the divine nature DOCT. VII As the first union so likewise the second is made by the power of the holy Ghost NEither doubt we but that the Son of God our Lord Iesus Christ as in the first union by the power of his Spirit he assumed and took upon him our flesh and bloud for he was conceived man by the holy Ghost and that without sinne for which cause also he is called the a 1 Cor. 15 4â— Heavenly Man so also in the second he gives us his flesh and his bloud and communicates himself wholly unto us and by this communion so knits conjoynes and incorporates us unto himself by the efficacie of his Spirit that still the bond that knits Christ unto us and us unto him is the same Spirit which Spirit as it effected in the wombe of the Virgin that the Son of God became flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones So also by working in our hearts and incorporating us into Christ it effecteth likewise that we by the participation of the body and bloud of Christ become flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones especially when it stirreth up faith in us whereby we embrace and lay hold on Christ and acknowledge him to be true God and Man and so a perfect Redeemer and Saviour DOCT. VIII That our union with Christ is in such sort Spirituall that it is notwithstanding true and reall SO believe we this other union also no lesse almost then the former if I may so speak to be Spirituall that yet it is true and reall For by the Spirit of Christ we though here on earth are really and truly joyned with the body bloud and soul of Christ now raigning in heaven and with his divine nature abiding in us insomuch that this mysticall body which consisteth of a 1 Cor. 12.12 Christ as the head and the faithfull as the members thereof is sometimes simply called Christ So great is the conjunction of Christ with the faithfull and the faithfull with Christ that it is not amisse in some sort to say that as the first union was of two natures in one Person so also this of many Persons as it were into one nature according to these texts of Scripture b 2 Pet. 1.4 That you might be partakers of the divine nature and We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones DOCT. IX The Confirmation of the opinion fore-going How close and near this union is FOr as in man the soul which is one and the same and all in every part as well in the head and every particular member as in the whole body together causeth all the members to be united and grow together into one body under one head So also by the power of Christ's Spirit which is one and the same in Christ and in all the faithfull it cometh to passe that all of us being both in body and minde knit together into one Spiritually become one and the same body with Christ our head one body I say mysticall and Spirituall because it is connected and compacted together by the most secret bond of the same Spirit CHAP. X. That this union forasmuch as it is made by the holy Ghost cannot be hindred by any distance of place FRom whence it followes that this true and reall union though Spirituall of our bodyes and souls with the body and soul of Christ cannot be hindred by any no not the greatest distance of place because it is made by the efficacie of that Spirit which reacheth from earth even up to heaven and higher then so and knitteth together the members of Christ here on earth with the head in heaven sitting at the right hand of the Father conjoyning them together in one so closely and nearely as the soul of man doth the armes legs hands and feet and the other members with the head into one body though the man should be so great and tall for stature that having his feet set in the Centre of the earth his head should reach to heaven even to the ninth spheere So great is the virtue and power of the soul How great then is the virtue and power of the holy Ghost who is true God and omnipotent DOCT. XI That the holy Ghost by whom this union is made is given by Christ at the preaching of the Gospell and the administration of the Sacraments WE believe further that this Spirit by which Christ knitteth himself unto us and us unto himself his flesh with ours and ours with his is communicated by Christ at his own pleasure and according to his grace when and where and after what manner it pleaseth him but ordinarily at the preaching of the Gospell and the administration of the Sacraments A visible testimonie whereof there was in the infancie of the Church when as we read those which received the Gospell and were baptised or on whom hands were laid beside the invisible grace of regeneration received also sundrie and sensible gifts of the Spirit DOCT. XII That this union is the principall end of the Gospell and Sacraments FRom whence we easily gather what is the principall end of the preaching of the Gospell and the administration of the Sacraments to wit this Our communion with Christ the Son of God who for us was made flesh who suffered died for us but now raigneth in heaven and communicateth salvation and life to his elect and chosen Our Communion with Christ I say here inchoate and begunne but hereafter to be perfected and finish'd in heaven that further by this our true and reall connexion conjunction with his flesh and bloud and his whole Person we may at length be made partakers of eternall life which was purchased by him and resideth or abideth in him DOCT. XIII That this union is not imaginarie nor made by participation of gifts onely but also by communication of substance BUt for this cause do we call this our present incorporation with Christ true reall and substantiall to meet with the errour of those which think that the union which we hold is but onely imaginarie and therefore false or if true that then it is onely by the participation of Spirituall gifts and the grace of Christ without the communication of the substance of his flesh bloud DOCT. XIV That this union is made by no other means but onely by the holy Ghost and by faith BUt again lest any should falsely imagine that we hold this union to be made with the flesh of Christ either as if it were here really present upon earth by any Physicall or naturall contact whether grosse or subtill as all siensible things are united with the sense some after a more grosse and others after a more subtill manner Or else with the same flesh as it is abiding in heaven by Species in the minde which the Philosophers call Intelligible as all things Intelligible are united with the Intellect which receiveth them by certain images and mentall
