he not therefore dispaire in the grace and mercy of God but looke backe and consider the obligement which hee promised God in Baptisme and according to the same contract repent that is be hartily sory for al the euils he hath committed and entreate God that he will pardon the same for Christ his sake and after neuer doe so againe Then will God also consider his couenant and forgiue him his sinnes and giue him more strength to encounter the diuell as hee hath promised in Baptisme And so hath Baptisme his profit power and working so long as a man liueth vpon the earth though not at the very present when a man receiues it For all the promises of God are sealed vnto the beleeuers by Baptisme Ezech. 33 11. vnder which promises this is one where God saith So true as I liue saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that hee returne from his way and liue And so is also this promise sealed to vs in Baptisme And therefore wee shall not follow the diuell Ioh. 8.44 who prouokes vs to dispaire Hee is a liar and a murtherer from the beginning But God is a faithfull God Psal 25.3 and neuer deceiued any man who hath put trust in his promises With this may and shall euery poore troubled sinner constantly comfort himselfe And the better to strengthen himselfe in such a comfort Of the holy Supper amongst other meanes he ought often to vse the holy Supper which is the second Sacrament of the new Testament ordained of Christ principally and instituted for that end to set his death before our eyes most cleerly and often times and to assure vs daily more and more of the partaking thereof or the fellowship of his crucified body and shead blood For this is the meaning where he tooke the bread and brake it and said This is my body which is broken for you take and eate c. as if hee spake to euery man in perticular behold heere beloued man I know well that thou art in sorrow for thy sinnes But be of good cheere for as sure as the bread is there broken before thine eyes and the wine is seuered from the bread so certainly was my body broken or put to death for thee vpon the Crosse and my blood was seuered and spilt from my holy body for the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes Also so surely as I giue thee the holy tokens of my body and blood to eate and drinke and thou hast part and fellowship therein as well as others euen so assuredly shalt thou haue part and fellowship in my true body and blood which I deliuered to the death of the Crosse the same was also performed for thy welfare Also thou shalt bee thereby deliuered from the euerlasting hunger and thirst which else thou must haue suffered in hell Lay hold then theron by true faith and as thou there takest eatest and drinkest the holy tokens of my body blood with thy mouth euen so shut vp my crucified body and shead blood into thy heart and then thou shalt neuer hunger and thirst For whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood Ioh 6.35 54 55 56 57. hath euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day yea also in this life will dwell in him and he in me and will continually gouerne and comfort him with my spirit Therefore bee of good comfort beloued man though thou beest but weak No meÌ„ shal pluck thee out of my hand Ioh. 10.28.29 The father who hath giuen thee to me is stronger then all c. This is the first and principall benefit and vse of the holy Supper that wee namely as is aforesaid may bee assured in our hearts daily more and more thereby of the death of Christ and his blessed fellowship or of the couenant of the grace of God which is founded vpon the death of Christ as Christ saith This is the new couenant in my blood as if hee had said that shall be a token and seale or assurance and confirmation of the new couenant which I haue purchased for you with my blood The other benefit is that wee with this honourable ceremony shall publish honour and praise the death of Christ before the whole world as Christ againe said 1. Cor. 11.26 Doe it in remembrance of me And Paul As often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cup yee shall shew the Lords death till he come The third benefit is that thereby wee may demonstrate our selues openly to belong to the Communion of Christ and his Church and as the same fellowship requireth to liue holily and to loue one another as members of one body and to say more to reioyce in each other as Paul saith The cup of blessing which wee blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ 1. Cor. 10.16.17 for wee that are many are one bread and one body because we are all partakers of one bread therefore fly from Idolatry 1. Cor. 10.14 and haue no fellowship with the diuels 1. Cor. 10.20.21 c. Also we are all baptised into one body by one spirit namely in Baptisme and haue been all made to drinke into one spirit namely in the holy Supper therefore shall wee as members of one body take care for each other and one member haue patience and compassion with another 1. Cor. 12 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27. And we beleeue lastly that for the most part God holdeth his Church vnder the Crosse and will first make it fully perfect and glorious hereafter in the life to come according to the patterne of his Sonne who entred into glory by affliction and sufferings CHAP. III. That we haue not founded and learnt such our faith from blind reason much lesse from the reuelation of Satan as some calumniate vs nor from the weake writings of men But onely and alone out of the infallible word of God through the gratious inlightening of his holy spirit THis is our faith which wee haue not founded learnt from blind reason as some accuse vs much lesse from Satans inspiration as some calumniate vs for causes which shall bee shewen in the fifth Chapter also not from the weake writings of men but onely and alone out of the vnfallible word of God through the enlightening of his spirit We reade indeed also the writings of men especially those whom God hath stirred vp in these last daies against the idolatrous Popedome such as were of Luther Melancton Zwinglius Oecalampadius Bucer Brentius Caluin Beza c. And confesse to the glory of God that we haue receiued information from them and do daily receiue the better how to vnderstand a â—ight the holy Scriptures and to vse the same to our profit But wee doe not found our selues in matters of faith vpon the same or any mans writings else but we found our selues in matters of
his heauenly father towards vs poore sinfull men And in the fourth yeere after that he was captiued crucified put to death and buried descended into hell and rose againe from the dead the third day and ascended into heauen fortie daies after and set himselfe at the right hand of God the father Almighty from whence he shall returne to iudge the quicke and the dead And therefore we beleeue of Christ that hee is not a bare man Of the person of Christ but that hee is the euerlasting Almighty Sonne of God who at the appointed time tooke the nature of man vpon him and is now together God and man and so shall remaine euerlastingly in one vnseparable person And being thus at present both God and man in one vnseparable person therfore do we beleeue further that all may be said of him that may be said of God and all that may bee said of man yet with this caution that euery thing must bee vnderstood of him to be true the Diuine thing according to the Diuine nature and the humane according to the humane nature For example it may bee said of him that hee is from euerlasting and also hee was first borne in the last times both are true but not both according to both natures For according to the humane nature was hee not from euerlasting Also according to the Diuine nature was hee not borne in the last times But he is from euerlasting according to the Diuine nature and first borne in the last times according to the humane nature According to which then wee doe beleeue that in deed and truth the Sonne of God died for vs but yet not according to the Godhead but only according to the manhood for the Godhead cannot die Also wee beleeue that indeed and truth Christ is present with vs and will so remaine to the end of the world but yet not according to the humanity but the Deity For according to the humane nature is he ascended vp into heauen And the Scripture is manifest which saith That by the offering vp of his body he must enter into the heauenly tabernacles and not remaine vpon the earth else were he not our Priest Heb. the 8.9 and 10. Chapters Of the power of the death of Christ beleeue we that the death of Christ Of the power of the death of Christ whilest hee being not a bare man but the Son of God died is a full and alsufficient payment not onely for our sinnes but also the sinnes of the whole world And that hee by his death hath purchased not onely forgiuenesse of sinnes but also the new birth by the holy Ghost and and lastly euerlasting life But wee beleeue therewithall that no man shall be made partaker of such a benefit but onely he that beleeueth in him For the Scripture is plaine where it saith He that beleeueth not shall be damned Mark 16.16 Also Hee that beleeueth not in the Sonne of God the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh. 3.36 Wee beleeue further that the true sauing faith cannot be without repentance and good workes Of the nature of the sauing faith For such a faith layeth hold on Christ wholly who was made of God not onely righteousnesse to vs but also sanctification 1. Cor. 1.30 We beleeue further that though the true blisse-making faith cannot be without good workes Of the righteousnesse before God yet neuertheles the man before Gods iustice seate that is when he is throughly touched with his sinnes neither can or should beare himselfe vpon his good workes it so being that