it belongeth to the true gouernement of the church that some godlie and wife men be apointed which may visite the sick persons comforte them out of the word of God and confirme them in faith and if it happen that those sick persons be called of God forth of this worlde to encourage and animate thē to their departure as knowing that the soules of the faithfull so soone as they goe forth of their bodies do presently passe into heauen to Christ conuaied thither by Christs spirite and accompanied with his Angells and that they are blessed which dye in the Lord Let them also pray with them and accōpanie those who are departing this life with their praiers euen vnto the last gaspe and so commend them to Christ And we doubt not but their bodies are with reuerence to bee brought vnto the graues as our churches both in words and in their deedes doe teach openly witnessing that they were temples of the holie ghost nowe indeede destroyed but shall againe in their time be restored and raised againe to life and that eternall Meane while the graues and churchyardes or buriall places must be kept decently and religiously as it is with vs the children parents kinsemen and alliance of the dead are to be comforted all those offices of humanitie which can be performed we endeauour to performe vnto them and teach that they are to bee performed And if so bee any psalme concerning the resurrection of the dead bee any where song in carrying of the course or any sermon made vnto the people after the dead body is laide in the earth wherein also some honest mention may be made of others that are dead who religiously died in the Lord this we doe not disallow so long as it is not done for the saluation of the dead but for the comfort profite of the liuing and edification of the whole church Wee beleeue also the soules of the faithfull loosed from their bodies do presently passe into heauen to Christ and therefore haue no need of our prayers yet the edification of the church is to be promoted and set forward vpon any occasion whatsoeuer 34 The church cannot rightly bee gouerned without lawfull free and christian meetings and Synodes of ministers Of Sinodes This also wee are assuredly perswaded as we learne both by the holie scriptures and by continuall experience that the church can not rightly bee gouerned vnlesse at knowne times there bee meetings of ministers aswell priuate in each seuerall church which were wont to bee called consistories or consultations Synedria as also publike and common in each prouince kingdome which for this cause were vsed to be called prouincial Synodes yea and also so much as may be common to al people in christendome which were called generall councells wherein it may be determined vppon all matters pertaining to the health preseruation and edification of the church euery ones free opinion may be heard each thing concluded by common consent and out of other the most approued councells as we read the Apostles and all the auncient churches did 35 A confirmation of the former opinion wherin of ecclesiasticall discipline Of discipline For the church is gouerned by discipline and without discipline it cannot bee ruled aright Discipline is a meanes and institution wherein wee as schollers of Christ do learne in his schoole how to liue vnto God and to do all things according to the doctrine of the gospell aswell publikely as priuately to the edification of the church and to our owne saluatiō It cōtaineth therefore the whole course of pietie the beginning proceeding ende 36 Discipline two fold Further discipline in the church is two fold one cōmon to all christian people which of many is called vulgar discipline the other proper vnto ministers and to men appointed for church-offices which therefore is vsed to be called cleargie discipline 37 The parts of vulgar or common discipline That common and popular discipline consisteth chiefly in these matters first for the beginning when any is receiued into the church he must learne to know God and Christ and to call vpon him and to vnderstand what is his will This is done by catechizing wherein euerie one is taught the summe of christian religion and being taught hee must professe his faith before the whole congregation promise obedience vnto Christ and to his church according to the doctrine of the gospel Then Rom. 10.10 Mat. 28.20 because not to go forward in the way of god is to goe backward therefore they which are godly that they may truely proceed and goe on in godlinesse must often frequent the holy assemblies at appointed times and places and giue themselues to heare the word of God make prayers with others and practise charitable deedes towards the poore bestowing their gifts and oblations liberally But seing euen in our proceeding wee doe all fall some more greeuously and with greater offence to the church some lesse greeuouslie therefore the third part consisteth in the censure of our liues and actions namely that euerie one bee subiect to the censure Mat. 18.15 1. Tim. 5.20 all the time of his life yeeld vnto brotherly correction And if any haue fallen into a greeuous fault knowne vnto the congregation and being reprehended hath not truely repented for which cause hee may deserue to bee driuen forth of the church for a time and to be bound vntill he make amends and till he make publike signification to the church of his true repentance let such a brother be excluded out of the church and be bound but when he hath repented let him be loosed receiued into fauour and admitted into his former communion This is the first discipline the ende whereof is that euerie one should liue vnto God and at last also dye in the Lord Iesus 38 The parts of the cleargie discipline By the way albeit all kindes of men aswell ministers as lay men as they call them be subiect to this christian discipline yet among the fathers came in a certaine peculiar discipline of the cleargie whose parte it was to bee rulers ouer others not onely in worde but also in example of life and diligent performance of their dueties Of this these were the principall parts The first that they should abstaine from many thinges which otherwise in some sorte might be suffred in lay-men such as are many delights of the flesh glorious pompes sumptuous feasts costly furnitures prophane attendants and such like matters The second that they should cast aside al businesses of this life which might hinder from doing their duetie which consisteth chiefly in lawfull administration of the holie things in preaching the word and exercising the discipline of māners such businesses are warre-fare marchandise law causes looking to vittlers tipling houses and such base affaires The third that they should promise a peculiar obedience to their owne bishop metropolitane of their bishop in honest matters
they vvhich beleeue in him plainly meaning that in the same place where he is in bodie and soule the faithfull are and shal be also first indeede in their soules afterwardes at their time they shal bee with their bodies but the vnfaithful with neither soules nor bodies So wee iudge it great impietie to say that heauen is euerie where sith it is to the vngodlie no where but to the godlie it is onely assigned in the holie scriptures as their proper and euerlasting seate And it must needes be graunted both that bodies are circumscribed with their certaine distances of place yea euen after the resurrection also that soules are cōtained at least as they speak definitely III. There shal be an and of this world all things shal be chaunged though the verie time be vnknowne And although it be vnknowne vnto vs Mat. 24.26 Act. 1.7 Ies 24.23 65.17 66.22 Psal 102.27 Dan. 12.2 Mal. 4.1 2. Pet. 3.13 Apoc. 21.1 Iude. 14.15 Mat. 24 Luc. 25.1 c. whē the ende of this world shal be and that it may not bee knowne yet we beleeue that doubtlesse it shal be and that then shal be chaunged not onely the earth but also the heauens and that there shal be a new heauen a new earth and that all the dead yea the wicked shal rise againe Christ calling them to the generall iudgement by the voyce and trumpe of an Archangell to the assurance of which things it appertaineth that the Lord when he foretold of the desolation of Ierusalem did forthwith apply his speach to these matters namely that we seing what happened to Ierusalem might by those thinges beleeue also that the same should certainely come to passe which he then also spake concerning the ende of the world IV. At length shall all dead men haue life againe and shall rise out of their graues We beleeue therefore that as by Adam all dye so bv Christ all shal bee reuiued 1. Cor. 15.22 yea euen the wicked also in their bodies when as euerie ones soule shall take the bodie againe though we cōfesse that some shall rise to eternall blessednesse and some to euerlasting damnation as Christ saith and they shall come forth Ioh. 5.29 that haue done good to the resurrection of life they that haue done euill to the resurrection of condēnation whereby is confirmed the order also of the resurrection which the Apostle setteth downe saying first they shall rise that are Christes then the rest V. There shall not bee newe bodies created for our soules but the verie same which died shall rise againe But we beleeue that there shall not a newe bodie bee framed for each foule but that the verie same bodies touching the substance of euerie one which died shal rise again though diuersly altered in some qualities euen as the Apostle reacheth of the same bodies of the godlie 1. Cor. 15.36 42 c. by a similitude of the same seede that it is sowne one manner of bodie it riseth another they are sowne corruptible bodies they rise incorruptible and so forth and Iob witnessing of his hope saieth I know that my redeemer liueth Iob. 19.25 and at the last day I shall rise out of the earth J shall see God my sauiour in my flesh whom I my selfe shall see none other and mine eyes shall be hold him For with our corporall eies shall wee see Christ returning in the cloudes in his bodie and also raigning in heauen VI. By the example of our bodies after the resurrection it is shewed that Christs bodie is not euerie where Phil. 3.21 But sith the Apostle saieth that Christ shall transforme our vile bodies that they may bee made like vnto his glorious bodie wee beleeue that if Christs bodie by that glorie which it receiued by rising againe receiued also the power to be euerie where in the proper substance so also our bodies for the same glorie shall also bee euerie where which sith it shall not bee therefore wee beleeue that neither the bodie of Christ is now euery where in it owne substāce how full of glorie and maiestie soeuer being it selfe finite or determinate Ioh. 17.24 the glory therof also finite especially sith he said that where he himselfe is there he will haue vs to be also and we shall not be euerie where in our bodies VII Errors We cōdemne those impious dotages both of the philosophers which taught that mens soules were mortall and of those heritickes which thought that the soules of all men once separated from the bodies were in some close places where they slept that is were depriued of all sense and operation of the minde or els waked but yet rested till they resumed againe new bodies and thē were admitted into heauen or else thrust into hell as also those which dreamed that the soules of many godlie men were cleansed by a certaine fire in purgatory from the reliques of their sinnes and their suffered temporall punishments Wee disallow also those which do not distinguish betweene heauen where we read that the godly are frō hell and the deepes where wee read that the wicked shal be but that make a difference betweene them both only in this that some are made blessed some accursed though they shal be all in one place together Neither can wee allow of those which saye that if not the certaine daye and howre yet the certaine time month or yeare may be known set downe when the Lord will come and end this world notwithstanding that Christ said it is not for you to knowe the times Yea and wee accuse those skorners of whome Peter spake which thinke that the world shall euer remaine thus Act. 17 2. Pet. 3.3 c. denying that there is any life to come laughing at it We also condemne those which denie the resurrection of the dead as also those which dreame that they shall not haue the same but other new bodies Also we condēne those that taught that our bodies after the resurrection shal be so spirituall that they shall be like to a spirite or as the ayre and not bee seene nor felt as some haue also fayned the bodie of Christ was after his resurrection and since haue also forged and impudently lyed that his bodie was as it were chaunged into his diuine nature so that it could no longer be called a creature CHAP. XXIX Of the glorious comming of our Lord Iesus Christ to iudge the quicke and the dead I. Aresurrection of the dead and chaunging of them that are aliue at the comming of the Lord Jesus out of heauen being made Christ shall straight exhibite himselfe to bee seene of them all in the cloudes and all the faithfull shall meete him in the ayre WE beleeue that the dead rising againe by the ministerie of the Angells at the comming of the Lord Iesus they which shall then bee remaining aliue they shall not indeed dye but they shall in
therefore wholly euery where nor according to his partes but because he is the most simple essence 65 VVherefore whatsoeuer the Vbiquitaries do prate and bable arguing either from the Hypostaticall vnion or the right hand of God or the words of the supper or the diuers kinds of being or from the saying all power is giuen vnto me and such like speaches they euermore in this disputation inferr one fallation to speake of none els at this time which is called non causa pro causa except by those argumēts they could prooue the substance of Christs body to bee made immealurable and infinite also most simple such as is the essence of God 66 Yet do we not for al this denie but the body of Iesus Christ though it remaine in heauen yet it is truely present vnto vs not onely in his operation but in substance also 67 But how or in what manner of presence surely a true presence but so as he is really present in vs by his spirite in vs and by our faith and if we may vse similituds as the head is truly and really present to all the members yea to the feete 68 But howe are these present one to another not in neerenesse of place for so the head of a Pigmey were more present to his feete then the head of a giant but by vertue of one soule and the ioincttures of sinues and ligaments 69 Seing then according to the scriptures our bodies and Christs body are truely knitt together by the same spirit so that we are one and the same body vnder one and the same head which God hath giuen to the church namelie Christ no mā can denie this true presence without great blasphemie 70 But for the sitting at the right hand we beleeue that the Apostle ment to signifie by this phrase how Christ according to his humanity after many and most greeuous labours rubbed through vpon earth and many troubles indured for our redemption sake now gloriouslie resteth in heauen so being dearly beloued of his father liueth in exceeding happines and appeareth in Gods sight in our behalfe that his intercession and propitiatiō is most acceptable to his father and that he raigneth with his father and by him is appointed to bee the iudge which shall at length come to iudge the quicke and the dead and is placed in the celestiall throne 71 For to sitt as Tertullian teacheth is proper to one that resteth and as Augustine teacheth to one that dvvelleth raigneth and doth the office of a iudge neither are any saide to sitt at the right hand but such as are dearly beloued and neere friends 72 Augustine indeede thus interpreteth this place of the creede to the Catechumeni He ascended into heauen beleeue it Lib. 1. ca. 4 hee sitteth at Gods right hand beleeue it To sitt vnderstand to dwell as wee saye of any man Ibid. in such a cuntrey he hath sitt three yeares so therfore beleeue yee that Christ dwelleth on the right hand of God there he is Let not your heart aske ye this question what doth he doe not seeke for that which it is not lawfull to finde there he is it sufficeth vs he is blessed and of this blessednes which is called the fathers right hand the name of this blessednes it selfe is called his fathers right hand For if we take it carnally then because he is at the right hand the father should be at the left hand and is there any reason thou shouldest so set them the sonne at the right hand and the father at the left There all is the right hand seing there is nothing but blessednes Also this sitting of his beloued Lib. 2. ca. 4 ye must not take it to be ment of the humane partes as if the father satt on the left hand and the sonne satt at the right hand but by the right hand vnderstand that power which that man being entertained of God receiued namely that he might afterwardes come to iudge which before came to be iudged Also Lib. 3. ca. 7 who is he that sitteth at Gods right hand the man Christ For in that he is God he was euer with the father and of the father when he came forth vnto vs he departed not from the father for to be God is to be wholly euery where Therefore the sonne is wholly with the father whole in heauen whole on earth whole in the virgins wombe whole on the crosse whole in hell whole in paradise whether he brought the theefe Not at diuers times or diuers places do we say he is whole euery where as nowe whole in one place and another time whole in another place but he is whole alwayes and in all places Also Ibidem But by this that the sonne is said to sitt at the fathers right hand it is shewed that the man whome Christ tooke vpon him hath receiued the power of a iudge Also Lib. 4. ca. 7 The man which Christ tooke on him now raigneth sitting at the fathers right hand Also Ibidem But in that he is God and equall to the father and alwaies iudgeth he is euer present but he shall come a redeemer in that forme wherein he ascended 73 So farre from it therefore is it that by the fltting at Gods right hand the Apostle ment to signifie that Christ in the substance of his body is on earth and euery where that he rather seemeth to teach them quite contrary seing that in heauen onely and not on this earth mēs blessednes consisteth and God is said to dwel in heauen not on earth and rather that he raigneth in heauen then on earth and it is said and beleeued that Christ shal come not from earth but from heauen to iudge both the quick and the dead 74 Add this that as gods feet by a certen humane affectiō or property at not said to be in heauē but on earth according to that saying Act. 7.49 heauē is my seat and earth my footestoole so also wee may with good reason say that his right hand hath place in heauen rather then on earth 75 We therefore conclude that as by the Apostles doctrine of the resurrection frō the dead and the ascension into heauen the Vbiquitie of Christ cannot be proued but is rather confuted so neither by the doctrine which is of his sitting at gods right hand can the same be necessarily inferred 76 Nay if such an Vbiquitie bee admitted we doe not onely shake but euen quite ouerthrowe all these articles of faith of his incarnation in the wombe onely of the virgine of his true death that is the true separation of his soule and bodie of his true resurrection of his flesh of his true and visible ascension from the earth into heauen of his true sitting at Gods right hand in the heauenlie places lastlie of his visible returne from that place to iudge both the quicke and the dead 77 For a bodie that is euerie where
the gift of constancie in the faith the end is our glorious resurrectiō euen eternal life I say for this other principal foundation of christian religion what cā be said more plainly more largely thē that which hath bin in the councells of Africa determined out of the scriptures by Meliuitanus Arausicanus others against the Pelagians which were written by Augustine to say nothing of others in manie bookes against the same Pelagians Concerning the holy Catholike Church what is there needfull to bee knowne which hath not beene most plentifully and plainely set downe by Augustine aswell in other places as especially in his bookes against the Donatists euen out of he foundations of the holy scriptures But it is a matter of great moment to knowe what and where the true church of Christ is being out of the church there is no saluation and therefore it is an article of faith not of the least accompt About the points of the sacraments also if a man will cōtent himselfe with the simple truth what is more euident then the doctrine which the auncient fathers Iustine Ireneus Tertullian Cyprian and chieflie Augustine haue deliuered out of the scriptures and left vnto vs in their writings One saith Like as Iesus Christ being by the word of God made flesh had flesh and blood so also we haue learned that the foode hallowed by him by the word of prayer and thanks giuing is the flesh and blood of the same incarnate Iesus Christ euen according to those words of Christ This is my bodie But Christ that is the vvorde was made flesh without anie chaunging of it selfe into flesh but onely by a hypostaticall or personall vnion therefore neither is the bread made the body of Christ by any transubstantiation of it selfe into the body but onely by an vnion and that not a physicall or bodily or hypostaticall but onely a sacramētall vnion Also he saith by that foode namely of the blessed bread our blood and our body is nourished by a certaine chaunging of it selfe namely into Christ therefore that chaunge which is made in the supper is not of the bread into Christs body nor of Christ into vs but of vs into Christ by reason of our ingrafting as also wee reade in Augustine that Christ should say speaking of the receiuing of the Eucharist I shal not be chaunged into thee but thou shalt be chaunged into me The same man saith vnto this the foode of the Eucharist none is to bee admitted but they that beleeue that our doctrine is true being washed with the water of regeneration vnto remission of their sinnes so liuing as Christ hath taught them Therfore no infidells and heretikes nor they which haue not receiued the baptisme of Christ not they which liue in such apparent sinne and wickednes that they giue no notice to the church of their amendment are to bee admitted to the supper Another of them saieth the eucharist consisteth of two matters an earthly and an heauenly The bread though it be sanctified yet he calleth it an earthly matter why so because it comes from the earth it existeth on earth and is eaten with an earthly mouth the body of Christ he calleth a heauenly matter not because the substāce of it is out of heauen but partly because it is taken into vnitie of the person of the word and partly because it is in heauen endued with heauenly qualities For although in the hypostasie which is the very word it bee euerie where yet in the owne proper essence it is only in heauen and not on earth Whereupon it also followeth that it is not eaten either by earthly men or by the teeth of an earthly body but onely of those men who being borne from aboue do carrie the image of heauenly men eate it in a heauenly manner namely in soule spirite And yet notwithstanding the very bodies also of the faithful while they eate onely an earthly matter they also participate of a heauenlie matter to their glorious resurrection are nourished by it as the same author in that place very learnedly expoundeth I think that by this which I haue spoken out of the creede concerning foure principal partes of christian doctrine your Hon. can well gather such is your piety learning wisedome what is to be concluded concerning the whole body The summe is this that those bee the true churches of Christ and therefore called of vs the truely defensed citties of Christs kingdom which professing generally the sacred scriptures and specially the catechisme in all places receiued doe so reuerence the auncient church and auncient fathers hauing therefore friendshipp and communion with them being now in heauen that neither in their opinions nor yet in their expositions of the holy scriptures they will easily decline from them but onely then whenas they bee forced to dissent both by manifest wordes of the holy scriptures and also by testimonies and consequences beyond all doubt necessary drawne from the principles of faith This surely was counted for a notorious fault in Nestorius and it is written to bee the cause of his vile heresie that contemning the fathers and trusting vpon his owne witt he expounded the holy scriptures after his owne braine What speake I of Nestorius yea that the same contempt of the fathers and some confidence of their owne witts and their owne learning did cause diuers more besides otherwaies verie notable men to fall into sundrie heresies I could easilie shewe out of the Ecclesiasticall histories and councells if the breuitie of an epistle would suffer me For whence I pray was it that after that most holy councell at Nice so many heretikes forth with arose of whome some oppugned the true and euerlasting deity of Christ others his true and perfect humanitie others the true vniting of both the natures in one and the same person others the true distinctiō of their natures their proprieties hence surely that contēning the determinations of the fathers in the Nicene councell and their expositions vpon the holy scriptures and trusting confidently to their owne witts and puffed vp with humane knowledge and eloquence they dared euery one to expound yea indeed to depraue wrest the holy scriptures and foundations of the faith according to their owne fansies Hereunto pertaineth that which Vigilius left written in his first booke of the causes of heresies against Eutyches but they blow forth saieth he these smoakes of vaine accusations chieflie because they are euen sicke of the infirmity of ignorance or disease of contention and whilst they are gogged on with a fond conceite of minde they despise the rules of faith deliuered of old by the fathers onely for this cause to bring in their owne conceited opinions of innouations into the church Thus saith Vigilius This that I say is confirmed by the dispositions imitations and wordes of the sound fathers on the other side who expounding the scriptures and the foundations of christian faith
