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* 1.1 MOreouer the penitent are taught: Vnderstanstand those penitent, whose sinnes are examined in the Eccle∣siastical iudgement: who are inioyned to giue a testimony of their repentance, til the sentence of absolution be proun∣ced: yet so, that euery Church may keep hir libertie, both in this kinde of examination, and also in the testimonie of re∣pentance and, in the administration of priuate absolution.
* 1.2 AN externall testimonie of their repentance. Looke the obseruation that doth immediatlie go before this.
* 1.3 THey maie finde: yea and it maie in deed be giuen to those, which do truelie repent.
ANd that the Church: That is, the Presbyterie, or the Colledge which doth represent the Church, as Mat. 18. 17. Therfore this can not fitlie be vnderstood, either of al kinde of sinners, or els of priuate absolution, but onelie of those, which were first bound by the Presbyterie. For cer∣teinly the wholl assemblie of the Church can not be said to absolue the penitent, which is a parte of the holie Ministerie, (as shall hereafter be made euident in the 11. Sect.) but to gathertogether those who do satisfie it, somuch as in it lieth, to wit, by the consent and approbation of it.
* 1.5 THat the calamities of this life may be asswaged by good works, yet not so, as though anie good workes did de∣serue this mitigation, but it is of the meere mercie & grace of God.
THey condemne the Anabaptister, whoe denie that they who be once iustified, can againe lose the Spirit of God, &c. We also * 1.6doe condemne the Anabaptistes, although we doe denie, that they which are once iustified doe altogether lose the holie Ghost, but yet not so, as they doe denie it. For they confound the holie Ghost, not onelie with the spirit of the flesh, but also with those Satanicall furies, wherewith they be tossed. Againe, neither doe they know, neither wil they know, what faith is, and who are in deede iustified. But we doe teach, that the holie Ghost is to be discerned by the worde of God, that is, by the Propheticall and Aposto∣lical writings, from the Spirit of darkenes, although he doe
transforme himselfe into an Angell of light: And we distin∣guish the gifts of the holie Ghost which are without repen∣tance (to wit, the Spirit of adoption, & an assured perswasion, which is proper to the Elect and to those that are truely iu∣stified) from the temporall gifts, of which sort is that coun∣terfeit or resemblance of faith, to wit, atemporall faith. Neither do we denie, that the motions, euen of those gifts which are without repentance, are discontinued, and som∣times allmost extinguished, yet so, that the verie true roote beeing once planted in those, that be truelie iusti∣fied, doth perseuere in them without repentance euen to the end.
* 1.7 THat priuate absolution is to be reteined in the Church, &c. but also to euerie one in particular, &c. How farre and vpon what condition, priuate absolution is to be reteined in the Church, we haue declared a litle before in the first obser∣uation vpon the Confession of Bohemia. But here it is in deed a miracle, to haue that applied to the vse of the keies, which Christ spake of priuate admonition betweene priuate persons, to wit, Thou hast gained thy brother.
* 1.8 THose auncient customes were in time worne out of vse. Be it that those painfull punishments and satisfactions, which can not, especially at these times, be brought into vse againe, but that they wil do more hurt then good, be worne out of vse, yet notwithstanding this doth nothing hinder but that euery church, as it knoweth what is expedient, may appoint a certeine kinde of Censure or Ecclesiasticall disci∣pline, which it may vse, where need so requireth, that the Church maie be satisfied, as we haue noted before in the first obseruation vpon the Confession of Bohemia, and here∣after in the 10. Sect. and in the third obseruation vpon the Confession of Bohemia.
* 1.9 WE giue men warning of this also, &c. How temporall punishments may be said, sometime to be differ∣red,
and some time to be mitigated by good workes we haue declared a litle before, to wit, in the third obseruation vp∣on this confession. Moreouer, the word merit, both in the words which follow (Repentance deserued that God should alter his purpose, touching the destruction of Niniuie:) and also in other places▪ wheresoeuer either this or other Confessions doe vse it, it is without doubt thus to be taken, for that which we saie, to obteine, and to get, as it is often times vsed among the auncient Latine deuines. And whereas God here is said to haue chaunged his minde, we do not doubt, but that our bre∣theren do vnderstand it, as spoken after the manner of men, as when he is said to Repent him of some thing: or else it is to be referred to the outward preaching of Ionas. For as con∣cerning God himselfe, it was onelie a threatning, and not a sentence decreed.
* 1.10 WE affirme that the Ceremonie of priuat absolution is to be, reteined in the Church. How farre we thinke that this priuate confession and absolution is to be reteined in the Church, we haue declared a litle before, to wit, in the first obseruation vpon the Confession of Bohemia.
