vtterly denied that there were anie angels And ORIGEN likewise who with PLATO affirmed that those spirituall minds as often as they offended were fallen and thrust into bodies APELLES the heretick also who said that the bodies which the Angels tooke vpon them were neuer created and LACTANTIVS FIRMIANVS who dreamed that Angels were not presentlie at the beginning of the world appointed to guide and protect man In summe wee condemne all those who either make them coaeternall with God or attribute vnto them the worke of the Creation as did SIMON MAGVS CERINTHVS SATVRNINIVS and CARPOCRATES Defended by IOHN IAMES COLER of Tigurine PRINCIPLES CONCERNING MAN XII 1 SEing that man is the most excellent of all the visible workes of God for whose cause next vnto Gods all other things were created we holde it a matter belonging vnto a Diuine to entreat of the nature of Man 2 Man is neither the bodie nor the soule seuerallie considered but composed of both that is of soule and bodie joined together by a most straight and most louing band 3 The truth of Gods worde doeth witnes that there was but one man created at the first who was to bee the originall of all other men And so all those that proceded from him should be tyed together by a common bond of blood Wee doe then reject the opinion of such Philosophers as haue denied one certaine man to haue had his beginning first of all other 4 The bodie of that first man was formed by God of the dust of the earth that is as wee interprete it of the foure elements that it should not be a graue of the soule as PLATO thought but a most excellent and a most meete instrument to performe the faculties of the minde 5 Now in respect that this bodie was made of qualities repugnant one to the other it was mortall in the first creation of it for repugnancie or discord is the authour of dissolution yet by the appointment of God it was made immortall that it should be the habitation of the immortall soule but after the entrance of sinne into the worlde it returned vnto the former necessitie of mortality The PELAGIANS therefore do erre in holding that the bodies of men were naturallie subject vnto death and in attributing the cause of death to be onely the discord of the contrary qualities Other points that belong vnto the frame and beautie of mans body we leaue to be discussed by naturall Philosophers and phisitians As also manie things that they teach concerning the powers of the soule becaus we think it meet that we containe our selues within the bonds of diuinitie And now we will speak of the essence of the soule 6 The essence of the soule can scarce be knowne for it is not to bee perceaued by the instrument of any the senses of our bodies yet by the faculties and operations of it it doth in a sort open it selfe vnto vs. And therefore it is vsuallie described and pointed out after this plaine maner 7 The soule of man is an essence created according vnto the image of God infused into the bodie that man cōsisting both of bodie and soule should be capable to know and glorifie God 8 The soule of man is properlie trulie called a soule for that facultie which is in beasts and plants is by reason of the scarcity of words so called of the Latines For seeing the same doth not subsist of it self that it is nothing els but a power arysing out of the properties of the matter forme it scant retaineth the name of a being much lesse deserueth to be called a soule 9 The soule of man is of a spirituall and not of a bodily nature subsisting by it selfe not vnaduisedlie made of moates not a fire or anie other of the foure elementes or yet anie thing compact of the elementes not any number not an harmony not any facultie brought forth out of the matter brieflie not anie part cut as it were out of the Deitie but wiselie created of nothing after a manner vnknowne vnto vs by God who woorketh most freely 10 Now although it hath a beginning yet doeth it remain immortal not onlie because of it owne substance it is vncompounded and voide of al contrarieties and bodilie accidents but especiallie in asmuch as it is so created of God that of it selfe it can liue exist and continue for euer And it doth rather afforde life vnto the bodie than deriue it from the same The which wee doe beleeue in asmuch as it is proued vnto vs by the most sure testimonies of the holy scriptures rather then because it is demonstrated by philosophicall reasons Wee condemne therefore the MANICHAEES GNOSTICKES and PRISCILLIANISTS who haue said that the soule was of a double nature whereof the one was from a good beginning vz. a good God The other from an euill The SELEVCIANES HERMINIANES PROCLIANES who held that the soule was not made by God but by Angels The LVCIFERIANES and TERTVLLIANISTS who were of opinion that it was a bodilie substance and such as could fall off or be shelled from the bodie and remooue from one bodie to an other The ARABIANES and the NAZARITES who thought it mortall the ORIGENISTS who judged that all soules shoulde aeternallye liue in heauen and the APOLLINARISTS whose opinion was that one soule was begotten of another 11 Neither is the soule of the same nature and sort that the Angels are as ORIGEN thought who made onlie an accidentall and not a substantiall difference between Angels and the soules of men Now that essentiall difference although it cannot be easilie knowne is yet in some sort perceaued by this adjunct vz. that Angels can not be ordinarilie joined vnto bodies wheras the soules may Now the soule is also not onelie the first mouer of the bodie but euen the verie cheef and especiall forme of a man whereby first of all and of it selfe A man is that which hee is and for whose cause the bodie is so framed as it is to the ende that a most honorable lodging should be prepared for a most honorable ghuest 12 The soules of all men are not one as THEMISTIVS and the followers of AVERROIS thought but of euerie particuler man there is a perticular soule which can as naked and bare formes consist and remaine when they are seuered from the bodie as in deed they do for a time when as they being out of the bodie do expect the aeternall and indissoluble conjunction that they are to haue with the same 13 And seing that the form of euerie thing doth not onlie make vp the whole but also euery part thereof and no part can effect the office thereof except the forme bee present and seeing when the same departeth it ceaseth from doing wee do defend that common opinion out of AVGVSTINE vz. that the soule is whollie in the whole and whollie in euery part Although there be this diuersitie of the being of it in the whole and in the
sort necessary And so AVGVSTINE saith that God was the Author of good and the ordainer of euill 10 Nowe seeing that Euill is not any thing that hath being in nature it followeth that there can be no extream soueraigne Euill saue onely as far as euill is altogether departed from that which is the chiefe and the soueraigne good which onelie is God alone blessed and mightie aboue all Wee doe therefore condemne the MARCIONITES the MANICHAEES and others who haue taught that there was two beginnings the one contrary vnto the other that is two Gods the one good of whome the inuisible spiritual and good Creatures haue had their beginning The other euill from whence all visible corporall and corrupt things haue issued whereas indeed all things are good in regard of their beeing and the euill that is in them hath proceeded from the corruption and defect of their being Defended by IOHN HENRIE SVVYTZER of Tygurine PRINCIPLES CONCERNING GOOD AND EVILL SPIRITS XIII CONCERNING THE CREATION OF AL things in generall we haue alreadie spoken now it followeth that we deale of the thinges created in particular and first of spirituall substaunces as beeing the Creatures that draw neerest vnto the nature of God 1 SPirits then are substances created of nothing without bodies and invisible yet finite in regard of the proprietie of their nature good indeed but so as they wer created by God of a changeable goodnes Of this sort are those which we call Angels and the soules of men 2 All Angels were at the first created good and endued with an vnderstanding of most surpassing excellencie and being of nature most simple next vnto God they were al at once created in the beginning not to take encrease by any propagation 3 The name of Angels is attributed to those Spirits to declare their office namelie that they are as it were the messengers and officers of God especiallie those of them that continued in the truth of whom we will speake in the first place 4 The names of those doe partlie shewe the excellencie of their nature as when they are called SERAPHIM and CHERVBIM and partlie declare the dignitie of their seruice wherevnto they are sent of which sort are the names of MICHAEL GABRIEL RAPHAEL spoken of in the Scriptures The like names of Angels mencioned in the bookes of CABALISTS and PAGANS wee holde to bee counterfeit 5 And as for the disputation cōcerning their degrees that of all other things is most vaine and so is the question concerning the time of their creation seeing that the lord hath not opened this misterie vnto vs. 6 Of these Angells some thorough Gods grace haue continued in the truth that is in that blessed and permanent state wherein they were created attending as diligent seruants vpon God that they might be readie to execute his commandements both for the furthering of the saluation of the Saints also for the execution of the just judgments of God 7 In the performing of these commaundements they haue often times appeared trulie visible and palpable by taking vpon them the shape of a man or some other form being for a set time clad with true bodies to bring to pas bodily actions It being the will of God that they should thus far frame themselues vnto the capacitie of men But whence they tooke these bodies and whether they fashioned them vnto themselues with all such like points as are laied vp onely in the secret counsell of God we hold it vnlawfull for vs to search 8 Now the rest of the Angels the number whereof are also exceedinglie manie wilfullie and willinglie changing themselues and departing from the truth hee being their guide and Captaine as it were who is peculiarlie named Sathan that is the aduersarie of God and the Deuill are by the just judgemēt of God of those that were most good become most euil but not bereaued of vnderstanding and judgement Wherefore also they are called by a Greeke name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is endued with knoweledge And for this their sinne they are justly adjudged by the Lord vnto aeternall torment without any hope of mercie 9 And although these wicked Angels do with all their might resist God yet are they wholie subject vnto his gouernement and power the Lord vsing their wickednes and malice partly to chastice his owne and partlie to execute his judgementes against the enemies of his name in such sort as hee turneth their wicked endeuours and purposes vnto the cleane contrarie part euen vnto the saluation of his children and to his own glory The Lord then in such sort doth vse them as instruments though euill that are at his commaundement but so as they can neuer be properly called the seruants of God because their worke is alwaies euil although he bringeth his good worke to passe by their meanes 10 These as also their Prince who from the beginning was a murtherer as far as in them lieth doe desire the destruction of men both bodie and soule 11 Their operations also are wonderfull when God giueth them power to hurt In so much that after a sort they may seeme to worke miracles 12 But if we cal those miracles which are done against all order of nature the Deuils can worke no such no nor yet anie of the good Angels Because this is onlie the proper power of God which can in no wise be communicated with any Creature The miracles therefore which seeme to be wrought by Deuils are either meere delusions or els wrought by the secret operation of nature which is better known vnto them being euill Spirits then to any men and therefore they haue but the shew of miracles 13 These euill Angels also seeme to foretell thinges to come in which respecte they haue long since bewitched men and depraued the true worship of God as farre as in them lay But to speake properlie they cannot foretel any thing to come because this also is the peculiar worke of God onely 14 Nowe howe they are able to worke in the hearts of men and to sturre vp their thoughts that is whether they alwaies do the same by the meanes of some thing laied before man or without anie object wee thinke it to be a curious question and it may be such as men cannot dissolue But our part is that wee bee very carefull to enarme our selues against these temptations with all our might by continuall praiers 15 But we affirme out of the word of God that the deuils are dispersed through all parts of the worlde both aboue and beneath doing all the euill they can euen vntill that Sathan and his Angels togeather with all cursed reprobates be cast into hel there to be tormented with eternall fire We doe therefore condemne the MANICHAES and the PRISCILLIANISTS who defended that the Diuels were euill by nature and created such at the first by a certaine euill God the SADVCES also who together with that HERMES TRESMEGISTVS
partes as that it is first and of it selfe in the whole whereas it is in the parts but after a secondarie manner Defended by IOHN CASTOLL of Geneua PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE FACVLTIES OF THE SOVLE OF MAN XV. HAVING SET DOWN WHAT WE ARE to beleeue according vnto the Scriptures concerning the essence of the soule of man nowe wee are to entreate of the powers thereof 1 GOD alone is a most simple and a most meere beeing And therefore although the essence of the soule be a spirituall and no bodilie substance yet it is endued with faculties agreeable vnto the nature of it which by their owne spirituall manner are inhaerent in the essence thereof as in their subject We do not therefore allow the opinion of the PERIPATETICKS who taught that the faculties of the soule doth not differ from the essence of it in deed but after a sort 2 And although the very essence and substance of the soule doeth by the grace of God continue without all change and alteration yet the powers thereof were created of a changeable nature 3 Now as man was created in one of his parts like vnto all other liuing creatures aswell in regarde of the substance of their bodies as of their naturall life though in a far more excellent state So it behoued that that other part of his should bee endued with faculties meet for the preseruation of the naturall life of his said bodie namely with the faculties of nourishing and the power of outward senses whereof whatsoeuer might be farther spoken wee leaue vnto Phisitians and naturall Philosophers 4 The other faculties are proper vnto the soule of man for the spirituall and immortall excellencie whereof it is also and not only for the very essence of the soule trulie said to be created according to the image of God 5 Yet in asmuch as the soule in bringing forth the effects of these proper qualities doeth vse the instrument of the bodie whereunto it is personallie vnited in this respect also man wholie considered but not in part may be truly held to be created after the image of God We do condemne therfore the dotage of the ANTHROPOMORPHITES who placing the image of God in the very bodie of man did therefore dreame that God was a bodilie substance as also the madnes of OSIANDER who referred the same vnto the incarnation of the world 6 These faculties we holde to bee two the vnderstanding which is also called the minde and the will or as sometimes they are called in the holie Scriptures the spirite and the soule taken in a more narrow signification 7 This Image considered these two faculties is expressed of PAVL by the names of righteousnes and true holines whereby hee declareth the agreement which it had with the patterne according vnto which it was created A wonderfull light being powred into the facultie of vnderstanding whereby it was endued with a most cleare knowledge and such as was obscured by no darknes of the true God and his diuine will And an inward force being ingraffed into the will whereby it was able to stirre vp it self by holy motions without all shew of resistance vnto that end for the which man was created the bodie to be short beeing framed in a most wonderfull decent sort to yeeld obedience most redily and without all wearisomnes vnto the soule when it moued the same 8 Vnto this agreeablenes of man with God and to the agreement and proportion that all the partes of man had among them selues was adjoined as it were another shining brightnes of the diuine Maiestie the dominion of all the inferiour creatures granted vnto man that by this meanes also man might shine here beneath as a president of the majestie and glory of God 9 To the execution of this gouernment there was giuen vnto man an exact knowledge not gotten by labour and vse but naturallie ingraffed in him both of the natures of all things that he was to gouerne and also of the best way to rule them Wherunto of the contrary side the good and right disposition and inclination which all the creatures that were vnder mans gouernment had to obey man was answerable the which harmony and agreement of the whole world MOSES doth expresse by the name of the goodnes that was in euery creature Defended by IOHN FLORIDES of Augiers PRINCIPLES CONCERNING FREE-WILL XVI THE FACVLTIES OF THE VNDERstanding and the will are alwaies accompanied with that power which is commonlie called Free-will whereof wee will now speake 1 FREE-WILL which the Graecians cal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if the force of the word be strictlie considered is giuen neither to man nor Angell nor yet shall euer bee granted but trulie and absolutely doth agree vnto God alone for he onlie is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Yet of this high and soueraigne authority there were certaine lineaments shadowed in Angels and men at their first creation when as both the one and other were endued by the Lord with vnderstanding will whereby they were made capable of knowledge and vnderstanding 3 For man is not onlie stirred to desire by a naturall liuelie motion but euen according vnto aduise or electiō which cannot be without either the true or the apparant knowledge of the thing it desireth 4 Such furthermore was the state of the first man before sinne that his vnderstanding and will did altogether agree with the wil of God and were wholly subject which is the cheefest libertie vnto his commandement without all resistance or strife that the affections had against the minde 5 At that time therefore man was in deed the Lord of his owne actions that is endued with free-will Yet because he was mutable and changeable both wayes he did so encline from good to euill that as AVGVSTINE saieth by sinning he lost both him-self and his libertie 6 Not that hee was turned vnto a stock and so bereaued of judgement and will For sinne hath not vtterlie abolished nature although it hath lamentablie polluted the same but such a libertie remaineth as can will nothing but what is euill and that euillie For whatsoeuer is done without faith is sinne 7 Now in things that are subject vnto vs as many actions both naturall and morall are free choise is left vnto man that he can either will or not will as he hath will either to speake or to hold his peace to studie or not studie and such like 8 But in supernaturall things as are to know God to loue him and to obey his will as we ought we are altogether weake and blinde or rather deade as PAVLE speaketh Wee do condemne therefore the PELLAGIANS who say that the force of will remaineth in vs vnblemished and that sinne may bee auoided by the meere light of nature And the PAPISTS also who holde that it is but blemished onely 9 For we acknowledge as the Scripture teacheth that wee are nowe our nature being corrupted dead in sinne the children of wrath and enemies vnto