they are euer vnperfect But that a man shall appeale onely and alone vnto the grace of God before his iudgment seate which grace hee hath prepared for vs in Christ and take hold on the same grace with a beleeuing heart and so will God forgiue him his sinnes and esteeme him iust for the full satisfaction of Iesus Christ And that is our meaning when wee say that man is iustified before God onely by faith without helpe of good workes namely not that good workes should bee abandoned but onely that a man should not put any confidence therein We beleeue further that God hath ordained the preaching of his Gospell to this end Of the Ministery that he would worke in vs faith in Christ therby and that the same preaching of God the Lord is no iest but that it is his earnest will and intent that all people that heare such preaching should beleeue the same should returne to Christ Of the fountaine of faith Wee beleeue further that mankind is so corrupted by the fall of our first Parents that they cannot vnderstand or entertaine the preaching of Christ vnlesse God open their vnderstandings by his holy spirit and turne their hearts to Christ And that therefore the Gospell is not onely a speciall worke oâ— God which God bestoweth not vpon all men but also that the vnderstanding and the receiuing of the Gospell or to speake with one word faith is an especiall worke of God Ephes 2.8 Also 2. Thes 3.5 Which gift no man hath deserued of God It being so that all men are sinners Rom. 3.23 But God giues it by grace to whom he will Rom. 9.18 But those whom he presently will those hath he willed from euerlasting For from the beginning of of the world God knoweth all his workes Act. 15.18 Therefore it is most certaine that no man beleeueth in Christ except God hath chosen him to euerlasting life as Paul saith The election hâ—â—h obtained it the rest haue been hardened Rom. 11.7 Also as Luke saith As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued Act. 13.48 But therewithall it is also true that we ought not to search into the secret counsell of God whether we be elected or not 2. Tim. 2 19. for such a search is in vaine It being so that God hath sealed the booke of life and will not permit any creature to peepe therein But we ought to keepe our selues to the reuealed word of God which saith that God hath chosen vs in Christ that is to that end he might make vs saued through Christ and no otherwise Ephes 1.3 And there accordingly hee commandeth vs to repent beleeue in Christ and so seeke saluation in him This commandement of Christ should wee endeauour to hold so farre as God giueth vs power and continually pray that God will bee pleased more and more to encrease our faith When wee doe so then need wee not search further whether wee be elected to euerlasting life or not For this is sure and out of all doubt that all those that repent them without hypocrisie and beleeue in Christ are elected to euerlasting saluation But for this cause will not God reueale our election any otherwise then through such testifications that we might not fall into fleshly security But work out our saluation with feare trembling Phil. 2.2 Which feare wheresoeuer it is certainly it is accompanied
true God For the Angels worship not bare flesh or humane nature Therfore there must be both God and man together in this person and when Christ is named then is named an vnseuered person who is both God and man That whosoeuer sâ—â—th Christ heareth or layeth hold on him with the faith of the heart he layeth hold certainly not onely on the man but on the true God that God be not made to sit aboue in heauen loytering among the Angels but heere below in the Crib and lying in the mothers lappe and in some where the person is found For what serues it whereas it is said that the Sonne of God and not a bare man died for vs. there is certainly found the godly Maiesty This serues now to this end as hath been often said that we may resist the diuell and vanquish him in the battell of death and other extremities when he terrifieth vs with sinne and hell For if hee could perswade mee that I should behold Christ as a bare man crucified and dead for me then were I vtterly lost But and if I repose my whole treasure hereon that Christ both true God and man died for me c. that waieth vp and driueth away all sinne death hell and all woe and sorrow of heart For when I know this that hee who is true God suffered for mee and died and againe the same true man risen from the dead ascended into heauen c. Then can I assuredly conclude that my sin and death is by him destroyed and ouercome and therefore now there remaines no anger with God nor displeasure against mee whilest I both heare and see in this person nothing else then meere tokens of mercy Behold so learne to vnderstand this article that the person of Christ be kept whole and that the worke of both natures be infolded together though the natures be made distinguished For according to Diuine nature was hee not borne of man neither tooke hee any thing from the Virgin and it is true that God is the Creator but the man a creature or thing formed But they are vnited into one person and now God and man is called one Christ that Mary hath borne a Sonne and the Iewes crucified such a person which is both God and else if hee were bare man as other holy men hee were not of ability with all his holinesse blood and death to free vs of one sin or to quench one drop of hell fier The fourth place where Doctor Luther entreates about the doctrine of the Communion of the properties Tom 7 Jen. fol. 249. is in the booke of the Councels and Churches written Anno 1539. where hee saith The errour of Nestorius was not that he held Christ for a bare man neither that he made two persons of him but confessed two natures God and man in one person but he would not yeeld vnto the communicationem Idiomatum which I cannot vtter in Dutch word Idioma is as much as what concernes one nature or the properties thereof As dying suffering weeping speaking laughing eating drinking sleeping sorrowing to bee borne to haue a mother to sucke the brests going standing working sitting lying Properties of the humane nature and whatsoeuer else are called Idiomata humanae naturae that is properties which appertaine to a naturall man which he either can do or not or must doe For Idioma Properties of the Diuine nature in Greeke is proprium in Latine Let vs therefore call it propertie Againe Idioma Deitatis is properties of the Diuine nature that it dieth not is almighty infinite vnborne eateth not drinketh not sleepeth not standeth not goeth not sorrowes not weepeth not And what shall a man say much It is an vnmeasurable contrary thing God to be a man therefore can the Idiomata of both natures not agree in one This is the opinion of Nestorius When I now should preach thus Iesus a Carpenter of Nazareth for so doe the Euangelists call him the Sonne of a Carpenter goeth there in the street and fetcheth his mother a pot of water and a penniworth of bread that so he may eate and drinke with his mother and the same Iesus the Carpenter is the right true God in one person herein yeelds Nestorius vnto me and saith it is true But when I say thus there goeth God in the street and fetcheth water and bread to eate and drinke with his mother this speech will not Nestorius yeeld vnto but saith to fetch water to buy bread to haue a mother to eate and to drinke with her those are Idiomata properties of the humane nature and not of the Diuine Euen so when I say Iesus the Carpenter was crucified by the Iewes and the same Iesus is the true God this yeelds Nestorius vnto me that it is true But if I say God was crucified by the Iewes then saith he no. For to endure the Crosse and die is not the Diuine but the humane natures Idioma or propertie When now common Christians shall heare this then cannot they thinke otherwise then that hee esteemes Christ to bee a meere man seperates the person which yet hee doth not intend to doe but onely that the words sound as if he did it By which may be seene that hee was a very vaine and ignorant man For it being that hee yeeldeth that God man ioyned in one person is vnited As God and man is vnited into one person eâ—en so the properties of the natures then can be in no sort gainsay that the Idiomata of the natures should not also be vnited Else what were this God and man in one person vnited And his follie is euen with that against which wee teach in the Schooles Quâ— concedit antecedens bonae consequentiae non potest negare consâ—qâ—ensâ— which is as much as this is one true then must the other be also true is the other not true then is the first also not true Whosoeuer yeelds to this that Margaret is a married wife hee cannot denie that her child if shee bee honest is legitimate When one teacheth this in the Schooles no man thinks that there should be any such blockish people But demand of the Magistrates and Lawyers thereof if they haue not many the like oftentimes before them who acknowledge one thing and yet will not yeeld to that that followes vpon it But it might be alleaged that Nestorius did craftily confesse that Christ was God and one person No hee was not so skilfull for all his stoutnesse but hee meant it earnestly For in a Sermon saith the Tripartite history did he cry no â—ouing Iew thou hast no cause to boast thou couldest not crucifie God There will hee say Christ is indeed God but God is not crucified And in the Councell before Bishop Cyrill hee said that many acknowledge Christ to be God but I will neuer say that God is bitris or trinitris which is as much as to say Iesus indeed is God which is so much talked