all into euerlasting glorie with Christ Neither doe wee doubt but Christ purposed to foreshew vnto vs the second by the first and the third by the second that by that which was alreadie made we might bee confirmed in the hope of that which was to be made VI. As the first vnion was made that satisfaction might bee made for our sinnes so the second is made that vve might bee partakers of that satisfaction Wee beleeue therefore that letting passe those things which pertaine not to this matter in hand wee may come neerer that the Sonne of God by the euerlasting will of the Father and therefore of himselfe also and of the holy ghost like as he tooke vpon himselfe into vnity of his person our flesh that is mans nature conceiued by vertue of the holy ghost in the wombe of the virgine that he might in himselfe purge vs of our sinnes and in that flesh he most perfectlie fulfilled the lawe of God for vs beeing made obedient vnto his Father euen vnto death and at the length the same flesh being offred vp in sacrifice for our sinnes he obtained in himselfe eternall saluation for vs so also that he might make vs partakers of this saluation by sacrifice of his flesh assumed for vs he was willing accustomed to take vnto him and to knitt and ioyne all his elect vnto him in another kinde of vnion namelie in such a coupling as in it wee may bee vnited with him though not into one person yet into one misticall bodie whereof he is the head and euerie one of vs members and may be made partakers of his diuine nature VII As the first is made by vertue of the holie ghost so is the second As we certainelie knowe that as the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ in the first vnion coupled vnto himselfe our flesh and blood by vertue of his spirite for he was conceiued man of the holie ghost and therefore without sinne for which cause also he is called the man from heauen so also in the secōd vnion he doth communicate his flesh and his blood and his whole selfe vnto vs and in the same communion doth knitt ioyne and incorporate vs into him by the power of the same his spirite that alwaies the bonde where with Christ is coupled with vs and we with Christ might bee the same spirite of Christ which as it did bringe to passe in the wombe of the virgine that the sonne of god should be made flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones so also by working in our hearts and incorporating vs into Christ it bringes to passe that wee likewise by participation of the bodie blood of Christ should be bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh especiallie seeing hee stirreth vp that faith in vs whereby wee acknowledge and embrace him for true God and man and therefore a perfect Sauiour VIII The vnion of vs with Christ is spirituall yet so as it is true and reall So we beleeue that this other vnion also is almost no lesse then the former so spirituall if we may so speake that yet it is true reall Because that by the spirite of Christ wee allthough remaining on the earth yet are truely and reallie coupled with the bodie blood and soule of Christ raigning in heauen so as this misticall bodie consisting of Christ as the head and of the faithfull members sometime is simplie named Christ So great is the coniunction of Christ with the faithfull and of them with Christ that surelie it may seeme not to be said amisse that as the first vnion was made of two natures in one person so this is made of many persons as it were into one nature 2. Pet. 1.4 Eph. 5.30 according to those sayings That ye should be made partakers of the diuine nature And Wee are members of his bodie of his bones and of his flesh IX A confirmation of the former opinion hovve straight this vnion is For like as the soule in a man because it is one and the same and no lesse whole in the head and in each member then it is in all the bodie together it causeth that all the members do vnite and ioyne themselues into one bodye vnder one head euen so by vertue of Christs spirit because it is one and the same in Christ and in euery of the faithfull it causeth that all of vs knitte spiritually together both in soules and bodies into one we are all one and the selfe same body with Christ our head a body I say misticall and spirituall because it is ioyned and compact by a secret band of the same spirite X. This vnion because it is made by vertue of the holie spirit cannot be hindred by anie distance of place Whereupon it followeth that this true and reall vnion though spirituall of our bodies soules with the bodie and soule of christ can be letted by no distance of place though neuer so great because that spirite is so mightie in operatiō as it reacheth from earth to heauen and beyond and ioyneth in one no lesse strictly the members of christ being on earth with their head in heauen sitting at the right hand of the Father then the soule of a man ioyneth together the hands and leggs and other members into one bodie with the head yea though that man were so great that his head did reach vnto the ninth spheare and his feete stand fast in the center of the earth So great is the vertue of the soule thē how great is that of the holie spirit the true and almightie God XI The spirit by whome this vnion is made is giuen of Christ to the preaching of the gospell and administration of the Sacraments Furthermore wee beleeue that his spirite whereby christ both coupleth himselfe vnto vs and vs vnto him ioyneth his flesh with ours and ours with his is communicated of the same christ vnto vs by his meere grace when and where and how he please yet ordinarily at the preaching of the gospell and administration of the Sacramēts Of which thing was a visible testimonie which we read how that they in the primitiue church which imbraced the gospell by faith and were baptised in the name of christ or vpon whomsoeuer the hands were laid besids the inuisible grace receiued also diuerse sensible giftes of the spirite XII This vnion is the especiall ende of the gospell and Sacraments Whereuppon we do easily gather which is the principall end both of preaching the gospell and administring the Sacraments namelye this communion with christ the Sonne of God incarnate who suffered and died for vs but now raigneth in heauē and imparteth saluation and life to his chosen which communion was begonne here but was to be perfected in heauen so that we by this true reall copulatiō of our selues with his flesh blood and his whole person may also be made partakers of eternall saluation which was purchased by him and stil remaineth and
remembrance of it and to waigh in their minds to what ende they were baptized or what they haue obtained of God by baptisme what also they promised to God therein whereby they may the more be confirmed in faith and grow vp into the communion with Christ and bee made more carefull of performing their dueties For baptisme is not bestowed on vs for remission of originall sinne onely or our sinnes past but of all the offences of our whole life euē as the pulling out of the waters is a signe of a newe life not for one day but for al our time as the Apostle saith Rom. 6.4 VVe are buried with him euer into his death by baptisme that as Christ rose from death by the glory of his father so we should alwaies walke in newnesse of life Wee were once washed with outward water but the blood of Christ is a continuall streame washing and cleansing vs daily from our sinnes VIII By whome baptisme ought to bee administred Wee beleeue also that holie baptisme is to bee administred by those by whome also the gospell is preached For to whom Christ said Goe into the whole worlde and preach the gospell to them he also said Baptizing them in the name of the father and the sonne and the holy ghost teaching them to obserue whatsoeuer is commaunded you IX Errors Therefore we condemne all aswell auncient as late herisies which haue at anie time beene scattered against the sound doctrine of baptisme Seleucus and Hermias who baptized with fire The Cerdonians and Marcionites who vsed another forme of words then that which was prescribed by Christ baptized in the name of another God then of the father sonne and holy ghost those also which baptized in the name of Iohn or any other man the Cataphriges who baptized dead mē with all Donatists and Anabaptists who rebaptize them which come vnto them which denie that infants ought to be baptized and those also that denie baptisme to be true vnlesse there bee added exorcismes spittle salt and other cerimonies deuised by men CHAP. XVI Of the Lords supper BY that which we haue saide of the communion with Christ and of the worde of the gospell of the sacramentes in generall and of Baptisme may easilie be gathered what our faith is concerning the Lordes Supper I. The sacrament of the supper is an instrument of the holie ghost to helpe forvvard the communion with Christ and with the church We beleeue that the sacrament of the supper is not onely a testimonie of our communion with Christ and with his flesh and blood and with the whole church but also an instrument of the holie ghost to confirme helpe foreward the same the Apostle saying the bread vvhich we breake 1. Cor. 10.16 is it not the communion of the Lords bodie the breaking and the taking of the blessed bread he calleth the communion of the Lordes bodie because they which eate with an actuall faith in the Lorde doe ioyne in communion with the Lord and with his flesh and blood as also they that imbrace the word of the Apostles in faith do receiue a communion with the Apostles that cōmunion is with the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ II. A confirmation of the former opinion For as baptisme is an instrument to begin this communion because by it wee are borne againe in Christ so is the supperinstituted to make perfect the same because in it wee are fedd or nourished with the flesh and blood of Christ that we may growe vp in him as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 12.13 vve are all baptized into one bodie and we all drinke of one drinke into one spirite III. The increase of our communion with Christ is the principall end of the Lords supper There are also other endes of the institutiō of the Lords supper namely that beeing admonished both by the words signes which represent vnto vs Christs death and his blood shedd for vs we should reuerently esteeme of the benefite of our redemption as the Apostle saith As oft as yee shall eate of this bread 1. Cor. 11.20 yee showe the Lords death And therefore the ende is that we may be confirmed in the faith concerning remission of sinnes we may be nourished into hope of a blessed resurrection wee maye giue thanks to him for so great a benefite we may be stirred vp to repentance and lastly we may openly before the whole congregation renue our couenant begunne with God But sith all these things tend to this that we may more more be vnited to Christ be made one with him and he more feelinglie liue in vs and we in him being now made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone therfore we doubt not but the supper is principally instituted for the increase of this vniting and communion with Christ wherein our saluation is made perfect and accomplished Whereunto it also tendeth that bread and wine are the nourishments of the bodie so as wee may hold it for most certaine the flesh and blood of Christ is the same in nourishing of our soules preseruing thē in life that the bread and wine is to our bodies IV. The bread why it is called the bodie of Christ Whereuppon we may also vnderstand why Christ called this bread his own body namely not for that it is either properly his verie true bodie or that there is any such body cōtained within it or also that it is onely a bare signe of his bodie broken and dead for vs but that it is a sacrament for sacraments saith Augustine take vnto them the names of the things whereof they be sacraments and therefore an instrument also of the holie ghost to communicate vnto vs the true body of Christ to confirme vs in his communion Like as for the same cause the Apostle also called baptisme not the signe of regeneration Eph. 5.26 but the vvashing water it self of regeneration namely because that by this washing of water through the worde as by a fitt instrument Christ by the working power of his spirite doeth inwardly wash and cleanse vs and begett vs a new V. The true and substantiall body of Christ is spoken of the bread but improperly and figuratiuely Wherefore we doubt not but in the words of the supper the true and naturall bodie of Christ is spoken of the bread especially sith it is added for expositions sake which is giuen for you So that it is most truely said that the bread is Christs bodie euen that true bodie which was giuen for vs but yet this is improperly figuratiuely sith in verie deede the bread was not giuen for vs but the verie bodie of Christ whereof the bread is a sacrament VI. The bodie of Christ is not in the bread reallie and properlie Hereby we are also confirmed in this opinion that as the bread is not properlie the verie bodie of Christ but a sacrament thereof so also Christ is not
in the bread reallie and properly For in sacraments the thinges whereof they bee sacraments are not really included although they borrowe their names of the things as in baptisme the matter is apparent and out of all question in which no man saith that the blood of Christ by which we are washed from sinne or the verie regeneration it selfe is included as also in the worde of the gospell the thinges are not therein really included which by it be declared Nowe sacraments be visible words And Christ said not my bodie is in this that is in the bread but in a farre other manner of speach as This that is this bread is my bodie Now if any wil say that this is all one in sense it will follow if the bodie of Christ bee really in the bread then the bread is really properly and substantially the bodie of Christ And if this be impious to bee spoken neither do wee thinke that the other can godlily be affirmed Yet we denie not but it is in it sacramentally in that sense that wee say remission of sinnes and saluation and life is in the worde of the gospell which it declareth and offereth But sith the common sorte haue vsed to drawe such manner of speaches to superstition wee iudge that those speaches are altogether to bee foreborne and auoided and the simple plaine phrases of the scriptures to be vsed VII In the supper are giuen not onely the signes but also the things signified by them Now this is setled in vs without all controuersie that although the bodie and blood of the Lord are not that is do not existe in their owne substance and in verie deede and properly in the bread and wine but are in heauē yet notwithstanding with the verie distribution or giuing of the bread and wine there is truely offered vnto all men the true flesh of Christ to be eaten and his blood to be drunk not simplie but in as much as his flesh was betraied vnto death for vs his blood shedd for the remission of our sinnes For the words are manifest which Christ speaketh in Iohn of the eating his flesh Ioh. 6.53 and drinking his blood if any man will haue life in him and that which the Apostle saieth euē iumping with the words of Christ He which eateth the bread and drinketh the Lords cupp vnworthilie he is made guiltie of the true bodie and blood of the Lord. Neither doubt we but Christ as he plainely commaunded the bread to bee eaten so also by adding immediatly This is my bodie he closely commaunded tha to bee eaten aswell as the bread but yet each of them in a diuerse manneri VIII None but the faithfull doe truely eate Christs true flesh But albeit the flesh of Christ be offred vnto all in the supper to be eaten yet we beleeue that it is truely eaten of the faithfull only both because they alone haue communion with Christ and with his flesh and blood and others haue not neither by receiuing the bread are made partakers of him and also because they alone haue the spirite of Christ by vertue of whom onely the flesh of Christ is truely communicated yea and also because they alone doe bring true faith without which the same cannot bee truely receiued and eaten For Christ giueth not his true bodie to bee truely and indeed eaten but only to them which do aswell beleeue that the same was betraied for them vnto death and his blood shedd for remission of their sinnes as those wordes to bee true This is my bodie IX That hypocrites eate Christs bodie sacramentallie By the way we denie not but hypocrits also lacking the true and iustifying faith in receiuing and eating the breade as a sacrament of the Lords bodie may be said to eate the very true bodie of Christ also namely sacramentally not truely and indeed Euen as the Apostle saith al the Corinthians 1. Cor. 6.11 which were baptized with water were sanctified iustified namely sacramentally as is aboue said though not all of them were truely made such X. There bee three kinds of men that eate and therefore diuerse sorts of eating Thence also we learne that there are three kindes of men which may be called into question whether they eate the flesh of Christ or eate it not The first is of such as receiue the bread as common meate and not as a sacrament They eate not the true bodie of Christ in any respect and are the true Capernaites their eating is meere carnall And others of the contrarie side receiue not the bread yet not vpon contempt but onely beleeue in the gospell and their eating is meere spirituall Lastly there are others who not contenting themselues onely with faith in the gospell do also receiue the bread not simplie as the first sorte as bare bread but as a sacrament of the Lords bodie Whereuppon it comes to passe that they are said to take and eate sacramentally But sith this may bee done aswell of the the godly and faithfull as also of vngodly hypocrites yet in a diuerse manner of the one sort by faith of the other without true faith therefore we also say that the vngodly hypocrites do eate it onely sacramentally but the faithful do eate it both sacramētally truely and spiritually and therefore to saluation XI The true body of Christ is eaten onely by faith Seing then wee say that the true bodie of Christ is reccaued onely of the faithfull both sacramentally and also truely we meane that it is eaten not with the mouth of the body but the mouth of the minde and with a heart indued with faith that by meanes of the holie ghost which worketh in vs and applieth whole Christ vnto vs. For it is the meate of the minde saith Cyprian not of the bellie And Ser. de caen 1. Cor. 12.13 The flesh profiteth nothing as Christ saith and Augustine expoundeth but it is the spirit which quickneth And the Apostle teacheth Ioh. 6.63 By one spirit we are all baptized into one bodie and haue bin all made to drinke into one spirite And if that all true coniūction with Christ be through the holy ghost though he with his bodie do remaine in heauen and we vpon the earth it followeth that this eating must bee after the same sorte For what else is it to eate then to receiue vnite vnto thee meate for the nourishment of that part to which it is ordained after a due sort But the flesh of Christ as hath beene said is food of the minde not of the bellie Neither vndoubtedly is the flesh of Christ otherwise eaten then in respect that it was killed for vs and made bloodlesse as the words do sound and the breaking of the bread doth represent and that truely also euen as the passeouer and all the sacrifices were eaten But now his body liueth and can not bee without blood as at the first supper it was neither without blood nor dead And
