chaunge nor confusion among themselues or among there proprieties so also the actioÌ„s are so the actions of one and the same person that yet they are truely distinguished betwixt themselues and so distinguished that those which proceed from the one nature and are proper thereunto they although they be done with the communion of the other yet it is not lawfull to say that they be done by the other or that Christ doth them according to the other nature 13 Where fore like as wee allowe the fathers when they saye that Christs actions in redeeming sauing vs were are done by god man so also we greatly commend that famous saying of Leo the bishop of Rome in his epistle to Flauianus we teach that it is with a stedfast faith to be holden namely Each forme vvorketh with communion of the other that which is proper to it selfe as the word working that vvhich is proper to the word and the flesh performing that which is proper to the flesh 14 For he suffred for vs died and was buried according to the flesh but he gaue the grace of deseruing and redeeming to his suffring by which he redeemed vs according to his deitie but all these he willed according to both the natures 15 Also he rose from the dead ver 20.21 and ascended in a visible and locall ascension into heauen exalted aboue all Angels according to his humanity yet he wrought the same resurrection ascension and exaltation according to his diuinity but he willed it according to the will of both the natures 16 Like as then we beleeue that Christ redeemed vs according to both the natures according to that God purchased his Church by his owne blood so also we doubt not but the same Christ sitteth at his Fathers right hand and resteth in the heauenly places gouerning all thinges with his Father and dispenseth and communicateth the grace of redemption and euerlasting salvatioÌ„ to the wholle church which is his bodie and to euerie member according to both his natures the word working that which is proper to the word the flesh that which belongeth to the flesh 17 For although he vseth the ministerie of the word and sacraments by men to the imparting of salvation vnto vs yet the same Christ both as he is God and as he is man is properly the very same which calleth vs giueth vnto vs faith and repentance and he iustifieth regenerateth quickeneth and bringeth into eternall life all that beleeue by the working of the power of his might 18 For this cause also our faith whereby we take holde of saluation in Christ and eternall life must not respect and rely vpon either the one or the other nature of Christ severally but on whole Christ himselfe as the Ephesians were said to haue faith in the Lord Iesus 19 Whereon it followeth that who so do deny either the one or the other nature in Christ or deuide the one from the other or confouÌ„d theÌ„ both together so that they acknowledge him not for true God and true man in all things sinne excepted like vnto vs and imbrace him not for such and therefore for a true and perfect redeemer they can neuer be made partakers of redemption and eternal saluation 20 For as he that beleeueth in Christ such as he is hath life eternall so he that beleeueth not cannot haue it Of those thinges which are spoken of our Lord Iesus Christ after the vnion and in what sort they are spoken Out of the 1. to the Ephesians Positions Anno 1582. 1 THe Apostle writeth that Christ was raised from the dead and therefore he truely diâ—â—â—â—â—d in another place The Lord of glory was 〈◊〉 yea we often read howe the sonne of man was deliuered vnto death But in all these enunciations the speach is ever of the same person namely the sonne of God incarnate Therfore the person of Christ which is in these propositions the subiect or that whereof another thing is spoken is vsed to be signified by 3. kindes of names namely by those which betoken the divine nature onely and that sometime in respect of the essence sometime in respect of the hypostasie or persons as The lord of glory the onely begotten sonne of God or which betoken in like sort the humaine nature onely as Man the sonne of Mary or which betokeÌ„ both natures togither as Christ Immanuell god incarnate 2 We adde herevnto that Christs verie persoÌ„ is signified by those names also which are taken from the offices of a mediatour as these Amediatour a Redeemer a Saviour a high priest an Advocate and such like But these may be referred to the third kind because by them are shewed and made known both the natures in one person 3 The concrete names which haue denomination of the natures as Man of the humanity and God of the diety when in speaking of Christ they be the subiects or the first part of the enunciation or sentence they haue two significations one formall as the schooles say and the other materiall of which by the former is meant the verie nature by the other the person which hath such a nature whereof it taketh denomination 4 For as names in the abstract do signifie only the nature and propriety which is in a thing so all names in the concreat doe betokeÌ„ both the nature and qualitie which is in the thing and the hypostasis wherein it is as for examples sake the name of Iust betokeneth both Iustice wher with one is made iust him which is Iust both together 5 Therefore by these Subiect names which hauing their denominations from the natures do shewe the person of Christ sometimes is declared the propriety of the natures sometime the vnity of the person and therefore the Subiects must be vnderstood and expounded according to the diversities of the Praedicates that is of those things which are spoken thereof 6 In this proposition the sonne of God is eternall the subiect namely the sonne of God must be expounded according to the proprietie of the nature But in this the onely begotten sonne of God suffered the subiect the onely begotten sonne of God must be vnderstood according to the vnity of the person For he suffered which was not onely man but also God yet the dietie remaining vnpassible 7 We denie not but manie times are found wordes in the abstract which are the Subiects as the light came into the world as also some which are Predicats as Christ is the light of the world our righteousnesse our peace but these stâ—Ì„d in steade of concretiues as the light came into the world that is he which lighteneth vs. Wherefore for the manner of such like words they are to be referred to some of the foresaid three kindes 8 Furthermore there are three kindes of attributes which vse to be spoken of the same person of Christ God and man by what name soeuer it be signified For some are propper to the divine nature and
Therefore Christ Iesus foreseeing the euills which were at hand saide to the Apostles vvatch yee and pray least yee enter into temptation And Peter Be sober and vvatch because your aduer sarie the deuill goeth about seeking vvhome he may deuoure But what manner of watchfulnes is this which the holie ghost requireth what it is to watch in all liuing creatures euerie man doth know Therefore a man in that he is indued with a minde is saide then to watch when putting from him all retchlesnesse or carelesnesse of minde and with open eyes he looketh attentiuely on the things set before him and wiselie discerneth what be good and what be euill what be profitable and what be hurtfull that so his will may reiect that which is to be reiected and choose that which is to bee chosen may eschew and driue away that which is to bee eschewed and allowe and seeke after that which is to bee allowed VVherefore shaking of the drowsinesse of all carnall securitie we must watch and wee must warilie take heede to our selues and beware of the subtelties of the deuill the inticements of the world and the flesh and of doctrines and sophismes of heretikes Take heede vnto your selues of false prophets saith our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ vvhich come vnto you in sheepes cloathing but invvardly are rauening wolues 7 Now how can any man watch that is loaden with surfetting and dronkennes therefore sobrietie is verie needfull VVherevpon the Apostle Peter first said Be yee sober and after addeth and vvatch and Paule let vs bee sober and vvatch Sobrietie is cleane opposite to dronkennesse and sobrietas sobrietie is saide as it were sine ebrietate without dronkennesse By which word is signified by a Synecdoche the very surfett or sickishnes of the stomack For sobrietie is the moderate vse not onely of drinke but also of meate that we should be contented with such so much as sufficeth for sustaining of nature and preseruing of health Wherefore the Lord Iesus exhorting them vnto sobrietie dehorted them aswell from surfeting as from dronkenes saying Ouercharge not your hearts with surfetting and dronkenes euidently shewing in one word howe pernicious and noysome a thing dronkennes is For by it mens hearts are so ouerloaden and pressed downe towards the ground that they can neuer bee lifted vp to call vppon God sincerely to an earnest contemplation of heauenly matters to an attentiue reading hearing true knowledge of the holy scriptures lastly to a profitable consideration of the misteries of God such as is the Lords supper and they which are giuen ouer to this vice of drōkennes are most vnapt for all exercises of piety And howe many are there which euen for their bellies lake doe fall from the trueth So farre from them is it either that they can or will watch against the enemies thereof or take heede to themselues because of false prophets that thus at length they must needes miserably perish But farre larger and wider doth this christian sobrietie extend it selfe of which the Apostle speaketh Let vs saith he be sober and watch that is in the moderate vse not onely of meates and drinkes but also of all other things in this world For God would not haue vs to be as it were by sweet wines dronken with the too much loue of riches pleasures honours friendes children wiues nay not of our owne liues but they which haue wiues to be as not hauing wiues they which weep as not weeping and they which reioyce as though they reioyced not and they which buy as though they possessed not and they which vse this world as though they vsed it not c. Now how needfull this sobrietie is to the keeping first of faith and true religion is seene by those which for too much loue of this world the things thereof are wont to fal from the trueth and others which neuer thinke vppon amendment of life others in some part to whome God giueth some consideration as Demas of of whome the Apostle saieth Demas forsooke me louing this present world And the Lord Iesus when he had said Take heede least your hearts be ouer loaden with surfeting and aronkennes he added of this other part of dronkennes saying And the cares of this life and so that last day come vpon you For whence are these cares but of too much loue of this life but then there is a third kinde of dronkennesse which is more pestilent then both the other by how much more subtile it is and pertaineth more to the minde then to the flesh namely a dronkennesse of carnall wisedome vaine eloquence and worldlie philosophie For who so bee addicted to these as to sweet and counterfeit wines and therewith bee delighted and trust vppon them they then loathing the simplicitie of christian doctrine will verie soone and easily make shipwracke of their faith Of which thing the Apostle Saint Paule saieth Bevvare least there bee any man that spoyle you through philosophie and vaine deceit For while wee goe about to measure with our carnall speculations and rules of humane learning the misteries of God which the holy ghost hath deliuered vnto vs in a simple and plaine stile and methode being ouer weighed with the diuine glorie which we are not able to beare we fall headlong into the deepe pitt of diuers heresies as it happened to Arrius Marcion and almost all the heretikes seeing the vvisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God and the fleshlie man doeth not perceiue nor can perceiue the thinges that are of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him By this which so much as the shortnes of an epistle maye suffer I haue spoken of the three sortes of dronkennesse how necessary the contrarie sobrietie is to resist the enemies and to keep safe the treasure of diuine wisedome as you my noble Earle doe verie well knowne so I thinke there is none but he may if he will vnderstand VVhat if I adioyned likewise that blinde and too exceeding loue of our teachers and maisters wherewith we◠are for the most part so dronken that whatsoeuer is said and written by them the same without all iudgement and proofe wee imbrace and hold with tooth and nayle euen as the oracles of the holy ghost contrary to the Apostles precept Trye all thinges hold that vvhich is good Let vs therefore bee sober and watch 8 Our weapons or armour moreouer are not carnall but spirituall as the Apostle teacheth and are of two sortes some to defend our selues and some vsed for offence of the enemies Of the first sort are the helmett brest-plate girdle and shield of the other sort the sword and darts First therefore the head of the inward man must bee armed with the helmet of saluation that is with the assured hope of saluatiō which as it is already begunne in vs through Christ by his onely grace so it shall bee made perfect through him by the same grace For vnlesse he haue this assured hope
which being also in Christ doth so really couple vs with him that we are one body with him and amongst our selues yea al of vs one new man in the same head Christ for in those two respects namely one of the spirit by whome the other of the head Eph. 2.14 to whome wee are ioyned Paule saide all the faithfull vvere one nevve man XVIII By the vnion vvith Christ the participation of the benefits of his death and resurrection is conueied vnto vs. Now of this communion with christ there followeth and dependeth the participation of his benefites and of saluation gotten and remaining for vs in his flesh and blood For as the branches can draw no nourishment from the vine nor the members from the head nor the liuely stones from the foundation vnlesse they be really ioyned with their foundation with their head with the tree with the vine abide in them so neither can we from Christ our head our foundation our tree our vine vnlesse wee bee truely grafted into him by the holy ghost and do abide in him beeing made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone Wherfore they doe vs very great iniurie that say we therefore denie the true participation of his flesh and blood and that we affirme a participation only of his gifts and benefits because wee will not admit which wee cannot admit that the true bodie of Christ doth passe reallie through our mouth into our bodies As though it were not a true and an essentiall communion which is made by the holy ghost and by faith sith nothing can knitt more strictlie diuerse substances and natures into one then the holy ghost As we see in the incarnation of the sonne of God and in the creation of man being compounded of the soule and the bodie Surelye if that communion which is made by the onely spirit and by faith with the flesh and bloode of Christ were not able to saue vnlesse he should also passe through the mouth into our bodies Christ had prouided but slenderly for his church Therefore in receiuing of the gospell and in the profession of Baptisme he would haue the same communion to be made 1. Ioh. 1.3 1. Co. 12.13 as Iohn witnesseth of the first and the Apostle Paule of the second This therfore is our confession of the true communion with Christ in generall and therefore of the dispensation of saluation and life which is in Christ XIX Errors Wherefore we disallow their error which teach that remission of sinnes and saluation is communicated to men Opus operatum by the vvorke wrought as they call it without faith and without the true vniting with Christ Yea we condemne their blasphemie who labour to proue it may be done by works not commaunded of god but deuised by men and full of superstition idolatry and theirs also which setting nought by the ministerie of the worde doe teach that saluation is communicated aswell without as with the hearing of the word and receiuing of the Sacraments and much more those which affirme that al infants in their mothers wōbes aswell of faithfull parents as of infidells are made partakers of the benefite of Christ CHAP. XIII Of the gospell and of the abrogation of the lawe by the gospell SEing first the gospell and then the Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper are the outward instrumentes whereby our redeemer the Lord Iesus Christ vseth to offer and bestowe the grace of redemption remission of sinnes vppon the worlde and to communicate himselfe vnto vs his elect and to incorporate vs likewise into himselfe so to make vs indeed partakers of that saluation and life which we haue in him Therefore wee haue purposed briefly and plainely to declare vnto Gods church what our faith is concerning the same I. The gospell what it is Concerning the gospell therefore according to the signification receiued and vsed in the church we beleeue that it is nothing else but the heauenly doctrine concerning Christ preached by Christ himselfe and the Apostles and contained in the bookes of the newe Testament bringing the best and most gladsome tidings to the world namely that mankinde is redeemed by the death of Iesus Christ the onely begotten sonne of God so that there is prepared for al men Mat. 3.2 if they repent beleeue in Iesus Christ a free remission of al their sinns saluation and eternall life Wherefore it is fitlie called of the Apostle Eph. 1.13 The Gospell of our saluation II. The gospell was promised by the Prophets but published by the Apostles For albeit that this misterie euen from the first beginning of the world was reuealed vnto the fathers and that the Prophetes spake of the same yet that which they preached was rather Euangelical promises and those reserued among the Iewes then the gospell it selfe which was to be published to all nations sith they foretold of a thing which was to come but did not declare the thing present or that was past Rom. 1.2 1. Pet. 1.10 as the Apostle teacheth to the Romaines and Peter in his first epistle III. Aswell the fathers were saued by faith which they had in the promises concerning Christ the redeemer as wee which beleeue in the gospell Meane while we doubt not but aswell the fathers Rom. 4.3 who beleeued in those Euangelicall promises of Christ which was to come and should bruise the serpents head were saued Heb. 1.10 as we also by our faith in the gospell telling vs that Christ is come and that he hath redeemed the world are saued as the Apostle both in other places and in the epistle to the Romaines doth largely teach vs concerning Abraham to the Hebrues concerning all the other so that it is a foule blasphemy to say that only earthly matters were promised to the fathers and that they receiued onely such and not heauēlie as remission of sinnes and eternall life For looke what the gospell is vnto vs properly receiued the same were the Euangelicall promises to them Rom. 1.16 namely the power of God to saluation vnto euerie beleeuer IV. The doctrine of the gospell touching the substance is most auncient and eternall Whereby wee knowe that the doctrine of the gospell touching the substance thereof is not new but most auncient and preached vnto the Fathers euen from the worlds creation so as Iohn not vnfitly called the gospell Apo. 14.6 an euerlasting gospell V. The parts of the gospell how many and what Furthermore there ar three especial points in the gospell which wee are called vppon to performe Repentance towardes God Faith in our Lord Iesus Christ Act. 20.21 Mar. 1.4 Mat. 28.10 and a care to obserue whatsoeuer Iesus Christ hath willed and commaunded VI. A declaration of the former opinion The Gospell therefore which setteth out vnto vs Christ with the whole fauour and mercy of God with the purging forgiuenes of sinnes and with the whole saluation and eternall life
