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
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
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
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
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
in regard of those things that appertain vnto the foundation of the gouernment of the Church as for the hard places that are in the word it interpreteth them both by conference of the scriptures and also according to analogie of faith 20 Nowe as touching those thinges which appertaine vnto outward order the Church in the feare of the Lord may therein consider what is most meete vnto time and place Wee doe condemne therefore those who dreame that euerie man whatsoeuer hee professe shall bee saued by his own Religion seeing out of the Catholicke Church there is no saluation And those who tie the Catholicke Church vnto one certaine place Those who bring vnto the Church the Academicall â—ncertainty Those who require a forme of perfection in the Militant Church Those who holde the personall succession absolutelie for an vndoubted note of the Church Those who haue by little and little transformed the Christian Presbyteries or Eldership that is the gouernment ordained by Christ the onely King and Monarch of his church into the image of the beast which was the olde Romaine Empire and that first by bringing in the dignity of Bishops next by apointing degrees amongst them and last of all by placing Antichrist at Rome vnder the title of the Ministeriall head Those who doe not measure the Church according to the word of God but the word according to the bare name of the Church Defended by DAVID PIOTAEVS of Geneua PRINCIPLES VPON THE ARTICLE I BELEEVE THAT THERE IS A COMMVNION OF SAINCTS LI. 1 CHrist can be fruitfull vnto none but by participation 2 This participation is partly of Christ and partlie of of his benefites which doe flow from the participation of him 3 That therefore whereof wee are made partakers is partly substantiall and partly a quality 4 The Substantial things are both Christ himselfe God and man and also all those corporall things which are bestowed vpon vs together with Christ beeing participated vnto vs. The qualities are all those gifts both of the bodie and the mind which in him we receaue in this life and obtaine in the life to come 5 Now wee are made partakers of the Deitie of Christ onely in force and operation but of his humanity in verie deed as far as he is our brother 6 Nowe this participation by reason of the most strait baÌ„d and the vnspeakable efficacie therof not that the one substance doth touch the other is expressed by the names of vnion engraffing incorporation and such like 7 The same is for three causes called spirituall first of all because the true and the soueraigne cause thereof is that power and vnspeakable force of the holy Ghost the which notwithstanding the distaunce of place doth most trulie and most effectually joyne the Saints though here as yet vpon earth in a spiritual marriage with Christ that they may be flesh of his flesh bone of his bones althogh according vnto this flesh they are not vpon earth but in heauen 8 Secondly because again this conjunction with Christ himself according to the flesh is in regard of vs a worke not of the bodie but of the minde which receiueth Christ by faith 9 Thirdly because the end and the scope of this mutuall Communion is not to the end that a kind of monstruous bodie should arise from the vniting of his substaunce with ours but that in this life we shuld be gouerned by his Spirit and that in the life to come we should liue an aeternall and a heauenly life with him 10 Yet may this vniting bee called a corporall vnion in a sound meaning so that all ambiguitie and newnes of wordes be auoyded namely if that especiall thing which in this mysterie as before hath bin said we spiritually receiue by faith and that is the verie humanitie of Christ be considered Next if respect be had to the external means which the holy Ghost vseth to beget and nourish faith in vs namely both the outward word sounding in our ears and also the Sacramentall elements and rites that affect the rest of our senses 11 Out of this spirituall vnion ariseth that mysticall bodie wherof Christ is the head both in respect of his preheminence ouer the same and also because he doth wholie giue sense and motion therevnto Nowe all those that beleeue and are sanctified are called members vnder this head in which sense is the Church called by PETER the Citie the spirituall temple of God built of liuely stones whose foundation and cheife corner stone is Christ who sustaineth and beareth vp the whole building It is no lesse absurd therefore to suppose that there is a kind of fastning and a cleauing of Christs bodie within ours or of ours within his then it were to say that the bodies of the Saints do subsist one within another Seeing that the band of the Communion of Saints is the very same that the vnion is which they haue both with themselues and with Christ 12 Some of those things wherof we are made partakers in this mysterie are altogeather proper to the elect namelie Christ himselfe of whome none