before all worlds and man of the substance of his mother born in the world DOCT. III. That the Son onely is both God and Man together BUt so do we believe that the Son of God is both true God and Man together and therefore true Christ that we confesse him onely to be so none besides For we read not that the Father or the holy Ghost but a Iohn 1.14 the Word onely was made flesh And the Apostle saith that the b Gal. 4.4 Son was made of a woman and so he onely suffered although to the creation of the nature assumed by the Son not onely the Son but the Father also and the holy Ghost concurred DOCT. IV. That the Son was made Man without any change in himself by assuming onely the humane nature unto himself BUt we believe that the Son of God was made Man not by any conversion of himself into flesh not by any mutation in the flesh not by any confusion of the divine and humane nature but by the assuming onely of the humane nature into the unitie of his Person And as Athanasius speaketh a Athan. in Symb. Not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh but by taking of the Manhood into God So that he in no wise lost what he was but assumed what he was not according to what the Apostle saith b Hebr. 2.16 He took on him the seed of Abraham whereby he teacheth us That as the Son assuming was not changed into the thing assumed for God is altogether unchangeable but remained what he was being truely distinguished from the thing assumed So the seed assumed was in no wise converted into the thing assuming but was united onely with the divine nature into the unitie of the same Person according to what the Evangelist saith c Iohn 1.14 The Word was made flesh Therefore the flesh remained flesh and was not changed into the Word DOCT. V. That neither one nature assumed another nor one Person another but the Person of the Son of God the humane nature FRom whence we understand that the divine nature which is common to all the three Persons yea one and the same in them all assumed not unto it self the humane nature nor one Person another but nature onely For the Son of God took not upon him any son of Abraham but the seed of Abraham that is the humane nature propagated from Abraham and therefore we acknowledge not two Persons in Christ but that one onely by which all things were made and which was so perfect before the assuming of the seed of Abraham that by the assuming thereof it became not another from what it was neither yet a more perfect Person nor any way else imperfect DOCT. VI. That the humane nature was not by Christ assumed to constitute any new Person nor to make the Person that was before more perfect then before it was But that it was assumed onely into the societie and unitie of that eternall and most perfect Person FOr although in Christ we acknowledge two natures the divine and the humane Yet we do in no wise grant that the humane nature was therefore assumed that either of this and that as of the parts there should be constituted any new Person unto Christ or that the eternall Person which was before should be made more perfect then before by the accesse of a new nature but this onely That the humane nature being assumed into the unitie of that Person which was existent from all eternitie and also most perfect the Son of God remaining what he was might become what he was not and might have what to offer to his Father for us And therefore we do not absolutely and simply like it if any man do say That as of the soul and body there is constituted the person of every man so also of the divine and humane nature was constituted the Person of Christ But we like the phrase which is used in the Church That Christ clothed himself or was clothed with our flesh Whereupon saith St. Augustine a August That Christ descended from heaven like a naked man from the mount and that he ascended up again clothed with our flesh as with a garment For this phrase Although it do not perfectly expresse the Hypostaticall union yet it maketh a manifest difference between the Person of the Son of God assuming and our nature assumed For the same reason also we like the manner of speaking which is used by the Fathers That the humane nature is born by the Son of God and again That it doth subsist in the Person of the Son of God and such like discerning the Person of the Son of God assuming from the nature assumed teaching moreover that the Person of the Son of God was not made another from what it was nor more perfect then before it was by the accesse of the humane nature DOCT. VII The confirmation of the foregoing opinion together with the exposition of that place of Athanasius WE confesse indeed That As the reasonable soul and flesh is one man so God and man is one Christ that is That there is but one Person although there be two natures in him But not thus as if of the two natures as of the parts thereof to speake properly were constituted the Person of Christ as to the constituting of the person of man the body as well as the soul doth concurre necessarily as an essentiall part For as much as the Person of Christ was existent and most complete and perfect before the manifestation thereof in the flesh but the person of man suppose Adam was not before the conjunction of the soul and body and again for as much as neither the soul of man assumed the body nor the body the soul as the Son of God assumed unto himself the seed of Abraham into the unitie of the fame person and further for as much as the body and soul are two substances as it appeareth in the creation of Adam but the humane nature of Christ never subsisted by it self alone but onely in the Person of the Son of God From whence it appeareth how unjustly some abuse the godly saying of Athanasius to prove their own dreams and phansies For it is altogether necessarie that he which manifested himself that is the Person of the Son of God should be different from the flesh in which he manifested himself and that not onely before but also after the resurrection and his session at the right hand of the Father which as St. Augustine saith brought glorie indeed into the flesh but took not away the nature thereof DOCT. VIII How Christ can be one onely Person and that eternall and immutable and yet in it two natures and how he can be said to consist of them WE therefore acknowledge and confesse against Nestorius That in Christ there is one onely Person and that eternall most simple and most perfect and remaining the same for ever to wit
