Sonne together with the holie ghost in the space of sixe daies created of nothing all things visible inuisible which the holie spirite in the holie scriptures comprehendeth vnder the name of heauen earth and the same all exceeding good Pro. 16.4 Heb. 1.10 Luc. 1.35 and appointed the same for mans vse and for his owne glorie so that wee acknowledge aswell the Sonne and holie ghost for creator of the world as the Father sith they are all one the selfe same god II. That heauen is distinguished from earth and the Saintes heauen doth differ from the other heauens Neither doe we mingle heauen with earth or confound the heauens among themselues 2. Cor. 12.2 Mat. 6.10 but with the holie scriptures wee distinguish them euen as we see the elements and al the kindes of liuing creatures of other things to be distinguished And therefore wee confesse this heauen likewise wherein the soules of the blessed doe liue with Christ where all the bodies of the faithfull shall be which Christ calleth his fathers house and paradise and the Apostle calleth a cuie hauing a foundation the maker and builder whereof is god Ioh. 14.2 Luc. 23.43 Heb. 11.16 to differ frō the other heauēs but much more from earth and the deepes Whereunto also Paule alludeth 2. Cor. 12.2 where he saieth he vvas taken vp into the third heauen namely aboue the heauen which we see and aboue all the visible and moueable spheares III. The Angells vvere all created good though some of them continued not in the trueth We beleeue also that all the Angells were created good and righteous spirituall immortall substances indewed with an intelligence and free will although all of them did not abide in that goodnes and righteousnes and as the Lord Iesus speaketh in the trueth but we are taught by the Scriptures that manie of them of their owne will euen from the beginning sinned beeing made enimies to god and all goodnesse yea and of mankinde especiallie of the church of god liers speaking lies of their owne menkillers diuells euill spirites and for this cause were thrust downe from heauen into hell and deliuered to the chaines of darkenesse and reserued to condemnation IV. Causes vvhy manie of those celestiall spirites were suffered to sinne and to become euill And that this also was not suffered of the diuine wisedome without cause we learne by the Scriptures For besides that he ment in this to set forth his iudgemēts and his wrath against sinne in all kindes of creatures he decreed also to vse their labour to tempt exercise vs in faith in spirituall fight in patience and so to help forward our saluation Eph. 6.12 lastlie he would haue them the executors ministers of his iudgements against mens offences that 1. Reg. 22.21 they which will not imbrace the loue of trueth wherby they might be saued 2. Thes 2.12 might followe the doctrines of diuells and might beleeue in their lies and so perish V. The good Angells were saued by the fauour of God that they might be Gods ministers and ours Againe we beleeue that innumerable manie of those celestiall spirites were saued by the fauour of god for Christ that they should not sinne with the rest Dan. 7.10 but should abide in the trueth and in obedience and that these are made the messengers ministers of god which doe their seruice for helpe of the elect Heb. 1.7 Ps 103.20 and doe defend them against the diuell and set forward the kingdome of Christ who do so loue vs and awaite vpon vs that they greatly reioyce at our welldoing yet will they not bee worshipped of vs Luc. 15.7 Apo. 22.9 Mat. 22.30 but doe instruct vs that god alone is to be worshipped and call themselues our fellow-seruants with whome also vve shall liue an eternall and blessed life in heauen VI. Man was created after the image of god Gen. 1. 2. Wee beleeue that after all other thinges were created man also at the last was created to the image and likenesse of God his bodie being fashioned of earth and his soule being a spirituall and immortall substance made of nothing and inspired into that body and that shortly after woman was giuen him made concerning the bodilie partes of his bones and formed to the same image of God VII That image of god in what things it especially consisteth But we beleeue that this image of god especially consisted herein both in that as god is the absolute Lord ouer all thinges Gen. 1.28 Ps 8.7.8.9 so vnto man were all thinges subiect the foules of the aire the fishes of the sea and beastes of the earth so as he should bee king of the whole world most especiallie that as god is most holie and most iust Eph. 4.24 so man also was created righteousse in iustice and true holinesse as the Apostle interpreterh VIII Adam vvas meerelie free before his fall Hereuppon wee beleeue that man in that first estate was not onely indewed with such a libertie that he could not will anie thing without consent of his will Eccl. 7.30 Sirac 15.18 which libertie euer was and is remaining in man but also was furnished with such strength that hee might if he woulde not haue sinned and not haue died but haue continued in righteousnesse and eschewed death so that deseruedlie it is to be imputed to himselfe and no other that he lost both IX Errors We condemne therfore the Valentinians Marcionits Maniches and whosoeuer either taught or left anie thing in writing against this article of faith faininge either that all thinges were made of some other god then the father of Christ or that good things were made of one God which was good and euill things of another which was euill sith none can be god but he which is chieflie good and onely maker of al things We condemne likewise all those which either teache that the soule of man is of the substance of God or which denie the immortalitie and perpetuall action of the same or which referr the image of God in man onelie to his power and rule ouer creatures or lastly which doe denie that man was created meerelie free CHAP. VI. Of prouidence and gouernment of the world I. The vvorld and all that is Gen. 2.2 and is done therein is gouerned by gods prouidence WE beleeue that God hauing created all thinges did so rest from all the workes which he had finished that he neuerthelesse ceased not or left of to care for Wis 14.3 Matt. 10.29.30 to rule and gouerne the worlde and whatsoeuer is therein as well smale thinges as great and especiallie mankinde yea euerie particular man so that nothing can be done or may happen in the world which is not gouerned by the diuine prouidence II. The Church of God to bee gouerned by a peculiar care But although al and euery thing be subiect to the
cannot bee mooued from place to place according to it whole selfe as true philosophie teacheth christian theologie cōfirmeth which sheweth that God therefore is not mooued from place to place because being immeasurable he fileth all things 78 Neither can that bodie also which is euery where be rightly said to sitt at the right hand or the left of another but you must needs cōfoūd the substance of him that sitteth with the substance of the right hand at which with the substance of him whose right hand he sitteth at seing therefore euen the father the sonne the holy ghost filling heauen earth are euery where both all and each of them because they are one and the same essence 79 Finally we think this doctrine of the inuisible vnpalpable presence of Christs flesh euery where is neither true nor profitable 80 Not true indeed because wee could neuer see the same shewed either by any manifest testimonies of holie scriptures or any necessarie consequences drawne out of them nay wee haue obserued the same to bee repugnant to the scriptures and to the catholicke consent of the old church rightlie expounded by the rule of faith contained in the Apostles creede 81 Yea and wee see it so contrary to the scriptures that without a manifest implying of a contradiction yee cannot graunt both those things which the creed deliuereth and those things which the authors of this Vbiquitary doctrine do deliuer 82 Neither is it profitable because that which is not agreeable with gods word to propoūd beleeue and obserue it as agreeable and necessary vnto saluation is a sinne The Lord saying Add not nor diminish and the Apostle Deut. 12 32 Rom. 14.23 Rom. 6.23 All that is not of faith is sinne and the wages of sinne is death 83 Finally because if that opinion of the Vbiquitie of Christs bodie should be beleeued to be true it would bee a hinderance that a man could not apprehend and eate with a minde lifted vp Christ to the true flesh of Christ Iesus being in heauen whereunto notwithstanding both the Apostle the church calleth vs saying lift vp your hearts And seeke those thinges which are aboue where Christ is sitting at gods right hand 84 They thē do nothing lesse then eate Christs flesh which doe not behold the same in heauen where indeede it is but imagine him to bee really present euerie where in his owne substance Aesops dogg leauing the true flesh did foolishlie catch at the vaine shaddowe of the flesh because it seemed a bigger peece A question out of the 1. of Ioh. 4.3 S. Iohn describing Antichrist saith Euery spirite which confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the true humane flesh is not of God and this is that spirit of Antichrist And seing that Christ neuer laid aside that flesh which he once tooke but carried it with him vp into heauen and shall returne againe in the clouds in the same apparēt vnto all mē to iudge the quicke and the dead The question is of what spirite they are and by what name to bee called who make no doubt with the old heretikes to forge for our Lord Iesus Christ I know not what kinde of inuisible flesh vncircumscribed vnpalpable whole and in his whole substance forsoth really existing in all places in heauen in the starres in the ayre in the earth vnder the earth in hell in all the seuerall partes of the world and the parcells of the partes yea and in the least parcells of the parcells against Scripture and against the sound agreement of the whole catholike church Of the dispensation of saluation by Christ Out of the first chapter of the Ephesians yeare 1580. 1 OVr Lord Iesus Christ ver 7 8 in whome wee were elected vnto saluation not onely once redeemed vs by his owne blood hauing obtained remission of sinnes and gottē the victorie but doth also dayly dispense and communicate vnto his the grace of redemption and saluation 2 For it belongeth to a perfect redeemer not onely by paying the ransome to redeeme but also to make the redemption knowne to them that be redeemed and to deliuer them quite out of the hands of the tyrant into freedome as it also belongeth to a good head to impart the life sense and motion which it hath vnto the members 3 Nowe Christ vseth to dispense this grace of saluation by the word of trueth that is ver 13 by the gospel of our saluation with which wee ioyne the Sacraments as seales and instruments of saluation 4 For by the gospell hee makes knowne vnto vs the misterie of his diuine wil ver 9 10 concerning our saluation through Christ and concerning the gathering together aswell those that are in heauen as these that are on earth concerning the knitting of them to one head Christ 5 Neither doth he onely make knowne vnto vs the mistery of saluation by the gospell ver 13 but also effectually calleth draweth vs to himselfe to the communion of himselfe so to the participation of redemption saluation 6 For by the preaching of the gospell ver 13 Rom. 10 hee vseth to stirr vp faith in our hearts whereby wee beleeue in him and are receiued into his communion 7 For he giueth vs his holy spirit by which he regenerateth vs ver 13 and sealeth vs with the expresse image of God to the full possession of an eternall inheritance 8 By the same spirite he stirreth vp worketh and leadeth vs to the studie of a holy life and good workes 9 And if it so be ver 14 we fall into sinne such is our frailtie he lifteth vs vpp by repentance giuen vnto vs maketh vs more assured of forgiuenesse and by that meanes through the same spirite as it were a pledge he more and more daily confirmeth vs in that assurance of saluation 10 And these benefits Christ bestoweth on vs neuer vtterly forsaking vs till he hath brought vs by his grace and singular loue towards vs from the first redemption which is our redēption from the guilt and seruitude of sinne and from the power of the deuill to the other redemption namely the full libertie which consisteth in the perfect assuring and full possession of the heauenly inheritance 11 But our Lord Iesus as he is our redeemer the head of the whole church ver 22 according to both the natures so also he cōmunicateth eternall life saluation not onely as he is god but also as he is man according to that same Beleeue my sonne thy sinnes be forgiuen thee And immediatly after but that he might know that the sonne of man hath power to forgiue sinnes he saieth to the sicke of the palsey arise take vp thy bed goe vnto thy house where each nature worketh that which is proper to it with communion of the other 12 For as the natures are so vnited within thēselues in one person that yet there is made no