law of God to the end we might know that hee was not onely dead but also made a cursse for vs. 17 Christ therfore being the true and the onely Priest performing the worke of the Mediatour-shippe as all the shadowes of the lawe did prefigure him carrying about with him that Tabernacle of his bodie entred once into the holie place where vppon the Altar of the Crosse hee once offered himselfe a Sacrifice and a brunt offering vnto his Father by sheadding his most precious bloode hee I say beeing the Priest the Sacrifice the verye redemption ransome and propitiation and euen all these thinges for euer Wee detest therefore with all our hearts that blasphemie whereby the Papists are not affraid to affirme that Christ is as yet daily offered vnto his Father reallie and in deed for the quick and dead by the sacrificing Priest then the which blasphemie nothing can bee more execrable 18 Nowe Christ by his death hath abollished both the first and the second death vnto his Elect. The first death not that he hath fully destroyed the same but that he hath chaunged it in such sort as it is no longer a punishment of sinne or an entry vnto the other death but a passage vnto aeternall life 19 The latter indeede in respect that hee beeing dead did altogeather put it vnder his feet and openly triumph ouer the same wherefore also wee are no longer to feare it 20 By the death of Christ wee vnderstand the true separation of his soule from his bodie the which soule as hauing it in his owne hands when he had fulfilled al these things which were forespoken of the Prophets concerning his satisfaction for vs and hauing performed all the solemnities of the true expiatorie sacrifice hee willinglie calling againe and againe with a great crie on his Father gaue vp 21 Yet was not the Diuinitie of Christ therefore seperated in his death either from his bodie or from his soule but it was alwaies personallie vnited vnto both in such sort as that band of the personall vnion was neuer broken Wherefore some haue not taught aright in giuing out that Christ by his death ceased to be man 22 Lastlie besides all the fruites which wee drawe as hath beene shewed from the passion crosse and death of Christ this is not the least that by the benefite and power of them our old man suffereth is crucified quit broght to nothing with him Defended by ANTONIE THYSIVS a low countriman PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE BVRIAL AND THE DESCENSION OF CHRIST INTO HELL XLIIII 1 ALL these things that Christ suffered or did for our cause are in the second part of the Apostolical Creed comprehended in the actions of his humiliation or exaltation 2 The actions of his humiliation are either of his secret or of his open humiliation of his secret is his conception all the rest euen vnto his Resurrection are of his open humiliation 3 Wee haue hitherto dealt concerning the act of his secret humiliation and also concerning the foure first heades of his open humbling his Natiuitie Passion crucifying and death the two latter aboue named do yet remaine viz. his Buriall and his Descension into Hell the former whereof belongeth vnto his body the latter vnto his soule as afterward we will speake 4 The Buriall of Christ is to be expounded euen as the wordes themselues doe sound wherein are to bee considered First the persons who buried Christ Secondly the forme and manner of his burial Thirdly the end Fourthlie the effects Fiftly the place Sixtly the time he remayned in the graue 5 The persons who buried him were IOSEPH of Aramathea and NICODEMVS who hauing obtained the bodie of Christ of PILATE did anoint the same with Balme and wrapped it in fine linnen and afterwards buried it In all which points we haue a singuler example of faith and also of Gods prouidence hereby making a way to the resurrection of Christ 6 The forme of his buriall consisteth in his anointing the which in respect of God was a type of that liuely smel flowing from the death of Christ his winding laying in the graue which were assured testimonies of his death And here wee are not to conceale their notable delusion who not onely superstitiouslie but also ignorantlie and foolishlie doe in Sauoy offer a certaine Linen to bee worshipped wherein Christ shoulde bee wrapped in the graue the which they also foolishly call a handkercherffe or napkin wherein the whole bodie of Christ is painted wheras the Iewes according to their custome doe onelie binde the head in a Napkin 7 The endes of this buriall are manifolde For first of al Christ would therefore be buried that he might be declared to be truly dead 2. That he might persue death fliing as it were vnto her innermost denne 3. That hee might make our buriall smell of the liuelie sauour of his death and so driue away from vs the horror of the graue 4 That by this meanes hee might leaue a sure testimonie of the resurection 8 The effect of the Burial of Christ is first of all this that as dying he ouercame death and persued this victorie of his that he might deliuer his bodie frō the effect of death that is from being turned vnto dust euen so by the same power of his hee might bring the bodies of his members vnto aeternall incorruption The other is that euen as the burial of that bodie which was assumed into for vs a spiritual an aeternall life was a certaine cōtinuance of death so is it vnto vs a pledge of the spirituall death of the olde man dying in vs by litle and little in which respect we are said in Baptisme to be buried with him into his death 9 Neither is the bodie of sinn weakned in vs at a moment but by continuall progresse dooth dailie more and more languishe vntill it bee made altogeather without strength which shall then be when wee shall perfectlie rise againe 10 Hee is said to bee buried in a Fielde neere vnto the place where he was crucified and that in a newe graue cut out of a rocke that it might bee clearlie manifest that hee was trulie buried and therefore also that hee rose againe and not some other in his stead 11 As concerning the sealing watching of the graue both came to passe by the gret prouidence of God namelie that the most extreame enemies of Christ by whose seal and guard the Sepulchers was made safe might bee compelled against their wils to confirme the Resurrection of Christ that by and by followed 12 It was not necessary that the time wherein hee lay in the graue should in euery point bee answearable to the Type of IONAS but we are to know that Christ hasting as it were vnto the victorie the Scripture is wont by setting down a part for the whole to giue the name of some whole thing to the beginning and end thereof So Christ beeing put in the graue at the latter end of that
sort doth appertain vnto the soule namelie in that respect that by the resurrection it was restored againe vnto the bodie that is vnto his proper instrument 5 Heere it is also gathered that the same verie bodie which was laid in the graue rose againe 6 The Resurrection did abolish none of the essentiall qualities of the bodie of which sort are to haue a quantitie and to bee finite whence followeth that it is also enclosed within the compasse of the members thereof and is contained in a place We do condemne therfore the Eutychians who held that he had a bodie that was not bodilie and the Valentinians who said that it was an aierie bodie and the Marcionites who turned his true bodie vnto a shadow both before and after the Resurrection 7 By the same reason also doth fall to the ground that inuented forgerie both of Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation as beeing altogether repugnant vnto the truth of the bodie of Christ 8 Christ was the first that rose hauing swallowed vp mortalitie and remooued at once all the infirmities of the naturall life from him selfe although that after his resurrection he did trulie eat and drinke that he might make vs fullie assured that he tooke vpon him again a true bodie 9 Christ which is proper to him alone rose againe by the power of his owne Deitie and not by any borrowed strength or by the force of anie creature Therefore his Resurrection is a most true demonstration that he was trulie God 10 There was great cause why Christ shoulde ryse the third day and not before least that if he had risen sooner his death should haue seemed to be but fained or if he had staied longer in the graue the faith of the elect might haue beene hazarded 11 The Resurrection of Christ was necessarie to the accomplishing of our saluation because that as it behooued him to suffer the death due vnto our sinnes so also it was needfull that death should bee ouercome by him that hee might bring vs vnto aeternall life beeing deliuered from mortalitie 12 It was agreable also vnto the justice of God that Christ should enioy aeternall glorie euen by the condition of the legall couenant which is do this and liue 13 The Resurrection of Christ is a sure pillar of our resurrection because the church is as it were the complement or filling vp of Christ and therefore taking away that head of Christian religion vaine were the preaching of the Gospell Therefore we detest from our harts the Saducees and all Philosophers that haue denied the resurrection of the flesh 14 The doctrine of the Resurrection hath beene continuallie held in the church of God the which also though it do depend vpon the omnipotencie of God onelie may yet in some sort by laying downe some sure grounds and principles bee probablie gathered by humaine reason 15 Our bodies shall not be two in nomber after the resurrection but the verie same bodie that lay downe in the graue shall rise againe The opinion therefore which IOHN the Bishop of Ierusalem held concerning the taking vp of an other body is worthelie condemned 16 The Resurrection of Christ doth properlie belong vnto the elect seeing the wicked are to ryse againe not by the vertue of his resurrection but by the just judgement of GOD vnto aeternall damnation euen by the force of that penaltie which GOD added vnto the commandement hee gaue to ADAM The day that thou shalt eate thou shalt die the death euen the first and the second death 17 It is no wonderfull case that Christ after his Resurrection did not openlie manifest himself vnto all men for as there is a time of mercie so is there a time of judgemēt with God 18 Christ proued his Resurrection vnto his disciples by all kinde of arguments as by the testimonies both of Angels of weomen and of men vnto whome he presented himselfe aliue euen in the same bodie that was marked with the scarres of the wounds adding thereunto also the testimonies of the Prophets 19 Vnto all these things he adjoined his conuersation which he had with them for the space of fourtie daies least either a shorter time should not suffice or if he had continued longer he might seeme to haue risen to such a life as he lead heere at the first 20 Hetherto also belongeth the manner of his appearing which was in some respect naturall that it might be manifest that neither his resurrection nor his glorie did take from him his true humanitie whereby he is and shall be our brother for euer and yet notwithstanding supernaturall that all might knowe him hauing laide downe this naturall life to be vnto vs the first fruits of a spirituall and an aeternall 21 Now seeing both this hystorie of the Resurrection and also testimonies of the Prophets which fore-tolde the same were published openlie and in the audience of as manie as would heare not onelie of the Iewes but of al other people and was also confirmed by all kinde of miracles it must needs be that neither the Iewes nor anie other people can complaine that Christ after hee had risen againe did not offer himself to be seene of them 22 And seing that Christ came to saue his elect wholly both soule and bodie and that his resurrection is his true and full victorie it followeth that that spirituall resurrection whereby it commeth to passe that our soules beeing spiritually vnited vnto Christ the old mā beginneth to die in vs being by little and little to be worne away is buried and the new man riseth again doth depend vpon the resurrection of Christ that euen as Christ after his resurrection not before as far as he is our head began to liue that aeternall life after he had ouercome all the infirmities of this naturall life which sinne excepted he had vndergone for our sakes so that qualitie of an vncorrupted life being begun in our soules while we liue heere and proceeding farther after the dissolation of this bodie is at the length to bee fullie perfected when the restitution of our bodies shall be accomplished and so the elect shall liue that aeternall life with Christ the type of which benefite is the Sacrament of Baptisme vnto vs. 23 Nowe euen as the Spirit of Christ passed from the Crosse into Paradise at the verie same moment that it departed out of the bodie thēce returned into the bodie that whole Christ in respect that he was man might be afterwards glorified so we do beleeue that their spirits who die in the Lord do straight way depart vnto God there to enjoy that measure of glory that is appointed for thē vntill that they beeing adjoined againe vnto the same bodies which will be the verie same in substance trulie corporal though in a far more excellent estate shal liue vnder Christ their head for euermore We do condemne therfore both that fable of Purgatory fire and also their doctrine who dreame that the soules of the departed
spirituall drinke 12 Further if Christ were corporally present he should be eaten without respect both of the badde and the good which is impossible For to eat the flesh of Christ is to beleeue in Christ to be joyned with Christ and to be drawen from death vnto life which can by no meanes agree vnto the wicked 13 For they as AVGVSTINE saith do onely receiue the bread of the Lorde but not the bread which is the Lorde which bread is also vnto them not a sign of Christs bodie but meerely bread euen as the Sacrifice of the wicked are by the Prophet HOSEAH not called sacrifice but only flesh Yet doth GOD justlie punish in them the contempt of his grace offered 14 Againe seeing the question in this point is onelie touching the soule and the feeding thereof to offer a corporall thing therevnto is to bee ignorant of the nature of things and to mingle heauenly and earthly things togeather seing that eating of Christs bodie with the mouth if it could be possiblie done could not reach vnto the soule but onely vnto the bodie And as the blood of Christ doth not wash them that are corporallie dipped thereunto the which thing might haue come to passe vnto the very Iews that tormented him But those who apprehend the force and efficacie thereof by true faith for they eat his bodie and drinke his blood who spiritually yet not by imagination but truly as hath bin said apprehend him as he is giuen vnto vs of the Father 15 Last of all Consubstantiation cannot be established by the woordes of the institution For Christ did not say Heere is my bodie that is in vnder or with the bread but this is that is this bread is my bodie And it were absurd to say that Christ who reached the bread vnto his Disciples was corporally in vnder and with that bread 16 Now the similitude of Iron beeing red hotte of an infant lying in his swathes of wine contained in the vessel are so grosse that they need no confutation for these conjunctions are natural wherby new qualities are aplied vnto bodies substances are joined vnto substances wheras al things in the Supper ar supernatural depēding vpon the institution of Christ Yea and that supernatural conjunction whereby the Deitie of Christ is personally vnited vnto his humanitie can haue no place in this argument nor yet that miraculous conjunction whereby GOD taking vpon him certain visible formes did manifest himself vnto some It followeth then that this compulation is Sacramentall whereby the signes and the things signified wholie remaining the Sacraments are that truly which they are said to be 17 The rest of the proppes of Transubstantiation being of the same strength with the former wee reject as making no account of them togeather with Consubstantiation it selfe adjoyning the saying of IRENAEVS that they who will not know the truth are forced to allowe of many falshoods Defended by MOSES RICOTERIVS a Gascoigne PRINCIPLES TOVCHING THE INVOCATION OF GODS NAME LXIII WEE HAVE DONE WITH THE WORDE and the Sacraments being the two markes of the Church wherevnto seeing Praier or the inuocation of Gods name is inseparablie ioyned it is conuenient that in this place we deale therewith 1 THe inuocation of God is an ardent affection bent towards God whereby we do both craue and exspect of God onely for Christ his sake spirituall and corporall blessings according vnto his commaundement and promises and also doe giue thanks vnto him for blessings receiued 2 The same is necessarie vnto all Christians that are come to yeares First because it is that especiall worshippe of God which the couenaunt of grace doth require of vs Next because this is the meanes whereby God will haue his elect to obtaine and keepe the grace of the holy Spirit and all the rest of his benefites Brieflie it is a testimony of Gods couenant in our hearts For whosoeuer doe call vppon the name of God they are indued with the Spirite of the adoption of Children and receiued into the couenant of God 3 True inuocation ariseth first from the true feeling of our wants the knowledge of the sufficiency of God and vpon the promise of being hard which is apprehended by faith 4 Inuocation is due onely vnto GOD the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost both because hee alone is the onelie Authour of all good things and also because that to bee able to heare-and heale all that call vpon him in all places belongeth vnto none saue onely vnto the omnipotent God 5 Now whereas no man is worthie to present himselfe in the presence of God the heauenlie Father to the ende that he might driue away from vs all shamefastnes feare hath giuen vs the onely Mediator in whome alone he doth looke vpon vs as beeing reconciled and heareth our prayers Now the holy Ghost is he who giueth vs the true contrition of the heart and true faith in him vpon whome we call and doth inwardlie teach vs what wee ought to pray so that we doe call vpon the Father in the name of the Son by the holy Ghost 6 Neither of the three persons of the Deity therfore is to be omitted in true praier though they bee not alwaies distinctlie named but wee may sometimes call vpon God simplie and sometimes direct our praiers vnto the father sometimes vnto the Sonne and sometimes vnto the holie Ghost 7 By the intercession of Christ with the father is ment not any praiers proceeding in some maner of gesture from him now in heauen on our behalfe but the price of that redemption of his wherevpon when the Father looketh hee heareth his and also this namely that when wee call vppon the Father in his name hee in some sort doth offer our praiers according vnto the tender care whereby he is euen now vnspeakablie affected towards his members yet after his owne manner which is altogeather vnsearchable vnto vs. 8 Seeing Christ doth make intercession for vs and with vs in such sort as we haue spoken we holde that the praiers of the faithfull are alwaies acceptable vnto God thogh he doth neither alwais giue vnto vs that which we rightly ask nor at the time wherein we aske 9 And seing our praiers are to be framed according vnto the rule of Gods word we may simply without exception aske those thinges which God hath simplie and without exception promised vnto vs as the increase of faith the strength of the Spirite against temptations remission of sinnes and such like All other things not specially expressed as the deliuery from this or that danger and such like are to be desired with exception namely as farre as it bee expedient for Gods glory according as and also when hee thinketh meet who onely knoweth what is expedient to be granted vnto vs. 10 The father hath deliuered vnto vs by his deare son a most perfect generall forme of praier yet are we not tied vnto the very words thereof 11 The chiefe end