truely ioyned to him by the holie spirit and so to haue beleeued in god the father in his sonne Iesus Christ and in the holie ghost and to haue bin liuelie members of the holie church and to haue had communion withal the Saints and obtained forgiuenesse of their sinnes which the Lord also teacheth saying He will say to them which shal be on his right hand come yee blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the vvorld for I vvas hungrie and yee gaue me to eate c. II. A confirmation of the former opinion and that eternall life is not giuen for our owne works but for Christ in whom we are freely chosen blessed and made the children of god For by these wordes the Lord seemeth to haue declared vnto vs that our good workes are testimonies of our election blessing and adoption in Christ and so of our lawfull inheritance and that the cause whereby we shall obtaine eternall life and possession of the heauenly kingdome is partly because that ere the beginning of the world that is ere we had done any good thing that kingdome was freely prepared for vs in Christ partly because we were blessed of the father namely Eph. 1.3 with all spirituall blessing in Christ and therefore called by grace iustified forgiuen our offences and sanctified lastly because we were in the same Christ adopted the sonnes of God and â—â—nued or borne againe by his spirit therefore made coheirs with him of the kingdom which he plainly ment by the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by the right of inheritance possesse as sonnes VVhereas the Lord therefore shall recken vp the works of pietie he shall do it wee doubt not to this purpose that by them it may appeare to the whole world that wee were the truely blessed chosen iust children of God to whome the inheritance was due Rom. 8.17 the Apostle saying If sonnes then heires also but that wee are the sonnes of God is declared by our regeneration and regeneration by the effectes of regeneration which are called works of faith and pietie III. As the godlie shall haue eternall life so the paines and fire of the wicked shal bee eternall And as wee beleeue that the children of God shal obtaine eternall life so also we confesse that the hypocrites and all the wicked shall bee cast into the fire that neuer shal bee quenched and there bee tormented for euer Christ saying plainely Goe yee into euerlasting fire Mat. 25.42 IV. How happie that eternall life shal be it can neither be said nor thought But what and what manner of life it is and how great felicitie which is ment by the name of the heauenly kingdome wee doe with the Apostle freely confesse 1. Cor. 2.9 that neither eare hath heard nor hath it come into mans heart to conceiue for it is a matter greater and more excellent then can be comprehended in mans vnderstanding of such passing happines that nothing caÌ„ be wished more happie We therfore simply beleeue that we which are christs which are guided by his spirite which depend on his word which lastlie doe place but whole hope of saluation in him shall all bee most blessed Mat. 13.43 shall all shine as the sunne in the fight of god we shall all see God euen as he is 1. Cor. 13.12 we shall all liue a heauenlie and diuine life with Christ his Angells and be deliuered from all sinne from all misterie from all ill without any longer griefe without feare without lack or desire of any thing 1. Cor. 15.28 Apo. 22.3.4 because God shal bee all in all and wee shall behold his face And in that citie shal be no more night neither shall there neede any candell or sunne-light because the Lord shall giue vs light and wee shall raigne for euer and euer with Christ Iesus our head spouse Sauiour and our Lord to whome bee praise honor and glorie worlde without ende Amen Obseruations of the same Zanchius vppon his owne confession NOT few nor smale were the the occasions whereby I was induced rather to adioyne these mine obsernations to my confession it selfe then to alter anie thing therein contained Many there bee to whome it is not vnknowne vpon what occasion at what time at whose commaundement in whose names and for what purposes I euen against my will and constrained thereunto wrote this summe of christian doctrine For although there is no man but seeth that this coÌ„fession as was neuer looked for is published in their name for whose sakes it was written yet how this came to passe for what causes it was done all men do not know manie wondring at the deede yet ignorant of the true causes Hereuppon how diuerse suspitions many men might gather how diuerse iudgements might bee giuen of me and of the confession it selfe I say not of priuate men but euen of the whole congregations yea howe diuerse and sinister speaches might be throwne out among the vulgar sort who is it that perceiueth not I was therefore enforced before I dye to stoppe such sinister and false suspitions iudgementes and speaches concerning my doctrine That I thought could bee done by no better meanes then to publish a parte by it selfe both the confession euen as I write it and a part likewise my obseruations vppon the same wherein what so is darke is expounded and what so is doubtfull is confirmed so to leaue the iudgement of the whole matter together to all the true catholicke church I thought moreouer it would bee no little help to take away al suspicions of men if there be any conceiued if such iudgements as learned men haue giuen of my confessions I make knowne to all the godlie readers out of their owne letters especially sith by them it may well appeare vnto euerie man what were the causes why the confession came not forth in the same manner as was appointed One great learned man write vnto me concerning that matter in these words Whereas you write vnto me concerning your confession it hath beene read ouer both by me by N. and others with great pleasure which is written verie learnedly and with an exquisite methode and if you take out that same which you haue added in the ende concerning Arch-bishops and the hierarchie it pleaseth me passing well But whenas together with the brethren N.N. which are with vs we conferred about the way and meanes of an agreement among the churches of our confession to be begonne they all with one consent thought onely this to be the safest and speediest waye that the confessions of faith receiued and set forth by euerie of the churches in each prouince should bee composed and framed into one harmonie that they might bee alike touching the substance of faith all of them and each church embrace theÌ„ as their owne This their aduise sith they coÌ„mended to vs by many reasons we haue writteÌ„ vnto you
anie portion of gouerning and keeping the clergie is committed and also a watchfullnes and inquirie that there be none in this order vngarded or vnlooked vnto Thus farre Bucer not onely rehearsing but also commending the custome of the auncient church ordaining diuers orders of ecclesiasticall functions whereof we before spake I should also haue had consideration of those churches which albeit they imbrace the gospell of Christ Iesus yet they still retaine their bissiops and Archbishops both in deed and name What that in the churches euen of the protestants neither bishops indeed nor archbishops are wanting whome hauing turned the names out of good greeke into badd latine they call Superintendents and generall Superintendents yea there also where neither those old names in good greeke nor these newe in ill latine are vsed at all yet there are wont to bee some superior persons in whose hands is almost the whole authoritie The controuersie then hath beene about the names but seing wee agree about the thing why should wee cōtend about the names By the way as I did not disallow the Fathers in that matter whereuppon the question is so can I not but loue the zeale of our men which do therefore hate those names because they are afraide least with the names the old ambition and tirannie should bee brought in againe to the destruction of the church Aphorisme 12. For neither did Christ ordaine any such head neither would the fathers admit therof because it was not expedient for the church but contented themselues with the foure Patriarches of Rome Constantinople Antioch and Alexandria all which were of an equall authoritie and power and euery of them conteined within his owne bounds as also it was decreed in the coūcel at Nice cōfirmed in others that not without many very weightie causes whereof in my iudgement this was not one of the least least there should bee a doore set open to tirannie in the church but rather if that any one durst attempt any thing against the sound doctrin of Christ against the libertie of the church then the other archbishops with their bishops of no lesse authoritie might oppose themselues against him suppresse his insolencie and cut of his tiranny The church in respect of Christ is a kingdome in respect of men which are in it and ether rule or be ruled it is an Aristocracie Aphorisme 21. These be two questions farre differēt whether bishops may also be princes and princes bishopps keeping also their principalities in their hands and whether they which are both bishops and princes besids their ecclesiastical authoritie may also haue ciuill power ouer those that are their subiects and so whether their subiects must obey them as princes or not In my Aphorisme I spake not one word of the former question for it was not needful but onely of the latter Now who seeth not how I shewed by apparent demonstrations that princes must be wholly obeyed howsoeuer rightfullie or wrongfullie they bee made princes For why should not they that are subiects both to the princes and Archbishops of Colone Mentz and Treuers in matters that are not repugnant to christian pietie be obedient vnto them Surely it were meere sedition in them not to obey them And if to these why should not they also which are within the iurisdiction of the bishop of Rome in the same matters for the same cause obey him For there is one and the same reason of them all Of the former question as I saye I spake not at all neither purposed I nowe in this briefe confession to discourse thereof knowing that all are not herein of one opinion much may be said to and fro both wayes that place in the 20 of Mat. Yee know that the Lords of the Gentiles haue dominion ouer them and they that are great exercise authoritie ouer them But it shall not bee so among you some expound it one waye of the Apostles onely and ministers of the word others another waye of all Christs disciples and all christians An appendix to the eleuenth chap. Of Christ the redeemer or of the person of Christ THey which write that the essentiall proprieties of the diuine nature are reallie communicated to the humaine nature not that they be in the same either essentiallie and formally or subiectiuelie and habitually but onely by the reason and respect of the personall or Hypostaticall vnion for so they speake darkelie indeede and ambiguouslie when both they might and ought to speake plainer if they meane this in no other sense then as Vigilius writ and thought namely that the proprieties of the natures are made proper to Christ himselfe but are common to the natures betwixt themselues not in thēselues but in Christ that is in his person I will not surelie gainesay them neither do I thinke that any good or learned man will gainesay them For Vigilius according to the catholick churches doctrine speaking out of the councell at Calcedon said and declared that the proprieties of the humaine nature were made commō to the diuine in the verie same sense that the diuine are also saide to bee communicated to the humaine But now these proprieties of the humanitie as to suffer or to die are so communicated to the deitie that for all that yet the verie deitie is not made in verie deede passible or mortall the cause whereof Vigilius setteth downe to be this namelie because to die and to suffer are not made common to the deitie but onely in the person so that they can not truely be said but of the humaine nature by it selfe and of the person in respect of the humaine nature Wherefore we must euen so thinke and saye altogether of the communication of the diuine proprieties Vigilius owne wordes bee these booke 5. chap. 2. And now sith out intention is chiefly bent against those which following the error of one nature doe with a willfull obstinacie resist the decree of the Calcedon councell I thinke it not amisse for the remoouing of their vaine contradictions and beating to peeces their glassie opinions with the mallett of truth to rehearse some fewe things concerning the humaine nature of the sonne of God which they euerie waye denie to be in him and to shew what want of christianity is in them and how farre of they bee from the hope of euerlasting life It is a rule of the catholick faith to confesse one and the same Lord Iesus Christ as true God so also true man one of them both not two into one the same without all time borne of the father the same in time borne of the virgine so that each of these births do so hold on Christ that he suffred not any losse in either retaining in himself that was proper to him both waies that is that the nature of the word should not be chaūged in the flesh the nature of the flesh was not swallowed vpp in the word Hereuppon the same Lord Iesus Christ