to remaine therein but is lifted out againe therefore it is called lifting out of Baptisme So both parts must bee in the token Baptisme and the lifting out of the same 2. The signification The signification is blessed dying to sinne and arising againe in the grace of God So doth Saint Paul call it Tit. 3. A washing of the new birth wherin a man is new borne and renued The like saith Christ also Ioh. 3. Except a man be borne of water and of the spirit of grace he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Also the signification and dying or drowning of sinne is not fully accomplished in this life vntill such time as the man dieth also and wholly dissolueth to ponder Then is the Sacrament or signe of Baptisme ended Also the signification of spirituall Baptisme the drowning of sinne endureth so long as we liue and is first whâ—lly finished in death Therre is the man truly dipped in Baptisme and is effected as the baptisme signifieth therefore is the whole life nothing else then a spirituall christening without ceasing euen vnto the day of death c. So that the life of a Christian man is nothing else then a beginning to die blessedly euen from the time of Baptisme vnto the time of his death and buriall For God will make him otherwise a new at the last day Also the same simile lifting vp out of the Baptisme is performed suddenly but the signification the spirituall birth the encrease of grace and righteousnesse it beginneth indeed in Baptisme but continueth a How this is to be vnderstood is after declared by the token also euen vnto death yea euen vnto the youngest day There will first of all bee fulfilled what is betokened by the lifting vp There shall we arise from death from sinne and from euils cleane in body and soule and receiue life euerlasting c. Then shall the Angels at the last day lift out all Christians Baptized faithfull Christians and will there fulfill that which the Baptisme and the Godfathers signifie As Christ saith Matth. 24. He shall send his Angels c. Also it shall bee truly vnderstood for being pure in Baptisme and knowne that our flesh so long as it remaines here is naturally wicked and and sinfull Which to helpe God did determine such a course that he would recreate it otherwise Euen as Ier. 18 testifieth of the potter when as the vessell fell out not well he cast the same together into the heape and kneaded it and afterwards he made thereof an other vessell as seemed good to him So saith God are you in my hand In the first birth did wee not fall so well out therfore he casteth vs againe in the earth through death and he maketh vs againe at the youngest day that so we may fall out well and be without sinne He beginneth these councels in Baptisme which betoken the death and resurrection at the youngest day Therefore so much as the signification or the token of the Sacrament is so are the sinnes dead with the man and hee is risen Res Sacramenti The worke of the Sacrament and so is the Sacrament performed But the worke of the Sacrament is not as yet wholly performed that is the death and resurrection at the youngest day but is to bee expected So is man wholly pure and innocent Sacramentally that is not otherwise meant then that he hath the token of God Baptisme whereby is testified his sinnes should all die and he should die in grace and rise againe at the youngest day pure without sinne innocent to liue euerlastingly So is it in respect of the Sacrament true that hee is without sinne and innocent But whilest now that it is not fully accomplished and that he liues in sinfull flesh he is not without sinne neither is he pure in all things but he is onely entred into the way of purity and innocency Therefore when a man commeth to yeeres then begin the naturall sinfull lusts to shew themselues as pride anger incontinency hatred couetousnesse and the like Whereof there would not be one if so bee that sinne were wholly drowned and deaded in the Sacrament Now it is onely signified that they shall bee drowned through death and resurrection at the youngest day c. True vnderstanding of Baptisme Then thou wilt say what auaileth it me then to be Baptized when it destroyeth not and putteth sinne away wholly and altogether Heere followes now the true vnderstanding of the Sacrament of Baptisme Thus auailes the blessed Sacrament of Baptisme that God therein himselfe couenanteth with thee and maketh a gratious and comfortable league with thee For the first thou yeeldest thy selfe to the Sacrament of baptisme and to the signification thereof That is that thou desirest to die to sinne and to bee made new at the youngest day c. that doth God accept at thy hands and lets thee be baptized and he beginneth presently to create thee anew Inspiring thee with his grace and holy spirit which beginneth to mortifie nature and sinne and prepareth thee to die and to rise againe at the last day For the second thou also contractest to do the same and to crucifie thy sinne more and more all thy life long euen to thy very death Which is acceptable to God also and hee exerciseth thee as long as thou liuest with good workes and manifold sufferings wherby he acteth the same which thou diddest desire in thy baptisme that is that thou wilt be free from sinne and wilt die and wilt rise againe at the youngest day and so fulfill baptisme Therefore doe we reade and see how he suffered his beloued Martyrs and Saints to be so martyred that they being but slaine fulfilled the Sacrament died and were created anew For if so bee that that commeth not to passe and wee haue neither sufferings nor exercises then will the corrupt nature of man so preuaile that hee will make baptisme vnprofitable vnto him and so hee falleth by sinne and so remaines an old man as he was before Whilest now such thy couenant is vnuiolated God giues thee grace againe and bindeth himselfe to thee that hee will not impute thy sinnes vnto thee which are in thy nature after baptisme hee will not looke vpon them neither damne thee for them hee satisfieth himselfe therein taking pleasure that thou art continually in exercise and desirest to kill the same and to bee freed from them by death Therfore though euill thoughts or desires doe indeed stirre yea though thou also somtimes sinnest and fallest yet if thou arise and returnest againe into the couenant so are they thus esteemed by vertue of the Sacrament and couenant as Saint Paul saith Rom. 8. Such is the nature of this Sauiour that hee damneth not thy naturall sinfull motions who beleeuest in Christ and doest not cherish the same neither consentest thereunto c. If so be now this couenant were not and that God did not mercifully looke through the fingers then
generall title of one or more reformed Churches for priuate writings are not alwaies so well considered of as they should And many of those writings also there are which most of vs neuer once saw or reade in all our liues And therefore we doe not acknowledge our selues indebted to render a reckoning for them Euen as wee also doe not thinke that the aduerse part will take vpon them to make answere for euery thing that is priuately penned by one or other on their sides of the learned euen the learnedest not exempted which might be esteemed to be done either hastily or vndeliberately And therefore it is that we do euen in the beginning of this writing say and testifie both for our needs sake and also for the common benefit that wee in no respect haue any such dangerous and detestable beleefe as peace-hating people ascribe vnto vs. CHAP. II. What our faith is in very truth NOw if any man shall further demand what then is our faith indeed the which we willingly acknowledge then is this our answere as followeth Wee beleeue that there is one onely true God Of God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the Sonne and holy Ghost and that accordingly there are three distinct persons in that one godly Essence the Father the Son and the holy Ghost We beleeue further that the same one God is euerlasting and Almighty and can doe whatsoeuer he will Also that hee is infinite and accordingly is present in all places at one time and seeth heareth and knoweth all things Also that hee is iust and punisheth no man without desert Also that he is mercifull and hath no delight in the death of sinners but that they should repent themselues and liue We beleeue further that the same one true God created heauen and earth and all that therein is of nothing Of the Creation We beleeue further that God sustaineth and ruleth all things which hee created and that hee hath them so in his hand Of the s◠knowledge of God that no creature can stirre or moue it selfe without his will and therefore nothing can come to passe without his permission whether it be good or euill Also all that God doth at present or permitteth to come to passe hee foreknew it from euerlasting and with well bethought councell had determined that hee euen so would doe it or permit it Also that hee did not determine to permit any wicked thing to come to passe but that which hee could and would turne to a good end We beleeue further that in the beginning God created all the Angels and men holy and good and especially man in his likenesse Of the fall of Angels and men and of originall sinne and to blessed immortality But they to wit the Angels and the two first of mankinde did shortly after their creation fall from God their Creator and haue by such their fall brought not onely vpon themselues the wrath of God but also such a pollution of their natures that now they can no more either will or accomplish any thing that is good Which pollution fell on the lost Angels altogether at one tim But mankinde inherits such defilement together with the guiltines both of the first and second death by propagation one from another From whence it is that the same corruptiō of mankind is called original sin We beleeue further though such a fearefull fall both of Angels and men Of the cause of mans fall could not haue come to