as Iews and Turks which deny that the world is redeemed by the benefit of Christs death together with all them which place their salvation in whole or in part in any other thing but Christ onely or blasphemouslly say that sins are expiated and taken away by any other sacrifices beside that of Christs For we acknowledge one onely Redeemer Iesus Christ without whom as there is no God so there is no salvation and we acknowledge but one onely sacrifice by the oblation whereof the elect were once expiated in the Person of Christ but also are daily pardoned unto all believers even to the end of the world CHAP. XII Concerning the true dispensation of redemption salvation and life and therefore the necessitie of our union and communion with Christ DOCTRINE I. That salvation and eternall life is placed onely in Christ that from him it may be communicated unto us WE believe that as the sinne of Adam and death which followed thereupon remained not onely in Adam but also from him as from the head of all mankind a Rom. 5.12 passed upon all men whosoever are by common generation already come from him or are yet to come So also that the righteousnesse of Christ and eternall life which is onely due unto him remained not in him alone but was derived upon all men whosoever are by regeneration of the holy Ghost made one with him and doe as true members cleave fast unto him as being the head of all the Church and that Christ also came in the flesh to this end and that all salvation and life is placed in him to be really and truely dispensed and communicated unto all the elect which are united unto him DOCT. II. That indeed the grace of redemption and salvation is seriously offered unto all but really communicated to none but the elect which are made one with Christ FOr we believe that although a Mark 15.10 redemption salvation and life eternall which are the gifts of God be seriously propounded and offered unto all by the preaching of the Gospell for that many are not made partakers of it it is their own fault Yet they are really communicated unto none but those which being from all eternitie elected and predestinated in Christ as the head of all the elect to be made his members and so partakers of salvation and being afterwards in due time called by the preaching of the Gospell and indued with faith by the holy Ghost are grafted into Christ and so made one with him DOCT. III. To the true participation of salvation how necessarie our union or communion with Christ is AS neither a Iohn 15.1 2 c. the vine branch from the vine nor the bough from the tree can suck sappe and life unlesse both the one and the other be united as a part unto the one and the other And again as the members of the body can neither draw motion nor sense nor life from their head unlesse they be united to the head So neither can men receive life and salvation from Christ in whom they are alone unless they be truely ingrafted into Christ and be united unto him by a true and reall union and being united do also remain and abide in him DOCT. IV. That we cannot be united unto Christ unlesse he do first unite himself unto us SEeing then the participation of true righteousnesse salvation and life depends wholly upon the most necessarie communion of us with Christ and hereunto both the preaching of the Gospell the administration of the Sacraments and all the Ecclesiasticall ministerie is referred For this cause what our faith and belief is concerning this matter briefely and plainly as near as we can we thought good to declare and testifie unto all the Church of Christ in certain Theses or Positions here following And first we believe that as a 1 Iohn 4.10 we love Christ as Iohn speaketh because he first loved us and therefore we come unto him with our Spirit because he first came unto us by his and therefore we embrace him by faith because he first embraced us by the virtue of his Spirit and begate faith in us So neither can we be joyned united unto him unless he first joyne and unite himself unto us For one is the cause of the other the former of the latter Wherefore we are to pray that he would be pleased to a Iohn 14.23 come unto us and make his abode with us DOCT. V. That Christ's union with us and ours with Christ is threefold and what their order is FUrther we acknowledge a threefold union of Christ with us and us with Christ The first in our nature once made the second which is every day made in the Persons of every one of the elect but as yet absent from the presence of the Lord and the last which shall be with the Lord in our own Persons when we shall be personally present with him when God shall be b Coloss 3.11 1 Cor. 15 2â— all in all And the first of these is referred unto the second and the second unto the third As nature was ordained unto grace and grace unto glorie For the first was made by the assumption of our nature into the unitie of the Person of the Word The second is made by the assumption of our Persons into grace and into one Mysticall body with him and so unto the a 2 Pet. 1.4 participation of the divine nature as Peter speaketh The third and last shall be made by the assumption of us all into glorie everlasting with Christ And we doubt not but Christs will was to shew unto us before the second by the first and the third by the second that by what is done already we might be confirmed in hope of that which shall be hereafter DOCT. VI. That as the first union was made to expiate and take away sins so likewise the second to make us partakers of that benefit WE believe therefore to omit things that are impertinent to our present purpose and to come nearer to the matter we believe I say that the Son of God according to the eternall will of the Father of himself and of the holy Ghost as to expiate and take away our sins he assumed into the unitie of his Person which was conceived in the wombe of the Virgin by the power of the holy Ghost and in it fulfilled the Law of God perfectly for us and became obedient unto his Father even unto death and by the same flesh offered up for a sacrifice for our sinnes purchased in himself eternall salvation for us So also to make us really partakers of the salvation purchased for us by the sacrifice of his own flesh after another manner of union he takes and kuits us unto himself in such sort that we are united unto him though not into one Person yet into one true mysticall body whereof he is head and all we are members whereby we become partakers of
