The Buckler of the Faith, Part · Article 33 – Article 35
THE XXXIII. ARTICLE. Of Ecclesiasticall policie.
Notwithstanding we exclude all humane inuentions, & all lawes which men introduce vnderunder shadow of the seruice of God, whereby they would directly binde mens consciences. But onelyonly we receiue such as serue to nourish concord, and to keepe all both high and low in obedience. Wherein we are to follow that which our Lord Iesus Christ declareth touching excommunication, which we approue and confesse to be necessary, with all the appertenances.
ARNOVX.
Section. 136 That is to shake off the yoake of Lawes and Ordinances, as well of the Church (the Spouse of Christ) as of Magistrates, to the which they beleeue, that they must not obey, but by policie, and for order, not for conscience sake.
MOVLIN.
This Article tendeth not to shake off the ordinances of the Churches of God, but the ordinances of the Papall Church, whereby a tyrannicall yoke is laid vponupon mens consciences, and Christian libertie oppressed.
Touching obedience due to Magistrates, there is nothing spoken thereof in this Article, that is referred to the last Article of our Confession, where we shall see the contrary to that which M. Arnoux imposeth vponupon vsus. For the…e we say, that God hath established kingdomes and Principalities, that he will be knowne to be the author thereof, that we must obey them for Gods sake, and that he will hauehave vsus to pay them tributes, imposts and other duties, &c. It is therefore a foule slander which our aduersarie imposeth vponupon vsus, to say, that we beleeue that we must not obey kings but by policie, and for order, and not for conscience sake. The Apostle Paul, Rom. 13.5. takes away all doubt thereof, when he saith, that We must be subiect vntounto higher powers, not because of wrath onelyonly, but also for conscience sake.
But what is the cause, that when in this Article we speake of humane inuentions, M. Arnoux thinketh, that vnderunder those humane inuentions we vnderstand the obedience which we owe to Magistrates lawes: but onelyonly because he esteemeth the power of Magistrates to be a humane inuention, and not a diuine ordinance? And hereafter in another place he calleth it a humane law. That is the opinion of the Doctors of the Church of Rome. Bellarmine maintaineth against Barkley, that the power of kings is not de iure diuino. That is the apophthegme of Binet the Iesuite, speaking to M. Casaubon, saying, That it was better that all kings were slaine, then a Confession should be reuealed: because Confession is by diuine law, but the power of Princes is by humane law, as the said M. Casaubon witnesseth in his Epistle written to Fronton le Duc the Iesuite.
ARNOVX.
Section. 137 For if they spake of vniust lawes made by vnlawfull Magistrates, they neede not frame an Article for that matter in a Confession of faith, where all things are succinctly and compendiously set downe.
MOVLIN.
In this Article of our Confession, we neither speake of iust nor vniust lawes of Magistrates; for in it we speake not any thing of the Magistrate. Howbeit vnderunder these words of vnlawfull Magistrates, the Iesuire comprehends lawfull Magistrates: for they thinke, that to kill a King which is deposed by the Pope, is not to kill a King, because they esteeme him no more a King, howsoeuer he reignes actually, whereof we will speake hereafter.
ARNOVX.
Section. 138 The Catholique Church teacheth French men, that the most Christian state of France is composed of two houses, that is, Spirituall and Temporall: the last is to build vponupon their King which is the ground, and the first to build vponupon the holy Sea which is the chiefe corner stone: and in either of those two houses they are bound as Christians and Catholike Frenchmen, as well to the Lawes of the Church, as to the Kings Lawes and to his Ministers and Officers.
MOVLIN.
All this discourse concerneth not our Article, wherein there is nothing said of Magistrates: howbeit al this discourse sounds ill in the mouth of Iesuites, who place murtherers of Kings in the roll of Martyrs: witnesse the Table which with mine owne eyes I hauehave seene in the Colledge de la Flesche in the Fathers hall, where among Iesuiticall martyrs, there are diuers which hauehave bene executed for such parricides. Therefore M. Arnoux ought to abstaine from this matter, for the honour of his Order, and call to minde the iudgement against Iohn Chastel, and the punishment of Guignard, and the refusall which the Iesuites make at this day, by writing to condemne this proposition, that the Pope cannot depose a King: and rather to stay vponupon the substance of our Article, wherein we speake not of obedience due to Magistrates but of Ecclesiasticall discipline and pollicie, and specially of Excommunication.