can be a member except he be indued with true faith true faith which is inseparablie joyned with true hope charitie and last of all that aeternall kingdome prepared from all aeternity according to the free purpose of God vnto the elect onelie Some also are after a sort as the Lord thinketh good common to the hypocrites and prophane by reason that they seeme to bee ingraffed into Christ as are the gifts of Prophesie of tongues and of healing togeather with manie other notable gifts of the mind and excellent benefites of this life the which as by the elect they are consecrated to God who is the giuer of them so are they prophaned by the wicked 13 Againe these gifts though not alwaies in the same measure are partly common to all the Saints as beeing necessarie to the saluation of all of which sort are the participation of Christ himselfe liuelie faith steadfast hope loue vnfained remission of sinnes and sanctification by the holie Ghost with suche like and partlye proper to euerie seuerall beleeuer the which the same holie Spirite doth distribute according to the diuers consideration of the callings of men vnto whome and in what measure hee thinketh good 14 Euerie one of the Saints seuerallie considered haue their peculier giftes both in regarde of the possession of Christ himselfe and also of his benefits as it is expressed in the similitude of the talents But in asmuch as there is one GOD and Father of all one Christ the Lord one Spirite whereof all the Saints are endued one faith one hope of the same calling one baptisme one kingdome of heauen and also because whatsoeuer graces bestowed vpon anie is therefore giuen that the vse of them may bee common vnto them all and so that they should be the one and the selfe same bodie of Christ therefore all the gifts bestowed vppon any of the
elect in particuler are common vnto all the Saints in respect of the vse which is the communion of Saints in this life 15 Yea and the vse of these graces if it may be ought to reach euen vnto them that are without as farre as the glorie of God and the edification of the Church doth permit both because often times many of the elect lie hid amongst them and also because wee must bee like our heauenly Father who maketh his Sunn to rise vpon the good and bad 16 This Communion begun here vpon earth shal then after that those thinges which belong vnto the vse of this life are abollished be perfected in that aeternall kingdom when as faith being chaunged into a full knowledge hope into the injoying of the thinges hoped for and charitie being made perfect God shall be all in all his Saints Now the Communion of Merites either amongst the Saints liuing heere togeather or betweene the Militant and the Triumphant church is both most false and also blasphemous as also the very opinion of merrites is a meere forged vntruth Defended by IOHN WTENBOGAERT a Low-country man of Vtrick PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE WORD OF GOD. LII 1 VVE haue dealt in the former principles with the Church and it hath bene said that the notes of the true Church were the Word of God and the Sacraments now wee will deale with these notes and first of all with the former of them 2 The word of God which is the first note wee cal in this place not whatsoeuer GOD hath spoken but those things onlie which the Prophetes and Apostles inspired by Gods Spirite haue in times past as taught by worde so committed to writing those things which being comprehended in the bookes of the ould and new Testament are as yet vnto this day after so manie warres slaughters ouerthrowes extant in Gods Church in which bookes God hath declared both what he will haue vs to know cōcerning him and what is to be done of vs. 3 God onelie is to bee acknowledged the authour of these bookes whence the whole Scripture is said by PAVL to bee giuen by the inspiration of God and is also called the word of God And therefore it is vnlawfull to call into question or to refuse anie thing that is contained therein as also to bring in anie thing that is not written in the same Detestable therefore was that peruersnes of the Marcionites Manichaees the Valentinians and of all such as refused either all or some of the bookes of the newe Testament 4 These writings by the singular prouidence of God haue long since beene brought by the Church into a certaine order and Cannon that they might bee discerned from counterfaite yea and all other bookes and that they should bee a rule of faith and obedience that should haue credite of it self and hence they are called Cannonicall Other bookes whosoeuer haue beene the authours of them though they contain manie wholsome profitable things are yet but accounted the writings of priuate men neither haue they their credite of themselues but as far as they agree with the former bookes and no otherwise They therefore both haue and at this day doe most greuouslie offend who take away this difference and affirme that the bookes of the APOCRYPHA are to haue no lesse credite in the establishing of Religion then the Cannonical Scripture of which number are the Tridentine conspiratours 5 This Scripture we acknowledge to be cannonicall and authentick not