and have our sins forgiven us only for Christ his sake. For before that we do by prayer invocate God, it will be necessary that the merit of Christ be applied to us, and received by faith. Therefore it cannot be, that prayer should be such a work, as that for the merit thereof we might obtain remission of our sins before God. "Let his prayer be turned into sin :" Psalm cix. 7. but it is not possible that prayer should be turned into sin, if of itself it were so worthy a work, as that sin thereby should be purged. "When ye shall stretch out your hands, I will turn mine eyes from you; and when ye shall multiply your prayers, I will not hear you :" Isa. i. 15. but God would not turn away his eyes from prayer, if of its own worthiness it were a satisfaction for our sins. Augustine, Upon the 108th Psalm, saith, That prayer, which is not made through Christ, doth not only not take away sin, but also itself is made sin.' Bernard, De Quadragesimâ, Serm. 5, saith: But some peradventure do seek eternal life, not in humility, but as it were in confidence of their own merits. Neither do I say this, but that grace received should give a man confidence to pray: but no man ought to put his confidence in his prayer, as though for his prayer he should obtain that which he desireth. The gifts which are promised do only give this unto us, that we may hope to obtain even greater things of that mercy which giveth these. Therefore let that prayer, which is made for temporal things, be restrained to our wants only: let that prayer, which is made for the virtues of the soul, be free from all filthy and unclean behaviour: and let that prayer, which is made for life eternal, be occupied about the only good pleasure of God, and that in all humility, presuming, as is requisite, of the only mercy of God.'

Chapter 18. Of Alms.

We do diligently commend alms, and exhort the Church that every man help his neighbour by every duty that he may, and testify his love. But whereas it is said in a certain place, “That alms do take away sin, as water doth quench fire," Ecclus. iii. 30.* we must understand it according to the analogy of faith. For what need was there, to the taking away of our sins, of Christ his passion and death, if sins might be taken away by the merit of alms? And

• One might have thought that the things said of alms-giving in the books of Tobit and Ecclesiasticus were of themselves a conclusive warrant for ranking those portions of the Apocrypha under the designation of another Gospel than that of the grace of God.-EDITOR.

what use were there of the ministry of the Gospel, if alms were appointed of God for an instrument, whereby the death of Christ might be applied to us? Therefore, that Christ his honour may not be violated, and the ministry of the Gospel may retain its lawful use, we teach that alms doth thus take away sin, not that of itself it is a worthy work, whereby either sin may be purged, or the merit of Christ applied, but that it is a work and fruit of charity toward our neighbour, by which work we do testify our faith and obedience, which we owe unto God. Now where faith is, there Christ alone is acknowledged to be the purger of sins. Therefore, seeing that alms doth testify, after their manner, that Christ doth dwell in the godly, it doth also testify that they have remission of sins. For except alms be a work of charity, which may bear witness to faith in Christ, it is so far from signifying that man hath remission of sins through Christ, that it doth even stink in the sight of God. "If I shall distribute," saith Paul, "all my substance, that it may be meat for the poor, and shall not have love, it profiteth me nothing." 1 Cor. xiii. 3. Therefore we teach, that good works must be done necessarily, that God is to be invocated, and that alms is to be given, that we may testify our faith and love, and obey the calling of God. But in true repentance we teach that we obtain remission of sins, only for the Son of God our Lord Jesus Christ his sake, through faith; according to that which Peter saith, To him do all the Prophets bear witness, that, through his name, every one that believeth in him doth receive remission of sins." Acts x. 43.

Chapter 27. Of Canonical Hours.

Augustine writeth in a certain place, that Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan, did ordain, that the assemblies of the Church should sing Psalms, whereby they might mutually comfort themselves, whilst they looked for adversity, and stir up themselves to bear the cross : lest the people,' saith he, 'should pine away with the irksomeness of mourning.' This singing, because it was done in a tongue commonly known, and had a godly use, deserved great praise. And by the Canonical Decree it appeareth, that those Hours, which they call Canonical, were an appointment of certain times, wherein the whole holy Scripture should be publicly run over every year; as in the Schools there be certain hours appointed for interpreting of authors. Such a distribution of hours was peradventure not unprofitable for that time, and in itself is not a thing to be condemned. But to appoint a special kind of Priests for chanting the Canonical Hours,

and to sing them in a strange tongue, which commonly is not known to the Church, or is not our country tongue, and that, in some places, in the night, and for a long time without any intermission, new singers very often taking one another's course; and to make hereof a worship, not to this end, that by patience, and comfort of the Scripture, we might have hope," as Paul saith, Rom. xv. 4. but that by the merit of this work a man might mitigate the wrath of God, and purge the sins of men before God; this is contrary to the judgment of that Church, which is indeed Catholic. 'When ye come together, according as every one of you hath a Psalm, or hath a doctrine, or hath a tongue, or hath a revelation, or hath an interpretation, let all things be done unto edifying." 1 Cor. xiv. 26. Jerome, Upon the Epistle to the Ephesians, Chap. 5, saith, 'Singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts. Let young men hear these things; let them hear, whose office it is to sing in the Church that we must sing to God, not with the voice, but with the heart; and that the throat and the jaws are not to be greased with some sweet liquor, as they used to do that play in Tragedies,' &c.