way vnto the gift of repentance 15 PAVLE therefore did not sinne against the holie Ghost who persecuted Christ and his members whome he knew not 1. TIM 1. 16 Although this sinne bee voluntary yet it followeth not that euery sinne which is voluntarie and committed against the conscience is irremissible 17 But contrariwise although these sins are horrible whether they be committed of infirmitie or of malice yet are they forgiuen vnto those that repent as they were vnto DAVID PETER and others 18 The counsel of God concerning the saluation of the elect cannot be dissanulled and therefore the elect cannot be guilty of this sinne 19 Neither doe all the reprobate necessarie fall vnto this sin seeing originall sin is sufficient to condemne them 20 This sinne is placed in the heart of man and therefore seeing God is the searcher of the heart diligent heed is to bee taken least that being carried away with a preposterous zeale we rashly passe sentence against any in judgeing them to be guilty of this sinne 21 Yet are they to be seriouslie admonished who continue to shewe themselues disobedient vnto the admonitions and judgements of God least that being at the length hardened by the Lords just judgement they run headlong vnto this downe-fall Defended by IOHN HALBERIVS CORTRACENVS PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE RESVRRECTION OF THE FLESH LXXX 1 THe rest of the Articles of our faith being hitherto sufficientlie handled two of them remaine yet to bee discussed namely the resurrection of the flesh and life euerlasting 2 Although the Sonne of God by taking vpon him our nature by dying and rising againe hath performed the parts of our saluation Although also he doth bestow that quickning Spirite of his vpon all those that trulie beleeue the Gospell It remaineth as yet notwithstanding that what hath bene performed in him who is our head be also performed in vs being his members 3 Hence must the faithfull learne both day and night to meditate vpon the marke and shutting vp of their happinesse and to bee continuallie desirous of the same in such sort as although they bee tossed in this worlde by diuers and daungerous stormes of temptation raised vp against them by the Deuill the Worlde and the Fleshe they may yet continue firme and immooue-able in faith and in the hope of the liuing GOD and of the Lord Iesus Christ 4 Euen as death entred into the world by the sinne of the first ADAM whence the necessitie of death did arise Euen so wee affirme that death is abollished in the saints and chaunged vnto aeternall life by the vertue of the latter ADAM that is Christ to the end that as Christ did first of all rise againe vnto that aeternall life So all the elect may rise by him vnto the same 5 Now death is by a naturall generation conuaied vnto all the posteritie of the first ADAM whereas aeternall life is by spirituall ingraffing into the second ADAM deriued vnto his members 6 In this respect is the name of ADAM attributed vnto Christ namely that as ADAM was the stocke of mankinde breathing out poison according vnto the deadlie nature So Christ is made by grace the root of all the Saints powring the juice of eternall life into his members Wee doe therefore condemne the Philosophers who drewe the cause of death not from sinne but from this Aixome in naturall Philosophie vz. whatsoeuer is compounded is subject vnto dissolution Much more doe wee detest the PELAGIANS who teach that sinne and therefore death did arise not from the deprauation of nature in ADAM but from the voluntarie imitation thereof the which errour PAVLE dooth ouerthrowe as by manie Argumentes so by this most clearelie in that Infants themselues also are subject vnto death 7 Although that all sinnes which are the cause of death are truly remitted vnto the beleeuers yet notwithstanding are they no lesse subject vnto death then the very wicked themselues and that for two causes First because that the roote of sinne which is called originall sinne is not vtterlie abollished in them in this life but is brought to an end by death For then doth the strife betweene the flesh and the Spirite cease Secondly because that vnlesse they did shake of this life they could neuer be partaker of that other life which they hope for 8 And therefore we holde that the faithfull are depriued of this life rather by the mercie of God calling them vnto that aeternall kingdom then because that death is the reward of sinne 9 And on the other side that the vnfaithful do not rise by vertue of the resurrection of Christ which is alwaies vnto saluation and is bestowed vpon his members but by the force of that curse of God whensoeuer thou shalt eat of the fruit hereof thou shalt die the death 10 For seeing this degree doth comprehend both the deathes but especially the second which is eternall it must needes be that the vnfaithfull also shall rise againe whereas otherwise their bodies except they should bee joyned again with their soules should escape eternal paines which is ment by the second death 11 The whole person of euery man wholie considered but not in part is said to rise again For as the body only is said to lie down so the same alone to speak properly shall rise againe Whereas the soule seeing by death it hath suffered no detriment in the essence thereof can bee sayd to rise again but metaphorically as when it is brought by the Spirite of Christ from the seruitude of sinne wherein it was dead and wherein it could not so much as thinke much lesse will or doe the things that are of God into that holie libertie which is the way vnto eternall life We do therfore condemne them who dream that the soules seperated from their bodies are a sleepe and that they shall arise togeather with the bodies And we doe also detest the opinion of HYMENEVS and PHILETVS who did not distinguishe the spirituall from the corporall resurrection 12 The Scripture declareth by manifest testimonies that the soules of the faithfull who die in the Lorde are receiued of christ into that eternal paradise situated aboue all heauens whervnto Christ did ascend and that they are there conuersant with Christ being partakers in their measure of blessednes and felicity wheras on the other side the word of GOD and the consideration of thinges that are contrary doe shew that the soules of the wicked are thrust into hell and there tormented in their manner 13 The same bodies that lay down shal rise but not in the same qualities as the verie same body of Christ which was crucified buried did arise but not hauing those qualities wherewith it was endued when it was crucified dead and buried Yet this is the difference in that the bodie of Christ felt no corruption and therefore did ouer-come the power and effect of death euen in the verie house of death But our bodies are deliuered from corruption which seemed
to haue bene able vtterlie to haue abolished them Wee doe therefore condemne those who dream that the soules hauing lost their former bodies by corruption shall assume other bodies in their steede 14 This change shall bee done at a moment in those whome Christ shall finde aliue at his second comming 15 The Axiome of the Philosophers that the generation of one thing is the corruption of an other hath no place in this matter and the similitude of PAVLE drawne from the seed sowen in the ground is not to be drawn anie farther than vnto the change of the quality 16 Wee affirme that the one and the selfe same man in number shal arise both in respect of his bodie which is his matter and also in respect of his forme that is of his soule which shall quicken the one and the selfe same bodie although by the retaking againe of the forme the person might in a nice sort seeme to be an other in number than it was before 17 By reason of this change of the qualities and not because the very bodilie quantity and circumscription are taken away for they are perpetuall circumstances or adjuncts of a bodie PAVLE doth affirme that the natural bodie is changed into a spirituall Great therfore is their errour and meerelie contrary vnto the Resurrection of the bodies who teach that the bodies are essentiallie changed by Resurrection into a spirituall nature For by this meanes death should so abolish the nature of the bodie as the Resurrection cold not restore the same and the analogie also betweene Christs Resurrection the resurrection of his members should be destroied 18 By this means furthermore the threatning of the punishments of that aeternal fire and paine should be altogether Allegoricall yea and after the resurrection both the godlie and the wicked shuld become some third spirit compact or braied together as it were of the natural spirit and the bodie accidentallie transformed into the nature either of the same or of a diuers spirit 19 But they doe verie greeuouslie erre who imagine that the bodie of Christ after his glorification which ensued vpon his Resurrection became not onelie of a spirituall nature which though it were graunted not to bee circumscribed in regard of quantitie yet they must needs yeild that the same is bounded within the propriety of the nature of it but also of a diuine seeing the Deitie alone is euerie where by a proprietie altogether vncommunicable vnto anie thing els Neither hath the Resurrection abolished the true bodilie humaine nature of Christ but the infirmities of his naturall bodie beeing laid aside God hath endued the same humane nature with most excellent supernaturall guifts 20 The qualities of the bodies beeing glorified cannot be knowne vnto vs while we are in this life neither are we curiouslie to enquire of them Yet may it be gathered by the woordes of Christ comparing the Saincts vnto the brightnesse of the Sunne and affirming them to be aequall with the Angels by the storie of the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ also out of the first to the CORINTH and both the Epistles of PAVLE to the THESSALONIANS that besides their incorruption they shall bee also bright or shining and of a more refined quick substance than now they are 21 Of the contrarie side it may in some sort be gathered how horrible and fearefull the state shall be of those men who are to be adjudged vnto the secōd death which is the euerlasting curse of God Seeing their soules shall therefore neuer bee seperated from their bodies euen because that their vnspeakable torments may be aeternall Defended by ABEL BARRERIVS a Gascoigne PRINCIPLES CONCERNING ETERNALL LYFE LXXXI 1 THe Article concerning the Resurrection of the flesh being handled at large in the former principles we are now at the length come to the exposition of that which is touching Aeternall life 2 This Article is therefore set last in the belief because it is the end and shutting vp of all those things which are there propounded vnto vs to be beleeued 3 We make life in this place to be that power and facultie whereby the soule doth not onelie moue it self but doth also giue motion sense vnto the body and this latter effect thereof in this life doth PAVL cal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is naturall as being applied vnto the vse of this present life of which sort also was the life of ADAM before his fall although it was neither subject vnto mortalitie neither vnto those things which tend vnto death as he was after his fal But the soule being againe ioyned to the bodie shall both moue it self by a farre more excellent power and shall also quicken the bodie in a far diuers sort from that naturall life which shall be done away namelie by a spirituall life and aequall vnto the Angels as also the verie bodie shall rise again endued with far more excellent qualities whervpon it was called of PAVLE a spirituall bodie not in regard of the substance but of the qualities thereof 4 To liue therfore the etetnall life is to be in that state wherein the elect being after the blessed resurrection most fully joyned with Christ their head shal know God in heauen together with the Angels after a manner altogether vnknowne vnto vs at this day enjoy his prescence and glorifie him eternally We do therfore justlie condemne the error of the CHILIASTES 5 By the worde ETERNAL in this place we vnderstand that which hath a beginning but neuer shall haue an end 6 Touching curious and difficult questions as concerning the sight of God which we are to haue in the life to come and such like wee thinke meete to omitte them because it is sufficient for vs to knowe that God hath prepared for vs those thinges which neither eie hath seene eare hath heard nor enterd into the hart of man 7 The Author of that life is God who freely bestoweth the same vpon those whome of his meere mercie he hath chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world from whome as from the head this blessed immortallitie dooth flowe in a most full sorte into his members that are joyned vnto him 8 For the foundation both of our resurrection vnto life and also of that eternall life is that resurrection and glory of Christ our head because hee is the first fruites of the rising from the deade of those for whome hee prayed that they should be there where he is 9 That life therfore is not without respect generally bestowed vpon all men but only vpō the elect as being those who onelie are found in Christ according vnto that saying of PAVL ROM 11. The elect haue obtained it the rest are hardened and according vnto that voice of Christ Come yea blessed of my Father 10 This blessed immortallitie shal be common in deed vnto all the elect but not in the same measure as it may be probablie gathered by the consideration of the contrarie
