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
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
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
Messias is Gods onely euerlasting Sonne whom he sent into the world to take our sins vpon him to die for vs and to vanquish death for vs as Esay saith plainely 53. All wee like sheepe haue gone astray but the Lord hath laid vpon him the iniquitie of vs all and he gaue his life for one offering c. For this doe we sing and glory in with all ioy that Gods Sonne the true onely God with the father and holy Ghost is become a man and a worme for vs men God is dead God bore our sinnes vpon the Crosse in his owne person God hath redeemed vs by his owne blood For God and man is one person What the man heere doth suffereth and speaketh that doth suffereth and speaketh God and what God doth and speaketh that doth and speaketh the man which is the onely Sonne of God and Mary in one vnseparable person and two differing natures Out of all these places it is manifest that Doctor Luther did neuer teach in all his life any such communicationem idiomatum as is presently taught Namely that onely the Diuine properties should bee common to the humane nature and yet not all but onely some of them but the humane properties should not bee common to the Diuine nature Also whatsoeuer is said by vertue of such communion of the whole person of Christ the same may also bee said of either nature For example whilest it may be said by vertue of the communion of the properties the man Christ is almighty therefore may it also be said the manhood of Christ is almighty This doe we say did Doctor Luther neuer teach in all his life but this is alwaies the same that hee taught de communicatione idiomatum that the properties of both natures are common to the one alone and vnseparable person of Christ and that according to the same both Diuine and humane properties may bee said of the one alone and vnseparable person of Christ but yet with this prouiso that the Diuine properties shall bee vnderstood of him according to the Diuine and the humane properties according to the humane nature And it is not much materiall though some of his words sound so as if both the natures properties should be common to either nature As where hee saith Jn Chap 14. Iohn as before is mentioned All that the Scripture speaketh of Christ that speaketh it so that it takes hold on the whole person euen as were both God and man one essence and often so changeth the words that of either nature both is spoken for the personall vnions sake Which is called Communicationem idiomatum These words seeme well so to sound as if the properties of both natures should bee common not onely to the whole person of Christ but also to either nature in the same person But Doctor Luther in very truth had no such meaning But this is his meaning That of the person of Christ named after either nature both the natures properties may bee said That is that of Christ both the natures properties may be said be it either spoken of the Diuine or of the humane nature Euen as presently after he expounded himself where he saith that it may be said that the man Christ is the euerlasting Sonne of God by whom all creatures were made and is Lord of heauen and earth c. So also againe Christ the Sonne of God that is the person which is true God was conceiued and borne of the Virgin Mary suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified and died c. Out of which his exposition it is apparant that he in the former speech where he said that of either nature both kinds may bee said did vse the names of the nature for the names of the person abstract for the concret as the Logicians say which thing also he very often vsed to doe as he confesseth himselfe where hee saith So speaketh the Scripture more acutely of Christ then we In the Postill vpon the Epist vpon Christs day fol 101. B. Edit Wit Anno 1540. and wreatheth the person so finely in the nature and parteth the nature againe that there are few who do truly vnderstand and I my selfe haue erred in this and the like speech that I haue appropriated to the nature that which appertaineth to the person and contrariwise Therefore when one will iudge truly of his doctrine then must he not pick out onely some single words out of his writings as hitherto some haue done but he must haue due regard vnto his whole exposition Then shall he finde that hee taught no otherwise then as is before mentioned of the communion of the properties namely That the properâ—ies of both natures are common to the alone person of Christ such person being termed by which nature they will but not that the properties of one nature should bee common to the other nature Therefore that is in no sort the doctrine of Doctor Luther which is vrged at this day vnder Doctor Luthers name Whereas it is alleaged the properties of both natures in Christ are not onely common to the alone and