abide in them So neither can we from Christ our head foundation tree and vine unlesse we be truely ingrafted into him by the holy Spirit and be made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones And they do us great injurie that therefore say we deny the true participation of Christ's flesh and bloud and hold onely the participation of his gifts and benefits because we do not admit that which ought not to be admitted that Christ true body doth really passe through our mouthes into our bodyes As if the communion which is made by the holy Spirit and by faith were not true and essentiall whereas nothing can more nearely joyne divers substances and natures together into one then the holy Spirit As we see it in the incarnation of the Son of God and the creation of man compounded of soul and body Certainly if the communion with the body and bloud of Christ which is made by the Spirit onely and by faith be not true and saving unlesse the body bloud passe through our mouthes into our bodyes Christ hath not provided well for his Church And further he would have the same to be made at the receiving of the Gospell as also in Baptisme As a 1 Iohn 1.3 Iohn witnesseth of the first and the b 1 Cor. 12.13 Apostle of the second This is our confession concerning communion with Christ in generall and concerning the dispensation of salvation and life which is in Christ Iesus DOCT. XIX Errours condemned WE therefore disallow and mislike the errour of those which teach that by the opus operatum or performance of the outward work without faith and true union with Christ remission of sins may be obtained and salvation communicated unto men But we condemne for blasphemie the doctrine of those which teach that remission of sinnes and salvation may be obtained by works not commanded by God but invented by men and those such as are full of superstition and idolatrie We condemne likewise those which making no account of the ministerie of the Word teach that salvation may be had as well without as by the hearing of the Word and the receiving of the Sacraments and likewise those which contend that the children of infidells as well as the faithfull in their mothers wombes are made partakers of Christ's benefits CHAP. XIII Concerning the Gospell and the abrogation of the Law by the Gospell FOrasmuch as the Gospell in the first place and then also the Sacraments to wit Baptisme and the Lords supper are the outward instruments and meanes by the lawfull use and administration whereof our Redeemer and Lord Iesus Christ is wont to offer and dispense unto the would the benefit of redemption and remission of sinnes and communicate himself unto us his chosen by the power of his Spirit and likewise incorporate us into himself and so make us really partakers of salvation and life which he hath in himself Therefore we have studied and endeavoured briefely and plainly to declare unto the Church of God what is our faith and belief concerning them DOCTRINE I. What the Gospell is AS concerning the Gospall then according to the signification received and used in the Church we believe that it is none other but the heavenly Doctrine concerning Christ preached by Christ himself and his Apostles and contained in the books of the New Testament declaring unto the world most wellcome and joyfull tidings to wit that mankind by the death of Iesus Christ the onely begotten Son of God is redeemed so that for as many as repent and believe in Iesus Christ free pardon and forgivenesse of sinnes salvation and eternall life is prepared For which cause it is worthily called by the Apostle the Gospel of our salvation Eph. 1.13 DOCT. II. That the Gospel was indeed promised by the Prophets but published by the Apostles FOr though this mysterie was revealed unto the Fathers even from the beginning of the world and the Prophet also spoke concerning it yet they preached promises Evangelicall that is of the Gospell which the Iews retained amongst themselves rather then the Gospel it self which was to be published to all nations For they prophesied and foretold that which was to come but did not declare any thing present or past As the Apostle teacheth in the Epistle to the a Rom. 1.2 Romanes and Peter in his first b 1 Pet. 1.10 Epistle DOCT. III. That the Fathers by faith in the promises concerning Christ the Redeemer to come were saved as well as we which now believe the Gospell YEt we doubt not but that the Fathers which believed the promised of the Gospel concerning the coming of Christ and his breaking the Serpents head were saved as well as we which now are saved by faith in the Gospel declaring unto us that Christ is come and that he hath redeemed the world As the Apostles abundantly teacheth both in other places and especially in the Epistle to the c Rom. 4.3 Romanes concerning Abraham and in the d Hebr. 11.1 Epistle to the Hebrews concerning all others That it is high blasphemie to say that the Fathers had onely promises of earthly things and that they received them but not heavenly as remission of sins and eternall life For what the Gospel is to us properly taken the same were the promises of the Gospel to them that is a Rom. 1.26 The power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth DOCT. IV. That the Doctrine of the Gospel for the substance thereof is most ancient yea eternall FRom whence we understand that the Doctrine of the Gospel as concerning the substance thereof is not new but most ancient being preached to the Fathers even from the foundation of the world That the Gospel not without good reason is called by Iohn the b Revel 14.6 Everlasting Gospel DOCT. V. What the parts of the Gospel be and how many THe Gospel may be reduced to three heads concerning our duty The first is c Act. 20.21 Repentance towards God The second faith toward our Lord Iesus Christ The third care a Matt. 28.20 to observe all things whatsoever Christ hath commanded us DOCT. VI. The explication of the opinion fore-going FOr the Gospel propounding and setting before us Christ with the full grace and mercie of God with full expiation and remission of sins with perfect salvation and eternall life requireth onely three things of us The first is that grieving heartily and truely for the sins committed in the whole course of our life past we desire of God even from our hearts and souls to change and renew our minds wills and affections to the obedience of his divine will earnestly studying for it and begging it of him by our prayers The second is that by faith laying hold on Christ with all the treasure of his merits we believe certainly without all manner of doubting that all our sins of the grace and mercie of God for Christ's sake onely are