But he would be sure not to meddle therewith, lest he should giuegive vsus occasion to lay open the abuse, & the profanation of the vse of the Keyes which the Sonne of God hath giuen to all the Apostles, and to their successors, which are the faithfull pastors of the Church.
Of Excommunications in the Church of Rome.
Section. 139 The Church of Rome makes Admonitions and Excommunications to serue for the finding againe of things that are lost. He that hath lost an horse,Toletus libr. 1. De instructione sacerdotali ca. 8. Fertur excommunicatio in eum qui aliquid alteri surripuit. causeth an excommunication to be published against him that hath stolen it, if he bring it not againe. Whereby it happeneth sometimes, that a father causeth his sonne to be excommunicated not knowing it; & for the body of an horse, causeth his sonnes soule to be deliuered to the diuell. The Councell of Trent in the 25. Session approueth these Excommunications made to find things lost: but will hauehave none but Bishops to publish them.
They do worse then that:Tolet. lib. Instruct. sacerdotal. ca. 8. Fulminatur in futurum. Toletus Ibid. for they excommunicate for future time, and for sinnes not yet committed. That is, the Bishop pronounceth or causeth a writing to be pronounced, signifying thereby, that he excommunicateth all those that shall touch the stockes or trees of the Lord of a towne or village, although no man hath once laid hand vponupon them.
At the re…est of a creditor that hath a desire to be paid his money, they excommunicate a debter if he payeth not within a certaine time.
The Pope onelyonly excommunicateth Kings, and censureth them: as Emmanuel Sà the Iesuite saith*Eman. Sa Aphorismi in voce excommunicatio. Reges àsolo Papa excōmunicantur & censuris ligantur. in his Aphorismes. The example of Ambrose disliketh him, who being but Bishop of Millane, durst take vponupon him publikely to suspend Theodosius the Emperour, without communicating the same to the Bishop of Rome.
The Pope can giuegive power to a Lay man, yea and to a woman, to excommunicate; as Cardinall*Tolet. Instruct. sacerd. li. 1, ca. 6. Foemina excommunicare potest ex cōmissione Papae, vt notant Panor. & Antoninus Tolet after Panormitanus and Antoninus say. For the keyes which are spoken of in the Scripture, are not tied to the preaching of the Gospell; therefore diuers persons vse them, which cannot preach the Gospell.
*Papa mandat vt aliquē excōmunicet sine aliqua cognitione causae.The Pope also may giuegive commission to any one to excommunicate a man, without shewing him the cause or reason wherefore he doth it. As the same Cardinall saith, in the 16. chapter and first booke of Instruction of Priests.
And if the Pope excommunicateth any man vniustly (for they all confesse that he may iudge amisse, (because he may erre in action, and condemne him that is innocent, to be culpable) yet Pope Gregorie the 1. declareth, that the*Causa 11. Quaest. 3. Can. Sententia pastorum, siue iusta siue iniusta, timenda est. sentence of a Pastor, whether it be iust or vniust, is to be feared.
But that which in this matter is most pernicious, is the common rule, that an excommunicated person is suspended*Tolet. lib. 1. Instr. sacerd. c. 3. Excommunicatus non potest exercere actum iurisdictionis absque peccato, imò si publica est excommunicatio facta, sententiae nullae sunt. of his charge, and cannot exercise any act of Iurisdiction, and that all the sentences which an excommunicated iudge pronounceth, are of no force. By this rule the Pope pretendeth that he hath power to depose Kings, and to displace the Officers of the Crowne and all Iudges, as well soueraigne as inferior, whom when it pleaseth the Pope, or the Prelates to excommunicate them, their acts, ordinances, and iudgements are of no effect, (if we beleeue the maximes of the Romane Church:) and by consequence their places must be supplied by other persons the Popes friends, that their iudgements may be auaileable.