bee not iustified by our workes yet others are oftimes edified thereby and saued Now this also we add that as of the fruits of trees though the trees themselues liue not by the same yet others namely earthly creatures and men are fedde and their life maintained by the same so although wee by our owne good works bee not iustified yet others thereby are not a little edified Mar. 5.16 and stirred vp both to glorifie God and also by our example to seeke after the true righteousnesse and life in Christ and are so saued Rom. 11.13 The Apostle also saying that he magnified his office among the gentilles namely by his diligence and holines of life that he might prouoke them of his flesh to follow him might saue some of them 1. Cor. 7.16 And in another place Sometime by the beleeuing wife liuing godly and holily and doing her duetie the vnbeleeuing husbād is saued And to Timothie 1. Tim. 4.16 if he look to himselfe that is doe the duetie of a byshop he shall saue himselfe and others VI. Though we deny a man to be iustified by works yet we do not therefore condemne works Wherefore though wee denie that good workes are to bee done to this ende that by them we might bee iustified because that this ouerthroweth the free iustice of god whole benefite of Christ yet wee doe not therefore disallowe the care of a holie life and good works nay we commend them and vrge mē thereunto as much as we can possiblie VII There be many and those most weightie causes why men must labour to doe good works For there be many and very weighty causes declared in the holy scriptures why wee must diligently labour to do good works although wee bee not iustified by the same whereof some are referred immediatly to the glory of God some to the saluation of our neighbour and profite of the church and some also pertaine to our owne thankfulnes towards God yea and to our owne saluation God commandeth this thing and to his commaundement we must simply obey Mat. 5.16 By these workes God is glorified and the glorie of God must bee set forward Tit. 2.12 God did therefore elect create redeeme and plant vs in Christ that we should liue soberly iustly and godly in this worlde and God is not to bee defrauded of his purpose Act. 10.35 Col. 1.10 They please God for he hateth iniquity and loueth righteousnesse and wee must doe those thinges which please god though thereby there should arise no profite either to our neighbour or to our selues But both to our neighbour and to the church especially commeth great profite by our good works not onely in regard of the bodie and external cōmodities but also of eternall saluation whilst by our example to let passe other thinges the elect are prouoked to the like godlinesse 2. Cor. 1.4 Heb. 10.24 2. Pet. 1.10 And to vs they are profitable first because that by good works as by the effectes of our election and vocation wee make them both that is both our election and calling assured both to our selues and others Secondly because faith not onely manifesteth and vttereth it selfe by the fruites thereof 2. Tim. 1.6 but is also by them exercised kindled strengthened and increased euē as al moral vertues do get increase strēghtning by the exercising of them Thirdly because Eph. 4.30 as by our sinnes we grieue the holie spirit dwelling in vs so by good works we make glad and fill our hearts and consciences with spirituall ioye and contrariewise we resist the temptations of the deuill Fourthly because Deut. 28 as in auoyding sinnes there be also many punishments auoyded so by doing good works Eph. 2.10 we obtaine many blessinges of God aswell in this life as especially in the other Lastly because they are the waye by which God ordinarily leadeth his elect vnto eternall life and vnlesse the braunch bring forth fruite it shall be cut of and cast into the fire Ioh. 15.6 VIII There is promised and giuen a revvard to our good workes yet of free grace and for Christ Whereby wee vnderstand that although by our works we cannot to speake properly deserue for our selues the possession of the heauenly inheritance for eternall life is the gifte of God yet we may obtaine the same Luc. 17.10 Rom. 6.25 Ier. 31.34 Mar. 5.7 as it were a reward but yet of the free mercie of god and for the merits of Christ IX Errors We cōdemne therefore those which teach that for the worthinesse of their works there is due vnto them either remission of sinnes or ternall life or any other good gift For though wee should perfectly fulfill the commandements of God yet we should be but vnprofitable seruants Luc. 17.10 But no mā yea after his ingrafting into Christ keepeth the commandemēts of God as they should be kept Meanewhile we disproue not the Fathers in that they vsed the worde merite namely so farreforth as thereby they ment nothing else then a good worke done by faith vnto which of fauour and for the onely merites of Christ was giuen a reward Againe wee cannot allowe of those which doe so discourse of good workes as if they were things indifferent and therefore hold that the same are not onely needelesse Heb. 11.6 Iud. 2 20 but also doe nothing auaile to saluation For how should any man bee saued without faith and how can he haue a liuing faith without a care to doe good workes and who can also hold faith vnlesse hee also keepe a good conscience and how can he keep a good conscience vnlesse he also keepe a care to auoide sinne and to doe good workes and to frame his whole life to the will of God but wee simply condemne all Libertines who make it all one to keep or not to keep gods commandements to do well or to doe ill We condemne also those which teach that our good workes doe profite the very soules of the dead which lye in a certaine burning flame which they call purgatorie 2. Cor. 3.10 sith the scripture saieth euerie one shal be iudged according to his owne works which he did in his owne bodie Apoc. 14.13 and not the works of other men but their owne workes doe followe them which are dead CHAP. XXII Of inuocation and an oath BEcause among the other good workes commaunded by God prayer is not the least so that very often in the scriptures it is taken for the whole seruice of god whereunto is ioyned also an oath as being a part of Gods seruice therefore we haue thought fitt brieflie to declare our faith concerning these two things and the rather sith among the professours of Christ there is some controuersie about both these points I. Onely God and so Iesus Christ to be praied vnto We beleeue that speaking of prayer which pertaineth vnto religion the true God that is the Father Sonne and
it in the flesh as being a fello-worker with the deitie in his humaine will consenting to the diuine and pronouncing the wordes thy sinnes are forgiuen thee as also Leo the first Epist 10. c. 4 so expoūdeth it to Flauianus saying each forme namely of God and man worketh with communion of the other that which is proper to it selfe as the word working that which is proper to the word the flesh performing that which belongeth to the flesh To forgiue sinnes vvas the proper action of the diuine nature and to saye thy sinnes are forgiuen thee of the humaine Thus farre he VI. Jn Christ alone is offered the forgiuenesse of sinnes and of the elect alone indued with faith it is receiued But like as in Christ alone our mediatour redeemer as the head of the whole church we haue redemption by his blood and remission of sinnes so as without Christ there is none so also wee beleeue that onely the elect indued with true repentance and true faith and ingrafted into Christ by the holie spirite as mēbers to their head are made partakers therof and therefore although forgiuenes of sinnes bee declared vnto all manner of men by the gospell yet to the reprobate as vnrepentant and vnbeleeuing they are not forgiuen but by their owne fault and blame their sinnes do still remaine VII All sinnes at once are forgiuen to the faithfull elect Wee also beleeue that as Christ by his one oblation satisfied not for some but for all our sinnes so also is offred vnto vs that are truely penitent of Christ and in Christ by the gospel the forgiuenes not only of some of our sinns but also of them altogether and the same cōmunicated to vs by the holie ghost and receiued by faith Mat. 18.23 c. seing God declared by a parable that he forgiueth all our debt not part of it VIII Forgiuenesse of sinnes is bestowed in the church onely receiued by faith onely and that onely in this life Lastlie to make an ende we beleeue that as in Christ alone is found remission of sinnes so the same also is disposed and bestowed in the church onely and as it was purchased for vs by the merits and blood of him alone so also it is receiued by true faith in Christ only without our owne meritts and as in this life onely the gospell is preached and by it forgiuenesse of sinnes declared to the repentant and beleeuers so also we can onely in this life be made partakers thereof seing after this life there is no place lefte for faith and repentance and therefore that the church by her ministerie can do nothing for the obtaining of forgiuenesse for men after they be departed this life Cyp. ad Demetr as Cyprian also saieth VVhen a man is once gone hence there is no place for repentance no effect of satisfaction Here life is either lost or gotten here he must prouide for saluation by seruing of God and by the effect of faith IX A confirmation of the former doctrine by the order of the creede According to these three pointes we interpret this article of forgiuenes of sinnes in the creede as first that after the article of the church communion of Saints is placed this article to teach vs that without the church remission of sinnes is not bestowed nor hath any place Againe that the same is placed after the confession of our faith in God the father the sonne and the holy ghost and of our faith wherein we beleeue the church to be holie to consist of the societie and communion of Saintes to wittnesse vnto vs that not for our owne merites but by our faith in the father sonne and holie ghost and because wee are in the church and haue communion with all the Saints therefore we daily obtaine forgiuenes of our sinnes And finally by this placing of the articles of faith we may well beleeue and confesse that after forgiuenesse of sinnes obtained in this militāt church there is no more to be looked for of the dead but the resurrection of the flesh and life euerlasting X. Errors Thus wee condemne the error wherein some do teach that after the fault forgiuen there remaineth a debt to be paied for the punishment and this punishment being eternall death by penitencie is chaunged into temporall paines which we must abide either in this life or after death in purgatorie vnlesse wee bee deliuered thence by masses indulgences and other helps Secondly we condemn their blasphemie which seeke for forgiuenesse of sinnes any where then in Christ and doe so teach Likewise them which would prooue that the same may bee applied to themselues and receiued by any other meanes then by true faith and by the holie spirite Wee condemne also their sacrilegious doctrine which teach that God doth forgiue alwaies to the faithfull all their sinnes but euer retaineth some of them which are to be satisfied for by fasting almes deeds prayers and other works of our owne or else by the oblations of other men and sacrifices of priests CHAP. XXVIII Of the state of souls after death and of the resurrection of the dead I. Mens soules doe neither dye with their bodies nor sleepe after they are loosed from the bodie nor lye still out of heauen or hell nor be tormented in purgatorie WE beleeue that our soules doe neither dye with our bodies nor being loosed frō our bodies do sleep or not sleeping do lye still in some close place both out of heauen and hell nor yet are tormented in purgatorie but that out of the body also mens soules do liue vnderstand desire and that the soules of the godly do raigne with Christ in heauen and of the vngodly are tormented in hell with the deuills the Lord himselfe saying of them when the godly and mercifull men do decay that is depart out of this life they that is their soules Luc. 16.9 shall be receiued into euerlasting habitations Luc. 23.43 Luc. 16.23 Act. 1.25 and teaching in another place that they are with him in paradise but of the other by shewing an example of the rich glutton that they goe downe into hel that is into the place appointed for euerlasting fire as we also read of Iudas there to be tormented II. That the places be diuerse where the soules of the faithfull and the vnfaithfull do liue after the deaths of their bodies Nowe seing the condition and state of the soules of faithfull and vnfaithfull men is so diuers we also beleeue that the places into which they passe are diuers that is to say euerlasting tabernacles ◠Pet. 2.4 or heauen paradise ordained for the godlie and hell and the deepes prepared for the wicked sith to one of these places the scripturs attribute an immeasurable light and to the other exceeding darkenesse which Christ called vtter darkenesse and sith the Lord saieth Mat. 8.12 Ioh. 17.24 that he desireth that where he himselfe is there should also bee
personally vnited to the diuine therefore the gifts of God conferred vpon the same are without measure as is declared in the aphorisme following The 12. aphorisme Although when I wrote this confession I thought to my selfe that I had hādled al things which belong vnto this article of the person of Christ yet I thought for the better explaining thereof to ioyne this also which followeth to that which I said before 1 There is and euer was one onely person of Christ For there is but one onely begotten sonne of God and one and the same Christ 2 This person being from all eternitie by the naturall begetting of the father is proper vnto the word but in time was made common to the humaine nature taken to it by vertue of the personall vnion For in the word the essence which it hath common yea the verie same with the father the holie ghost is to bee distinguished from the proper manner of subsisting whereby it comes to passe that it is a certaine Hypostasis or person distinct from the father and the holie ghost and therefore is and is called the Hypostasis or person proper to the sonne or to the worde But this eternall Hypostasis proper by nature vnto the word is by this vnion made common as we said with the diuine nature and the humaine taken vnto it namely that the vvorde doeth no lesse subsist really in this humaine form thē it doth in that diuine form in that respect is no lesse true and perfect man then true and perfect god yet the natures properties and actions remaining safe and distinct 3 Therefore into the vnitie of that immeasurable most pure and most perfect person was taken the humaine nature that is that lumpe consisting of the reasonable soule and flesh of man finite compounded and needing many things But how not so as that for example it cōtained that infinite person within the boūdes or limitts of it owne finite or determinate substance or that it spredd it selfe as it were stretched out into the largenesse of it And that which wee say of this propertie the same is to bee thought and beleeued of all the rest because they all remaine vnchaungeable and vnmixed How then was the humaine nature taken surely it was so taken into vnitie of the same person that yet it is not made the verie person but rather existeth in the person is borne and sustained of the person and euer dependeth wholly vpon the same For this vniō of the natures according to the Hypostasis or vniting of the Hypostasis is made without alteration confusion or diuision 4 Whereby it also followeth that the nature taken to speake properly is not a part of this person as is aforesaid For like as of the vnion of the two natures there is not framed a third nature so neither by taking the humaine nature into vnity of the diuine person is there framed as it were a new person which should be the proper person of Christ and should differ from the person of the word which is the word it selfe For it is altogether the verie same nor doth it differ from it selfe except herein that the same which subsisted onely in the forme of God and was onely God now subsisteth also in the forme of a seruant is also man and before was as a king naked but is nowe clothed with our flesh as with a purple garment so that for this cause the fathers not amisse called the same in some sort a compounded person But marke also this difference besids the rest that the garmēt pertaineth not to the essence of a king but the humaine nature in Christ is in such sorte that without it cannot be defined what Christ is 5 Which is the cause why the humaine nature thus takē is to be reputed acknowledged as it were a part of the person of Christ namely because it is so taken into vnity of his person that as the vvorde with this humaine flesh is said to be and is man so also this flesh in the word and with the word God is said to be and is God as Athanasius Gregorie Nazianzene Damascene and other fathers haue proued out of the scriptures for that flesh is God not by nature but by Hypostasie in which sense the same flesh is omnipotent and present in all places whereuppon it comes also that what honour belongeth to the word of it selfe the same is also to bee giuen to the flesh in the word and for the word because of them both there is but one and the same Hypostasie 6 Add this moreouer for better explications sake that the word although wheresoeuer it bee and it is in all places there also the same is not onely god but also man and that because it hath in all places the humaine nature vnited therunto by Hypostasie yet where soeuer it is it selfe it doth not make it selfe an Hypostasis or personal to the humaine nature but only there where the same nature existeth namely so as that nature is sustained borne and wrought or mooued by it For how should the same be said to bee sustained where it doth not exist the feete are sustained by the soule not wheresoeuer the the soule is be it in the head but onely where they themselues are existing When the flesh was in the virgins wombe the word being then personally vnited vnto it did not thē sustaine the same out of the wombe of Marie but onely it was Hypostasis vnto it in the womb which sustained the same there and not in any other place which is also to bee said of all the time of Christs life when he liued in diuers places Likewise after his death it was Hypostasis vnto his bodie when it was dead and buried sustained the same in it selfe but where surely not in heauen where the bodie was not but onely in the graue euen as also it was Hypostasis to his soule separated from his bodie not in the graue but out of the graue sustained the same in it selfe And now it sustaineth both the soule and bodie together in heauen not in earth much lesse euerie where 7 Neither doth it follow vppon this doctrine that the personall vnion is dissolued neither doeth it come to passe that the whole person is not Hypostasis to the flesh but onely in parte The reason is because this person of the word as it is infinite so also is it most simple and pure and therefore both is wholly Hypostasis to the flesh wheresoeuer the flesh existeth is also wholly Hypostasis in other places where the flesh existeth not being it selfe existing in the forme of god Indeed the soule as is aforesaide is wholly Hypostasis to the head giuing life to it and sustaining it but where not in euery part of the body but onely in that where the head it selfe is and out of the head is also wholly hypostasis to the feet sustaining them too not where the head is but where the
draw life frō that but we must also draw it from this To declare plainly this neere and reall copulation of our flesh with the flesh of Christ he brings a similitude of waxe not that it euerie way agreeth in all thinges as is manifest but because it fittly sheweth our communion with Christ to be reall and substantiall And this he ment when concluding he said not onely spiritually but also corporally that is not onely in respect of the spirite but also in respect of the bodie both Christ is the vine and we his braunches This therefore he spake not of the manner of our coupling to Christ whether it be spirituall or corporall but of the thinges which are coupled namely that not onely our soules and our spirites are most neerely ioyned with the soule and spirit of Christ but also our flesh with his flesh This is to be gathered out of the aduersaries proposition against which he argueth which is that wee are not ioyned with Christ in flesh Coll. 500. B. These aduerbs therefore spiritually corporally in Cyrill doe not signifie the meanes by which we are vnited to Christ the vine but the things which are vnited as is already said and declared But the meanes also Cyrill graūteth to be spirituall that is by our faith and by the spirite of Christ for in euerie place hee teacheth and specially vpon the sixt of Iohn that we eate the flesh of Christ by faith And by this eating he prooueth our incorporation Vpon the 13. chapter The 7. aphorisme If any shall make exceptions concerning the law thus were not the elect in the old Testament indued with grace to keepe the law as wee in the new are indued with grace to beleeue the gospell I answer They were but not to the hearing of the law as vve are with faith to the hearing of the gospell but because they first beleeued in the euangelicall promises concerning Christ and for that cause receiued the gift yet but vnperfectly and in part onely to keep the law not because they heard the law but because they beleeued in Christ to come that alwaies the obedience of the lawe might follow of the faith in Christ euen as an effect followeth the cause Vppon the 24. chapter Aphor. 1. When wee saide that the signification of a Sacrament is so receiued that not the word alone nor the element alone but the element together with the word is called a sacrament we ment nothing els but that as the word alone without the element or signe cannot bee said to be a Sacrament so neither cā the signe without the worde For a Sacrament as the church hath vsed to define it is a visible signe of an inuisible grace add by the word that is by Christs institution consecrated to that purpose that is altered from the common vse to that matter So Augustine Tom. 5. de ciuit Dei lib. 10. ca. 5. The visible sacrifice is a sacrament or a holie signe of the inuisible sacrifice And in D. de cons dist 2. ca. sacrif A sacrament saieth he is a visible forme of an inuisible grace And the same Augustine Tom. 9. in Ioh. tract 80. saith concerning the word of the gospell the vvorde commeth to the element and so is made the sacrament euen that visible vvorde as it were A sacrament therefore according to the receiued signification in the church we doe euer did acknowledge to bee a visible signe And whereof of an inuisible grace But from whence hath it the vertue to bee signe of such a thing from the word of Christ the institutor For take away the word and it shal be no Sacrament Pull away the word saieth Augustine and what is the water but water This is the meaning of our words not that the word is the sacrament or to speake properly any parte of the Sacrament in as much as a Sacrament is defined to bee a visible signe of an inuisible grace but because without the word a visible element cannot be a Sacrament of an inuisible thing but therefore it is the visible signe of an inuisible thing because by the word of the Lord it is instituted thereunto Irenaeus also making no mention of the word because that is alwaies supposed hath left in writing that the Eucharist that is the Sacrament of the Eucharist consisteth of two matters an earthly that is the signe a heauenly that is the thing signified neither yet the thing signified is the signe or the Sacrament but because the signe cānot be without the thing signified for else wherof should it bee a signe therefore hee said that the Sacrament of the Eucharist consisted both of an earthly matter that is the signe and a heauenly matter that is the thing signified This belongeth to the confirmation of that which we said concerning the word and the element Vpon the 25. chapter Of baptisme The third aphorisme Of the water it appeareth in the Acts where it is manifestly shewed that neuer any thing was mixed with the water by the Apostles Other forme of baptizing besides that which we haue in the 28. of Matthew Christ did not institute and that the Apostle did simplie follow Christ is beyond al cōtrouersie Where as therefore we read in the Acts that the Apostles baptized some in the name into the name of Christ that doth nothing pertaine to the christian forme of baptisme Iohn indeed baptized into the name of Christ as it appeareth in which name notwithstanding as Ambrose expoundeth it the trinitie was closelie signified as the person anointed that is of the sonne in that he had taken the nature the person annointing that is the father and the annointing that is the person of the holie ghost But Christ himself expresly set downe the proper forme of baptisme saying in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holie ghost Wherefore it is manifest that the phrase of speach to be baptized into the name of Christ doth nothing belong to the forme of christian Baptisme Which is also hereby confirmed that wee neuer reade that the Apostles baptized any saying that they baptized them into the name of Christ but we read onely that many were baptized in the name and into the name of Christ Then what mēt the holie ghost by that forme or manner of speach he ment in my iudgement summarily to shewe thus much First in that they which professed faith in Christ were commaunded to be baptized that it should be done by the name authoritie and commandement of Iesus Christ yea that they should be baptized in this forme In the name of the father the sonne and of the holy ghost euen by commaundement of Christ Therefore they were baptized in the name of Christ that is according to the commandement forme prescribed by Christ Secondly they which were so baptized as they were now incorporated into Christ by faith in Gods sight and admitted into the fellowship of the new couenant so are they by