so much by the common consent of the Church as by the testimonie of the Spirite of God who teacheth vs that they are to be embraced as beeing most vndoubtedlie true and such as haue proceeded from Gods own mouth 6 Now these holie books do whollie containe al those thinges that are needfull for our saluation in somuch that it is altogether vnlawfull to exspect for anie supplie of this doctrine for the Scripture as PAVLE doth expreslie teach is able to make the man of God absolute Most greeuous therefore is their errour who thinke that the liuelie and the sauing knowledge of God is to be else where sought then in the written word and doe therefore thrust vnto vs their vnwritten falshoods out of the which they will haue necessarie arguments to bee drawne in the cause of faith and religion 7 The naturall and proper interpretation of this holy Scripture is to be drawne from the analogie of faith and the conference of places For that which is darcklie in one place is in an other clearelie taught that which heere is shortlie is elsewhere largelie set down and so the Woord is the rule and the interpretour of it selfe They are deceauers therefore who say that the right and authoritie of expounding the worde of God is in their power as though it were lawfull for them to interpret anie place as they think good 8 Neither are the expositions of auncient Doctors to bee receaued as vndoubted anie farther then they agree with the truth for PAVLE doth command vs that we giue eare or consent vnto none whosoeuer he be that teacheth anie other doctrine Wee cannot allow therefore of their opinion who wil haue the interpretation of the fathers as they call thē to haue credite of themselues 9 It is true indeed that some places of the Scripture remaine euen vnto this day so obscure and hard to bee interpreted as the verie best and most faithfull interpretours haue not agreed among themselues vpō their proper meaning but in these things euery man is to acknowledge his owne ignorance sluggishnes or some other fault and the Scripture is so plentifull that the one and the selfe same place can admit diuers interpretations and yet all agreable with the doctrine of faith 10 This notwithstanding is most certaine that the grounds and necessarie heades of Christian Religion are so clearely set downe by the Prophets and Apostles as the Spirite of God woorking in the Saincts they are manifestlie perceaued in the Church And therefore wee doe not agree vnto them who thinke the Scripture so obscure as it needeth to be made cleare by some other light Nowe this light they will haue without exception to bee drawne from that pretended Catholick Church that is either from the fathers from the Synods or from some long custome of time as though the Scripture had not beene vnderstood before either the Fathers or the Synodes were 11 This Word of God is to be dailie meditated vppon and all men of what estate soeuer they bee ought most diligentlie to read the same for no man is to be bereaued of that meanes whereby hee is to be instructed in the knowledge and the sure way of his saluation Wee cannot therefore but condemne the Papistes in this point also who holde it vnlawfull for laie-men as they call them to employ themselues in the reading of the Word 11 Now that the vnlearned and vnskilfull may with fruit bee conuersant in the reading heereof it is needfull that
amongst so many distinct kingdoms and estates we see not seeing that they who do purposely withstand the reformation of the Church will neuer agree that there shall bee a lawefull and free meeting And seeing also too many of those whom the Lord hath in these times inlightned with the brightnes of his Gospell are so drawen into diuers factions that there is left but small hope of reconciliation except that Princes beeing kindled indeede with the true zeale of Christs glory would by their authoritie restraine the madnes of some of the Bellowses and firebrandes that Sathan hath raised in these our daies so that the discourse concerning such a general Councel may at this time seeme superfluous 22 But if the question be in generall what the authoritie of the determination of Councels ought to be wee answere brieflie and plainlie seeing we know fully that those ancient general Synods as both those foure most famous gathered against the blasphemies of ARRIVS MACEDONIVS NESTORIVS and other suche monsters and also manie others helde against the Monothelites and Monophysites were lawefull and altogeather agreeable vnto Gods woorde in respect of the truth of Doctrine that hee which dissenteth from these Synods in respect of Doctrine may justlie be said to swarue from the very worde of God which is the rule of all lawfull Synods 23 Wee dare not affirme this without exception of all prouincial synods bicause they are found marueilous contrarie and repugnant one to another Therefore wee doe affirme that the determinations of those Synods concerning Doctrine is to be very carefully and religiously measured according vnto the rule of Gods worde or the Doctrine of the Apostles the analogie of faith briefly comprehended in the Apostolicall beliefe 24 Now as touching those general councels that were