means which God hath ordained for the salvation of soul and body as likewise those which contend that all things come to passe by such an absolute necessitie that they take away all contingency and leave man no libertie at all and lastly those which will have God so to work all in all that they stick not to commit blasphemie in making God to be the author of sin and to have a part in it CHAP. VII Concerning the Fall of man and originall sin and the fruits of it DOCTRINE I. That Adam voluntarily and of his own accord sinned against God by his disobedience WE believe That Adam the first man considering that he was a Gen. 1.27 created after the Image of God and b Eccl. 7.29 made just and upright and endued with free-will in such sort that if he would he might have not sinned and so never died considering this I say we believe that he c Gen 3.1 c. at the devils perswasion God not hindring him but leaving him d Eccl. 15.14 to follow his own counsel of his own accord with true freedome of will sinned against God by his disobedience so that he can neither translate the fault upon God nor his own nature as he received it from God nor any other creature but ought and must attribute it onely unto himself because he would so DOCT. II. What the nature and qualitie of Adams sin was WE understand That Adams sin was his voluntarie a Gen. 3.6 transgressing the b Gen. 2.17 commandment of God in eating the forbidden fruit as Moses sets it down and as the Apostle speaketh his c Rom. 5.19 disobedience which consisted not so much in the outward act as in his voluntarie purpose of mind in that he would not obey God DOCT. III. What and how manifold death followed upon Adams sin SO we confesse That man being destitute of the grace of God by his own fault lost that life by which he did live holily unto God having his understanding blinded his will depraved and the integritie of his whole nature perished as concerning things belonging unto God and a life well-pleasing unto God That he became a Ioh 8.34 the servant of sin and the slave of Satan and truly b Eph. 2.1 dead unto God That c Rom. 5.12 he incurred death both that of the body which is common to all men together with all bodily calamities and also and that especially that of the whole man which is eternall that is to say most miserable most grievous most unhappy to live with the devil in everlasting torments a life beyond all comparison worse then any death from which he could never have been d 1 Cor. 15.22 delivered but by Christ DOCT. IV. That in Adam all men sinned NOw for as much as all mankind which by naturall generation was to be propagated from Adam was in the loynes of Adam whereupon the commandment joyned also with a commination belonged not to Adams person onely but to all mankind Therefore we believe with the Apostle and confesse that a Rom. 5.19 in Adam sinning all men sinned so that the disobedience was not so much proper to him as common to all mankind because his guilt descended upon all his posteritie whether born already or yet to be born as the Apostle plainly teacheth and most firmely proveth by opposing b ibid. the disobedience of Adam and the obedience of Christ the one to the other For if the obedience of Christ be as well ours by imputation as it was Christ's own by his proper action because we are born again of his incorruptible seed and of his spirit then likewise it followes that the disobedience of Adam is imputed unto us and his guilt becomes ours because according to our carnall generation we are born of his seed who is the Father of all men DOCT. V. That presently upon Adams disobedience there followed the corruption of his whole nature in all men ANd as upon Adam's actuall disobedience there followed presently in the just judgement of God the corruption of his whole nature which is by the Apostle called a Rom. 7.7 August Tom. 7. contra Iul. Pelag lib. 5. cap. 3. lust or concupiscence which is both a punishment for sin foregoing and a sinne it self and the cause of other sins So also all men which by naturall propagation are descended from him are infected with the same contagion and corruption of nature This we believe as we have been taught out of Holy Scripture and and this we confesse with the whole Church For in Adam all men sinned and the guilt of his disobedience came upon all DOCT. VI. What we properly call Originall sin WHerefore we say that this hereditary stain and corruption of nature is so in all men a sinne and therefore commonly called Originall sinne that yet notwithstanding we in no wise separate it from the guilt and imputation of that first disobedience As on the contrarie we doubt not to affirme that the righteousness of Christians consists not so much in the regeneration of nature which is the work of Christs Spirit and commonly called by the name of Inherent righteousness as in the imputation of the perfect obedience and righteousness of Christ whose members we are DOCT. VII That the contagion of our nature is truely a sinne ANd although this contagion did overspread Adam and all his posteritie and was inflicted as a just punishment for that first transgression of Gods commandment Yet thus much we know as certainly as can be out of holy Scripture that it is not onely a punishment for sin but also the cause of all other sinnes and likewise a sinne it self and such a one as is alone sufficient to condemne us DOCT. VIII That concupiscence even in the regenerate is of it 's own nature a sinne ANd we have learned that concupiscence of it's own nature is so farre forth a sinne and so repugnant to the Law of God making all men subject to eternall damnation unless they be redeemed by Christ that yet we make no manner of doubt but in the very regenerate themselves although it be not imputed unto them any more for as much as the guilt thereof is taken away by faith in Christ it is truely and of it self a sinne and such a one as deserves eternall death seeing that it is as the Apostle also teacheth 1 Iohn 3.4 the transgression of the Law and is condemned by the Law of God DOCT. IX That from our naturall and imbred concupiscence as from a fountain there flow forth continually streams of actuall sins and transgressions WE believe further that this our naturall pravitie is such a fountain of all evil and so inexhaustible that from thence there spring forth continually the most filthy waters of evil passions wicked cogitations and ungodly desires which unlesse they be restrained and kept in by the Spirit of Christ will breake forth outwardly into wicked and
the Romanes and others not converted unto the faith were in them the singular gifts of God DOCT. VI. The Confirmation of the fore-going opinion FOr all infidels or unbelievers are not indued with the same or alike equall virtues sciences That even from thence it may manifestly appear that they are not the gifts of nature but the gifts of God added unto nature DOCT. VII That in things belonging unto God and true pietie the unregenerate man can do nothing BUt as concerning things belonging unto God true pietie and religion and a Christian life we believe that the mind of an unregenerate man is so blinded and his heart so depraved and all his powers and faculties so weak or none at all that he can neither truely know God nor the things of God neither love him nor desire things pleasing unto him much lesse obey his will as he ought For according to the Apostle a 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man perceiveth not the things of God neither can he perceive or understand them How can he then of himself either will or do any thing b Iohn 15.5 Without me saith our Saviour ye can do nothing DOCT. VIII The confirmation of the fore-going opinion FOr even as a man dead to men and nature can perform no action belonging unto men and nature So neither can he which is a Pâ—â— 2. â— dead to God in trespasses and sinnes truely know those things which belong unto God and true pietie much lesse can he do them but he lies rotting and stinking in his sinnes unless he be delivered from them by the grace of God through Christ and so be restored again unto life But all men that are without Christ and not regenerated by the Spirit of Christ are truely dead and therefore they are truely said to be b Iohn â— 21 quickned to be raised from the dead and to be regenerated or born again whosoever are by faith in Christ delivered from their sinnes and ingrafted into Christ DOCT. IX Errours condemned THerefore we condemne all Pelagians which teach the contrarie lifting up the power and strength of free-will against the grace of Christ And we detest and abhorre the opinion of the Manichees and all others which will have a man to be like a stock as if he had no judgement or libertie of will at all in civil matters CHAP. IX Concerning the Promise of Redemption and Salvation through Christ DOCTRINE I. That Christ the heavenly man was of grace promised to save us WHen a 1 Cor. 15.47 the first man which was of the earth earthy was b Gen. 3.17 fallen into such a miserable estate and condition by his own fault through disobedience and not he onely but together with him all his posteritie which sinned in him and were to be c Psalm 5â— 5 conceived in sin to be born d Eph. 2.3 the children of wrath We believe that God of his mere grace and mercie to Adam and Eve and in them to all mankind e Gen 3.15 Matt. 1.21 promised another man f 1 Cor. 15.47 from heaven of the true substance of man indeed but to be a Luk. 1.34 conceived without the seed of man and therefore to be b Isa 7.14 Matt. 1.23 Luk. 1.34 born of a Virgin c Heb. 4.15 without sinne in whom as in another head of mankind consisting of a divine and humane nature being the true d Heb. 1.3 expresse image of God the Father and filled with the holy Ghost that might be fulfilled which in the first head succeeded not through his own fault that is That he the second man in our name and for us which were to be e Rom. 6.5.11.7 grafted into him by his Spirit and by spirituall generation to be f Eph. 5.29 flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones might most perfectly g Rom. 5.19 obey God the Father and by his h Phil. 2.8 obedience and death take away sinne appease the wrath of God redeem us justifie us sanctifie us rule us by his Spirit set us at libertie give us grace and strength to that which is good and finally save us unto everlasting life and glorifie us DOCT. II. That the Promise Concerning the Redemption by Christ was necessarie FOr Adam not as a private person but as the parent and root of all mankind as he was indued at the first with righteousness that he might propagate it unto all his posteritie as in an inheritance for which cause it is commonly called Originall righteousness So by his disobedience he hath transmitted unto all men great unrighteousnesse in stead of righteousnesse and eternall death in stead of life eternall Necessarie therefore was it that there should be another head that is Christ from whom by reason of his obedience there might be derived on all his members true and heavenly righteousnesse holinesse and life DOCT. III. To what end the Promise was made presently after that the sinne was committed WE believe That therefore the promise was presently after the sinne committed made from the begining of the world and afterwards by the holy fathers was often repeated expounded and confirmed by divers wayes signes and seales That not only we which have been since the coming of the Messias but also all others from the foundations of the world as many as should believe this promise and by true faith embrace Christ to come might also be made partakers of redemption justification and salvation DOCT. IV. That from the beginning of the world as many as believed on Christ to come were saved WE believe That from the beginning of the world as many as believed on Christ promised and to come they were grafted into him by faith they were made partakers of his future obedience passion death and redemption they did eate his body which was afterwards to be delivered and drink his bloud which was afterwards to be powred out and last of all they were all Christians indued with the Spirit of Christ and saved unto everlasting life no lesse then we are DOCT. V. Errours condemned ANd further we condemne and detest their opinon which hold that no man was saved before the coming of Christ and that the Fathers which were before received no promise of eternall salvation but onely of things temporall CHAP. X. Concerning the Law DOCTRINE I. That the Law of Moses came between the promise of salvation by Christ and the fulfilling thereof and to what end BUt between the Promise of Redemption by Christ which was first made unto Adam and afterwards more manifestly declared unto others but especially unto Abraham sealed by the Sacrament of Circumcision and as it were confirmed by the death of Isaac the first born offered for a sacrifice and established by an everlasting covenant Between this promise I say and the fulfilling thereof the Law which was delivered by Moses came between the people which descended from the seed of Abraham of