same godly man eateth sometime worthily sometime not worthily enough as in the 1. to the Corinth 11. it appeareth And the vngodly also which receiue onely the element and not the thing of the sacrament are not all of one sort For among them are also conteyned the Hypocrites of whome we spake eveÌ„ now We thought good therefore here to ioyne a more plaine and cleare distinction There be two kindes of men which like as they come to the hearing of the word so may they come to receiue the supper of the Lord the vngodly and the godly Againe of the vngodly some are wholly and simplie wicâ—ed as Atheists Godlesse men also Iewes and Turkes and all such as knowe nothing and beleeue nothing of all those thinges which they heare by the preaching of the gospell or see to bee done by the administration of the Sacraments nay they rather laugh at and coÌ„temne all such matters These if they come to the Lords table they neither eate nor drinke anie thing else but bread and wine and that also not as they are sacrameÌ„ts for they know not of what thinges they are sacraments but onely as they are of their owne nature namelie bread wine For euen so also at the preaching of the gospell they receiue nothing but bare words and the sound of the words Another sort are indeed and before God wicked though they are not so in respect I meane in profession or in sight of men such as are the hypocrites in the church who are not indued with the true and liuelie faith which is proper to the elect but haue onely a temporall and an hypocriticall beleefe These comming to the supper doe indeed eate and drinke no more then the former that is bread wine The reason is because they haue no true faith by which alone Christs body is truely eaten For all this the difference betweene these and the other is not little 1 For the former seing they beleeue none of all the things which they heare concerning Christs bodie in the supper nor perceiue anie thing with their mindes as little do they eate the true bodie of Christ but onely with the mouth of the bodie they eate bread as common bread But the other seing that by their onely historicall hypocriticall and temporall beleefe they vnderstand in their minde and in some sort doe beleeue the things which are spoken and done therefore by the same beleefe and minde they may bee saide in some sort to receiue and in some sorte to taste the bodie of Christ offred in the word and sacraments although they doe not in verie deede eate it seing they do not swallow nor retaine the same for this properlie is to eate in the stomacke of their soule for nourishment of their spirite but rather do spue or vomitt out the same being tasted and after a sorte receiued downe For so also we read in the 6 to the Heb. of those temporary professors that they tasted the heauenlie gifte and good word of God as if he had said they tasted indeed and that also by the gift of the holie ghost but being tasted they cast it vp againe And in the parable of the seede the temporary ones were said to receiue the seede of the word but that they kept it not and therefore brought forth no fruite by it These things cannot be said of the first sort of these wicked ones which are most true of the second sort namelie these temporarie hypocrites Let this then bee the first difference hereuppon followes another difference betweene the eating of those and these 2 They seing the bread which they take into their mouthes they nether acknowledge nor beleeue it to bee a Sacrament of Christs bodie therefore they take it and eate it not as a Sacrament but as common bread and therefore can they not be said to eate the bodie of Christ sacramentallie But these take the bread not as common bread but as a Sacrament of Christs bodie and for that cause are said to eate Christs bodie though not in verie deede seing they lack the mouth and teeth of true faith yet to eate it sacramentallie by an argument drawne as they call it à coniugatis they eate the Sacrament as the Sacrament of Christs bodie therefore they eate Christs body sacramentally and so farre forth as it is a Sacrament because they eate not Christs bodie in verie deed but onely the Sacrament thereof Hereupon followeth that expositioÌ„ wherof we spake before that it is not vngodlie to say simply and absolutely that the hypocrites do eate not onelie the Sacrament but also the thing of the SacrameÌ„t that is not onely bread but also the verie bodie of Christ But in what sense namelie in that wherein the Apostle said all they of Corinth in their first state were vncleane vngodlie c afterwards he said they were not onely vvashed which some might haue interpreted onelie of the water of baptisme but also sanctified and iustified when notwithstaÌ„ding they were not all made truelie such but as yet there lacked not some hypocrits amoÌ„g them So all they which professing faith in Christ doe come to his supper and eate the SacrameÌ„t of the Lotds bodie are saide also to eate the Lords true bodie by reason of the sacramentall vnion which causeth that he which receiueth the signe is by the church iudged to haue receiued also the thing signified because there is no fault either in the institutor of the Sacrament or in the Sacrament it selfe but that he which hath receiued eaten the one might haue also receiued and eaten the other sith Christ by the minister doeth truelie offer them both and the soundnes and trueth of the Sacrament dependeth not vppon our faith but vppon Christs institution So that if we receiue not the whole Sacrament but onely the signe without the thing signified the fault is in our owne selues who receiue one part with the mouth of our bodie and cast away the other part by our infidelitie for an hypocritical faith is infidelitie separating those thinges which God would haue to be ioyned By these thinges it appeareth what difference is in the eating of those that are simplie wicked the hypocrites although neither sort can bee said truely to eate Christs true bodie For such only do truely eate Christ who are also truely ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuelie faith with which alone the elect are indued They which are dead corporallie can no longer eate corporall meate how then should they which are dead spirituallie bee fedd with spirituall foode And onelie the faithfull doe therefore liue because by a liuelie faith they are ioyned vnto Christ which is our life as members to their head as braunches to the vine as the boughes to their tree And if as Cyprian saieth it be meate of the minde not of the bellie surely it is eaten vvith the teeth not of the bodie but of a faithfull minde which onely the godlie can doe If
onely make ruleth and worketh all thinges in time without himselfe but also can bring to passe infinite things which he neuer will doe 8 Whereuppon it is also that the same is vsually deuided into actuall power which worketh whatsoeuer hee will and into absolute power whereby he can also do infinite things which he will not because otherwise he could not be said to be simply omnipotent 9 For as we hold not with them which think God is therefore called omnipotent because simplie whatsoeuer can bee saide or thought whether it be good or ill or if the same implie a contradiction he can doe the same so neither doe we subscribe to their opinion which hold that God is called and is omnipotent for no other cause but for that he can do whatsoeuer he wil that his power should so stretch no farther then his will but we beleeue he is therfore almighty in that besides he can do whatsoeuer he will he can also both will bring to passe innumerable things which he will neuer will nor bring to passe 10 For when the Scripture saith that God did whatsoeuer he would it plainely teacheth that he could haue done much more if he would And he which saieth hee will haue mercie on whome he will and he will harden whome he will he sheweth manifestly that he could aswell haue mercie on all or harden all as he can harden some and haue mercie on some and therefore that hee can haue mercie on more then he will haue merdie on and so that there are more things which he can doe then he will doe 11 For that which he can doe be can by his nature doe and therefore can not but be able to doe it vnlesse he could also so doe as that he should not be God But whatsoeuer without himselfe he willeth he freely willeth it and therefore could also not will it so as it is manifest that God can do more then he will seing he can will that he will not 12 Now we say God can doe all those thinges which are not repugnant either with his personall proprieties or with his essence and nature or which implie not a contradiction or lastly which are not of the defect or want of power if they be admitted 13 Thus although the father cannot bee the sonne nor the sonne the father neither also the father cā beget of himselfe another sonne or the sonne any other of himselfe yet therefore doeth nether the Sonne nor the Father cease to be omnipotent 14 For these are personall proprieties that the father should begett and not be begotten but the sonne be begotten not begett neither doth the essence of God beare it that there should be more fathers or more sonnes 15 Neither is any thing taken away from the power of god in that he cannot bring to passe but that he must be good iust wise seing he cā not be God vnlesse he be such as the scripturs describe him 16 So we take no power from God nor weakē it at all if we say God cannot sinne he cannot suffer he cannot bring to passe either not to be that which he is or that those things which are done should not haue bin done because these things are partly of the defect of power and partly they implie a contradiction And therefore are directly repugnant to the trueth of God and simply impossible 17 And so is it the propertie of God to be omnipotent as that it can belong to no created thing 18 For seing omnipotencie is nothing else but the verie immeasurable infinite essence and able to be communicated to no creature that it should agree to that thing to be omnipotēt vnto which it doeth not agree to be God in it owne essence 19 Neither can a thing finite bee capable of a thing infinite seing euerie thing is receiued according to the measure as they saye of the receiues 20 Also it is no lesse contrary to the nature of God that there should bee more almighties then that there should be more gods Whereupon christian religion will not allow that the three persons in God should be said to be three almighties 21 Wherefore although the man Christ Iesus is truely omnipotent because hee is not man onely but also God yet his humanitie cannot be or be said to be properly omnipotēt without impietie 22 For the humaine nature of Christ though it be vnited to the diuine nature into one person of the word and yet as it is not therefore made God so neither is it made properly omnipotēt but held still the owne weakenes whereby it was able to suffer for vs and to die 23 For neither could it haue suffred if as God so also it had beene made omnipotent seing to be able to suffer is impotencie and therefore God could not suffer because hee is omnipotent 24 And if the humaine nature of Christ was made omnipotent through the hypostaticall vnion in Christ why doe the Scriptures attribute it not to his humanitie but to his deitie that his bodie sawe no corruption or that this soule being restored to him he rose from the dead 25 Furthermore as a humaine bodie through the vnion with the minde neither is made an incorporeall substance indued with will and vnderstanding neither receiueth from it either immortalitie or the vertue of vnderstanding or willing so neither the humaine nature through the vnion with the diuine nature of the word is made an essence subsisting by it selfe most simple and most perfect or hath receiued from it to be properly omnipotent 26 Noreouer the argument whereby the father 's prooued against the Arrians Christ to bee true God by the omnipotencie attributed in the holie Scriptures to the sonne is quite ouerthrowne if we graunt that the omnipotencie maye bee communicated to any created thing 27 Lastlie concerning religion wee must not speake but agreeable to the Scriptures and to the analogie of faith But the holie Scriptures doe declare none but onely God to be omnipotent neither did the church euer professe any otherwise in her creeds 28 Whereas Christ saide after his resurrection alpower is giuen vnto me Authoritie is one thing and power another neither said he it is giuen to my humanitie but to me neither was this spoken in respect of his nature but of his office of a mediatour And that office was and is of his whole person according to both natures 29 Therefore as we beleeue by the holie ghost God alone to bee truely and properly omnipotent so also with the whole church do wee confeffe and preach 30 But we doubt not that the humaine nature of Christ is indued both with that power though finite which farrexceedeth the power of all created things aswel in heauen as earth and therefore wherein it may well properly be called the mightiest of all creatures also forthe hypostatical vnion with the truely omnipoten worde although properly in it selfe it be not such yet we graunt it may in some sort be said
God Of the first the Apostle Saint Paule saieth VVee are predestinated into the adoption of the sonnes of God and therefore to a heauenlie inheritance of the other that it was done for the praise of the glory of his grace 6 The saluation therefore of the elect in Iesus Christ is certaine and necessarie the foundation whereof is the ternall free and vnchaungable purpose of the will of God 7 Who so haue beene chosen from the beginning in Christ vnto life euerlasting and to the meanes thereunto all they and onely they in the time appointed of the father ver 7 which is called the fulnesse of time were in verie deede through Christ and in Christ redeemed from their sinnes and so from the euill which followeth sinnes the Apostle saying in Iesus Christ vvee haue redemption euen remission of sinnes 8 Neither were we redeemed Tit. 3. v. 5 ver 7. according to the merits works of righteousnes which we haue done but according to the mercies of God and according to the riches of his grace by the blood of Christ Iesus both which are manifestly confirmed by the Apostle 9 And albeit the eternall father redeemed saued vs by his sonne by whome he also created vs yet the â—onne is he which by an especiall respect the church of God vseth to call the redeemer of mankinde and our Sauiour 10 For the Sonne alone Lev. 25. ver 48.49 was and is God and man and he alone had the right of proprietie as they call it or of kindred to redeeme vs hee alone shedd his blood whereby as by a ransome we were redeemed Lastlie he it is alone in whose person our redemption is made perfect and accomplished 11 By the name of this ransome which wee are said to haue in Christ â— Cor. 1. v. 30 wee meane that full and accomplished redemption in as much as it containeth not onely remission of sinnes in this life but also in the life to come after this a perfect deliuerance from all ill and from the bondage of all corruption so that there is no ransome which we haue not in Christ our most perfect redeemer who as he is made vnto vs by God our wisedome righteousnes sanctification so also our redemption Of the resurrection of Christ Iesus from the dead his ascension into heauen and sitting at Gods right hand out of the first of Paule to the Ephesians yeare 1581. 1 GOd did effectually shewe the greatnes of his power in Christ Eph. 1. â—â— by raising him from the dead therefore onely God by his infinite power is the efficient cause of the resurrection of Christ and all the dead 2 Yea but Christ also by his power raised him selfe from death as he said destroy this temple Ioh. 2.19 and in three dayes I will build it vp but hee spake of the temple of his bodie and that Ioh. 10.17 I lay downe my life that I may take it againe Christ therefore is no lesse God then the father neither is hee God of lesser might 3 But one and the same cannot be truely the raiser and the raised from the dead vnlesse he consist of diuers natures of the diuine according to which he doth raise and the humane according to which he is raised Therefore the same Christ as he is true God coessentiall with the father so hee is true man coessentiall with his mother and his brethren 4 Neither can any bee truely said to be raised and to rise from the dead vnlesse the same bee truely said to be dead and to haue died But death consisteth in a true separation of the soule froÌ„ the bodie whereby the body which dieth may presently bee rightly called a dead carkasse Christ then if he truely rose from the dead it can by no meanes be denied but that he also truely died his soule being truely separated from his bodie 5 If then sith he truely died neither his soule for that time of his death was in his bodie neither sith he was truely buried his bodie while it honge vppon the crosse was in the graue or while it lay in the graue hong vppon the crosse neither sith God truely raised him from the dead either his soule recalled his body or his body recalled himselfe from death to life therefore the humane nature in Christ was neither omnipotent nor euery where present in it owne substance 6 For as this consequence is not good Christ Iesus himselfe was dead and buried and rose againe from the dead therefore he was dead and buried and rose againe according to both his natures So neither is this behold I am vvith you euen to the ende of the vvorlde therefore not onely in his deitie but also in the substance of his humanitie hee is really present with vs on the earth 7 But as this consequence is good Christ being God suffered therefore he suffered not according to his deitie but according to his humanitie so is this other Christ Iesus being man is euerie where and simply omnipotent therefore he is euery where and omnipotent not according to his humanitie but according to his deitie seing the diuine nature is no lesse vnited to the humane then the humane is to the diuine in the same person of Christ Iesus 8 If God himselfe and so the diuine nature in Christ raised his body from the dead not by the same bodie but by it selfe namely by the diuine nature then it is false that the diuine nature in Christ did all things and doeth not onely in and with but also by the humane nature 9 For the soule of Christ Iesus doth not work all thinges by the bodie as neither doe our mindes vnderstand or will thinges by the bodies and that for this cause that as the philosophers also taught our minde dependeth not on the bodie Much lesse then doth the deitie of Christ worke all thinges by the flesh which it tooke 10 For doth the deitie vnderstand by the humane vnderstanding or doeth it will by the humane will or doth it keepe or sustaien the humane nature in the person of the word by the verie same humane nature or doth it beare all thinges by the humane flesh or rather by the word of it owne vertue Lastlie if the forme of God doe nothing but by the forme of a seruant how can that saying of Leo be true each fo rme doth the propertie of it selfe vvith communion of the other 11 Like as therefore the forme of God is one and the forme of a seruant another so the actions and proprieties of the one and of the other be diuers though manie times both the one the other haue one and the same worke and operacion 12 Wherefore this is no coÌ„sequence to whomsoeuer Christ commeth with the father according to the forme of God to him he also commeth and abideth in him in his owne substaÌ„ce according to the forme of a seruant much lesse that he is so euery where 13 Further
