A15857:664
H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which now at length being 70. years…H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which novve at length being 70. yeares…
H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which now at length being 70. years of age, he caused to be published in the name of himself & his family. Englished in sense agreeable, and in words as answerable to his own latin copy, as in so grave a mans work is requisite: for the profit of all the unlearneder sort, of English christians, that desire to know his judgement in matters of faith.H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which novve at length being 70. yeares of age, he caused to bee published in the name of himselfe & his family. Englished in sense agreeable, and in words as answerable to his ovvne latine copie, as in so graue a mans worke is requisite: for the profite of all the vnlearneder sort, of English christians, that desire to know his iudgement in matters of faith.
Cambridge: printed by John Legat, 1599Cambridge: printed by Iohn Legat, 1599
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
It appertaineth also to a profitable government of the church: that as private fasts are in mens free choice, so also to the public fasts all men are to be counselled, but no man to be constrained. The commodity of fasts ⟨p. 232⟩cannot sufficiently be commended: yea it often happeneth that they are very needful, so that godly magistrates, and ministers of the church are compelled to command public fasts unto the whole church; for the appeasing of some grievous wrath of God: as it was wont to be done in the old testament, and in the primitive church: not that by them we can deserve remission of sins, and mitigation of gods anger: but that by taming of the flesh, the spirit may be stirred up more fervently to call upon God, & to appease him by faithful invocation. By the way it pertaineth to the churches edification, that no mans conscience be compelled and bound unto such fasts: sith they ought to proceed from a free, willing, and truly humbled spirit: as also the Apostle writeth of alms to be bestowed on the poor, that they ought to be done, not with heaviness or upon constraint, but as every man can find in his heart.