manifestlie tyrannicall as that first of EPHESVS and the second of NICE wherein the worshipping of Images was established and all others gathered against Gods truth by the counterfeit Bishops of Rome together with al prouinciall assemblies like vnto them we do not onely not allowe but holde them accursed according to the commandement of PAVLE seeing the true much lesse the counterfeit Bishops are not in authoritie aboue the Angels whom he commaundeth to be held accursed if they teach any other Gospell 25 Now in those thinges which belong vnto the good order of the Church be they established by ancient or latter Canons This is first of all to be obserued that the conscience is not simplie tied by any such rules 26 And this meane is also preciselie to be kept in all of them vz. that those things which are either in their own nature supersticious or so farre abused vnto superstition as it is more expedient they should bee abollished then amended bee at once cleane taken awaye that the Church bee burdened with no Ceremonies that wicked Rites bee rooted out of the same and consideration bee had what is agreeable vnto euery place and time 1 They erre therefore most dangerouslie who holde that Councels both generall and particular cannot err and will haue the consciences of Christians to depend vppon them both in doctrine and also in traditions or Canons 2 They also doe erre who resting onely in their own priuate studies doe attribute nothing vnto the decrees of Councels 3 As those also do erre who in Ecclesiasticall controuersies will affoord no place vnto Councels Concerning Fathers 1 IT is certaine that as the Lorde in times past raised vp godly Priests leuits and prophets which might interpret his law against false teachers and apply the same vnto their time So in the Christian Churche after the labours of the Apostles and the Euangelistes hee indued with a certaine greater measure of his Spirit those whome he thought good by whose writings posterities might be instructed not that they should adde or detract any thing from the worde of GOD or change any syllable therein But that they should bee the true interpretours of the same and that there should bee an vse both of their sound disputations against heretickes and also of their holie and learned both exhortations and consolations to ouer-passe heere that the storie of the ancient Church is to be knowen out of their writings 2 But heere men do diuerslie offend for both they are greatlie to be reprooued who doe neglect so great gifts of God and they on the other side do greeuously offend who receaue the writings of the Fathers without exception for the rule of faith and those also who will haue the gouernment of the church without respect of time place and person to be framed according to the prescription of the ancients Neither are they to be heard who holde that the Fathers are to be accounted because they are ancient 3 Therefore there is this meane to bee kept in the reading of them namely in respect of Doctrine be they old or be they new for the olde themselues were sometimes new al their sayings are without preiudice to be diligentlie examined according to the rule of Gods written word the which thing they themselues euery where in their writinges wish to be done and as touching the gouernment and ceremonies of the Church receiued in their times all preposterous zeale is therein to bee auoyded in such sort as those thinges which the writings of the Apostles commaund to bee perpetually obserued in the Church are to bee descerned from the matters that are indifferent and were added since their time There is also great consideration to be had of circumstances which are alwaies necessarilie subject vnto change Defended by IOHN HALSBERGIVS a Flemming PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE SACRAMENTS LV. WE HAVE IN THE FORMER PRINCIPLES dealt both with the word beeing one of the markes of the Church and also with those things that depend thervpon now we are to handle the other marke thereof vz. the Sacraments and first in generall 1 VVHen as God of his infinit goodnes would not haue his Church after the fall of man to remaine in that miserable estate hee did not onelie in word and promises declare his goodnes thereunto concerning the sauing thereof by Christ but also added certaine rites and ceremonies whereby hee might confirme the same in the assurance of his diuine goodnes towardes it 2 These rites did the Grecians call Mysteries because they signified secrete and hidden matters which can bee known vnto none saue vnto those only that are instructed that is vnto the members of Gods Church Now the Latines called them Sacraments either because the woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was so interpreted by the olde translatour of the new Testament or because these rites are the markes of the couenaunt betweene God and vs that hee should bee our God and we his people and that by a Metaphore borrowed from the Sacraments that is the solemne oathes whereby souldiers bound themselues vnto their Captains and the Captaines againe vnto them 3 Now although neither the word MYSTERIE nor SACRAMEMT be found in the Scripture in that