that they may auoide condemnation XI Errors Therefore wee condemne those which reiect the law out of the church as vnprofitable and not pertaining to christians and againe those which teach that a man may either wholie or in part bee iustified by the lawe fith it was rather giuen Io. 1.29 to shutt vp all men vnder sinne and to leade them to Christ who alone taketh away the sinnes of the world And this is brieflie our confession of the law deliuered from god by Moses and declared by the Prophets vvhich prepareth disposeth and bringeth men vnto Christ Rom. 10.4 and therefore Christ is ende thereof as the Apostle writeth CHAP. XI Of Christ the redeemer I. A summe of the faith of the person and office of Christ the redeemer WHen therefore the fullnesse of time was come Gal. 4.4 wherein the promise of redemption made vnto the first man was to be accomplished by the second God the euerlasting father sent his onely begotten sonne and eternal and therefore true God of the same nature vvith the father made of a vvoman alone and vvithout the seede of a man and therefore true man but vvithout sinne and so true Christ made subiect to the lavve and therefore circumcised that he in most perfect obedience might fulfill that lavv in the name of vs all made obedient to his father euen vnto death namely for vs for he being vvithout sinne deserued not to die that he might redeeme those which vvere vnder the law and all the elect euen by his obedience by his death and bloodshedding that is by a sacrifice of exceeding vertue for it vvas the blood of God and a most effectuall ransome that he might I saie redeeme vs from sinne to the old image of god to perfect righteousnesse yea from death to eternal life and from the kingdome of Satan to the kingdome of God and that we might receiue adoption of children and so in the ende bee taken into full and perfect possession of the heauenlie inheritance as sonnes and lavvfull heires And lastlie that he might gather together all thinges in heauen and in earth vnder one head and ioyne them to himselfe Eph. 1.10 for the glorie of God the father II. Christ the redeemer is true God and true man We beleeue therefore Iesus Christ to be the onely begotten sonne of God Ioh. 1.14 Mich. 5.2 Phil. 2.6 1. Ioh. 5.20 Mat. 1.1 and so the sonne in nature consubstantial and coeternall to the father and lastlie true God almightie also true man of the true seed of Abraham and Dauid conceiued vvithout the help of a man Heb. 4.15 Mat. 26.35 but onlie by vertue of the holie ghost in the vvombe of the virgine and vvithout sinne and borne of her indued vvith a true soule and a humaine minde and made like vnto vs in all thinges sinne onelie excepted so that he is true God of the substance of the father Ath. in sym begotten before all vvorldes and true man of the substance of his mother borne in the vvorld III. Onely the Sonne to be both God and man and onely Christ But so vve beleeue that the sonne of God is both true God and true man and therefore the true Christ and him alone vve confesse to bee such sith vve read that neither the father neither the holie Chost but onelie the vvorde it selfe vvas made flesh Ioh. 1.14 and the Apostle saieth that the sonne onelie vvas made of a vvoman and that he onelie suffred Gal. 4.4 although to the creation of the nature vvhich the sonne tooke vppon him not onely the Sonne but the Father also and the holy ghost vvere all concurrent IV. That the sonne vvas made man without anie change of himselfe but onely assuming to himselfe humaine nature And vvee beleeue that the sonne of God vvas made man vvithout making any confusion of the diuine and humaine natures vvithout his conuersion into flesh or anie chaunge in the flesh onely by assuming of the humaine nature into the vnitie of that person and as Athanasius speaketh In sym not by conuersion of the godhead into flesh but by taking of the manhood into God so that that vvhich he vvas he did by no meanes leese or let goe but that vvhich he vvas not he tooke vppon him as the Apostle saith Ieb 2.16 the sonne tooke on him the seede of Abraham and as he teacheth that as the sonne taking vppon him vvas not chaunged into the thing taken for God cannot be chaunged at all but remained the same that he vvas trulie distinct from the thing assumed and taken So that seede taken on him vvas not turned into the thing that tooke it but was vnited with the diuine nature into the vnitie onely of the same person according to that saying The word was made flesh The flesh therefore remained flesh and was not changed into the word V. Nether one nature tooke on it another nature nor one person another person but the person of the sonne of God tooke on him mans nature Whence also wee vnderstand that neither the diuine nature common to the three persons nay indeed one and the self same nature of them all did take on it humaine nature nor one person tooke on it another person but onelie another nature For neither did the sonne of God take on him any sonne of Abraham but the seed of Abrahā that is humaine nature spreading from Abraham therefore wee acknowledge not two persons in Christ but onely the same alone by which all thinges were made and which was so perfect before it tooke on it the seede of Abraham that by the same taking it is not made anie other or anie perfecter person or yet indeed any whitt vnperfect VI. The humaine nature was not taken to make a nevv person in Christ or to make perfect the former but onelie to be coupled and vnited to his eternall and most perfect person For albeeit we acknowledge two natures in Christ the diuine and humaine yet we doe not admit that the humaine was therefore assumed that either a new person compounded of that this as of the parts should be made in Christ or that the former and the eternall person should bee made the perfecter by the coupling of a newe nature but onelie that mans nature beeing taken into vnitie of that most perfect and euerlasting person the sonne of God remaining the same that he was might be made that he was not and might haue what to offer vnto his father for vs. And therefore we doe not simplie allow it if one saye so the person of Christ is compounded of the diuine and humaine nature as the person of a man consisteth of a soule and a bodie But we allow the vsuall phrase in the church that Christ clothed himselfe or was clothed with our flesh Whereupon Augustine saith Christ came downe from heaven as a naked man comes downe a hill but he went vp againe clothed with our flesh as vvith
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
a moment be chaunged into the same state with the dead that are risen and then Christ being come downe from heauen euen in the cloudes there shall iudge all men and from thence giue sentence on them shal shew himselfe apparently to all and that all the godlie being taken vpp from the earth euen into the clouds shall goe to meet him 1. Thess 5.1 c. Mat. 24.3 25.31 attended on by the Angells and appearing in his great maiestie and glorie as also he himselfe and his Apostles haue taught and left in writing II. Christ shall visibly returne from one place to another and that with a bodie visible locall and determinate We therefore beleeue Christ shall so return visiblie as he before in the Apostles sight ascended into heauen and shall come euen out of that heauen where he now is therefore from that which is farre distant from the earth and from the clouds vnto which he shall descend and we beleeue he shall so descend with his naturall bodie that it must needs be grauÌ„ted that the same is locall and finite and consequently not existing euerie where seing also the holie ghost describeth such a descending vnto simple people which hee sheweth cannot be made without chaunge of places III. The faithlesse reprobates shall not come vpp to Christ sitting in the cloudes but remaining on the earth shall heare the sentence of the iudge But seing the Scriptures do pronounce only of the godlie that they shall bee caught vpp into the cloudes and shall meete Christ in the ayre wee beleeue that the vngodlie shall not come vp vnto Christ but remaining vnder his feete vppon the earth shall heare that senteÌ„ce of the iudge goe yee cursed into euerlasting fire when all the Saints which shal bee aloft with Christ shall approue the same sentence of the iudge according as the Apostle thinketh 1. Cor. 6.2.3 The Saints shall iudge the world yea and the Angells IV. For what causes that generall iudgement was appointed And wee beleeue that for two causes principally this iudgement was appointed wherin Christ shall sitt as iudge in the sight of all men the first is that such thinges as are nowe hidden vnto men aswel innocencie faith and the good consciences of the godlie as the hypocrisie and vile deeds of the wicked may be openly knowne to all the world and thereby be manifestly seene how iust the iudgements of God were euer from the first to the last Whereuppon also the Apostle called that day the day of declaration The other cause Rom. 2.5 is that the reward which was promised aswell to the good for their good workes as to the bad for their euill deedes should be fully paied and restored as the Apostle saieth 2. Cor. 5.10 wee must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ that euerie man may receiue the things vvhich are done in his bodie according to that he hath done whether it be good or euill whereupon also the same Apostle calleth it the day of the iust iudgement Rom. 2.5 V. Aeternall life which shal bee giuen to the elect is called and is a reward yet due vnto vs onely vppon fauour and not but for Christs sake For albeit it be a meere gift of God which the elect shall receiue and purchased by the meritts of Christ alone yet we doubt not but it is named and that it is truely a reward sith the Lord Iesus vouchsafed to call it so namely a free reward seing also that the good works themselues of the godlie and all the causes wherefrom the same do proceed are free gifts of God free election free redemption free calling faith iustification regeneration forgruenesse of sinnes and lastly a free pardon of all wants and imperfections wherewith our good works are infected and a free imputation of Christs perfect obedience wherewith our imperfect obedience is clothed and made acceptable to god and consequently to speak properly is a reward not due vnto vs for our owne workes considered in themselues but for the meriâ—ts of Christ imputed to vs. VI. After the iudgement giuen the godly shal bee presently with Christ in heauen but the vngodly in hell with the deuill his Angells Further more wee beleeue that presently after the same iudgement the godly shall follow Christ into heauen but the wicked shal be thrust downe with the deuills into hell Christ saying to the first come yee blessed of my father but to the other Goe yee cursed into euerlasting fire VII That day shal be to the godly most ioyfull and is therefore to be wished for to the wicked most heauie is therefore eueÌ„ in the only hearing intollerable So do wee beleeue that this last day shal bee vnto them which are grafted into Christ most happie and ioyfull and therefore loued wished of them 2. Tim. 4.8 and ought to be loued wished for of vs and to the wicked the most accursed and wofull day that euer was and therefore no maruaile though they hate that day cannot abide the mention of it VIII Errors We condemne whosoeuer shall denie that Christ shall truely and in verie deede descend in his humaine bodie from heauen into the cloudes and then returne with his chosen into heauen againe and would prooue that it shall all bee without any chaunge of places onely by appearance as they call it a certaine likenesse to the which the Angells doe affirme the contrarie vnto the Apostles Act. 1.11 as yee haue seene him ascend into heauen so shall he come againe VVee disallowe also those which teach that the works of pietie considered in themselues are the true cause for which eternall life is giuen and are the true meritts thereof against which the Apostle also saieth Rom. 6.23 The gift of God is eternall life Neither doe we approue the opinion of the Chiliasts concerning the thousand years wherin Christ with his elect should remaine heere in the earth after the latter iudgement and that they should here liue in the delights yet honest delights of the flesh and should procreate children but Saints so at last be translated vpp into heauen And we condemne and detest their error which stand in contention that the fire whereinto the wicked shal be throwne shall at the length be queÌ„ched so that all euen the deuills themselues shall liue blessedlie in the kingdome of God flatt against the plaine words of Christ goe yee into euerlasting fire Mat. 25.4 CHAP. XXX Of eternall life I. Eternall life shal be giuen to all which by their good workes haue witnessed that they were truely grafted into Christ and haue beleeued in Christ WE beleeue that eternall life that is full and perfect possession of eternall life shal bee giuen in that last daye vnto all who by the apparent workes of true faith and godlinesse shal be declared before al Angells and men manifestly shewed and by sentence of the iudge Christ pronounced to haue beene