punishment of the wicked 11 The especiall ende for the which eternall life is bestowed vpon vs is this namly that acknowledging the immeasurable and infinit mercy of God wee may attribute vnto him eternall praises as it is meete 12 We shall at the time when God hath appointed be put in full posession of that life at which time the number of those that are to bee saued being fulfilled Iesus Christ shall be seene of vs who looke for him to our saluation to come as a redemer from Heauen 13 Seeing the Lord hath put this day in his own power to be inquisitiue when the same shal be is a point of extreame madnes We do therefore condemne those both olde and new writers who breaking into the secrets of God do think that they can set downe when that day shall be whereas the knowledge heereof is not giuen no not to the Angels themselues 14 It is our dutie therefore rather to be watchful least being drowned with the delightes of the worlde and the flesh and as it were overwhelmed in a dead sleepe that last day do come vpon vs being vnprepared at vnawares 15 Now although the full perfection of that life which wee hope for be referred vnto the very last day yet notwithstanding it taketh certaine beginnings in our mindes even while we are heere when as the holy Ghost dooth by the preaching of the worde dispell the darcknes of our minde and indue the same with the true knowledge of God whence afterwarde doth proceed a willing minde to obey his commandements and that hope which cannot deceaue them that beleeue 16 Vnto this eternall life which shall bring vnspeakable felicitie vnto the elect death eternall is oposed which shall bring vnto the wicked that destruction which neuer shall haue an end 17 Even as that most happie felicitie cannot nowe be comprehended of vs so also that miserie of the damned is altogether incomprehensible 18 This most horrible state is called the second death not because that either the soul is thereby seperated from the bodie or that the soule or the body of the damned do suffer death but because that as by the first death the body and the soul of the wicked is dissolued the one of them hastning vnto putrefaction the other going to haue a tast of the eternall paines even so by this second punishment both the soule and the body are not only wholie excluded for euer from Gods fauor but also adjudged vnto his most fearefull and neuer ending curse 19 For the like cause is this death called eternall fier because that fier is a most sharp vehement punishment but wee are not here curiouslie to dispute touching the paines of Hell lest that wee thereby run into poeticall fables 20 Yet do these verie fables teach vs that the doctrine concerning the eternall punishment which the wicked are to vnder goe euen after this life did alwaies sound in the worlde The Epicures therefore and such as deny the immortallitie of the soule are confuted not onely by the word of God but also by common sense 21 That these punishments are eternall whereunto eternall life is oposed it is manifest by the expresseâ—â—ord of God and also by the infinit nature of Gods majestie who is offended The Church therfore justly condemned the Origenists whoe dreamed that the wicked and the Diuells themselues hauing fulfilled those punishments should at the length be deliuered 22 Yet dooth our Sauiour Christ manifestlie witnes MAT. 10.13 that the state of the damned in respect of the measure of their punishments shall not be alike Defended by IAMES TREMVLAEVS of Geneua FINIS THE TABLE AND ORDER OF THE PRINCIPLES CONTAINED in this Treatise 1 PRinciples concerning God pag 1. 2 Of the holy and vnsearchable Trinitie 3. 3 Of God the Father and the Sonne 5. 4 Of the holy Ghost 9. 5 Of the attributes of God in general 10. 6 Of the omnipotencie of God 12 7 Of the knowledge that is in God 13. 8 Of the will of God 15. 9 Of the goodnes grace loue and mercie of God 16. 10 Of Gods prouidence 17. 11 Of Gods eternall Praedestination 19 12 Of the creation of all things and their diuision 23. 13 Of good and euill Angels 26. 14 Of man 30. 15 Of the faculties of the soule of man 33. 16 Of Free-will 35. 17 Of Sinne. 37. 18 Of the diuision of Sinne. 39. 19 Of the restoring of man-kind 41 20 Of the personall vnion of the two natures in Christ 43. 21 Of the office of Christ 25. 22 Of Faith 47. 23 Of the causes and effects of faith 49. 24 Of mans justification in the sight of God 52. 25 Of Sanctification 54. 26 Of the justification of sinfull man in the sight of God 56. 27 Of good works 60. 28 Of the Law of God 63. 29 Vpon the preface of Gods Law and the first Commandement 66. 30 Vpon the second Commandement 68 31 Vpon the third Commandement 72. 32 Concerning vowes 75. 33 Vpon the fourth Commandement 78. 34 Vpon the fift Commandement 82. 35 Vpon the sixt Commandement 86. 36 Vpon the seuenth commandement 89 37 Vpon the eight Commandement 92. 38 Vpon the ninth Commandement 94. 39 Vpon the tenth Commandement 97. 40 Concerning Repentance 100. 41 Of the conception of Iesus Christ 104 42 Of the natiuitie circumcision and baptisme of Christ 108. 43 Of the Passion and death of our Lord Iesus 111. 44 Of his buriall and descention into hel 115. 45 Of his Resurrection 121. 46 Of his ascension into heauen 125 47 Of his sitting at the right hand of the Father 128. 48 Of his comming againe to judge the quicke and the dead 131. 49 Of faith in the holie Ghost 136. 50 Vpon the Article I beleeue that there is an holie Catholicke Church 139. 51 Vpon the Article I beleeue that there is a Communion of Saints 144. 52 Of the word of God 147. 53 Of Traditions 151. 54 Of Councels and Fathers 153 55 of the Sacraments 160. 56 Of the agreement and difference betweene the Sacraments of the olde and new testament 167. 57 Of the numbers of the Sacraments of the new Testament 169. 58 of Baptisme being the first Sacrament of the new Testament 172. 59 The second sort of principles concerning Baptisme 177. 60 Of the Lords Supper 180. 61 of the popish masse 185. 62 of Consubstantiation 189. 63 Of prayer or the inuocation of Gods name 193 64 Vpon the preface of the Lords praier 197. 65 Touching the Petitions of the Lordes praier in general and particularly touching the first of them 202. 66 Of the second petition 208. 67 of the third petition 208. 68 Of the fourth petition 212. 69 of the fift petition 216 70 of the sixt petition 219 71 Vpon the conclusion of the Lordes prayer 222. 72 of the sacred ministerie of the Church where the doctrine of the Law and the Gospell are compared together 274 73 of the ministers of Gods worde vnder the Gospel 281. 74 of the false ministerie of the Gospell 233 75 of the Ecclesiasticall functions that ar depraued and retained onely in name in the counterfait Romish church 238 76 of the power and authoritie of the Church 242. 77 of Ecclesiasticall censures and excommunication 251. 78 of the magistracie 258. 79 of remission of sinnes and the sinne against the holie Ghost 263. 80 of the resurrection of the fleshe 266. 81 of Eternall life 272. FINIS Beare good Reader with the false pointing in some places of the booke correct the nomber of the Principles according vnto the Table and mend these faultes with thy Pen. Pag. 10. lin 5. by for be Pa 16. lin 33. beget for begotten Pag. 19. lin 33. vvhich for of Pag. 20. lin 31. Read The Lord then vvas so far from bereauing c. Pag. 34. lin 2. adde grovving lin 23. ad in Pa. 35. ad subiect vnto none the supreame gouernour of himselfe Pa. 43. lin 23. seemeth for serueth Pag. 44. lin 34. This for the. Pa. 48. lin 29. as for for Pa. 49. lin 25. lost for left Pa. 52. lin 24. adde that hee pag. 62. lin 21. adde revvard of and 24. ad or Pa. 72. lin 5. derogate for degenerate Pa. 79. lin 35. signifiing for signified Pa. 83. lin 25. dele honor and 26. ad honor Pa. 93. lin 9. dele as Pag 103. lin 6. read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 114. lin 3. Read and although he vvas at the first pronounced innocent by Pilate c. Pa. 117. lin 5. Read for vs into c. Pag. 129. lin 30. Read tvvo sittinges Pa. 132. lin 20. Read those things vvhich Pag. 148. lin 7. olde for nevve Pa. 153. lin 3. councelles for counsellers Pag. 154. line 13 Read or primacie Pag. 168. line 38. in for into Pag. 207. line 16. summe for some Pag. 209. line 1. are for or Pag. 209. line 18. fift for first Pag. 221. line 5. in Pag. 223. line 29. Being for Seeing Pa. 227. line 17. either for ever Pag. 232. line 28. by the for of Pag. 135. line 1. for for from line 19. this for thus and 23. that vvhen c. 37. cyties for rites Pag. 246. line 3. it is c. Pag. 251. line vlt. rulers for rules Pag. 259. line 2. better for more Pag. 262. for for that
therefore feare not but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him Briefelie that thou maiest profite by this booke I craue of thee to take this paines in it bestow an hower a day in the reading thereof and in so doing after the first time thou maiest well read it ouer once euerye moneth The which course if thou shalt take I dout not but in one yeare thou shalt so benefite thy selfe as there shall be no point of waight in religion wherof thou shalt not be able to resolue thine owne conscience and also to edifie others according vnto thy calling in verye good measure But in anie case take heede that thy knowledge gotten by reading rather encrease then diminish thy care in the hearing of the word preached And thus thou mayest exspect for the blessing of the Lord vnto whom I betake thee my selfe and all his now and euer Amen GROVNDS AND PROPOSITIONS OF RELIGION propounded and disputed in the vniuersitie of Geneua by certaine students of diuinitie there and determined by M. THEODOR BEZA and M. ANTHONIE FAIVS professors of diuinitie FIRST CONCERNING GOD. 1 SEing that the whole summe of all wisedome and felicitie doth consist in the true knoledge of God it is most meet that all our endeuors should be spent in seeking to attain vnto that knowledge as far as we may be capable of it 2 Not that a full a perfect knowledge of his Majestie who is far greater then the capacitie of men and Angels can reach vnto may be any waies comprehended within our vnderstanding but that wee should bend all the powers of our soules and bodies to knowe that one God who is the author and giuer both of soule and body 3 And although humaine reason bee able to affoord vs some proofs wherby we may be taught that there is a God and but onely one and whereby also his attributes may bee in some sort made knowen vnto vs. Yet notwithstanding those proofes are more sure and strong yea and altogeather the most vndoubted which for this purpose are fetched and drawen out of Gods word that is out of the sacred writings of the holie Prophets and Apostles contained in the old and new Testament 4 For howbeit that the knowledge of God which is deriued from the consideration of his workes and power hath many notable vses yet is it nothing comparable with that light which is gotten from the holy Scriptures both because this knowledge reuealed by the word doth wholie flow and proceede from God him selfe and also in asmuch as God in this his written woorde hath manifested howe and after what manner he will be knowen and worshipped of men Now whether there be a God or no we are to be so farre from making any question thereof that wee are bound most firmely with all our hearts without all wauering and doubting to beleeue that point And therfore we auouch that the rauing madnes of all Atheists who make a question whether there be a God or no ought not so much to be confuted by words and reason as it ought to bee cleane rooted out of the societie of men by the Magistrat and the stiffe maintainers of it taken from amongest men For though al men by nature as it is now corrupt be void of the true God neuerthelesse there are certaine motions and sparks of the knowledge of God imprinted in the mind of euery man which cannot altogeather be put out And as these motions doe testifie that man was borne to worshippe God So vnles a more full light bee joyned vnto them they leaue man straying and groping in the darke and are smallie or nothing behoofull vnto him Therefore as the knowledge which man hath by nature is not altogeather of no vse vnto saluation so is it verie farre from being of it selfe sufficient therunto It bereaueth them indeede of all excuse who quench that small lighr of nature though neuer so corrupt which is left in them 5 True it is indeed that he who goeth beyond al bounds can in no wise be defined and that that exceeding brightnes of God which no man can attaine vnto cannot bee comprehended by our darknes yet hee may be as it were shadowed out by this discription and so wee may say that God is hee who hath his beeing in himselfe whose nature is of himselfe inuisible without beginning without ending infinite incomprehensible indiuisible vnchangeable no bodily substance but a being most pure most simple and euery way most perfect wise mightie good iust mercifull free who hath created all things of nothing c. And therfore we do detest the multitude of Gods acknoledged among the Gentils the grosnes of the * Heretiks so called because they held God to haue a body and members like a man Anthropomorphites the furie of the Manichaeis and all such like And here it is to be obserued that those things which are attributed vnto God by the former Epithites and attributes are not to betaken as qualities inhaerent in him for we are to knowe that there is nothing in God which is not God himselfe 6 As where it is sayd that God is iust good merciful c. That is so to bee vnderstood as if hee were said to be iustice goodnes and mercy it selfe And therefore although that when we speake of God we must not conceiue of him as hauing any liknes or affinitie with the nature of man or of any creature yet such is the excellencie of the Lorde and mans weaknes that when wee speake of his Majesty we are enforced to vse borrowed speaches from creatures And herein hee is so far from disliking of vs that he himselfe descending as it were into our capacitie doth euery where thus speake of himselfe Defended by SAMVEL AVIENVS of Berne THE SECOND SORT OF PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE HOLY AND VNSEARCHABLE TRINITIE 1 THat knowledge of God which we attaine vnto by his written word doth far surpas al that whatsoeuer it be whereunto the light of nature doth or can lead vs. 2 For that God is one in substance and three in persons is no where els to bee learned saue onely out of the worde The truth of which Doctrine it setteth downe most clearlie and vndoubtedly but so as it leaueth the reason thereof as a matter altogeather vnsearchable and a mysterie not to bee sought out by humain arguments but to be reuerenced and embraced by faith onely 3 These words Trinitie Essence or Substance Person and Coessentiall though they bee not in expresse syllables the word a Heb. 1.3 Person onely excepted to be found in the Canonicall Scriptures yet notwithstanding they were not without just causes brought into vse by the godly auncient Fathers neither are they to be rejected as adding any thing vnto the word but rather to bee still profitablie and wholsomelie retained in the Church 4 By the word TRINITY we vnderstand the nōber of the persons contained in the diuine essence which is one onely 5 By
we are by little and little to climbe higher higher vnto the full assurance of our free aeternall Praedestination in Christ which is joyned with continuall praier hearing of Gods word and perseuerance in well doing 16 Now all those whome it pleaseth the same GOD who is debter vnto no man in justice to leaue in their own corruption either altogeather not called or called but without the opening of the heart and worthelie to deliuer vp vnto Sathan and their owne concupiscence being such also as wilfully and willinglie harden themselues will hee one day according vnto his aeternall Praedestination adjudge togeather with Sathan vnto aeternall punishments laying open in their iust destruction the glorie of his great and most iust hatred against euill 17 The manifesting of this decree of Reprobation is to be left vnto God vnlesse it be apparant in any that they haue sinned against the holie Ghost as in times past it was with IVLIAN the Apostata The cause why wee are not to determine of Rebrobation from the effects of Sathan and our corruption that sinne against the holie Ghost onelie excepted as wee are to gather our Election from the working of the holie Spirite in vs is this Euen because it hath pleased our mercifull GOD to shew that some yea of the greatest sinners at their very last gasp were of the number of his elect by bestowing forgiuenes of sins vpon them by his extraordinary fauour as it fell out with the theefe that hung vpon the Crosse 18 Those therefore who holde on the waye of destruction are so to bee tolde of their dutie as leauing vnto God the secrets of his judgements we are not to dispaire of anie mans saluation For it is a true consequence indeed to say I beleeue as it appeareth by the effects therfore I am elected and appointed vnto saluation But it is no necessarie consequent to say I do not beleeue and I tread the path of destruction therefore I am a reprobate and appointed to damnation For he that beleeueth not to day may bee endued with faith to morrow But thus rather we are to make a true conclusion I do neither beleeue the Gospell nor labour to beleeue but continue in the way of destruction Wherefore except I betake mee vnto an other course I shall perish And therfore I wil enter vnto an other way which God laieth before mee And these are the cogitations which all pastors are bound by duty with great care to lay before their wandring sheepe 19 God therfore in appointing some of free-gift vnto saluation and others vnto just condemnation is neither author of sinne nor respecter of persons but thereby sheweth himself to be the true God in deed Defended by RAPHAEL EGLINE of Tigurine PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE CREATION OF ALL THINGS AND THEIR DIVISION XII WE HAVE DONE WITH GODS PROVIdence and Praedestination nowe wee are to entreat of the works of God wherby he doth as it were make him selfe visible vnto vs that is concerning the creation of all things and their distinction 1 CReatiō is the external work of God fore-known and decreed by him of his vnspeakeable goodnes from aeternitie whereby vnto the glorie of his Name he did create of nothing all things that are without him that is all things that haue a substance different from his essence 2 The alone soueraigne cause therefore of the world and all things that haue being therein is God who made all things not after the manner of men but without all labour and also without the worke help and seruice of anie other but by his word alone that is by his Sonne through the power of the holie Ghost For the workes of the Trinitie are vnseparable 3 Neither did he frame all those things of anie fore-being stuffe or matter but euen of nothing that is from that which was not by his word alone he gaue being vnto all things that are Those Philosophers therefore doe erre who held that the world was aeternall and those also who deemed it to haue bene made and formed of moates by chance together with these who taught this visible worlde to haue bene framed by some other then by God In which error was CERINTHVS CARPOCRATES the ARCHONTIANES and others who attributed the work of the creation only vnto certain vertues and powers 4 The chiefe end of the creation is that there should be some who should enjoy the louing kindnes of God in the true tast thereof and glorifie his Majestie for euer To this end were Angels and men created A secundary end of the creation is that all other creatures shoulde together set foorth the glorie of God and serue to the vse of man 5 Now although by the order of nature from one as far as it is one there can proceed but one and that God of all other things is most single and but one yet the infinite varietie of things proceedeth from the same wisedome of God from whence their creation and gouernement doth depend For he worketh not according to the course of nature but doth whatsoeuer he will aboue all nature most freelie and voluntarilie Yet in that inaequalitie of things there appeareth greatest aequalitie yea the diuersitie of things appeere to be but one in respect that whatsoeuer hee hath created are referred vnto that generall kind of the beeing of things which is but one 6 The essentiall diuision of things is from their matter and their forme in which respect some things are visible as all simple mixt bodies either without life and breath or enjoying both Some also are inuisible as Angels the soules of men whose effectes are manifest though both their Materiall and Formall causes as also other circumstances of the time and place wherein they were created be obscure and in some sort vnknowen vnto vs. 7 Now all these things which God created could not but be good seing he himselfe is most good for they were created of him exceedinglie good and most pure without all corruption hauing nothing in them which did not declare the omnipotencie and the exceeding goodnes of the Creator In this originall integritie men and euill Angels might haue still continued if they had woulde and men might haue conuayed the same vnto their posteritie In stead whereof God for the sinne of man did curse the inferiour Creatures which he had created for mans sake 8 As concerning Euill it is not anie thing created or hauing beeing but onelie signifieth the meere absence of the good that ought to be present neither is it in the subjects as an accident but as Priuation opposite vnto good rather expelling the same then hauing beeing in it selfe 9 And although it doth marre that which otherwise is good in it selfe yet is it by accident the cause of good That the degrees of thinges created may appeare which haue their state according as they haue the greater or lesse good in them So vnto the good of all things in generall Euill seemed to bee in some