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
once an onelie and a most perfect Sacrifice vnto God neither was there anie other that could can or shal be able to performe that work 13 For the Sacrifices that ought nowe to haue place among Christians are onelie of thankesgiuing that the faithfull may giue thankes vnto God for all his benefites and offering their prayers vnto him may perpetually consecrate themselues whollie a liuing and an acceptable sacrifice vnto his majestie An expiatorie or propitiatory sacrifice there is or can bee no other but that which Christ once made most perfectlie vppon the Alter of the crosse 14 Yet we do not denie but that the auncient writers did giue the name of Sacrifice vnto the Lords Supper but as in this point so in manie other thinges in a verie farre streatched signification and that partlie to the end that as they thought they might set foorth the dignitie of this high mysterie whereat the Angels doe admire and partlie that they might note out and retaine the custome vsed amongst the auncient Christians Who were wont in their holie feastes of loue to bestowe and offer guiftes and offerings of diuers thinges and euen of meat and drinke which beeing collected togeather into one were so disposed of by the Pastors of the Churches as first of all they were by praiers offered vnto God next some portion of them was taken wherby the holy Supper was administred lastlie that which was left was bestowed for the maintenance of the poore Out of which rites the Masse-mongers doe as yet retaine the names of OFFERTORI COLLECT and COMMVNION And hence it is thought that the name of the MASSE was deriued euen from the custome that the faithfull had to send those things vnto the publick assemblies of the Church which they would haue bestowed vpon holie vses 15 Now it is no lesse fabulous that the Popish Masse was celebrated by IAMES or anie other of the Apostles then it is most true that the same was coyned neither all at once nor yet by one and the selfe same man but was soldered together as now it is by manie Popes after manie yeares and after that it had bene eiked out with many patches which were added thereunto 16 Vnto the former errors there are adjoyned not a few others as that it is celebrated not by the congregation of the faithfull but by one Masse-monger alone that the Sacrament is after the holie action RESERVED as it were a preseruatiue against whatsoeuer inconuenience that the names of dead Saints are called vpon and their imaginary merits intermingled in the Masse that the one of the signs is in a kind of impudent and altogeather hellish boldnesse taken away from the lay people as they call them that the whole action is done in a strange tongue that the Masse-Priest alone is priuie vnto many things that are done therin that they vse the attire and gestures of stage-plaiers and many other things brought forth by this plant which the heauenly Father hath not planted and therefore shal one day be altogeather rooted out Therefore we detest this imaginary and blasphemous sacrifice of the Masse which is contrarie vnto Gods worde and ouerthroweth the force of Christes Passion and bringeth in almost innumerable errours and wee pray with al our hearts and soules that the Lord would graunt vnto all his Churches the pure and sound vse of his holie Supper Defended by THEOPHILVS HESPERIVS of Bearne PRINCIPLES TOVCHING CONSVBSTANTIATION LXII WEE HAVE ALREADIE DISPVTED concerning Transubstantiation Consubstantiation being the neerest error vnto it is now to be handled 1 COnsubstantiation consisteth in this that the bodie and blood of the Lord is said to bee corporally naturally and really present in vnder and with the bread and the wine 2 It hath this common with Transubstantiation that in both of them the wordes of the institution are in a preposterous sort stiflie maintained without any regard vnto the meaning Although that in verie deed the wordes are chaunged in both by the fained interpretations whereby they are expounded whence manie absurdities doe follow 3 First in that both of them doe take away the force nature of a Sacrament which consisteth in this that two thinges should bee in them namely earthly elementarie and signifiyng then heauenly inuisible and signified both which are seuerallie considered not as they are something absolutely and simply existing of their own nature but as there is a mutuall comparison and referrence between them whereby the signes do represent the things signified are represented 4 Next Transubstantiation maketh that the thing is not that which it is and that it is that which it is not but Consubstantiation maketh that two things indeed are become one 5 Thirdly this doctrine doth include contrarieties for it affirmeth that the same body is receiued both naturally and supernaturallie whereas the truth doth teach that the signes are naturally and the things signified supernaturallie participated 6 For the receiuing of the mouth and also the helpe of the other senses are heere required by the institution of Christ to the ende that that which is naturall and corporall may performe his owne office the operation also of the mind