the Person of the eternall Son of God and that unto this eternall Person there was added in time not another person but another nature that is the humane but yet not as a part of that Person by which it was assumed but a thing farre different from it and yet assumed into the unitie thereof And further in the third place we confesse that in one and the same Person of Christ there are now two natures the divine and humane in which we doubt not but it subsisteth liveth and worketh Wherefore we are not afraid to say that Christ now consisteth of the divine humane nature being assumed into the unitie of person and that he is after some sort compounded of them as we may so speake DOCT. IX How the two natures are united into one Person without either conversion or confusion the properties and actions of each remaining still safe and distinguished ANd we believe and confesse That the two natures of Christ are so truely and inseparably conjoyned and united into one Person that yet notwithstanding we doubt not to say that each still remaineth entire and perfect and truely distinct one from the other and each still retaineth it's own distinct essentiall properties and operations without all manner of confusion so that as the divine retaining it 's own properties remained uncreate infinite inmense simply omnipotent simply wise So also the humane retaining it's properties remaineth created finite and terminated by certain bounds And again as the divine hath it's own proper will and power by which Christ as God willeth and worketh the things which are of God So likewise the humane hath it's own by which the same Christ as man willeth and worketh the things which are of man So farre forth that as Christ as he is God neither willeth nor worketh by his humane will and power So neither as man willeth or worketh he by his divine will and power As it is well determined by the Fathers against Eutyches and against Macarius Therefore we like well that saying of Leo the first who writing unto Flavianus concerning this matter saith thus a Leo Epist 10. cap. 4. He which is true God is also true man neither is there any lye in this unitie whilst there is in Christ both the humilitie of the humanitie and the sublimitie of the Deitie For as God is not changed by shewing mercy and compassion so neither is man that is the humane nature in Christ consumed by being dignified For each form with the communion of the other worketh that which is proper unto it self the word still working that which is of the word and the flesh that which is of the flesh So farre goes Leo and what he sayes he afterwards illustrates by some examples by which he demonstrates that as the natures in Christ are indeed united but yet remain still distinct and not confused So likewise the actions both were and are because the flesh and not the Word did the things belonging to the flesh and the Word and not the flesh did the things belonging to the Word To raise up Lazarus was a work proper onely to the Word but to cry a Iohn 11.43 Lazarus come forth belonged onely to the flesh yet to the raising up of Lazarus both actions were united because they were from one and in one Christ and tended to one work and yet they were distinguished So again to forgive sinnes was an action proper onely to the divine nature but to say b Matt. 9.2 Thy sinnes be forgiven thee this was proper onely to the humane To restore sight unto him that was blind from his birth was an action proper onely to the divine nature but to put clay upon the eyes of him that was blind and to say c Iohn 9.7 Goe and wash this was proper onely to the humane Therefore the Hypostaticall union as it confounded not the natures so neither did it confound the actions but retained them distinct and therefore neither are the properties of the natures confounded but remaine distinct For there are three things in one and the same person of Christ The Natures the Properties and Faculties of the Natures and the Actions of the Properties and Faculties and as the Natures and Actions are in Christ in such manner also are the Properties of the Natures As therefore it is manifest that one Nature is not transfused into another nor the actions confounded one with another So also is it manifest concerning the properties DOCT. X. That from the union of the Natures the true and reall transfusion of the divine properties into the humane nature of Christ can in no wise be proved FOr we like and approve of that most true saying of the Fathers against the Euâ—ychians and Monothelites to witt That they which have the same essentiall Properties have also the same Natures and essences and they which have their Naturall Properties confounded have also their Natures confounded Which as it is true in all so in God especially in whom his Essentiall Properties are nothing else really but his very Essence From whence it followes upon necessitie that if they can truely and properly be communicated unto any created substance so that it can become as God is as for example Simply Omnipotent then also Gods very Essence may be communicated unto it so that if it can become equall unto God for Power or any other Propertie then may it also become equall unto God for Essence and so Co-essentiall with God Which to say were to commit two grand errours One in making the creature equall to God by attributing and communicating unto it those things which truely and properly belong onely unto God Neither doth the exception help in saying That God hath them from himself but the humane nature in Christ hath them from the Godhead For even the Son himsef is not from himself neither hath he his divine essence from himself but from the Father and yet he is equall to the Father and hath the same nature with the Father The other errour is committed in attributing divine and so infinite properties as infinite power unto the humane nature and so taking from it the finite properties thereof Even as the great light of the Sun taketh away the light of a candle or as the glory which shall be communicated unto our bodyes at the resurrection shall take from them all their dishonour and corruption For where an infinite power is an Agent and worketh there a finite power is idle and none at all But this Heresie hath been so fully and perspicuously refuted by many learned men in our age that for our parts being here to set forth a brief and simple confession of our faith unto the Church of God and all posteritie we will not adde any thing more to that which hath been said DOCT. XI How great the force of the Hypostaticall union is YEt we believe and confesse that the force of the union of natures in Christ is so