which Christ either did or doth by the virtue and power of the divine nature are true and not feigned for he reconciled us truely unto his Father he pardoneth and forgiveth sinnes truely he truely sanctifieth and regenerateth So also whatsoever we reade that he either did or suffered for us according to his humane nature all that we believe that he both did and suffered in deed and in truth and not in shew and as they speak appearance onely DOCT. XIV The explication of the fore-going opinion THerefore we believe that Christ as he was truely conceived of the seed of David as he was truely born and true Man as he did truely eate and drink and performe other outward actions of a man So also that he truely fulfilled the Law for us that he truely a 1 Pet. 4.1 suffered in the flesh that he b Matt. 27.50 truely c Rom. 5.3 died that he d 2 Cor. 5.15 truely rose again from the dead e Luk. 24.39.51 in the same flesh that he f Act. 1.9 ascended with his visible palpable true humane body being terminated by certain dimensions into the true and created heaven g Eph. 4.10 farre above all the visible heavens that he there remaineth working according to his own free will untill he shall come again from heaven in the same visible body to judge both the quick and the dead that in heaven he truly willeth our salvation that he hath a care of us a Eph. 1.22 4 16. that he sends down the influences of Spirituall and vitall sense and motion into us as unto his own members and that he governeth his whole Church CHAP. XV. The fruits of Christs obedience passion death and resurrection ANd we believe that Christ by his perfect obedience merited not onely for himself but for us also eternall life That he by his death and passion hath expiated and purged away all our sinnes in his own flesh That he hath redeemed us out of the hands of Satan from the tyrannie of death and from the slaverie of sinne that he hath reconciled us unto God in himself and made us beloved of him that we might be accounted righteous in him before God the Father that by his resurrection and ascension into heaven he hath obtained for us a twofold resurrection a Revel 20.5 the first and b 6. the second as Iohn speaketh that he hath taken possession of an heavenly inheritance for us that he sitteth at the right hand of the Father that is That c Matt. 28.18 All power is given unto him in heaven and in earth So that as he is Mediatour and Man he hath the second place from the Father being constituted the head of the whole Church both that in heaven and that on earth that from him and from his flesh there may be derived unto us by the holy Ghost unto us I say who as members are joyned unto him as unto our head there may be derived whatsoever pertaineth to our vivification and Spirituall life And therefore we acknowledge believe and confesse that in Christ alone all our Salvation redemption righteousnesse the grace of God and eternall life consisteth according to that of the Apostle d 1. Cor. 1.30 Of him are ye in Christ Iesus who of God is made unto us wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption and in another place e Eph. 2.14 He is our peace and according to the Prophet f Ierem. 23.6 The Lord our righteousnesse and again according to the Apostle a Eph. 1.7 In him we have redemption through his bloud the forgivenesse of sinnes and again b Coloss 1.19 It pleased the Father that in him all fullnesse should dwell and according to St. Iohn the Apostle c 1. Iohn 5.11 This life that is life eternall is in his Son And hereby we understand that the promise concerning redemption which was made unto the first man received it's complement and perfection in the second the Man Christ Iesus so that he which will be made partaker of redemption must needs be made a member of Christ and be joyned unto him as unto his head For we have redemption and salvation not onely by sins as our Mediatour but also in him as in our head This is our faith and belief concerning Christ our Redeemer concerning his Person Natures Office and concerning the salvation of mankind in him complete and finished DOCT. XVI Heresies and errours condemned THerefore we condemne all Heretikes as well ancient as moderne old and new which ever taught or now teach the contrarie by name Arius Phornius Servetus all others of the same stampe which deny the true Deitie of Christ as also the Cerdonians Marcionites Valentinians Manichees Priscillianites Apollinarists and others which oppugned the humanitie of Christ Whereof some denyed that Christ was come in the flesh or that he had true flesh saying that he brought a body onely in appearance from heaven or that he had a body conceived of the elements and not of the seed of Abraham and that he was not born of a woman And others indeed granted that he had humane flesh but denyed him to have a reasonable soul putting the Deitie in the place of it We condemne likewise the Nestorians which denyed the true union of the humane nature with the Person of Son and held two Persons in Christ and two Sons the Son of God and the Son of Man We condemne likewise the Eutychians which contrarily as the Person of Christ is onely one so also hold that there was in him but one nature onely to wit the divine teaching that the humane nature which he assumed was either converted altogether into the divine or else that it was so mixed and confounded with the divine that they made no difference at all between the properties and actions of the divine and humane nature We condemne likewise those that came from them Macarius with his followers which held that there was but one onely will in Christ to wit the divine and so acknowledged no proper action of the humane Will in him We condemne also the Cerdonians in this that they said that Christ neither suffered truely nor died truely but seemingly onely in outward shew and appearance together with them we condemne also all those who heretofore have taught or at this time do teach the like saying That Christ either rose not again in the same flesh wherein he died but in another and that of a diverse nature Or if he did rise in the same yet that he ascended not truely into heaven and carried it in thither with him We do also following the judgement of Ierom Cyrill and the rest of the Fathers condemne the Origenists and such like as they were which held that Christ rose with a body like a Spirit most subtill and of it's own nature invisible and not coming under the judgement of humane sense And last of all those
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
comprehend therefore much in few words our judgement is that The Sacraments are outward signes and such as fall under our senses whith are added unto the word of the Gospel according to Christ's institution by reason of our ignorance weakness and for the better stirring up and confirming of our faith whereby all men are seriously called but the elect onely and believers by the holy Ghost inwardly working in their minds and drawing them are brought unto Christ to have true and reall communion with him and with his flesh and bloud and so are made partakers of all Christs benefits which by the word and outward visible signes are signified and offered that being incorporated into Christ they may at length make up the body of the whole Church according as the Father hath preordained unto the praise and glorie of his grace and their eternall salvation DOCT. XVII In summe what communitie the Sacraments of the Old Testament have with the Sacraments of the New COncerning the Sacraments of the Old Testament we need not say much forasmuch as they are abrogated But this one thing must not be omitted to wit that the Fathers of old forasmuch as they had the same God that we have the same promises the same Mediatour the same Spirit regenerating the same faith and the same hope They had likewise the same Sacraments that we have if we have respect unto the substance thereof which is Christ although for ceremonies different from ours And this we the rather hold because theirs were delivered to them to the same end that ours are delivered unto us to wit that they might be confirmed in the faith of Christ and grow up together in communion with him To prove what we have said these places of Scripture are very pertinent he was a Revel 13.8 the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world b 1 Cor. 10.4 They did all drink the same Spirituall drink for they drank of that Spirituall Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ And again c Heb. 1â— 8 Iesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever DOCT. XVIII That there are onely two Sacraments of the Christian Church WE acknowledge onely two Sacraments properly so called which were alwayes common to all the Christian Church by name Baptisme and the Lords Supper whereof the one belongeth to the beginning of our communion with Christ and the other unto the increase thereof Whereupon the one is called the Laver or washing of regeneration and the other the holy Feast or the Lords Supper DOCT. XIX Errours condemned WE cannot therefore but dislike those which will have a Sacrament to be even where no word is heard but onely some visible signe seen And those likewise which make no distinction between the thing of the Sacrament and the Sacrament but will have it to be received into the mouth as well as the Sacramentall signe Whereas the thing of the Sacrament is that which the signe coming under the judgement of our sense bringeth unto our minde but letteth not fall into our hand or mouth Neither yet do we like those which in the Sacraments consider nothing else but what they see with their eyes Nor yet those which will have them to be onely badges cognizances to distinguish us from other people or else but bare signes and no instruments of the holy Ghost by which he worketh in us effectually and confirmes us in the communion of Christ But we condemne those which institute new Sacraments beside those which Christ himself hath instituted And those also which tye the grace of God and the things signified by the Sacraments unto the Sacraments in such manner as if every one that receiveth the signes might truely be said alwayes to partake also of the thing it self CHAP. XV. Concerning Baptisme BEsides what hath been said of the Sacraments in generall we further believe and confesse as followeth concerning the Sacrament of Baptisme in speciall DOCTRINE I. What Baptisme is and what the effects thereof a Matt. 21.19 BAptisme is the first Sacrament of the New Covenant by which both all they which either having made confession of their sins and profession of their faith in Christ and so likewise in God the Father the Son and the holy Ghost or such as at least we believe for the pietie of their b 1 Cor. 7.14 parents do belong unto the Covenant and they more especially which truely belong unto the Covenant are c Eph. 1 1â— sealed in Christ being as it were d 1 Cor. 6.15 incorporated into him by the holy Ghost in such manner that they are e 1â— no longer their own but his by whom they are said to be received unto the fellowship of the Covenant and so become one body with him and all the Saints and are made partakers of all Spirituall and celestiall benefits being by this Baptisme as the laver of regeneration a Ephes 5.26 cleansed from their sins by the bloud of Christ and b Rom. 6.4 buried with him into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glorie of the Father even so we also should walk in newnesse of life For which cause it is usually called the Sacrament or c Mark 1.4 The Baptisme of repentance for the remission of sins The seal of faith the seal of the Covenant the laver of regeneration the washing away of sins and the Sacrament or seal of newnesse of life DOCT. II. That the power and vertue of Baptisme hath onely place in the elect and that they alone are Baptised not onely with water but also with the holy Ghost BUt yet notwithstanding such excellent things are said of Baptisme and are truely attributed unto it as an instrument used by the holy Ghost and so Sacramentally all they which are Baptised are truely said to be made and to be such We believe that it is fulfilled really onely in the elect which are endued with the holy Ghost forasmuch as they onely do truely believe and truely belong unto Christ and his mysticall body And therefore that all indeed are Baptised with water but the elect onely with the holy Ghost and that all receive the signe not all the thing signified and offered by Baptisme but that the elect onely are made partakers thereof DOCT. III. What be the integrall parts of the Sacrament of Baptisme WE believe that for the making of the Sacrament of Baptisme to be entire those two things are sufficient which Christ hath instituted to wit the simple element of water with which men are Baptised whether by way of immersion or dipping in the water or aspersion sprinkling on the water and that form of words which Christ taught his Apostles to use when they Baptized Matth. 28.9 to wit In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost And we are fully perswaded that they neither used any other forme of words nor added any thing