Martyrs confirmed and the faithfull do yet assuredly hold Thus saith Vigilius By this the very same is vndoubtedly prooued which was also by the other before namely not onely that the worde and flesh cannot possiblie be both of one nature as the Monophysites affirmed but also that the proprieties of the one nature cannot really be communicated to the other so as indeed it should haue the same in it selfe and that the one nature should be made the very like that the other is as thus that the flesh by reason of the vnion with the word should also with the same word bee made present in all places in it owne esseuce For from this proposition which is held for graunted of all sound beleeuers namely The flesh through the vnion with the word hath not gotten this proprietie of the word that it selfe should with the word be present in all places in it owne substance from this proposition I say he concludeth therefore neither is it made of the same nature with the word This certenly is the argument of Vigilius yea of the whole catholicke church What remaineth onely this that if it may be said to bee present in all places it can be said to bee so by no other meanes then by the Hypostasie of it which is the very word For in Christs humaine nature there be only two things the proper essence of his nature with his proprieties and gifts created and the common Hypostasis with the diuine which is the word it selfe His proper essence is finite or determinate and so is onely within one place The Hypostasis is infinite immeasurable and most simple or vnmixt And therefore in this onely and not in the proper essence the flesh of Christ can be and in verie deed is present in all places That which hath bin said of this propriety the same is also to be thought of all the rest aswell those of the word as of the flesh For also in the argumēt before going against the Monophysites book 4. chap. 4. he concludeth the same from certaine proprieties of the word as is to be vncreated inuisible vntouchable said that it is impossible the flesh should partake in those qualities Hereuppon he concluded therefore the flesh cannot bee of one nature with the word sith it can by no meanes be made inuisible vncreated vntouchable vnderstand this in it owne essence whereas notwithstanding in the Hypostasis of it which is common to it with the vvorde it is in verie deed as in all places present so also vncreated inuisible vntouchable and what not seing in the same Hypostasis it is also god These things are all most assured and plaine and do depend vpon that infallible rule which he deliuered in the fift booke and second chapter namely We saye better and more catholically it is common in him and not vnto him And we say better it is proper to him and not in him I beseech all christians by our Lord Iesus that setting aside all the vaine dreames of priuate men and reiecting all the affections hatreds enmities of their flesh and imbracing the assured and wholesome doctrine of the aūcient church and christian loue wee maye all ioyne together into one holy league of friendship euen as we haue all one God one mediatour one baptisme one hope of our vocation to the glorie of Gods name the building vp of the church the saluation of our soules For sooner then we suppose shall wee be summoned before Christs tribunall seate that euerie one may giue account for that which he hath done in the bodie and in this life seing that after this life there is no hope of pardon no place for amendment CERTAINE POSITIONS OF THE same Zanchius Of some principall articles of our christian faith against diuers heresies at sundrie times disputed on partly at Heidelberg partly at Newstade FOr what purpose I published this confession with my obseruations vpon it for the verie same cause at this time haue I gathered together these positions concerning sundrie matters in question which were handled partly vnder Frederick the third of godly memory at Heidelburge partly vnder my fauourable Lord Iohn Cassimier erector of this schoole here at Newstade against diuers heresies and being all brought together I thought good to haue them printed with my confession thereby that al posteritie might euidently see that I neuer consented to any of these heresies which in these dayes of ours haue beene fetcht againe from the depth of hell and this to Gods glorie the edification of the church and the saluation of manie through our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Of one true god eternall father sonne and holy ghost yeare 1572. 1 THere is one onely Iehouah creatour of heauen and earth and God of Israell 2 And this God though he bee one onely Iehouah yet is he not one but meere Elohim the number and names of whome the sonne of God manifested in the flesh hath clearlie and apparātly reuealed vnto vs without all doubt namely the eternall father the eternall sonne and the eternall holie ghost 3 Further these three Elohim are true existences and those vndeuided liuing vnderstanding willing and therefore as the church hath euer vsed to speake true persons 4 And the father sonne and holie ghost are so distinct among themselues as the one is not the other 5 Yet euerie one of them is the true Iehouah 6 Yet are there not therefore manis Iehouahs but onely one Iehouah Of the nature singularitie and immeasurablenes of one true God yeare 1573. 1 BY the name of the nature of God is vsually signified not onely his essence simplie considered in it selfe but also all his proprieties or attributes by which hee is declared to vs and for our sakes of what sort he is 2 And therefore God is rightly saide of his owne nature to be gentle wise good and such like 3 But albeit hee vseth to applie many qualities like to this his owne nature vnto men by which wee are made iust good wise yet his owne nature he doth communicate to no created thing which hee cannot indeede communicate vnlesse their could more Gods bee made 4 God also besides his other proprieties is simplie simple or vnmixt that he can no waies be said to be compounded of many things no not of his being and essence 5 For although hee attribute vnto himselfe manie thinges in the Scriptures as it were manie qualities as to bee good iust mightie c yet no quality doth in very deed fal into god but of what sorte soeuer hee is the same hee is in his owne simple essence but by these diuerse names the infinite perfection of his most simple essence is signified vnto vs. 6 But God not onely admitteth no composttion in himselfe but also falleth not into concretion or substance of any created thing as that he should bee either the forme or matter thereof 7 God is furthermore truely immeasurable and in finite therefore present euery where and 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
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 diuine in the abstract also by reason of the simplicity thereof For this proposition is as true and proper he deity is omnipotent as this God is omnipotēt yea euen omnipotency it selfe And againe Humanity and a man is mutable 34 Of the person expressed by the proper name and that name Rule 4 which noteth both the natures or by a name signifying the office of a mediatour as well the things which are proper to the one or to the other or to both the natures together may truely and properly be spoken as Christ is omnipotent also Christ is man Christ died Also Christ is a redeemer a mediatour Also the mediator is God is man is immortall died redeemed vs. 35 Of the person signified by a name of one nature Rule 5 the things which are proper therevnto may truely and properly be spoken as This God or onely begotten sonne of God is eternall and omnipotent Also This man or the sonne of man was borne in the last daies Rule 6 died 36 Those things which are proper to the wholle person cannot be spoken but by a Synechdoche a part taken for the wholle of one nature signified either by an abstractiue or concretiue name as The flesh quickeneth God redeemed his Church 37 Wherefore this saying of Leo each forma worketh that which belongeth to it selfe we with Damas say to be all one with this and that properly Christ worketh according to each forme 38 So where Iohn said his blood washeth vs from sinne and Christ saith my flesh is meate indeede also where it is said to quicken and that it is to be worshipped those wordes are put for concretiues namely the flesh of Christ for Christ incarnate and the blood of Christ for Christ by his blood 39 For he which said he that eateth my flesh hath eternall life the same said He that eateth me he shall liue by me And he which writ his bloode washeth vs from sinne the same expounding himselfe saith Christ shall wash vs from our sinnes by his blood And they which taught that Christs flesh was to be worshipped they also expressed the cause namely not because it was flesh but because it was flesh of God and therefore that Christians do worship not flesh properly but God incarnate 40 Of the person signified by the name of the one nature Rule 7 the things that belong to the other nature may indeede truely and really be spoken but yet improperly and figuratiuely by communicatiō of the proprieties As the sonne of man it both in heauen and on earth at once Also the onely begotten and Lord of glory was crucified 8. Rule 41 Here of followeth another of the one nature signified in a concretiue name the thinges propper to the other may truely be spoken by reason of the person togither noted yet not really but onely in respect of the name As God taken in the formall signification died man is eternall 42 Wherefore we say that those thinges are praedicated or spoken by communication of the proprieties which beeing proper to one of the natures are made common also to the other in the concrete by the mutuall manner of praedication namely while they are really attributed to the person wereof each nature is a part 43 For seeing Christ most truely and really is both God and man we doubt not to say and with the wholle Church to teach that he suffered namely for example sake according to the one nature and suffered not namely according to the other 44 And seeing the scripture saith both that God is immortall also that the same died was crucified we teach that in the former speech the name of God is taken essentially in the latter hypostatically or personally and therefore that both these are true in the speach concerning Christ but that both of them are spoken of the same in a diuerse manner of praedicatiō 45 Whatsoeuer things we reade to haue beene really giuen to Christ in time after the vnion the same may truely and really be spoken of the person in respect of the humanitie therfore also of the humanitie it selfe but it is to be vnderstood that they cannot be spoken in respect of the divinity and being signified by a concrete name but onely by communication of the proprieties An example of the first Esai 11. the spirit of wisdome shall rest vpon him c. An example of the other Ioh. 3. He hath giuen vnto him his sonne who is from heauen whōe the father sent his spirit aboue measure For he as he is the onely begotten sonne cannot be said to haue really receiued the spirit but onely by communication of the proprieties 46 But the thinges which we confesse were giuen after this manner were not the essentiall proprieties of God but onely gifts of creation and as they call thē habituall graces which belong partly to the perfection of Christs humaine nature partely to the perfecting of the office of a mediatour partely to the honour of the head of the Church 47 For the essentiall proprieties of God are vnited most really with the humaine nature in the same person but they are not really communicated to it in it owne verie essence 48 For to omitte almost infinite of other reasons testimonies of the Apostles aūcient Fathers what things Christ receiued as Man in the essence of his humaine nature he receiued the same that he might as beeing head deriue thē into his mēbers as Athanasius Cyril are witnesses seing he therefore sanctified himselfe that we also might be sanctified and the oile was powered vpon Aarons head that it might runne downe on al his members euen to the skirts of his clothing 49 And who except a mad man would saie that the essentiall proprieties of God are deriued vnto vs. 50 The cause also why Christ as he is God cānot be said to haue receiued gifts of creation is by Cyrill assigned to be this Because as God he needed them not Therefore if also as he is mā he receiued the essentiall proprieties of God really communicated vnto him he cannot then be said to haue receiued the created gifts of the holy ghost For to that ende serueth a finite power in him which is indued with an infinite power really communicated vnto him Finis
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