God and wee say that we cannot by our owne strength prepare any way for vs to come vnto God but that if wee will come vnto him he must draw vs. 10 It must needs be therefore that hee must first regenerate vs and make vs the sonnes of God and new creatures In which worke we are not co-workers with God but meerelie such as stand still while he worketh that wee may be wrought vpon and reformed by him euen as we were at the first created by him without anye helpe of ours 11 Nowe after regeneration wee are by faith drawne from death vnto life and to will is present with vs but so as wee are compassed about with manie hinderances by reason of the stings of sinne and the flesh in vs which are not vtterlie done away yet wee begin to bee co-workers with God and wee are so wrought vpon as wee also doe work And we shall then whollie obey him and stick vnto him euen when our full restitution beeing wrought wee shall enjoy that blessed and heauenly life 12. The discourse concerning voluntarie changeable and immutable thinges we thought meete to bee seuered from the quaestion of Free-will and placed in the doctrine of Gods prouidence Defended by FRANCES BVEFETIVS of Angiers PRINCIPLES CONCERNING SINNE XVII 1 THe estate wherevnto both ADAM and all his posteritie did fall is contrarie vnto that integritie wherein he was created at the first 2 For whereas the nature of man was then such as hee could haue liued according vnto the vpright and aeternall law which is nothing els but the will of God Sin hath brought him nowe to that passe that hee doth of a set purpose disobay the same 3 Sinne is not a bare want or priuation of good but a swaruing from the will of God 4 And wee thinke that it may bee thus fitlie defined Namely that it is whatsoeuer is against the law and will of God 5 For the force of sinne dooth not depend vppon the breach of some humaine constitution but vpon the transgression of Gods will onelie And therfore the definition of the Philosophers is most vnperfect who account sinne to be that onely which is repugnant vnto reason For reason it selfe can doe nothing els but go astray vntill it be lightned by the light of God The Libertines also are to bee condemned who make that onely to be sinne which a man 's owne conscience thinketh to be sinfull 6 The seat or subject of sinne is the verie soule it selfe that is the reason and the will For the former of these being ignorant of that which it should know or els ruling amisse as well in commanding as in forbidding hath sinne cleauing vnto it And the latter either when it willeth amisse that which it ought not to will or when it willeth not that which it ought to be desirous of sinneth The bodie is onelie the instrument of the soule in sinning 7 Some of the causes of sinne are inward as the will which before sinne came was in ADAM onely mutable But after sinne as well in him as in his posteritie was both mutable and corrupt Some outwarde as the Deuill and the diuerse objects that are laied before vs. 8 But as concerning the Lord hee in no wise can bee thought the Author of sinne who is so farre from turning men from himselfe that hee rather seeketh to conuert all men vnto himselfe as vnto the onely true and perfect end Yet hee is said to make them to doe that which is sinfull when he doth not restraine them from sinning the which whole worke is onelie to bee ascribed vnto his wisedome and justice We do condemne then the MANICHAEES the VELENTINIANS the SELEVTIANS c. who affirmed that sinne proceedeth from God 9 The effect and wages of sinne is death and that aeternally because it is committed against him who is aeternall and infinite That distinction of sinne then into mortall and veniall is improper saue onelie in the diuerse respects of the elect and the reprobate For vnto the elect all sinnes are veniall through Christ But vnto the reprobates there are no sins but they are mortall And it is manifest that the PELAGIANS doe erre when they say that death is natural vnto the bodie 10 Yet for all this we thinke not all sinnes to be equal in that sence that the Stoicks did But wee acknowledge certaine degrees in them according vnto the diuersitie of their objects and circumstances yet the originall corruption and guilt is alike aequall in all men Seeing all men are alike the sinfull sinnes of sinfull ADAM Defended by STEPHEN BLOIVS of Augiers PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE DIVISION OF SINNE XVIII SEING WE HAVE SPOKEN OF SINNE in generall now we will deale with the same in speciall 1 THe principall sorts of sinnes are named two vz. Originall and Actuall which notwithstanding are rather issuing then disagreeing the one from the other for the one is as it were the cause and the root the other as the fruit and effect 2 Originall sinne is somtimes called absolutelie sinne Otherwhile flesh olde and first ADAM the sinne of nature concupiscence the lusts of the fleshe the lawe of the members the heart of man c. 3 And it may be thus fitlie defined namely an infection deriued from ADAM vnto all mankind 4 The subject wherevnto it cleaueth is not onelie the bodie but euen the soule also For whole man euery part of him is altogether corrupted and the powers and actions as well the superiour as the inferiour both of bodie and soule are polluted whence it commeth that in the affection and wil all things are depraued and peruerted and in the reason it selfe there is nothing but blindnes the ignorance and hatred of God 5 Now although the soule which is not taken from Adā but immediatlie created by God may seme to be voyd of this infectiō and that it seemeth not meet that the sins of the Fathers should be punished in the Children yet seeing ADAM is considered not onlie as some particuler man but as the beginning whēce al mākind did issue in whome also were all the gifts that were to bee bestowed vpon the whole ofspring he by his sinne lost them both to himself and vnto all men that proceed from him who are now in that only respect that they are and do resemble the image of ADAM hatefull vnto God Wee doe condemne therefore the PELLAGIANS who held that men were sinners not by birth but onely by immitation 6 In all men Christ onely excepted there is the same originall sinne and it hath spread it selfe alike vppon all men Neither are there any diuerse sorts of originall sins The Papists then doe erre who do except others besides Christ from originall sinne as the virgin Mary 7 There are two effectes of originall sinne the guilt or the offence whereby all men euen infants which yet haue committed no actuall sinne are made subject vnto Gods wrath and both deathes and also the want and priuation of
originall righteousnes and the inclination vnto all sorts of wickednes Therfore the scripture teacheth that al meÌ„ must be born againe euen infants and all vnto whome for this cause wee doe rightlie maintaine against the ANABAPTISTS that the signe of Regeneration is to be administred Although we make no question but that the reliques of corruption doth still remaine and is not vtterly taken away after Baptisme whatsoeuer the Papists say to the contrary 8 Actuall sinne is when the lawe of GOD is broken in deed and that is two maner of waies either when as that which God commandeth is omitted or that which he forbiddeth is committed Whence those two sorts of sinnes vz. omitted and committed sprang vppe in the Schooles The first whereof ariseth in that we are vnmeet to do well The latter in that we are prone vnto euery euill 9 There are other distinctions of actuall sinne For in respect of the object some are said to be done against God others against men And in regard of the ends some reach vnto the soule onelie others vnto the body also Vnto the first sort of the latter diuision do appertaine all inordinate motions whatsoeuer they are and euen all the euill cogitations euen the beginnings of them before they be fully framed and though the will doth not assent vnto them and those in like sort that the will which especiallie maketh the forme and giueth being vnto sinne doth allow and strengthen Vnto the latter member are all those referred which are brought vnto action by the outward seruice of some part of the bodie The Papists therfore do erre in denying concupiscence and those first inordinate motions to bee sinnes most absurdlie affirming that concupiscence is giuen to man to the end that wrastling with it he shuld be more and more whetted on to imbrace vertue and so should bind God so much the more vnto him by his merite Defended by RAMOND PALOCANE of Bearne PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE RESTORING OF MANKIND XIX WHERE FIRST THE PERSON OF CHRIST is to be spoken of 1 GOd would not haue the felicitie of man to consist in that first estate wherein hee was created for then had his felicitie beene earthly and in some sort subject vnto chaunge but he placed it in a more firme and a more excellent estate whereby he might liue a heauenlie life and such as from the which he could in no wise fall 2 Now that man might bee brought vnto that perfect estate he fell by his owne fault yet not without the prouidence of GOD and so was made subject vnto the death both of his soule and bodie to the end that being deliuered from sin and death hee might passe vnto a better life and so might become a most certaine president of the justice and mercie of God 3 Our restoring againe consisteth in that that we shuld be freed from sinne and death and also from all the effects of both and should bee preferred vnto the dignitie of that righteousnes and that immortall life which is far more excellent and permanent 4 Our deliuery from sinne is wrought by the abollishing of sinne which is doone two manner of waies First by taking away both the guilt and punishment therof by the mercie of God Secondly by the regeneration of a newe life which is opposed vnto the corruption of nature and by the which Sanctification is so begone in this life as it shall be fullie perfected in the next 5 Our deliuery from death is when as we are assured that God is not angry with vs yea and doe hope and also feele him so appeased towards vs that we know our selues to be safe from the aeternall destruction of bodie and soul and from all other miseries 6 These and all other gifts which God bestoweth vpon the elect are giuen vnto vs in Christ Iesus onely Now that we may bee trulie partakers of them there are two thinges to be considered namely his person and his office 7 The person of Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God who hath personallie vnited vnto himselfe the humaine nature which he tooke of the seed of DAVID For he who is God from all aeternitie began to be man when hee was conceaued by the holie Ghost and incarnate that from the verie moment of his conception he shuld continue for euer true God and true man 8 Now although this work of the restitution as well as of the Creation doth agree vnto the whole Trinity yet the seuerall persons are distinguished For the Father sent the Sonne the holy Ghost did incarnate him and the Sonne made him selfe of no reputation We condemne therefore the CERINTHIANS EBEONITS PHOTIMIANS SAMOSATENIANS ARTEMONIANS and SERVETIANS who affirmed Christ to be but a bare man The ARRIANS EVNOMIANS BONOSIANS and ORIGENISTS who held him to be a God that was created and that hee was the Sonne not by nature but by grace and adoption The MARCIONITS and the VALENTINIANS who denied him to bee true man The APOLLINARISTS who denied him to be indued with a true soule and would haue his diuinitie to serue instead thereof To be short wee detest all those that do any waies either directly or indirectly withstand the puritie of the foresaid doctrine Defended by WILLIAM MOGNES of Niueâ—se PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE PERSONALL VNION OF THE TWO NATVRES IN CHRIST XX. VNTO THE FVLL VNDERSTANDING of those things which wee haue to beleeue concerning the person of Christ it serueth to be needfull that wee declare how it is that hee consisting of two natures is yet but one subsisting person 1 THe second person of the Deity namly the word did so neerelie vnite and appropriate vnto himselfe the humaine nature that these two whole natures their proprieties vnited togeather are but one subsisting person Iesus Christ true God and man Yet so as the humain nature doth subsist in the diuine Wherfore this vnioÌ„ is called an Hypostolicall or a personall vnion 2 In Christ therefore there is not one Christ and another Christ that is Christ God and Christ man seeing the person is onelie one but yet there is one thing and another thing that is a diuine and an humaine nature seeing the natures are diuers 3 Now although these two natures be inseperable yet in very deed they remaine distinct both in themselues and also in their essentiall proprieties and their actions And therfore the diuine nature is seuerally attributed vnto the Deitie and is humaine vnto his humanity 4 Wherefore neither of the natures seuerally considered in it selfe can be said to be the other For you cannot truly say that the Deitie of Christ is his humanity or that his humanity is his Deitie 5 Neither can the essentiall proprieties of the one nature be more attributed vnto the other seuerally considered then the one nature can bee said to be the other For this is no true assertion to say that the Deitie was created is finite and contained within a place Nor yet this The humanitie is without beginning
cause made known before the Presbyterie not that anie satisfaction shoulde thereby be made vnto God as though the penaltie were satisfied but to the end that the pride of the sinner being beaten downe the Church might haue a sure testimonie of his repentance those punishments wee say haue the saide Papists changed with manifest impietie into certaine formes of penalties that partlie are full of superstition and partlie altogether blasphemous which also they teache to bee such a satisfaction of the penalty in the presence of God as deserueth remission of sinnes 15 Vnto this most foule delusion they joyne an other twofolde error to wit purgatorie and indulgences wheras indulgence was nothing els at the first but some mitigation of the seueritie of the Canons whereby vpon good grounds some fauour was shewed vnto those that had offended least they should haue bin swallowed vp with over much heauines Wee detest therefore that whole fable of purgatory as being an execrable impietie and meere contrarie vnto our free reconciliation by Christ 16 The lawe is properlie the object of repentance as the promises of the Gospell are of fayth Therfore to speake properlie Faith is the mother and not a parte of repentance 17 Yet if by repentance wee will vnderstand the whole change of man vnto better we acknowledge that fayth is a principall parte thereof whereby a man is changed from beeing an vnbeleeuer to be a beleeuer 18 Nowe we rightly gather by the former things that repentance is a meere gift of God and that it is ridiculouslie said to arise from our naturall free-will seeing by nature we are seruants vnto sinne 19 And seeing that the flesh doth in some sort remaine in vs two things doe followe thence first that continuall Repentance is required of vs as long as we are in this life Secondly that Repentaunce is acceptable vnto God not by any merrite thereof but onelie by his meere free mercie 20 We condemne the Nouatians who deny repentance vnto them that are once fallen 21 And the Annabaptists who dreame that they haue attained vnto a perfect degree of righteousnes in this life 22 And that ouer great seueritie of the Cannons who did exclude the Ministers of the Church after they had once made publicke repentance from al hope of being receaued againe Defended by DANIEL DOOLEGIANVS a Low-countrey man PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE CONCEPTION OF IESVS CHRIST XLI SEING WE HAVE SVFFICIENTLY SPOken of the person and office of Christ and also of the Lawe which bringeth vs vnto Christ we thinke it meet now particularly to handle those things out of the Creed of the Apostles which Christ in the performance of his office hath done for vs beginning with his conception in the wombe of the Virgine 1 BY Conception wee vnderstande that which was made within the Virgin namely that in deed essentially she should beginne to beare in her wombe that Sonne of God which was true God and true man 2 Neither was that man formed any space of time before the person of the word was vnited vnto him but that Man began to bee at the one and the verie same moment that it was personallie assumed by the aeternall word 3 This humanity was and shal continue for euer a true and a perfect humaine nature in regard both of the bodie and soule beeing then made when as it was conceaued in the wombe of the Virgine and not before 4 That aeternall person also of the word or of the Sonn of God Coessentiall with the Father is the true person of the Sonne of God 5 In this conception which was a beginning in time of that personall vniting the one nature did not simplie assume the other but the person of the Sonne tooke vppon him the nature of man in that one particular man and did preferre it vnto the dignitie of the person of the Deitie Wherein notwithstanding doe remaine both the very natures also their proprieties wherby they are that which they are distinguished without anie confusion or separation 6 Whereas DAMASCEN then doth call the person of Christ wholie considered a compound person because hee is God and man his words are warily to be taken For the partes concurring togeather for the making of some third thing which of it selfe is not as the soule and the body in the making of a man doe of them selues exist before the third thing made of them is existent But in the person of Christ the Deitie of the worde doth not onely sustaine the consideration of the one nature but euen of the whole person attributing this vnto that man that hee doth subsist in the very Sonne of God and is not man alone of him selfe For otherwise there should be one person of the Son of God and another of the Sonne of man neither wherof could of him selfe be the Mediator 7 The parts furthermore that properlie make vpp the whole are compounded togeather But the Deity can admit no composition seeing it is most perfect and therefore in this conception it did preferre that man vnto the dignitie of the diuine person but so as nothing was added thereby vnto the worde but rather that that man did receiue this personall dignitie from the word whereby it is come to passe that as wee haue said he is exalted aboue the Angels the natures yet remaining 8 Therefore Christ was rightlie said by the Fathers to be greater then himselfe and lesser then himselfe 9 Nowe this assumed bodie was made out of the substaunce of the Virgin Marie according vnto the promises made by the Prophets in which respect he the very same who is the Sonne Coeternall and Coessentiall with the Father is trulie the Sonne of ADAM out of the stocke of ABRAHAM and DAVID Coessentiall also with his Mother 10 This conception the effect whereof was the personall vnion of the word and that man could not possiblie be wrought by the power of any Creature 11 Furthermore Christ is said in the beliefe according vnto the Scriptures to bee conceaued of the holie Ghost which is as the Angell GABRIEL doth expound the power of the most high and the third person in the Deitie 12 Yet cannot Christ bee said therefore to be the Son of the holy Ghost for in this conception the holy Ghost doth not sustaine the consideration of the Father who begate of his owne substance but of a cause forming the flesh out of a matter taken els-where 13 Yet is this Conception the worke of the whole Trinitie but distinctlie considered for the Father doth send his Son into this flesh the Sonne is conceaued in this flesh the holy Ghost dooth forme this flesh out of the substance of the Virgin 14 Although that that Virgine blessed aboue all women was yet the daughter of ADAM and therfore infected of her selfe with that vniuersall contagion of all mankind whereof also vndoubtedly she brought forth some fruits Yet notwithstanding the flesh of Christ was in no wise poluted with that contagion but as