like as no other but the verie same Christ rose from the dead so he rose in no other but in the verie same bodie in which he suffred died and was buried 14 For he could not be truely said to be raised and to rise from the dead except that which truely died the verie same quickened againe should rise againe 15 Now the bodie wherein Christ suffred died and was buried was a true humane bodie visible palpable circumscribed Therefore Christ after his resurrection had and retained no body but that which was circumscribed in a certaine place and wheresoeuer it was and is might and may be seene and handled 16 Add also that the Apostle carefully discoursing of the qualities with which our bodies being raised vp to eternall life shal be indued he saith not that they shal not be subiect either to the eye or to the touch or not bee circumscribed in a definite place but he rehearseth onely incorruption glorie and power as is the agilitie thereof and that they shall rise spirituall not that the corporall substance shal be chaunged into an incorporeall but that they shal be as the greeks call it immortall and shal be full of the holie spirite dwelling and working in them The Apostle therefore taught that these are qualities neuer to bee seperated from the bodies namely that they shal be circumscribed visible palpable Wherefore neither did Christs body after his resurrection put of these qualities 17 Neither is that exception any thing that Christ after he was risen came in to his disciples the dores beeing shut For it was not therefore either made vnvisible or vncircumscribed or vnpalpable seeing Christ being come in and seene of his disciples presently saide Feele or handle and see Luc. 24. for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue And therefore as the Fathers teach there was no chaunge made of Christs bodie no more then there was when he or Peter walked vpon the waters but by the omnipotency of his diety hauing power ouer all things the doores gaue place to the true and firme bodie of the sonne of God 18 Wherefore not without cause did the Fathers condemne not onely Marcion the Maniches and others which taught that Christ tooke not a true and firme humane bodie but a phantasticall one and did all things according to imagination and phantasie but also the Originists Iohn of Hierusalem and Euticius of Constantinople Hier. tom 12. ad PaÌ„mach Greg. in Iob. lib. 24 c. 29. Bishops and others which said that Christs bodie after his resurrectioÌ„ was made so spirituall that it was more thinne then ayre and therefore invisible and vnpalpable 19 Seeing then that in the supper no other bodie of Christ is giuen vs to be eaten but that which was broken for vs that is truely suffered and died it followeth that Christs 〈◊〉 body which we eate in the Supper is truely circumscribed visible and palpable and consequently seeing nothing is seene touched or perceiued in the Supper besides bread the same body cannot in it owne substance really be contained vnder the formes of bread and wine or lie hidden in the very bread and wine 20 Nowe we acknowledge the resurrection of Christ is both the cause and an example of our as well spirituall as corporall resurrection The cause of the spirituall because the Apostle saith to the Rom. 4. he rose againe for our iustification and an example because he saith Rom. 6. we are burâ—ed togither with him by baptisme into his death that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father so we also should vwalke in newenesse of life 21 But that he is the cause of our corporall resurrection we doubt not 1. Cor. 5. for that the Apostle saith If Christ be risen againe we shall also rise againe and for that he also saith Christ is the first fruits of them that rise and an example for that the same Apostle also writeth he shall chaunge our vile bodies Phil 3.21 that they shall be like his glorious bodie 22 Wherupon It also followeth either Christs bodie not to be invisible vnpalpable vncircumscribed and so not spirituall bodies but incorporall spirits 23 For where Christ saith Feele and see for a spirite hath not flesh and bones as yee see me haue hee did not onely conclude that himselfe was no spirite but he especially taught this that there is no flesh nor bones but may bee seene and felt 24 The Scripture teacheth and the church coÌ„fesseth that our Lord Iesus Christ being raised from the dead did shew vnto his disciples for fortie daies space by many arguments that he was truely risen and then euen in the beholding of the Apostles that he was lifted vpp from the earth ascended into heauen Therfore like as no other Christ rose againe then he which died so no other ascended into heauen nor in no other body then he in which that truely rose againe froÌ„ the dead the sonne of God truely humane visible palpable and circumscribed 25 Wherefore as the conuersation of the same Lord Iesus Christ wherein he conuersed amoÌ„g his Apostles after his refurrection for fortie daies space was not fantasticall but reall and true so also his ascension was not onely visible but also truely as the fathers say locall when the Apostles sawe him ascend from the earth vp into heruen 26 But such an ascension and mouing cannot agree to his divine nature therefore he ascended according to his humane nature 27 Yet by the way we denie not this but that Christ as God like as he is said to haue descended from heauen in respect that he abased himselfe taking vpon him the vile forme of a seruant and suffred in it so also it may rightly be said that he is exalted and ascended vp into heauen namely in respect that in the very same forme of a seruant when it was glorified euen the forme of God was after a sort glorified by his ascention and after it that is was made glorious in the wholle world 28 But it is apparent that as this consequence is not good Christ himselfe beeing God and man ascended into heauen in a locall and visible moouing Therefore he in the same sort ascended according to his dietie so neither is this good Christ God and man is with us to the ende of the world truely and in his owne essence therefore he is present on earth as wel in the substance of his body and soule as in the essence of his dietie 29 If also the Apostles sawe with their eies Christan his owne body by chaunge of place ascending from earth into heauen then the heauen into which he did ascend caÌ„not be an vbiquitary heauen but it must needes be farre distant from the earth 30 Moreover nature and all right requireth that for every thing some certeÌ„ place must be assigned as we see god hath done in all the things which he created Seing then no created thing
can be found more excellent then Christs body both for the vnion with the word and for the wonderfull gifts created in the same and so also for the most perfect glorie and happines wherein he nowe liveth It must needes be that this bodie must exist in some certaine most happie place 31 Neither can it proceede but onely from trupiety and from our true reverence towardes Christ that we should beleeue that his body doth dwell not vnder the earth not in the earth not in the waters not in a peece of bread not in every leafe of a tree not in the ayre or in the celestiall speres but in a place as the most happie faire perfect so the highest of al others which we with Ambrose think the Apostle spake of when he said that he was caught vp 2. Cor. 12.2 4. into the third heaven and into paradise 32 To this the same scripture also teacheth the Catholike faith beleeueth and confesseth that the same Iesus Christ shall come out of that heauen in the cloudes Phil. 3.20 1. Thes 4.16 1. Thes 4.17 to iudge the quicke and the dead and that we beeing raised from the dead shall be caught vp into the aire to meete him in the cloudes and so shall be with him in that heauen for euer 33 And this heauen Ioh. 14.2 which is called the Fathers house and the heauenly citty and by many other names The scripture prooueth to be placed aboue all the visible and mooveable heauēs saying that Christ is ascended aboue all heauens Eph. 4.16 and that he is in heauen 34 For this heauen wherein he is in his body and wherein we shall be in our bodies and soules cannot be some vast and I knowe not what vncreated roome partly because nothing is vncreated but God partly because it is plainely to the Hebr. Heb. 11.10 said to be Gods workmāship 35 Moreover the chiefe and principall efficient cause of that moouing wherein his bodie was carried vp into heauen was the divine nature remaining in him according to that to the Phil. 2. God hath exalted him And he was taken vp of God into glory But a secondary efficient cause was the gift of agility which followed his glorious resurrection bestowed on the humane nature by the diety by which agility that flesh ascended vp not held and sustained by angels or by the cloudes as once Elias was in the fierie chariot but of it owne accord and without trouble or difficultie and therefore that motion was not a violent motion 36 Now this ascention of Christ our head was the cause and the example of our ascension which shal be into heaven For sith the head is ascended it must needes be that the members shall ascend and as his ascension was so ours shall bee For he shall chaunge our vile bodies to be like to his glorious body and we shall be caught vp into the cloudes to meete Christ in the ayre and so we shall be with the Lord for euer 37 If then ours shall be a true ascention and that we shall truely be lifted from the earth into heauen Therefore Christs body also did truely ascend from earth into heauen not imaginarily or putatively 38 And this doctrine of Christs true ascention into that highest heauen and his perpetuall abiding there is most profitable and full of cōsolation 39 For first it serueth to strengthen our faith about the certaine place where with the eyes and hands of our faith we may behold touch and take hold of the body of Christ Then to establish our hope namely that it shall be that before the resurrection of our bodies our soules beeing separated from our bodies they shall neither discend beneath the earth nor shall flote in the waters or the aire nor roule about with the spheres but shall be carried aboue all these heauens to that blessed and heauenly house of the Father into which Christ in his body is already entred that they may be euer with Christ Lastly to kindle in our hearts the loue and desire of a heauenly life and conversation as the Apostle saith If ye be risen vvith Christ seeke those things which are aboue set your affections on thinges vvhich are aboue vvhere Christ sitteth at the right hand of God 40 Of Christs sitting at the right hand of the father thus speaketh the Apostle And hath set him Christ raised from the dead and carried vp into heauen in the heauenly places farre aboue all principallities and power and might domination and euerie name that is named not onely in this vvorld but also in that which is to come and hath made all thinges subiect vnder his feete c. YVhatsoeuer is read otherwise in the holy scripture or confessed by the church in the Creedes concerning this sitting is agreeable vnto this 41 But we cā no where read that for this sitting at Gods right hand either Christ Iesus tooke any other body call it howesoeuer or that in his naturall body there was any chaūge made of the substance of it or of any of those naturall qualities and essentiall proprieties which it retained after his resurrection It is therefore manifest that in what body Christ rose and ascended into heauen namely a visible palpable and circumscribed body in the same he also sitteth at the Fathers right hand in the highest heauens and wheresoeuer he is or pleaseth to be he keepeth still to himselfe such a body 42 The Apostle also witnesseth and the church confesseth in the Creedes that Christ first died was buried raised from the dead and taken vp into heauen before he fare at the Fathers right hand Therefore either it is false that Christs humaine nature thē first receiued a gift for substance of his body to be really euery where or if it be true then it receiued it not by the hypostaticall vnion which was made in his very incarnation 43 Neither is this exception any thing that by the hypostaticall vnion this was giuen him in the first act as that if he would he might be present every where but by the sitting at Gods right hand it was giuen him in the second act that is that he was indeed present every where 44 For besides that the tearmes of this distinction are tearmes not taken from the fountaines of Israel but out of the puddles of sophisters Christ himselfe also refelleth this exception when speaking not of the first act but of the second that is of his actuall presence he said both a little before his death Where two or three shall be gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them and after his resurrection bofore his ascension he said Beholde I am vvith you even to the ende of the world 45 By those sayings it evidently appeareth that either Christ spake not of the reall presēce of his body but onely of the presence of his diety and power of his spirit or that he is present to vs
was a disobediēce Gen. 2.17 3.6 Rom. 5.19 which was shewed not so much in the outvvard deede as in the purposed consent of his minde vvherin he vvould not be obedient vnto god III. What and how manifold a death followed Adams sinne So vve confesse that man being then destitute of the fauour of god by his ovvne faulte did loose that life vvherein he liued holily vnto God his minde being darkened his vvill depraued and all integritie of nature vtterlie lost Ioh. 8.34 Eph. 2.1 Rom. 5.12 name lie in those things vvhich pertaine to god and to a life acceptable to God and so vvas made the seruant of sinne the slaue of sathan and quite dead vnto god Moreouer he incurred both the death of the bodie vvhich is novv come vnto all men with al the calamities of the bodie and also the eternall that is the most miserable grieuous and most vnhappie life of the vvhole man more intollerable vvithout comparison then anie death vvith the deuill in euerlasting torments vvhence he could not be deliuered but by Christ 1. Cor. 15.22 IIII. That in Adam all men sinned But for as much as al mankinde which was by naturall generation to issue from Adam was then in his loines whereby the commandement vvith the curse annexed pertained not onelie to the person of Adam but to all mankinde likewise The Rom. 5.19 efore with the Apostle do vve beleeue and confesse that in Adam sinning all men sinned so that that disobedience was not onelie proper to Adam himselfe but also made common to all mankinde sith his guiltines enwrapped all men who were then and are yet dailie carnallie to be begotten of his seede Euen as the Apostle to the Romaines plainly teacheth yea and most strongly prooueth by an Antithesis or contraposition of the disobedience of Adam and the obediēce of Christ For if the obedience of Christ be no lesse ours by imputation then his owne by his proper action because wee are regenerate of his incorruptible seede and of his spirite it followeth that the disobedience likewise of Adam must be imputed vnto vs and we touched with his guiltines because we are borne of the seed of his flesh being father of al men V. The corruption of mans whole nature followed vpon Adams disobedience in all men But like as the corruption of our vvhole nature Rom. 7.7 Aug. tom 7 con Iul. Pela li. 5. c. 3 immediatlie by gods iust iudgement tooke holde on the person of Adam for that actuall disobedience called of the Apostle Concupiscence which is both a punishment of the former sinne a sinne and a cause of other sinnes euen so being taught by the holy scriptures we beleeue and with the whole church confesse that all men which by naturall propagation are conceiued of his seed ar borne infected with the contagion of his corrupt nature For all men sinned in Adam and by the guiltinesse of his disobedience wee are all kept bound VI. What we properlie call originall sinne Wherefore we doe so saie that this haereditarie fault and contagion of nature is sinne in all men and so we vse to cal it originall sinne that we do not separate it from the guiltines and imputation of the first disobedience Euen as likewise on the other side we doubt not but the righteousnes of christians doth consist not so much in the regeneration of nature which is made by the spirit of Christ which is vsuallie called by the name of inherēt righteousnesse as in the imputation of the perfect obedience and righteousnes of Christ whose members we are VII That contagion of nature is verie sinne And although that contagion was inflicted not onelie vppon Adam alone but also on his whole posteritie for a punishment of that first transgression of Gods commaundement yet wee hold this as certainelie out of the holy scriptures as whatsoeuer is most certaine Rom. 7.7 that the same is not onely the punishment of sin and the cause of all other follovving sinnes but also a verie sinne it selfe euen so great as were sufficient to condemne vs. VIII That concupiscence of it owne proper nature is a sinne in the verie regenerate Yea so farre doe we learne that concupiscence of it owne nature is a sinne fighting against the lavve of God and making all men subiect to condemnation vnlesse they bee deliuered by Christ yea that in the regenerate themselues though the guiltines being taken away by faith in Christ it be not imputed vnto them anie more yet we doubt not 1. Ioh. 3.4 Rom. 7.7 but it is a sinne yea and that worthy of eternall death sith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a transgression of the lawe and is by gods lawe condemned as the Apostle teacheth IX From concupiscence ingrafted in vs the riuers of sinne doe continually flowe Futrhermore we beleeue that this our naturall deformitie is such a fountaine of al sin and that euer so abounding that from it doe continuallie spring most corrupt waters of e-euill affections of vngodlie thoughts vvicked desires which vnlesse they be by the spirit of Christ restrained they breake out at length into manifest sinnes offences some worse thē others so that there is not any man so holie which beareth not about him this puddle of vices yea and feeleth not the filthie vapors breathing from it and is not often sprinckled and bespotted with that noisome contagion Euerie man is tempted of his ovvne concupiscence saieth Iames vvhen he is drawne avvaye by his ovvne concupiscence Iam. 1.14.15 and is entised then vvhen lust hath conceiued it bringeth forth sinne and sinne whē it is finished bringeth forth death X. That God is not the author of sinne Now all these things beeing thus wee are confirmed in that beleefe wherein wee hold that god is not the author of sinne sith he neither created Adam euill or prone vnto euil but iust and righteous neither did hee intice or mooue him to il but he of his own accord and by his free-will sinned 1. Io. 2.16 neither yet vvas this naturall peruersnesse from god but of it selfe it followed that disobedience of Adam being depriued of his righteousnes god most iustly so permitting and punishing mans trāsgression by that worthie punishment XI Errors We condemne therefore with Ireneus and the whole church all those which make god the author of sinne likewise all Pelagians as wel new as old which denie that all men sinned in Adam and are holden in the guilte of the first offence or doe labour to prooue that this ingrafted concupiscence is onelie a disease and a punishment of sinne but not indeede a sinne it selfe or at least in the regenerate will not haue it to bee worthie the name of a sinne Wee condemne also those which haue taught that originall sinne is a substance because this opinion either makes god the author of sinne or else denies that god is the maker of euerie substance and confirmes the doctrine
promised by grace to saue vs. WHen therfore the first earthly man by his owne fault had fallen into so miserable an estate through disobedience and together with him all his posteritie which had sinned in him and were in deede to bee conceiued in sinne and to bee borne the children of wrath we beleeue that god of his meere grace and fauour promised vnto Adam and Eue and in them to all mankinde an other man from heauen Gen. 3.15 1. Cor. 15.47.48 Mat. 1.20 Luc. 1.34 Ebr. 4.15 Ios 7.14 that should be the true substance of verie woman but cōceiued without the seede of man so should be born of a virgine without sinne in whome as in another head of mankinde consisting of a diuine and humaine nature beeing the true image of the father and full of the holie spirite that should bee supplied which in Adam the first head by his owne fault was decaied that is that hee the second man in the name of all vs which were to bee ingrafted into him by his spirite Rom. 6.5 11.17 and by a spirituall regeneration should become flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone Io. 5.6 Eph. 5.29 Phil. 2.8 Rom. 5.19 Eph. 2.13.14 should most perfectly bee obedient vnto god and by his obedience and death should take away sinne should appease the wrath of god should redeeme vs iustifie vs sanctifie vs and gouerne vs by his spirite should indue vs with true libertie and with power to do god and lastly should saue vs glorifie vs to eternall life II. The promise of redemption by Christ was verie necessarie For Adam not as a priuate person but as the parent and originall of all mankinde as he was indued with a righteousnesse which he should haue dispersed into all his posteritie as hereditarie for which cause it is vsed also to be called originall righteousnes so by his disobediēce in stead of righteousnes he brought vppon all men great iniquitie and a spring of all sinne and in stead of eternall life eternall death Therefore there was neede of an other head from whome through his obedience that true and heauenlie righteousnesse holinesse and life might bee deriued into all the members This same is Christ III. To what ende that promise was made presently after the transgression And wee beleeue that this promise was made immediatlie after the transgression euē from the beginning of the worlde and afterwards oft times mētioned to the holy fathers declared yea and confirmed and sealed by diuerse and sundrie meanes signes and sacraments that not onely wee which were to bee borne after the comming of the Messias but also all other which from the first creation should beleeue in this promise and in true faith should imbrace the Sauiour which was to come might by that faith bee made partakers of the following redemption might bee iustified and saued IV. As manie as beleeued in Christ that vvas to come from the first beginning were saued Wee beleeue therefore that as manie since the making of the world as beleeued in Christ promised and to come they were ingrafted vnto him by this faith made partakers of his following obedience of his passion death and redemption that they did eate his bodie that was to come and to bee betrayed and dranke his blood that was to bee shedd and finallie that they were all christians and indued with the spirite of Christ and saued vnto eternall life as well as we V. Errors Therefore wee condemne and abhorre all those which saye that none were saued that were before the comming of Christ and that those fathers receiued no promises concerning eternall saluation but onely concerning things temporall CHAP. X. Of the law I. The law of Moses came betweene the promise of redemption by Christ and the accomplishment thereof and to what ende BVt betweene the promise of redemption by Christ made first vnto Adam after more manifestly declared aswell to others as most especially to Abraham sealed with the sacrament of circumcision and confirmed as it were by the death of Isaac his first begotten offered for a sacrifice and established by an euerlasting couenant betweene the accomplishment of the fame promise the lawe was giuen which Moses deliuered the people which came of Abrahams seed beeing gathered together and wonderfully encreased of whome also Christ should be borne and beeing also deliuered out of the bondage of Egypt by a wonderfull meanes that God might haue a church knowne and visible and separate from other nations and gathered together in one certaine place in which church that promise concerning Christ made vnto the fathers might be kept safe and an acceptable seruice of God maintained euen vnto the comming of the true promised redeemer The law I say deliuered by Moses from God vnto his church came betweene containing three kindes of commandements Morall by which the life and pietie of euerie one should bee directed Ceremoniall with the forme whereof the church should bee gouerned in her outward seruice and religion and iudicial pertaining to the gouernement of the whole common wealth in matters politick and oeconomicall that by these meanes the people of God of whome Christ was to come might both bee restrained from the prophane manners idolatries of wicked nations might be kept within their duetie and obedience to Gods will and finallie might be vpholden in the faith and hope of the promise to bee performed concerning the true redemption by Christ and so might bee prepared more and more for the receiuing of Christ and so in that people God might be glorified II. VVhatsoeuer was necessarie to be done for saluation is contained in the law of God To let passe then the two latter parts of the lawe which doe not appertaine to vs and to speake onely of the former wee beleeue that in that law as it is declared in the bookes of Moses the Prophets and Apostles 2. Tim. 3.16 al things which are necessary to saluation are so perfectly set downe and Gods will Deut. 2.4 5.22 12.32 which he will haue vs to do in his word so reuealed as nothing can be added or taken from it III. The law of the Decaloge or ten commandements is a declaration of the law of nature and a picture of the image of God We also beleeue that this law is a declaration of the lawe of nature which was written in the heartes of the first men perfectly of others imperfectly and but in part and therefore by this law is condemned whatsoeuer is not agreeable to that image of God whereunto man was created and is commaunded whatsoeuer is agreeable to the same For God would shew by that law what man was in his first estate and what hee was made in the second estate and what manner one he ought to be and further what he should afterwards be in the third estate in parte and vvhat perfectly in the fourth by Christ so that the lavve is nothing else but a