diuine prouidence yet we beleeue that the Church of god is gouerned by an especiall care and meanes and all the elect people Rom. 8.13 Phil. 2.13 2. Cor. 6.16 yea and all the willes and actions of the elect sith he calleth peculiarlie iustifieth and sanctifieth but not all sith hee vvorketh in them to vvill and performe Act. 4.16 and saith that he dwelleth in them and not in all sith lastlie he leadeth them vnto eternall life but suffereth others in his iust iudgements to walke in their owne pathes and fall into eternall destruction 1. Pet. 5.7 so that worthilie we be commaunded peculiarlie to cast all our care vppon god because he peculiarlie careth for vs. III. That god ordinarilie gouerneth the vvorld by second causes This also we learne by the holie scriptures though God performeth manie purposes of his diuine prouidence by himselfe without any external helper yea and sometimes quite against ordinarie meanes yet he executeth manie more thinges ordinarilye by second causes Hos 2.21.22 as well in the gouernmēt of the whole world as of the church sith he himselfe saieth he vvill heare the heauens the heauens vvill heare the earth the earth vvill heare the corne the corne vvill heare Israell IV. The meanes vnto the ende are not to bee contemned sith god ordereth as vvell the one as the other by his prouidence Whereuppon we also knowe that although we are assured that god hath a care ouer vs yet the meanes which hee hath ordained for the saluation both of our soules and bodies are not to be contemned nor god to be tempted but herein we must followe the Apostle vvho although he vvere assured of the safetie of all them which were in the shipp yet as the mariners went about to escape awaie he saide to the soldiors and to the captaine vnlesse these abide in the shippe you cannot be saued For God who setteth an ende vnto each thing he also hath ordained both the beginning meanes by which that ende is attained vnto V. All thinges come to passe in respect of god necessarilie in respect of vs manie thinges happen casuallie But sith god by his prouidence doeth preserue second causes which he vseth in gouerning the worlde euerie one in her proper nature yea and is the moouer of them and of them some are ordained of their owne nature to certaine and sure effects other some are indefinite Wee knowe and confesse that although in respect of God Mat. 10.29.30 Ex. 21.13 without whose foreknowledge and wil nothing can happen in the world all things are done necessarilie yet in respect of vs and of the second causes manie things happen come to passe chaūceablie For what can bee more chaunceable and casuall to a carpenter and trauailer then if the axe fall out of his hand kill the other yet the Lord saieth that it is he which killed the trauailer And our Lord Iesus died willinglie yet he said Christ must suffer Luc. 24.46 Herode Pilate of their free-will condemned Iesus yet the Apostles saie Act. 4.28 they did nothing but what the hand and counsaile of God had decreed to be done VI. That god is not the author of sinnes vvhich are committed in the world And hereupon we also know and confesse Act. 17.28 that although manie offences are committed in the world by men god in the meane time guiding all thinges 1. Ioh. 2.16 yet the same cannot bee imputed to god nor to his prouidence for he indeede mooueth all thinges and ministreth strength by his prouidence vnto euerie one to worke but yet he instilleth not that corruption to anie whereby they worke amisse As therefore the earth yeelding her sappe aswell to il trees as to good yet is not to be blamed because an ill tree makes ill fruite so much lesse may god rightlie be said to bee either the cause or the author of our sinnes although by the hand of his prouidence he beareth vpholdeth ordereth and guideth euen the wicked Jn him saieth the Apostle we liue vve are mooued Heb. 1.3 Act. 17.28 and haue our beeing namelie wee are mooued of him such as wee are except he by his grace doe make vs otherwise VII The secret counsailes of God in gouerning the world are to be reuerenced not inquired after Meane while the secrete and vvonderfull counsells of god whereby wee see innumerable things to be done and whereof we cannot giue or know any reason the same we behold adore with that reuerēce which we ought contenting our selues with this assured knowledge Mat. 10.29.30 Rom. 9.14 namely that nothing comes to passe in the worlde without the will of God and that will of god to be so just that it is the most certain rule of all iustice therefore that which the Apostle saith must euer bee holden Rom. 11.33 O the deepenes of the riches both of the wisedome knowledge of god how vnsearcheable are his iudgements and his vvayes past finding out Rom. 9.14 Rom. 11.36 Also that Is there anie iniquitie vvith God And yet Of him and through him and for him are all thinges To him be glorie for ouer Amen VIII Errors Wee condemne therefore all scorners and all those philosophers which either do wholie take awaye the prouidence of god out of the worlde or denie that humaine matters and smale things are regarded of god Those likewise which abusing the prouidence of God doe contemne the meanes ordained of God for the saluation of vs both soule and bodie as also those which woulde haue all thinges to come to passe so meerely necessarily that they take awaye all casualtie and depriue men of all libertie lastlie those which will haue God so to worke all thinges in all men that they also doe blasphemouslie prooue him to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a iointe-worker an author of sinne CHAP. VII Of mans fall and of originall sinne and the fruites thereof I. Adam sinned of his owne accord by disobedience WE beleeue Gen. 1. 2 Eccl. 7.30 Sirac 15.18 that the first man when he was created after the image of God iust and righteous and meerlie free so as he might if he woulde not haue sinned nor haue died any kinde of death The diuell then alluring him and god not letting him but leauing him in the hāds of his owne counsells he transgressed by disobedience Rom. 5.19 Libera voluntate of his owne accord and of his meere free choise so that he nether can nor ought to ascribe the blame of his transgression to his owne nature giuen to him of god nor to god himself nor to any other thing created but to his own selfe alone because it was his owne vvill II. What and what manner of sinne Adams was For vve knovv that Adams sinne was a voluntarie transgression of gods commandemēt that he should not eate of the forbidden fruit as Moses describeth it and so as the Apostle speaketh it
of the natures that there is a true and a reall chaunging of the diuine proprieties into the humane nature of Christ For wee allow that axiome or principle of the Fathers against the Eutychians and Monothelities namelie that they vvhich haue the same essentiall proprieties haue also the same natures and essences and they whose naturall proprieties are confounded they haue also their natures confounded Which being of it selfe true in all things then is it especiallie true in God in whome the essentiall proprieties are indeede nothing else but the essence it selfe that it must in verie deed needs follow if those essentiall proprieties can truelie and properly be communicated to anie created substance so that it may be made such as God is as for example simplie omnipotent then the diuine essence it selfe cā also be communicated vnto it so that it might be made equall to God in substance therefore consubstantiall with God if it might be made equall vnto him in power or anie other proprietie So herein is admitted a double that a grecuous offence One is that when we communicate truelie and properlie to a creature those thinges which belong to God wee make the creature equall to god Neither can this exception serue to shift it that God hath them of himselfe but the humaine nature in Christ taketh them of the Godhead For euen the Sonne is not of himselfe nor hath he his diuine essence of himselfe but of the Father yet is he notwithstanding equall to the father and hath the same nature with the Father Another offence is that vvhile vve attribute diuine and so infinite proprieties to the humaine nature as infinite povver we depriue the same of the ovvne and proper qualitie not othervvise then the glorie of the resurrection shall depriue our bodies of the basenesse of corruption vvhen it shall bee truelie communicated vnto them and not othervvise then the cleare light of the Sunne if it bee let into the ayre vvhich vvas lightened onelie vvith the light of a candell it extinguisheth that light For if the infinite povver vvorketh and doth all thinges the finite shall be idle and therefore none at all But sith this heresie euen in our time is largely and plainly refelled by many learned men we which doe here exhibite this briefe simple confession of our faith to the church of God and to all posteritie will add no more to that which hath bin said XI Hovve great the force of this personall vnion is Meane while wee beleeue and confesse the force of this vnion of the natures in the person of Christ to be so great that first whatsoeuer Christ is or doeth according to the diuine nature that same whole Christ the Sonne of man may be said to be or to doe and againe whatsoeuer Christ doth or suffreth according to his humain nature that same whole Christ the sonne of God God himselfe is said in the holie Scriptures to bee to doe and to suffer As that God that is Christ man and God redeemed the church vvith his bloode Act. 20.28 vvhenas the force of the redemption pertained to the god head the shedding of his blood onelie to the manhood Yet both these actions are ioyned in one and each of them may be spoken alike of whole Christ although they were and are distinct because the natures although distinct yet are coupled together in Christs one person Yea Christ the mediatour according to his humanitie neuer did or doeth anie thing wherin his diuinity did not or doth not work together and he neuer performed anie thing according to his diuinitie whereunto his humanitie was not assisting or consenting that the Fathers verie fitlie called all the works of Christ the Mediatour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is performed both by God and man Secondlie as the force of the vnion is so great betweene the Father and the Sonne that he doeth nothing nor communicateth anie good thing to the world but by the Sonne euen so the force of the personall vnion of the two natures is so great that no grace no saluation no life can come to vs from the deitie but by the humanitie apprehended of vs by faith so that hee must needs be coupled to the flesh of Christ that will be partaker of eternall life whereunto that saying of Christ tendeth Ioh. 6.53 vnlesse ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man ye shall haue no life in you Lastlie it causeth that wee cannot adore the deitie in Christ but wee must also therewith adore the humaine nature and that the diuine and humaine nature must both bee reuerenced with one reuerence onelie according to that same And when he bringeth in his first begotten sonne into the vvoolde Heb. 1.6 he saith and let all the Angells of God worship him Him saith hee that is whole Christ God and man together when as notwithstanding the humaine nature of it selfe and considered alone in it selfe nether can nor ought to bee worshipped for God alone is to bee worshipped but the vnion not whatsoeuer but this personall vnion of the diuine nature with the humaine causeth it Therefore albeit that God dwell in the Saintes yet they are not to bee worshipped nor prayed vnto as is Christ the man Wherfore we confesse this vnion whereof we speak to be of great force yet we saie that it is an vnion which excludeth al confusion and transfusion For if the vnion betweene the father the sonne and the holie ghost in one essence then which vnion there can be none greater thought or imagined doe not take away the distinction of the persons then nether this vnion of the natures and so of the proprieties and actions in one person can take awaye the distinction of the same and bring in confusion XII Christ in that he is man is indued with a very great yet a determinate power and other gifts Finallie wee beleeuē that Christ like as in that he is God he is simplie omnipotent simplie wise and so it may be said of all his other attributes so in that he is man hee is indued of the father with a power and knowledge verie farre yea almost infinitelie exceeding the power and knowledge of all thinges created either in heauen or earth and yet a determinate or finite power and so it may be saide of all his other gifts and vertues loue prudence fortitude iustice grace trueth and the rest of which Esaias saith Esay ii 2 Ioh. 1.14 Luk. 2.52 and the spirit of the Lord shall rest vpon him c And Iohn He was full of grace and trueth Also Luke he grew in wisedome and fauour with God and man For which cause also he is saide Ioh. 3.34 Col. 2.3 in that he is man to be exalted aboue all principalities and povvers also that the spirite is giuen vnto him aboue measure also that in him lye hidden the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Whereby it comes to passe that he in that hee is man is
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
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
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