the Angell witnessed he remained from the very moment of his conception a most pure consubsisting habitation of the eternall Sonne 15 For the holie Ghost when hee tooke the substance the Virgin did altogeather cleanse the said substance from all corruption before such time as hee turned the same into the seed of mans flesh 16 In this most pure flesh was placed also a most holie and a most pure soule that Christ alone shuld be that true holie one of the Lord making holie all his members for euer of whome the Leuiticall high Priest was onely a Type 17 Wee condemne therefore the Samosatenians who will haue Christ to be a bare man The Arrians and Seruetians who gaine-say his Coessentiall and Coeternall Deitie The Marcionites and the Manichaees who change the flesh of Christ into a bare shew The Schuengfeldians who attribute vnto Christ a heauenlie bodie The Appollinarists who affirme that the WORD was in stead of a soule vnto the flesh that was assumed The Nestorians who deuide the person The Eutychians who both confound the natures and mingle togeather their Essentiall properties The Monophysits who in steade of the vnitie of the person did place the vnity of the natures The Vbiquitaries who with EVTICHES do define the personall vnion by a Reall effusion of the properties of the Deitie into the humaine nature and with NESTORIVS doe define the same by the Co-operation of the natures and with the Monothelites to be onely a power proceeding as it were from God and man The Papists who affirme the Virgine Marie to haue bene conceiued without originall sinne and in mainetaining Transubstantiation do ouerthrow whatsoeuer they holde aright concerning the trueth of the fleshe of Christ and the personal vnion And their doctrine also who placing here vpon earth an essentiall Consubstantiation vnder bread and wine do strike vpon the same rocke of confusion Defended by DAVID PIOTAEVS of Lions PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE NATIVITIE CIRCVMCISION AND BAPTISME OF CHRIST XLII IN THE FORMER PRINCIPLES WE HAVE doone with the conception of Christ now wee are briefly to deale with his Natiuitie 1 EVen as these words of the Creed of the Apostles conceiued by the holy Ghost do set forth the purifiyng of the seed of the Virgin to the end that the bodie of Christ might bee purely formed thereof So these wordes Borne of the Virgin Marie doe declare vnto vs the bringing forth of Christ into the world by the said virgin and so his Natiuitie 2 Wee say that Christ was borne when as the vsuall tearme of Child-bearing common vnto all other men being fulfilled the Virgin brought forth Christ that word of the Father and the Sonne of DAVID 3 For hee which was conceiued was also borne The Virgin Marie therefore is justly called the mother of God though she be not the mother of the Deitie And wee doe justlie condemne NESTORIVS who made a vaine distinction between the mother of Christ and the mother of God as being things opposite the one to the other 4 Of the sure perswasion of this Natiuitie wee reape a double profit the one that hence we learne that the word yet without the laying a side of his diuine nature or anie conuersion or mixture of the same hauing taken vppon him our flesh our soule and our minde that in all thinges sinne excepted he might be made like vnto his brethren began to be God and man The Arrians therfore are to be condemned who denie our Sauiour Christ to haue had an humaine soule and the Appollinaristes who deny him to haue had an humaine mind 5 The other that by this meanes wee might be assured that Christ according vnto the flesh is from those Fathers of whome Mary came that is from ADAM ABRAHAM and DAVID vnto whom it was peculiarlie promised that the Messias should come of their seed 6 Hee was also borne as it must needs bee according vnto the fore-telling of the Prophets of a Virgine that was vnknown of man because otherwise he could not be borne a pure man and so he himselfe should haue stood in need of a Mediator The Iewes therefore are to be condemned who holde against the Christians that it was not needfull that the Messias should be borne of a Virgine but that he should be the Son of some King or of some Prophet 7 The virginitie of Marie after her Child-bearing to wit that as it is most certaine that before her Childe-bearing she was vnknowen of man so also she remained a Virgin after the same vnto her dying day is religiouslie beleeued yet there is nothing expreslie found concerning this point in the holie Scriptures neither doth it belong anie-wise vnto the mysterie of our saluation 8 In this place we do not onelie refuse but vtterlie detest all filthie questions and such as are most vnagreeable vnto so holy a birth 9 Christ beeing an infant and bound in his swaddling bands after the maner of all other men that are borne cried in his swathes as also he did trulie sucke milke it behoued also that his bodie and his humaine wisdome though it made greater growth in him then in other men and his experience did grow as he did increase in yeares in so much as God would not haue the lawes of nature to bee broken in these things 10 Christ therefore at that time had a Childes bodie and afterward a mans finite and hauing the instrumentall parts thereof and therefore circumscribed in a place the which essentiall qualities of a true bodie hee neither did at any time nor euer will cast of They err therfore who teach that the bodie of Christ can be euerie where and yet his humanitie remaine still vnuiolated neither doth it followe thence that the natures are separated 11 That bodie euen vnto his death was subject vnto humaine infirmities and so of it selfe subject vnto corruption though it neuer felt the corruption of the Graue but after his resurrection he laid aside all those infirmities that were brought vpon man for sin and euen the naturall life it selfe Whence MANES is conuinced with MARCION and those whome they call DOKITAE who teach that Christ in deede neuer did or could suffer any thing and that he did onely beare men in hand that he suffered 12 This Natiuitie was the beginning of the open humiliation of Christ whereby he made himselfe of no reputation namely when taking vpon him the form of a Seruant he trulie came into this world euen as his death and buriall was the last part of the same 13 Furthermore in that he was circumcised â—nd baptized it was not done therfore because he in himselfe needed to be made cleane by them as though before he were poluted but that we should learne 14 First that the whole force both of the circumcision of the Fathers did and of our Baptisme dooth depend vppon him as beeing hee by whome the Sacraments are trulie made the signs of our reconciliation with God 15 Secondly that hee was the Sauiour and
the Mediator both of the Fathers that were circumcised and also of vs that now are vnder Baptisme 16 Thirdly that he came therefore into the world not to breake but to performe the law and perfectlie to fulfill it euen in the least points 17 Fourthly that he is the knot the band of both the couenants although he abrogated the olde by the new 18 We then condemne their blasphemy who thinking that Christ was born a bare man do teach that in his baptisme hee was first of all made pertaker of the holy Ghost and therefore that he is called God onelie in name Defended by DANIEL CHAMERIVS Occitanus PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE PASSION AND DEATH OF OVR LORD IESVS CHRIST XLIII HAVING HANDLED THOSE THINGES which appertaine vnto the conception and Natiuitie of Iesus Christ our Sauiour we are to come vnto his Passion 1 AS soone as the WORD that aeternall Son of God taking vpon him mans flesh was brought foorth into this world hee began euen then to performe the mysterie of our Saluation Neither had it sufficiently profited vs that Christ had onely beene borne vnlesse also hee had performed whatsoeuer was required to bee done that wee should be reconciled vnto God 2 The will of the Father consisted in these points first that in him mans nature being perfect and pure from all sinne should most holily most perfectly and most fully fulfill all the righteousnes of the lawe Secondly that by the whole course of his life hee should take vpon himselfe the punishments due vnto our sinnes and pay the ransome of them by a full satisfaction 3 Therefore whereas in our beliefe wee go presentlie from his Natiuitie to the suffering of the Crosse thereby setting down a part for the whole is comprehended what soeuer Christ suffered euen from the very moment of hys conception vnto the day that hee was deliuered into the hands of the Iudge and that not without cause seeing this was the last and especiall act of the suffering of Christ for vs. 4 By his passion in like sort we vnderstand also al those sorts of injuries wherewith the Euangelists doe write that he was reproched and his punishments agrauated 5 In these sufferings of Christ we consider three things especially 6 And first of al both that fearful hatred of God against euerie transgression of the law which could in no wise bee appeased but by a most perfect satisfaction 7 And also that vnspeakable loue of God towards mā who sent that onely begotten Son of his that whosoeuer shuld beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life 8 Next wee are to consider the instruments which the Lord vsed to effect so great a worke and they were most euill namelie Sathan the Priests IVDAS and PILATE for who but such as were most wicked could finde in their heartes to accuse or condemne him that was most innocent yet the LORDE vsed them in such sort as by their meanes he brought to passe that worke which of all other the workes of God was the most holy and the most admirable that is the redemption of his Elect and as for the instruments who sinned not by compulsion but wilfullie and against their owne conscience hee allotted them vnto most just condemnation 9 Thirdly we consider the effects of that sacrifice namelie the force of that most perfect obedience of his euen vnto the death of the Crosse whereby we are clad with such a righteousnes as the law of God requireth and also the most ful satisfaction for all our sinnes wrought by this oblation once offered whence doth follow remission of sins freelie in respect of vs. Wherefore the Papists doe erre most foulie who besides the onely Passion of Christ go about to place their own merites and the merites of Saints as a needful supplie of the saide Passion or as though Christ was therefore borne that he might powre into vs the force to merite aeternall life of our selues 10 Nowe seeing Christ was true man that is consisting of a true soule and of a true bodie of a man he had a body subject vnto outward passions and therfore he bare most greeuous sufferinges in his bodie to the end that hee might trulie deliuer vs euen in respect of our bodies 11 Now in respect of the soule he was strucken thorow with most vnspeakable anguishes and torments yea hee suffered in his soule the most horrible and fearefull burthen of Gods wrath that he might deliuer our soules from the euerlasting torments of Hell They therefore are to be condemned who haue affirmed that Christ either did not suffer as the Simonians or that hee did not trulie but supposedly suffer as the Marcionites and the Manichaees did 12 The Diuinitie notwithstanding which was personally vnited vnto the humanitie that was assumed did not depart therefrom in the time of the passion but it so farre with helde it selfe in not shewing the force thereof vntill that his soule did vnspeakablie apprehende and feele the wrath of God then the which nothing can bee imagined more horrible the burthen whereof he had neuer bene able to sustaine vnlesse at the last he had bene strengthened to gaine the victorie by the same Deitie of the word 13 Iesus Christ then to speake properly suffered in his bodie and in his soule yet notwithstanding we may trulie and Christianlie say that the Lorde of glory was crucified dead c. not that the Deitie did suffer for the Diuinitie is imparible but that this bodie and this soule is the proper body and the proper soule of the WORD We doe detest therefore both the open Eutychians who as they confound the proprieties and the natures so they hould that the Deity did suffer also the close and secret Eutychians who are compelled in deede to confesse that the Deitie did not suffer but yet do hould that the communicating of the proprieties of the Godhead and the Manhood are reall euen in respect of the natures them selues and therefore that the WORDE in respect of it selfe did suffer some thing 14 That base estate of the WORD whereby he made himselfe of no reputation not in himselfe but in the fleshe which was assumed was especiallie seene as it were with the eies in his Passion wherein the aeternall Sonne of God as wee may say forgetting himselfe if I may so speake did hasten of his owne accord vnto such a punishment 15 The condemnation of Christ vnder CAIPHAS and PONTIVS PILAT which is a matter of no small moment consideration went before the punishment which he suffered For when as we could not stand before the Tribunall seat of God Christ appeared before the seat of the high Priest PONTIVS PILATE yet was he by and by condemned to be hanged vpon the Crosse the just for the vnjust that he might set vs free from the judgement of GOD the Father 16 The kind of punishment wherevnto he was judged was the Crosse then the which there was nothing more ignominious euen by the
day which went before the Sabaoth lay in the graue the whole Sabboth according to the custome of the Iewes which account a naturall day from Euening to Euening and rose againe the beginning of the next which was the first daye of the weeke 13 Concerning this Article of the descension of Christ into Hell it is manifest that there is no mention made of either in the Nicene or in any other of the ancient creeds and RVFFINVS witnesseth that it was not read in the Church of Rome 14 No man therefore ought to wonder if some question be made of the meaning thereof 15 That the Creede which is called the Apostles was written by the Apostles themselues before they departed from Ierusalem euerie one of them bringing in his seueral Article it is a meere fabulous tale as the very number of these Articles do shew 16 Yet it is cleare that they were faithfullie and truely gathered out of the preaching of the Apostles acounted euen frō the most ancient time as a square a rule of faith 17 Now their opinion is verie probable who doe take these words he descended into Hel if this Article was at the first in the common creed expressed in so many words not for any distinct Article but for a summary comprehension of the last and lowest degree of Christes humiliation which should bee pointed out by the wordes of suffering crucifiyng death and burial as this kind of speach is somtimes in the Scriptures Metaphorically vsed for the lowest estate of anguish and dejection So that He suffered was dead buried and descended into Hell should be but one Article of faith 18 But who can beleeue that the Fathers of Nicene and so many Synods that afterward followed and the very Church of Rome it self would haue rashly blotted out this Article if it had bin written in so many words in the common Creed 19 Either of the two therefore must needs bee necessarie namelie that either this kinde of speach in that sense that wee haue spoken though familiar vnto the Hebrues was not yet receiued in all Churches as being ambiguous and not necessary seeing it was sufficiently vnderstood by the former and so by a little and a little grewe out of vse or that this Article also was then inserted into the common Creed when as their opinion which hath bene of ancient time had by degrees taken place who thought that the soule of our Sauiour Christ beeing separated from his bodie went into I know not what place where the Spirits of the beleeuing Fathers should haue their aboad 20 But this opinion though it hath bin of a long time receaued by a common and an olde growen error cannot bee confirmed any wise by any testimonie of the Euangelicall Historie but is manifestlie ouerthrown thereby seeing it is very apparant by the woordes of the Euangelists that the Spirite of Christ being departed out of his bodie was there receaued into whose hands hee committed it when hee gaue vppe the Ghost that is into the place of aeternall blessednes whereof speaking vnto the Theefe he said this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise 21 Nowe that there was any place allotted vnto the Spirits of the Fathers that departed before the incarnation of Christ whence afterward the Spirite of Christ comming thither