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
be first endued with faith and acknowledge Christ to be our righteousnesse and so embrace him therefore then at length and not before are we justified as the holy Scripture witnesseth and that by faith without our works when we believe all this with true faith that is when we are throughly perswaded that our sins as once expiated and purged away by Christ are no more imputed unto us but are pardoned of Gods mercy for the onely merits of Christ and likewise that Christ's righteousnesse is imputed unto us for our own wherewith being arrayed we appear righteous in the sight of God An effect and manifest testimonie whereof is as I said before our inchoate and inherent righteousnesse which consists in the hatred of sin and the love of righteousnesse and the studie of good works DOCT. VI. A confirmation of what it is to be justified by faith FUrthermore when we say A man is justified by faith we understand not that the vertue of faith is either that whereby we are justified formally as the Schools speake and by a true and proper righteousnesse or that for which we merit remission of sins and justification or that which as the first originall and fountain of other vertues and all good works drawes along with it other vertues as charitie cleanness of heart internall righteousnesse and good works whereby we are justified But because it is as it were a light whereby looking into the glasse of the Gospel we see what we are in Christ by the free-will and mere goodnesse of God for the merits of Christ himself and again Because it is as it were an hand whereby we apprehend and embrace the free grace of God and the benefit of Christ declared unto us in the Gospel and in the Person of Christ exhibited unto us or to speak all in few words we are said to be justified by faith that is when remission of sins and the imputation of Christs righteousnesse is apprehended by faith so that faith is taken for the thing it self which is apprehended by faith As it is a Gen. 1◠6 said concerning Abraham b Rom. 4.3 Gal. 3 6. Iam. 2.23 Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousnesse to wit that which he believed concerning the seed which was promised unto him that is Christ For he is the righteousnesse of all the elect and true believers and Sons of the promise as the Scripture speaketh DOCT. VII That by faith alone a man is justified HEnce also it is easy to be understood what it is that we with the sacred Scriptures and holy Fathers have alwayes confessed and do constantly confesse when we say that by faith alone we are justified For inasmuch as to be justified by faith before God is nothing else but to be reputed and accounted righteous upon the forgivenesse of sins and the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith which is our onely true righteousnesse For whatsoever inherent righteousnesse is in us and what good works soever are done by us such they are as will not abide triall before Gods judgement according to that of the Psalmist a Psal 143.2 Enter not into judgement with thy servant ô Lord for in thy sight shall no man living be justified and again b Psal 130.3 if thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand It manifestly appeareth that our belief concerning justification by faith alone is most certain and most true DOCT. VIII That not onely at the beginning of our conversion but also throughout the whole course of our life even to the hour of death we are justified by faith alone HEreupon we cannot but believe and constantly confesse that not onely at the beginning when of unrighteous we are made righteous but also in the whole course of our life afterwards even to the end thereof we are justified by faith alone and that on Christ so that our righteousness is alwayes from faith to faith For there is no man that sinneth not every day insomuch that we have all need to say a Matt. 6.12 Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debters and holy David saith b Psal 32.6 For this that is for forgivenesse of sins shall every one that is godly pray unto thee and Christ not once but alwayes c ◠Cor. ◠30 is made unto us righteousnesse sanctification redemption d 1 Ioh. 1.2 And he is the propitiation for our sins DOCT. IX That iustification by faith alone is not fictitious and imaginarie BUt let no man think that we feign a kind of imaginarie righteousnesse having in us no foundation and efficacie We repeate what we professed before First that the faith whereby we say that we are justified is a true faith and a faith that worketh by love Again that God doth not justify us onely by remitting of our sins and imputing the righteousnesse of Christ unto us but also by making us partakers of his divine nature by regenerating reforming and sanctifying us by endueing us with inherent righteousnesse and making us conformable unto the image of his Son And that this inchoate righteousnesse is a manifest testimonie of the other true and perfect righteousnesse which we have in Christ alone and that they are both knit together by the bond of the holy Spirit according to the Apostle saying that not onely a Rom. ◠15 the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Iesus Christ bath abounded unto many For as not onely the disobedience of Adam was imputed unto us but also the corruption of his nature was derived upon us So likewise not onely the obedience and righteousnesse of Christ is imputed unto us as many as are ingrafted into him but also his holy nature is truely communicated unto us so that we become a 2 Cor. 5.17 new creatures righteous and holy in our selves followers of good works DOCT. X. That inherent righteousnesse is increased by good works AS concerning the former righeousnesse we say that it is neither due unto our works nor begun or increased thereby But as concerning the latter we confesse that although it be not due to our foregoing works not begun thereby for all those are sins forasmuch as good works do not go before justification but follow after yet by the works following and exercises of pietie it is conserved promoted and increased For it is the Doctrine of the Apostle that the gift of God bestowed upon us is by such like exercises as fire stirred up cherished increased a 2 Tim. 1.6 Concerning which increase of righteousnesse St. Iohn saith b Rev. 22.12 He that is righteous let him be righteous still And therefore if we speak of this inherent righteousnesse onely we deny not but even by good works and not by faith onely a man is justified that is made more and more just and righteous DOCT. XI That to speak properly a man is justified by that righteousnesse which consists in
faith we believe confesse that after pardon of sins obtained in the Church Militant here there remains nothing else to be expected by the dead but the resurrection of the body and life eternal DOCT. X. Errours WHerefore we condemn 1. that errour by which some teach that the offence being forgiven there yet remains the debt of punishment to he paid and that this punishment being no other then eternal death is by repentance changed into temporal punishments which are to be undergone either in this life or after death in Purgatory unlesse we be discharged from them by the help of Masses Indulgences and other suffrages 2. We condemn also their blasphemy who seek remission of sins and teach it to be sought otherwhere then in Christ Also such as maintain it possible to be really apply'd and partaken by them any other way then by a true faith and by the holy Ghost 3. We likewise condemn their sacrilegious doctrine who teach that all sins are not always forgiven to believers by God but that some are oftentimes retained which are further to be expiated by fastings almes prayers and other works of ours or by the oblations of others and sacrifices of Priests CHAP. XXVIII Of the state of souls after death and of the resurrection of the dead DOCTRINE I. That souls die not with the bodies nor do they sleep being separated from them or rest any where beside in Heaven or hell neither are they tormented in Purgatory WE believe that our souls do neither die with the body nor sleep when parted from them or remain waking in certain hidden places besides Heaven and hell nor that they are tortoured in that purgatory fire but that the souls of all men live even out of their bodies understand and will that the souls of the godly do reign in heaven w th Christ those of the wicked are tormented in hell with the Divels as the Lord teacheth of the first a Luke 16.5 When godly and mercifull men fail that is departed out of this life they that is their souls are received into everlasting habitations and in another place that they are b Luke 23.43 with him in Paradise but of these last by the c Luke 15 â—5 example of the rich Glutton that they goe into hell that is a place destinated to everlasting burnings as also we d Acts 1.25 read of Judas and are there tormented DOCT. II. That the places are different where the souls of the faithfull and where those of unbelievers live after the death of their bodies BUt seeing the state of faithfull and unbelieving souls is so different we believe that the places are different also into which they goe namely the eternall tabernacles in heaven and paradise appointed for the godly and a 2 Pet. 2.4 hell or the bottomlesse pit prepared for the wicked since the holy Scripture attributes unconceivable light to the one and the greatest darknesse to the other which Christ b Mat. 8.12 calleth utter darknesse and since the Lord saith that his will is that where himself is there those that believe in him be also apparently signifying that in that place where he is now with his body and soul there also shall be the faithfull first with their souls and in due time with other bodies also but unbelievers never with either so that we judge it the highest impiety to say that heaven is every where whereas it is in no place of Scripture assigned to the wicked but frequently to the godly alone as their proper and eternall habitation and for that it is necessary that bodies be circumscribed in some space after the resurrection and that souls be contained somewhere definitively as the schooles speak DOCT. III. That the end of this world will certainly come and all things shall be changed although the time it self be unknown MOreover although the time when the end of this world shall be is so unknown to us a Mat. 24.36 Act 1.7 Isa 24.23 and 65.17 and â— 22 Ps 102.27 Dan. 12.2 Mal. 4.1 2 Pet. 3.13 Apoc. 21.1 Iude 14,15 Mat. 24. Luke 21.5 c. that it is not possible to know it yet we believe that it will most certainly be and then not only the earth but likewise