passe without Gods permission and that hee appoints nothing without good consideration yet is not the fault of this fall in any manner to bee ascribed to him considering that he so created the Angels and men that they had free will to turne to good as well as to bad We beleeue further that it becomes not poore creatures to dispute with God wherefore he created the Angels and men so that they could fall Also wherefore he hindred not such a fall whereas he could well haue done it He is the Lord and his wil is euer iust and good though wee alwaies vnderstand it not The Apostle Paul saith Rom. 11.32 Gal. 3.22 that God hath shut vp all vnder vnbeleefe or vnder sin that hee might haue mercy on all that is that no man may be saued but meerely by the mercy of God Also Rom. 9.22.23 What and if God would to shew his wrath and to make his power knowne suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction and that he might declare the riches of his glory vpon the vessels of mercy which he hath prepared vnto glory By this ought wee in all reason to let it so remaine Wee beleeue further that the fallen Angels and and men could not free themselues from the Almighty gouernance of But that they on the one side as well as on the other are in the hand of God and their wickednesse cannot otherwise break out then as God hath permitted it And this our faith is our greatest comfort on earth For and if the wicked Angels men had the bridle in their own powers where should we be able to abide for thē Wee beleeue further that though God permit many sinnes in the fallen Angels and men and that hee vseth oftentimes their sinfull actions to accomplish his holy workes as hee did the abominable deeds of Absalom to the punishment of Dauid and the treason of Iudas to the freedome of mankinde also though he often punish sinne by sin and blind and harden those commonly at last who with seeing eyes will yet be blind as formerly he did Pharaoh yet neuerthelesse he of himselfe hath no pleasure in sinne much lesse doth hee prouoke or driue any man thereunto but that the precedent working cause of all sinne which goeth before is onely and alone the free and vnforced will of wicked Angels and men We beleeue further that God hath adiudged the fallen Angels to euerlasting fire without any grace or mercy to terrifie vs thereby that we make not a iest of the anger of God against sinne Wee beleeue further that God had indeed iust cause and power also to push downe the fallen men into euerlasting hellish fire without any grace or mercy But hee hath not done it but hath offered grace again to man And that so he might shew thē mercy without breach of his iustice hee ordained his onely begotten Sonne to be our surety and Mediator and to take the punishment vpon him which we deserued and so deliuer vs from euerlasting wel deserued death by his innocent death To accomplish the said councell and wil of God the heauenly father the Sonne of God our Lord and redeemer Iesus Christ became man in the last times of the world conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary and like vnto vs in all things sinne excepted And when hee had liued as a man thirtie yeeres he began to teach and preach the mercifull pleasure of
that in the same point also we differ not so much as many people imagine WHich whilest wee doe and seauer as befitteth that which he taught with wel considered counsell from those vnconsiderate speeches which sometimes fell from him in the heate of contention then appeares it plainely that he both beleeued and taught of all and euery necessary point euen as we beleeue and teach that one point of the holy Supper excepted And yet differ we not in the same point so much from each other as many men take it For it so being that in all Sacraments two things are to be considered first the tokens and then the betokened riches whereon out of all doubt more dependeth many thousand times then on the outward tokens then are wee agreeable in all things with Doctor Luther in the betokened treasures of the holy Supper For euen as Doctor Luther taught that the betokened treasures in the holy Supper or the same to which the holy Supper pointeth which maketh a man right and blessed before God is not the bodily but the spirituall eating and drinking of the body and blood of Christ a In the Sermon vpon Sacraments â—ay â—rinted in quarto 1523 in the 55.56.57 deafe Alsâ— in the Church Postil prâ— at Strasburg 1529. in the 2. part 102. Also in another Sermon of the Sacrament in the Church Postil pr. at Wittenberge anno 1540. in the first part 129. euen so teach wee also Also euen as Doctor Luther teacheth That the bodily eating and drinking of the body and blood of Christ is nothing else then to beleeue that Christ hath giuen his body to death for vs and his blood to bee spilt for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes b In the former places Also in the expounding the Epistle on Septuagessimae Sunday pr. in Wittenberge Post 275. B. Euen so teach we also Also euen as Doctor Luther teacheth That all they who doe eate and and drinke spiritually the naturall body and blood of Christ that is that doe beleeue that Christ gaue himselfe to death for them are by such a faith one bread and one spirituall body with Christ and themselues and therefore they can in Christ lay hold on all things and on the contrary they are again indebted to aduenture all in the behalfe of Christ and his members c Jn the former places also in Tom. 3. Ion. 235.206.207 Euen so teach we also Onely heere lies the difference what the outward tokens bee by which bodily eatings from which the vngodly are not exempted the spirituall feeding vpon the body and blood of Christ which belongeth to the children of God is betokened confirmed and sealed We say the same outward tok ns are bread and wine Doctor Luther vnderstands they are not onely bread and wine but also the body of Christ in bread and the blood of Christ in wine And so the difference betwixt our doctrine in the Supper and Doctor Luther lieth not in the ground of saluation but onely in the tokens which should shew vs to the ground of saluation It may please the reader rightly to consider Doctor Luther contendeth very hoâ—ly for the bodily presence and mouthly feeding vpon the body and blood of Christ in the holy supper But for all that he doth not estimate the sâ—m bodily presence and mouthly feeding for to be the true treasure and kernell of the holy Supper but onely to be the tokens or for a part of the tokens whereby the true treasure and kernell of the holâ— Supper namely the spirituall and alone blisse-making feeding of the body and blood of Christ which only is performed by faith is betokened and sealed vnto vs. As is to bee collected by these his words where he saith Christ hath not instituted the two kinds namely bread and wine barely and nakedly but his true naturall flesh in bread hath he giuen and his true naturall blood in the wine that so he might giue a perfect compleat Sacrament Tom. 1. Ien. 205. Also it is not enough to seed vpon the body and blood of Christ outwardly as it is not enough that a man paint oates before a horse to seede him withall Hee must haue true oates a In the Church Post il de Anno 1529. part 2. fo 102. B. Also the flesh is not profitable The words that I speake are spirit and life saith Christ With which words he will shew that the fleshly eating of the flesh is not pr fitable But to beleeue that Gods Sonne is flesh and came from heauen and shead his blood for mee that that is profit and life Therefore to eate the flesh of the Sonne of God and to drinke his blood is nothing else then that I doe beleeue that his flesh is giuen for mee and his blood is spilâ— for me and that hee hath ouercome for mee death diuell hell and all mishaps Out of which faith floweth a powerfull confidence in him and a stout and bold spirit against all mischance so that hereafter I haue no cause to feare whether it bee â—inne death diuell or Hell whilest I am assured that my Lord hath cast them vnder my feet and ouercome them for me That is caused by the spirituall eating and not by the bodily The spirituall and inward eating in the heart doth it not the outward which is effected in the Sacrament b Euen in the same place Behold Reader those our Doctor Luthers owne very words whereby hee manifestly teacheth and witnesseth that the bodily eating and drinking of the body of Christ which he vnderstands to bee acted in the holy Supper not to bee the right blisse-making eating drinking of the children of God but onely that it is a token which the wicked can as well receiue as the godly as he saith in other places Iudas receiues it euen as well as Peter Therefore the difference betwixt vs and Doctor Luther consists not in the foundation of saluation in cause of the holy Sacrament for whether Iudas receiued it as well as Peter that cannot be the foundation of saluation Else were our foundation very barely grounded But the difference consists onely in the tokens which shew vs onely to the foundation of saluation and shall giue vs assurance in our hearts Whilest we now agree in the true ground of saluation that is that the spirituall and alone blisse-making eating and drinking of the body and blood of Christ which is acted by faith as we God bee thanked therein agree in all things together is it not then most lamentable that wee should separate our selues so shamefully one from another about the tokens which the wicked can receiue as well as the godly CHAP. V. Wherefore we cannot agree in all things with Doctor Luther in the point of the holy Supper YEa wherefore doe you it then might some man say Wherefore doe you not giue Doctor Luther and his followers right and so were the contention ceased Answere That is not the way to exclude discord