and faith is especiallie to be present that what is spirituall may be receiued by spirituall instruments 7 Yet wee confesse that the bodie and blood of Christ is offered bodilie that is corporallie in the holie Supper But after the same manner that PAVLE saith that all the God-head doth dwell in him corporally that is trulie and fullie the Lord performing without all doubt that which hee promised 8 And although the bodie of Christ be of it selfe a naturall substaunce and contained within the dimensions or limites thereof yet is it not materially but spiritually eaten of vs. For the fleshe would haue profited vs nothing but the Spirite and life yet we may say in some sense that the bread and the wine are the bodie and the blood and that the bodie and the blood are fed-vpon namely in a Sacramentall manner 9 This Doctrine also is directly contrary vnto that end of the institution whereby Christ commaunded vs to celebrate his memorie For if hee bee present his memorie cannot be called vnto our remembraunce except wee will speak very vnproperlie seeing things past and not present are called into memorie 10 Againe it doth abolish the nature of Christs bodie For if the same be thus receued by euery one in particuler it must needs be both present in infinit places at once and also be infinite of it selfe The which point is contrary vnto the Articles of our beliefe whereby we beleeue that hee was true man that hee was borne suffered dead risen againe ascended vp into heauen 11 Furthermore if the receiuing of Christ were corporall the ancient Church vnder the law had not bene partaker of his bodie because the same was not as yet borne which point is contrarie vnto the Apostle who saith that the Fathers did receiue the same spirituall meate and the same
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
5 The principall and chief end therefore of the holie Ministerie in respect of saluation was alwaies one namelie the laying open of Gods goodnes touching the saluatiō of men by meanes of the free couenant made in Christ onelie who both before and vnder the rudiments of the Law was shadowed and manifested in deed in the fulnesse of time 6 Yet of this holie ministerie both before and vnder the law there were three generall parts namely to teach to sacrifice to blesse as might be shewed by many testimonies of the scripture vnder the name of sacrifice we vnderstand all sorts of rites as vnder the name of blessing wee containe publike prayers 7 Of the holy doctrine there haue beene two kindes namely the law denouncing judgement and death the Gospell offering life freelie giuen vnto the repentant 8 Yet is it not properlie the lawe but the transgression thereof that doth kill 9 The Legall ceremonies were certaine appurtenances both of the law and the Gospell wherin as in a glasse were to be seene though in a contrary regard both the cursse of the law and also the blessing of the Gospell 11 The ministery of Moses notwithstanding compared with the ministery of the Gospell is for three causes called the ministery of death The one because that the lawe written was giuē by Moses whereby death was more manifestly layde before the eyes of sinners then euer before 12 The other because Moses did labor much more in setting downe the Lawe then in opening the promises of the Gospell that men might learne by the terrors thereof to frame thē-selues vnto the receiuing of perfecter things that were to be manifested at the time appointed and not place the hope of saluation in these rites Thirdly because the Lawe indeed dooth point out the disease that bringeth death but doth not heale it yea rather encrease the same through our falt in that it requireth of vs the execution of the Commandements and giueth vs not abilitie to performe them 12 But in the Gospell the picture whereof in a sorte was that externall worshippe of the Lawe God giueth by his holy spirite the abilitie to performe the promise of the same that is the power to repent and belieue And therefore the preaching of the Gospell is called the spirite ingraffed in our heartes but the Lawe is tearmed the dead letter that is a dead writing engrauen in Tables of Stone 13 Wherefore the Ministery not onely of the olde but also of the newe Testament was ordained not by men but by the Lord who both instructed and also called both the Patriarches and also Moses Aaron to exercise the same and afterwarde declared to Moses the rule and the forme thereof as hee would haue it executed among his people wherevnto it was not lawefull to adde or to detract any thing 14 And because the Lord fore-sawe the negligence and the wickednes of the Priests hee did therefore ordaine in the auncient Church both before and vnder the lawe not onely an ordinary which vnder the lawe was especiallie assigned vnto the Tribe of Leuy but also an extraordinary that is a Propheticall ministerie vnto whome the Priests and Kings themselues were to yeld obedience and whose office was to teach the whole people partly by a more exquisite exposition of the lawe and partly by terrifiyng the disobedient by fearfull Reuelationes of Gods judgments and comforting the godlie by most louing promises 15 Their ministerie