holie ghost and so Iesus Christ our aduocate is to be prayed vnto and none other Psa 50.16 For of calling vppon God alone there bee expresse commaundements sith he alone is to bee serued and worshipped And of Christ being our mediatour and aduocate we lack not testimonies and examples in the Acts of the Apostles in their Epistles Deu. 10.12 Mat. 4.10 Col. 2.18 in the reuelation And as it is expresly forbidden vs to serue or worshipp any meere creature whatsoeuer it bee either in heauen or earth so also we are forbidden to praye vnto them And if whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinn Ioh. 1.6 much more then is that which is admitted against the cleare worde of God sith the verie heathen themselues thought none was to bee called vppon except he were thought a God And how shall they pray vnto him saith the Apostle in whome they haue not beleeued But that God alone and Iesus Christ are to be beleeued in the whole scripture and the whole catholicke church euen in the creede which is daily rehearsed do manifestly teach II. A christian man may sweare lawfully We also beleeue that a christian man may sweare Ier. 4.2 lawfully namely in trueth as the Prophet teacheth in iudgement in righteousnesse so that his oath be neither false nor rash nor vniust Neither is it condemned that one should take the name of the Lord but if he take it in vaine and for an vntrueth And among all nations since the beginning of the worlde an oath hath beene vsed when it maketh for the glorie of God and profite of our neighbour Yea it hath beene confirmed by the examples of god himselfe of Christ and of the Apostles being a parte of Gods worship to speake nothing of the perpetuall consent of the whole church Wherefore the doctrine of Christ in Matthew Mat. 5.35 Ia. 5.12 or of Iames in his Epistle cannot be repugnant vnto this For they spake against the abusing of oathes and ment to declare a true vnderstanding of the commaundement concerning an oathi III. We must not sweare but by God We beleeue when an oath is to bee taken that we ought to call vppon or take to witnes of our conscience no other besides God and therefore may not sweare but by him For God alone is the searcher of our hearts and he alone must haue his honour and worshipp that he may bee the witnesse and reuenger against our soules if we performe not that which by our oath we promise IV. Oathes which are iust and lawfully taken must be kept Hereuppon we confesse that for the honor of God whose name in our oathes is as it were laide to pleadge all oathes lawfully taken ought to be obserued as also the law commaundeth neither is the name of God to bee taken in vaine or in an vntrueth V. Oaths vpon vngodly and vniust matters such as be against the law of God ought not to bee made or being made ought not to be kept Againe sith wee ought to promise nothing that is vniust or vngodly namely contrarie to the law of God much lesse doe we iudge it lawful to be confirmed by oath or by taking the name of God yet if it be taken we affirme that such an oath vnlawfull in it selfe ought not to bee kept because in performing such an oath the sinne is doubled Mat. 14.7 as wee reade of Herode in the Euangelists VI. Oathes which cannot be kept vvithout breach of Gods law ought not to be kept though some such oathes are in themselus not vniust This also wee adde that all such oathes as cannot be kept without breach of gods commaundement C. 22. q. 4 though they are in themselues not vniust yet are not to bee kept And therefore for example sake they which by oath promise perpetuall single life which afterwards they cannot keepe without manifest breach of Gods law we iudge that such ought by no meanes to keep their oath VII Errors Wee disallowe therefore those which praye vnto idolls dead men things without life or do worship them Wee disallow also the Anabaptists which simplie condemne all oathes and affirme that no manner of oath is lawfull for a christian man as also those which call to witnesse to their soules others besids God lastly those which hold that their oathes which in themselues are vngodlie and cannot without great offence be performed yet that they are to be fully kept and obserued CHAP. XXIII Of Christs church in generall SIth it appeareth that the church of Christ which is his bodie doeth consist of those which are coupled vnto him by the bond of the holie ghost as members to their head and it is manifest that the gospell and sacraments with which as with instruments men are knitt vnto Christ are not administred but in the church and that all which are indued with a true faith in Christ with hope loue repentance and care to doe good works do pertaine vnto the church Therefore we thinke it a thing worth the labour to declare what our faith is concerning the church the rather because about this article chieflie there are so great controuersies And first of all of Christs church in generall so with the whole church it selfe doe we make confession of our faith and purpose afterwards to speake seuerally of the militant church and the things thereunto pertaining I. The article of faith concerning the church out of the Apostles creede We beleeue the holie catholick Church the communion of Saintes II. What we meane by the name of the church the description thereof By the name of Christs church we vnderstād a certen number and companie well knowne to God both of Angells and men not onely chosen and predestinated to haue a perpetual communion with Christ and among themselues and to serue the true God according to his will and commaundement and to loue among themselues mutually with a perpetuall and sincere loue but also of those which in their time shal be effectually and by the holie spirite called out of the number of others and ioyned to their head Christ and so truly made Saintes Which number was begonne from the first creation and gathered and continued in a perpetuall line band of the holy ghost and to be continued to the end of the world yea to all eternitie and partly alreadie triumphing in heauen with Christ and partly yet on earth warring with many enimies for Christ preaching and hearing the worde of the gospell ministring and receiuing the sacraments and taking care that the commaundements of Christs may be kept aswel publickly as priuately III. The church is a companie consisting of many For the Scriptures teach vs that the church is a companie consisting of manie as a bodie compact of many members calling the same the bodie of Christ distinguished into many mēbers and also a flock of sheepe Eph. 1.23 Ioh. 10.3 Heb. 11.10 and the kingdome of God and acitie consisting of many
with true faith whereby they are rightly minded how can it bee saide of any particular church that it can not erre that then can much lesse be affirmed of those churches from whence the trueth is banished and wherein lyes doe preuaile and iniquitie it selfe and palpable darkenes They surely which are such cānot be the true church of Christ 1. Tim 3.15 if the church bee the pillar and ground of trueth Therefore we conclude that euerie particular flock and each seuerall sheep thereof can so farre forth not erre as it heareth onely the voyce of the shepheard Christ being guided by the holie ghost but as oft as it heareth not his voyce but harkeneth to strangers voices it cā straight waies do no other thē erre But in a word seing God in the scattering and dissoluing of all churches doeth yet reserue some vnto himselfe whome he holdeth in the trueth and by whose ministerie he will spread the same still to the ende of the world therefore we confesse that the whole catholicke church altogether is neuer suffred to erre XXII Without the catholicke church is no saluation Here hence we consequently learne beleeue that this catholicke church onely is so holie and hath saluation so annexed to it that out of it there is no holines no saluation sith that in it onely the trueth so shineth without which saluation can come to none that without it there can bee no trueth and lastly sith none but the bodie of Christ can be saued Ioh. 3.13 For no man ascendeth into heauen but he vvhich came downe from heauen the sonne of man vvhich is in heauen that is the whole sonne of man withal his whole bodie which is the church that not vnfitly Peter compared the church to Noahs arke in which alone mankinde was preserued 2. Pet. 2.5 and out of which whosoeuer were found perished in the waters of the floode Gen. 7.23 Nowe that which wee confesse of the whole church as a thing most assured the same of euerie particular one we cannot graunt namely to say that in this church alone or that in the Romish or that at Constantinople the rrueth and saluation is obtained so that without it should be no saluation and consequently to depart from it were nothing else then to forsake the trueth our saluation and Christ For some church may bee brought to that passe that vnlesse thou departest from the fellowship therof thou canst haue no parte nor fellowshipp with the catholicke church and her head XXIII The catholicke church is not tyed to certaine persons or places Moreouer we confesse this catholick church because it is catholick therefore to be tied to no certaine places persons or people so that who so would be of the church hee should needs get him to Rome or to Wittemberge or he must depend vpon the authoritie of their churches by shops or ministers Seing Christ is in all places and euerie where may the word be heard the seale of Baptisme receiued the commaundements of Christ kept and a communion with the Saintes had And wheresoeuer these things haue place ther is the church that not without good cause were the Donatists condemned who shutt vp the church in Africa onely and not in al Africa neither but in certaine parcells of it where they thēselues dwelt and taught that it was onely there Nor lesse worthily are they to be condemned which accompt the churches of no forraine countries for true churches but onely such as consist of men of their owne nation XXIV The catholicke church is partly visible and partly inuisible To conclude we beleeue this church to be partly indeed visible and partly inuisible but these in diuerse respects Visible in that it consisteth of men visibly hādling and hearing the word of God ministring and receiuing the sacraments praying not onely priuately but also publikely to God exercising the workes of loue towards their neighbours and glorifying God by their whole life which things can not indeede be performed but they must sensiblie be perceiued And if it should be meerly inuisible howe could it bee discerned from the Synagogues of the wicked Againe we call it also inuisible first because it hath in it many hypocrites mingled which performe all these outward things as the elect doe and who are the elect for of them onely consisteth the church surely it cannot be knowne of vs but onely of God according to that The Lord alone knoweth who are his 2. Tim. 2.19 Ro. 2.28.29 Whereunto also tendeth that of the Apostle He is not a Jewe which is one outward but one within Moreouer because the church in regard of the outward appearance being euermore pressed with manifold calamities in the worlde the number of the professours of Christs faith is sometimes so diminished all christian congregations thrust vpp into such narrowe straightes that it may seeme euen to be none at al remaining namely when there is no longer any publike assemblie wherein Gods name is called vppon as the histories both sacred and ecclesiasticall do most clearely and plentifully teach to haue often happened whenas notwithstanding it is very certaine that God alwaies reserueth some church vnto himselfe vppon the earth Mat. 16.18 28.20 the Lord himselfe saying And the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it and behold J am vvith you euen to the ende of the world and the same do we also with the whole church confesse in the creed saying I beleeue the holy catholick church namely to haue euer bin from the beginning to bee now and shal bee vnto the ende of the world euen vppon the earth For properly we beleeue alwaies those things which we do not alwaies see Heb. 11.1 This is our confession concerning the militant church what it is how it differeth from the triumphant howe diuerse oft times in it selfe howe of many particulars it is made one catholicke church by what markes the true may bee discerned from the false what manner of succession of byshops what māner of consent may proue a true church howe not for euery difference in the verie doctrine the vnitie of the church is to be broken what is ment by the name of ecclesiasticall vnitie and in what things it consisteth of what estimation it ought to bee in what respect also it may erre and in what it cannot erre and how without the church there is no saluation and lastly howe it is visible and howe inuisible It remaineth that we speake of the gouernment thereof CHAP. XXV Of the gouernment of the militant church and of the ecclesiasticall ministerie I. The church is gouerned of Christ WE beleeue Col. 1.17 that as all thinges were made haue their being and are ruled by Christ so hee also gouerneth the church which is his kingdome his bodie by a more peculiar meanes then all other things as being author king Eph. 1.23 Luc. 11.33 Heb. 3.6 and head of the same as the Angell saieth of