are spoken of wherein something is comprehended then saith one This is that or that when he meaneth Therein is this or that For example a man pointeth to a fat and saith this is Rheinish wine when he meanes therein is Rheinish wine Now the Sacraments are no vessels wherein the goodnesse of God are shut in as wine or beare is in the corner of a fat But the Sacraments are tokens or seales whereby God betokeneth confirmeth and sealeth his bounty and the part wee haue therein vnto vs as is well knowne Whilest then the Sacraments are not vessels from whence shall a man coniecture that Christ would speake thereof as men are vsed to doe of vessels Is it not more to bee credited whilest the Sacraments are tokens that Christ also meant so as men vse to speake of signes Now it is the manner both by God and man when one speaketh of signes that one giues the token the name of the betokened thing it selfe and saith This is that or that when he would say This is a token of this or that For example In godly matters of the Circumcision saith God This is my couenant Gen. 17.10.11 whereas hee meant This shall be a token of my couenant as is before rehearsed And in the like manner in worldly matters when a man strikes on a painted hand with a bill in a Princes camp or Court men say this is the freedome whereas it is meant this is a token of the freedome or it is a signe that freedome is in Behold Reader this is the custome both by God and man and so vseth God and man to speake that they say namely This is that or that whereas they would say This betokeneth this or that or this is a token and signe of this or that Wherefore should then the Sonne of God onely in the institution of the tokens of his grace speake any otherwise for that the holy Supper is a Sacrament that is a holy token or a holy signe or remembrance of the death of Christ that is vncontroleable it so being that Christ so calleth it himselfe where hee saith Doe it in remembrance of me Whereas now Christ instituted the Supper to that end that it should be a remembrance or a calling to minde or token and signe how that Christ gaue his body and blood to death for vs wherefore should wee not so vnderstand the words which Christ speaketh of bread This is my body as it is of common vse both by God and men to vnderstand the like words which speake of tokens and remembrances and callings to minde as if hee had said This bread which I breake before your eyes and command you to eate shall be a remembrance or calling to minde how that I haue or shall breake my body vpon the Crosse that is let my selfe be slaine martyred and killed that I might be vnto you a true bread of euerlasting life that is a right powerfull deliuerance from the euerlasting hunger and misery which else you must haue endured in hell Wee demand of euery man vpon his conscience what should hinder that this constructiō of Christ words should not take place We doe not yet say that it must needs be so but onely this is that we say now that no man shal shew any waighty cause wherefore it may not well bee so It is first of all alleaged that that word is Tom. 3 fol. 471. B. will not beare it that it should be taken figuratiuely but that word is must alwaies be vnderstood really But the cleane contrary is already shewed by many examples and sufficiently manifested Then they alleage the words of Christ This is my body being words of a testament and therefore they must be vnderstood according to the letter as it standeth But where stands it written that in the Testaments all words must be vnderstood litterally as they stand And where is there any where a Christian man vnder the Sun who euer vnderstood these words The cup is the new Testament literally as they stand namely that the cup is the new Testament that is the forgiuenesse of sinnes the holy Ghost and the euerlasting life it selfe For those are the treasures which God hath promised and published in the new Testament or new Couenant that is in the Gospell If now any man should beleeue that a cup which sometimes a Gold-smith made should bee the new Testament it selfe that is the forgiuenesse of sinnes and the holy Ghost that would we gladly vnderstand Yea or if there were any man in the world that did beleeue that the bread it selfe were the body of Christ as the words of Christ stand Tom. 3. fol. 485. and many other places that would wee gladly vnderstand Doctor Luther saith No but bread is bread and remaines bread euen in the middest of eating it But in the bread is the body of Christ Then remaines he not by the words as they sound For the words of Christ sound vndeniably thus that that which hee tooke in his hand and broke namely the bread was his body but not that in bread was his body as Doctor Luther saith Also not that vnder the formes of bread and wine was his body as the Papists say And so is there no man in the world who vnderstands the words as they sound but they all fly from the words and seeke the construction one this and the other that Yea Doctor Luther confesseth sometimes most plainely that in the words of Christ This is my body is a Synecdoche a Tom 3 fol. 80. and 484. that Synecdoche is a figure b Tom. 3. 80. or a trope c Tom. 3 456. The figure Synecdoche makes all very cleare d Tom. 3 80. c. What is then in the mindes of men that they keepe the common people vp with this false position That in the words of Christs Testament there is no trope or figure to bee admitted but wee most remaine simply by the sound of the bare letter Brentius in John 6. Some say that though it be without No that in the words of Christ This is my body a Trope must be admitted yet must it not bee such a trope which giue the words a figuratiue construction For in the Sacraments of the new Testament there are no significations Tom. 3. fol. 503. But this rule is also false And Doctor Luther himselfe witnesseth in many places that euen as well in the Sacraments of the new Testament as in the Sacraments of the old Testament there are significations For euen so speakes he of the holy Baptisme in the little Catechisme Question What signifieth the Baptising with water Answere Many more the like places there are Tom Ion. fol 183. 184. 115. 186. 187. Jn the Sermon of Baptisme It signifieth that the old Adam with all sinnes and bad lusts should be drowned in vs and wee should arise to bee new creatures c. Which is as much as if hee had said
to the former saith Hierome Hier ad Pammach And euen in like manner is it with the sealed graue stone though it cannot bee shewed that Christ did arise till such time as the Angell had rolled the same away euen as Matthew expresly writeth that he rolled it away Chap. 28.2 It is beleeued also saith Doct. Luther Tom 3. fol. 460. that Christ was also so borne of his mother Answere It is not euery where beleeued and there is no necessity to beleeue it for it is not written any where in the word of God This is written in the word of God that Christ was conceiued supernaturally without the helpe of man only by the power of the holy Ghost But that hee should bee borne supernaturally and come out of the body of his mother being closed that stands not at all in the word of God but much more the cleare contrary is written therein For the Law is expresly referred to Christ which saith Euery man child that first openeth the wombe shall be called holy to the Lord Luk. 2.23 and what needeth much disputing Christ himselfe cleareth it Luk. 24.39 where hee saith Behold my hands and my feete it is I my selfe handle me and see for a spirit hath no flesh and bones as ye see mee haue By which words he most clearely sheweth that the second manner of being somewhere namely to bee vnseene and vnpalpable is not common to bodies but belongeth to the spirits Therefore this opinion that the body of Christ should be vnuisible and vnpalpable as the spirits are hath not onely no ground in Gods word but is also flat against the same And admit that it could bee shewed out of the word of God that the body of Christ were at present vnsightly and vnfeeleable yet were not the Contradiction which is betwixt the holy Scripture and Doctor Luthers opinion where the holy Scripture saith hee is not at present more vpon earth but Doctor Luther saith hee is yet now vpon the earth nothing at all ended thereby For the spirits also or Angels though they bee vnuisible and not to bee handled as they bee yet neuerthelesse are they but in one place at one time Therefore if it bee true as it is that Christ is at present in heauen then can he be no more vpon the earth after the second maner then after the first together at one time And accordingly the bodily presence of Christ together in many thousand places that is in all places where the holy Supper is celebrated by the second manner of being in a place namely as the created spirits are in one place can neuer bee defended and maintained But will a man haue the bodily presence of Christ alike in many thousand places then must hee also of necessity ascribe to the body of Christ the third manner which manner is to be alike wholly and altogether in all places Now Doctor Luther confesseth that this manner is proper to God onely Tem. 3. fol. 457. B. where he saith This manner is onely ascribed to God as hee saith by the Prophet Ieremy Am I a God at hand Ier. 23.23.24 and not far off doe not I fill heauen and earth c. See Reader there Doctor Luther confesseth and proues it by the word of God that the third manner of being namely to be wholly in all places entirely belongeth to God himselfe And yet neuerthelesse where he seeth Marke Reader the fountaine of vbiquitie that the bodily presence of Christ in the bread of the holy Supper cannot otherwise bee maintained by him he lets the heate of contention and desire of the victory so farre beare sway that he addeth against the presently forenamed knowledge and confession of his owne and saith The body of Christ hath also the third manner vpon it of being somewhere Tom. 3. fol. 459. 