was extraordinarie for although there were certaine colledges of Prophets when and as often as it pleased God yet were they not apointed by man neither did they leane vpon any ordinarie calling Briefly God did enspire with his Spirite whome it pleased him respecting therein neither sex nor calling 16 Both these Ministeries did the Lorde promise vnto his people by MOSES and withall shewed how false Prophets whome the people were to take heede of might bee discerned from the true whome they were to heare 17 The Lord ordained this Ministerie of men not that he was compelled thereto by any necessitie but that therby he regarded mans infirmitie 18 Yet he neuer vsed it in such sort as hee would giue his owne glorie therevnto that is the authoritie to performe those thinges which the diuine power alone bringeth to passe but he effecteth externall things onely by his Ministerie performing those thinges by his owne inward power alone which were declared vnto the senses of the hearers by the outward ministerie of men 19 Therefore hee performeth what he thinkeh good inwardlie in the vnderstanding and will of man when and as often as it pleaseth him even without the externall ministerie but he who ever neglecteth the ordinarie ministerie or by vnbeleefe doth seuere the inwarde force from the outwarde administration that man tempteth God sheweth himself vnworthie of his grace But as for those that any wise ascribe the proper worke of God vnto the ministerie of men they are to bee accounted meere superstitious and even plaine Idolators Defended by ARON CAPEL an English-man of London PRINCIPLES TOVCHING THE MINISTERS OF THE WORDE VNDER THE GOSPEL LXXIII 1 BEcause God by means of his Ministers from the beginning of the world vnto this day hath with the word of life sustained man being fallen the order both of time and doctrine requireth that seeing we haue in the former Principles spoken of the Ministerie which God ordained in his Church both before and after the law We now deale with that Ministery which Christ after the abolishing of the law appointed in these last times to be in the Christian Church 2 And to the end that the summe and the truth of the whole matter may be more clearely set downe we affirme first of all that there are three sortes of Ecclesiasticall functions to be gathered out of the holie Scriptures For some doe attend vpon the preaching of the word of which sort were Apostles prophets Euangelists and at this day Pastors and Teachers Others haue the ouersight of the gathering and right distribution of the Church goods The third sort doe watch ouer the manners of men in preuenting offences and preseruing the right gouernement of the Church 3 Christ therefore as the Son and the soueraigne Lord and gouernor of his Fathers house did not only perfectlie set downe the doctrine of the couenant but also declared by what callings hee would haue his Fathers house that is the Church to be gouerned 4 And therefore he himselfe as PAVLE saith gaue for the worke of the Ministerie and the knitting togeather of the Saints some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastors and Teachers 5 Neither is it to bee inferred either that all these callings were ordained to bee perpetually in the Church or yet on the other side that all of them were to continue but onely for a time 6 Now all these names as also the name of Elders and Deacons are sometimes in a general signification attributed vnto al those who haue the ministery of
is meet as it hath bene the continuall practise of all well ordered churches that first the Pastors Doctors and Elders shuld haue the chief dealing as being those who both haue the ouersight of the flocke and are likelie to bee of sounder judgement in discerning the doctrine Next vnto them the chief and especiall men both in godlinesse and authoritie as the Magistrate if hee be a Christian are to haue place Lastlie the consent of the people is to be had in such sort as no man is to bee admitted vnto anie Ecclesiasticall function but by the knowledge and consent of the whole Church 23 Election being lawfullie finished published and ratified imposition of hands or ordination that is the placing of a man as it were in the possession of the holie ministerie is to be done of Pastors in name of the whole Eldership 24 The Lord hath ordained these callings to continue in his church to the end of the world neither indeed hath the church or euer shall altogether want the ministerie of the word seeing faith is by hearing Yet we see the sinns of men enforcing the Lord thereunto and his just iudgement which beginneth at his owne house requiring the same that it hath often come to passe as it was expreslie foretolde by the Spirit of God that the publick ministery was for the most part not in the handes of carefull Sheepheards but of the most forlorne spoilers and wasters of the Church Antichrist him selfe also sitting in the very Temple of God 25 Nowe when this hath come to passe the Lord in mercie towards his Church hath bene accustomed either extraordinarilie as he did to the Prophets in times past without anie consideration of that election whereof wee haue now spoken or ordinarilie out