Our Kings and their Officers, and Courts of Parliament, are dealt withall in the like vniust manner, in the Bull de Coena Domini, which is a solemne excommunication which the Pope thundreth out eueryevery yeare on Maundy thursday before Easter. VponUpon which day the Pope appeareth standing in a Porch of a gate, with two Peacockes tailes on each side of his eares or head, and there in the presence of the people being assembled about him in Saint Peters Pallace, he pronounceth a long excommunication; wherein expresly he nameth the Chancellors, Presidents and Counsellors of the Courts of Parliament, ordinarie Iudges, and extraordinarie Commissioners; as also Emperors, Kings, Dukes, &c. which shall appeale from the Pope to any future Councell: or that lay or impose new taxes and tallages vponupon their subiects without speciall permission from the Pope: or that take tithes of the Clergie: or that in any sort take knowledge of Ecclesiasticall causes. In which clauses of excommunication, our Kings, and their Officers, and Courts of Parliament, are intangled, who eueryevery day crosse and contradict those prohibitions; and for recompence of so many good deedes which the Pope receiueth from them, are excommunicated by the Pope, and eueryevery yeare sent to hell by the strongest and most solemne excommunication which is made in the Church of Rome.
Our Churches in this 33. Article declare, that they approue not of excommunications made for things that are lost, nor to molest men that are in debt, nor for future sins not yet committed, but for scandall and rebellion against the Church, and perseuerance in impenitence: according to Iesus Christs commandement, who speaking of him that had wronged his brother, ordained, that if he despised the admonitions of the Church, he should be esteemed as a Pagan or an Infidell, and by consequence, put out of the communion of the faithful. For in the verse following, he giueth faithfull Pastors power to bind and to loose sinnes, with promise that their iudgement shall be ratified in heauen. Which power the Apostle Saint Paul will hauehave the Corinthians to vse against the incestuous persons, 1. Cor. 5.3. saying, Put away that wicked person from among you.
ARNOVX.
Section. 140 Places of Scripture alledged. And those that are alledged, in my iudgment are rather referred to certaine words which are lower in the Article, as that of Rom. 16.17. and 1. Cor. 3.3. where the Apostle exhorteth Christians to shunne partialitie, and nothing else.
MOVLIN.
The 33. Article of our Confession saith, that we receiue that which serues to nourish concord, and thereupon noteth, Rom. 16.17. where the Apostle saith, I beseech you brethren, marke them diligently which cause diuision and offences. And 1. Cor. 3.3. For whereas there is among you enuie, and strife, and diuision, are ye not carnall? Nothing can be quoted that is fitter to the purpose.
ARNOVX.
Section. 141 These places are nothing to the purpose to weaken the force and vigour of humane lawes, which are good, and made by those whom God hath established, but serue onelyonly to appease seditions, and to breake ciuill factions.
MOVLIN.
I grant that those places may be fitly vrged against seditious and quarrelsome persons, and we alledge them to no other end; not to dispense with humane lawes, I meane such as M. Arnoux vnderstands by humane lawes, to wit, the ordinance of God to obey kings, calling that a humane law, thereby to embase the authority of our Soueraignes, by perswading vsus that their authoritie is not deriued from the diuine Law of God.
ARNOVX.
Section. 142 Contrary places of Scripture. Luke. 10.16. He that heareth you heareth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth me, and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me.
MOVLIN.
Our 33. Article reiecteth humane inuentions. But in this place of Luke 10.16. which M. Arnoux opposeth against vsus, our Lord Iesus Christ commandeth to obey the Apostles, and all faithfull Pastors which speake in his name. Which if M. Arnoux placeth among humane inuentions, I know not what else is diuine. Therefore this place is so farre from making any thing against our Article, that it is little lesse then blasphemy to wrest it to establish humane inuentions.