The fourth that they should more diligently then the lay-men applie the reading and studie of the holie scriptures and those artes and tongues whereby the scriptures may the better bee vnderstood and likewise their prayers and holy contemplations The fift that they should also apply themselues with a more diligent care not one ly to the proper duetie commaunded vnto euerie one but also to all those thinges which may seeme to appertaine to edification of the whole church 39 Vppon the necessitie of the discipline is concluded the necessitie of Synodes These are the partes of the discipline without which wee see not how any congregation can be rightly ordered or preserued And how should this discipline haue any place there where the ministers doe neuer meet together to know what is amisse in the church or what is wāting to make a censure on mens deeds to iudge vpon doctrines if any new be spread to consult vppon all things which pertaine to the profite of the church we iudge therefore that meetings of ministers and ecclesiasticall Synodes are very necessary to a true wholesome administration and conseruation of churches Seing neither any ciuill state common wealth nor kingdome can stand without their senates counsailes parlaments as they call them and meetings Therefore wee would wōderfully well like that the auncient custome of the churches might bee restored that which was allowed by a newe decree of the emperour Iustinian namely that in euery prouince at the least twise in the yeare Sinods might be celebrated and that sometime also a generall councell might bee called of the most learned discreetest and wisest ministers of al prouinces and embassadours of princes which professe the gospell which if euer it might be in this our wofull miserable time wherein so many and such horrible heresies are euery where recalled out of hell it would as we thinke doe much good And wee pray vnto God the father with our whole heart through Iesus Christ our Lord that he wil stirr vp the godlie and valiant Constantines Valētinians Theodosiies who by their authoritie may call a councell in which themselues being present and moderating the Synode it might be deliberated friendly and brotherly out of the holy scriptures of godly agreemēt peace and saluation of all churches to the glorie of God and of the name of Christ and salnation of all the elect 40 Errors Wee therefore disallow all such thinges as are repugnant to this foresaid doctrine confirmed by the scriptures and chieflie these speciall pointes 1 That the church consisteth of men only and the Angells not to pertaine vnto the same 2 That the true church which is the bodie of Christ consisteth not onely of the elect but also of reprobate hypocrites that they are true members of the church 3 That the church doeth so consist of the elect and of true Saintes that in it should bee contained no hypocrites and that in the scriptures they should neuer bee comprehended vnder the churches name 4 That the church which was before Christes comming was not a true church but onely a tipe or figure of it which was to be gathered by Christ the Apostles 5 That the church hath two heades one inuisible and remaining in heauē namely Christ and another visible ruling vpon earth the byshop of Rome with whome whosoeuer doeth not agree in all matters pertaining to religion and obeyeth not him in all thinges he can not belong to the church nor be saued 6 To affirme vpon any particular church that it can not erre 7 So to binde the church to certaine places and persons as to say there onely with thē is the church 8 Not to acknowledge those for Christes churches which although they hold the grounds of faith yet in ceremonies or in some parte of doctrine doe not altogether iumpe with vs. 9 To make a separation from the churches vpon any error or for the ill life of some men 10 To stand in contention that where true doctrine true seruice and right administration of sacramēts is banished yet that therefore there remaineth the true Apostolicall church because there may be shewed a continued succession of bishops euen from the Apostles time and contrariewise that those are not true churches which although they keep fast the true doctrin right sacraments and pure discipline yet can not shewe a continuance and succession of bishops neuer broken 11 That the authoritie of any bishop in that he is a bishop is extended beyond those matters whereunto he is called of Christ 12 That the church hath authoritie to alter any thing in the scriptures or to dispense with the commaundements of God or to make new commaundements that may binde consciences 13 That it shoulde not be lawfull for ministers to marrie wiues or at least to marrie the second time 14 That ministers may not lawfully receiue stipends 15 That it is lawfull in churches to vse an vnknowne language though there bee no interpretation 16 That it is also lawfull to inuocate besides God and lesus Christ the holie men that are dead and to direct prayers and sacrifices of thanksgiuing vnto thē 17 That christians may not in the fasting time of lent and other certaine dayes eate any kindes of meate 18 That the church should do well in praying for dead mens soules that they might bee deliuered out of the fire of purgatorie CHAP. XXVI Of a magistrate SEing wee haue nowe spoken of the first kinde of men whose labour God vseth in the gouernance of the church namely ecclesiasticall ministers and their dueties and other matters belōging vnto them it remaineth that wee also brieflie declare what our faith is concerning the other kinde that is the ciuill magistrate For the Lord doeth also vse his ministerie especially if he bee a christian to the defence and preseruation of the church I. Euerie magistrate whether godly or vngodlie is of God and therefore no magistrate simply to be resisted Wee beleeue therefore that euerie magistrate aswell impious as godlie Rom. 13.1 1. Pet. 2.13 Rom. 13 7 is from the Lord God and is the minister of God for reuenge of euill doers and for the praise of well doers and therefore that he is to be feared to be honoured and his commaundements which may be done with a good conscience without breach of Gods law Rom. 13.5 to be obserued and that not onely for feare but also for conscience sake namely because the Lord so cōmaundeth Therefore in respect that he is gods minister Rom. 13.2 he is not to be resisted for who so resisteth it resisteth Gods ordinance and God himselfe II. A magistrate that commaundeth any thing against God must not be obeyed But yet if a magistrate commaund vs any thing against the will of him who sent and whose minister he professeth himselfe to bee we doubt not with the Apostles to denie obedience vnto him Act. 5.29 and to say wee ought to obey God more then man whenas
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
theruppon and to the reuerend brethren N. N. and other coÌ„gregations round about vs who haue al of them liked very wel thereof Thus farre out of the letters of that learned man almost to the same purpose could wee bring many things besids out of letters written from other about the same matter but for that it greatly needeth not wee will for breuitie sake omitt the same Therefore to our matter An obseruation vpon the whole confession When we vse the word of condemning we meane nothing els theÌ„ that the heresies which haue bin condemned by the catholick church the same also wee condemne and which it allowed not the same also we allow not and this we desire to leaue witnessed to all posteritie Vpon the first chapter aphorisme 4. Whereas we haue giuen the first place next after the canonicall books to the Apocryphi in the volume of the Bible we did it induced by the authoritie of the greek and latine churches who did alwaies giue that honour vnto them that they should be ioyned with the canonicall books See the places in Hierome Cyprian and the councell of Laodicea cyted in the confession the first chapter fift aphorisme Moreouer we spake of books not of any manner of writinges For otherwise wee preferre the generall creeds before the Apocryphi Vpon the second chapter Of God The first aphorisme Though the propertie of existences bee to exist in the essence yet speaking of God we would rather vse another manner of speach that more vsuall for certaine causes as namely to teach against the reproches and skoffes of the Arrians of our time that the diuine essence is not found but onely in the persons and therefore that we do not make an essence aparte by it selfe subsisting from the persons wherein yet three persons should subsist as though the catholicke church should forge foure existences in God The third aphorisme Of this reall communication of the essentiall proprieties of God we haue also written a seuerall treatise in the booke which shal be intituled Of the incarnation of the sonne of God vppon the words to Phil. 2. Who when he was in the forme of God c. Vnto which we referre the reader who so he bee that desireth a further explanation of this doctrine Surely the Lord Iesus when he said No man knoweth the sonne but the father and no man knovveth the father but the sonne and he to whome the sonne will reueale him he plainely excepted his created minde from that essentiall knowledge wherewith the father knoweth that is as the schoolemen speak comprehendeth the sonne and the sonne the father teaching that what knowledge soeuer creatures haue in themselues coÌ„cerning God the same is some waye reuealed vnto them and therefore such knowledge is not the essential infinite knowledge which is in God but a created and a finite or determinate knowledge Vpon the 5. chapter of the worlds creation c. The 2. aphorisme That the heauen of the blessed wherein the Lord Iesus is now in his bodie doth differ froÌ„ the earth and from the other heauens and is aboue all those visible heauens besides that which hath bin already said these few proofs do also confirme Eph. 4. Christ is said to haue ascended aboue all heauens in another place he is read to haue ascended into heauen and to bee in heauen and to sitt at the right hande of the father Therefore this heauen is aboue the other heauens and differeth from them So in the third to the Colloss the Apostle distinguisheth the place where Christ is at the right hand of the father from the earth and calleth it vpward saying Seeke yee the things aboue sett your affections on things aboue where Christ is and in the 4. of the first to the Thess he saieth the Lord shall descend from heauen namely into these lower partes and all the godlie shal be caught vp into the ayre to meete Christ in the cloudes That heauen therefore is aloft not on the earth not in the ayre much lesse in euerie place For he shall come downe in the visible shape of his body froÌ„ the high heauen into these parts to iudge the quick and the dead Of this heauen wee haue spoken particularly in our bookes Do operibus dei of the workes which he created in the sixe daies Wee therefore disallow of that doctrine which is contrarie which distinguisheth not the heauen from the earth nor this heauen from other heauens but would proue it to be euerie where Vppon the 7. chapter The 11. aphorisme Among other thinges which Iulianus the Pelagian obiected to Augustine proouing defending originall sinne these were some that either he made God an author of sinne or the deuill a creator of man and that because the Pelagians thought that Aughstine made originall sinne the very substance of man Al which obiections he confuted in his 7. Tome against Pelag. the 5. booke and first chapter in these words Neither do we ascribe iniustice to God but rather equitie in that euen infants are punished not vniustly with such and so many euills as we see neither doe we attribute the making of man but the corrupting and depraâ—ing of mans originall to the deuill neither doe we graunt a substance in the sinne but an actâ— of it in the first man and a contagion thereof in all his posterity neither do we graunt vnto infants a conscience without knowledge in vvhome is neither conscience nor knowledge but he knewe what he did in vvhome all haue sinned and from whome all haue drawnâ— corruption c. Vpon the 9. chapter The 5. aphorisme How they can winde themselues out of this errour which denie that the fathers did eate the true flesh of Christ we see not as though because he was not as yet indeede existing in nature therefore he was not existing in the assured promise of Christ consequently could noâ— be apprehended and eaten by faith For this proposition is generall and to all men at all times belongeth Vnlesse ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man yee haue no life in you For life is not imparted but onely to those which by faith as members to the head are ioyned to the flesh of Christ by the flesh to the spirit or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the word which is life Vpon the 10. chapter The 3. aphorisme For God would shew c. That which I said of the first second third and fourth estate had bin more cleare if I had told what man was before he sinned what after hee had sinned what vnder grace and what he shal be in his glorie Vpon the 11. chapter of Christ the redeemer aphorisme 6. That the person of Christ speaking properly is compounded of the diuine nature which is immeasurable and most pure and of the humaine which in respect of the diuine is lesse then a pricke to an infinite masse as of two partes truely and properly so called wee together with the schoolemen do