indeed shuld bring them with him into heauen it can in no wise bee confirmed by any colourable testimonie of the Scriptures Neither would the Euangelists haue omitted any such thing in the storie of the passion of Christ But this opinion seemeth to arise partlie in that manye are written to haue risen either by Christ or with Christ partly out of the PSALME 16.8 which PETER citeth Act. 2.25 and out of two other places also of 1. PET. 3. wrongfullie interpreted 22 Out of this error arise two other that are more absurd the one of those who beeing ledde by the misvnderstanding of the words of PETER thought that the soule of Christ went indeed into Hell to the ende that as in bodie hee had preached the Gospell vpon earth vnto those that were liuing so also he should preach the said Gospel in his Spirit vnto the Spirites of those that were dead as though that after death there were any place left for preaching repentance 23 The other errour is of those who dreamed that the Spirite of Christ should goe vnto the soules of the damned that hee might there also suffer in his soule the paines ordained in hell for the damned as though that the soule of Christ whilest it was in his bodie did not beare those punishmentes for our sake as both that horrible agonie which hee sustained in the Garden and also that fearefull crie My God my God c. which vpon the Crosse made Heauen and earth to tremble doe beare witnesse or as though that speache It is finished wherein our whole hope consisteth were vntrue 24 But wee omitting the whole controuersie concerning the putting in or the blotting out of this Article do simplie vnderstand by the Descension of Christ into hell those things which Christ being made a curse for vs suffered in his soule for our sake in those torments especiallie which were so greeuous as nothing could be no not imagined more horrible 25 By the word DESCENSION therefore is not ment any remoouing from a higher place to a lower because that can properlie agree neither vnto the Deitie which is euery where nor vnto the bodie which of it selfe lay dead in the Graue neither vnto the soule which beeing commended vnto the Father was straight way in Paradise after it was separated from the body 26 Now the word HELL which in the Scripture is diuersly taken signifieth neither the Graue because that explanation should bee superfluous and obscure neither yet the place of the damned as it is cleare out of the former Principles 27 Therefore this Descension of Christ into Hel which had an ende at his death went before the Article of his buriall but yet it is placed after the same in the order of speach euen because it was thought meet to set downe in one tenor of speach whatsoeuer did belong to the humiliation of his body Defended by HILLARIE FANTRART an English-man of Guernzy PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE RESVRRECTION OF IESVS CHRIST XLV 1 HItherto wee haue heard Christes combate with death wherein he might seeme to be ouercome by death because it so far preuailed against him as it threw his dead bodie into the graue 2 Now we are to speake of Christs victorie ouer death the beginning whereof was the preseruation of his dead bodie in the graue vncorrupted and that without the help of anie art of the Apothicarie 3 His full victorie manifested it selfe in the resurrection of his bodie seeing that life is directlye opposite vnto death 4 Now that onlie is said to rise again which lay down and therefore neither the Deitie nor the soule of Christ rose againe Yet notwithstanding the resurrection after a
sence whereof wee nowe speake yet those godlie fathers haue added nothing vnto the worde when as they vsed these tearmes for the expressing of the said rites 4 Now because the word Sacrament is by the Latine fathers referred vnto al kind of signes which are vsed to expresse holie thinges it is to bee obserued that in this discourse the same is particularlie referred vnto the signes of the grace of God in Christ and that two manner of waies for a Sacrament dooth sometimes comprehend the externall signes onelie and sometimes the things signified together with the signes and a certain holie action also 5 Sacraments taken in the former signification we define to be certaine visible signes instituted by God vnto the vse of the Church where by God doth seale in the harts of the faithfull the promise of the grace of free saluation by Christ and so dooth more and more confirme their fayth and witnes the fellowship which the Saints haue amongst themselues vnder Christ their head 6 In the latter sense we define them to be a certain holie action enjoined by God vnto the Church wherein as GOD in a kinde of agreeable proportion betweene the signes and the things signified offereth vnto the senses of our bodie by the hand of the Minister the things that appertaine vnto our saluation in Christ so dooth hee giue vnto our soules the heauenlie thinges themselues to the end that they should spirituallie by faith be more more sealed in them 7 By signes in this place we vnderstand not natural or miraculous but voluntarie signes because they are ordained by the will of God to be signes of his grace in Christ which by nature they are not neither are they signes onlie but partlie remembraunces of things past and partly seales of things present and also to come 8 But nowe wee will consider in order of the causes of the Sacramentes The efficient is GOD onelie because that as it appertaineth to him alone to promise grace so dooth it also to add the seales thereof thereunto Therefore also there are neither anie other Sacramentes to be receiued into the Church neither is the manner of the institution to be anie wise violated Whosoeuer therefore doe breake out into that boldnesse that either they dare coyne new Sacraments or add anie vnto those that were appointed by the lord or detract anie title from them they are guiltie of treason against the Majestie of the highest 9 The matter of the Sacraments are of two sorts the one externall and corporall which are perceaued by the senses of the bodie the other inward and spirituall offered vnto the minde and the soule 10 The forme of the Sacraments is the ordinaunce of God comprehended in his Word for the Sacraments are that altogeather and nothing else which GOD by the word of his Diuine institution dooth testifie that hee will haue them to bee so that the word is as it were the soule of the Sacraments in regarde that it testifieth what the diuine ordinaunce is They doe therefore abolish the Sacramentes who either altogether omit this word in the administration of them or vse the same in a strange tongue 11 The chiefe end of them in respect of vs is the saluation of the faithfull by sealing their conjunction with Christ For God not contented with the generall preaching of his promises thinketh it meet to seale and to offer them in speciall vnto euerie particular beleeuer hauing a regarde thereby to their infirmitie 12 Other ends also they haue which are of great moment as that by them we should be put in remembrance of the benefites of Christ that the Church should bee distinguished from other sects For as God will be discerned from Idols so hee will haue his people seuered by these markes from the Kingdome of the Deuill that they shuld bee bandes of the mutuall loue of the faithfull Brieflie that they should bee a profession and a testification of the onelie true Religion and of our duety towardes our God 13 Nowe the instrument to vse the Sacraments aright is Faith whence it appeareth that the faithfull onelie doe receaue them as it is meet whereas all others doe participate the outwarde signes onelie and that to their condemnation They erre therefore who hold that vnbeleuers do receaue the thing signified that is Christ together with the signes And they also doe ouer-wickedlie abuse the Sacramentes who administer them to thinges without life 14 The change of the signes in the Sacramentes is not naturall but respectiue by vertue of the commandement of GOD for the signes are chaunged not in respect of their nature but onelie in regarde of their vse namelie whereas the things which before were common are by Gods commandement become the signes of heuenlie thinges and this is the consecration of the Sacrament They erre therefore and destroy the whole nature of the Sacramentes who teach that the substance of the signes are as it were by a kinde of magicall enchantment either chaunged or abolished 15 The conjunction of the signes and the thinges signified is also respectiue in regarde of the ordinaunce of God whereby inuisible and incorporall things are in a kinde of fit proportion represented by corporall and visible elements in such sort as God doth giue both by the hand of the Minister and both are receaued in their lawful vse They erre therefore who holde that there is a reall joining together and presence of the signes the thing signified 16 Vnto this sacramental change and the conjunction of the things with the signes there is no place left but onelie in the administration of the Sacrament They are therefore to be condemned who doo attribute some holines vnto the signes and as for those who worship them them wee vtterlie detest as open Idolaters 17 The Sacramentall speaches and phrases are eyther proper or figuratiue proper as when that which appertaineth vnto the signe is attributed vnto the same that which is peculiar vnto the thing signified is distinctly applied therevnto and these do forbid vs to attribute vnto the signes anie more then is meete namelie that wee should not take them for the things signified They are no lesse impious therefore then the former who worship the signes in the verie Sacramentall vse 18 These are figuratiue speaches wherein we see the names and effects of the things signified attributed vnto the signes and contrariwise the names or the effectes of the signes applied vnto the things signified which is done to expresse that moste true and moste neere sacramental conjunction of the signes with the thinges and that wee should not attribute lesse vnto them then were meet They therefore doe attribute lesse then is meete vnto the Sacraments who will haue them onelie to be signes of remembraunce thereby excluding the true giuing receauing of the things signified Yet are they in a lesse errour who will haue them to be signes onelie of our outward profession 19 Nowe in asmuch as the
same both in regard of the signes also of the things signified 15 The most meete place for Baptisme to bee administred is that where the worde is preached and the most meete time is the time of the preaching euen for this cause if their were no more that publicke praiers which are of great force in this action may bee joyned with the administration of the Sacraments 16 Yet may particular Churches appoint the time and the place as circumstances shall require 17 The vse of witnesses called God-Fathers is neither absolutelie necessarie nor yet to bee cleane rejected but such witnesses onelie are to be chosen as both knowe and are also likelie to performe what they promise concerning the holie bringing vp of the infants Defended by IAMES ROVLAND a Low-countrey man PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE LORDS SVPPER LX. 1 THe other perpetuall Sacrament of the whole Christian Church is the Supper of the Lord figured by diuers types vnder the olde couenaunt 2 For it was meet the Mediatour being now come the couenaunt beeing nowe last renewed by him that the olde seales of the couenaunt should be changed into such as might agree to the time both of the ordaining of them and also of their last renuing and so might euen declare that the Mediatour was come both by water and by blood 3 Nowe the Supper is that last Sacrament of the newe Testament or that publick action of the Christian church wherein as the bread being broken is giuen to be eaten and the wine powred out giuen to be drunk after the corporall manner so the bodie of Christ beeing deliuered to death and his blood being shed to seale vp those that are in league with God is giuen vnto the faithful that can examine themselues and are spirituallie receaued of them by faith for those endes which wee will presentlie set down 4 The authour both of the thinges deliuered and of the action is Christ onelie who as far as this Testament is called the new is the onlie testator but in respect that it hath regard vnto the couenaunt that joineth others therin the authour thereof is he who is the authour of the couenaunt The Church is the partie vnto whome the promise is made and therefore the Church is not to take vppon it the authoritie to confirme this couenaunt 5 The matter of the Supper are the signes and the things signified Vnder the name of signes are comprehended not onlie the substantiall things themselues namlie the bread and the wine but also the rites and the whole action as farre as it is Sacramentall namelie the breaking of the bread the powring out of the wine the delyuering and receauing of both whereunto is joined the nourishment of the bodie arising of the receauing of it 6 Touching the bread whether it should bee leauened or vnleauened touching the wine whether it shoulde bee pure or mixed with water and if wine bee wanting whether it be lawfull to vse some other drinke we thinke them matters about which no great contentions are to be raised so that if necessitie so require that which is the speciall thing be retained namelie meat and drinke meete for nourishment and answerable vnto the proportion of the signes and the things signified 7 The administration of the signes because they are present vnto our outward senses hath Christ committed vnto the Ministers of the worde but yet so as the efficacie of the administration doth not depend vpon them but vppon Christ onelie 8 For this cause also the things which we name signes are receaued by the mouth of the bodie and therefore also by the wicked although they account them not for signes but for common things and that the receauing of them is turned vnto their greater damnation 9 The thinges sealed are the bodie and the bloode of Christ the offering and receauing of both and the spirituall nourishment arising therefrom or rather whole Christ God and man with all his benefites and the newe couenant confirmed by the death of the testator 10 For although the receauing of the bread and the wine doth onelie signifie the communion of the body and the blood yet because wee are made one with Christ by meanes of his humaine nature it doth seale vnto vs the whole benefite of saluation because neither the manhood can be seperated from the word nor the humanitie subsist without the Deitie or his benefits without the whole person and therefore the one are neither receaued nor deliuered without the other 11 It is not without cause that Christ hath seuerallie ordained the bread to be the Sacrament of his bodie and the wine of his blood and commanded them to bee seuerallie deliuered in the Church For the bodie and blood are not sacramentally represented vnto vs in this action as the whole humanitie of Christ being glorified doth now liue but in regard that they were offered vppon the crosse for vs the blood being powred out of the bodie Vaine therfore is that concomitaunce as they call it or inseparable conjunction of the body and the blood vnder both kindes seuerallie whereas the bodie is here laid before vs and giuen to bee considered by our faith as being without blood and the blood as powred out of the bodie by death 12 The things signified because they are giuen vnto our minde and that to establish and increase a spirituall life in vs are giuen by Christ himselfe and receaued through faith by the power of the holie Ghost whence it commeth that they are proper and peculiar vnto the faithfull onelie 13 Yet doth it not follow that the bread and the wine giuen vnto the vnbeleeuers are not Sacramentes For in respect of Christ he giueth vnto euerie man that whollie which he promiseth in his worde vz. the signes vnto the bodies and the thinges vnto the soules that are endued with true faith wherevpon it is no maruell if the one of them alone be receaued by the vnworthie communicants as bringing onelie their bodie and that polluted too vnto the Lords Table whereas they want the mouth of the minde that is faith 14 The forme consisteth in the apt and meet that is sacramentall and respectiue conjunction and analogie or agreement of the outwarde signe and the inwarde mysterie The Transubstantiation of the signes and the thinges signified and the essentiall consubstantiation of the things signified with the signes are to bee rejected for the former doth abolishe one part of the Sacrament to wit the signes both of them are directlie contrary both vnto the Articles of our faith concerning the truth of Christs bodie and also vnto the vse of the Sacraments whence followeth that most horrible and detestable bread-worship 15 The agreement of the signes and the things signified is manifest for as breade and wine doe nourish vs in this life euen so the bodie and blood of Christ purchase aeternall life vnto vs. Both the bread and the wine therefore are to bee deliuered in the Supper both to the end that the