the heavens shall be changed and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth and all the dead even the wicked shall rise when Christ shall call to judgement the voice and trumpet of an Arch-angel and to the certainty of these things belongs that method of our Lord Iesus in having first foretold the desolation of Ierusalem and thereunto subjoyning a discourse concerning these matters to the end that by those things which we have seen befall Ierusalem we might believe that those which he then foretold of the end of the world will come to passe with the same certainty c. DOCT. VI. That all dead men shall at last be quickned and rise from their sepulchres WE believe therefore that a 1 Cor 15.2 as all men die in Adam so in Christ all even the wicked as to the body shall be made alive every ones soul resuming its proper body although we confesse some shall arise to eternall happinesse and others to eternall damnation Ioh. 5.29 according to the saying of Christ and they shall come forth that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation whence also the order of the resurrection is confirmed which the Apostle delivers in these words a Thes 4.16 And the dead in Christ shall rise first and then the rest DOCT. V. That there shall not be new bodies made for our souls but the very same shall rise which died FUrthermore we believe that there shall not be a new body framed to every soul but the same of every particular person that died as to the substance shall rise again but different in some qualities according to the Apostle's doctrine concerning the bodies of the godly a 1 Cor. 15 36.42 shewing by the example of the same grain that they are sowed one thing and arise another that they are sowed obnoxious to corruption but raised incorruptible c. and Iob testifyeth concerning his hope in this manner Iob 19.25 26 27. I know that my Redeemer liveth and that I shall rise again in the latter day upon the earth and that in my flesh I shall see God Whom I shall see for my self and not another and wine eyes shall behold him For we shall see Christ with our corporeall eyes in the clouds returning to us with his body and also reigning in heaven DOCT. VI. That from the example of our bodies after the resurrection it appears that the body of Christ is not every where WHereas the Apostle saith a Phil. â— 2â— Christ shall change our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body we believe that if the body of
to beget the Sonne is so proper to the Father that it can neither be attributed to the Sonne nor to the holy Ghost And again to be begotten cannot be attributed but to the Son onely and so likewise in the rest So also to be most simple eternall infinite every where present simply omniscient simply omnipotent simply good and the rest of like sort are so proper unto God that they cannot really or truely be communicated to any creature in such matter that it can be for instance sake good by an infinite goodnes or omnipotent by an infinite power c. As God is DOCT. IV. That the Essentiall Properties in God do not really differ from his Essence FOr we acknowledge that in God by reason of his simplicitie his Essentiall Properties do not really differ from his Essence and therefore that they cannot without this be communicated to any creature And therefore that no creature is or can be truely said to be simply for 〈…〉 sake omnipotent good just 〈…〉 As also our Lord Iesus speaking of one attribute taught us concerning all Matth. â—â— 17 saying There is none good that is simply but one that is God DOCT. V. That nothing is or can be simply such as God is unlesse it can be simply God also WHerefore whosoever hold that any created substance could ever be made or can now or hereafter be made partaker of the divine attributes or properties by which it may become such as God is as for example simply omnipotent c. They must also necessariny confesse that the same is or may be coessentiall with God For as much as even the Sonne himself is not simply Almightie but as he is coessentiall with the Father and so likewise the holy Ghost DOCT. VI. The confirmation of the foregoing doctrine FRom whence also we understand how it comes to passe that whereas the Sonne is no lesse Almightie then the Father and so in like manner the holy Ghost yet we say not that there are three Almighties Symbol Athan. but confesse with Athanasius and the whole Church that there is onely one Almightie because they have all one and the same essence Seeing then that no thing created hath one and the same essence with God but another and that farre diverse How can any created thing be made Almightie Or if any thing by the communication of Gods Almightie power could be made Almightie it must needs follow that there are more Almighties then one which we count it blasphemie once to affirme DOCT. VII Heresies and Errours condemned THerefore we condemne and detest all heresies which have rose up against this article of our Faith and being fetcht back from hell have been condemned by the Holy Fathers in lawfull Councills viz. The Heresie of Cerinthus Ebion Valentius Marcion Manichaeus Arius Eunomius Sabellius Prax Fotinus and such like as Servitus and the Tritheites which hold that there be three Gods as likewise the blasphemies of the Iewes and Turks and also all Heresies which have been broched by the divel either against the Unitie of the Godhead or against the Trinitie of Persons and further such as either deny the Sonne to be true and eternall God and so the holy Ghost also or else confound the Persons and say that they are but one and the same but yet for divers respects called by divers names viz. Father Sonne and holy Ghost And to conclude we condemne also the errours of those who separate the essentiall Properties of God from his divine essence which they seem to us to do whosoever do teach that they may be communicated to any creature without the communication of essence or indeed rather which teach that they are communicated already CHAP. III. Concerning Gods foreknowledge and Praedestination DOCTRINE I. That God foreknew and foresaw all things from Eternitie WE believe that God Acts 15.18 from the beginning of the world yea even from Eternitie according to his infinite wisdome foreknew all things to come both the good which he would do and the evil which he would permit to be done so farre forth that nothing did or could lye hid from him And we doubt not but all things Hebr â— 13 whatsoever have been are shall or may be although they never come to passe are and have been alwayes naked and open in his sight DOCT. II. That God in his eternall counsel praedetermined all things and praeordained them to the best ends NEither do we believe onely That God foresaw all things and hath them ever present in his sight but also that in his most wise and eternall counsel he hath before determined all things Acts 4.28 whatsoever did or do concerne the creation and goverment of the world as also the gathering together of his Church out of the sinfull ofspring of Adam and likewise their redemption and salvation and further that of his infinite goodnes he hath before ordained all the evil which in his wisdome he purposed to suffer and permit to the best ends insomuch that there shall not an hair perish Luk. 21.18 Matt. 10.30 or fall from our head without the will of our heavenly Father DOCT. III. That God hath predestinated some men unto life and others unto death WHerefore we make no doubt of this That God out of men to speak nothing of the Angells whom at the creation he made all righteous in Adam but foresaw that they would all sin likewise in him Ephes â— 3.4 hath in Christ chosen some that they should be holy and without blame before him in love and hath also predestinated them unto eternall life of his meere grate and according to the good pleasure of his will Rom 9.22 but in his just judgement hath not vouchsafed to give his grace unto others as being the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction That in those his infinite mercie but in these his justice might be made known unto the world to his owne glorie DOCT. IV. That the Election of the Saints is of Gods mere Grace FOr as our Vocation unto Christ T it 3.7 Eph. 2.9 and our Iustification in Christ is merely of Gods grace and not of our works So also we hold that the predestination of the Saints is merely of grace because it was made in Christ That no flesh should glorie in his presence Ephes 1.3 1 Cor 1.29.31 but that he that gloryeth should glorie in the Lord. DOCT. V. That we are predestinated not onely to the end but also to the meanes WHereupon we believe also Eph. 1.3.4 that seeing God in Christ hath chosen us before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love We are predestinated not onely to the end which is eternall life and glorie but also to the Meanes tending to that End and especiall Faith whereby we are ingrafted into Christ and Regeneration also and true Repentance by which we are made in Christ a new creature
ungodly actions some more grievous then other so farre forth that there is not any one godly man living which carries not about with him this sink of sinne and feels not from thence filthy vapours and exhalations alwayes ascending and is not contaminated and defiled with the pollutions thereof a Iam. 1.14 Every man saith St. Iames is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed b 15. Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death DOCT. X. That God is not the Authour of sinne BY all which we are confirmed in this faith that we believe that God is in no wise the Authour of sin seeing that he neither created Adam evil nor with an inclination to evil but just and upright so that he sinned of his own free-will and accord not moved much lesse forced by God a 1 Iohn 2.16 Neither was this pravitie any corruption of his nature as he was created by God but by Gods just permission followed as a punishment upon his disobedience having willfully lost his Originall righteousness DOCT. XI Errours condemned THerefore with Ireneus and all the Church we condemne all those which make God the Authour of sinne and likewise all Pelagians both old and new which either deny that all men sinned in Adam and so are guilty of Originall sin or else dispute that this imbred lust or concupiscence is onely the punishment of sin but not truely sin indeed or else in the regenerate at least will not have it to be called by the name of sinne We condemne also those which have taught or do teach that Originall sinne is a substance because this opinion either makes God to be the Authour of sin or else denyes him to be the maker of every substance and because it serves also to confirm the Doctrine of the Manichees concerning two causes or Originalls of all things to wit one chief and prime good and another chief and prime evil so that all things which are good have proceeded from the beginning unto this present and still do proceed from the good and all evil from the evil one We condemne also all stoicks and those that are like unto them which teach that all sinnes are equall and not one greater then another And last of all those which contend that there may be some one found in this world which is altogether void of sinne CHAP. VIII What free-will was left unto Man after his Fall DOCTRINE I. What we understand by the name of free will SEeing that all men since the Fall and by reason of the Fall of Adam are a Psalm â—1 5 conceived insinne and are b Eph. 2. â— by nature the children of wrath having no inclination at all to that which is good but c Gen. 6. â— â— 21 altogether prone to that which is evil This is our belief and confession concerning the free-will of a man not regenerate By the name of free-will we understand the will of man so to be free that from it we do not separate the facultie of understanding by which we judge what is good and what bad what to be chosen and what to be refused DOCT. II. That the question concerning free-will is two-fold either concerning the nature or else concerning the power thereof IN the question concerning free-will we distinguish between the power and strength of free-will and the nature of mans will The nature we call the naturall and essentiall propertie thereof created in it by God that whatsoever it willeth whether it be good