of their nomber who lurked amongst those robbers to endue with his Spirit wonderfull power whome hee thought good to chuse for the building vp of his decaied house whose vocation appeareth by their fruits that is both by the truth of their doctrine drawn out of the pure word of God and also by the example of their true Christian life 26 So it commeth to passe that the vocation of these men which at the first was extraordinarie is after that the right order is restored by them become lawfull and ordinarie and they are farre vnlike vnto them who neglecting the right order that is in force are drawne either by ambition couetousnesse or some other affection to inuade the functions of the ministerie of whome the Lord saith They ran but I sent them not Defended by ABRAHAM HENRIE a Normane PRINCIPLES TOVCHING THE FALSE MINISTERIE OF THE GOSPELL LXXIIII 1 HAuing set downe the true lawfull Ministery of the Gospell which the Sonne of God ordained and by his Spirit deuided into their seuerall functions It nowe remaineth that wee adjoyne the false ministerie of the same to the ende that contraries beeing laide one against an other may be better manifested 2 In the true Ministerie of the Gospell there are three things which distinguish the same from the false The one that the authority of the callings proceed from the Sonne of God as being ordained either immediatlie by himselfe or mediatlie by his Apostles The other is that the calling be lawfull that is such a calling as is squared according to the prescript lawes of the doctrine and Discipline of the Apostles The third is the prescript administration of the holy callings Now all these things wee aduouch to haue bene by a litle and a little vtterlie ouerthrowen by the Papisticall tyrannie which with the Apostle wee may justly call the mysterie of iniquitie 3 And first wee affirme that the callings of the Popish Cleargy which they expresse by that proud title of Hierarchie are in part altogether false that is such as haue at the first bene inuented by man and afterward became meerly diuelish and in part counterfeit that is such as onelie retained the names of true callings which they abollished in deed 4 These functions following we hold to be altogether false destitute of all true foundation namely the Primacy of the Bishop of Rome ouer al Churches the Cardinalship Patriarkship Archiepiscopalship briefly that whole Episcopall degree of Lord-Bishops ouer their fellowe-Elders 5 As to the vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome ouer others yea ouer al Churches the same by two manifest reasons amongst the rest is conuinced not to be Apostolicall and therefore to haue no warrant in Gods word The one because the Apostles were of equal authority power amongst themselues as it appeareth by the commaundement of Christ who sent them also by the record of the things which were done by them The other because that the Apostolicall function beeing appointed for the laying of the foundation of the christian Catholike church now that the same is laid and the Apostles called into heauen is ceased here vpon earth in respect of their personal ministerie and in respect of the building vppon the foundation which they laid the doctrine deliuered by them preserued from aboue and which is to continue to the worldes end is so sufficient that there is no need of any successor of the Apostolical authority eyther from the planting of new Churches or for the restoring of those that are already planted 6 Cardinals as it appeareth out of the story of FABIAN SILVESTER thogh corrupt stories were at the first no other then the seauē Deacōs of the church of Rome hauing their names from seauen quarters of the citty which also they called cardines wherūto they were allotted therfore called cardinals is as it were quarters and thus doth their borrowed coūtefeit stile yet testifie He furthermore seemeth in the writings of Gregory to be named a Cardinal who is called a Pastor or Curat neither is any mention of those that are now in the subscriptiō of the anciēt Coūcels in so much that they are and ought to bee justly accounted the most ougly brood of Sathan begottē by him in these latter times for the defence of that strumpet 7 As touching the distinctions of Bishoppes into Patriarks Primates Metropolitans and Archbishops al these beeing the same at the first that whole woorke was ◅s institution and not Gods ordinance as euen IEROM himselfe testifieth in expresse words 8 Nowe all these at the first were names of order distinction and not of anie superioritie or power when any Ecclesiastical controuersie did arise or any Pastors were to be chosen both Synods might be orderlie gathered together Synodall decrees put in execution also that elections might be done by the aduise of the neighbour churches and ratified in a comelie manner without confusion 9 This distinction of Churches belonging vnto order and not vnto anie preheminence of degree allowed by custome confirmed by the Fathers in the councel of Nice is not of it selfe to bee reprehended but yet the miserable issue of it manifested at the length that in two respectes
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