is true God and the same true man existing vnspeakably of two natures vnited together in one person in the virgines wombe which natures seing that in this wonderfull covnion they are not abolished in him to shew a plaine extance and appearance of the proprietie of them both in himselfe being one he did and spake thinges belonging to both not deuiding the wordes nor parting the aspects nor seperating his deeds but he himself being one speaking and doing in himself and by both that which was agreeable and was proper to both natures And to make it more plaine which we haue said let vs vse an example as thus I my selfe am hee which with my bodilie eyes doe behold a white colour or a blacke and againe I am hee which by sight of my minde doe iudge of the euill of iniquitie and the good of righteousnesse yet notwithstāding I am not now diuers persons because I doe both these in a diuerse respect For I doe not see the difference of coulours with the same eyes with which I see the diuersitie of speaches and yet I am the verie same which doe this both the wayes both are in me not to see righteousnesse but onely with the eyes of my minde and it is in me not to see colours but onely with the eyes of my flesh and it is in me not to heare wordes with my eyes and in me not to see light with my eares in me not to iudge of tastes with my nose and in me not to perceiue smelling at my mouth And whereas it is wholly mine owne proprietie in my selfe to see to heare to smel to taste and yet it is one thing in me whereby I see another whereby I heare another wherby I taste or smell and all this being in me wholly and yet in a certaine priuate respect deuided and diuers I my selfe notwithstāding cannot be deuided or seperated So therefore Christ himselfe also being one and the same created and not created hauing beginning being without beginning growing in age vnderstanding and receiuing no increase of age and vnderstanding suffering death not yeelding to the lawes of death receiuing honor for his desert yet hauing need of no mās honor and al these things being diuers in him yet are meerely proper vnto himselfe And therfore he diuideth not in himself the words affects and deedes agreeable both wayes in himselfe because both are properly his owne yet hauing one proprietie by the nature of the word which remaining God he lost not and another by the nature of the flesh which being made man hee receiued Wee will yet speake more to confirme more plainely this one nature for their sakes which through their vnsaide skilfullnesse not vnderstanding the proprietie and communion of the natures howe it is said to be in Christ do abuse and vtterly refuse the same words It is diuerse and another thing not to haue beginning and to subsist by a beginning to die and not to bee able to suffer yet as they are both proper vnto Christ so are they both common not vnto him but in him For if wee say common vnto him we must needs bee vrged and driuen to giue and shew some other with whom the same should be common vnto him which necessity of instance cannot but incline to the impious opinion of Nestorius We therfore better and more catholically saye it is common in him and not to him and so wee say better it is proper to him and not in him Therefore it is proper to him to dye by the nature of his flesh which is mortall and it is proper to him not to dye by the nature of the vvord which cannot dye Likewise by that vnspeakable misterie of the vnion of both the natures the mortallitie of the flesh was common in him to the nature of the vvord which could not dye and the immortalitie of the vvorde was common in him to the nature of the flesh which yeelded to death Therefore as it is proper vnto him in respect of both natures to dye and not to dye so it is common in him in both natures to doe that which is their proprietie and as I maye for example sake say it is proper to me to carry the marke of the blacknesse of a stroakein my bodie by the nature of my flesh so it is proper to me to carrie the stripe of a word that is of some hard speach in my minde by the nature of my soule and it is also proper to me not to carrie the same stripe of wordes in my bodie by the nature of my flesh And sith both these are proper to me and both of them different from my bodie and from my soule because neither my bodie vnderstandeth anie hard or any pleasing speaches neither can my soule be made blacke by the stroake of a whipp yet both these are common in my selfe both to my soule and to my body because neither my soule placed out of my bodie doth feele that which is proper to it to feele nor my bodie without the companie of my soule can carrie the marks of the blowes That therefore which is proper vnto me in either of them and yer different from neither of them that is common in my whole selfe to either of them which is proper to either of them And yet I am the verie same in them both being both of them common in me and I am the very same in either of them being both proper to me This saith Vigilius What can more fittly be said for the deciding of this present controuersie of the reall communication of the proprieties For this whole treatise of Vigilius is resolued into these speciall propositions pertaining to our cause For setting first downe a rule of the catholicke faith which in the text is marked with the letter A then from the same hee draweth certaine positions by which he manifestly confuteth the heresie of Eutyches The summe of that rule of faith is this that one and the same Christ is God and man both natures are kept whole in him Out of this rule Vigilius gathered these positions 1 The Lord Iesus Christ is the same true God and the same true man The reason for he existeth of two natures the diuine and the humaine vnspeakablie ioyned and vnited together in one person and that in the virgins wombe This is against Nestorius against Eutyches is added another position 2 These natures in that wonderfull covnion are not abolished in Christ The confirmation followeth by the life of Christ because the Lord Iesus both by his sayings and deeds did shew that the proprieties of both the natures remained safe and whole in him therefore he addeth 3 To she we an extancie that is an existence of the proprieties of them both in himselfe being one namely that the proprieties of both the natures did exist distinct in him he spake and did things of both natures himselfe being one This is also against Eutyches But how namely so that
according to the determinations of the fathers of elder times haue euer no lesse prosperously then faithfully defended the truth of christian religion and preserued the same soundly confirmed in the church To which purpose tend the wordes which they vse in their owne determinations We therefore euery vvhere following the determinations of the old fathers and their rule doe also determine the same c. Nothing then is more safe then that euery man keepe himselfe within these churches as in citties well fensed wherein the holy scriptures are expounded according to the analogie or rules of faith and according to the receiued expositions of the auncient fathers and consequently which hold the same faith that the Apostles did and all the auncient church I haue spoken of the first duety of a christian man which desireth to keep himselfe and his family safe from his enemies vnto euerlasting life namely that he must retire himselfe into the defensed citties of Christs kingdome and there constantly abide vntill that at the last all enemies being put to flight by the glorious comming of our king we may be safe and free in all places But without prouision of vitalls who can long maintaine his life our victual or sustenāce is the daily hearing reading and meditation of Gods word and the receiuing of the holy supper at appointed times For by both these wee are nourished streng thened and we liue that through Christ our life whome they offer and giue vnto vs. He which eateth this bread takē either by the word or by the sacraments shall neuer die In the Acts Christs disciples continued in the Apostles doctrine and in breaking of bread that is in their common loue-feastes in which the Lords supper vsed to be celebrated And such heauēly victuals are seeldome wāting in well defensed citties yet except thou eatest and drinkest and by that meanes preseruest thy life what good will it do thee to be in a defensed cittie Thou must therefore frequent sermons and receiue the sacraments and imploye thy selfe in reading the holy scriptures 3 It is very needefull also that continuall praiers both publike and priuate bee made vnto God wherein we must aske those things which the Lord Iesus hath commanded to be asked of his father namely al things which pertaine aswell to his glorie as to our owne and our neighbors saluation and that he would defend vs from all kinds of enemies and keep vs safe in the trueth In the day of tribulation shalt thou call vpon me saieth the Lord. And is not then chiefly the day of affliction when heresies do ouerspread and tyrants persecute the truth Then therefore chiefly is God to bee called vpon and that by faith And therefore the Apostle Paule saieth Pray ye vvithout ceasing and Christ Iesus yee must praye alvvaies and not bee vvearie And he that thus prayeth and prayeth by faith howe should he not obtaine wherefore God addeth by his Prophet And I vvill he are thee Aske and yee shall receiue said also the Lord Iesus Christ seeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you 4 But how can it be that men should there liue happily and the cittie be preserued where the cittizens among themselues keep no friendship therefore brotherly loue peace and concord must bee kept then which nothing is sweeter nothing more pleasing to God and nothing can be more profitable for preseruation of the church as contrariewise there is no thing by which churches and all societies are sooner brought to ruine then enuie then hatred then grudgings then enmities then dissentions then domesticall fallinges out Doubtlesse there is no faith where charity hath not place sith true faith as the Apostle witnesseth worketh by charitie And brotherly loue hath euer bin a marke of true christians Christ himselfe saying By this shall men know that yee are my disciples if yee haue loue one vvith another This do the Acts of the Apostles teach vs where Luke saith of the faithfull they had one minde and one heart namely in the Lord. And Tertullian reporteth in Apolog. cap. 39. that the Romanes were wont to say of the christians marke hovv they loue one another For by this brotherly loue as by the true badge of christian religion they would haue christians discerned from them that were no christians 5 Further more how necessary the care of health is to all the cittizens liuing in such a citty to defend them and theirs and so the whole cittie against the enemies was said a little before By this spirituall health I meane a good conscience which as it springeth from faith so also it preserueth faith that it cannot quite decay euē as the life of the body bringeth forth health and health preserueth the body in life Euerie one therefore must be carefull that he keepe a good cōscience But by what meanes is it kept 1. after a due sorrow by a sure trust of the free forgiuenes of our sinnes which we haue committed through Christ Next by a true amendment of life that is an earnest studie of auoiding sinnes afterward and keeping the commandements of god lastly by a firme purpose if by infirmitie we do fal to rise againe and to flie vnto Christ for pardon By this meanes shall wee alwaies hold fast a good conscience He that in this sort constantly looketh vnto his health let him assuredly know that the Lord will neuer suffer him that he shall die at all that is that hee shall euer erre and goe astray vnto his last ende in that doctrine which is necessary to his saluation For the Apostle saith to Timothie keepe faith and a good conscience which while some haue cast aside they haue made shipwrack concerning faith that is the doctrine of faith They therefore which keepe fast a good conscience shall neuer make a deadly shipwrack of the doctrine necessary to saluation Seing God by his grace indueth them as with the treasure of a good conscience so also with a perseuerance in the faith and with a heauenly gift of doctrine The safest thing therefore both at all times and especially in this diuersitie of religions is by cōtinuing in the churches where the pure word of God is preached and the assured foundations of the faith according to the expositions of the fathers are retained to imploye our selues in hearing the word of God and receiuing the sacraments to call vpon God to haue friendship with our brethren and to keep a good conscience to our selues 6 But vnto all these things how necessarie watchfulnesse is who vnlesse he bee vtterly vnskilfull in all things knowes not where there is nothing at all to be feared as in heauen there is also no need of watchfulnesse but they may and they ought to liue in great securitie But where there want no theeues robbers intrappers flatterers couseners traytors enemies and where all things are full of trecheries there howe pernicious and daungerous securitie and retchlesnesse is who is he that knoweth not
election of the Saintes by free gift For as the calling vnto Christ and iustification in Christ is wholie of free gift Eph. 2.9 Tit. 3.5 and not of our owne vvorkes so likewise we vnderstand that the whole praedestination of Saintes is freelie giuen Eph. 1.4 Rom. 9.11 1. Cor. 1.31 because it is wrought in Christ and for Christ is put in execution that no man might glorie in himselfe but he vvhich glorieth should glorie in the Lord. V. We are pradestinate not onely to the ende but also to the meanes Whereuppon wee also beleeue sith God hath chosen vs in Christ that wee might bee faithfull holie vnblameable in his sight that wee are praedestinated not onely to the ende that is to eternall life and glorie but also to the meanes by which wee attaine vnto the ende and chieflie vnto faith whereby wee are ingrafted into Christ and to regeneration and true repentance 2. Cor. 5.17 Gal. 6.15 Mat. 5.16 whereby being made new creatures in Christ we might liue holilie to his glory and edification of our neighbour VI. They bee not elect neither can they bee saued vvhich are neuer grafted into Christ by his spirite and true faith They therefore are shamefully deceiued to their owne destruction which perswade themselues they are elect Tit. 1.16 Eph. 2.10 and therefore shall be saued although they bee not grafted into Christ by faith nor repent them of their sinns nor regard the will of God or to doe anie good workes For they separate that which god will haue ioyned together VII Euerie one ought stedfastlie to beleeue he is â—lect in Christ yet we may be more assured by the feeling of our faith in Christ Hence it is manifest although no man in generall ought to exempt himselfe out of the number of the elect sith the Scripture doeth not so but rather stedfastlie to trust that when he is called to Christ he is called according to the eternall decree and election of God 2. Cor. 13.5 yet if any man will be more assured of his certaine election he must runne to his faith and the witnes of his conscience whether he perceiue that he truely beleeueth in Christ and whether he carrie a sincere loue towards god and his neighbour Yea if he finde himselfe herein not altogether soundlie and throughlie setled yet let him not desparre but desire of god that he will helpe his vnbeleefe hoping that he may in time be better assured Mat. 9.24 VIII The causes why the doctrine of predestination is deliuered in the Scriptures For neither is the doctrine of the eternall free and vnchangeable predestination deliuered in the holie scriptures that we should neglect Christ or despaire of saluation or with securitie let loose the raines to our concupiscence or growe insolent but contrariewise for these especiall causes Act. 4.12 2. Tim. 2.19 First that wee may knowe that without Christ none can be saued sith the foundation of our whole saluation was fastened and laide in him before the world was made Then that in time of our temptations wee which beleeue in Christ should strengthen our selues by the certainetie of our saluation Rom. 8. and so neither dispaire nor distrust knowing the same to be certaine and sure in the eternall decree of god Thirdlie that thereby wee might be stirred vp to the studie of faith in Christ of holinesse and of good works Eph. 1.4 2.10 sith we are chosen that we should be faithfull and holie and blamelesse in his sight and walke in good works Lastlie that wee growe not proude if we trust in Christ and liue godlie in Christ and that he which glorieth may glorie in the Lord 1. Cor. 1.13 sith god through his grace did from the beginning decree in Christ that we should be such CHAP. IV. Of the omnipotencie and will of God I. So is god omnipotent that he is able to doe more then he will doe VVE beleeue that God is so omnipotent that he not onely hath done doeth whatsoeuer he would will but also he is able to will and to doe infinite works which he wil not following also herein the doctrine of Iohn who said Mat. 3.9 God is able of these stones to raise vp children vnro Abraham which yet he would not doe and also the opinion of the Apostle who writt Ro. 9.15.18 that God will haue mercie on whom he vvill whenas he could haue mercie on all and he will harden not all Turt con Prax. as hee could but those vvhome he vvill so that it is verie impious to conclude anie thing to haue beene done to bee done or shall bee done of the onely omnipotencie of God wherein his will is not also reuealed II. Jt infringeth not the omnipotencie of god that certaine things can not be done by him Where the Apostle writeth that god can not denie himselfe we holde that there is no iniurie done against the omnipotencie of God if a maÌ„ say there are manie thinges which cannot bee done by god namely such thinges as are repugnant to the nature of god and do implie a contradiction III. A confirmation of the former assertion For he being the chiefest good he can neither be made euill nor can doe ill and beeing trueth it felfe he cannot lie being iustice it selfe he cannot doe vniustlie beeing life it selfe how should he die Finallie being onely one god and that vncreated and eternall subsisting only in three persons we beleeue and confesse that he can not so take anie creature to himselfe to make the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consubstantiall to himselfe and wholie such as he himselfe is or constitute a fourth person and wee are perswaded that nothing is drawne or taken away from the omnipotencie of god by this confession yea surely whatsoeuer is alreadie done it cannot be that the same should not haue bin done so that it is certaine that what so implieth a contradiction the same cannot bee done by God who is the especiall trueth it self For by this reason euen the omnipotencie of God whereby they were done should be apparentlie denied IV. The will of god to be searched for onely in the holie scriptures Furthermore sith the counsells of god are infinite and secret which he reuealeth not to the Angells themselues wee hold Mar. 13.32 that when there is anie question concerning the will of God the same is not to bee sought for in anie other place then in the holie scriptures wheras whatsoeuer thinges were necessarie to our saluation Ioh. 15.15 17.29 god hath plentifullie and perspicuouslie laide open vnto vs and whatsoeuer he would haue vs to doe he hath of his singular goodnesse reuealed vnto vs by his spirite CHAP. V. Of the creation of the worlde of Angells and of mans first estate I. All things were made by god Gen. 1. 2. and that exceeding good WE beleeue that God the Father Col. 1.16 by the