or bad it willeth freely voluntarily willingly and free-from all manner of coaction By the name of power we understand a power or facultie either innate that is by nature or else conferred that is of grace by which we are enabled by our understanding to know what is good and what evil and by our will to choose the good and refuse the evil DOCT. III. That free-will is alwayes free from coaction AS therefore the substance of free-will perished not by reason of sinne for the understanding and will and the whole substance of the soul remained so neither do we believe that the nature thereof perished that whatsoever it willeth as well evil as good it willeth it freely and without all manner of coaction That it is true which Augustine saith That free-will is alwayes free that is from coaction but yet that it is not alwayes good DOCT. IV. That there are three ranks or sorts of things and actions about which the power of free-will is exercised COncerning our power in choosing of good and refusing evil we are of this opinion We distinguish good and evil into three kinds those which pertain to the Animall or naturall life the rationall or humane life the divine or Christian life Of the first kind are those which are common to us almost with beasts and belong to the soul by which we live and increase and have sense and motion Of the second kind are those which are proper to man and belong to mans understanding as Arts as well Mechanicall as liberall virtues morall and politicall and last of all sciences of all sorts and all Philosophie The third kind contains onely those things which are good and good actions which are ordained for the kingdome of God and a Christian life As the true knowledge of God faith and the effects thereof regeneration obedience charitie and others of the like kind DOCT. V. That the power and strength of a man unregenerate is very weak even in things belonging to this life TO say nothing then of the power strength of man since the Fall in knowing and desiring such things as make for the preservation of this present life and living here happily as also in making choise of them and pursuing after them if they be offered unto him and in eschewing and avoiding the contrary To say nothing I say of this because it nothing belongs to religion and manners although as concerning even this dayly experience teacheth us how great a depravation of judgement and appetite is in man following as a punishment upon the Fall We believe that although by the mercy of God there is yet left some light in mans understanding partly in discerning between right wrong good and bad in humane affaires and partly in acquiring the knowledge of many things arts sciences and divers other virtues Yet the light that is in the understanding is so little and the will so depraved that unlesse the one be enlightened from above and the other be inclined by Gods speciall grace to choose the good propounded and to refuse the bad he cannot acquire the knowledge of Arts and sciences and other virtues which may be in men even unregenerate And not without cause saith St. Augustine a August Tom. 7. cont Iul. Pel. lib. 4. cap. 3. That all the Arts sciences and other virtues or rather shadowes and resemblances of virtues which were in
within the compasse of their dutie which how profitable it is for the commowealth in generall and for every man in particular who knows not Thirdly and lastly whereas men found by dayly expeperience that they did alwayes sinne against this perfect Law and did feel that they could not keep it as they ought and so became more more every day subject to the wrath of God and guilty of eternall death From hence it came to passe that despairing in themselves and of their own strength they did the more ardently desire and long for the coming of their Redeemer and Deliverer and therefore the more they came to the knowledge of their sins and their own weakensse and the more sensibly they felt the wrath of God by the Law the more they did hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and fitted and prepared themselves for the receiving of Christ by faith So it is most true which the Apostle saith in both places a Rom. 3.20 By the Law is the knowledge of sin and b Gal. 3.24 The Law is our School-master to bring us unto Christ DOCT. IX That the Law at this time hath the same uses even in those which are regenerate ANd we believe that the foresaid uses of the Law abide and continue as long as we live in this world not onely in the unregenerate as was said before but even in the regenerate also For whereas our minds are overclouded with darknesse and our memories are slippery that we cannot either perfectly understand the things of God or understanding them keep them in remembrance Need we have of the Law of God to be our glasse wherein we may every day behold and see and certainly understand what is the will of God that we should do And again Whereas our hearts are not perfectly purged from all corruption So that they are not fully bent to doe the will of God but still a Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the Spirit Necessary it is for us to have the Law of God by the tenours and comminations thereof to keep us from falling into sin and by the promises thereof to incite us unto obedience and to follow after righteousness And thirdly and lastly For as much as there is b 1 Ioâ—â—â—8 no man so far forth sanctified but that he sinneth and hath sin dwelling in him which makes us weak and feeble to every good work and alwayes prone to that which is evil Therefore the Law is usefull and profitable for us that thereby coming to the knowledge of our sins and manifold weaknesses we may more and more every day acknowledge how impossible it is that we should ever by our own works be justified and saved and further so much the more ardently-hunger and thirst after Christs righteousness embrace him by faith And so the Law although it can never justify us yet it may bring us every day nearer nearer unto justification by bringing us unto Christ that justifieth DOCT. X. That the Morall Law as concerning the substance thereof was not abrogated by Christ FOr we know and believe that the Law as concerning the substance of Doctrine and those wholesome and saving uses whereof hath been spoken was not be abrogated by Christ and therefore was not abrogated but onely as concerning the curse and condemnation For a Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Yet further in respect of the curse and condemnation it self the Law alwayes was and still is usefull and profitable unto them which yet are not in Christ for as much as it drives them unto him that they be not condemned DOCT. XI Errours condemned WE therefore condemne those which cast out of the Church this Law as unprofitable and not usefull nor belonging unto Christians And again those which teach that a man may either totally or partially in whole or in part be justified by the Law whereas the Law rather was given a Gal. 3.22 to conclude all under sinne and to bring them unto Christ who alone b Iohn 1.29 taketh away the sinnes of the world And this is our brief confession concerning the Law which was delivered by Moses and expounded by the Prophets which fitteth prepareth disposeth and bringeth men unto Christ who is c Rom. 10.4 the end of the Law as the Apostle witnesseth CHAP. XI Concerning Christ our Redeemer DOCTRINE I. The summe of our faith concerning the Person and Office of Christ our Redeemer THerefore a Gal. 4.4 When the fulnesse of the time was come in which the promise of Redemption which was made unto the first man was to be fulfilled by the second God sent forth The eternall Father his Sonne onely begotten and eternall and therefore true God of the same nature with the Father made of a woman alone without the seed of man and therefore true man but without sinne and therefore true Christ made under the Law and therefore also circumcised that he might with most perfect obedience fulfill the Law for us all becoming obedient unto his Father even unto death to wit for us for being without sinne himself 5. he deserved not to die To redeem them that were under the Law them that were c. Therefore all the elect To redeeme them to wit by his obedience death and a Act. 10.28 bloud shed that is a sacrifice of infinite virtue and a price of redemption of the greatest efficacie for it was the bloud of God To redeeme them I say from their sinnes unto the former image of God and so unto the former image of God and so unto perfect righteousnesse and from death likewise unto eternall life and from the kingdome of Satan unto the Kingdome of God That we might receive the adoption of sonnes and so at length be received unto the full and perfect possession of an heavenly inheritance as sonnes and lawfull heires and to conclude a Eph. 1.10 That he might gather together in one head all things both which are in heaven and which are on earth and that he might make them cleave fast unto him b Eph. 1.12 to the praise of his glorie DOCT. II. That Christ our Redeemer is both true God and true Man WE believe therefore that Iesus Christ is c Iohn 1.14 the onely begotten Son of God and therefore his Son by nature coessentiall with the Father and d Mic. 5.2 coeternall true God and Lord Jehova and we believe that the same Iesus Christ is also true man of the seed of e Matt. 1.1 Abraham and David conceived of the holy Ghost without the help of man in the wombe of the Virgin f Hebr. 4.15 without sinne born of her having a true humane soul and mind being made like unto us in all things sinne onely excepted So that he is true g Athanas in Symb. God of the substance of his Father begotten
great that first indeed What Christ is or doth according to his divine nature that is all-Christ the Son of Man said to be or to do and again What Christ is or doth or hath suffered according to his humane nature That is all-Christ God Son of God said in holy Scripture to be to have done and to have suffered As in that place where it said a Acts 20 2◠God that is Christ Man and God hath purchased the Church with his own bloud whereas the force of the purchase pertaineth unto the Deitie or Godhead and the pouring out of bloud onely unto the humanitie or Manhood Yet both these Actions are joyned together in one and both are attributed unto the whole Person of Christ although they were and are distinguished For although the natures be distinguished yet are they coupled together in the Person of Christ which is but one Yet further Christ as Mediatour never did or doth any thing according to his humanitie whereunto his divinitie did not and doth not cooperate or work together and again he did nothing according to his divinitie whereunto his humanitie did not consent and willingly agree And therefore well did the Fathers in calling the operations or actions of Christ as Mediatour operatious Theandricall that is of God and Man In the second place As the force of the union which is between the Father and the Son is so great that he doth nothing neither communicateth unto the world any good but by the Son In like manner so great is the force of the Hypostaticall union of the two natures in Christ that there flowes unto us no grace no salvation no life from the Deitie but by the humanitie apprehended of us by faith so that it is altogether necessarie that he be coupled unto the flesh of Christ whosoever will be made partaker of eternall life according to that of our Saviour a Iohn 6.13 Except eate the flesh of the Son of Man the have no life in you And in the last place by the force of the said union it is effected that we cannot worship and adore the Deitie in Christ without worshipping and adoring also the humanitie in him and again That both the humane and divine nature are to be worshipped and adored of us altogether with one and the same manner of worship and adoration according to that a Hebe 1.6 And when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world he saith And let all the angels of God worship him him that is the whole Person God and Mau together whereas yet the humane nature by it self and in it self merely considered neither can nor ought to be worshipped For God onely is to be worshipped But it is not any union but the Hypostaticall union of the divine and humane nature which effects this