Now that which was spoken, touching the use of a tongue that is commonly known, it must be understood, not only of the singing of Psalms, but also of all the parts of Ecclesiastical ministry. For as sermons and prayers are to be made in a tongue well known to the Church, so also must the Sacraments be dispensed in a speech that is known. For although it be lawful at some time to use a strange tongue, by reason of the learned; yet the consent of the Catholic Church doth require this, that the necessary ministries of the Church be executed in our country speech. "I had rather in the Church to speak five words with my understanding, that I may also instruct others, than ten thousand words in a strange tongue." 1 Cor. xiv. 19. Innocentius III., De. Offi. Jud. Ord. cap. Quoniam, saith: Because that, in many parts within one city and diocese, there be people of divers languages mingled together, having under one faith divers rites and customs; we do straitly command, that the Bishops of such cities or dioceses do provide fit men, who, according to the diversity of ceremonies and languages, may execute among them the divine duties, and minister the Ecclesiastical Sacraments, instructing them both by the word and by their example.' Therefore they are to be said to do godly and Catholicly, who do so appoint the dispensation of the Sacraments, the singing of Psalms, and the reading of the holy Scripture, that the Church may under

stand that which is said, read, or sung, and the spirit may receive fruit thereby to comfort the mind, and to confirm faith, and to stir up love.

VIII.-FROM THE CONFESSION OF SUEveland.

Chapter 21. Of the Singing and Prayers of Ecclesiastical Men.

And for that cause, to wit, that men should not wink at that offending of God, which might be committed under a colour of his service, (than which nothing can offend him more grievously,) our Ministers have condemned the most of those things, which were used in the singings and prayers of Ecclesiastical men. For it is but too manifest that these have degenerated from the first appointment and use of the Fathers. For no man, which understandeth the writings of the ancient Fathers, is ignorant of this, that it was a custom among them, wisely to rehearse, and also to expound, a few Psalms, with some chapter of the Scripture; whereas now-a-days many Psalms are chanted, for the most part without understanding, and of the reading of the Scripture there be only the beginnings of Chapters left unto us, and innumerable things are taken up one after another, which serves rather for superstition, than for godliness. Therefore our Ministers did first of all denounce this, that many things, which were contrary to the Scriptures, are mingled with holy prayers and songs; as that those things are attributed to saints departed, which are proper to Christ alone; namely, to free us from sins and other discommodities, and not so much to obtain, as to give us the favour of God, and all kind of good things. Secondly, that they are increased so infinitely, that they cannot be sung or rehearsed with an attentive mind: whereas it is nothing but a mocking of God, whatsoever we do in his service without understanding. Lastly, that these things also were made meritorious works, and to be sold for no small price; to say nothing hereof, that, against the express commandment of the Holy Ghost, all things are there said and sung in that tongue which not only the people doth not understand, but many times also, not they themselves, which do live of those kinds of singing and prayers.

382

THE SIXTEENTH SECTION.

OF HOLY DAYS, FASTS, AND CHOICE OF MEATS; AND OF THE VISITATION OF THE SICK, AND THE CARE THAT IS TO BE HAD FOR THE DEAD.

I. FROM THE LATTER CONFESSION OF Helvetia. Chapter 24. Of Holy Days, Fasts, and Choice of Meats. Although religion be not tied unto time, yet can it not be planted and exercised without a due dividing and allotting out of time unto it. Every Church therefore doth choose unto itself a certain time, for public prayers, and for preaching of the Gospel, and for the celebration of the Sacraments: and it is not lawful for every one to overthrow this appointment of the Church at his own pleasure. For except some due time and leisure were allotted to the outward exercise of religion, without doubt men would be quite drawn from it by their own affairs. In regard hereof, we see that, in the ancient Churches, there were not only certain set hours in the week appointed for meetings, but that also even the Lord's day itself, ever since the Apostles' time, was consecrated to religious exercises, and unto a holy rest; which also is now very well observed of our Churches, for the worship of God, and increase of charity. Yet herein we give no place unto the Jewish observation of the day, or to any superstitions. For we do not account one day to be holier than another, nor think that mere rest is of itself liked of God. Besides we do celebrate and keep the Lord's day, and not the Sabbath, and that with a free observation.

Moreover, if the Churches do religiously celebrate the memory of the Lord's Nativity, Circumcision, Passion, Resurrection, and of his Ascension into heaven, and sending the Holy Ghost upon his disciples, according to Christian liberty, we do very well approve of it. But as for Festival days, ordained to men, or saints departed, we cannot allow of them. For indeed such Feasts must be referred to the first table of the Law, and belong peculiarly unto God. To conclude, these Festival days, which are appointed to saints, and abrogated of us, have in them many gross things, unprofitable, and not to be tolerated. In the mean time we confess, that the remembrance of saints, in due time and place, may be to good use and profit commended unto the people in sermons, and the holy examples of holy men set before their eyes, to be imitated of all.