ignorant of nothing he is able to do all those things which pertaine to his office yea and such things as cannot bee performed of anie created substance but onelie of God himselfe may bee done by him by the power of his deitie yet his humaine wil alwaies working therewithal euermore by consent and as it were by desire so that in all the actions of Christ as he is God pertaining to our saluation alwaies his soule in some sorte ioyneth it selfe thereunto by loue by desire and will as also in all things which he did as man the deitie was alwaies concurrent yea euen in his death and passion not that the deitie suffred but that it willed both the passion and death of Christ and added to his passion and death an infinite power euen to cleanse vs of our sinnes To conclude concerning the two natures in Christ and the vnion and proprieties of them wee beleeue whatsoeuer hath bin determined in the Nycene Constantinopolitane Ephesian and Calcedonian counscels against Arrius Apollinaris Nestorius and Eutyches and in the sixt Synode against the Monothelites XIII Tvvo kindes of actions in Christ and all those things which we read that he did suffred were done indeede according to the trueth of the matter and not after a vaine shew or illusion Now from the person of Christ and his natures and the vnion of the natures to passe ouer peculiarly to his actions and his office First we beleeue that as there are two true natures in Christ whereof each hath had and hath her true and essentiall proprieties coupled together euen as the natures are also vnited but not confounded together so there are two kinds of actions which our Lord Iesus Christ is said partlie to haue performed and partlie wil yet performe for our saluatiō some wherof proceed from his deitie and some from his humanitie and the same partlie haue bin partly are so ioyned together and yet distinct that each of their formes as Leo speaketh alwaies worketh with communiō of the other The word performing those thinges which are of the worde and the flesh those thinges which pertaine to the flesh Moreouer as those thinges which Christ did and doeth by vertue of his diuine nature were true and not fained deeds for he truelie reconciled vs to his father he truelie forgiueth sinnes truely sanctifieth and regenerateth So whatsoeuer we read that he did or suffred for vs according to his humanitie wee beleeue that he did and suffred all those things truelie and indeed and not onelie in a vaine shew and as some speak an appearance onelie XIIII A declaration of the former opinion Wee beleeue therefore that Christ as hee was truelie conceiued of the seede of Dauid and truelie borne true man and did truelie eate drink performe other humaine deeds so also that he truelie kept the law for vs 1. Pet. 4.1 Luc. 24.36 that he truely suffred in the flesh and died and rose againe from the dead in the same flesh and ascended with his visible palpable humain bodie circumscribed with true and certaine dimensions into the true and created heauen placed aboue all these visible heauens Act. 3.21 and ther of his free wil worketh abideth til such time as hee returne againe in the same visible body truely from heauen to iudge the quick and the dead and that he truely desireth our saluation in heauen and hath a care ouer vs his spirituall and liuelie motion and feeling worketh in vs Eph. 1.22 4.16 as his members and lastly that he gouerneth the whole church XV. The fruites of the obedience passion death and resurrection of Christ And wee beleeue that Christ by his perfect obedience deserued eternal life not only for himselfe but also for vs by his passion death he satisfied for our sinns in his flesh he redeemed vs out of the hands of Satan the tirannie of death and the bondage of sinne he reconciled vs to God in himselfe and made vs his beloued that in him wee might bee deemed righteous with the father and by his resurrection and ascension into heauen hee obtained also for vs both the resurrections Apo. 20.5 as Iohn speaketh the first and the latter and that in our name he tooke vnto himselfe possession of the heauenlie in heritance Eph. 1.20 and sitteth at the right hand of God that is hath taken to himselfe power ouer all things in heauen and in earth So that in asmuch as he is our Mediatour and is man he hath obtained of his father the secōd place is appointed head of the church aswel which is in heauen as which is on earth that from him and euen from his flesh is conuaied by his holie spirite whatsoeuer pertaineth to the quickning and to the spirituall life of vs to all those which as members are fastened vnto him their head And therefore wee acknowledge beleeue confesse that in Christ alone is placed our whole saluation redemption iustice fauour of God and eternall life 1. Cor. 1.30 according to that saying VVho of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification redemption Also be is our peace Also Eph. 2.14 Ier. 23.6 Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.19 1. Ioh. 5.11 Iehouah our righteousnesse In him vvee haue redemption by his blood forgiuenesse of sinnes Also it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell Also life is in his Sonne And therefore we know that the promise concerning redemption which was made vnto the first man did receiue accomplishment in this other man Iesus Christ so that whosoeuer will bee made partaker of it he must needs be ioyned to his head Christ be made a member of him For we haue redemption and saluation not onelie by him as a Mediatour but also in him as our head This is our faith cōcerning Christ the redeemer his person natures and office and the saluation of mankinde fulfilled and laide vp in him XVI Errors Therefore we condemne all aswell the ancient as later heriticks which euer taught or teach the cōtrarie Arrius Photinus namelie Seruetus and all other vngodlie men of that crewe which denie the true deitie of Christ the Cerdonians the Marcionits the Valentinians the Maniches the Priscillianits the Apollinarists and the rest which do oppugne the true humanitie of Christ some denying that Christ came in the flesh and that hee had true flesh and doe contend that he brought a phantasticall bodie from heauen or that hee was conceiued of the elementes and not of the seede of Abraham and that hee was not borne of a woman others graunting him indeede a true humaine flesh but yet depriuing him of a reasonable soule and substituting his deitie in place of his soule Also the Neitorians which denied the true vnion of the humaine nature with the person of the Sonne did set downe two persons in Christ and two Sonnes the Sonne of God and the Sonne of man We likewise condemne the
Eutychians which on the contrary side as Christ is but one onelie person so they leaue him but one nature onelie namelie the diuine teaching that the humaine nature which he assumed either is wholy turned into the diuine or els so mingled and confounded with the diuine that they make no difference at al in him between the proprieties and actions of his diuine and humaine natures Wee condemne also those which haue proceeded from the former as Macarius with his followers which make but one onelie will in Christ namelie the diuine and therefore admit no proper action at al of the humane wil in Christ We condemne likewise the Cerdonians also in this pointe that they said Christ did not truelie suffer nor was truelie dead but that he fained a suffring or as some heritiks say he suffred and died putatiuelie and therefore with these we also cōdēne all which taught or teach the like things as namelie that Christ rose not againe truelie in the same flesh wherein he died but in another of a diuerse nature or else that if he rose in the same yet that he did not truelie ascend into heauen and carrie the same into heauen and chaunge the place of it Wee also also with Hierome Cyrill and other of the fathers condemne the Originists and their like who taught that Christ rose againe with a bodie like vnto a spirite most subtill and in it owne nature inuisible and not subiect to the senses all those likewise as Iewes and Turkes which denie that the worlde is redeemed by the benefite of Christes death Also all those lastlie which goe about to proue our saluation to be grounded vppon any other thing either in parte or altogether then onelie in Christ and blasphemouslie doe auouch that sinnes may bee expiate or remitted by anie other sacrifices then that one sacrifice of Christ onelie For wee acknowledge one onelie redeemer Iesus Christ without whome as there is no true God so no true saluation and one onely sacrifice the oblation or offring wherof being once made not onelie all the sinnes of the elect were once washed awaie in the person of Christ but also beeing yet continuallie washed away euen vnto the ende of the world are remitted to them that beleeue CHAP. XII Of the true dispensation of the Redemption the saluation life which is laid vp in Christ alone and therefore of the necessarie vniting and participation vvith Christ I. Saluation and eternall lise is laid in Christ that from him it may bee communicated to be WE beleeue that euen as the sinne of Adam and death which followed the same remained not in Adam alone but from him as from the head of all mankinde it did and doth flow into all men which by a common generation haue bin and are borne of him so likewise that the righteousnesse of Christ and the eternall life due vnto him is not holden in Christ alone but is deriued into all those who by the regeneration of the holie spirite are made one with him and as true members are ioyned vnto him as head of the whole church and that to this ende and purpose Christ came in the flesh and that all our saluation and life consisteth in him as in our head that it may indeed be bestowed and communicated vppon all the elect of God which are vnited vnto him II. The grace of redemption and saluation is offred vnto all men but indeed is not communicated but to the elect who are made one vvith Christ For we beleeue Mar. 16.15 16 that although the grace of redemption saluation and eternall life which God bestoweth be earnestly propounded and offered vnto all men by the preaching of the gospell for that very manie are not made partakers of the same it is through their owne fault yet is it not indeed communicated but vnto those who beeing from the beginning chosen and predestinate vnto it in Christ as in the head of all the elect that they should bee his members and so made partakers of saluation were afterwards in their time called by the gospell indued with faith and so grafted into Christ and made one with him III. To the true participation of eternall life howe necessarie this true vnion or communion is with Christ For euen as the braunch can draw no liuelie sapp from the vine Ioh. 15.1.2.3.4.5.6.7 nor the bough from the tree nor the members anie motion sence or life from the head vnlesse they be ioyned to the vine tree and these to the head euen so cannot men receiue anie saluation or life from Christ in whome onelie it consisteth vnlesse they be grafted into him coupled in a true and reall vnion and being coupled doe abide in him IV. That we cannot be vnited vnto Christ vnlesse he first vnite himselfe to vs. Sith therefore the whole participation of true righteousnes saluation and life hangeth and dependeth vppon this most necessary cōmunion with Christ and vnto the same is referred both the preaching of the gospell and administration of both the Sacraments yea the whole Ecclesiasticall ministrie Therefore what our faith cōcerning the same is we purpose to declare witnes to the whole church as brieflie and plainelie as may be in certaine assertiōs or positions which after follow Of the communitie with Christ 1. Ioh. 4.10 And first we beleeue that as we therefore loue Christ as Iohn saith because he first loued vs. we come vnto him by our spirite because he came first vnto vs by his and therefore wee imbrace him by faith because he first by vertue of his spirite imbracing vs stirreth vs vp to faith so we also can by no meanes cleaue and bee vnited vnto him vnlesse he first doe ioyne and vnite himselfe vnto vs. For the one is the cause of the other the first of the latter Wherefore we must pray vnto him Ioh. 14.23 that he will come vnto vs and make his abode with vs. V. How many fold is the vnion of Christ with vs and of vs with Christ and how they are ordered in themselues We acknowledge furthermore this coniunction of Christ with vs and likewise of vs with Christ to bee threefold one which was once made in our nature another which is dailie made in the persons of the elect which yet goe astraie from the Lord and the last which shall be likewise with the Lord in our persons when they shall be present with him namelie when God shall be all in vs all And the first is referred to the second the second to the third euē as nature is ordained to grace and grace to glory For the first is also made by assuming of our nature into the vnitie of the person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the word The second is made by assuming of our persons into grace and into one misticall bodie with him and as Peter speaketh into participation of his diuine nature The third shall likewise bee made by assuming of vs
laid vp in him requireth onely these three things First that being touched with an earnest griefe of our whole life ledd amisse wee might desire from our heart to haue our mindes and so all our affections chaunged renued into the obedience of the diuine will and that we might earnestly pray and doe our best endeuour that it might be so Secondlie that imbracing Christ by a true faith withall his treasures wee might beleeue firmely and without any wauering that all our sinnes are for euer pardoned of the fauour and mercie of god through Christ alone and we receiued into grace made the children of God and heires of euerlasting life Lastly that beeing thus perswaded of the free and eternall saluation through Iesus Christ wee should thence foreward labour by all meanes to obserue whatsoeuer Christ hath commaunded to the glorie of God and profite of our neighbour so as faith do euermore accompanie vs to the ende whereby we beleeue that howsoeuer in this new obedience we err or do offend yet for Christs sake it shall not be imputed to vs but contrariewise by the perfect obedience iustice and holinesse of christ imputed vnto vs our imperfect obedience shal be perfected and shal be taken and reputed for most perfect in the sight of God And to three thinges are all the preceptes of christ referred namely that renouncing all vngodlines worldly desires wee should liue in this world in respect of our selues soberlie in respect of our neighbour iustly in respect of God godlie Tit. 2.12 looking for that blessed hope and the comming of the glorie of the great God This wee beleeue to bee the summe of those thinges which christ requireth of vs in the doctrine of the gospell and therefore that they bee true gospellers and christians indeede that bende their whole studie and care hereunto VII Jn what thinges especially the Gospell differeth from the Law And nowe of that which is alreadie saide it appeareth that we do not confound the Law with the Gospell For albeit wee confesse that God is author aswel of the Law as of the gospell and that of it selfe it is as well holie iust Exo. 20 and good as the gospell Rom. 7.12 yet we hold that ther is no smale difference betwixt them both not onely because the Lawe was deliuered to the Israelites alone and the gospell pertaineth to al people and nations and also not onely because that was for a time and to continue but till christ and the gospell is euerlasting and also not onely because that was deliuered by Moses and declared by the Prophets and the gospell was brought by christ and published to the whole world by the Apostles But indeed and most especially for these causes First because the matter of the law is onely commandementes with irreuocable curses thereunto ioyned if they bee broken neuer so little It hath also promises not onely of earthlie but also of heauenly blessings but al of them with the condition of perfect obedience and none merely free But the gospell is properly a happie message setting before vs gratis christ the redeemer forgiuing sinnes and sauing vs yea and requiring nothing at our handes for the obtaining of life euerlasting but a true faith in christ which faith cannot bee without true repentance nor without a care to doe the will of God that is to liue so berly iustly and godly as is aboue declared Moreouer because the law did not performe that which it required nether had it power whereby to saue therefore