460. c. And clearer yet The body of Christ is euery where Tom. 3. Ien. fol. 457. And was at that time euery where when hee walked vpon the earth Tom. 3. fol. 354. 493. Also Yea hee is in all places from his mothers wombe Tom. 3. fol 464. Also It is all through and through full Christ euen according to the manhood Tom. 3. Ien. fol. 458. Also Heauen and earth is his sacke as the corne filleth the sacke euen so fils he euery thing Tom. 2. Wit fol. 115. B * In the Sermon against the Swarme spirits Also Hee is ouer all in all creatures so that I can finde him in stone in fier in water or euen in the snare as hee is certainely there Note This Sermon is left out in the Jenish Tomis Tom. 2. Wit fol. 96. B. Yet suffers he not himselfe to be catcht and laid hold on hee can well deliuer himselfe c. Tom. 3 Ien. fol. 355. This is in truth a lamentable example out of which one may see what contention can do when one yeelds too much vnto it It is also a sufficient more then sufficient testimony that the doctrine of the bodily presence of Christ in the Supper cannot be right For what is right that can also bee maintained with vpright grounds as Sirack saith The Law shall be fulfilled without lies and wisedome is sufficient to a faithfull mouth Chap. 34.8 Now can the doctrine of the bodily presence of Christ in the Supper neuer be maintained with found grounds But if a man will maintaine it then must hee take the falsest grounds to helpe him which may bee thought of to maintaine it namely the omnipresence of the body of Christ as the reader seeth therfore it is vnpossible that such a doctrine can be true But some man might say you haue not as yet proued that the Omnipresence of Christ is a false ground Answere What need is thereof much proofe Doctor Luther hath at last himselfe againe acknowledged and confessed Pag. 152. as the Brunswicks Diuines at the conference at Quedelburg openly testified and with sufficient documents explaned and manifested Also most of the Lutheran Diuines doe at present acknowledge it for all that they formerly vnderwrit the Concordien booke which was taken in hand to ratifie this opinion And all Christian men must acknowledge it or must confesse that the whole story of the Gospel is false yea that the whole Christian faith is nothing but a very meere sight in a looking glasse For a body which is euery where can neither be conceiued nor carried in a body nor borne into the world of such a mother who is not euery where Also a body that is euery where can neither bee captiued nor bound nor carried from one place to another nor be scourged nor crucified nor put to death nor bee taken from the Crosse nor bee buried of those who are not euery where c. That must all Christian men confesse And all doe vniformely confesse it also three or foure Cauellers excepted with whom wee hereof dispute in vaine For they know well aforehand that they faile
Scripture Clearance of the third contrariety betwixt Doctor Luthers opinion and the holy Scripture as wee haue aboue touched is this that the holy Scripture saith Christ once dying for vs can henceforth die no more Which is euen as much as if it said his body can be no more without blood and his blood can be no more really seuered from the body or be shead out of the body But Doctor Luthers opinion brings this with it that now euery day namely as often as the holy Communion is administred that the body of Christ is without blood and that the blood of Christ is really seuered from his body For the bread is indeed seuered from the wine really When now the body is in the bread and not in the wine and contrariwise the blood is in the wine and not in the bread then is it indeed manifest that they must be separated really from each other And Doctor Luther yeelds that that is his meaning where he saith I am to know that I receiue the body of Christ in the Sacrament without blood Tom. 3. fol. 529. Vpon this Contrariety doe wee not finde any thing of respect which Doctor Luther hath answered in his strife writings Neither doe wee see how it is possible to answere any thing groundedly and therefore it remaines as it is And this is now sufficiently spoken of the second cause why wee cannot giue approbation to Doctor Luthers opinion about the bodily presence of the body and blood of Christ in the bread and wine of the holy Supper namely whilest such an opinion hath not onely no ground in Gods word but also is manifoldly against the same 3 The third cause wherefore we yeeld not no Doctor Luthers opinion namely whilest it hath no testimony from the old Apostolicall Churches but was first batchâ—d in the blindest times of Popery The third cause is that such a construction hath no testimony from the Apostolicall Churches but was first founded many hundred yeeres after the birth of Christ in the very darkest daies of Popery as the Reader may easily come to vnderstand out of the following witnesses of the old Doctors of the Church Tertullian who liued about the yeere of Christ 200. saith The Lord tooke bread and diuided it amongst his Disciples and made the same his body in that he said This is my body that is a representatioÌ„ of my body Cyprian who liued about the yeere after Christ Serm. de Chrism 240. saith That the bread and the wine are the body and the blood of Christ as the betokening and the betokened thing vsed to be tearmed with one name Gregory Nazianzen Apologet. who liued about the yeere of Christs birth 360. nameth the bread a signe answerable to the body of Christ Chrysostome who liued about the yeere after the birth of Christ 370. saith Psal in 22. Bread and wine are a figure of the body and blood of Christ Also Homil 17. ad Heb. the Supper is a token and signe of remembrance of the death of Christ Augustine who liued about the yeere after the birth of Christ 390. saith The Lord hath commanded a representation of his body in the Supper a Psal 3. Also The Lord hath himselfe not spared to say This is my body when he gaue but a token of his body b Contra Adim C. 12. Also The Sacrament is named being one thing with the name of the same thing which it signifieth c Epist 23 ad Bonif. Also The Scripture vseth euen so to speake that it nameth the token as the betokened thing d In Joh. N. 63. Also The heauenly bread which is the flesh of Christ is in his kinde called the body of Christ it being indeed a Sacrament that is a holy token of the body of Christ which was hanged vpon the Crosse visibly palpably and dyingly And the offering of the flesh which is performed by the hands of the Minister is tearmed the suffering and dying of Christ vpon the Crosse not that it is the thing it selfe but that it betokeneth it as a mystery e Sent. Prosp Theodoret Dial. 1. who liued about the yeere after the birth of Christ 440. saith Our Sauiour himselfe hath changed the names and hath giuen the name of the tokens to his body and of his body to the tokens c. And in sundry places hee nameth the bread and wine in the Supper a representation and opponent signe of the body and blood of Christ Beda who liued about the yeere after the birth of Christ Super Lucam 730. saith Christ hath instituted in stead of the flesh and blood of the Lambe the Sacrament of his flesh and blood in the representation of bread and wine De coeâ—â— Domini ad Carolum Magnum Bertram who liued about the yeere after the birth of Christ 800. when some began to beleeue the bodily presence of Christ in the Supper and being demanded thereabouts by Charles the great freely declared That the bread is figuratiuely and not really the body of Christ From the witnesses it is very manifest that the euill custome of the bodily presence of Christ in the Supper did not arise before such time as that Popery got the mastery Wherefore cannot wee otherwise estimate such a custome but for a Popish leauen About which no man hath any iust cause to wonder that Doctor Luther who otherwise was a deadly enemy to the Popedome did neuer encounter this abomination of the Popedome Euen Elias the Prophet also did not encounter the calues of Bethel 2. King 25.15 which Ieroboam had set vp but they remained euen vnto the daies of King Iosias and yet neuerthelesse they were Baalitish abominations God hath such a manner that hee accomplisheth not all by one man that so no man might be made an idoll but must ascribe the honour onely to him And also there were outward causes which were a hinderance to Doctor Luther that he could not attaine to the true ground of this matter For first hee was borne and brought vp in the Popedome and hee was a Frier full fifteene yeeres long in which many yeers and from his childhood the euill custome of the bodily presence of Christ in the bread was so strongly rooted in him that he could not easily remoue it out of his heart afterwards Euen as also many other Popish errours as the Purgatory Transubstantiation the Communion vnder one kind and honouring of the Sacrament calling vpon the Saints c. in the beginning of his Reformation for certaine yeeres together cleaue fast vnto him Secondly and whereas Doctor Carlstadt would shew vnto him that hee failed in this point then did not Carlstadt onely bring it in very vnbefittingly in that that he said that Christ with the word this pointed not to bread but to his by-sitting body at table which Doctor Luther could easily confute him in and so thereby he was more and more fortified in