that we have said Wherefore although God dwelleth in his Saints yet are not they to be worshipped or pray'd unto as is the Man Christ Great therefore surely we confesse is the union whereof we speak but yet such is the union that it excludes all confusion and transfusion For if the union between the Father the Son and the holy Ghost in one essence then which union there neither is nor can be imagined a greater take not away the distinction of Persons neither can this union of natures and so of properties and actions in one Person take away the distinction or bring in a confusion thereof DOCT. XII That unto Christ as Man was given indeed the greatest power that could be but yet finite as also other gifts WE believe further that as Christ as he is God is simply omnipotent and simply wise and so also in his other Atrributes So as he is man there was given unto him power and knowledge fárre surpassing yea almost by infinite degrees the power and knowledge of all creatures both in heaven and on earth but yet finite and so likewise all other gifts and virtues as charitie prudence fortitude justice grace truth and the rest whereof the Prophet Isaiah speaketh a Isa 11.2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him c. and Iohn the Evangelist who testifieth that he was b Iohn 1.14 full of grace and truth and Luke c Luk. 2.25 And Iesus increased in wisedome and stature and in favour with God and Man For which cause he is by the Apostle said to be d Eph. 1.20 set at Gods right hand in the heavenly places e 21. Farre above all principalities and powers and again Iohn saith f Iohn 3.34 God giveth not the Spirit unto him by measure and again the Apostle g Coloss 2.3 In him are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Whence it cometh to passe that as he is Man he knoweth all things and can do all things which belong unto his office but as for those things which no created substance can do but God alone those he doth by the power of the Deitie yet not without the consent and as it were the supplication of the humane nature insomuch that to all the actions of Christ as he is God concerning our salvation his soul in some manner is alwayes added by the love desire and will thereof As likewise in all which he did as Man the Deitie alwayes concurred even in his death and passion not that the Deitie suffered but that it willed the death passion of Christ and gave unto his death and passion infinite power and efficacie to expiate and purge away our sins To conclude in a word concerning the natures of Christ together with their union and properties we believe whatsoever was set down and concluded by the Nicene Councill and that of Constantinople and that of Ephesus and that of Calcedon agaist Arius Apollinaris Nestorius Eutyches as also what was defined and determined in the sixt Synod against the Monothelites DOCT XIII That the actions of Christ are of two kinds and that what we read that Christ did or suffered was all done and suffered by him according unto truth and not according to outward appearance onely NOw to passe from the Person of Christ and his natures and the union of the natures unto his actions and office peculiarly We believe first as there are two true natures in Chrst whereof each had and hath it 's own true and essentiall properties conjoyned indeed as the natures also are united but not confounded So likewise that there are two kinds of actions which we read that our Lord Iesus Christ partly hath already performed and partly doth not yet cease to performe and that some of these actions flow from the Deitie and others from the humanitie and that they were partly and partly are so conjoyned and yet so distinct that each form as Leo speaketh doth alwayes work with the communion of the other The Word still doing that which is proper to the Word and the flesh exequuting that which belongeth unto the flesh And again as the works
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
pardoned and forgiven for ever that we are received into grace and made the Sons of God and heires of eternall life The third and last is that being perswaded of the free pardon and forgivenesse of our sins and eternall salvation for Christ's sake and merits we afterwards labour to keep and observe all things whatsoever Christ hath commanded us for the glorie of God and the salvation of our neighbour keeping faith alwayes even unto the end and stedfastly believing that whatsoever sins we commit in our new obedience are not imputed to us and that for Christ's sake onely as also that by the imputation of Christ's most perfect obedience righteousnesse and holinesse unto us our imperfect obedience is made perfect and so reputed and accepted for most perfect in the sight of God The commandments of Christ may be all reduced unto three That denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live SOBERLY in respect of our selves RIGHTEOUSLY in respect of our neighbour and GODLY a T it 2.12 in respect of God in this present world a 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our saviour Iesus Christ This we believe to be the sum of all that Christ requireth of us in the word of his Gospel and therefore that they are true Gospellers and Christians indeed whosoever with studious care and diligence give themselves wholly to the observation hereof DOCT. VIII In what things most especially the Gospel differs from the Law ANd it appears sufficiently by what hath been said That we confound not the Law with the Gospell For although we confesse that God is the Authour of the Law as well as the Gospel and again that b Rom. 7.12 the Law of it self is holy and just and good as well as the Gospell yet we believe that there is a great deal of difference between them and that not onely because that was delivered to the Iews onely whereas the Gospell belongeth unto all nations nor yet onely because that was temporatie and to last onely untill Christ whereas the Gospel is everlasting not yet onely because that was delivered by Moser and expounded by the Prophets whereas the Gospel was brought unto us by Christ and published unto the whole world by the Apostles Not for these reasons onely I say but more especially for these which follow First because the matters of the Law consists in commandments with curses irrevocable added thereunto if they be broken in the least part It hath indeed the promises not onely of earthly and temporall blessings but also of heavenly and eternall but yet they are all with a condition of most perfect righteousnesse and obedience and not of free grace But the Gospel is properly the message of glad tidings freely setting before us Christ our Redeemer freely pardoning and forgiving sins and saving us not requiring any thing at our hands for the attainment of salvation but onely true faith in Christ which we cannot have without repentance together with a care to do Gods will as we declared before Secondly because the Law did not enable us for the doing of that which it required for it gave us no power whereby we might be saved and so was insufficient and a 1 Cor. â— 6 a killing letter and b 7. the ministration of wrath and death rather stirring up sin then taking it away But the Gospel requireth no more of us then it enableth us to performe and so communicateth really unto us what is offered forasmuch as the holy Ghost worketh thereby in the elect at the preaching thereof stirring up in them true faith whereby to lay hold on Christ when he is offered unto them and together with him everlasting salvation For c Rom. 10.17 faith cometh by hearing of the Gospel but obedience cometh not by hearing the Law For the holy Ghost at the hearing of the Law did not enable them to keep it whosoever heard the same whereas it doth stirre up faith in the elect at the hearing of the Gospel For which cause as the Law is called the killing letter so the Gospel is called the quickning Spirit or the a 2 Cor. 3.6 Spirit giving life And therefore it is a true and effectuall instrument and meanes unto salvation to every one that believeth From whence followes a third difference which is this that the Law was not wrote in the hearts of men but in tables of stone so that there was not any change in men wrought thereby But the Gospel is wrote in the hearts of the elect by the holy Ghost and worketh in them b 2 Cor. 3.18 a change and true renovation being used by the holy Ghost as an instrument of our sanctification and salvation DOCT. VIII That by the Gospel the Law of Moses is partly taken away and partly not IT appears manifestly by what hath been said what our faith is concerning the abrogation of the Law by the Gospell We believe first that by the Gospel forasmuch as it declareth unto us the fulfilling of all things which were fore-told by types and figures in the old Testament concerning Christ as we shewed before in the 11. Chap. The Law concerning Ceremonies and sacrifices and all the externall Mosaicall worship is absolutely abrogated according to that of the Apostle teaching that they were a Hebr. 9.10 imposed on them untill the time of reformation and that of the Evangelist that b Iohn 1.17 the Law was given by Moses but grace and truth by Iesus Christ Secondly Forasmuch the Gospel is one instrument of the holy Ghost whereby we are ingrafted and united unto Christ and made partakers of redemption and salvation as we shewed in the 12. Chap In that regard we confesse that even the Morall Law also as concerning the curse denounced against the transgressours thereof is by the Gospel of Christ abrogated according to that of the Apostle c Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus A signe whereof this is that they d ibid. walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit But forasmuch as the Doctrine of the Gospel requireth repentance of us and sanctitie of our whole life and that we live soberly righteously and godly In this regard I say it taketh not away the Morall Law For it agreeth altogether with the Doctrine of the Gospel concerning eschewing vices and following after virtues Thirdly and lastly forasmuch as Christ by his Gospel hath not taken away the Politicall or civill Laws by which commonwealths are governed which are agreeable to the Law of nature Therefore we leave it free to Magistrates to use the Laws which were delivered to the commonwealth of the Iews and to govern their people thereby considering that there are none more equall and just then they Wherefore if there be any one that dare presume to say that by the Gospel of Christ the government of commonwealths is overturned or troubled he offers