and the drinking of his bloud if any man will have life in him and consonant and agreeable unto the words of Christ are the words of the Apostle also saying b 1 Cor. 11.27 Whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the true body and bloud of the Lord. Neither do we doubt but as Christ openly commanded the bread to be eaten so also not long after where he said this is my body he secretly commanded that also to be eaten no lesse then the bread but yet each after it's own manner DOCT. VIII That none but the faithfull do truely eat the true flesh of Christ BUt yet notwithstanding the flesh of Christ is in the Supper offered unto all to eat we believe that they are the true faithfull onely which do truely eat thereof And that for these reasons First because they onely have communion with Christ and so also with his flesh and bloud but others have not neither are they made partakers thereof when they receive the bread Secondly because they onely have the Spirit of Christ by the power of whom alone the flesh of Christ is truely communicated Thirdly because they onely bring faith with them without which there can be no true receiving and eating thereof For neither doth Christ himself truely and really exhibit his true body but to them who as truely believe that his body was delivered unto death for them and his bloud poured forth for their sins as they believe that those words are true THIS IS MY BODY DOCT. IX That Hypocrites eat the body of Christ Sacramentally MEan while we deny not but that even Hypocrites themselves void of true and justifying faith when they receive and eat the bread as the Sacrament of the Lords body may be said in some sort to eat the true body of Christ to wit Sacramentally but not truely and really As the Apostle in like manner saith that all the Corinthians which were Baptized with water were also sanctified and justified to wit Sacramentally as we declared before although they were not all truely made such DOCT. X. That of those that eat there are three sorts and so divers manners of eating FRom whence we are taught that there are three sorts of men of whom there may a question be made whether they eat the flesh of Christ or no. The first is of thē which receive the bread as common bread and not as a Sacrament And these eat not the body of Christ in any sort but are true Capernaites and their eating is merely carnall The second is of them which contrarily eat not the bread at all but yet not out of contempt but believe the Gospel onely and their eating is merely Spirituall The third and last sort is of them which not content onely with believing the Gospel receive the bread also not simply as the first as if it were bare and common bread but as the Sacrament of the Lords body whereupon they may be said also to receive and eat Sacramentally But forasmuch as this may be done by the true Godly as well as by those which are hypocrites and ungodly but yet after a different manner the one sort eating also by faith and the other without true faith Therefore also we say that the ungodly and hypocrites eat onely Sacramentally but the true Godly both Sacramentally and truely and Spiritually and so unto salvation DOCT. XI That by faith onely the true body of Christ is eaten BUt whereas we say that the faithfull onely receive the true body of Christ not Sacramentally onely but also truely we understand it of eating not with the mouth of the body but the mind and Spirit endued with faith and that by the operation of the holy Spirit effectually working in us and applying Christ wholly unto us For it is the food of the mind as a Cyprian Serm. de Coena Cyprian speaketh and not of the belly And as Christ speaketh and St. Augustine expounds it b Ioh. 6.36 It is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing And the Apostle teacheth That c 1 Cor. 12.13 by one Spirit we are all Baptised into one body and have been all made to drink into one Spirit And if all our true union with Christ is by the holy Spirit although he with his body be in heaven and we on earth It is necessarie also that the eating be after the same manner For what is it to eat but to receive and unite the food unto thee for the nourishment of that part for which it is appointed Now the flesh of Christ as we said before is the food of the mind and not of the belly Neither truely do we eat the body of Christ any otherwise but as it was delivered to death for us made without bloud as the words do sound and the breaking of the bread doth represent unto us and also as the passeover and other sacrifices were wont to be eaten But now the body liveth and cannot be without bloud As at the first Supper it was neither dead nor without bloud To say then that properly that body doth passe into our bodyes and that by the mouth it is no lesse then sacriledge To what end also is this that as the bread is distributed without the wine and the wine without the bread so also the body without the bloud and the bloud apart without the body is given in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper But that we may understand that the body and bloud in their very substance and as they are in heaven do not passe through our mouthes but are received onely by a faithfull remembrance stirred up in us effectually by the holy Spirit For this is the thing which the Lord required saying a Luk. 22.20 This do in remembrance of me And again b 19. This is my body which is given for you For in so speaking he required faith of them by which they should believe this and by believing eat that is apply it to themselves for the food and life of their souls Wherefore we are verily perswaded that they do truely and not imaginarily eat the flesh of Christ whosoever believe that it was delivered unto death for an expiatorie sacrifice to cleanse them from their sins and so believing embrace with a faithfull mind and apply it unto themselves And whosoever thus eat the body of Christ as dead we doubt not but they are more and more joyned and knit unto it now being living and quickning according to the promise of Christ who having first said c Ioh. 6.56 He that eateth my flesh afterwards added dwelleth in me and I in him DOCT. XII That the opinion concerning the eating of Christs body corporally is not to be admitted as being vain and improfitable Furthermore forasmuch as this manner of eating the flesh of Christ to wit by faith is certain and saving and that other feigned manner of eating by the