worldly degrees iustice and ordinances whatsoeuer they be are a very true estate and not forbidden as some Papists and Anabaptists doe hold and teach but that a Christan who is either borne or called thereunto may well bee saued by faith in Christ euen as well as the estate of father and mother of master and dame For the thirteenth the inuentions of men in Gods worship are called traditions if they be such as are not contradictory to Gods word they may bee held or not vsed as the occasion serues amongst whom we liue carefully auoiding vnnecessary offences and being seruiceable to peace that also the doctrin condemning Priests mariage is a doctrine of diuels For the fourteenth We all beleeue and hold about the Supper of our louing Lord Iesus Christ that it is to be vsed in both kinds also that the Masse is not a worke whereby one can purchase for the other life and death and grace that also the Sacrament of the Alter is a Sacrament of the true body blood of Iesus Christ the spirituall feeding vpon the same body and blood is of greatest necessity to euery Christian and likewise the vse of the said Sacrament is as the word of the Almighty God is giuen and ordained for that end that thereby the weake conscience might be quickened by the holy Ghost And though it bee so that at this time wee cannot agree whether the true body and blood of Christ bee bodily in the bread and wine yet ought the one part to performe Christian loue to the other so farre as euery mans conscience will beare and both sides entreate the Almighty God with all feruency that hee would settle vs in the right vnderstanding by the holy Ghost Amen Martinus Luther Philip Melancthon Iustus Ionas Andreas Osiander Iohannes Brentius Stephanus Agricola Iohannes Oecolampadius Vlricus Zwinglius Martinus Bucer Casper Hedio Behold Reader euen this was the agreement betwixt Doctor Luther and Zwinglius at Marpurge together And it abides also at this day euen the same agreement betwixt Doctor Luther and vs. It is true indeed that there are more points contrauerted at present betwixt the disciples of Doctor Luther and vs. But nothing at al with Doctor Luther himselfe Which wee doe not speake therefore that our intent is to helpe and protect our selues with the name of Doctor Luther Blessed bee God wee haue a greater help and protection for our grounds namely the vnuanquishable word of God And whereas wee doe yet notifie the witnesse of Doctor Luther also that is done by vs for this end that thereby the eyes of those might bee opened who haue hitherto been blinded with his name The first then of the remaining points which at this day are forced to the lists is the point of the person of Christ About which indeed many great and fearefull errours are measured out vnto vs by our accusers But we are able to speake it for a truth vnto the Reader that wee did neuer beleeue and teach and also now doe not otherwise beleeue and teach in our Churches about the person of Christ then as happy Doctor Luther at all times did beleeue and teach thereof excepting the vbiquitie of the body of Christ Which also at last Doctor Luthers himselfe renounced and said Touching the vbiquity or being of Christs body in all places it shall not bee disputed of there is much other matter herein Tom. 8. fol. 340. B In all other doctrines about the person of Christ we doe fully consent with Doctor Luther Indeed our accusers doe alleage that wee teach otherwise about the vnion of the properties of both the natures in Christ What we are condemned in about the person of Christ then as happie Doctor Luther did teach thereof For instance they do say that we teach that the diuine and humane natures in Christ haue no actuall and working fellowship one with another and that accordingly the man Christ is not God in very deed and truth but onely in bare name and title Also that not in very deed and truth the Sonne of God but only a meere man suffered for vs. But the Reader may take assured knowledge that such blasphemous thoughts against God neuer entred into our minds But we haue alwaies through the grace of God both beleeued and taught the cleane contrary And wee euen now also beleeue and teach the same That the godly and humane natures in Christ haue the most inward and nearest fellowship one with the other being both vnited together into one person And that there accordingly Christ is very man not only in â—â—re name and title but also in deed and truth Also that not a meere man but the true Sonne of God Chap. 2. died for vs vpon the Crosse That is our faith herein as is to be seene aboue and in all our other Confessions And our accusers know it assuredly And yet are they not afraid of God but publish otherwise of vs. They take this for their helpe for that Doctor Luther did in some measure cast in the teeth of Zwinglius that he should haue learned concerning the fellowship of the properties of both the natures in Christ also of the Godhead of Christ and of the sufferings and death of Christ not truly but on the blasphemous manner aboue named But the Reader shall vnderstand that Doctor Luther himselfe did it not but onely Doctor Luthers anger did doe it which ought in all reason to be buried with him For God knowes it and euery man may also know it who will but reade the writings of Zwinglius that Doctor Luther as well in this as in many other things offered violence and iniurie to the good honest man And admit that he did vse some such reasons which seeme to sauour of the often named errours in his first writings yet did hee in his following writings oftentimes so free himselfe both plainly and iudiciously that in conscience al euill suspitions of him should vanish away But admit this also that Zwinglius had not sufficiently cleared him selfe yet haue others of our teachers since the death of Zwinglius cleared themselues many hundred times and wee cleare our selues herewithall once more adding to full measure that we doe not beleeue and teach otherwise neither euer did otherwise beleeue and teach in our Churches of the fellowship or Communion of the properties of both natures in Christ in Latine De communicatione idiomatum then as Doctor Luther of happie memorie did beleeue and teach thereof The Summe whereof is to this effect The summe of the doctrine of Doctor Martin Luther of the fellowship of the properties That the Communion of both natures in Christ are common to the alone and vnseparable persons of Christ That is that of Christ may be said and vttered both the properties of the diuine and also the humane natures whilest both the said natures are in him Or which is all one that all may be said of Christ what may be said of God
one truth and that all differences amongst vs are almost onely in such matters as concerne not the life of religion but the exteriour shape and garment thereof And this by the guidance of our inuisible head Iesus Christ and his blessed spirit of truth in better and in a more excellent maner then they by their visible Iudge the pretended vicar of Christ vpon earth And touching the second that neither directly wee teach nor indirectly may bee deduced from our doctrines that God is the author of sinne is so euidently and sincerely discouered in this booke as none that readeth the same with aduisement can but account our aduersaries notorious callumniaters to lay so soule a crime to our charges vpon so silly a ground but no maruell seeing slandering and lying is one of the chiefe pillars of their kingdome These bee the profitable vses that may be made of this booke Now the God of all mercie direct all our thoughts words and works to the aduancement of his glorie and the edification of his Church And thus commending this booke to thy fauourable acceptance I commend thee to the grace of Christ Iesus Thine in the Lord and the poore seruant of Iesus Christ Thomas Beard Doctor of Diuinitie THE CONTENTS OF THIS DECLARATION FIrst there is placed a Preface of the cause and end of this Declaration After followeth the Declaration it selfe wherein are ten Chapters Containing as followeth The 1. Chapter That we haue not such a detestable faith as is measured to vs abroad The 2. Chapter What our faith is in very truth The 3. Chapter That we haue not founded and learned such our faith from blind reason much lesse from the reuelation of Satan as some calumniate vs also not out of the writings of failable men but onely and alone out of the infallible word of God through the gratious inlightning of his holy spirit The 4. Chapter That Doctor Luther of happie memorie did euen beleeue and teach as we beleeue and teach except that only one point of the holy supper And that also we differ not in the same point so much as many imagine The 5. Chapter Wherefore we cannot hold with Doctor Luther in all things about the point of the holy Supper The 6. Chapter That we do not beleeue and teach otherwise of the person of Christ then as Doctor Luther of happy memory did beleeue and teach excepting the vbiquitie of the body of Christ which he also at last renounced himselfe The 7. Chapter That wee doe not belieue and teach otherwise of the foreknowledge and almightie prouidence of God ouer all creatures and of the originall of sinne then as Doctor Luther of happie memory hath beleeued and taught thereof The 8. Chapter That we belieue and teach no otherwise of the euerlasting Predestination of God or of the free election by grace of the children of God to euerlasting life or which is all one from whence faith springeth then as Doctor Luther of happie memorie did beleeue and teach The 9. Chapter That we beleeue and teach no otherwise of holy Baptisme then as Doctor Luther of happie memorie published in the Smalkaldish Articles and in the Sermon of the blessed Sacrament of holy Baptisme anno 1519. deliuered his opinion The 10. Chapter That the Ceremonies which wee vse in our Churches are neither against the word of God nor Christian liberty These are the Chapters of this Declaration vpon which this conclusion followeth that for the same they haue no iust cause to condemne vs as heathens The Vollumes of Luther mentioned are his Dutch