ignorant of nothing he is able to do all those things which pertaine to his office yea and such things as cannot bee performed of anie created substance but onelie of God himselfe may bee done by him by the power of his deitie yet his humaine wil alwaies working therewithal euermore by consent and as it were by desire so that in all the actions of Christ as he is God pertaining to our saluation alwaies his soule in some sorte ioyneth it selfe thereunto by loue by desire and will as also in all things which he did as man the deitie was alwaies concurrent yea euen in his death and passion not that the deitie suffred but that it willed both the passion and death of Christ and added to his passion and death an infinite power euen to cleanse vs of our sinnes To conclude concerning the two natures in Christ and the vnion and proprieties of them wee beleeue whatsoeuer hath bin determined in the Nycene Constantinopolitane Ephesian and Calcedonian counscels against Arrius Apollinaris Nestorius and Eutyches and in the sixt Synode against the Monothelites XIII Tvvo kindes of actions in Christ and all those things which we read that he did suffred were done indeede according to the trueth of the matter and not after a vaine shew or illusion Now from the person of Christ and his natures and the vnion of the natures to passe ouer peculiarly to his actions and his office First we beleeue that as there are two true natures in Christ whereof each hath had and hath her true and essentiall proprieties coupled together euen as the natures are also vnited but not confounded together so there are two kinds of actions which our Lord Iesus Christ is said partlie to haue performed and partlie wil yet performe for our saluatiō some wherof proceed from his deitie and some from his humanitie and the same partlie haue bin partly are so ioyned together and yet distinct that each of their formes as Leo speaketh alwaies worketh with communiō of the other The word performing those thinges which are of the worde and the flesh those thinges which pertaine to the flesh Moreouer as those thinges which Christ did and doeth by vertue of his diuine nature were true and not fained deeds for he truelie reconciled vs to his father he truelie forgiueth sinnes truely sanctifieth and regenerateth So whatsoeuer we read that he did or suffred for vs according to his humanitie wee beleeue that he did and suffred all those things truelie and indeed and not onelie in a vaine shew and as some speak an appearance onelie XIIII A declaration of the former opinion Wee beleeue therefore that Christ as hee was truelie conceiued of the seede of Dauid and truelie borne true man and did truelie eate drink performe other humaine deeds so also that he truelie kept the law for vs 1. Pet. 4.1 Luc. 24.36 that he truely suffred in the flesh and died and rose againe from the dead in the same flesh and ascended with his visible palpable humain bodie circumscribed with true and certaine dimensions into the true and created heauen placed aboue all these visible heauens Act. 3.21 and ther of his free wil worketh abideth til such time as hee returne againe in the same visible body truely from heauen to iudge the quick and the dead and that he truely desireth our saluation in heauen and hath a care ouer vs his spirituall and liuelie motion and feeling worketh in vs Eph. 1.22 4.16 as his members and lastly that he gouerneth the whole church XV. The fruites of the obedience passion death and resurrection of Christ And wee beleeue that Christ by his perfect obedience deserued eternal life not only for himselfe but also for vs by his passion death he satisfied for our sinns in his flesh he redeemed vs out of the hands of Satan the tirannie of death and the bondage of sinne he reconciled vs to God in himselfe and made vs his beloued that in him wee might bee deemed righteous with the father and by his resurrection and ascension into heauen hee obtained also for vs both the resurrections Apo. 20.5 as Iohn speaketh the first and the latter and that in our name he tooke vnto himselfe possession of the heauenlie in heritance Eph. 1.20 and sitteth at the right hand of God that is hath taken to himselfe power ouer all things in heauen and in earth So that in asmuch as he is our Mediatour and is man he hath obtained of his father the secōd place is appointed head of the church aswel which is in heauen as which is on earth that from him and euen from his flesh is conuaied by his holie spirite whatsoeuer pertaineth to the quickning and to the spirituall life of vs to all those which as members are fastened vnto him their head And therefore wee acknowledge beleeue confesse that in Christ alone is placed our whole saluation redemption iustice fauour of God and eternall life 1. Cor. 1.30 according to that saying VVho of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification redemption Also be is our peace Also Eph. 2.14 Ier. 23.6 Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.19 1. Ioh. 5.11 Iehouah our righteousnesse In him vvee haue redemption by his blood forgiuenesse of sinnes Also it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell Also life is in his Sonne And therefore we know that the promise concerning redemption which was made vnto the first man did receiue accomplishment in this other man Iesus Christ so that whosoeuer will bee made partaker of it he must needs be ioyned to his head Christ be made a member of him For we haue redemption and saluation not onelie by him as a Mediatour but also in him as our head This is our faith cōcerning Christ the redeemer his person natures and office and the saluation of mankinde fulfilled and laide vp in him XVI Errors Therefore we condemne all aswell the ancient as later heriticks which euer taught or teach the cōtrarie Arrius Photinus namelie Seruetus and all other vngodlie men of that crewe which denie the true deitie of Christ the Cerdonians the Marcionits the Valentinians the Maniches the Priscillianits the Apollinarists and the rest which do oppugne the true humanitie of Christ some denying that Christ came in the flesh and that hee had true flesh and doe contend that he brought a phantasticall bodie from heauen or that hee was conceiued of the elementes and not of the seede of Abraham and that hee was not borne of a woman others graunting him indeede a true humaine flesh but yet depriuing him of a reasonable soule and substituting his deitie in place of his soule Also the Neitorians which denied the true vnion of the humaine nature with the person of the Sonne did set downe two persons in Christ and two Sonnes the Sonne of God and the Sonne of man We likewise condemne the
Eutychians which on the contrary side as Christ is but one onelie person so they leaue him but one nature onelie namelie the diuine teaching that the humaine nature which he assumed either is wholy turned into the diuine or els so mingled and confounded with the diuine that they make no difference at al in him between the proprieties and actions of his diuine and humaine natures Wee condemne also those which haue proceeded from the former as Macarius with his followers which make but one onelie will in Christ namelie the diuine and therefore admit no proper action at al of the humane wil in Christ We condemne likewise the Cerdonians also in this pointe that they said Christ did not truelie suffer nor was truelie dead but that he fained a suffring or as some heritiks say he suffred and died putatiuelie and therefore with these we also cōdēne all which taught or teach the like things as namelie that Christ rose not againe truelie in the same flesh wherein he died but in another of a diuerse nature or else that if he rose in the same yet that he did not truelie ascend into heauen and carrie the same into heauen and chaunge the place of it Wee also also with Hierome Cyrill and other of the fathers condemne the Originists and their like who taught that Christ rose againe with a bodie like vnto a spirite most subtill and in it owne nature inuisible and not subiect to the senses all those likewise as Iewes and Turkes which denie that the worlde is redeemed by the benefite of Christes death Also all those lastlie which goe about to proue our saluation to be grounded vppon any other thing either in parte or altogether then onelie in Christ and blasphemouslie doe auouch that sinnes may bee expiate or remitted by anie other sacrifices then that one sacrifice of Christ onelie For wee acknowledge one onelie redeemer Iesus Christ without whome as there is no true God so no true saluation and one onely sacrifice the oblation or offring wherof being once made not onelie all the sinnes of the elect were once washed awaie in the person of Christ but also beeing yet continuallie washed away euen vnto the ende of the world are remitted to them that beleeue CHAP. XII Of the true dispensation of the Redemption the saluation life which is laid vp in Christ alone and therefore of the necessarie vniting and participation vvith Christ I. Saluation and eternall lise is laid in Christ that from him it may bee communicated to be WE beleeue that euen as the sinne of Adam and death which followed the same remained not in Adam alone but from him as from the head of all mankinde it did and doth flow into all men which by a common generation haue bin and are borne of him so likewise that the righteousnesse of Christ and the eternall life due vnto him is not holden in Christ alone but is deriued into all those who by the regeneration of the holie spirite are made one with him and as true members are ioyned vnto him as head of the whole church and that to this ende and purpose Christ came in the flesh and that all our saluation and life consisteth in him as in our head that it may indeed be bestowed and communicated vppon all the elect of God which are vnited vnto him II. The grace of redemption and saluation is offred vnto all men but indeed is not communicated but to the elect who are made one vvith Christ For we beleeue Mar. 16.15 16 that although the grace of redemption saluation and eternall life which God bestoweth be earnestly propounded and offered vnto all men by the preaching of the gospell for that very manie are not made partakers of the same it is through their owne fault yet is it not indeed communicated but vnto those who beeing from the beginning chosen and predestinate vnto it in Christ as in the head of all the elect that they should bee his members and so made partakers of saluation were afterwards in their time called by the gospell indued with faith and so grafted into Christ and made one with him III. To the true participation of eternall life howe necessarie this true vnion or communion is with Christ For euen as the braunch can draw no liuelie sapp from the vine Ioh. 15.1.2.3.4.5.6.7 nor the bough from the tree nor the members anie motion sence or life from the head vnlesse they be ioyned to the vine tree and these to the head euen so cannot men receiue anie saluation or life from Christ in whome onelie it consisteth vnlesse they be grafted into him coupled in a true and reall vnion and being coupled doe abide in him IV. That we cannot be vnited vnto Christ vnlesse he first vnite himselfe to vs. Sith therefore the whole participation of true righteousnes saluation and life hangeth and dependeth vppon this most necessary cōmunion with Christ and vnto the same is referred both the preaching of the gospell and administration of both the Sacraments yea the whole Ecclesiasticall ministrie Therefore what our faith cōcerning the same is we purpose to declare witnes to the whole church as brieflie and plainelie as may be in certaine assertiōs or positions which after follow Of the communitie with Christ 1. Ioh. 4.10 And first we beleeue that as we therefore loue Christ as Iohn saith because he first loued vs. we come vnto him by our spirite because he came first vnto vs by his and therefore wee imbrace him by faith because he first by vertue of his spirite imbracing vs stirreth vs vp to faith so we also can by no meanes cleaue and bee vnited vnto him vnlesse he first doe ioyne and vnite himselfe vnto vs. For the one is the cause of the other the first of the latter Wherefore we must pray vnto him Ioh. 14.23 that he will come vnto vs and make his abode with vs. V. How many fold is the vnion of Christ with vs and of vs with Christ and how they are ordered in themselues We acknowledge furthermore this coniunction of Christ with vs and likewise of vs with Christ to bee threefold one which was once made in our nature another which is dailie made in the persons of the elect which yet goe astraie from the Lord and the last which shall be likewise with the Lord in our persons when they shall be present with him namelie when God shall be all in vs all And the first is referred to the second the second to the third euē as nature is ordained to grace and grace to glory For the first is also made by assuming of our nature into the vnitie of the person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the word The second is made by assuming of our persons into grace and into one misticall bodie with him and as Peter speaketh into participation of his diuine nature The third shall likewise bee made by assuming of vs
which being also in Christ doth so really couple vs with him that we are one body with him and amongst our selues yea al of vs one new man in the same head Christ for in those two respects namely one of the spirit by whome the other of the head Eph. 2.14 to whome wee are ioyned Paule saide all the faithfull vvere one nevve man XVIII By the vnion vvith Christ the participation of the benefits of his death and resurrection is conueied vnto vs. Now of this communion with christ there followeth and dependeth the participation of his benefites and of saluation gotten and remaining for vs in his flesh and blood For as the branches can draw no nourishment from the vine nor the members from the head nor the liuely stones from the foundation vnlesse they be really ioyned with their foundation with their head with the tree with the vine abide in them so neither can we from Christ our head our foundation our tree our vine vnlesse wee bee truely grafted into him by the holy ghost and do abide in him beeing made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone Wherfore they doe vs very great iniurie that say we therefore denie the true participation of his flesh and blood and that we affirme a participation only of his gifts and benefits because wee will not admit which wee cannot admit that the true bodie of Christ doth passe reallie through our mouth into our bodies As though it were not a true and an essentiall communion which is made by the holy ghost and by faith sith nothing can knitt more strictlie diuerse substances and natures into one then the holy ghost As we see in the incarnation of the sonne of God and in the creation of man being compounded of the soule and the bodie Surelye if that communion which is made by the onely spirit and by faith with the flesh and bloode of Christ were not able to saue vnlesse he should also passe through the mouth into our bodies Christ had prouided but slenderly for his church Therefore in receiuing of the gospell and in the profession of Baptisme he would haue the same communion to be made 1. Ioh. 1.3 1. Co. 12.13 as Iohn witnesseth of the first and the Apostle Paule of the second This therfore is our confession of the true communion with Christ in generall and therefore of the dispensation of saluation and life which is in Christ XIX Errors Wherefore we disallow their error which teach that remission of sinnes and saluation is communicated to men Opus operatum by the vvorke wrought as they call it without faith and without the true vniting with Christ Yea we condemne their blasphemie who labour to proue it may be done by works not commaunded of god but deuised by men and full of superstition idolatry and theirs also which setting nought by the ministerie of the worde doe teach that saluation is communicated aswell without as with the hearing of the word and receiuing of the Sacraments and much more those which affirme that al infants in their mothers wōbes aswell of faithfull parents as of infidells are made partakers of the benefite of Christ CHAP. XIII Of the gospell and of the abrogation of the lawe by the gospell SEing first the gospell and then the Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper are the outward instrumentes whereby our redeemer the Lord Iesus Christ vseth to offer and bestowe the grace of redemption remission of sinnes vppon the worlde and to communicate himselfe vnto vs his elect and to incorporate vs likewise into himselfe so to make vs indeed partakers of that saluation and life which we haue in him Therefore wee haue purposed briefly and plainely to declare vnto Gods church what our faith is concerning the same I. The gospell what it is Concerning the gospell therefore according to the signification receiued and vsed in the church we beleeue that it is nothing else but the heauenly doctrine concerning Christ preached by Christ himselfe and the Apostles and contained in the bookes of the newe Testament bringing the best and most gladsome tidings to the world namely that mankinde is redeemed by the death of Iesus Christ the onely begotten sonne of God so that there is prepared for al men Mat. 3.2 if they repent beleeue in Iesus Christ a free remission of al their sinns saluation and eternall life Wherefore it is fitlie called of the Apostle Eph. 1.13 The Gospell of our saluation II. The gospell was promised by the Prophets but published by the Apostles For albeit that this misterie euen from the first beginning of the world was reuealed vnto the fathers and that the Prophetes spake of the same yet that which they preached was rather Euangelical promises and those reserued among the Iewes then the gospell it selfe which was to be published to all nations sith they foretold of a thing which was to come but did not declare the thing present or that was past Rom. 1.2 1. Pet. 1.10 as the Apostle teacheth to the Romaines and Peter in his first epistle III. Aswell the fathers were saued by faith which they had in the promises concerning Christ the redeemer as wee which beleeue in the gospell Meane while we doubt not but aswell the fathers Rom. 4.3 who beleeued in those Euangelicall promises of Christ which was to come and should bruise the serpents head were saued Heb. 1.10 as we also by our faith in the gospell telling vs that Christ is come and that he hath redeemed the world are saued as the Apostle both in other places and in the epistle to the Romaines doth largely teach vs concerning Abraham to the Hebrues concerning all the other so that it is a foule blasphemy to say that only earthly matters were promised to the fathers and that they receiued onely such and not heauēlie as remission of sinnes and eternall life For looke what the gospell is vnto vs properly receiued the same were the Euangelicall promises to them Rom. 1.16 namely the power of God to saluation vnto euerie beleeuer IV. The doctrine of the gospell touching the substance is most auncient and eternall Whereby wee knowe that the doctrine of the gospell touching the substance thereof is not new but most auncient and preached vnto the Fathers euen from the worlds creation so as Iohn not vnfitly called the gospell Apo. 14.6 an euerlasting gospell V. The parts of the gospell how many and what Furthermore there ar three especial points in the gospell which wee are called vppon to performe Repentance towardes God Faith in our Lord Iesus Christ Act. 20.21 Mar. 1.4 Mat. 28.10 and a care to obserue whatsoeuer Iesus Christ hath willed and commaunded VI. A declaration of the former opinion The Gospell therefore which setteth out vnto vs Christ with the whole fauour and mercy of God with the purging forgiuenes of sinnes and with the whole saluation and eternall life