was vnsufficient and a killing letter the minister of wrath and death more prouoking then taking away sin But the Gospell what it requireth the same it performeth and therefore whatsoeuer it offereth the same also it truely imparteth vnto vs For as much as the holy ghost is by it powerful in the elect at the preaching of the Gospell stirring vp in them that true faith wherby they apprehend christ offred and with him eternall life For faith is by hearing of the Gospell Rom. 10.17 but obedience is not by hearing of the Lawe because the holie spirite giueth no man strength to the hearing of the Lawe by which hee might obserue the same as he stirreth vp faith in the elect to the hearing of the gospell For which cause as the Lawe is called a killing letter so is the Gospell called a quickning spirite and therefore is a true and forcible instrument to saluation vnto euerie beleeuer Whereon also followeth the third difference namely that the Law was not written in their hearts but remained written onely in tables and therfore did not chaunge men But the Gospell is written by the holie ghost in the hearts of the elect therefore it chaungeth and renueth them 2. Cor. 3.18 because it is the instrument of the holie ghost to sanctifie and to saue vs. VIII The Law of Moses is partly taken away and partly not taken away by the Gospell Of this which we haue said it also plainelie appeareth what our faith is of the abrogation of the law by the gospell First wee beleeue that in the gospell so farre forth as it declareth all things which in the old Testament did figuratiuely foreshew of Christ to bee fullfilled in this Iesus as is saide before in the 11. chapter we are taught that the law of Moses concerning cerimonies sacrifices and all Moses outward worship are simply abrogated according to that saying of the Apostle Heb. 9.10 Ioh. 1.17 that all these things vvere inioyned vntill the time of reformation and that The Law was giuen by Moses but the trueth came by Jesus Christ Moreouer so farre forth as the gospell is the instrument of the holy spirit whereby we are ingrafted and vnited to Christ made partakers of redēption and saluation as is said before in the 12. chapter So far also we confesse that the morall law touching the cursse against the transgressors is abrogated by the gospell of Christ according to that of the Apostle Rom. 8.1 There is no condēnation to them that are in Iesus Christ where of this is a token that they walke not after the flesh but after the spirit But now so farre forth as the doctrine of the Gospell requireth our repentance and the holinesse of life and that we liue soberly righteously and godly therein it taketh not away the law concerning māners for it is wholy consonant and agreeable with the doctrine of the gospel of eschewing vices and following vertue Lastlye in as much as Christ in his gospel did not take away the politicke lawes of the nations which were not contrarie to the law of nature Therefore wee thinke it lawfull and free for any gouernors to bringe among their subiectes such politick lawes as were deliuered to the people of Israell and by the same then which none are more iust to rule and gouerne the people Therefore they do exceeding great iniurie to the Gospell of Christ that saye it troubleth or
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
therefore wee cannot without sacriledge affirme that it passeth properly that by the mouth into our bodies And to what ende also as the sacrament of bread is giuē without wine the wine without bread so in the supper the bodie is giuen without blood and the blood seuerally without the bodie but that wee might know that these his owne substances as they are properly in heauen doe not passe through our mouthes but are receiued onely by a faithfull remēbrance effectually stirred vp by the holy ghost For this did the Lord himselfe require saying doe this in remembrance of me and in saying This is my bodie which is giuen for you For in speaking thus he required in them faith whereby they might beleeue this and beleeuing might eate that is might apply it vnto themselues for the food and life of their soules Wherefore wee hold assuredly that they eate the flesh of Christ truely and not by an imagination who beleeuing that it was giuen vnto death for the cleansing of their sinnes doe with a faithfull minde imbrace the same for such a sacrifice applie it vnto themselues And they which thus eate the bodie of Christ as dead wee doubt not but they are more and more ioyned to the now liuing quickning bodie of him according to his owne promise Ioh. 6.56 who first said He which eateth my flesh and afterward added abideth in me and I in him XII The opinion of the corporall eating to be reiected as vaine and vnproffitable Moreouer sith this manner of eating the flesh of Christ namely by faith is both sure and profitable to saluation And the other namely of eating it with the bodilie mouth cannot be prooued out of the holy scripturs and admit that somewhat might probably be alleadged for it yet it is not necessarie nor cā any thing at all profite the soule but bringeth with it into the church many mischiefes monstrous herisies idolatries stirres schismes dissolution of congregations yea makes christian religion to be a scorne and derision to infidells we therefore beleeue that piety willeth al of vs contenting our selues with that kinde of eating which in the supper is made by faith and by the spirite wee should not regard the other kinde but bidding it farewel we should reuerently imbrace brotherly charitie and peace to which ende also the supper was instituted Nether indeed cā the vse of those kinde of speaches be suffred in any other sense then in this as we vse to saye that what we vnderstand by hearing the words with our eares the same we learne by our eares But to bring in phrases not vsed in the scriptures especiallie such as bee not onely vnprofitable but also pernitious hurtfull wee thinke it altogether vnlawfull XIII That there is a true presence of Christ in the supper but it is spirituall Now by this which we haue saide both of the true vnion and the true eating it may easilie be seene what wee ought to beleeue of the true presence Wee hold therefore that if we be truely and indeed vnited with Christ so with his flesh and blood and if we truely eate his flesh and drinke his blood then the same Christ not onely in his deitie but also in his flesh and blood is present vnto them that are vnited vnto him and do eare his flesh and drinke his blood For what can be more present to thee then that which thou eatest and drinkest and to which thou in thine owne substance art coupled and from which as from thy head life and motion is imparted to thee as into a member XIV Such as the vnion and eating is such is the presence namely spirituall But as both the vnion and the eating are made by the spirite and by faith so also wee beleeue and haue beene taught that the presence is no other then spirituall and is in men that are indued with the spirite of god with faith and therefore that this kinde of presence cannot bee letted by any distance of place though neuer so great XV. A thing is present or absent so farre forth as the same is perceiued or not perceiued For neither the neerenesse nor the farnesse of the places maketh a thing to be present or absent but the participation or not participation of the same thing The sunne though it be verie farre distant from vs yet it is said to bee present and it is truely said to be in our eyes when as we are made partakers of it Againe it is absent whē as either ouershadowed with cloudes Aug. ad vol. Epi. 3. Col. 10. or gone into the other hemispheare we cannot see it To a man starke blinde the light thereof is neuer present though it shine euen into his eyes as likewise excellent musicke to one that is deafe or the sweetenes of an oration to an vnlearned man God is also said to be farre from the vngodlie because he is not perceiued of them by faith whenas notwithstanding in his owne essence he is not farre from any of vs. For in him wee liue and are mooued and haue our being Therefore so farre forth as a thing is perceiued or not perceiued of vs either by the naturall part or by the senses or by the minde or any other waye so far also is it said to be present or absent XVI VVhat kindes of presence we denie and vvhat kindes we graunt Wherefore albeit we disallow that the substance of the bread being changed or wasted into nothing there should succeede in place thereof the true flesh of Christ and that so to bee present vnto vs that vnder the accidents of bread should lie hidden the true substance of Christs bodie and albeit we also denie the flesh of Christ to be really and in it owne substance present in the bread which bread hath no other vnion with his flesh but the sacramentall vnion which is made by a misticall relation and albeit wee also gainsaye that he is present to the wicked which haue not that spirituall communion with him nor can bee said truely to eate his flesh And albeit we doe not graunt such a presence of Christs bodie namely that he is now present with the faithful vpon earth in the time of the supper visibly to bee seene of them as he was in the first supper present at the table visibly to be seene of his Apostles for this doth plainely disagree not onely frō the nature of the body of Christ but also frō the scripture it selfe but do graūt that he is present with them onely in an vnuisible manner and such a manner as is not to be perceaued by our senses Lastly albeit wee detest that presence wherein some doe faine the flesh of Christ really in it owne substāce to be euerie where yet wee beleeue and acknowledge such a presence as is no lesse essentiall for the things which are truely present vnto vs seing we are indeed made partakers of them then spirituall for the manner wherein
our sinnes shall no more bee imputed vnto vs as being once washed away in Christ but shal be pardoned by the fauour of God for Christs sake alone Ia. 2.21 and on the other side that Christs righteousnesse shal bee imputed to vs as our owne and that wee being clothed there with shall be and shal bee counted iust in the sight of God An assured and manifest testimonie whereof is as wee saide before that same begonne and inhaerent righteousnes in vs which consisteth in the detesting of sinne and the loue of righteousnesse and the studie of good workes VI. A confirmation vvhat it is to be iustified by faith Wherefore when we saye a man is iustified by faith or through faith we doe not meane that the vertue of faith is that verie thing whereby as by the forme as they speake and by true iustice he is iustified or that for which we deserue forgiuenes of our sinnes and iustification or that which as the head of al other vertues and the cause or fountaine of all good works doeth drawe with it all other vertues charitie cleanesse of heart in ward iustice and good workes whereby wee are iustified But because it is as the light whereby looking into the glasse of the gospell we behold in what state wee are in Christ by the free bountie will of God and through the merites of the same Christ and also because it is as the hand whereby we grasp and take hold vppon that fauour of God and benefite of Christ shewed vnto vs in the gospell and performed in the person of Christ or to say more brieflie as the matter is wee are said to be iustified by faith that is by remission of sinnes and by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse apprehended by faith so that faith is taken for the thing that is beleeued or apprehended by faith As we read of Abrahā Gen 15.6 He beleeued God it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse namely that which he beleeued of the seede promised vnto him that is Christ For he is the righteousnesse of all the chosen which beleeue and of the children of the promise as the scripture calleth them VII Men are iustified by faith alone Here by it is easily vnderstood what is mēt in that wee haue euermore confessed and doe yet constantly confesse with the holy scripturs and with the godly fathers that wee are iustified by faith alone For sith to bee iustified by faith in the sight of God is nothing else but to be accounted iust by the remission of sinne and iustice of Christ apprehended by faith that this is onely the true righteousnes whēas whatsoeuer inherent righteousnesse there is in vs and whatsoeuer good worke wee doe is such as cannot stande in the sight of God according to that saying Psal 142.2 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord Psal 130.3 for no flesh is righteous in thy sight and that also if thou markest what is done amisse O Lord Lord vvho can abide it it most plainely appeareth that our beleefe concerning iustification by faith alone is most certaine and most true VIII Not onely in the beginning of our conuersion but euen in the whole course of our life to our death wee are iustified onely by faith And hereby also is it that wee cannot but beleeue and constantly affirme that not onely in the beginning when of vngodly men we bee made righteousse but also all the whole course of our life euen vnto the end we are iustified onely by faith in Christ so that our righteousnesse is alwaies from faith to faith For there is no man which doth not daily sinne so that we haue need continually to say Mat. 6.12 Psal 32.6 1. Cor. 1.30 1. Ioh. 2.2 Forgiue vs our sinnes and To thee saieth Dauid shall euerie one that is godlie make his prayers for forgiuenes of his sinnes And Christ not once but euermore is our righteousnesse sanctification redemption and the propitiation for our sinnes IX Iustification by faith alone is no imaginarie or fained matter Now least any man might thinke that wee forge a certaine imaginarie righteousnesse which hath no foundation nor force in vs we will againe repeat that which we haue before made profession of First that this faith where by we say that we are iustified is a faith that is liuely and worketh through loue then that God doeth not so iustifie vs by the forgiuing of our sinnes and imputing Christs righteousnesse vnto vs but that he also makes vs partakers of his diuine nature but that he regenerateth refineth sanctifieth vs giueth inherent righteousnesse to vs and makes vs conformable to the image of his sonne and this begun righteousnesse in vs is a manifest testimonie of that other true and perfect righteousnesse which wee haue in Christ alone and wee confesse that both of these are ioyned together by the band of the same holy spirit Rom. 5.15 as the Apostle saith not onely the grace of God but also the gift by grace which is by one man Iesus Christ hath abounded vnto manie For euen as not onely the disobedience of Adam was imputed vnto vs but also the corruption of his nature flowed into vs so also not onely the obedience righteousnes of Christ is imputed to vs which are ingrafted into him but also his holy nature is truely communicated vnto vs 2. Cor. 5.17 Eph. 2.10 Tit. 2.14 that wee may be made new creatures righteousse and holie euen in our selues followers of good workes X. Inherent righteousnesse is increased by good works But like as we say that the former iustice is neither due to our good works nor begonne nor increased by them so the latter although it be not due nor begunn by our good works that wēt before for they are all sinne sith good workes goe not before him that is to be iustified but followe him that is iustified yet wee confesse that by these following good works and exercises of godlinesse it is much preserued set forward and increased 2. Tim. 1.6 as the Apostle teacheth the gifts of God bestowed on vs are stirred vp nourished and maintained with such māner of exercises like vnto a fire and of this increase of righteousnesse Iohn saith Hee that is righteousse let him be righteousse still Apo. 22.11 And therefore when wee speake onely of this inherent righteousnesse we denie not but that a man is iustified by good works and not of faith onely that is he is made more and more iust XI A man is iustified by that iustice vvhich consisteth in the forgiuenesse of sinnes and imputation of Christes iustice and not properly of his owne works but by them he is declared to be iustified to be iust But if we bee asked of the former kinde of iustifying wee aunswer that a man is neuer iustified by his workes but alwaies properly by faith alone but yet that it is declared by his works whether he bee iust
