XIV.

Concerning Ecclesiastical Orders they teach. tha no man should publicly in the Church teach or me ter the Sacraments, except be be righty calec.

[Concerning Ecclesiastical Orders they teach that no man should publicly in the Church wart LE minister the Sacraments, except he be rightly cake: according as St. Paul giveth commandment to T To ordain Elders in every city.]

XV.

Concerning Ecclesiastical Rites, they teach, that those rites are to be observed, which may be kept without any sin, and are available for quietness and good order in the Church, such as are set holy days, feasts, and such like.

[Concerning Ecclesiastical Rites, which are ordained by man's authority, they teach, that such rites are to be observed as may be kept without sin, and do tend to quietness and good order in the Church: as namely, set holy days, and certain godly Psalms, and other such like rites. But yet touching this sort of rites they teach, that men's consciences are not to be burdened with superstitious opinions of them; that is, it must not be thought that these human ordinances are righteousness before God, or do deserve remis. gion of sins, or our duties necessary unto the righteousness revealed in the Gospel. But this is to be thought of them, that they are indifferent things, without which the case of offence may be omitted, But such as break them with offence, are faulty as those which do rashly disturb the peace of Churches.

Such traditions, therefore, as cannot be observed without sin, are rejected of us, as the tradition of single life. We reject also that impious opinion of traditions and vows, wherein they feign, that worships invented by man's authority do merit remission of sins, and are satisfactory for sin, &c. Of which like false opinions, touching vows and fastings, not a few have been spread abroad in the Church by unlearned men.]

XVI.

Concerning civil things, they teach that such civil ordinances as are lawful, are the good works of God. That Christians may lawfully bear office, sit in judgment, determine matters by the princes' or country laws, lawfully appoint punishments, lawfully make war, be soldiers, make bargains and contracts, by law hold their own, take an oath when the magistrates require it, marry a wife, or be given in marriage. They condemn the Anabaptists, which forbid Christians to meddle with civil offices: as also those that place the perfection of the Gospel, not in the fear of God and faith, but in forsaking civil offices. For the Gospel teacheth an everlasting righteousness. of the heart. In the mean time it doth not disallow order and government of commonwealth or families, but requireth especially the preservation and maintenance thereof, as of God's own ordinance, and that in such ordinances we should exercise charity. Christians, therefore, must in any wise obey their ma gistrates, and laws, save only then, when they command any sin, for then they must rather obey God than man.

[Concerning civil affairs they teach, that such civil ordinances as be lawful, are the good works and ordinances of God, as Paul witnesseth. The powers which are, be ordained of God. They teach, therefore, that it is lawful for Christians to bear offices, to sit in judgment, and to determine of matters by the princes' laws, or by the laws of the commonwealth, to appoint punishments according to law, to make lawful wars, to go to war, to deal in bargains and contracts, by laws to hold his own, to take an oath at the request of the magistrates, to contract lawful marriage, and to follow such crafts and sciences as are approved by law.

They condemn the Anabaptists, which forbid Christians these civil offices. They likewise condemn them which have placed perfection under the Gospel in renouncing of civil offices, whereas it is spiritual, that is, it consisteth in the motions of the heart, in the fear, faith, love, and obedience of God. For the Gospel speaketh of a certain, eternal righteousness of the heart, yet doth it not take away civil or domestic government, but requireth most of all to have them preserved in this bodily life as the ordinances of God, and that we should exercise charity in such ordi nances. Wherefore Christians must of necessity obey magistrates' laws that now are, save only where they command and set forth any sin. For in such case they Acts iv.]

must obey God rather than men.

XVII.

Also they teach that in the end of the world Christ shall appear to judgment, and shall raise up all the dead, and shall give unto the godly and elect men

eternal life and everlasting joys, but the ungodly and the devils shall he condemn unto endless torments.

They condemn the Anabaptists that are of opinion, that the damned men and the devils shall have an end of their torments. They condemn others also which now-a-days do spread abroad Jewish opinions, that before the resurrection of the dead the godly shall get the sovereignty in the world, and the wicked be brought under in every place.

[Also they teach, that in the end of the world Christ shall appear to judgment, and shall raise up all the dead, and shall give unto the godly men eternal life and everlasting joys, but the ungodly and the devils he shall condemn unto endless torments.

We condemn the Anabaptists which do spread Jewish opinions afresh. They imagine that the godly, before the resurrection, shall possess the kingdoms of the world, and the wicked and ungodly in all places be destroyed and brought under. For we know that godly men ought to obey the magistrates that be over them, not to wring their rule and authority out of their hands, nor overthrow governments by sedition, forasmuch as Paul willeth every soul to be subject to the magistrates. We know also that the Church in this life is subject to the cross, and that it shall not be glorified till after this life; as St. Paul saith, we must be made like to the image of the Son of God, and therefore we do condemn aud detest the folly and devilish madness of the Anabaptists.

Also we condemn the Origenists, who imagined that the devil and the damned creatures should one day have an end of their pains.]

XVIII.

As touching free-will, they teach that man's will hath some liberty to work a civil justice, and to choose such things as reason can reach unto. But that it hath no power to work the righteousness of God, or a spiritual justice, without the Spirit of God: because that the natural man perceiveth not the things that are of the Spirit of God. But this power is wrought in the heart, when the Spirit of God is received through the Word. These things are in as many words affirmed by St. Augustine, Lib. III. Hypognost "We confess that there is in all men a free will which hath indeed the judgment of reason, not that it is thereby apt without God either to begin or to perform any thing in matters pertaining to God, but only in works belonging to this present life, whether they be good or evil. In good works I affirm those to be which arise of the goodness of nature, as to be willing to labour in the field, to desire meat or drink, to desire to have a friend, to desire apparel, to desire to build an house, to marry a wife, to nourish cattle, to learn the art of divers good things, to desire any good thing pertaining to this present life, all which are not without God's government, yea they now are, and had their beginning from God. In evil things I account such as these, to desire to worship an image, to desire manslaughter, &c."

They condemn the Pelagians and others, who teach, that only by the power of nature, without the Spirit of God, we are able to love God above all, also to perform the Commandments of God, as touching the substance of our actions. For although that naturę