mouth of the body cannot be demonstrated unto us out of the holy Scripture and again Though we should grant that there may be some probabilitie for it yet it is neither necessarie nor behoofull for the soul but contrarily doth bring with it many mischiefs into the Church as monstrous heresies idolatrie worshipping of idolls stirrs contentions schismes dissipation of Churches so exposes our Christian Religion to be derided by infidells We believe that true pietie requires that we rest contented with that manner of eating which is by the Spirit and faith not troubling our selves about the other but taking our leave of that embrace after a godly manner and entertain brotherly charitie peace one with another for which end also the holy Supper was instituted For last of all that manner of speech cannot be granted in any other sense but as we are wont to say that we have received with our ears what we understand by hearing the word with our ears But we are altogether against bringing in into Christian Religion such phrases or manner of speaking as is strange and not used in holy Scripture especially if it be not onely unprofitable but also pernicious DOCT XIII That in the Lord's Supper the flesh of Christ is truly present but yet after a Spirituall manner FRom what hath been said both concerning the true union and also the true eating is easy to be gathered what our belief is concerning the true presence We believe then that if we be truly and really united with Christ and so with his flesh and bloud and if we eat his flesh and drink his bloud indeed the same Christ is present with us not onely by his Deitie but also by his flesh and bloud to as many as are united with him and eat his flesh and drink his bloud For what can be more present to thee then that which thou doest truly eat and drink and whereunto thou art conjoyned by thy substance and which again is coupled unto thee by it's substance and from whence as from the head life sense and motion is derived unto thee as unto a member DOCT. XIV That as the union and eating is such is the presence to wit Spirituall ANd as the union as well as the eating is wrought by the Spirit and faith so also we are taught and believe that the presence is onely Spirituall and in such men as are endued with the Spirit of God and faith And therefore that it cannot be hindred by any distance of place though never so great DOCT. XV. That a thing is so farre said to be present or absent as it is either received or not received FOr it is not the nearnesse or distance of place that makes a thing to be present or absent but the partaking thereof or the not partaking The Sunne we know although it be farre remote and distant from us is notwithstanding said and truly said to be present to our eyes forasmuch as we are made partakers of the light thereof and again it is said to be absent when as it is either by the interposition of clouds concealed from us or else is gone down to the other Hemisphere that it cannot be seen of us August ad vol. Epist 3. Col. 10. With the blind man the Sun is never present although it shine upon his eyes never so much As the case is likwise with the deaf man as concerning Musicall Harmonie and with the unskilfull and unlearned man as concerning the understanding of an unknown tongue or scholarlike oration God also is said to be farre from the ungodly because he is not received of them by faith although by his essence he is not farre from any one of us For in him we live move have our being As farre forth therefore as a thing is received or not received by us whether it be by way of nutrition or by the senses or the understanding or any other way so farre forth it is said either to be present or absent DOCT. XVI What manner of presence it is that we deny and what it is that we admit WHerefore although we deny that either the substance of the bread is changed or annihilated and reduced into nothing and that the true flesh of Christ succeedeth in the place thereof and so is made present that the true substance of the body of Christ lies hid under the accidents of bread and again Although we deny that the flesh of Christ is really and substantially present in the bread which hath no union with it but onely Sacramentall which is sounded in the mysticall relation and again Although we deny that it is present to the wicked and ungodly which have not that Spirituall communion with Christ neither can be said truely to eat his flesh And further Although we do not admit of such a presence of the body of Christ by which as at the first Supper it was present to the Apostles after a visible manner Yet now it is present to the faithfull upon earth at the time of the Supper though after an invisible manner and not comming within the compasse of sense because this is not onely contrary to the nature of Christs body but also manifestly repugnant to the holy Scripture And to conclude Although we detest and abhorre that manner of presence after which some feigne that the flesh of Christ is really and substantially every where present Yet we believe and confesse such a presence as by reason of the things which are truely present to us because we are truely made partakers thereof is no lesse essentiall then it is Spirituall and that both for the things which are truely present to us because we are truely made partakers thereof and also for the manner after which they are present and and truely communicated unto us Moreover we do in no wise deny that the flesh of Christ is present in the bread and his bloud in the wine but yet we would have it to be understood in such manner as we are wont to say that whatsoever is preached and offered unto us in the word of the Gospel the same is also present and contained in it For the Sacraments are the visible word and every thing signified is after some manner in it's signe and is wont to be exhibited together with it DOCT. XVII That the presence of Christs body in the Supper depends not on ubiquitie but on the words of Christ FRom whence it is manifest that the presence of Christs body in the Supper depends not on ubiquitie as some have dreamed but on the words of Christ working in us to whom it is made present by the holy Spirit For had the Apostles eaten the bread which they received from the hands of Christ before they had heard and received by faith these words of his THIS IS MY BODY they had certainly received and eaten nothing else but bread So that for the establishing of the reall presence in the bread that monstrous and prodigious opinion