of God neither can we do all that we would But because our regeneration is as it were onely begonne and not as yet perfect so that whereas we were before wholly flesh now we consist partly of the spirite and partly of the flesh Gal. 5.17 which do cōtinually fight the one against the other that what good things we would them wee cannot performe but in our spirite we serue the lawe of God Rom. 7.25 but in our flesh the law of sinne Therfore we beleeue that which wee also knowe by experience in the regenerate that much bondage still remaineth much darkenesse in the soule and peruersnesse in the heart and weakenesse in all the faculties of minde and bodie that wee haue still neede of new help from God and new grace whereby both our mindes may be more and more enlightened and our willes made better better and our strength to do good more increased and perfected And therefore while wee remaine in this flesh our free choise is neuer truely and meerely free that is neuer able inough of it selfe to auoide ill and doe good especially sith the euent of all things is not in our power but in the hand of God and that it must needs bee that all those thinges come to passe Act. 4.28 not which we thinke but whatsoeuer his hand and purpose hath decreed shal bee done VIII That God so gouerneth the mindes and wills of the godly that in the very conflict of tēptations and of the flesh he suffreth them not altogether to fall from him Meane while wee hold this that they which be alreadie ingrafted into Christ their minds and willes being now indued with the holie ghost are so gouerned and vpheld by God for Christs sake Ier. 32.40 Luc. 22.32 Rom. 8.35 that although they may be weakned many waies and by manie temptations yet they are neuer suffred wholly and altogether to be beaten downe and so to perish IX Errors We condemne them which either denying or extenuating this new birth will haue a mā regenerate to be as vnable to doe good and as much the seruant of sinne as he was before he was borne againe against so many and so manifest testimonies of holie scripture concerning the deliuerance of the regenerate frō the bondage of sinne and their choise to doe good to saye nothing of that bigh iniurie which is done to the holie ghost which dwelleth and worketh in vs. Againe wee disallow those likewise which will haue a regenerate man to bee so deliuered out of the bondage of sinne that he can by no meanes sinne anie more which all the whole scripture in generall and our daily experience gain-saieth For although wee bee not suffered to sinne vnto death yet it is verie apparent that we commit manie sinnes in their owne nature worthy of death Therefore on the other side wee also disallow their opinion which do so extenuate or make smale the force of the spirit in the regenerate and so enlarge set out thereliques and remainder of the flesh that they saye the working of the spirite is often times quite extinguished by the forces of the old man and teach that the same regenerate man may vtterly fall out of the fauour of God and so eternally perish which God gaine-saith by the Prophet I will giue my feare into their hearts Ier. 32.40 2. Tim. 2.19 Phil. 1.6 that they shall not slippe from me And the Apostle affirmeth that the foundation standeth sure c. And He which beganne this good worke in you shall perfect it vnto the ende CHAP. XXI Of good workes I. They which are ingrafted into Christ haue both whereby they themselues do liue and bring forth the workes of their life for others and this is the principall ende of their ingrafting AS the braunch doth not onely draw sap and nourishment from the vine whereby it liueth it selfe but also taketh from it whereby to bring forth fruite vnto vs so also we beleeue that the faithful haue not onely life from Christ in whome they are planted whereby they liue themselues but all force power whereby they shewe forth fruites of good works to the glorie of God and edification of the church Ioh. 15.5 c as Christ saith I am the vine and you the braunches he that abideth in me and he in whome I abide he shall bring forth much fruite Wherunto this also pertaineth we are his workmanship Eph. 2.10 created in Christ Jesus vnto good vvorkes vvhich God hath ordained that vvee should vvalke in them II. What we meane by the name of good workes But by the name of good workes 2. Pet. 1.5 we vnderstand all those actions which are done by men regenerate after the rule of Gods will reuealed in his word and by a liuely faithin Christ 1. Tim. 1.5 and a pure heart through the holy ghost For Rom. 14.23 as euerie thing which is not of faith is sinne so all things which are of faith and so out of a pure heart and good conscience must needes be good works wherefore we do not thinke that those deedes can bee numbred among good workes and acceptable to God Col. 2.18.23 which are done of the vngodly without faith and without the worde of God Mat. 15.8.9 and not through the guiding of the holie spirit howsoeuer they may carrie a shew of great pietie and seruice of God III. Good works are done of vs by power of the holy ghost For as the braunch of the vine or the wild oliue boughes being grafted into a good oliue tree bring forth fruits not of themselus but by the vertue of the vine the tree where into they are ingrafted so wee also doe not good workes of our selues but by vertue of Christs spirit to whome we are incorporated and from whome wee draw that life whereby we liue Christ himselfe working in vs by his spirite both that wee may will that which is good Phil. 2.13 Ioh. 15.5 and performe the same For without me said he yee can do nothing IV. Good works are not the cause but the effect of our vniting to Christ and of our iustification and life Likewise as these braunches and boughes doe not therefore bring forth good fruites that they might by them bee planted in the vine or the oliue tree or that they might liue therein but therefore they bringe fruite because they are already planted and doe liue and so their good fruites are not the causes of their planting and life but the effects and manifest testimonies thereof after the verie same manner wee beleeue that it is betweene vs Christ as also Augustiue fully teacheth who also saith that good works do not goe before him that is to be iustified but follow him that is iustified And therefore wee constantly confesse that a man speaking properly and of the iustification of his life is not iustified by works but by them declared to be iust V. Although we
first the pure doctrine of the gospell is preached heard and allowed of and that so allowed of that there is no place nor hearing for the contrary Ioh. 10.4.5 For these both are properties of the flocke or sheepe of Christ namely to heare the voyce of their shepheard and to reiect the straungers voyce in those also where the Sacraments instituted of Christ as much as in them lieth are lawfully 1. Cor. 11.20 that is according to Christs owne institution administred and receiued and so where other Sacraments deuised by men are not allowed of in those lastlie where the discipline of Christ taketh place that is where a care is taken through loue that both priuately and publickely Mat. 18.19 Tit. 1.8 by admonitions corrections and when need requireth by excommunications the commandements of Christ may bee obserued and so that men may liue soberly iustly and godlie to the glorie of God edification of their neighbours For wheresoeuer vngodlinesse and all loosenesse of life is in publike practise and open offences are not reprooued according to the discipline of Christ there we beleeue that it is possble that manie good and godlie men may be but we beleeue this is not a godlie christian congregation the Lord himself saying Ioh. 13.35 in this men shall know that yee are my disciples if yee loue one another but what loue can there be where no care is taken that according to Christs doctrine brethren which offend may be corrected may repent may be gained vnto the Lord and saued VI. By vvhat manner of succession of Byshops it may be shewed that some church is Apostolicall So we acknowledge that from a perpetuall succession of byshops in some church I say not any manner of succession but such a one as hath had ioyned also vnto it a continuance of the Apostles doctrine it maye rightly bee shewed that that church is Apostolicall such a one as was once the church of Rome the succession of the byshops thereof euen to the time of Ireneus Tertullian Cyprian and some other So that they were wont not without reason to appeale vnto it and cite before it and such other of the fathers the heritickes of their times But indeed as we do acknowledge and confesse with Tertullian and other of the fathers that those churches are to be acknowledged to be truely Apostolicall in which the Apostles doctrine with the discipline of Christ and lawfull administration of the Sacraments is kept pure though the same haue not beene planted by the Apostles nor haue had a perpetuall succession of byshops euen from the Apostles time So againe the churches which were planted and watered by the Apostles although they can shewe a succession of Byshops continuall and without interruption yet if with the succession of byshops they can not also shewe a continuance of the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles we wil graunt that they haue bin christian and Apostolical churches but now we cannot acknowledge them for such For as the hood as the Prouerb saith makes not the monke but his godly and holy life so neither do byshops but the doctrine of Christ and christian religion make the church of Christ VII Not by any manner of consent but by consent in Christs doctrine some churches may be shewed to be true and christian churches For thus wee knowe that it can neuer bee prooued that wheresoeuer there is a full agreement among themselues there are the true churches of God sith both in the Iewish sinagogues and in the turkish congregations and long since in the conuenticles of the Arrians and Donatists there hath euer bene an especiall agreement but wee hold it may bee prooued onely by that consent which is in the pure doctrine of Christ and in true pietie For where the Apostle saieth 1. Cor. 1.10 I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that yee all speake one thing and that there bee no dissentions among yee but be yee knitt together in one minde and in one iudgement hee meaneth in that Lord Iesus Christ by whose name he intreated them VIII The churches bee not taken away by euery dissention that ariseth in them But by the waye we are not so vniust to denie those to bee christian churches wherein there is not alwaies a full consent and agreement of all things For as euerie agreement doth not make a church so euerie dissention doth not dissolue the same so long as the foūdation which is Christ true God and true mā the true and perfect Sauiour be kept sound firme and so long as there is a full agreement in the summe of the Apostles doctrine which is deliuered in their creede IX A confirmation of the former opinion For as the reprobate hypocrites by their being in the churches do not hinder but that they still remaine true churches so neither the dissentions which are raised in the churches by the vngodlie or which through frailtie or ignorance doe spring among the Saints themselues can extinguish the same which verie thing the Apostle teacheth whenas speaking of the ministers of the true churches he saith that vpon the same foundation some do build gold siluer and pretious stones other wood stubble haye and to the Philippians hauing declared the summe of christian doctrine and exhorted all men that who so had profited therein should persist in it afterwards he addeth and if any be otherwise minded God shall reueale the same vnto them if we abide in the same vvhereunto vvee are come For else if we should denie there to bee anie true church where contentions about religion are stirred vp then was there no church at Corinth in Paules time where there were not onely diuisions verie rife one saying I am of Paule another of Cephas another of Apollo but also maruailous controuersies rose concerning religion Nor yet in Gallatia because immediatly after those churches were passing well planted by Paule there sprang vp in them seducers and heresies lastly neither yet could there be said to be any churches in the East or in the West because they were neuer voide of contentions not only betweene the catholicks and the heretikes such as arose from the catholicks but also euen among the godly fathers themselues as the histories doe plentifully make mention in so much that for these dissentions and sects the christians were wōt to bee skoffed at in the theaters and stages among the infidells as also at this day wee are all derided for the same cause among the Turkes and Iewes But as in the primitiue church by those contentions of the christians it was no consequence that therefore they were not the people of God so neither at this time by ours can any man prooue it iustlie against vs but that indeede the contrarie may rather be concluded because it is the propertie of good wheat that is of the gospell wherby Gods people are gathered into his church that where it is sowen
rites and ceremonies wherein the vnitie was be polluted with diuers superstitions yea and especially if also the Sacraments instituted of Christ be corrupted and wholly disordered so that a good conscience can not bee partaker of them but what if the heauenlie trueth also be banished from them and in the place thereof preached and defended the doctrines of deuills what also if thou canst not there bee suffered to bee silent but shalt bee constrained either to denie Gods trueth and to subscribe to diuelish vntrueths or else to spill thy life and blood XVII He which is departed from the church of Rome hath not thereby broken the vnitie of the Church nor is seuered from the bodie of Christ In as much therefore as wee are accused of apostasie or a backsliding from the catholick and apostolick church of Christ and are saide to haue broken the vnitie thereof because we would no longer communicate with the congregations of the Romish church in vngodly superstitions idolatrous seruices but choose rather to follow the aūcient doctrine seruice and discipline renued through gods benefite by the true seruants of Christ wee protest before God and his angels the whole church euen to the worlds ende that they doe an exceeding iniurie not onely to vs but also to the holie ghost and to all the auncient church Sith in this matter we haue done no otherwise nor doe then wee are commaunded to doe by the holie ghost taught by the fathers yea and counselled by the Papists themselues XVIII A confirmation of the former opinion For the Lord hath especially forbidden 1. Cor. 5.11 2. Cor. 6.14 Tit. 3.10 Rom. 16.17 Ca. 24 q. 1 c. 24 26 q. 3. c. 9 that we should haue any fellowship with idolaters and obstinate apostataes and heritickes in their idolatries and heresies Nor otherwise do the fathers teach as they are alleadged for witnesses euen in the canons then that not onely if there be a man but also if there bee a church which renounceth the faith C. 24. q. 1. c. 29. holdeth not the foūdation of the Apostles preaching and in which Christ doctrine abideth not it is to be forsaken Neither for any other cause was the old church of Rome so celebrated of the fathers that which then flourished was holie and called the mother of the churches but because it constantly retained the doctrin receiued of the Apostles all the rest for the most part slipping away But now what the doctrine of it is and what seruice and how farre it is fallen from the auncient doctrine in manie things it is too too well knowne We therfore moreouer protest that we haue made no other separation from the church of Rome that now is but as we are constrained by the word of God as we must needs obey God so commaunding vs and therefore least wee should still abide in an apostasie from the apostolicke and catholicke church wee haue iudged it our partes and dueties to returne at length to the same againe and to depart from the idolatries of this filthie polluted Romish companie XIX We are not simplie departed from the church of Rome but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some respect For we haue not simplie and in all thinges forsakē the ehurch of Rome but only in those things wherein it hath fallen from the apostolicke church and euen from it selfe and from the old and sound church nether are we gone with any other meaning but that if it would returne amended and reformed to the auncient state wee would also returne vnto it and haue communion with it and in their owne congregations Which that it maye one day come to passe wee beseech the Lord Iesus with our whole heart For what were more to be wished of euery good man thē that where we were by our baptisme borne a new there we might liue euen to our liues end so it were in the Lord. I Hier. Zanchius with my whole familie pronounce this to be witnessed to the whole church euen to the worlds end XX. The whole catholicke church is not suffered to erre but euerie particular church may Wee beleeue and acknowledge that this catholicke church as wee haue before described it is so gouerned by the holie ghost that he neuer suffereth the same wholly all of it to err because it euer preserueth in some godlie men the light of the trueth and retaineth the same pure and sounde by their ministerie to the ende of the world and deliuereth it to posteritie To which purpose wee doubt not but that tendeth which Paule saide 1. Tim. 3.15 The church is the pillar and ground of trueth because without the church is no trueth but in the church it is alwaies reserued sith there is euer more some congregation great or smale wherein the word of trueth doth sound But of euerie particular church wherein there bee euer good and badd mingled together wee know the reason is farre otherwise For first in these congregations either the pure word of God is preached or else with it vntruethes are also taught For where no ministerie of the word is ther we acknowledge to be no church If therefore together with the trueth there may also false assertions be taught howe can that congregation be said that it cannot erre when it doth manifestly erre And if the pure word of God be onely taught then the reprobate hypocrites which beleeue it not doe alwaies erre when they reiect the light of the trueth and walke in darkenesse and of them is almost in euerie place the greatest number As for the godly Mat. 24.24 though they are neuer suffered so to erre that they cōtinue in their error and perish Christ himselfe saying Gal. 2.11 c. 1. Cor. 1.11 c. Gal. 1.6 c. The elect can not be seduced no not by the miracles and wonders of Antichrist namely not to the end to their destruction yet that they may erre aswell euerie one seuerally as many gathered together and that not onely in manners but also in the doctrine of faith wee are manifestlie taught by the histories both sacred and ecclesiasticall and by that which hath happened to godlie and holie byshops and their churches in the East and in the West XXI A confirmation of the former opinion Peter doubtlesse did erre at Antioch manie in the church of Corinth and more in that of Galatia being seduced by the false Apostles did most grossly erre though they were soone after called back againe by the Apostle from their errors Dauid also taught that the verie sheepe of Christ may erre Psal 119.176 when he said I haue gone astray like a sheepe that is lost and why were the ministery of the word in the church needfull for all the godlie if they could not erre Sith therefore euerie godlie man in each particular church and the same a true and pure church haue often and doe often erre that hypocrites are neuer indued
