〉 other like corruptions in Schools & Academi 〈…〉 should be removed & redressed, that so th 〈…〉 may be the welsprings & 〈◊〉 series of true lea • ning & godliness.
14. Finally that all Churches & peop •• (without exception) are bound in Religion on 〈…〉 lie to receive & submit unto that constitution Ministry, Worship, & order, which Christ Lord & King hath appovnted unto his Churc • & not to any other devised by Man whatsoeve ••