vnseparable person of Christ but also to the natures amongst themselues and such communion doth not passe to and fro from one nature to the other but onely from the Diuine nature vnto the humane and they doe not make all but onely some Diuine properties participating as namely the Omnipotencie Omniscience c. This doe we say is in no sort the doctrine of Doctor Luther but it is a very meere nouelty first of all inuented long after the death of Doctor Luther And it is besides that a very dangerous innouation For thereby is not onely the old heresie of Eutyches reuiued againe which raised the difference of both the natures in Christ and said the two natures of Christ were mixed in one through the personall coniunction and the Godhead also died for vs but also by such a nouelty is the Arians who denie the Godhead of Christ the passage throughly laid open to glide themselues into Dutchland Which wee haue often mentioned and will heereby once more giue warning of And wee entreate all those who beare a good heart towards God and their father-land that they would therefore considerately ponder the cause speak what will ensue vpon this contention Doct. Martin Luther Tom. 7. Ien. fol. 79. 80. 81. The onely ground whereby wee are able to maintaine the true Godhead of Christ against the Arians and hitherto haue maintained it is this That Christ in the holy Scripture is not only called God which also indeed sometimes is attributed to the creatures as to the Angels a Iob 1.6 and to the Magistrates b Psal 82.7 but that vnto him also are ascribed Diuine properties works and honours as these are almighty all-knowing to bee euery where present c. when now this ground shall be taken from vs and it be said that to a nature which is not God may also be ascribed
were there no sinne so small but it would condemne vs. For the iustice of God can endure no sinne Therefore there is no greater comfort vpon the earth then baptisme The comfort which we haue of Baptisme through which wee enter into the sentence of grace and mercy which iudgeth not sinne but expels it with many exercises The true vnderstanding and vse of Baptisme c. In respect whereof no man hath cause to bee terrified though he feeles euill lusts and desires and not to dispaire though he should euen fall but should call his baptisme to mind and refresh himselfe hartily with the same that God hath bound himselfe therein to mortifie his sins and not reckon them to damnation if hee doe not consent thereunto or remaine therein c. 3. Faith Also heere is now the third part of the Sacrament to bee handled that is faith that is that a man doth constantly beleeue how that this Sacrament doth not only betoken the death and resurrection at the youngest day by which a man is made anew How that is to be vnderstood that the worke of Baptisme doth presently begin in Baptisme to liue euerlastingly without sinne but that it also doth certainly begin and worke the same and vniteth vs vnto God that wee will euen vnto death mortifie sinne and striue against the same and hee on the contrary side will hold vs excused and deale gratiously with vs and not iudge vs according to rigour for that we are not without sinne in this life vntill we be purified by death How a man is pure So now thou vnderstandest how a man is innocent pure and without sin in baptisme and yet remaineth full of many euill lusts so that hee cannot otherwise be called pure then for that he hath made entrance thereinto and for that the same purity hath a signe and couenant that he ought to be more pure For which cause God will not attribute his remaining vncleanenesse vnto him and so hee is more pure by Gods gratious account of him then if that he should be pure in his owne nature c. For which cause a man must be very bold and free in holding himselfe to baptisme and beare himselfe against all sinne and terrour of conscience and most humbly say I know very well that I haue no cleane thing in mee but I am yet christened through which God who cannot lie hath bound himselfe not to impute my sinnes vnto mee but to crucifie and to destroy them So we doe now vnderstand that our innocency of baptisme is so called wholly and solly in respect of the Diuine mercy which begun it and taketh pitie on sinne esteeming vs as if we were without sinne c. Also sinne must still be for in truth wicked motions are to be esteemed sinne but this difference is to bee made that Gods grace will not yet reckon them for sinne if that wee encounter them with many endeauours workes and sufferings and at the last crucifie them by death Whosoeuer doth not so to those will hee not remit them because they doe not keepe touch with him in baptisme and their couenant but hinder the begun worke of God in baptisme c. And doe not know that they had power giuen them for their whole liues euen vnto the time of death yea and to the youngest day as was said before Also is there any man fallen into sinne then let him most strongly