ought to be subiect to our princes and rulers in all feare not onely to the good and curteousse but also to the frovvard and vniust XXII Marriage ought to be free aswell to ministers of the church as others Of marriage And we beleeue that this is verie necessary and behouefull to honestie to the saluation of ministers and to the honor of the ministerie it selfe and consequently to the true gouernement of the church that it should be permitted as freely vnto them as it is to al Lay men as they cal them to marrie sith Christ forbad it to no kinde of men nay speaking of single life he said that not al mē do receaue this namely to lead a single life meaning that which the Apostle in round wordes expounded 1. Cor. 7.9 Heb. 13.4 namely he which cannot containe he must marrie a wife For marriage is honourable among all men the bedd vndefiled as with the Apostle wee confesse XXIII Jt is good and commendable if any being indued with the gift of continencie abstaine from marriage Meane while we denie not but they which are indued of God with the gift of a pure single life they may more fittly attend vpon diuine causes and more easily serue the church then they which are married by reason of manie greeuous cares and troubles which marriage bringeth with it and whereby often times euen against our wills wee are drawne awaye from following the diuine causes to deale in domesticall and troublesome businesses of this life as the Apostle also saieth the vnmaried careth for the things of the Lord 1. Cor. 7.32 howe he may please the Lord but he that is married careth for the thinges of the worlde howe he may please his wife And therefore as these men haue their iust commendation which do therefore take a wife that they maye liue with a cleane and pure conscience to God So also do we thinke them worthie to be commended who therefore choose to themselues a chast single life that they may the better employ their labour on the church and in the same do liue so long as they can XXIV Mariages are to bee contracted in the Lord and are reuerently to be esteemed And we know and confesse 1. Cor. 7.39 that all mariages ought to bee contracted in the Lord by the law of nature and the law of God yea and by honest customes of all places and are reuerently to be esteemed Mat. 19.9 and that no man may put away his lawfull wife vnlesse it be for fornication but if any vnbeleeuing woman through hate of religion will not remaine with a beleeuing husband he ought not by force to keep her for one that is faithfull is not in subiection in such thinges 1. Cor. 7.15 but God hath called them in peace XXV Both he which hath put away an adulteresse hee which is forsaken of an vnbeleeuer may no lesse contract newe mariage then hee vvhose vvife is dead We also beleeue that aswell he which hath lawfully put away an adulteresse or is forsakē of an bnbeleeuer maye marie againe as he whose former wife is dead For that saying of the Apostle is euer most true and profitable to all vnmaried persons and widowes Jt is good for them if they remaine euen as I but if they can not containe let them marie 1. Cor. 7.8 for it is better to marie then to burne XXVI That some should bee appointed in the church which should iudge of matrimoniall controuersies But we allow not that any of these thinges bee done in the church without the lawfull knowledge iudgement and sentence of the church and some christian magistrate if there be one and therefore that some godlie skillfull and wise men ought to bee appointed in the church which may discerne and iudge of matrimoniall causes and these matters that nothing be done rashly or vnaduisedly least euerie one should thinke lawfull whatsoeuer he listed but all thinges should be done lawfully to edification and without iniurie to any 1. Cor. 14.26 Rom. 2.24 and least the name of God should through vs bee euill spoken of among the infidells XXVII They which are rulers in the church ought to take care that the children of the faithfull may be christianly instructed and that they may be taught in learning and honest artes With these is ioyned the care of children wee therefore beleeue it is verie necessarie to the continuall preseruation of the church not onely that each seuerall man haue a care to instruct his children in true godlinesse in christian dueties in learning and honest artes but also that the whole church haue a speciall regard thereunto that they may be made fitt and profitable both for the church and common wealth whereto belong both publicke grammer schooles exercises of honest artes and ecclesiasticall catechizings XXVIII Ministers with their families ought to bee maintained Of stipends and church godds with honest and liberall stipends Wee also beleeue that the church cannot well bee gouerned vnlesse such necessarie maintenance be bestowed on the ministers as whereby they and their family may liue in an honest estate For no man except he haue whereupon to liue Mat. 10.10 can do his duetie Christ saieth the workeman is worthie of his wages and the Apostle writeth largely thereof in more thē one place 1. Cor. 9.7 c. shewing by many reasons that ministers which serue the churches ought to receiue of the same church what so is needfull for them 1. Tim. 5.17 c and that they haue good right to demaund the same so farre from offence is it that they should take it as some would cauill yet notwithstanding couetousnesse aswell in all other as chiefly in ministers we do with the Apostle vtterly condemne 1. Tim. 3.3.8 as also wee allow not prodigalitie and we teach that both these faultes are to be shunned and auoyded XXIX The church goods should not be wasted but be bestowed on the maintenance of ministers and other godly vses And whereas manie goods haue in times past and yet in some places are giuen to churches by the liberality of princes other godlie persons wee iudge that if any church haue such goodes great care is to be had that the same be not wasted nor conuerted into prophane vses and much lesse into sacriligious vses nor fained to bee so conuerted but to bee onely bestowed vppon that purpose whereto they were giuen euen to a godly intent And wee well allowe of that auncient partition of church goods where one part went to the bishops that is to the teachers Deu◠〈◊〉 and ministers of the word and their families another to the clerkes that is to students and such as were ordained to the ministerie of the church and to them that attended on the church the third part to poore people and trauelers a fourth part to repairing of churches and schooles to which parte also belong not onely the houses of
it in the flesh as being a fello-worker with the deitie in his humaine will consenting to the diuine and pronouncing the wordes thy sinnes are forgiuen thee as also Leo the first Epist 10. c. 4 so expoūdeth it to Flauianus saying each forme namely of God and man worketh with communion of the other that which is proper to it selfe as the word working that which is proper to the word the flesh performing that which belongeth to the flesh To forgiue sinnes vvas the proper action of the diuine nature and to saye thy sinnes are forgiuen thee of the humaine Thus farre he VI. Jn Christ alone is offered the forgiuenesse of sinnes and of the elect alone indued with faith it is receiued But like as in Christ alone our mediatour redeemer as the head of the whole church we haue redemption by his blood and remission of sinnes so as without Christ there is none so also wee beleeue that onely the elect indued with true repentance and true faith and ingrafted into Christ by the holie spirite as mēbers to their head are made partakers therof and therefore although forgiuenes of sinnes bee declared vnto all manner of men by the gospell yet to the reprobate as vnrepentant and vnbeleeuing they are not forgiuen but by their owne fault and blame their sinnes do still remaine VII All sinnes at once are forgiuen to the faithfull elect Wee also beleeue that as Christ by his one oblation satisfied not for some but for all our sinnes so also is offred vnto vs that are truely penitent of Christ and in Christ by the gospel the forgiuenes not only of some of our sinns but also of them altogether and the same cōmunicated to vs by the holie ghost and receiued by faith Mat. 18.23 c. seing God declared by a parable that he forgiueth all our debt not part of it VIII Forgiuenesse of sinnes is bestowed in the church onely receiued by faith onely and that onely in this life Lastlie to make an ende we beleeue that as in Christ alone is found remission of sinnes so the same also is disposed and bestowed in the church onely and as it was purchased for vs by the merits and blood of him alone so also it is receiued by true faith in Christ only without our owne meritts and as in this life onely the gospell is preached and by it forgiuenesse of sinnes declared to the repentant and beleeuers so also we can onely in this life be made partakers thereof seing after this life there is no place lefte for faith and repentance and therefore that the church by her ministerie can do nothing for the obtaining of forgiuenesse for men after they be departed this life Cyp. ad Demetr as Cyprian also saieth VVhen a man is once gone hence there is no place for repentance no effect of satisfaction Here life is either lost or gotten here he must prouide for saluation by seruing of God and by the effect of faith IX A confirmation of the former doctrine by the order of the creede According to these three pointes we interpret this article of forgiuenes of sinnes in the creede as first that after the article of the church communion of Saints is placed this article to teach vs that without the church remission of sinnes is not bestowed nor hath any place Againe that the same is placed after the confession of our faith in God the father the sonne and the holy ghost and of our faith wherein we beleeue the church to be holie to consist of the societie and communion of Saintes to wittnesse vnto vs that not for our owne merites but by our faith in the father sonne and holie ghost and because wee are in the church and haue communion with all the Saints therefore we daily obtaine forgiuenes of our sinnes And finally by this placing of the articles of faith we may well beleeue and confesse that after forgiuenesse of sinnes obtained in this militāt church there is no more to be looked for of the dead but the resurrection of the flesh and life euerlasting X. Errors Thus wee condemne the error wherein some do teach that after the fault forgiuen there remaineth a debt to be paied for the punishment and this punishment being eternall death by penitencie is chaunged into temporall paines which we must abide either in this life or after death in purgatorie vnlesse wee bee deliuered thence by masses indulgences and other helps Secondly we condemn their blasphemie which seeke for forgiuenesse of sinnes any where then in Christ and doe so teach Likewise them which would prooue that the same may bee applied to themselues and receiued by any other meanes then by true faith and by the holie spirite Wee condemne also their sacrilegious doctrine which teach that God doth forgiue alwaies to the faithfull all their sinnes but euer retaineth some of them which are to be satisfied for by fasting almes deeds prayers and other works of our owne or else by the oblations of other men and sacrifices of priests CHAP. XXVIII Of the state of souls after death and of the resurrection of the dead I. Mens soules doe neither dye with their bodies nor sleepe after they are loosed from the bodie nor lye still out of heauen or hell nor be tormented in purgatorie WE beleeue that our soules doe neither dye with our bodies nor being loosed frō our bodies do sleep or not sleeping do lye still in some close place both out of heauen and hell nor yet are tormented in purgatorie but that out of the body also mens soules do liue vnderstand desire and that the soules of the godly do raigne with Christ in heauen and of the vngodly are tormented in hell with the deuills the Lord himselfe saying of them when the godly and mercifull men do decay that is depart out of this life they that is their soules Luc. 16.9 shall be receiued into euerlasting habitations Luc. 23.43 Luc. 16.23 Act. 1.25 and teaching in another place that they are with him in paradise but of the other by shewing an example of the rich glutton that they goe downe into hel that is into the place appointed for euerlasting fire as we also read of Iudas there to be tormented II. That the places be diuerse where the soules of the faithfull and the vnfaithfull do liue after the deaths of their bodies Nowe seing the condition and state of the soules of faithfull and vnfaithfull men is so diuers we also beleeue that the places into which they passe are diuers that is to say euerlasting tabernacles ◠Pet. 2.4 or heauen paradise ordained for the godlie and hell and the deepes prepared for the wicked sith to one of these places the scripturs attribute an immeasurable light and to the other exceeding darkenesse which Christ called vtter darkenesse and sith the Lord saieth Mat. 8.12 Ioh. 17.24 that he desireth that where he himselfe is there should also bee
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
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
feet themselues are Is then the vnion which the soule hath with the head dissolued because out of the head it is wholly also in the feet 8 Finally that all things which haue bin spokē of this personal vnion may more plainely be declared I add these also The soule is Hypostasis to the eyes to what eyes such as they are namely instruments vsed for sight not for hearing on the other side to the eares for hearing not for seing So the word was Hypostasis to the humaine nature not to destroy death which was a propertie of the word but to suffer death which was a propertie of the flesh Lastly it is Hypostasis to the flesh not to this end that the flesh should bee it and such like which of which sort the word is but it should be it and such like which and of which sort it is it selfe either by nature or by grace reallie put into it which they call infused or habitual grace For the grace of this vnion is this that it is taken into this vnitie of person This same doctrine of ours is confirmed by those things which are deliuered both by the scriptures and the fathers concerning the office of the mediatour that is concerning the end of his incarnation Many ends of this incarnation are noted of the fathers in the scriptures and particularly of Anselme in his booke intituled Cur Deus homo why God is man but the principall and immediate ende was not simplie that the vvorde God might saue vs for he could haue performed it by his omnipotencie and by his onely commaundement without taking flesh but that hee might by such meanes saue vs from death namely by death of his owne person and by his owne resurrection might raise vs to life according to that of the Apostle to the Hebr. 2. ver 14. That by death he might destroye him vvho c. And in the 2. to Tim. 1.10 VVho hath abolished death and hath brought life c. To which the old church consented saying vvho by dying destroyed death and by rysing againe repaired life Leo the first declared this end saying The sonne of God tooke our flesh that by one nature he might dye by the other he might not dye Therefore he tooke vpon him flesh to this principal ende that for the performing of our saluatiō he might doe such thinges by that flesh which of himselfe being in the forme of God hee could not performe as to suffer and to dye For to kill death simply he could by himselfe haue done it but to kill it by death he could not in himselfe doe it without taking mortall flesh into vnitie of his person Wherefore the vvorde did not take flesh that by the flesh it might doe such actions as were the proper actions of it selfe but that it might worke our saluatiō by such meanes namely by the owne proper actions ioyned with the actions of our flesh Vpon the 12. chapter The 8 aphorisme Concerning this true and essentiall vnion of vs and of our owne flesh with the flesh of Christ there is a notable place