connexion together with the Head b 6. One onely God to worship whom and to glorifie him for ever we are all elected and called c 5. one faith of all believers one salvation and one celestiall inheritance in regard whereof Christ alwayes called his Church one and his flock one We do not therefore make the Church which was from the beginning of the world and before the coming of Christ to be another from that which now is and ever shall be even to the end of the world but we hold it to be one at all times and in all places and of all persons truely joyned unto Christ And therefore we say that the communion of all Saints is one and we are perswaded out of holy Scripture that whosoever do make a finall revolt or departure therefrom they do not belong unto this one body DOCT. VIII That there is but one Head of the Church to wit Iesus Christ FRom hence are we confirmed in the faith that seeing the Church of Christ which is his body is but one therefore the Head thereof is and alwayes was but one Now by the name of Head we understand him who from the beginning of the world was by God given unto the Church to this end that he should be at length made partaker of the same nature with it and redeem it and closely unite it unto himself and quicken it and illuminate it with the splendour of his wisdome and inflame it with the ardent heat of divine love and effectually move it unto all good desires and good works and perpetually guide governe and preserve it For besides dayly experience in nature we are caught it out of the holy Scripture that these are the proper operations of the Head in respect of the body But we acknowledge none that doth or can perform these for the Church besides Iesus Christ not denying in the mean time but there may be one head of all the hypocrites which are in the Church and consequently of a hypocriticall Church it self forasmuch as the Prophets did foretell thus much and the Apostles also have confirmed it But we believe and confesse with the holy Apostles that the a Eph. 1.22.4.15.5.23 Col 1.18 Head of the true Church is but one onely to wit Iesus Christ DOCT. IX That this Church is truely holy FRom whence also it followes that this Church is truely holy and that for these reasons 1. Because it hath a most holy and sanctifying Head 2. Because no sins are imputed to it 3. Because from the Head it drawes the Spirit of Sanctification 4. Because whatsoever sanctitie is in the Head all the same is imputed to every particular member DOCT. X. That the Church is also truely Catholike WE confesse also that it is truely Catholike that is Universall Because the Head thereof is Catholike and eternall at all times from the foundations of the world even unto the end thereof out of all sorts of men and nations and places gathering and knitting unto himself the members of the body and governing ' guiding and preserving them unto himself unto eternall happinesse DOCT. XI That this one onely Church is partly Triumphant in the heavens and partly Militant on the earth BUt yet we acknowledge that this Church although it be and for ever hath been but one onely yet it is so distinguished that one part thereof is Triumphant in heaven together with Christ who was raised from the dead and now sitteth at the right hand of the Father and the other part on earth fighting still with flesh and bloud with the world and with the devil From whence is received amongst all the godly that distinction of the Church into Triumphant and Militant CHAP. XXIIII Concerning the Church Militant ALthough from what we have confessed concerning the Church in generall there is none but may easily gather and perceive what our belief is concerning the Church Militant in particular Yet that it may the easier and better be understood we purpose to declare and explane our opinion apart concerning it partly by a brief repetition referring hither what hath been said concerning the whole and partly adding what is proper hereunto DOCTRINE I. A Description of the Church Militant WE believe then that the Militant Church is a companie of men a Eph. 1.4 chosen unto eternall life in Christ before the foundation of the world out of every nation and kindred who in time by the b Matt. 28.19 Mark 16.15 Rom. 10.14 preaching of the Gospel and the holy Spirit being called out of the world unto Christ and out of the kingdome of the Devil unto the kingdome of God gathered into one body under one c Eph. 1 22. Head which is Christ and so truely justified and sanctified wheresoever they be and how many or how few soever they be do heartily and with one consent professe the same faith in God and in Christ the same hope of a celestiall inheritance and that for the onely merits of Christ the observing and keeping the same commandments given by Christ and therefore brotherly love one towards another and charitie towards all who preach and hear the word of the Gospel administer and receive the holy Sacraments according to Christ's institution and use all care and diligence that all men may live soberly justly and godly in this present world as long as they are in the flesh ever a Eph. 6 12 c. fighting for the kingdome of Christ against sin dwelling in the flesh against the world whether alluring them unto sin or persecuting them for Christ's sake and against the devil waiting through patience for the coming of Christ and for eternall happinesse Amongst whom there are also many reprobates and ungodly b Matt. 13.5 c. and 21. 1 Ioh 2.19 hypocrites professing the same Christ But as they are themselves nothing lesse then of the Church so neither doth their hypocrisie and ungodlinesse take away the Church or extinguish blot out the name of the Church For we deny not but under the name of the Church hypocrites also which are in it are comprehended because the Lord himself saith that it is like unto a flour in which there is wheat and chaffe unto c Matt. 13.24 a field wherein is wheat tares into a net in which are fishes good and bad unto ten a Matt. 25.1 2. virgins whereof five of them were wise and five foolish But yet we deny them to be of the Church For the Lord again taught as much in that place where he said that he would b Matt. 16.18 build his Church in such a manner that the gates of hell should not prevail against it and St. Iohn confirmed it in his Epistle where he said thus c 1 Ioh. 2.19 They went out from us but they were not of us This we believe to be a true description of the Church Militant for it hath manifest testimonies out of the holy Scripture DOCT. II.