whole analogie may be kept and also for the cause alledged in the 11 principle 16 This analogie doth depend vpon the diuine ordination institution or blessing by vertue wherof common things are drawne vnto a holie vse The signes therefore haue by the ordinance of God no consideration at all of a Sacrament saue onely in the action of their lawfull administration Neither are wee to imagine of any force that should bee engraffed in the signs themselues seing they differ from common things in regard of a Sacramentall signification onely and that in the very vse That carrying about an adoration of the signes is most horrible Idolatrie 17 As the whole force of the Supper and the Sacramentall formes of speach doe arise from this analogie so they are to be judged thereby These speaches therfore This is my body the cup is the new Testamēt in my blood are not to be expoūded according to the words but according to the meaning that is by a Sacramentall Metonymie or chaunge of the name whereby those things are said to be that wherof onely they are a signe 18 The proper and principall endes of the Suppcr are both the serious remembraunce joyned with thankes-giuing of the death of Christ to his glorie and our profite and also the neerer ingraffing of vs into the body of Christ by faith beeing strengthened and increased and our neerer vniting with God the Father by meanes of the Mediator who dwelleth in vs by his Spirite 19 The lesse principall endes are the mutuall communion and loue of the faithfull being members of the same body the outward witnessing of that mutuall consent and the preseruation of publicke meetings 20 The effects of the Supper doe differ from the ends but in respect onely For seeing it is ordained by Christ vnto these ends it cannot be but that they should ensue vppon the lawfull vse of the Supper yet so as the instrumentall signification is attributed vnto them as their worke whereas the whole efficacie is solie referred vnto the holie Ghost 21 The profit and efficacie of the Supper is not to bee tied vnto the verie moment of the action of receauing but doth extend it selfe vnto our whole life yet is not the action once celebrated to bee for this cause euer after neglected seeing no man hath such a perfection of faith in this life as he standeth not in need of this support Defended by IANES ARMINIVS of Holland PRINCIPLES TOVCHING THE POPISH MASSE LXI WEE HAVE SPOKEN IN THE FORMER Principles concerning the true vse of the Supper of the Lorde now wee are to shew in few wordes how the said vse hath bene diuerslie depraued by Sathan 1 OF all the errors that haue risen about the holie Supper of the Lord that inuention of Transubstantiation is the most ouglie which was brought in and confirmed especially by LANFRANKE about the yeare 1050. 2 For when as the words of Christ instituting this Supper ar to be vnderstood acording vnto his mind who speaketh them which alwaies ought to be regarded in all acts and especiallie in Testaments so that in this Sacrament the bodie and bloode of Christ are truelie but sacramentallie and by faith giuing credite without question vnto his woordes receaued The Transubstantiators contrary to all reason and vse of Sacraments haue so obstinatelie stooke to the woordes that manie absurdities haue risen thereof 3 First of all seeing all Sacraments do consist of signes and things signified they doe take away the nature of the signes For they teach that after the Consecration as they call it the signes do not remaine but that the thing it self onelie is presented vnto vs. 4 Secondlie the Sacramentall participation beeing thus abolished they make a kinde of imaginary receauing of the Lords bodie and blood whereby as they hold the bodie which is nowe in heauen is reallie and corporallie present in infinite places at the same time and is receaued at once in whole and in part by manie and by one which thing as it is most absurde so doth it ouerthrow the articles of the Ascension and sitting at the right hand of the Father 5 Thridlie they haue fained such a change as maketh that which is not to be and that which is not to be For they doe so spoile the bread and the wine of their essence as they desist to be bread and wine and begin to be some other thing and they dreame of accidences that are inhaerent in no subjectes against the first article of the beleife which teacheth that the Lord is the Creator and preseruer of the things which he made 6 And heere they doe verie foolishlie bring in the omnipotencie of God for wee are now to enquire not what God can but what hee will doe according to his written worde Moreouer it cannot be either that God can lie or that Christ can be contrarie to himself both which wil necessarilie come to passe if anie thing be said to haue beene ordained by Christ contrary to the articles of our faith 7 Hence haue risen two most greeuous errours the former touching the worshipping of the bread and the wine the which in a verie fearfull blasphemous sorte are thus commonlie saluted by the Papists ALL HAILE SAVIOVR OF THE VVORLD THE VVORD OF THE FATHER THE TRVE SACRIFICE LIVELIE FLESH THE VVHOLE DEITIE TRVE MAN c. The other touching the expiatorie and propitiatorie oblation for the sinnes of the quick and the dead which the Church of Rome doth properly call the Masse and wherein they place the somme of all Christianitie 8 For the Masse is not that mingle mangle patched vp as it were of the shreds of diuerse places gathered heere there out of the Scripture and other authours which are the reliques of the auncient Liturgie or common seruice booke of the Christians but it is that ordinarie propitiation and oblation called by them their vnbloodie Sacrifice which is offered vnto God the Father for the sinnes of the quick and the dead 9 Nowe they offend in this point first because they change the Sacrament into a sacrifice wheras Christ commaunding vs to receaue and not to offer ordained a Sacrament and not a Sacrifice 10 Next in that they falslie teach that in the Christian Church there remaineth after the death of Christ anie expiatorie Sacrifice besides the verie bodie of Christ which is endued with a true humaine nature and soule 11 Thridlie in that they closelie accuse that one and most perfect sacrifice of Christ of imperfection by iterating the same euerie hand while For iteration is a note of imperfection as the Apostle saith Heb. 7. 12 Christ indeed commanded all the faithfull to celebrate the memorie of his passion but hee gaue no commandement vnto anie that he should bee sacrificed For there ought to be no mention of the NAME and office of a PRIEST or of an ALTER at this day in the Church of Christ For Christ is now the onelie and the chief Priest who offered himself
Father 2. In respect that his humanity being conceaued by the holy Ghost dooth by personall vnion subsist in that aeternall Sonne of God 10 But he is our Father in respect of Adoption that is in regarde that he doth vouchsafe vs being spirituallie engraffed into Christ by Faith to be called children as those whome being elected in him he justifieth will one day glorifie 11 Therefore this worde teacheth vs againe that beliefe in the Father through the Sonne must go before our Prayers the which if it bee not present prayers are not only not acceptable but euen sins in the presence of God 12 Wee are also by this meanes taught that if we will be heard we are bound to come in the presence of God not onlie wihout anie consideration of our merites which can be none at all but contrariwise that we conceaue our prayers trusting in his onelie free Adoption and mercie in Christ Iesus 13 Lastly this word FATHER doth require that we pray vnto God with a true sense of our sinnes past and a firme purpose to amend our liues otherwise our prayers are in vaine For the impudencie were not tollerable to call him Father whome wee are not sorie that wee haue offended and whome euer after wee meant not to feare and reuerence OVR 14 This doth put vs in mind of 2. things both being of great moment in true Praier 1. of our Adoption wherof wee haue spoken whereby it commeth to passe that he who hath that onelie Sonne by nature coaeternall with himself doth account vs his sonnes adopted in him without whome there is no saluation nor anie true confidence in calling vpon God 2. That true loue is to bee joined with faith that as the Father who is but one is yet in his Sonne the common Father of all the faithfull so we shuld think that they cannot be acknowledged for sonnes who are not in loue with their brethren otherwise they should bee accounted to bee in the bodie who seuer themselues from the members thereof which cannot be 15 This conjunction consisteth partlie in the agrement of doctrine and religion partlie in the affections And therefore before we can trulie call vpon God we must be members of the Catholicke Church and haue a regarde to maintaine peace and concord one with another in such sort as all vnkindnes and hatred being laid aside we must pray from our hearts euen for our enemies 16 But this conjunction cānot be perfect while we liue heere For all of vs know but in part and often not in the same part now in respect of mutuall liuing together there is none but in some thinges hee sheweth himselfe to be a man But as the imperfection of faith doth not hinder the effect thereof the same is to be said of our mutuall agreement both in Religion and also in affections so that wee be displeased with our selues for those our imperfections and be more and more desirous of a growth in our obedience 17 Seeing this communion of faith doeth not onelie comprehend the elect that are alreadie indued with faith and striue togeather with vs in this life against sinne But euen those that are to beleeue and lying as yet vncalled knowne onelie vnto God our prayers also doe belong vnto them 18 But as for those whose Spirits are already gathered with Christ and whose bodies are a sleepe in the graue our Praiers for them should bee altogether vaine and vnprofitable as also for those whose soules are already condemned An addition That custome therefore though auncient of reckoning vp the names of the Apostles and certaine martyrs in common prayers though it may bee thereby excused in that such prayers were meere thanks-giuings doth neuertheles want a ground and therefore is to bee abolished as the verie issue of it hath proued for it is certaine that from hence did arise by little and little both inuocation of the dead who were assuredlie beleeued to bee in heauen and also prayer for the departed vnto whome superstitious men did according vnto their owne fancie appoint Purgatorie fire WHICH ART IN HEAVEN 19 It is needfull that vnto the assurance of Gods fatherlie goodwill towards vs we adjoine his power Majestie both to let vs know that he is not onlie willing but also able to bestow vpon vs whatsoeuer wee craue of him by true faith and also that the consideration of his majestie may retaine vs in that reuerence which is due therevnto 20 We holde that God as a most simple beeing being in regard of his infinite essence in euerie thing in all things at once but not in or of their substance is without and beyond all things whollie in himself preseruing and gouerning all his creatures not mixed with any thing contrarie vnto the rauing dotage of the Manichaees 21 He is then said to be IN HEAVEN that thereby his supreame excellencie power dominion aboue al things may be declared whereas by the name of Heauen we vnderstand the highest place of this visible worlde which is conspicuous vnto vs in regard of the vnspeakeable most certaine motion thereof wherewith the Lord hath moste excellentlie garnished the same Wherein as the Prophet DAVID saith God hath engrauen testimonies of his vnchangeable truth 22 The same God is said to be aboue al those heauens the Scripture also declaring that the place of aeternal happines is appointed euen aboue all the coelestiall spheres whereunto Christ beeing entred doth receaue the soules of his children according vnto that saying This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise and that of the Apostle I desire to be dissolued and to bee with Christ Whence also we beleeue that he will come and where he will entertain all his when they haue receaued their bodies againe being made incorruptible and will cause them to liue there with him aeternallie 23 Nowe as that glorie which wee hope for is at this day incomprehensible vnto vs so wee are not curiouslie that is without Gods woorde to make enquirie of these blessed mansions but deuoutlie to reuerence that which the Scripture teacheth vs to hope to beleeue touching them vntill the time that indeed we shall see heare and receaue those thinges which eie hath not seene eare hath not heard nor euer entred into the heart of man Defended by IAMES HABEERVTERVS of Bearne PRINCIPLES TOVCHING THE PETITIONS OF THE LORDS PRAYER IN GENERALL AND PARTICVLARLIE OF THE FIRST OF THEM LXV HAVING HANDLED THE PRAEFACE which was the first part of the Lords Prayer the second is now to bee opened which containeth the petitions or the substance of the Prayer it selfe 1 CHRIST framed these petitions according vnto the present nature and state of man vz. in respect that we are in the want of all thinges and sinners in this worlde which whollie lieth in wickednesse as it is said IOHN 15.19 and not vnto the first condition wherin ADAM was created pure and vpright before his fall 2 For there had bene no
the Priest being to make merrie therwith alone brieflie to carie about the basen wherein they doe receaue the money that is offered by the poore miserable sheep to bee deuided onelie amongst the wolues themselues And who I pray you do exercise this Ministerie euen they who though they bee sacrificing Masse-priestes themselues doe yet for the names sake play the part of a Deacon and Sub-deacon in this Comedie But what is become in the meane time of the goods of the Church belonging vnto the poore Surelie this whole praie excepting Hospitals which Cities and Townes are bound to maintaine vpon their owne charges beeing shared and torne in peeces amongst the wolues themselues is publicklie without all shame bestowed vpon the maintenāce of dogs and horses of whoores and baudes vpon dycing and carding and all kinde of luxuriousnesse vnlesse it bee that couetousnes dooth deuoure vp some portion of it or that it be spent vpon the maintenance of Ciuil dissentions amongst themselues or vpon the persecuting of the godlie There is therefore no office of the Deacon according to Gods ordinaunce in the false counterfait Church of of Rome no Deacon but onelie in name vnlesse wee had rather call al these forlorne wretches by the name of Deacons than of sacrilegious persons as they are in deede 13 As to the inferiour orders as they cal them they are not so much to bee counted Ecclesiasticall functions whereof we haue alreadie spoken as certaine exercises wherby the young mē excepting onlie the Exorcists that were consecrated vnto the church were in times past made meet a proof being had of their godlines and religion to the execution of the ministerial functions wherof we haue spoken 14 The office of the Ostiaries or doore-keepers was to attēd vpō the Church-dore least that any Catechist or any who making their repentance stood in the Church-porch should rashly intrude themselues vnto the holy assembly or Supper Now the Readers office was standing at the desk to read some part of the word vnto the people while they staied for the Sermon The Acolythes did attend vppon the Pastors and vpon the Bishop not onelie for honours sake but also for the performance of diuers other seruices if it were needfull and euen to the end that the Pastours should doe nothing as neere as could bee without witnesses brieflie that by this their dailie attendance and hearing the young men might be made meet for the holy functions As touching Exorcists the Christian Church vsed them as long as the guift of miracles continued to the healing of those that were possessed and distracted or at least wise for the commending of them to God by certaine peculiar prayers But seeing the guift of miracles is now ceased to what purpose should wee haue Exorcists 15 Now because it was ordained by the ancient Cannons that no man should be rashlie admitted vnto the ecclesiasticall functions who had not first approued his godlines and diligence vnto the Church in these small offices therefore do our good Romanists of that false and apostaticall Romish Church before they admit anie vnto the highest orders as they call them which are most disordered ordaine with most foolish and ridiculous ceremonies their Clarks hauing paid their fees euen in the one the selfe same week to be Dore-keepers Readers Acolythes and Exorcists and within a short while after they presentlie if they pay for it will admit them vnto their higher orders Now in their churches they haue neither ostiary nor reader and as for Acolythes they do not so much as know them by name Touching exorcism it is partly ridiculously performed in Baptisme by all Curates or Priestes that are their substitutes as though that al the children of the christians were borne possessed with Deuils and partly vsed in a wonderous jugling and deceitfull sort by some who are indued forsooth with a peculiar kind of power ouer euil Spirits as in times past when as the gifts of miracles was in force and that sometimes as it hath bene seene when they haue suborned those who faigned them selues possessed with Deuils though also they haue sometimes performed it in deed by reason that the Deuill did not refuse to depart out of the bodies of men as ouer-come by signing of the Crosse or sprinckling of holie water and invocation of the dead that thereby deceiuing many a miserable soule hee might confirme them in their superstitious worship Wherefore in Poperie there is neither Ostiarie Reader Acolyth or Exorcist saue in mockerie and in name onely 16 Wherefore also there is in that Babilon no holie order or Ministerie in deed no lawfull calling and therefore no true Apostolicall succession but a meere vsurpation of the holie Ministerie Whence it is necessarilie gathered that seeing the sacred Ministerie is a true and an essentiall marke of the true and Catholicke Churche that there hath bene and that as yet in some sort there dooth remaine a true Church held captiue in Babilon which the Lord some few yeares since began to bring out of the said captiuitie and it necessarilie followeth that the said Babilon neither was at any time nor euer shal be the Church of God Defended by DANIEL CHAMPHORANVS of Piedmont PRINCIPLES TOVCHING THE POWER AND AVTHORITY OF THE CHVRCH LXXVI HAVING DONE WITH THE ECCLESIAsticall functions it remaineth that wee nowe shewe what and how great the power and authoritie thereof is to be accounted 1 BVt before we come vnto the particuler handling hereof there are two things especially to be considered the one that this whole power is spirituall that is directlie belonging vnto the conscience and therefore that is seuered from the power and authoritie of the Magistrate by the substauntiall forme and proper ende thereof The other that it is not a soueraigne authoritie neither consisting in their will vnto whome it is committed but onelie an Administratorie poweer contained within certaine boundes and lawes prescribed by GOD the onelie Lorde and Lawe-giuer of his Churche vppon whome alone also and not vppon men the force and efficacie therereof dooth depend That whole Lordlie power therefore which both the Bishoppe of Rome and the rest of the false Bishops haue attributed vnto them selues togeather with the temporall Gouernement also which they haue wreasted and which is more intollerable the rule which they haue vsurped ouer the consciences of men is not a power ordained by God but a tyrannie inuented by Sathan and his instruments for the disturbing of mans societie and the ouerthrowe of the true power of the Church 2 This true power of the Church is partlie ordayned against Sathan and the rest of the enemies of our saluation namelie sinne the world and death which are subject vnto him and it dooth partlie belong vnto that order and degree which the Lord hath appointed for the gouernment of his owne house that is his Church here vppon earth 3 The former of these two is common to the whole Churche whereby it commeth to passe that the