* 1.11 In true Confession there must be these chaunges, a mortification and a quicking, Rom. 6. &c. This is moste truelie saide, but in a diuers sense. For neither is contrition, or a sense of sinne, which is a fruit of sinne common to al, signified by the name of mortification (insomuch as it is a gift of the holie Ghost, proper to the Elect) but an abolishing of the olde man or of the flesh, or of that natural corruption, which taking it begin∣ning of that contrition or sorow, which is according to God, (whereof that place Psal. 5. 19. and Esa. 66. 2. is vnderstood) is by litle and litle perfited in the elect, and is the beginning of true conuersion, whereunto on the other side quickning is answerable, that is, a certeine restoring, as it were from death vnto life, of the minde, which was before in a man∣ner dead in that corruption: and being persuaded of the free remission of sinnes in Christ, by faith, it beginneth to hate sinne, wherewith it was delighted: to loue God, whome it hated, and to conclude, to will well, and to do vprightlie.
* 1.12 To shake of God, and againe to loose, &c. Looke those things which are noted in the first obseruation, of the 4. Section vp∣on this Confession.
* 1.13 This wholl custome was appointed for examples sake, and is poli∣ticall, &c. We doe thinke that this custome of publious sa∣tisfaction before the Church is in such sorte politicall, that notwithstanding it maie be referred to the Ecclesiasticall or∣der, and maie altogether be distinguished from those punish¦mentes which are meerelie ciuill, and from those which are to be inflicted by the ciuill Magistrate. For although such a publique kinde of acknowledging and d••te••••ing of sinnes, being made in the Church, is in no case to be thought, to be of anie value before God for the ransom of our sinnes (such lesse that it should be a Sacrament) yet we doe not doubt, but that this abasing is both acceptable to God, and com∣modious for the edifying of the Church, and that in such places, wherein it maie be fruitfullie vsed.
* 1.14 Hath no commaundement to inioyne such punishmentes, &c. But it hath a commaundement lawfullie to binde and to loose, and to trie by diligent search, which is true repentance. Concerning which thing looke what we haue spoken a litle before in the 2. obseruation vpon the confession of Auspurge, and is hereafter taught more at large in the 11. Section, where we doe expresselie intreat of the power of the keies.
* 1.15 Are cheefelie mitigated for the Sonne of God, &c. Where the question is of the Church of God, we saie, that all blessings, without any exception, are bestowed vpon it, and the mem∣bers thereof, not chiefelie, but onelie for the Sonne of God his sake. And these wordes, Euen for the very conuersions sake our punishmentes are mitigated, because that in the Saintes the legall promises being added to their workes are not without their ef∣fect, but haue their rewardes, &c. ought, as they seeme, to be thus taken, by adding to them this interpretation, They are not without their effect, but that must be of meere grace, and in respect of Christ alone, in whome God doth vouch∣safe euen to rewarde both the Saintes themselues, and al∣so
good workes▪ hauing no regard to the blemishes of their workes▪ as we haue saide before in the 3. and 7. obseruati∣ous vpon the confession of Auspurge.
* 1.16 I•• doth onely pro••unce this sentence, &c. To wit, according to the Ecclesiasticall iudgementes and censures, whereof we 〈…〉〈…〉 before, and not by anie ciuill authoritie▪ 〈…〉〈…〉 as they be••••armed in Papacie, vse to doe.
* 1.17 ALthough we thinke, that it is not necessarie to saluation, to reckon 〈…〉〈…〉 &c. yet we endeauour, that a generall confession of 〈…〉〈…〉 be reteined in our Churches, &c. Seeing that these thinges perteine not to the Doctrine of faith, but vnto the vse of Ecclesiastical discipline (of the libertie wher∣of in particular Churches we haue oftentimes spoken else∣where) we doe not thinke it good, that this lawe should be brought into our Churches, being made, and receiued in o∣ther places, beside the word of God, and the custome of the auncient pure Church, which did neuer require priuate confession of euerie one of those which did professe the Christian Religion, but onelie of them, of whose sinnes knowledge was taken in the assemblie.
Obs. 1. pag. 218.
Obs. 2. pag. 219.
Obs. 1▪ pag. 223.
Obs. 2. pag. 223.
Obs. 3. pag. 224.
Obs. 4. pag. 224.
Obser. 5. pa. 226. 227.
Obser. 6. pa. 229.
Obser. 7. pa. ••2••.
Obs. 1. pag. 231.
Obs. 2. pag. 232.
Obser. 3. pa. 233.
Obser. 4. pa. 234.
Obser. 5. pa. 234.
Obser. 6. pa. 235.
Obser. 7. pag. 236.
Obser 1. pag. 238▪