we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ The breaking and the receiving the blessed bread he calls the communion of the Lord's body because they which eat thereof with actuall faith in the Lord himself grow up together in communion with the Lord himself and with his flesh and bloud Even as they also which with faith embrace the word preached by the Apostles b 1 Iohn 1.3 have also fellowship with the Apostles and that fellowship is with the Father and his Son Iesus Christ DOCT. II. A confirmation of the former FOr as Baptisme is an instrument to inchoate and begin this communion because thereby we are born again in Christ So the Supper was instituted to perfect the same because therein we are fed with the flesh and bloud of Christ that we may grow up in him a 1 Cor. 12.13 For as the Apostle saith by one Spirit are we all Baptized into one body and have been all made to drink into one Spirit DOCT. III. That the furthering and increasing of our communion with Christ is the chief end of the Lords Supper THe Lords Supper was indeed instituted for many other ends to wit that being admonished both by words and signes representing the Lords death and the effusion of his most precious bloud we might call to mind and thankfully acknowledge the great benefit of our Redemption For what saith the Apostle b 1 Cor. 11.26 As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come To these ends therefore serveth it that we may be confirmed in our faith about the remission of our sins that we may be nourished unto the hope of a blessed resurrection that we may be stirred up to give thanks unto God for so great a benefit and to repent us of our sins and last of all to renew our covenant made with God openly and in the presence of the whole Church But because all these tend to no other end but this that we may be more and more united unto Christ and become one with him and that a Gal. 2.20 he may live more effectually in us and we in him b Eph. 5. â—0 being made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones Therefore we doubt not but the Supper was chiefly and principally instituted for the increasing and furthering this our union and communion with Christ in which is perfected and consummated our salvation Whereunto also serveth the bread and wine being bodily nourishments That we may know it for certain that what the bread and wine is for the nourishing of our bodyes and the preserving of this naturall life such also is the flesh and bloud of Christ for the feeding of our souls and the maintenance of our Spirituall life DOCT. IV. Why the bread is called the body of Christ FRom whence also we may learn why Christ calleth this bread his body Not so as if it were either properly his true body or as if his body were included in it or so as if it were but a bare and naked signe of his body which was broken and crucified for us But because it is a Sacrament thereof and Sacraments as St. Augustine saith are often called by the names of those things whereof they are Sacraments and so is made an instrument of the holy Ghost for the communicating unto us the true body of Christ and for the confirming us in the communion thereof As also the Apostle for the same reason speaking of Baptisme called it not a signe of regeneration but the very laver of regeneration without doubt because a Eph. 5.26 with the washing of water by the word as by a fit and convenient instrument Christ by the effectuall working of his Spirit doth inwardly wash cleanse and regenerate us DOCT. V. That the bread is but improperly and figuratively called the true and substantiall body of Christ WHerefore we doubt not but in the words of the Supper the true and naturall body of Christ is predicated of the bread especially seeing that for explication sake there is added b Luk. 22.19 Which is given for you So that this is a most true saying the bread is Christs body to wit that true boby which was given for us but this is improperly and figuratively seeing that in very deed the bread was given for us but the true body of Christ whereof the bread is a Sacrament DOCT. VI. That the body of Christ is not in the bread really and properly FRom hence also we are confirmed in our opinion that as the bread is not properly the very body of Christ but a Sacrament thereof so likewise the body of Christ is not really and properly in the bread For in Sacraments the things themselves whereof they are Sacraments are not really included although they sometimes receive the names thereof As it appeareth plainly in Baptisme without all controversie in which no man saith that either the bloud of Christ by which we are washed from our sins or regeneration it self is included For neither in the word of the Gospel are included really those things which thereby are declared Now the Sacraments are the visible word But neither did Christ say My body is in this that is in the bread but he used another farre different manner of speaking to wit This that is This bread is my body Now if any one list to be contentious and say that the sense is all one It will follow that if the body of Christ be really in the bread the bread likewise is really properly and substantially the body of Christ which if it be impious once to affirme then cannot the other be affirmed without great impietie And yet we deny not but that Sacramentally it may be so according to the sense in which we say that in the word of the Gospel is remission of sins life and salvation which thereby are declared and offered unto us But forasmuch as by such manner of speaking the vulgar sort are commonly drawn to superstition we judge it fitting to abstain altogether from them and we hold it most mete to use such formes of words as we find recorded in the sacred Scripture DOCT. VII That in the Supper not onely the signes but also the things themselves signified are distributed NOw without all manner of controversie this we hold for a sure position and a certain truth that although the very body and bloud of the Lord are not that is exist not in their own substance and really and properly in the bread wine but in heaven Yet together with the distribution of the bread and wine the very flesh and bloud also are truely offered unto all to be eaten and to be drunk But how Not simply but as the one was delivered unto death for us and the other poured forth for the remission of our sins For the words of Christ in a Iohn 6.51 Iohn are manifest concerning the eating of his flesh
heart we both love again and also glorifie God the Father and Christ our Redeemer that we are inclined and moved to good will and bounty towards all men in generall yea even towards our enemies but especially towards the Saints and those which are of the houshold of faith Therefore we condemne all those which say that a man by his own naturall powers may love God above all things 1 Iohn 4.7 For Love is of God as saith St. Iohn DOCT. XI The signes and tokens of charitie BUt we do not believe that to be true Christian charitie which agreeth not with that description set down by St. Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinthians which is after this manner 1 Cor. 13.4 Charitie suffereth long and is kind Charitie envyeth not Charitie vaunteth not it self is not puffed up 5.6 Doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked 7. thinketh no evill Rejoyceth not in iniquitie but rejoyceth in the truth Bearethall things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things c. DOCT. XII That our communion with Christ and his Church is cherished and maintained by love and Charitie WE believe that by true love and charitie our communion with Christ and his Church is very much cherished increased and maintained Forasmuch as love joyneth together in one the persons loving and the persons loved For St. Iohn saith a 1 Ioâ— 4 16. He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him CHAP. XVIII Concerning Repentance ALthough all these faith hope and charitie repentance justification the study of good works and a holy life cannot really be separated one from another Yet forasmuch as they depend one upon another we know that in this regard they are to be distinguished and we are to take them into consideration each apart and enquire what they are and what their efficacie is We think good therefore briefly to set down our opinion and deliver our judgement concerning each of them beginning with Repentance which is the perpetuall individuall and inseparable companion of faith For although after Iustification it is perfected every day more and more yet because no man is justified without Repentance and the beginning thereof goeth before Iustification it self Therefore in the first place we are resolved to declare what our faith and belief is concerning this DOCTRINE I. That Repentance is necessarie to our Iustification and so also to our Communion with Christ WE believe that to our true partaking of Christs righteousnesse and our communion with him Repentance is necessarie whereby turning from sin and from the world by change of mind and will we may turn unto Christ cleave unto him and obtain in him and from him remission of sins and be endued with his righteousnesse and holinesse For the first thing that a Matt. 1.4 15. Iohn the Baptist and our Saviour preached was the Doctrine of Repentance for the remission of sins And Except ye Repent saith our Saviour ye shall all likewise perish DOCT. II. What we understand by the name of Repentance BY the name of Repentance we understand two things more especially The first is true and serious grief and sorrow for sins committed against God and that not so much for fear of punishment due unto sin as that we have offended God himself the chiefest good who is our Father and Maker The second is a true change of heart and mind will and purpose and of our whole life This part of Repentance which properly is by Christ called Resipiscence and by the Prophets Conversion unto God and Circumcision of heart according to the Doctrine of the Apostle proceedeth from the former for he joyneth both together saying a 2 Cor. 7.10 Godly sorrow worketh Repentance to salvation not to be repented of DOCT. III. That Repentance is the gift of God WE believe that Repentance is the gift of God proceeding from his mere grace not due to any meries or preparations of ours according to what the Apostle saith b 2 Tim. 2.25 If God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth c 26. And that they may recover themselves out of this snare of the devil and according to the Prophet d Ier. 31.18 Turn thou me and I shall be turned For thou art the Lord my God DOCT. IV. That for the stirring up of Repentance in us God ordinarily useth the word of the Law and Gospel and That the hearing of them both in the Church is therefore necessarie GOd to stirre up Repentance in us doth ordinarily use the expounding of the Law which discovereth our sins unto us and Gods wrath against sin as likewise the preaching of the Gospel which declareth unto us remission of sins and the grace of God in Christ As it is manifest to every godly man which looketh into the holy Scripture And therefore we judge that in the Church both are necessarie both the expounding of the Law and the preaching of the Gospel DOCT. V. The summe of the Doctrine concerning Repentance and in all every where and alwayes necessarie unto salvation to as many as are of years THe summe then of our belief concerning Repentance every where and alwayes necessarie unto salvation to as many as are of yeares is this That Repentance is the change of heart and mind wrought in us by the holy Spirit by the word of the Law and of the Gospel whereby Forasmuch as our sins and corruption of nature are as the Law teacheth things repugnant to the will of God and so stand in need to be purged away as the Gospel preacheth by the death of the Son of God We from our souls lament and bewail them detest and abhorre them humbly confessing them before God and begging pardon for the same resolving upon amendment of life and a constant studie of innocency and all Christian vertues and therein exercising our selves diligently all the dayes of our life to the glorie of God and the edifying of the Church DOCT. VI. That simply and absolutely we condemne not those parts of Repentance commonly so called viz. Contrition confession of sins and satisfaction COncerning the parts of Repentance before spoken of we list not much further to dispure being thoroughly perswaded out of the holy Scriptures that in brief it consists in a serious and earnest mortyfying of the old man and quickning of the new the former whereof hath force and efficacie from the death of Christ and the latter from his resurrection the holy Spirit communicating both unto us Yet simply and absolutely we condemne not that long agoe received and yet retained distinction in the Schooles of the parts of Repentance into contrition confession of sins and satisfaction with this proviso that they be examined at the rule of the holy Scriptures and not found to decline from the godly customes of the ancient Church As concerning contrition and confession of sins likewise both before God and our brother