as the sacramentall signe whenas the matter of the sacrament is that which the signe that is obiect to our senses makes to come into our thought not to fall into our hands or mouth neither those likewise which do consider nothing in the sacraments but what they see with their eyes or which will haue them onely tokens or badges by which we are discerned from other people or bare signes and not the instrumeÌ„ts of the holy ghost by which he worketh mightily in vs and confirmeth vs in the communion of Christ And we condemne them which institute new sacraments other then them which Christ instituted and those which tye the grace of God and the things signified by the sacraments to the sacraments so that euerie one which receiueth the signe should be said euer to receiue truely the thing it selfe CHAP. XV. Of Baptisme BEsides that which we haue spoken of the sacraments in generall we also especially beleeue and confesse of Baptisme thus I. Baptisme what it is and vvhat are the effects of it Baptisme Mâ—t. 28 1â— first is a sacrament of the new couenant wherewith all men which either hauing professed true repentance of their finnes doe also professe faith in Iesus Christ and so in God the father Cor. 7.14 the sonne and the holie ghost or at least are beleeued to appertaine vnto the couenant Act. 19.5 1. Cor. 6.19 through the faith of their parents but especially they which truely doe belong vnto the couenant as beeing now incorporated into Christ are sealed by him that they should be no longer their owne men but his by whome they are called into the societie of the couenant and consequently into one bodie with him and all the Saintes and into participation of all spiritual heauenly good things Eph. 1.12 Eph. 5.26 Apoc. 5 Tit. 3.5 Rom. 6.4 Mar. 1.4 and are cleansed by this Baptisme as the water of regeneration from al their sinns by vertue of Christs blood and buried into the death with Christ that as he rose froÌ„ death by the fauour of the Father so wee should walke in newnesse of life whereupon it hath bin vsually called the sacrament of repentaÌ„ce for the remission of sinnes the sacrament of faith the seale of the couenant the water of regeneration the washing away of sinnes the sacrament of new life II. The vertue of Baptisme takes place only in the elect and they onely are baptized vvith water and with the holy ghost But though all these things are said of baptisme and are truely attributed vnto it as to the holy ghostes instrument to worke these things and that therefore all which are baptized are truely said to be made and to be such sacramentally yet we beleeue that it is not indeed and really performed but only in the elect which are indued with Christs spirit sith they onely doe beleeue rightly and do truely belong vnto Christ and to his misticall body And therefore that all are baptized indeede with water but the elect onely with the spirit and all doe receiue the signe but not all are made partakers of the thing signified offred by baptisme but onely the elect III. Of what parts the whole sacrament of Baptisme consisteth And we beleeue that vnto the making of the whole sacrament of Baptisme those two thinges are sufficient which Christ instituted namely the simple element of water wherewith the parties are washed either by dipping in or by sprinkling vpon and that forme of words wherewith Christ taught them to baptize that is In the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghost nether did the Apostles as we are perswaded vse any forme of words or added any thing else vnto the water IV. The yong infants of the faithfull are to bee baptized We beleeue with the whole ancieÌ„t church that vnto the sacrament of Baptisme are to be admitted not onely they that are of discretion which hauing professed repentaunce of their sinnes doe also professe faith in Christ but also the yong children of such sith they are to bee accompted to belong to the couenant 1. Cor. 7.14 as the Apostle saieth The children of the faithfull are holie especially seing God hath no where altered that commandement which he gaue to Abraham for the marking of all with the figne of the couenant euen the children of the faithfull Mat. 19.14 nay he said Suffer litle children to come vnto me for of such is the kingdome of heauen V. How farre forth Baptisme is necessarie in the Church and how needfull to euery one to saluation Wee beleeue that Baptisme is altogether necessarie in the church as a sacrament instituted of Christ and which the church cannot be without so that where it is not vsed if it may bee vsed there wee acknowledge no church And we thinke it so necessarie vnto euerie one to saluation that yet notwithstanding if one dye not washed with the water for defect or want of a minister and not vpon contempt we beleeue he is not therefore coÌ„demned or wrapped in eternall destruction For the children of the faithfull are therefore saued because they are holy and vnder the couenant of God and men growen are saued because they beleeue in Christ with a true faith which indeed can suffer no contempt of the commaundements of Christ VI. Baptisme once rightly receiued ought not to be taken againe Furthermore we beleeue that as circumcision was done onely once in the flesh so the Baptisme of water which succeeded circumcision Col. 2. being once rightlie and lawfully receiued ought not againe to be repeated VVee say that it is rightly and lawfully administred when first the doctrine of the gospell concerning the true God Christ and his office goeth before according to Christs institution and then the parties are baptized with water and that of a lawfull minister in the name of the father the sonne the holie ghost Rom. 6.4 For Christ also once died and was buried and wee are baptized into his death and are buried with him by Baptisme Act. 19.5 neither doe wee reade that the Apostles euer did rebaptize anie except those which Paule did baptize who had not bin rightlie baptized VII The vertue of Baptisme is perpetuall Now although wee come but once to the sacrament of baptisme yet wee hold that the matter of this sacrament and the vertue thereof is perpetuall which vertue is nothing else but the verie planting into Christ and so the participation of his benefites the washing away of sinnes and regeneration which dailie more and more is made perfect by the holie ghost For the Apostle saith Eph. 5.26.27 that he cleanseth the church by washing of vvater through the worde that he might make it vnto himselfe a glorious church without spott or wrinkle 1. Ioh. 1.7 And his blood cleÌ„seth daily froÌ„ all sinne And therfore we thinke beleeue that the faithful being content with once receiuing of the sacrament ought daily to bee occupied in
therefore wee cannot without sacriledge affirme that it passeth properly that by the mouth into our bodies And to what ende also as the sacrament of bread is giuē without wine the wine without bread so in the supper the bodie is giuen without blood and the blood seuerally without the bodie but that wee might know that these his owne substances as they are properly in heauen doe not passe through our mouthes but are receiued onely by a faithfull remēbrance effectually stirred vp by the holy ghost For this did the Lord himselfe require saying doe this in remembrance of me and in saying This is my bodie which is giuen for you For in speaking thus he required in them faith whereby they might beleeue this and beleeuing might eate that is might apply it vnto themselues for the food and life of their soules Wherefore wee hold assuredly that they eate the flesh of Christ truely and not by an imagination who beleeuing that it was giuen vnto death for the cleansing of their sinnes doe with a faithfull minde imbrace the same for such a sacrifice applie it vnto themselues And they which thus eate the bodie of Christ as dead wee doubt not but they are more and more ioyned to the now liuing quickning bodie of him according to his owne promise Ioh. 6.56 who first said He which eateth my flesh and afterward added abideth in me and I in him XII The opinion of the corporall eating to be reiected as vaine and vnproffitable Moreouer sith this manner of eating the flesh of Christ namely by faith is both sure and profitable to saluation And the other namely of eating it with the bodilie mouth cannot be prooued out of the holy scripturs and admit that somewhat might probably be alleadged for it yet it is not necessarie nor cā any thing at all profite the soule but bringeth with it into the church many mischiefes monstrous herisies idolatries stirres schismes dissolution of congregations yea makes christian religion to be a scorne and derision to infidells we therefore beleeue that piety willeth al of vs contenting our selues with that kinde of eating which in the supper is made by faith and by the spirite wee should not regard the other kinde but bidding it farewel we should reuerently imbrace brotherly charitie and peace to which ende also the supper was instituted Nether indeed cā the vse of those kinde of speaches be suffred in any other sense then in this as we vse to saye that what we vnderstand by hearing the words with our eares the same we learne by our eares But to bring in phrases not vsed in the scriptures especiallie such as bee not onely vnprofitable but also pernitious hurtfull wee thinke it altogether vnlawfull XIII That there is a true presence of Christ in the supper but it is spirituall Now by this which we haue saide both of the true vnion and the true eating it may easilie be seene what wee ought to beleeue of the true presence Wee hold therefore that if we be truely and indeed vnited with Christ so with his flesh and blood and if we truely eate his flesh and drinke his blood then the same Christ not onely in his deitie but also in his flesh and blood is present vnto them that are vnited vnto him and do eare his flesh and drinke his blood For what can be more present to thee then that which thou eatest and drinkest and to which thou in thine owne substance art coupled and from which as from thy head life and motion is imparted to thee as into a member XIV Such as the vnion and eating is such is the presence namely spirituall But as both the vnion and the eating are made by the spirite and by faith so also wee beleeue and haue beene taught that the presence is no other then spirituall and is in men that are indued with the spirite of god with faith and therefore that this kinde of presence cannot bee letted by any distance of place though neuer so great XV. A thing is present or absent so farre forth as the same is perceiued or not perceiued For neither the neerenesse nor the farnesse of the places maketh a thing to be present or absent but the participation or not participation of the same thing The sunne though it be verie farre distant from vs yet it is said to bee present and it is truely said to be in our eyes when as we are made partakers of it Againe it is absent whē as either ouershadowed with cloudes Aug. ad vol. Epi. 3. Col. 10. or gone into the other hemispheare we cannot see it To a man starke blinde the light thereof is neuer present though it shine euen into his eyes as likewise excellent musicke to one that is deafe or the sweetenes of an oration to an vnlearned man God is also said to be farre from the vngodlie because he is not perceiued of them by faith whenas notwithstanding in his owne essence he is not farre from any of vs. For in him wee liue and are mooued and haue our being Therefore so farre forth as a thing is perceiued or not perceiued of vs either by the naturall part or by the senses or by the minde or any other waye so far also is it said to be present or absent XVI VVhat kindes of presence we denie and vvhat kindes we graunt Wherefore albeit we disallow that the substance of the bread being changed or wasted into nothing there should succeede in place thereof the true flesh of Christ and that so to bee present vnto vs that vnder the accidents of bread should lie hidden the true substance of Christs bodie and albeit we also denie the flesh of Christ to be really and in it owne substance present in the bread which bread hath no other vnion with his flesh but the sacramentall vnion which is made by a misticall relation and albeit wee also gainsaye that he is present to the wicked which haue not that spirituall communion with him nor can bee said truely to eate his flesh And albeit we doe not graunt such a presence of Christs bodie namely that he is now present with the faithful vpon earth in the time of the supper visibly to bee seene of them as he was in the first supper present at the table visibly to be seene of his Apostles for this doth plainely disagree not onely frō the nature of the body of Christ but also frō the scripture it selfe but do graūt that he is present with them onely in an vnuisible manner and such a manner as is not to be perceaued by our senses Lastly albeit wee detest that presence wherein some doe faine the flesh of Christ really in it owne substāce to be euerie where yet wee beleeue and acknowledge such a presence as is no lesse essentiall for the things which are truely present vnto vs seing we are indeed made partakers of them then spirituall for the manner wherein
citizens and such other like names IV. The church consisteth onely of the elect alreadie incorporate into Christ Now that these many of whome the church consisteth are none but elect already ingrafted into Christ and indued with Christs holinesse the same scriptures do plentifully teach both in other places chieflie to the Ephesians where the Apostle speaking of the church and the members thereof saieth Eph. 1 VVe are all chosen in Christ and haue redemption in him and are sealed vvith the holy spirite of promise That Christ is giuen to bee the head of the church and the church is his body It is therefore such a bodie whereof all the members are ioyned by the same spirite both to the head Christ among themselues and are quickned or haue life from the head and are indued with his holinesse so that this whole body is truely holy and called the holie church V. The holy Angells are not excluded from the bodie of the church Neither from this bodie of Christ which is the holie church doe we exclude the Angells both because the Apostle speaking plainely of the church comprehendeth the Angells therin and also because they with vs are likewise gathered into our bodie Heb. 12.22 Eph. 1.10 Col. 2.10 Apo. 229 vnder one and the same head Christ and Christ is expresly called of the Apostle the head of the Angells yea and also because they call themselues our fellovve seruants and haue the saine father with vs and serue the same God and we all of vs shall bee for euer together in the same citie the heauēly Ierusalem lastly they are also Saintes and the church is the communion of all Saints VI. The reprobate hypocrites though they are in the church yet they are not of the church So wee rightly beleeue and confesse that the reprobate hypocrites though they dwell in the church and liue among the Saints yet they are not of the church nor members of the church when they are not truely ioyned to the head Christ nor indued with his spirite and consequently not truely Saints As the Apostle Iohn saieth 1. Ioh. 2.19 of certaine hypocrites they are gone out from vs as filth from the bodie but they were not of vs. For if they had beene of vs they had continued with vs. They therefore are not of the church which at last doe fall from Christ and keepe not that perpetuall communion with Christ and with all his Saints howsoeuer great and rare men they seeme in the church for a time yea and hold the gouernment ouer the christian common wealth and rule ouer the whole church For they are members of Sathan not of Christ whosoeuer haue the spirite not of Christ but of Antichrist VII That there euer vvas and is one onely church of Christ And wee confesse that there euer was and is one onely church of Christ Eph. 4.4.5.6 because there euer was is one onely bodie to which Christ was giuen of the father to bee the head one onely spirite by which all the members are knitt vnto the bodie onely one God to the seruing of whome and glorifying for euer we are all chosen and called one onely faith of al the faithfull beleeuers one saluation lastly one heauenly inheritance of all To which purpose also Christ euer called the church one one flock wherfore we make that church which hath beene since the first creation and before the cōming of Christ no other but the same that it is nowe and shal bee to the ende of the worlde but wee call it one of all times of all places and all persons ioyned with Christ consequently one cōmunion of al the Saints from which they that make an vtter seuering and departure we are persuaded by the holie scriptures that they belong not to this bodie VIII Of the christian church there is one onely head Iesus Christ Hereuppon we are strengthened in this beleefe that sith there is one onely church of Christ which is his bodie there euer was and is yet therefore one onely head of it by this name head we meane him which was giuen of God euen from the worlds beginning to that ende that he might be made of the same nature with it that he might redeeme it that he might ioyne it to himselfe that he might quicken it that he might deck it with the glory of his wisedome that he might kindle it with the fire of heauenlie loue that hee might effectuallie moue it to all good affections and good workes that he might euermore gouerne it keepe it For that this is the proper duetie of the head towards the whole bodie besides dailie experience in nature we learne also out of the holy scripturs But who could perform hath and wil performe this to the church we acknowledge none other besids Christ Iesus meane while not denying but there may bee one head of all hypocrites which are in the church and so of the hypocriticall church sith the Prophets foretold it should be so and the Apostles confirmed the same Eph. 1.22 4.15 5.23 Col. 1.18 But that there is one onely heade Iesus Christ of the holie church we beleeue and confesse with the holie Apostles IX This church is truely holie Whereupon it followeth this church therfore to be truely holie because it hath a head that is most holie maketh it holie because no sinnes are imputed vnto it because from him it draweth the spirite of sanctification and because whatsoeuer holinesse is in the head that is wholy imputed to euerie member X. It is also truely catholicke We also confesse it to be truely catholicke that is vniuersall because the head thereof is also catholicke and euerlasting at all times euen from the foundation of the world to the ende thereof ioyning vnto himselfe members out of all places from all kindes of men and all nations and gouerning and preseruing them to himselfe for eternall blessednesse XI This one church is partly in heauen triumphant and partly on earth militant But wee acknowledge that this church though it is and euer was one yet it is so distinct that one part is triumphant in heauen with Christ alreadie raised from death and sitting at the right hand of the father another part on earth fighting still with flesh blood with the world and the deuill Whereuppon ariseth that vsuall distinction among all the godlie writers of the church of the triumphant and militant church CHAP. XXIV Of the militant church ALbeit by this which wee haue confessed of the church in general euery one may easilie perceiue what we beleeue particularly of the militant church yet that our faith may more clearely plainly be known wee haue purposed to declare our opinion of this church seuerally partly referring that which was spoken of the whole in a briefe rehearsal to this and partly adioyning the properties of this peouliarly I. A description of the militant church Wee therefore beleeue Eph. 1.4
that the militant church is the cōpanie of men chosen in Christ before the worlds creation Mar. 28.19 Mar. 16.15 Rom. 10.14 Eph. 1.22 Mat. 18.20 which being called by the preaching of the gospell by the holie ghost in their time from the worlde to Christ and from the kingdome of the deuill to the kingdome of God and gathered together into one bodie vnder one head Christ and so made truely iust and holie wheresoeuer they bee Ioh. 10 27 13.4 and whether few or manie doe professe from their heart soule the same faith in god and in Christ the same hope of the heauēly inheritance for the onely meritts of Christ the obedience of the same commaundements of Christ and so the same brotherly loue among themselues and charitie to wards all men doe preach and heare the word of the gospell Rom. 7 doe administer and receiue the sacraments according to Christs institution and haue a great care to liue soberly rightly and godlie in this world meanewhile while they remaine in this flesh euer warrfairing for Christ and fighting against sinne that dwelleth in the flesh Eph. 6.12 and against the world either alluring them to sinne or persecuting thē for Christ or lastly against the deuill Mat. 13 and by patience looking for the comming of Christ and eternall felicitie Among whome also many reprobates naughtie hypocrites doe liue 1. Ioh. 2.19 and professe the same Christ But as they thēselues are nothing lesse then of the church so their wickednes cannot take awaye the church nor extinguish the name of the church Neither do we doubt Mat. 13 but vnder the name of the church the hypocrites also which are in it are contained sith the Lord himselfe saieth it is like vnto a flowre wherein there is corne and chafe to a field wherein is wheat and tares to a nett Mat. 25.1 wherein are good fishes and badd to the companie of ten virgines wherein some were wise and some foolish Mat. 16.18 but yet that these are not of the church the same Lord taught vs when he said he would build such a church against which the gates of hell should neuer preuaile 1. Ioh. 2.19 and Iohn confirmed it in his epistle when he said they vvent out from vs but they were not of vs. This wee beleeue to bee a true description of the militant church for it hath manifest testimonies from the holie scriptures II. Differences betweene the triumphant and militant church So although the triumphant and militant be one and the same church yet what great difference there is in each part we may easilie vnderstand For besids that the militant cōsisteth onely of men when as the other hath also the blessed Angells ioyned and present wee haue also here neede of preaching the word of administration of the Sacraments of discipline of manners which things are not required in heauen Likewise from that are al the wicked and hypocrits excluded in this there are euer ill mingled with good And there those heauenlie brethren hauing as it were receiued a token of free-dome doe triumph and reioyce ouer those vanquished enimies being in Gods presence and see him face to face but wee must still fight with flesh and blood with the world with sinne and Satan the prince of this world and we see through a glasse in a darke speach as straungers to the Lord. Lastlie that is euermore one and the same that it can neither bee deuided into partes nor bee in hazard of anie chaunges which cannot certainely be spoken of the militant church III. So is the militant church one and the same that catholicke that yet it fareth not euer after one sort it may be parted into diuerse particular churches Wee acknowledge therefore that albeit this militant is and hath alwaies bin one and that a catholicke church sith it hath euer since the worlds beginning and in all places had one and the same head Christ who coupleth to himselfe into one bodie all the elect out of all people yet the same hath not nor doeth euer fare or shew it selfe after the same sort is distinguished into manie particular churches as into diuerse and sundrie members according to the varietie of times places and people For it was after another māner in the terrestriall paradise before sinne and another after sinne before the floude and among the Patriarches otherwise vnder the lawe and otherwise vnder grace and otherwise in Christs time among the Iewes onely and otherwise after Christs glorification gathered aswell of Iewes as Gentiles by the Apostles that not in one place but in diuerse neither of one people but of diuerse and manie neither obseruing alwaies and euerie where the same cerimonies in which respects we vse to say that there was one before another after Christ and that was the church of the old Testamēt this of the new as we read they were wont to cal them the old people and the new likewise one church was at Rome another at Corinthus another at Ephesus and so of the rest IV. Of manie particular churches consisteth one catholicke church Againe albeit for these manie and diuers respects already declared there euer haue beene and are manie and diuerse particular churches yet wee acknowledge that in substance there hath euer consisted one and the same church of them all Eph. 2.15.18 and the same Catholicke Apostolick and holy One because it euer was and is gathered into one bodie Eph. 4.5 vnder one head by one and the same spirite and there is one faith of all men one confession of faith Catholicke because it stretcheth to all times and places and consisteth of all kinds of persons people Eph. 2.20 Apostolicke because it is built vpon the foundation which the Apostles haue laid Iesus Christ and is grounded vppon the Apostles doctrine which hath beene the same with the teaching of the Prophets euer since the worldes beginning Lastlie holie not because it hath no sinne but because being grafted into Christ and indued with a continuall repentance and faith no sinnes are imputed vnto it but hath obtained forgiuenes of them all because also it is made partaker of the spirite of Christ which sanctifieth and regenerateth it lastly because the righteousnesse and holinesse of Christ is imputed to it for which cause it is also saide to bee without wrinkle Eph. 5.27 namely in Christ the head spouse thereof V. Particular churches how they may be knowne whether they be true churches or not And hereby wee beleeue euerie particular church may be discerned whether it be a true church gathered in the Lord euen by those things whereupon the Lord hath willed them to be built Mat. 28.19 20 namely vpon the preaching of the gospell the administration of the Sacraments instituted of Christ and the keeping of his cōmaundements Therefore those churches wee acknowledge for the true churches of Christ in which