in Cyrill vpon Iohn lib. 10. cap. 13. Col. 500. We denie not but wee are spiritually ioyned to Christ by true faith and sincere loue but that wee haue no manner of coniunction with him according to the flesh that we flatly denie and affirme it to bee cleane against the scriptures For who euer doubted but Christ is so the vine and we the braunches that from him we draw life vnto our selues Heare what Paule saith Wee are all one bodie with Christ for though we are many yet in him we are one for wee all are partakers of one bread Doth he perchaunce thinke that the vertue of the misticall benediction is vnknowne vnto vs Which being in vs doeth it not also make Christ to dwell in vs corporally by communication of the flesh of Christ For why are the members of the faithfull the members of Christ know ye not saith hee that your members are the members of Christ shal I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlott God forbidd Our Sauiour also said He which eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him whereby wee maye consider that Christ is in vs not onely by dwelling in vs which is perceiued by loue but also by a naturall participation For euen as if one take waxe melted by the fire mingle it with other waxe likewise melted so as of them both hee make but one thing so by this communication of the bodie and blood of Christ he is in vs and we in him For otherwise this corruptible nature of the body could neuer be brought to incorruption and to life vnlesse the bodie of naturall life were ioyned vnto it Beleeuest thou not me telling thee this Beleeue I pray thee Christ himselfe Verily verily saith he I say vnto you vnlesse yee shall eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood yee shall haue no life in you He which eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him at the last day Thou hearest him plainely crying out that we shall haue no life vnlesse we drinke his blood eate his flesh In you saieth he your selues that is in your bodie By life may well bee vnderstood the flesh of life for that doth raise vs vpp at the last daye And so need I not think it an vncurrant speach to say the flesh of life being made flesh of the onely begotten sonne is brought to the vertue of life and therefore cannot bee ouercome of death And therefore being made in vs putts death from vs For gods onely begottē sonne is neuer absent from it whereuppon because he is one with his flesh I saieth he will raise him vp Why then should it be denied that we are called braunches according to the flesh May it not fittly be said that the vine is his humanitie and we the braunches for the identitie or likenesse of our nature For the vine the braunches are of the same nature So both spiritually and corporally are wee the braunches and Christ the vine Thus farre Cyrill In this whole text Cyrills purpose was to shew that Christ not onely according to his deitie as his aduersaries the Nestorians did thinke but also according to the flesh was the vine from which life flowed into vs as braunches and cōsequently that we as braūches were ioyned not onely to his deitie but also to his humanitie and so to his flesh doe draw life and all our spirituall nourishment not onely from his deitie but also from his flesh And the reason is brought from the Hypostaticall vnion which maketh the word his flesh taken into vnitie thereof to bee but one person one and the same Christ one and the same vine Therefore that we cannot be ioyned to the deitie of Christ but also we must be vnited to his flesh nor can we
likewise the bodie of Christ be as Ireneus speaketh a heauenlie matter â—owe can it bee eaten of them which haue nothing in them that is heauely but are altogether earthly meÌ„ indued with no faith whereby they may ascend vp into heauen and eate the heauenlie foode therefore onely the godlie can do this But the faithfull also are not affected all alike or after one sort seing verie ofteÌ„ they eate worthelie but sometime it chauÌ„ceth that they eate vnworthelie and therefore are sundrie wayes chastened by God for it They are saide to eate worthelie who before they eate of the Lords bread doe examine themselues whether they be in faith if they be then they diligentlie waye and coÌ„sider the signification and greatnes of this misterie moreouer they trye their consciences whether they bee touched with a true repentance and by earnest hartie prayers do stirre themselues vp to both And they eate vnworthilie who although they be planted in Christ by faith and the spirite of regeneration yet their faith being in some sorte choaked with the cares of this world other affections of the flesh doe nor sufficientlie proue themselues do not diligeÌ„tlie examine nor stirr vp themselues to an earnest consideration of so great a misterie nor weigh with an attentiue minde what is giuen in that holie table what the Lord requireth of them for whome and for what purpose the Supper was instituted by the Lord Lastlie they do eate vnworthelie who as the Apostle speaketh discorne not the Lords bodie and so come not to that table with a due reuerence feare of the Lord discerning in their minde and by faith the thinges signified from the signes and the signes from other common meates and drinkes in such sufficient manner as they ought whereby they doe not aswell open the mouth of the inward man to eate the spirituall foode as they doe the mouth of the outward man to eate the foode which of it owne nature is corporall By reason of this duetie so neglected namelie that they do not sufficientlie prooue themselues nor discerne or iudge of the Lords bodie and consequentlie do eate vnworthilie the Lords bread christians and faithfull men other whiles are woÌ„t to be visited with diuers chastisemeÌ„ts of God yet such as are for their saluation least they should be condemned in this world And of them doth the Apostle properly speake in the 1. Cor. 11. and not of such as be simplie wicked and more hypocrites when he saith these doe eate iudgement vnto themselues c. This is thus prooued 1 Because he saieth not that they which thus eate vnworthilie doe eate vnto themselues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth eternall destruction but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iudgement which words what difference there is betwixt them is manifest in the same text where the Apostle in the 32 veise faieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wee are iudged or corrected of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 least we should be condemned with the world 2 When hee declareth the punishment which they shall haue which eate vnworthily he rehearseth none but teporall chastisemeÌ„ts making no mention of eternall destruction For this cause saieth he many are vveake and sicke c. 3 Add this that he saieth if vvee vvill iudge our selues that is trye our selues and acknowledging our sinnes chastife our selues by repentance and by true faith and amendment of life seperate our selues from the world we should not be iudged namelie of the Lord who doth therefore chasten mortifie vs because we do not mortifie our affections nor repent vs of our sinnes 4 And what meaneth this that in most plaine wordes hee calleth this iudgement by which wee are therefore iudged because wee eate vnworthilie the Lords bread a chastning verie prositable for vs. For thus he saieth But wheÌ„ we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord because we should not be condemned with the world 3 And surelie he placeth himselfe and all the other true beleeuers in the number of those which being iudged are chastised of the Lord for their saluation For he maketh two sortes of men the wicked which are vnderstood in the name of the world and teacheth that vpon them awayeth eternall destruction and then the godlie who by reason of their manie falles and vnworthinesses are also chastened by manie punishments least they should also be coÌ„demned together with the wicked and them hee setteth downe vnder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iudgement that they may auoide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eternall destruction This place therefore is to bee vnderstood properlie of the faithful but such as are vnperfect and therefore doe greeuouslie sinne because they come vnworthilie to the Lords table Whereas some doe expound the same also of the wicked and do take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iudgement for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemnation this is rather to bee vnderstood that it is by a certaine consequeÌ„ce with an argument drawne from the lesse to the greater then by force of the text Thus if the godlie which sometime eate vnworthily doe eate vnto themselues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemnation then what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemation shall abide the wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore if it be spoken of the godlie is taken for chastisement if of the wicked it signifieth eternall destruction Vppon the 17. chapter Aphorisme 1. Here we spake of such as bee of yeares of discretion concerning the yong infants of the faithfull the reason is otherwise as in another place we declared For the holie ghost doeth ingraft them into Christ as true members to their head from whome they draw their life yea and we also beleeue that they are endued with the spirite of faith although through the weakenes of nature in them they cannot vse thâ— same euen as they cannot vse the vertue of their vnderstanding whenas notwithstanding they are not without a minde or the faculties thereof The 2. Aphorisme In the description of faith I willingly vsed those two words of wisedome and prudence following the most learned diuine M. B. vppon the Epistle to the Ephesians because in the former I comprehend the knowledge of christian religion of God of Christ c. in the latter the practise thereof into which two the whole gospell is dissinguished which christiaÌ„ religion imbraceth and vpon which onely it is grounded Whereunto belongeth also that others doe teach how faith is an assured knowledge concerning God and Christ conceaued by the word of God c. And the whole christiaÌ„ doctrine consisteth partly in knowledge partly in practise And there bee two kindes of the actions of faith one in the vnderstanding another in the will The vnderstanding being endued with the light of faith doeth perceiue assent vnto and beleeue thinges set downe in the word The will being filled with the power of faith doeth loue desire and embrace the same thinges as good And further such thinges as pertaine to outward workes those it
obey the bishop presbitery next vnto thē These those superior bishops did call together all their whole clergie and did instruct them in knowledge and the diligent execution of their office But whereas it was the Lords will that his people should mutuallie loue among them selues and should mutually care one for another euen as farre and wide as might be possible for all christians are one bodie the holie fathers ordained that the bishops of each prouince for then all the romaine iurisdictions were distributed into prouinces should meet together with their presbiteries so often as the necessitie of the churches required but alwaies twise in the yeare and there they should enquire concerning Christs doctrine and discipline howe the same was administred and how it prospered in the churches that where they found anie default they might correct it that which they knew to be well they might confirme and set forward And that these Synods might also bee ordered aright and orderlie they would haue the Metropolitaine the bishops of euery mother cittie to be the chiefe directors to call them together and to guide thē For in each prouince the head citty wherin was the māsion or seat of the chiefe gouernor was called Metropolis or the mother cittie And therfore they inioyned vnto these Metro politaine bishops a certen care charge ouer al the churches throughout their prouince that if they should vnderstād of any thing taught or done amisse either of the ministers of the churches or of the cōmon sort that they should giue warning therof in time if by their admonitions they could not amēd the same thē for the correction therof they should call a Synode of bishops for it was not graunted vnto thē that they should execute any iudgement vpō their owne authority ouer churches which had bishops of their owne for the power of iudgmēt ouer both clergie laity was only in the hāds of the bishop elder of the same place And the bishops themselues were iudged by the Synods Therefore when there were any bishops to bee ordained for churches it was decreed that they should assemble at the same church withall if it might without hurte of the churches if not with some at the least two or three of the bishops of their owne prouince which if he were not alreadie elected should guide and gouerne in the election of the bishop and the election being done should examine it and inquire of the man elected most seuerelie and make due proofe of his whole life and of his skill and abllitie to performe the office and duetie of a bishopp And then at last should inuest him in his bishops function All which thinges were instituted and serued to this end that there might be as much know ledge and mutuall care betweene churches the ministers thereof as could be possible both for the remoouing expelling of all scandalls of doctrine and life and also to the earnestes and more effectuall maintaining prouoking encreasing of the edification of faith a life worthie of Christ our Lord. In so much as if any one did loyter or neglect their owne duetie the other bishops might be readie to help yea euen so farre forth as to the suspending of the obstinate and vtter casting them out of their bishops function Wee should consider what Saint Cyprian writeth to Stephan the romaine bishop concerning Martian bishop of Arelatensis who fell into the sect of Nouatian booke 2. Epist 13 and which he writt in his 3. epistle and first booke Of a certaine flock distributed vnto euerie one of the shepheards and which hee spake in the councell of Carthage as hee writt to Quirinus Nowe further when the world beganne to be full of churches that the Metropolitanes had also neede of their peculiar care for not all there beginning now to grow very many had other skil inough or watchfulnes inough for their place for euer and in all orders of mē there be few that doe excell the care of some prouinces was committed to certen bishops of the chiefe churches as to the bishop of Rome of Constantinople of Antioch and Alexandria and afterwards of Caesarea Cappadocia and certaine others as by reason of the great encrease of churches of the faithful necessitie did require But notwithstanding these primate bishops whom afterward they called Patriarches had no authoritie ouer the other bishops or churches more then as I said before the Metropolitaines had ouer the bishops and churches of their prouinces Euerie one did owe a speciall care and diligence to that portion of the churches that belonged to him it was his duetie also to admonish the bishops in time if any had offended or neglected his duetie and if admonition preuailed not then to add the authoritie of a counsell Among these the first place was giuen to him of Rome both for the reuerence of S. Peter and also for the maiestie of the cittie Which reason the fathers afterward following gaue the second place to him of Constantinople as being a second Rome and the bishop of the emperiall sea whereas Antioch before had obtained the second place among these patriarches But as the nature of man depraued by ambitiō did euer labour more that his rule might stretch farre then to gouerne well these patriarches by occasion of this generall care of the churches committed vnto them drewe vnto themselues first the ordaining of their neighbour bishops and by that ordaining they crept by little and little and at last confirmed a iurisdiction ouer such bishopps and their churches which mischiefe when it grew to bee verie great there beganne a grieuous contention for a vniuersall rule ouer all churches which the first that laboured to get vnto himselfe was one Iohn bishop of Constantinople vnder the emperour Mauricius concerning which cōtentiō there are extant many epistles among the epistles of S. Greg. booke 5.6.7.10 At length vnder Phocas hee of Rome obtained this title of vniuersall bishop which the bishops of that sea beganne more and more by degrees to abuse euen vntill by occasion first by diuision of the Empire vnder Charles the great afterwardes by dissentions of princes and nations whereby they tore and rent the power of the emperors of the West and other kinges they exalted themselues into that antichristian power which nowe they bragg of hauing oppressed the powers first of bishops and then of all kinges and emperors Thus therefore hath Sathan ouerthrowne the holesome obedience and gouernment of the clergie orders For the romaine Antichrist got to himselfe an immediate rule ouer all both clergie and laitie hath dissolued broken the care and charge of bishops such as were good bishops ouer those that were committed to their trust But seing it must needs be that all orders of clerks must haue their gouernors ouerseers therefore the power of bishops must be restored as also of Archdeacons and al others by what name soeuer they be called to whome