Vollumes OF THE END AND CONTENTS OF THIS DECLARATION CHristian louing Reader it cannot bee vttered what mischiefe the contention about the Sacrament hath done and yet dailie doth and is to be feared will doe more and more in the Protestant Churches Now we for our parts are not only readie to imbrace peace continually and for that ende haue tried all meanes to purchase the same whatsoeuer any Christians are bound to doe therein but so there are also many God fearing people on the aduerse part both of high and low degree who desire peace as gladly euen as we doe and would further it to the vttermost of their powers who also acknowledge that the meanes thereto propounded by vs that we namely whilest we agree in the foundation of faith should not condemne each other for difference in opinion about by-questions considering that it is vnpossible in this life that the perfection and vniforme confession of all the misteries of God should be holden by all members of Christ in all things as the Scripture witnesseth and experience hath alwaies manifested are Christian and agreeable to the word and will of God Onely they are hindrered by part of their portly preachers who say and write that it standeth not alone vpon some few by-questions but also that there is difference in opinion in the foundation of Christian faith and that we haue so many detestable errours that no Christian man can with good conscience acknowledge vs for brethren in Christ and according to the same hold peace and brothership with vs. That now this obstacle may bee remooued and that good-hearted people may know what to trust vnto about vs wee are willing once more adding to full measure to declare what we beleeue or doe not beleeue of all and euery point of doctrine and thereby also declare what wee vse for Ceremonies or doe not vse in our Churches with the causes added thereto wherefore we doe the one and not the other The merciful true God and Father be pleased to bestow his grace and blessing on such a work that the eies of many people may be opened thereby to the honor of him and benefit of his Churches Amen A FVLL DECLARATION OF THE FAITH AND CEREMOnies of the Pfaltzgraues Churches CHAP. I. That we haue not such a detestable faith as is measured to vs abrode by peace-hating people NOw to begin We protest before God and whole Christendome that wee haue not in any sort such a detestable faith as peace-hating people ascribe vnto vs whereas they say That we denie Gods omnipotency The 〈◊〉 thes◠〈◊〉 is to the◠〈◊〉 Cha◠〈◊〉 That we make God the authour of sinne That we make God to be a tyrant That we denie the Godhead of Christ That we denie the personall vnion of both the natures in Christ That wee say that the diuine and humane natures in in Christ haue in no sort any actuall and working fellowship one with the other That we denie originall sinne That wee say that the sonne of God died not for vs indeed and in truth but onely a bare man That we denie the power of the death of Christ That we denie the necessity of beleeuing in Christ and say that the vnbeleeuing heathens can be saued as well as the Christians That we make holy Baptisme of no effect That we deny the blisse making eating and drinking of the body and blood of
Christ in the holy Supper That wee teach that hee that is elected to euerlasting life must be saued be he neuer so wicked and hee that is ordained to euerlasting death he must be damned liue he so holily as he can possibly Such and many more the like blasphemies against God they doe accuse vs of that wee both beleeue and teach But we can auouch it before God that we tremble from our hearts to think vpon the very naming of such blasphemies against God if we were to tax others for them how farre is it then from vs that we our selues should beleeue and teach such Also those our defamers are neuer able to produce any sound proofe against vs that wee did euer beleeue or teach any such things Aâ— they themselues now lay open Doctor Myllius in the brothership of the Lutheran Euangelist Churches Thess 163. and acknowledge in their last writings that wee neuer approued any such detestable opinions And yet cease they not to throw the scandall vpon vs and will excuse the same with this that it is no new thing to lay vpon heretickes the euill consequents which follow their doctrines as their owne errours though they do not allow the same But be it new or old wee giue all honest men leaue to iudge whether it be right or not The Heathen had formerly a â—â—ouerbe Inter bonos bene agier oportet that is honest meâ— should deale honestly with each other Also Quisque debet esse interpres suorum verborum that is euery man should bee the interpreter of his owne words In which manner also saith Syrach Chap. 19.16 17. A man letteth words fall sometimes which bee meaneth not so for who is it that failes not sometimes with his tongue speake to thy neighbour thereof before thou threaten him c. That hath euer been the iudgement of the ancient as well among the Heathens as people of God that wee should catch no man in his words but giue euery man leaue to be his owne expositor how he vnderstands the same What in the end will come heereof when the one shall so deale with the other and deceiueably lay imputations of errour on the other which neuer came in his mind Surely then shall men by such courses not onely make heretickes of Zwinglius Caluin Beza Martyr c. And not onely of Luther Melancton Brentius c. but also of the Prophets and Apostles themselues The Euangelist Marke writeth chapter 6.5 that Christ could doe no great workes in his father-land If a wicked man had to deale with these words might he not seeme to haue shew for this conclusion that the Euangelist Marke had denied Christs omnipotency Moses saith God hardened Pharaohs heart Exod. 11.10 Paul goes yet further 〈…〉 18. and saith Hee hardeneth whom hee will When a wicked man dealeth therewith could not hee with great shew make this conclusion and say Moses and Paul make God the author of sinne And did not Paul complaine thereof many hundred yeeres agoe that men would euen make such conclusions out of his doctrine against it Or do not the defamers know that that wretched fellow Doctor Pistorius now at this present concludes against blessed Doctor Luther Hee writes Doctor Luther was a Tritheit who said there are three Gods Also he was a Sabellian who said there was but one person of the Godhead Also he was an Arian who denied the euerlasting Godhead of Christ Also that he was an Eutichian who mingled the two natures of Christ in one Also a Nestorian who separated the two natures in Christ Also a Valentinian who were so madde headed as to say that the humane nature of Christ descended from heauen Also a Marcionite who blasphemed that Christ was not crucified and died in very deed but onely in shew Such and many more the like detestable heresies that wretched fellow Pistorius construeth vpon blessed Doctor Luther And to proue the same against him hee cites his owne words which make a great shew to that end What will our defamers say vnto it they can say no otherwise in truth then that Doctor Luther was not honestly dealt withall to construe his words so and to draw such conclusions from them as neuer came into his minde in all his life Euen the very same answere shall they receiue from vs also who forge such falshoods things else not heard of as are aboue specified and the like things vpon vs. Which yet we repeate not for their sakes for to them is all singing and saying lost But what we say that speake wee for those honest mens sakes who would gladly vnderstand how the estate in religion standeth with vs and whom it also concerneth as much as vs that they be throughly informed therein They may now know and may well and boldly put this trust in vs for wee feare God and desire not to deceiue any man that all the odious and blasphemous things whereof wee are calumniated heere and there by contentious spirits are no other things but euen meere flat lies And they need not bee troubled though they alleage that there stand our owne plaine words Is it not true that our owne plaine words stand there That God is 〈◊〉 mighty that God is the author of sinne c. But there stand onely such words in our writings out of the which these and the like blasphemies may bee wrested if men will deale dishonestly with vs or not respect or take to heart what we say as wee haue often declared In which kind of handling way be drawn euen such and the like odious blasphemies against God with as great shew of reason as is before specified and that out of the word of God it selfe We speake not this to that intent as if wee esteemed our writings equivalent to the word of God We know full well that we are men who can erre and faile But this onely is that we say Can they make an euill construction of Gods word wherein yet there is no fault when they will be wicked and conclude many euill things from thence with great shew of reason how much more may our words be construed euill and with great shew many great and fearefull errours be drawne from thence which are not alwaies voide of failings of themselues Wherfore good people are not to respect such their conclusions Yea also when they shall lay our owne words in our owne bookes before their faces yet are they not presently to construe that this or that is our opinion as the words at first shew seeme to beare but they are to looke both before and behinde what is added and what wee declare either there or in other our writings of the like matter Note Neither side is to blame other for priuate writings Especially good vnderstanding people may haue good respect how wee haue expounded our meanings in our Catechisme and other manifest and open writings of many godly learned men together aduised vpon and put forth vnder the