remember his baptisme how God did there ioyne in contract with him to pardon all his sinnes if hee will but resist them to the time of his death Vpon the same truth and couenant of God a man must cheerefully repose himselfe and then doth baptisme proceed in his worke and strength againe and then is the heart againe quieted and refreshed Not in respect of his worke or satisfaction but in Gods mercy which is promised him in baptisme for euer to remaine And a man must be so steadfast in faith that though all creatures and all sinnes should conspire against him yet he would not be remoued in respect that whosoeuer yeelds himselfe to be beaten from that hold he maketh God a liar in his contract in the Sacrament of baptisme c. So then we see that baptisme howsoeuer it be hindred in his worke by sinne Res Sacramenti Baptism yet the forgiuenesse and crucifying of sinne is onely made voide through vnbeleefe of the same And faith recals againe the same hinderance of his operation so that it doth wholly consist in faith And that I may speake it plainely then is it one thing to pardon sinne and an other to put off and renounce sinne Faith layeth hold on the forgiuenesse of sinnes though they be not wholly expulsed but to expulse sinne is by an endeauour against sinne and dying at the last sin sinkes to the bottome Both of these workes appertaine to Baptisme So writes the Apostle to the Hebrewes that they who were baptized and their sinnes pardoned they should cast away sinne which pressed downe For whilest I do beleeue that God will not attribute my sinnes vnto mee then remaines Baptisme in force and my sinnes are pardoned though a great part thereof remaine After that followes the final disposition thereof through sufferings and death This is the article which we confesse I beleeue in the holy Ghost the forgiuenesse of sinnes c. There consists Baptisme most especially in which this forgiuenesse is performed through Gods contract with vs c. Also for which cause must we keepe a good watch lest a deceiueable security doe not intrude it selfe whereby wee are moued to say with our selues doe so great and gracious things consist in Baptisme that God will not ascribe our sinnes vnto vs and so soone as wee returne from sinning then is all in good case by vertue of Baptisme then will I so long as I liue liue as I list and afterwards or at the day of my death I will take my Baptisme to heart and put God in mind of his couenant and so fulfill the worke of my Baptisme Yea assuredly there consists so much in Baptisme that when thou returnest againe from sinne and callest vpon thy couenant in Baptisme then are thy sinnes pardoned vnto thee But looke well to it when thou shalt sinne so peruersly and wilfully vpon grace that iudgement doe not take hold on thee and come vpon thee before thy returne come and though thou then wouldest beleeue in Baptisme or trust therein that through Gods perm ssion thy tentation bee so great that there will bee no place for faith For if so be that they doe scarcely remaine who doe not sinne or indeed doe fall by meere frailty where shall the outragious appeare who haue tempted and mocked the grace of God Therfore let vs walke with feare and trembling that wee may maintaine the riches of his Diuine Maiesty with a steadfast faith and giue praise vnto his mercy cheerefully for euer and euer Amen Behold
of But that God is borne twice or thrice that will not I teach And this troubleth his mind as the Tripartite story testifieth how that God dying haue no agreement together For he thinkes it a fearefull thing to be heard that God should die Christ according to the Godhead immortall And this was his opinion that Christ was immortall according to the Godhead yet had he not so much vnderstanding to vtter the same It befell so also that the other Bishops were also stout not considering how the wound might be healed but onely how it might be rent larger howbeit to speake effectually out of the opinion of Nestorius it must follow that Christ is a meere man and two persons and yet indeed it was not his meaning For the blockish vnlearned man did not see that hee propounded vnpossible things that he together earnestly held Christ to bee God and man in one person The properties of the natures shall be giuen to the person of Christ and yet would not yeeld the Idiomata of the natures to the same person of Christ. The first will hee hold for the truth but yet it shall not bee true what followes out of the first Whereby he manifesteth that he vnderstands not himselfe what he meant Note For we Christians must appropriate the Idiomata of the two natures in Christ to the persons alike and all As Christ is God and man in one person therefore whatsoeuer is spoke of him as man that must also be spoken of God namely Christ is dead and Christ is God therefore is God dead not the separated God but the God which is vnited to mankinde For of the separated God is both false namely