ARNOVX.
Section. 143 And Rom. 13.2. Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receiue to themselues condemnation. And verse 5. Wherefore ye must be subiect, not because of wrath onelyonly, but also for conscience sake. Therefore we cannot say that the obseruation of humane lawes, belongeth not to the seruice of God, nor binde the conscience.
MOVLIN.
Humane lawes, that is, humane inuentions, and mens traditions, which corrupt piety, burthen mens consciences, and draw money from the people vnderunder prerence of deuotion, are condemned by our 33. Article. But touching obedience due to Magistrates, whereof the Apostle speaketh, we call it not a humane law, but a diuine constitution. M. Arnoux which calleth it a humane law, offendeth the Maiestie of our Kings, and vnderunder a shew to exhort men to obey them, vndermineth their authoritie.
FINIS.
THE SECOND PART OF THE DEFENCE OF THE CONFESSION OF FAITH MADE BY THE reformed Churches of France: WHEREIN THE DOCTRINE OF THE said Churches touching the Sacraments of the Christian Church, and the power and authority of Magistrates, is maintained, against the obiections of M. Arnoux the Iesuite.
THE XXXIIII. ARTICLE. Of the Confession of the faith of the reformed Churches.
WE beleeue that the Sacraments are added to the word for ampler confirmation, to be pledges and tokens of the grace of God, and by that meanes to helpe and strengthen our faith, because of the infirmitie and hardnesse of beleefe which is in vsus: and that they are in such sort exterior signes, that by them God worketh through the power of his Spirit, that nothing by them should be signified to vsus in vaine. And yet we beleeue that all the substance and truth of them is in Iesus Christ: and that if they be separated from him, they are nothing but shadowes and smoke.
The aduersary passeth ouer this Article, and approoueth it by his silence.
THE XXXV. ARTICLE. Of the number of Sacraments.
We confesse onelyonly two Sacraments, and those common to all the Church, whereof the first, which is Baptisme, is giuen vntounto vsus for a testimony of our adoption, because that thereby we are ingrafted into the body of Christ, that we might be washed and cleansed by his bloud, and after renewed in holinesse of life by his Spirit. We also beleeue, that although we are but once baptized, that the benefit which thereby is signified vntounto vsus, extendeth both to life and death, that we might hauehave a permanent signe or seale that Iesus Christ will alwayes be righteousnesse and sanctification vntounto vsus. Now although it be a Sacrament of faith and repentance, neuerthelesse because God receiueth little children together with their parents into his Church, we say, that by the authority from Iesus Christ, yong children begotten by faithfull parents, ought to be baptized.
ARNOVX.
Sect. 1 After they hauehave cut off part of the Scriptures by the 5. Article, the merits of workes by the 22. Article, and workes of perfection by the 24. Article, they proceed further to the cutting off of the Sacraments, practized in all times in the Church of God, according to the institution of Iesus Christ.
MOVLIN.
We hauehave cut nothing off from the holy Scriptures: for we cannot cut that off which was neuer of them. The bookes of Iudith, Tobias, Machabees, &c. are not found in the Hebrew Bibles, which are the originall of the old Testament, Moreouer, they are full of fables, as we hauehave prooued. The Church of Rome is the onelyonly Church that dares be so bold to cut off the Scripture, taking the second commandement of the Law of God out of it, in their Ladies Houres and Seruice bookes.
Touching merits by which God is made debter to men, and touching workes of perfection which are called supererogatorie, whereby a man exceeds the Law of God, and doth more good then God will hauehave him to do, we reiect them, because God reiecteth them, as we hauehave prooued before in the 70. Section of the first booke.
Touching the Sacraments, we receiue all those which Iesus Christ hath ordained: and reiect the Sacrament of Confirmation, the Sacrament of Penance, the Sacrament of Mariage, the Sacrament of extreame Vnction, & the Sacrament of Orders: because they are no Sacraments of the orthodoxall catholike Church, but of the Church of Rome. Of each of which it is necessary that we say something.