Christ and he shall raigne in the house of Iacob for euer and the Apostle that he is as the sonne ouer his owne house and this house we are that is the church and in another place that he is the head of the church Eph. 5.23 the same is the Sauiour of his bodie II. Christ ordereth his church partly by himselfe and partly by assistance of fellowe labourers But the gouernment wherewith Christ guideth his church we know to be two fold one wherein he of himselfe and by his holy spirit without any help or seruice of man Phil. 2.13 Eph. 1.23 raigneth inwardly in the hearts of beleeuers and worketh in them to will and to performe and is euen all in all and mooueth vnto that which is good defending vs from euill against Sathan the worlde and all our enemies The other wherein he so guideth the church as hee also vouchsafeth to vse the help and ministerie of others aswell Angells as men especially to the preseruation of the church As of Angells the Apostle speaketh Heb. 1.14 They are ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which shal bee heires of saluation 1. Cor. 3.5.9 and of men he saieth Wee are Gods ministers by whome yee haue beleeued For like as in a man the head of it selfe by vertue of the minde which liueth worketh chieflie therein doeth so rule the whole bodie that it also vseth the helpe of euerie member to the profite of the whole bodie so Christ the head of the church doth in like sort beare himselfe in the gouernment thereof not for his owne cause or that hee needeth our ministerie but doth it for our necessitie yea for our manifest commoditie and honour III. A difference betweene the ministerie of Angells and of men By the way wee acknowledge a difference betweene the ministerie of Angells and of men sith the Angells are not sent either to teach in the church or to administer Sacraments but to performe other dueties those for the most part inuisible neither come they ordinarily alwaies and to all but at such time and to such persons as God sendeth them but the ministerie of men is apparent and perpetuall and pertaineth to euerie one IV. Jt was most aduisedly done that Angells should not teach in the church but men And wee know it was most wisely and aduisedly done of God that Christ should teach in his church not by Angells but by men both because we can not more willingly suffer our selues to be informed familiarly of our equalles then to be taught of spirits of a farre diffring nature with an vnaquainted maiesty and also because we might more easily be deceiued of Satan falsly faining himselfe to bee sent of God and transforming himselfe to an Angel of light And those surely in our iudgement are two not the least causes why the sonne of God when he was to fulfill the office of a teacher in the church would bee made a man and our brother and familier and like vnto vs in all thinges sinne onely excepted whereto that same tendeth Heb. 4.15 Heb. 2.12 Heb. 1.1 I vvill declare thy name to my brethren in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee and that same In these last daies he hath spoken vnto vs by his sonne namely being nowe made man and liuing familiarlie in the church V. There be two kinds of men especially whose ministery Christ vseth to the gouernment and preseruation of the church And although there be not one member in this whole great body of the church but Christ vseth the same to some profite of the other mēbers 1. Cor. 12.7 and so of the whole bodie as Paule teacheth yet wee acknowledge two principall kindes of men whose help and seruice he is wont to vse for the gouernment and preseruation of the church namely first teachers and others to administer the word sacraments other ecclesiasticall dueties then godly princes and magistrats whose ministeries or offices we confound not but acknowledge them to be distinct and verie diuerse among which differences this also is not the least that the ministerie of teachers is alwaies verie necessarie to the church but of politicke magistrates not so sith the former the church cannot bee without but the other it often hath wanted and may want them VI. About what matters especially the ecclesiasticall ministerie is imployed But as the summe of christian pietie consisteth in three things in faith in Christ in continual repentance that is in the mortification of our flesh and of our sinnes and quickening of the spirite and lastlie in charitie towards our neighbour so also wee acknowledge three principall parts of the ecclesiasticall ministerie First to teach and to preach the worde of the gospell and also to administer the sacraments and offer vpp the publike sacrifice of praise to God through Iesus Christ Secondly to declared by the Apostles and lastly to do all such things which though they be not expressed in the scriptures yet doe belong to order and to decencie and do make for edification and not for destruction according to the generall rule giuen by the Apostle 1. Cor. 14.40 that all things ought to be done in the church in order decently and to edification Neither thinke wee that any authoritie is giuen vnto ministers beyonde the boundes of the word of God or to any other ende then for edification therefore we denie that one Bishop or all Bishops together haue authoritie to appoint any thing against the scriptures to adde or detract any thing or chaunge any thing in them to dispense with the commaundements of God to make new articles of faith to institute new sacraments to bring new rites into the church to prescribe any lawes which may binde consciences or may be thought equall to gods law to forbid any things which God hath graunted and left free or lastly to commaund any thing without the word of God as necessary to saluatiō sith not the whole church can haue or truely be said to haue this authoritie XXI The Bishops which are also princes their politicall authoritie is not denied By the way we disallow not but that bishops which are also princes besids their ecclesiasticall authoritie they haue also their politicall rites and secular powers euen as other princes haue the law of commaunding in secular causes the law of the sword some of them the law of choosing and confirming kinges and emperors and of directing and ordering other politicall matters and to constraine people that are their subiects to do them obedience and therefore we confesse that their politicall commandements which may be kept without breach of Gods law are to be obeyed by their subiects not onely for feare but also for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 For we know that all power is of God Rom. 13.1.2 and vvhosoeuer resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and that kings are to be honoured 1. Pet. 2.17 and that we
ministers teachers studentes libraries and bookes all kinds of instruments and thinges necessarie for churches and schooles but also spittles and hospitals and other such like places where such liue as are peculiarly to be releeued and cared for of the church XXX VVhat manner of tēples or churches christians ought to haue what language to vse therin of churches and ceremonies what habitt apparell what holie dayes to bee kept to whome they must praye and lastly that the ceremonies which were not prescribed by Christ and the Apostles ought to be free And sith it is none of the least causes why faithfull people so farre forth as may bee are wont and ought to dwel together in the same cities townes and villages that they might not onely priuately among themselues dayly nourish a cōmon faith by godlie conferences practise mutuall charitie by christiā duties but also that they might meete together in certaine places at certaine knowne times publikely to praise pray vnto God to heare his worde to receiue the sacraments to performe publicke workes of charitie towardes the poore which thinges indeede cannot be done without language without rites ceremonies therefore concerning thē also what our opinion is we will briesty declare Seing it is beyond all controuersie that all thinges in the church ought to be done to edification all shew of superstition ought to be auoided we iudge that true pietie and the churches edification requireth Temples or churches first concerning places that if they may vse the olde and prophaned temples the same must be cleane purged of all idolls and all reliques and monuments of idolatrie and superstition 1 Cor. 6.16 For vvhat agreement hath the temple of God with idolls Language Moreouer no lāguage is to be vsed but that which is known to the whole congregation For what edification can come to the church by an vnknowne language 1 Cor. 14 28 the Apostle surely commaundeth thē to keep silence in the church which speak languages if there be no interpreter Thirdlie all pride and vanitie of garmentes are to bee shunned and all those ornaments Garments which doe rather beseeme the prophane theaters of the Gentiles then the sacred temples of christiās and which rather tend to delight the flesh thē to edifie the spirit but all things must be done in the churches with most high reuerence and modestie as in the verie sight of God and his Angells And albeit concerning the fashion of garments which ministers ought publikly to weare either in their ministerie or out of it we doe not thinke it a matter to bee so stood vpō that for it the peace of the church ought to be troubled yet where they come neerest to the simplicitie of the Apostles there wee iudge the church rather to bee approued Holie-daies Fourthly that vpon euerie Lords day the cōgregation should come together and make an holie assemblie sith we see that euer since the Apostles time that day hath beene religiouslie consecrated and dedicated to that holie businesse Next vnto the Lords day we can not but allow of the hallowing of those daies likewise wherein we keep the memorie and the auncient church did celebrate the natiuitie of our Lord Iesus Christ of his circumcision his passion his resurrection his ascension into heauen his sending downe the holy ghost vpon the Apostles Vpon other daies euen as each church shall thinke to be conuenient so also let them call an holie assemblie to the word to the sacramēts to prayers or collects Col. 2.16 But euermore let all superstitious obseruation of dayes be farre from them Praiers Fiftlie that prayers may be made to God onely and to Iesus Christ without inuocation of Angells or any Saints that are dead euen as the Prophets and Apostles did and the whole auncient church as it is manifest to bee seene in the old collectes Heb. 13.56 to say nothing of Gods owne commaundement who will haue this sacrifice of praise and of the mouth to be offered vpp to him onely Ceremonies Sixtly concerning rites and ceremonies to be kept in the church the same pietie and edification of the church doth require that they should not so bitterly and sharply bee controuerted as though the contention were vppon life and death but should be left to euerie congregation in free choise as wee read in Socrates and other ecclesiasticall writers it was in the olde church concerning which matters in generall wee allow and imbrace both the epistles of Augustine to lanuarius Tom. 2. ep 118 119 For these tend to the churches edificatiō XXXI Publike fastes ought sometime to be commaunded and the same are most profitable commendable Of fastes yet no man must be constrayned to them It appertaineth also to a profitable gouernment of the church that as priuate fastes are in mens free choise so also to the publike fastes al men are to be counselled but no man to be constrained The commoditie of fastes cannot sufficiently be commended yea it often happeneth that they are verie needfull so that godlie magistrats and ministers of the church are compelled to commaund publike fastes vnto the whole church for the appeasing of some greeuous wrath of God as it was wont to be done in the old testament and in the primitiue church not that by them we cā deserue remission of sinnes and mitigation of gods anger but that by taming of the flesh the spirite may be stirred vp more feruently to call vppon God to appease him by faithfull inuocation By the waye it pertaineth to the churches edification that no mans conscience bee compelled and bounde vnto such fastes sith they ought to proceed from a free willing and truely humbled spirite as also the Apostle writeth of almes to bee bestowed on the poore that they ought to be done not with heauinesse or vppon constraint but as euerie man can finde in his heart XXXII At no time Choise of meates not in the times of publike fastes the faithfull ought to bee forbidden any kinde of meates Hereof it also followeth that at no time either of fastes or not fasts any kinde of meats is to be forbidden to any sith none of these things cā defile a man Mat. 15.11 Tit. 1.15 1. Tim. 4.1.3 but to the eleane al things are cleane And the Apostle calleth their doctrine who cōmaund abstinence from meats for religions sake the doctrine of deuills that doctrine therefore how can it tend to the churches edification XXXIII Sick people must be visited Of sickmen and buriall comforted and strengthned in faith and they that are dying must bee acompanied with prayer commended to Christ the bodies of the dead reuerently buried Neither ought the church to take lesse care of the sicke thē of the whole nor of the dead then of the liuing seing all are members of Christ and their bodies temples of the holie ghost We therfore acknowledge that
not in his power vertue onely but in his whole essence filling heauen and earth and all the world 8 But although he bee in euery place present yet hee is more said to bee in heauen then in earth and more in his children then in wicked men and more in one godly man then in another but this not in respect of his essence but by the power of his working and of his grace 9 Wherefore when we read in the Scriptures howe God doeth either depart from vs or returne to vs we must beleeue he doth not so by chaunging of place but by the effectes of his presence both internall and externall either shewing them or withdrawing them 10 Yet he is in the humaine nature of Christ in a farre other manner then in vs namelie not onely in a more effectuall operation but also in dwelling in him corporallie and as a part of a thing compounded so as he is true God but we cannot be so 11 But further it is so Gods propertie to bee immeasurable and infinite and consequentlie also euery where present as that it can belōg to no thing created no not to the humaine nature of Christ 12 For like as it cannot bee that any creature can be made God in essence so neither can it bee that that which is not God should in it owne essence exist euery where sith it can neither be infinite nor immeasurable 13 Wherefore like as by this that Christ is shewed to be euery wherein his own essence he is prooued to be true God So if any would prooue the bodie of Iesus Christ to exist euerie where in it owne essence they must either denie that Christs deity is prooued by that argument or els they must needs frame a new god and that a corporall one 14 Christs bodie indeed is present not onely in it owne vertue but also in substance to the minds of all godlie men receiuing the same by true faith and so by Christs spirite growing more and more into one with the same Christ no lesse nay more then the sunne is to the eies of al them which see but yet Christs body can aswel exist in many places at once much lesse euerie where in that manner of existing where in it is in heauen as the bodie of the sunne can exist in al the pattes of heauen and earth in the verie same sorte that it is in his owne spheare 15 Yet hereupon followeth it not as some do impudently cauill that the eternall and true deitie of Christ is denied but contrariewise it is rather prooued sith the vvorde of the deitie is defended to be of that sort as it can be imparted to no created thing so as the same should be God in essence or equall to God in any diuine proprietie 16 For God could not bee the word if of what sort he is of the same sorte any creature might be made no though it be a spirituall creature much lesse a humaine bodie 17 On the other side rather they that wil haue his diuine and essential proprieties so powred into the humanitie of Christ that it is aswell almightie and euery where as is his deity they doe not onely open a wide gate to the Arrians but euen take away the true deitie of Iesus Christ 18 For hee is not indeede true God whose essence and nature can be so really powred into any thing created as that the same may bee made altogether such as the same God is really and by it selfe infinitely mighty infinitely wise extending it selfe as I may say endlesly and by that meanes actuallie existing euerie where in it owne essence 19 For the essentiall proprieties of God are in verie deed nothing els but his verie essence seing otherwise it could not be most simple 20 To say then that Christs humanitie is aswell made almightie and euerie where present as is his deitie is as if thou shouldst saye that it is made such in it owne essence and nature and therefore is true God 21 Now such a deity is no true deitie therefore the vvorde which is horrible blasphemie shall not be true God 22 Add that it is not onely most absurdly but also most impiouslie saide that the proprieties of the diuine nature are powred into the humaine 23 For neither did we euer reade that the word or any proprietie thereof was powred into Abrahams seede as contrarie wise we read that Abrahams seede was taken by the sonne of God neither could the proprieties of the word be powred into the humaine nature without powring of the nature it selfe and the diuine essence seing they are in verie deede nothing else but the diuine essence 24 But the diuine nature cannot be transfused into the humaine but that the vnion of the natures must cease and so a mixture and confusion must be made and they which are so mixed do cease to be that which they were 25 Now therefore we say that deitie to which any created thing can bee made equall is not a true deitie 26 For it would needs be that either the thing to bee made equall must bee made infinite which is altogether impossible or els the same deitie to which it is to be made equall must be finite seing nothing that is finite can be made equall but onely to a thing finite But a deitie finite is no true deitie Of the eternall omnipotencie of one true God yeare 1575. 1 WHen in the Scriptures god is called mightie we must not conceiue in our mindes that there is a passiue might in God whereby he may suffer any thing or leaue to be that which he is or become that which hee is not by any chaunge of himselfe but we must with a firme faith beleeue as it is indeede that hee hath onely an actiue power whereby he alwaies worketh and can worke 2 For god is an essence most simple most perfect truely eternall voide of all passion and vnchaungeable and most powerfull of whom and by whome all things are made 3 Yet wee must not imagine any such actiue power in God which is a diuers thing from his essence 4 For God in his owne most simple essence is such whatsoeuer he be iust good or almightie 5 And although there be indeed but one onely power in God yet for the diuers respectes wherein he is considered it may be saide not impiouslie to be manifold 6 For it is one respect when it is considered as God workethal waies in himselfe in vnderstanding willing louing and another respect when wee behold it as God hath wrought outwardly or without himselfen in creating the world and as he euermore worketh in gouerning the same and as he could worke innumerable things if he would 7 Therefore as the actions of god are not vnfittly distinguished into abiding actions and passing so the power of God may not vniustly be called two-fold one wherein he euer from all eternitie did worke and doeth worke in himselfe the other wherein he did not