that Christ is God and God is dead both I say is false for then is not God man But Nestorius admires at it that God dieth he should consider that it is as wonderfull that God became man for therewith was the vndying God the same who must die suffer As God was man euen so died he also If Christ had not true humane Idiomata then were hee an illusion and haue all humane Idiomata Else what were the same man with whom God vnited himselfe personally if he should not haue humane Idiomata It must be an illusion as the Manichies had afore taught Againe what is spoken of God must also bee ascribed to the manhood namely God created the world and is almighty the man Christ is God Therefore hath the man Christ created the world and is almighty the cause is for God and man make one person therfore the person beareth the Idiomata of both natures Oh Lord God about such a comfortabl article About the person of Christ ought not to be contended ought we alwaies to reioyce and not contend vndoubted in the true faith and sing praise and thanke God the father for such vnspeakeable mercy that he hath suffered his beloued Sonne to be man and brother with vs alike Subtill Satan stirs vp discomforts by stout ambitious misdoubting people that this louely and happy comfort might be hindred from vs and spoiled in vs. This is to be lamented of before the Lord. For wee Christians must be assured hereof that if God be not also in the scale Wherefore it must be said God is dead for vs. and make the waight then sinke we to the earth with our dish This vnderstand I thus if it shall not be said God is dead for vs but onely a man then are we vtterly lost But when the death of God and God died lieth in the scale then sinkes he downe and we mount vp How it is to be vnderstood that God did die as a light empty dish But he can well mount aloft also or spring out of his scale nay he could not sit in the scale except he were a man like vnto vs that it might be said God died Gods wounds Gods blood Gods death for God in his nature cannot die But now that God and man is vnited into one person it is truly said Gods death when that man dieth who is one thing or one person with God Also this Councell condemned much too little about Nestorius For it handled onely that only Idioma that God was borne of Mary From whence the histories mention that in this Councell was decreed against Nestorius Mary should be called Theotocos that is the mother of God whereas Nestorius denieth all Idiomata of the humane nature of God in Christ as dying Crosse suffering and all whatsoeuer agreeth not with the Godhead Therefore they should not onely haue decreed that Mary was Theotocos but also that Pilate and the Iewes were the crucifiers and murtherers of God and the like But whereas they condemned him afterwards through all the Idiomata with these words Nestorius denies that Christ is God and one person is indeed in â—ffectu or by consequence true but too roughly and too strangely spoken whilest Nestorius could not otherwise thinke hereof that there was manifest wrong and violence done vnto him For hee neuer taught such words but alwaies spake against it that Christ was true God and not two persons vpon which he dâ—â—uâ— the Arians very much For such bloâ—kish â—olke caâ—â—â— syllogiâ—e or make consequents namely that that sh ll be sâ—id to denie the substance or nature which denies the Idiomata or properties of the nature Note He that denies the properties he denies the natures but so should the iudgement goeâ— howbeit Nestorius confesseth that Christ true God and man is one person but wâ—â—lest he giues not the Idiomata of the humane nature to the sâ—me â—â—dly person of Christ it is false and is much as â—f he did deny the nature it selfe And they should not onely haue determined vpon that one Idioma of the mother Mary Whereby the things handled in this Councell might better haue been explained Which as I esteeme very few haue hitherto well vnderstood Out of Platina Note Doct. Luther accuse h Zwinglius for a Nestorian not therefore that hee should haue denied the sâ—eciall Communion of the properties which passe onely from the Deity vpon the humanity but thâ—refore because he denied the aboue wâ—â—tten common fellowshiâ— of the properties wh ch passe as wâ—ll from thâ— humane nature vpon the Diuine as from the Diuine vpon the humane nature In which in truth he do h Zwinglius wâ—ong But it concerneth not vs in this place For we seeke nothing else as present but onely to lay open Doctor 〈◊〉 opinion truly of the Communion of the properties and the like to him it is vnpossible to be vnderstood For I haue had also Nestorians before me who haue contended very stifly that the Godhead of Christ could not suffer and for testimony also Zwinglius writ against mee ouer these words Verbum caro factum est and would not allow barely that verbum should bee called factum but would haue it Verbum caro facta est For cause God could not be made But