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
he shewed howe these sayings and deeds were not the actions of two persons but of one Therefore against Nestorius he also addeth Not in making a diuersitie in vvords or shewing sundrie aspects or seperating the deedes but hee himselfe being one speaking and doing in himselfe and by both that is by both natures that vvhich was agreeable and vvas proper to both the natures By these words we may perceiue these two thinges as cleare as the noone day one that there were not in Christ two which did worke and will vnderstand but onely one namely the very worde incarnate which is called Christ therefore he saith in himselfe being one c. Also hee himselfe being one speaking and doing in himselfe this is the first and that against Nestorius The other is That yet there were and are in Christ working two beginnings of actions distinct in themselues by which those actions as the schoolemen saye were formallie performed by the agent namely the faculties or powers of the two natures and this is against Eutyches And therefore hee ioyneth by both that is by both natures speaking and doing that which is proper to both natures Nowe who seeth not that the the thinges which Christ did according to one nature the same he did not according to the other For he did by both such thinges as were proper to each he did not therefore according to his humanitie such things as belonged to his deitie nor contrary wise Moreouer to cōfirme and set forth the same he bringeth in an example of one the same man who according to the diuers faculties of the soule doth worke diuers actions and bringeth foorth deedes agreeable to each facultie The example appeareth of it selfe there And to make it more plaine c. But we must warily marke his particles not onely the affirmatiues but also the negatiues For he denies that a man sees those thinges with the eyes of his flesh which he seeth with the eyes of his minde and contrariwise Therfore hee also denies that Christ doeth those things according to his flesh which he worketh according to his deitie This he plainely declareth whenas applying the example besides other thinges he saieth of Christ But hauing one propertie by the nature of the word vvhich remaining God he lost not and another by the nature of the flesh vvhich being made man hee receiued c. It is also to bee marked that Vigilius aswell denieth that Christ doeth by the flesh that is according to the flesh those thinges which are proper to the deitie as hee denieth that hee suffred did those things according to his deitie which were proper to the flesh Vigilius also adioyneth a speciall declaration of the proprietie and communion of the natures and the same verie perspicuous certaine where he saieth We vill yet speake more to confirme this nature for their sakes c. The summe is this 4 The proprieties of both the natures are proper to the verie person of Christ but are common to the natures betwixt themselues not in the verie natures but in the person The declaration is this For to die which is the proprietie of the flesh is proper to Christ For in that hee is saide to haue died it is properlie spoken in respect of the humaine nature which is in him Also not to die is proper to him in respect of his diuine nature which cānot die Likewise to die is common to the vvorde or deitie of Christ not in the diuine nature it selfe which cannot be partaker of death but this was common to him with his flesh in the person because the person which carried the flesh could dye in the flesh and Iesus Christ did dye The same is to be thought said of the other part as Vigilius also declareth adding the example of himselfe that is of a mā where he saith And for example sake to say c. In this example there is nothing but that which is plaine But the conclusion is diligentlie to be marked where he saith That therefore which is proper to me in either of them and yet different from either of them the same is common in me to either of them vvhich is proper to either of them And yet I am the verie same one in them both being both of them common in mee and I am the verie same in either of them being both proper to me Nothing can be said more cleare for the declaration of the question concerning the reall communication of the proprieties For first he teacheth that the proprieties of the one nature are so proper vnto it selfe that they are quite different from the other nature and so different that in their proper essence they can by no meanes be made common that is they cā not be so really communicated that the same should be made that verie same or the like vnto the other nature as for example that the humanitie should bee made the deitie or bee made omnipotent or on the contrarie that the deitie could be made the humanitie or be made partaker of passion or suffring 2 He deliuereth in plaine tearms that the proprieties of each nature are proper vnto Christ because indeed it is proper vnto him in himselfe for example in one nature to suffer and in his other not to bee able to suffer so as this he hath common with no other thing either in heauen or on earth or in himselfe For there is nothing besides himselfe that is both God and man and neither of the natures in him hath also the proprieties of the other nature besids their owne in their proper essence Therefore it belongeth onely to Christ God and man to haue in himselfe really therefore proper to himselfe the essential proprieties of each nature both diuine and humaine Wherefore hereby is it manifest also which before was said of the communication For if this bee proper to the person of Christ that these contraries namely to suffer and not to be able to suffer may truely and indeede bee said of him and yet not simplie but in respect of some other thing that is in respect of his other nature Then can it not agree to anie of both his natures seuerally that the same nature should truely and really be said to be able to suffer and not to suffer in it owne proper essence 3 The proprieties of the natures which he said were proper to Christ these hee taught to be made common in themselues not indeed in the very natures themselues but in his person For example To susser which is proper to the humaine nature simplie and by it selfe in it owne essence but proper to the person in respect of some other thing that is onely in respect of the flesh I say this essentiall proprietie of the flesh by reason of the vnion which the flesh hath with the deity it selfe in the same person is made also cōmon to the verie diuine nature it selfe with the humaine how cōmon namely that to susser
is truely attributed also to the diuine nature But how can that be sith passion cannot fal into it It is therefore common to it to suffer not in the owne essence for that nether could nor can suffer but in Christ that is in the person of Christ which consisteth of the two natures and therefore which onely according to the flesh suffred so that in the proper essence of the deitie thereis no passion but it is onely in the common person by reason of the flesh and consequently God is also said to haue suffered when notwithstanding the deitie suffred nothing but onely the person of god man that is he which is God and man suffred according to the flesh I will rehearse this againe The proprieties for example of the humaine nature as to suffer to die they are therefore said to be common to the deitie because the deitie also hath them For if in no sort it had thē the same could be said no wayes to be made cōmon to it with the flesh Now then they are truely said to be commō to the deitie with the humanitie not simplie but in Christ because it hath them not in it selfe that is in the owne essence as the flesh hath but onely in the person of Christ which is one and the same person of both the natures seing it subsisteth in both of them The soule also hath the proprieties of the body common vnto it selfe not in it owne essence as the bodie but in the person of man who as he consisteth of them both as being his essentiall partes so also he hath in himselfe really the proprieties of them both so as he may truely be said to be visible and inuisible mortall and immortall This which is said of the proprieties of the humaine nature common with the diuine not in the proper essence of it but in the common person of both the natures that the same also is to be thought and saide of the diuine proprieties with the humaine we are taught by Vigilius bishop and martyr These things being in very deed thus it hereupon is to bee gathered what manner of speaches may be thought agreeable to these matters If a propriety of the flesh as to suffer be in some sort common to the deitie thē it may in some sort be said of the deitie If it bee not in such wise common to the same as to haue it in it selfe as in it owne essence nor as an essentiall parte of it selfe nor as an accident in the subiect then the deitie cannot bee said in it owne essence to bee subiect to passion But if it bee common vnto it onely in person then to suffer cannot be said of the deitie in the abstract but onely in the Concrete this is by such a worde wherein the deitie maye bee so signified as the person may bee signified with it such as bee the Concrete names as God For by this name so farre forth as therein is signified the person of Christ which is also God and not bare man it is truely and really said that God did suffer and died yet not fimplie and according to his deitie also but onely according to the flesh whose propertie it is to suffer and to dye Wherefore as this is most true God suffered so this is most false the deitie suffred or that Christ also according to his diuine nature suffred This is the doctrine of Vigilius and the whole church But seing that which Vigilius hath deliuered of the proprieties and communion of the natures is indifferently said of all the proprieties and their communion in Christ so that by this hypostaticall or personall vnion the diuine proprieties are said to be made commō to the humanitie in the same sense that the humaine are to the diuinitie namely not in the essences of the natures themselues but onely in Christ and in the person of Christ it followeth like as the proposition is impious the deny by reason of the vnion with the flesh in the person of the sonce of god is made partaker of passion in it owne essence so also this is blasphemous the humaine nature by reason of the vnion with the diuine receiueth of it that it is omnipotent really in it ovvne essence c. Now if we add that which the same Vigilius left in writing out of the common consent of the whole church booke 4. chap. 4. this doctrine which we shewed euē now out of him will more plainely appeare For disputing against the Monophysites defenders of one nature he plainely prooueth by the diuers proprieties which were seene in one the same Christ and which the holy Scriptures do speak of that the word and the flesh cannot bee in him all one nature he bringeth a reason because one nature cannot receiue in it selfe any thing that is contrary diuers besides other things he also writeth thus Moreouer if there be but one nature of the word and of the flesh how can it be but that the worde being in all places the flesh must be foūd in al places too For doubtlesse when it was on earth then was it not in heauē now being in heauē it is not likewise on earth yea it is so farre from being on earth as that according to it we looke for Christ to come downe from heauen whome according to the word we beleeue to bee with vs on earth Therefore according to your opinions either the word with his flesh is contained within one place or the flesh with the word is in all places whereas one nature cannot receiue in it selfe any contrarie or diuers things But it is verie contrarie and farre different to be circumscribed or contained in one place and to be euerie where and seing the word is euerie where and the flesh is not euerie where it appeareth that one the same Christ is of both natures and that he is euerie where according to the nature of his diuinitie and is contained in a place according to the nature of his humanitie that he hath beene created and hath no beginning that he hath died and hath not bin able to dye the one he hath by the nature of the word whereby he is God the other by the nature of the flesh whereby the same God is man Wherefore this one the sonne of God the same made the sonne of man hath a beginning by the nature of his flesh and hath no beginning by the nature of his diuinitie he was created by the nature of his flesh and was not created by the nature of his diuinitie hee is circumscribed by the nature of his flesh and is not contained within place by the nature of his diuinity he is lesse also then the angels by the nature of his flesh and is equall to the father according to the nature of his diuinitie he died by nature of his flesh died not by nature of his diuinitie This is the catholick faith and confession which the Apostles deliuered the