whom we have offended and before all the Church also when it is expedient they are not without testimonie in the holy writ Moreover if any man oppressed with the waight of his sins and perplexed with tentations is desirous to receive counsell instruction and consolation privately either from a Minister of the Church or any other Christian brother that is exercised in the Law of God we dislike it not Neither condemne we those Ecclesiasticall satisfactions of which Tertullian Cyprian and other Fathers speak which consisted onely in this that the persons delinquent and offending should give unto the Church publikely some certain outward testimonie of their true Repentance which they called doing of penance But we condemne those superstitions which having since been superadded butchering of consciences and wicked and ungodly opinions whereby the benefit of the death and satisfaction of Iesus Christ who alone hath purged away our sinnes and perfectly redeemed us from guilt and punishment is much impaired CHAP. XIX Concerning Justification DOCTRINE I. That whosoever are indued with the gift of Repentance are indued also with the gift of faith are ingrafted into Christ and in him justified WHosoever a Isai 56.2 is poor and of a contrite Spirit and detesteth his sins from the bottom of his heart and repenteth him truely of the evil course of his life past and a Psal 32.6 prayeth unto God with sighes and grones for remission of his sins b Matt. 5.6 hungreth and thirsteth after the true righteousnesse of Christ we believe that as he is indued by the holy Spirit with the gift of true Repentance towards God so also that he indued with the gift of a lively faith and knit unto Christ his head as a member thereunto ordained from eternitie and that therefore in him he obtaineth remission of sin and is indued with the perfect righteousnesse of Christ and so reputed just and absolved from all guilt for the merits of Christ into whom he is ingrafted For thus saith the Apostle c Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus and again d 1 Cor. 1.30 Who of God is made unto us wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption DOCT. II. That whosoever for Christ into whom he is ingrafted is reputed just is also indued with the gift of inherent righteousnesse FUrthermore we believe that whosoever is for Christ into whom he is by the holy Spirit ingrafted reputed righteous and is also righteous indeed having already obtained in Christ remission of sins and the imputation of his righteousnesse he is presently indued with the gift of inherent righteousnesse in such manner that he is not onely most perfectly and fully righteous in Christ his head but hath also in himself true righteousnesse whereby he is made truly conformable unto Christ Although whilst we are in the flesh our righteousnesse can never be so perfect but still by reason of our corruption it will be blemished with many stains of sin Concerning which kind of righteousnesse thus saith St. Iohn a 1 Ioh. 3.7 He that doth righteousnesse that is righteous works is righteous And both these kinds of righteousnesse the Apostle St. Paul alwayes joyneth together both in the Epistle to the Romans and also in other Epistles and further teacheth that by Christ they are both bestowed on the faithfull which also he confirms in his Epistle to the Philippians Phil. 1 1â— Concerning he latter kind of righteousnesse whose fruits are made manifest unto men we say that it is so evident a testimonie of the former that where it is wanting we professe with the holy Apostles there can be no place for the former So farre are we from loosing the raines to all impietie by teaching the Doctrine of justification by faith alone apprehending remission of sins and the righteousnesse of Christ DOCT. III. That forasmuch as our inherent righteousnesse is alwayes very imperfect through our fault therefore before God we are justified by the righteousnesse of Christ onely BUt notwithstanding what hath been said we confesse that this inherent righteousnesse is through our pravitie so imperfect that by the righteousnesse of Christ alone whereby our sins are not imputed to us not onely at the beginning of our conversion when as of ungodly men we are made godly but afterwards also even to the end of our life we are justified before God and accounted for righteous The Prophet David saith as much and the Apostle subscribes unto it a Psal 32.1 Rom. 4.7 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven and again b Psal 32.2 Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie and again c Psal 143.2 In thy sight shall no man living be justified Therefore we conclude that our true justification before God consists onely in the remission of our sins and the imputation of Christs righteousnesse unto us DOCT. IV. That by faith it is felt and found whether a man be justified in Christ and that therefore he is said to be justified by faith BUt because justification is not without the knowledge sense and assent of him that is justified which is spoken and to be understood of those which are come to ripenesse of years and that sense is the sense of faith Therefore we say that then at length a man is justified by faith when he is ingrafted into Christ and upon a sense and feeling thereof is perswaded that of the mere mercie of God for the onely obedience satisfaction and sacrifice of Christ into whom he is ingrafted his sins are so remitted that he is absolutely freed from all guilt and punishment due unto the same and so perswaded that the perfect righteousnesse of Christ is in such manner imputed unto him that thereupon he finds and feels that eternall life is as due unto him as it was to Christ and so comes to understand that justification is merely and truely of grace and not due unto his good works DOCT. V. The confirmation of what was last said and what it is to be justified FOr first in holy Scripture as well in the Old Testament as in the New but especially according to St. Paul where he speaks professedly concerning this matter to justifie signifies to remit sins and so to absolve from all guilt and punishment to receive into grace and favour to pronounce one righteous and to account him for righteous not such a one that is simply and absolutely unrighteous but one that is no longer unrighteous by reason of remission of sins obtained And further although whomsoever God in Christ hath from eternitie elected to be his Sons he doth acknowledge the same to be his in Christ and of his mere grace makes them acceptable unto himself in the beloved Yet because we are never truely in Christ untill such time as we are by the holy Ghost ingrafted and incorporated into him and that cannot be wrought in us as many as are of years untill we
he addeth c But he that is Spirituall judgeth or discerneth all things and another place b 15. It is God which worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure d Phil. 2.13 DOCT. VI. That the regenerate man is not onely moved by the holy Ghost to work but is himself also an Agent OUt of the writings of the Apostles and by other testimonies of the holy Scripture we are taught and confesse that the regenerate are so moved by the holy Ghost that yet themselves also are Agents and that in them God so worketh both to will and to do that yet they themselves are those which both will and do For they are not stocks or beasts but men endued with a minde whereby they understand and a will whereby they will and whereby they command other faculties and power both of soul and body to put in execution those things which are good DOCT. VII That the power of Free-will in the regenerate is still infirme and weak in such sort that we continually stand in need of Gods fresh supply and assistance and cannot do all that we would BUt because our regeneration is but onely inchoate or begun and not as yet perfect so that whereas we before were flesh altogether but now consist partly of Spirit and partly of flesh which still fight within us one against the other in such manner that the good which we would that we cannot do but do serve with our mind the Law of God and with the flesh the Law of sin Therefore we believe what also we find by experience that there is still much slaverie in the regenerate much blindnesse in the minde and understanding much pravitie in the heart and affections and many weaknesses and infirmities in all the powers of soul and body So that we dayly stand in need of a new supply of Gods grace whereby our mindes may be more and more illuminated our wills corrected and reformed and our powers to that which is good increased and perfected And therefore as long as we are here in the flesh our Free-will is never truely and perfectly free that is having by it's self sufficient power to eschew that which is evill and do that which is good especially when as the events also of all things are not in our power but in the hand of God and it is further necessarie that all those things come to passe or be done not what we have thought upon but whatsoever a Act. 4 2â— his hand and his counsell have determined before to be done DOCT. VIII That God doth so rule and govern the mindes and wills of the godly that even in the conflict of temptations and the flesh he suffereth them not altogether to fall away from him YEt still this we hold that as many as are truely ingrafted into Christ they have their mindes and wills endued already with the holy Spirit and that for Christ his sake they are by God so ruled governed and sustained that although he suffers them to be weakened sundry wayes and by divers tentations yet he never suffers them b Ier. 32.40 Luk. 22.32 Rom. 8.35 totally and finally to fall away sinking under their tentations and so at length perish everlastingly DOCT. IX Errours Condemned WE therefore condemne all those whosoever either deny or extenuate Regeneration holding that a man regenerate is as impotent and unable to that which is good and as mere a slave to sin as he was before his Regeneration contrarie to divers and those also most cleare testimonies of Scripture concerning the freedome of the regenerate from the slaverie of sin and their freedome also to that which is good to say nothing of the injurie which is done unto the holy Spirit which both dwelleth and also worketh in us And again we condemne those which will have a regenerate man so to be freed from all the slaverie of sinne but he cannot sinne any more at all We condemne them I say because they hold that which is contradictorie unto the word of God throughout the whole Scripture and contrarie also to dayly experience For although we are not suffered to sin unto death yet it is most certain that we commit many sins which of their own nature are worthy of death Neither do we like their opinion which in the regenerate man do so farre forth extenuate the power of the Spirit and again do amplifie the reliques of the flesh that they say the operation of the Spirit is oftentimes by the strength of the old man quite extinguished and further teach that even the regenerate man himself may altogether fall away from the grace of God and so perish everlastingly Whereas God by his Prophet contradicts them saying a Ier. 32.40 I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from mee and the Apostle affirmeth that b 2 Tim. 2.19 the foundation of God standeth sure c. And again c Philip. 1.6 He which hath begun a good work in you will perform or finish it untill the day of Iesus Christ CHAP. XXI Concerning good works DOCTRINE I. That those which are ingrafted into Christ have also from thence both to live themselves and also to shew forth the works of life unto others and that this is the chief end of being ingrafted into Christ AS the vine-branch from the vine draweth not onely for it self sap and nourishment whereby it self liveth but also that whereby it bringeth forth fruit unto us So also we believe that the Saints and godly upon earth have also from Christ into whom they are ingrafted not onely life whereby they live themselves but also wherewith all to shew forth the fruits of good works to the glorie of God and the edifying of the Church For the Lord himself saith a Ioh. 15.5 I am the vine ye are the branches He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth mach fruit Whereunto also is very pertinent that of the Apostle a Eph. 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works which God hath before ordained or prepared that we should walk in them DOCT. II. What we understand by the name of good works NOw by the name of good works we understand all those actions and works which according to the prescript of the will of God revealed in his word out of a b 1 Pet. â— 5 lively faith in Christ and so c 1 Tim. 1.5 out of a pure heart are performed of the regenerate by the holy Spirit For as d Rom. 14.25 Whatsoever is not of faith is sinne so whatsoever works are done out of a e 1 Tim 1.5 lively faith and a pure heart and a good conscience good works they are necessarily Wherefore we hold that the works which are done by the ungodly without faith and the word of God and the leading and guidance of the holy Spirit howsoever they may have a glorious