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
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
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
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
of the Church to the Ecclesiasticall function and next that he be in a lawfull manner chosen and ordained by the Church it self according to the saying of the Apostle a Heb. 5 4. No man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron c. DOCT. XIV Who are called to the ministry by Christ BUt we believe them to be called by Christ to the ministry whom he hath enabled and made fit to undertake it and those fit to whom besides the desire of propagating the Kingdome of God and glorifying God by a holy life he hath given the knowledge of sound doctrine and abilitie to propound it to the people for their salvation as the Apostle teacheth both otherwhere and b 1 Tim. 3.2 Tit. 2.6 in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus For whom God chooseth and calleth to any function he endues them with gifts necessary to the performance of the same since he calleth us rather in deed then by words And therefore they who hold not the sound doctrine of the Gospel nor teach the same to the people but rather that which is contrary unto it whether they runne of their own accord or are sent by men entrusted with the ordinary authority of sending yet we acknowledge them not for ministers called by Christ and consequently do not account them fitting to be heard as St. Iohn saith a 2 Iohn 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed and God also by the Prophet Ieremie describeth those Prophets which were sent by him and those which were not in these words b Ier. 23.21 I have not sent these Prophets yet they ran I have not spoken to them yet they prophesied where explaining the former clauses by the latter he teacheth that those are not sent by him who speake not out of the mouth of God and on the contrarie that they who bring the word of God are sent by him And we are not to seek for the reason hereof For seeing c Eph. 4.12 ministers are sent of God for the edification of the Church which is rather destroyed by the doctrines of men but built up by the word of God certainly they are not sent by God who bring not his word with them DOCT. XV. That Christ calleth men to the ministry two wayes FUrthermore seeing all truly ministers are called by Christ we believe that he calleth men to the ministry after a double manner namely either a Gal. 1.1 immediately by himself alone or mediately by men that is by the Church and therefore they are both equally to be heard and accounted the true ministers of God DOCT. XVI How Christ declares to the Church those that are sent by him to be sent by himself alone WHereas those whom Christ himself calleth he declareth to be sent by himself by rendring them all fit for that charge he doth it more especially in them whom he calls and sends immediately by himself and by his Spirit extraordinarilie For he is wont to endue them largely with peculiar and excellent gifts and chiefly with the holy Ghost in abundant measure with ardent zeal of the glory of God singular knowledge of the word of God which they bring a profitable and perspicuous manner of teaching and consequently with happy successe of their labours whereby they are inabled with more speed and efficacie to reduce the Churches to the ancient that is the Apostolike frame and their lawfull and divine calling is more easily and certainly made known to the Churches a Eph. 4.12 Because all that Christ gives to the Churches as ministers he gives them to the edification thereof from whence the conclusion is easily consequent that by whose meanes we observe the Churches to be edified they are such as are called by Christ and their ministry is divine and lawfull DOCT. XVII That the calling of those ministers whom Christ sends extraordinarily and by himself is not alwayes confirmed by miracles nor is it needfull it should be so FOr we do not believe that miracles are alwayes necessary to the confirmation of the ministry of this kind of ministers since we do not read that the mission of all the Prophets was confirm'd by miracles but onely by the Spirit of God and the zeal of his glory wherewith they were enflamed and especially by the truth of the divine word which they preached not without advantage to the Saints that is the elect in the Church whereas on the other side some even false Prophets did performe signes and wonders a 2 Thes 2.9 which also the Apostle hath foretold should be done by Antichrist b Matt. 24.24 Christ before him Which notwithstanding because they brought not the word of God but lies and exhorted the people to go after strange Gods the Lord forbad them to be heard yea a Deut 3.2 10. he commanded they should be stoned to death DOCT. XVIII That the Churches which Christ restoreth by ministers extraordinarily sent are true Churches and consequently there is a lawfull ministry in them and they have lawfull authority of calling and ordaining ministers COnsidering the truth of what we have already deliver'd concerning ministers extraordinarily called by Christ we believe likewise that the Churches which Christ by their meanes and ministry restores and happily reformes in setting up the preaching of true doctrine with the lawfull administration of the Sacraments and purging the worship of God from idolatries and superstitions and recalling the true forms of discipline as much as is possible to be done and consequently communion with the Apostles that they are true Churches And from thence it followes that they have authority of calling and ordaining ministers in a lawfull manner and by that meanes to continue the succession of ministers amongst themselves So that there remaines no doubt but that ministers do there lawfully succeed and are the true ordinary ministers of the Church namely so long as together with the personall succession as it is called they likewise succeed and persist in the preaching of sound doctrine DOCT. XIX That as where true doctrine is there is a true Church so where it is not there is neither a true Church nor a lawfull ministry FOr we are well assured that as where the true doctrine onely even without a continued succession of Bishops from the beginning can be shown there is a true Church and likewise a true and lawfull ministry so on the contrary where onely a personall succession is boasted of but the purity of doctrine truely Christian is defaced there is no lawfull ministry since as the Church so the Ecclesiasticall ministry is not ty'd to persons but tot he word of God DOCT. XX. That the authority of ministers extends onely to those things whereunto themselves are called by Christ WE believe also that great authority is given by Christ to lawfull ministers namely as to the
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
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
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