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
to be omnipotent namely in as much as it is so vnited to the vvorde that both those things which are proper to the vvord may also be said of it yet in the concrete and the vvorde did vse and might vse his soule and his body as proper instruments yet the proprieties and actions of each of them remaining distinct to performe many of the workes of his omnipotencie Of gods prouidence yeare 1576. 1 WE beleeue and teach out of Gods worde that the prouidence which the grecians call a Rom. 13.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and also b Luc. 22 Act. 4.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in God by which prouidence al thinges are c Ps 139.4 foreknowne d Ps 119.91 preordained and e Don. 4.3 gouerned 2 This prouidence of God is that a Iob. 9 4 12 13 Ier. 51.15 most wise b Deut. 32 Psal 145 1â— Sap. 12 15 most iust vnchauÌ„geable counsaile d Dan. 4.32 wherein hee e Pro. 8 22 Eph. 1 9 decreed in himselfe from all beginnings of all thinges aswell in heauen as earth both that they should be f Thess 2 39 made and that they should be made in such order and fashion as they are made and to the g Rs 1.19 92 patterne whereof he also h Lev. 26 4 Psal 104.4 Hos 2 21 Eph. 4 11 ordereth and gouerneth continually all things i Gen. 1 in time k Deut. 8 3 Psal 72 18 Ier. 32 20. 1. Reg. 17 4 sometime by certaine and ordinarie meanes l Psal 115 3 Rom. 9.10 sometime without them but euermore m Psal 138 8 Dan. 4 32 Ioh. 5.17 mightilie and that both for the n Gen. 50 20 Rom. 8 28 Cor. 3 21 o Psal 19.1 1. Chron. 29 11 12 Rom. 9 17. saluation of his chosen and especially for the aduauncement of his owne glorie 3 For besides that it is manifest that God is a Ier. 32 17 Luc. 1 37 omnipotent wise and exceeding b 1. Cro. 16 34 Mat. 19.17 good whereby it cannot be that he should suffer this huge large world c Gen. 1.1 Heb. 11 3 created by himselfe and wherein Christs d Ioh. 16.33 church remaineth to rowle after the rash hazard of fortune and chaunce e Psal 33 147 Iob. 5. ibi 9 ibi 37.38 c. Sap 14 3 Col. 1 16 Heb. 3 Ios 42.5 Also the holie Scriptures themselues in apparent words do teach that this world is gouerned by Gods prouidence 4 Neither doe we make onely a a Neh. 9 35. Act. 17 28 Heb. 1. general prouidence in God whereby he ruleth the whole frame of the world but also we acknowledge and hold that peculiar prouidence wherein hee worketh and guideth b Iob. 37 â—8 euerie thing seuerally and especially c â—sa 104 â—47 men and of men chieflie d â—at 6 26 â— 29 his elect withall their actions 5 For we know that nothing is done or mooued in the world without the will of the a â—â—h 4 6 7 Psal 8 5 â—â—r 10 23 Ies 43 1 Psal 139 Psal 91 Zach. 2 8 Mat. 6 10 father so that nothing can be more absurd then to say there may something bee done in the world which God had not before ordained and which hee gouerneth not with his owne hand 6 Neither yet doe wee thereby simplie denie but that many thinges fall out a Mat. 10 29 Luc. 12 6 casually by chaunce b Pro. 16 4 Dan. 4 32 a Exo. 21.13 Pro. 16 33 seing this being rightly vnderstood doth not impugne the eternall and infallible prouidence of God 7 For God by his vnchaungeable prouidence decreed not onely that such things should be done as are done but he also ordained from the beginning that all thinges should come to passe in that verie manner as they doe come to passe 8 But in that wee saye nothing is done in the world without the will of the father wee doe not thereby enwrapp God himselfe the most wise and iust director of all actions into sinne or make him author of sinne 9 For sinne is a â—â—h 3.4 a transgression of the law and a declining from the straight line of the diuine law But God can neither b Nu. 23.19 Tit. 1.2 Heb. 6.18 1. Ioh. 1 5 decline from the straightnesse of his will neither c Ia. 1 13 Ose 13.9 doth hee instill into others the fault of declining d Psal 5 6 nay God is a hater and a e Deu. 32 41 Ios 59 17 Nah. 1 2 most iust reuenger of sinne 10 Wherefore seing it belongeth to the prouidence of God that sinnes should be punished of God the iust iudge by the doctrine of prouidence it is rather prooued that God is to be feared and sinnes to be auoyded then that thereby any blame can be transferred vpon God or our wickednesses excused 11 But whereas besides this which wee nowe spake of there bee many other profitable vses of this doctrine of Gods prouidence yet these two are principally to bee noted namely that this doctrine is a meanes that the godlie in all their afflictions do flie vnto God a 2. Cro. 14 11.20.6.12 Psal 46.1 Mat. 10.28 27 23 35. 1. Pet. 5 6 7. Iam. 4.11 who gouerneth all things and doe rest themselues in his bosome and they referre all glorie to him alone in prosperitie and are euermore humbled vnder his mighty hand by which he worketh all things Of eternall election and predestination and of redemption made by Christ Out of the first chapter of Paule to the Ephesians yeare 1579. 1 NO blessing since the worlds creation hath befallen or can befall vs ver 3. 4 to which we were not elected and predestinated before the foundation of the world neither is the same bestowed on vs by any other nor by any means else then by whome and after what sorte God in his euerlasting decree had appointed as the Apostle saieth Wee are blessed in Christ Jesus vvith all spirituall blessing euen as he hath chosen vs from the foundation of the vvorld 2 As in Iesus Christ alone wee obtaine all spirituall blessing so also in him alone wee were chosen and predestinated to obtaine it sith the Apostle teacheth both namely that vve are blessed in Christs and vvere all chosen in him ver 3. 4 3 VVhosoeuer wee bee that haue beene elected ver 4 we were elected not onely to the ende that is eternall life but also to the meanes ordained for the ende For S. Paule saieth God hath chosen vs that vvee should bee holy and vnblamable 4 In that God hath chosen vs ver 3 4 5 hee it did of his loue towards vs and according to the good pleasure of his will and therefore our whole election is of free gift 5 The ende of our free election is two-fold ver 5. 6 our saluation and the glorie of
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
in the same manner that he was to the Apostles namely visibly seeing he saide not I will be but I am neither is there any necessity to alter the sense of those wordes 46 Adde this that if he speake of the same reall presence of his body and that this promise pertained not to the Apostles onely but also to all the faithfull which were then in the world Christ had not spoken a trueth For he was not before his death or after his Resurrection present in a visible presence with all the faithfull which were then in the world and which were gathered together in his name 47 VVherefore the doctrine of the reall and substantiall yet invisible presence of the body of Christ Iesus on the earth and euerie where is not agreeable with the holy scriptures but seemeth to come neere to the Maniches who as Augustine sheweth against Faustus saie that Christs bodie doth invisiblie hang on euerie tree 48 If Christ also satte not at Gods right hand in his bodie before his resurrection and ascension into heauen as the wholle Church confesseth then their doctrine is impious and hereticall which teacheth that Christ Iesus euen from his mothers wombe according to the flesh he tooke hath sitteth at the right hand of Gods power 49 If this also be true which the Apostle teacheth and the whole scripture confirmeth and the Catholike Church confesseth that Christ Iesus not only then sate at his Fathers right hand after he ascended into heauen but also is so placed in the same at Gods right hand as he is neuer read to sitte at such a right hand in any other place then in heauen therefore then it cannot onely not be saide according to the holy scriptures that Christ Iesus sitteth any other where at God the Father his right hand then in heauen but also it is false that he also so sitteth in the earth that he is no lesse present really in substance of his body in the bread of the Lords supper and in euerie place then he is in heauen 50 For the Apostle also in other places and specially in the epistle of S. Paule to the Hebrues denieth that he is vpon the earth namely in a corporall presence for as much as hee sitting at the right hand of the throne of maiestie in heauen executeth his office of priesthood 51 Moreouet wee hold beyond all controuersie that Christ sitting at Gods right hand is a figuratiue speach seing God to speake properly hath neither right hand nor left hand neither is it lawfull to imagine any carnall thing concerning the seates and thrones in heauen wherein they are saide to sitt and often-times in the scriptures this word sitting is vsed besides other significations for dwelling ruling exercising iudgment and for resting 52 But that the Apostle Paule ment not by this phrase that Christ Iesus in his owne bodie is truely and substantially present in all places besides that which hath bin already saide it is also euident by that which for declaration sake he adioyneth 53 For to this sitting of Christ at Gods right hand the Apostle addeth for declaration sake three thinges First that Christ is so placed at Gods right hand that he is aboue all principallitie that is that he hath no creature aboue him or equall to him no not in heauen but is made higher then the heauens and al heauenly things then he addeth that all thinges are made subiect to him that is that there is nothing beneath him ouer which he hath not power and authoritie thirdly that he was giuen to be a head of the church 54 Now as we said that whatsoeuer wee haue before spoken of the resurrection from the dead and so of the ascension ought to bee vnderstood according to the humane nature of Christ so wee thinke with the sound fathers that these thinges also must bee vnderstood especially according to the same humane nature 55 The exaltation of Christs humane nature aboue al things may be vnderstood two waies either in re-pect of the locall placing as this he ascended aboue all the heauens that the meaning may be the humane nature was placed locally aboue all created things or in respect of the excellēt preheminence of the dignitie and power thereof then the meaning may be Christ euen touching his humane nature was set ouer all created thinges and to him was giuen power and authoritie ouer all things For in these two manners any thing of the same kinde is said to bee ouer another eiin place or in dignitie 56 If then this saying be vnderstood the latter waye thereupon the vbiquitie cannot be proued seing Christ in that in his humane nature he may vse his authoritie ouer all creatures although he be not in substance of body euerie where If the former way then he is not euery where seing that which is euerie where is aswell beneath and at and within as aboue all creatures 57 But Paule doeth plainely teach that Christ touching his humane nature did so rise from the dead that hee was no longer among the dead and so ascended into heauen that hee was no longer on earth and so being exalted aboue all creatures sitteth at the fathers right hand that he is nether beneath nor within created things seing all thinges are put vnder his feete 58 Neither can the head bee saide to bee in it owne substance where the feete are although it be in them in vertue and operation and indeed aswell the head to the feete as the feet to the head are ioyned together in their substāce by the sinues and by the soule 59 But the Apostle saieth Christ Iesus is giuen for a head of the church namely according to his humanitie nowe the head is aboue all the bodie 60 The Apostle therefore ment nothing lesse by his wordes of Christs sitting at Gods right hand then to conclude that Christs bodie in it owne substance is present in all places Wherefore they doe great wrong to the Apostle which by their cauills labour to conclude this out of his words 61 Neither can any such Vbiquitie be proued by any necessary consequence out of that article of faith 62 For although it were graunted which cannot bee graunted that by the sitting at Gods right hand the humane nature is made truely by it selfe omnipotent yet vnlesse it bee prooued to bee so made omnipotent that it is also made infinite and immeasurable it can by no meanes bee conuinced that Christs bodie in it owne substance is euerie where present 63 For so is this the onely cause why God also in his owne essence is euerie where that if ye take immeasurablenesse from him he cannot be saide to be euery where in his owne essence 64 And if also yee faine an infinite body and therefore euerie where yet that it is whollie in all places at once you shall neuer prooue while the world stands vnlesse yee can shewe that the same body is also a most simple essence seing God is