and before hath deliuered vs from the sorowes and paine of hell So that from henceforth neither hell nor the deuill shal hinder or hurte vs in our saluatiō We beleue also with our heart that the third day he rose again from the dead And we are certainly persuaded first that by his resurrection hee hath ouercome death to the intent hee might make vs partakers of the righteousnes which he hath purchased for vs by his bitter passion and death And secondly that we also now by his power should bee resuscitated quickened to newnes of life And thirdly that the resurrection of Christe is a most certaine assurance vnto vs that as he is first risen vp againe from death so wee also at the last daye shal be raysed vp againe to life euerlasting And further wee also beleeue that Christ our Lorde truely and visiblie with his manifested manhoode which he had takē on him is ascēded vp into heauen there sitteth on the right hande of his heauenly Father that is to saye with heauēly and godly maiestie he sheweth him selfe vnto all the holy Angels and mē to be a head of his whole Church and from thence also truely and visiblie as he ascended vp hee shall againe come downe in the cloudes in the dominion and maiestie of his Father to iudge the liuing and the dead And yet notwithstanding wee confesse and acknowledge that albeit our Lord IESUS Christ true God and man according to his humane nature is now no more in earth but in heauen yet according to his Godhead maiestie grace and spirite hee neuer departeth from vs And wee litle esteeme that which is sayde by some that both the natures were so vnited and confounded in Christe as though his humane nature were in all places as the diuine is For seeing the diuine nature is incomprehensible and alwayes to bee found in all places it followeth necessarilie that it is both without the humane nature which was assumed also personallie vnited to the same euen as the diuine nature neuer left heauen when Christ was cōceaued in the wōbe of the blessed virgin And all this which our Lord Christ hath suffered and done we beleue and cōfesse that it hath bene done for the behoofe and benefit of vs that he thereby hath giuē him self vnto vs as our owne And besides the rest this comforteth vs most that we are assured that our flesh is alreadie in heauen that our Sauiour Christ Iesus sendeth down vnto vs frō thēce his holy ghost as a pledge By the inspiration power of whom we seeke the thinges which are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God his Father and not things here vpon earth Thirdly wee beleue and confesse that the holy Ghost with God the Father and God the sonne is a true only and eternall God secondly that he is giuē vnto vs to make vs partakers through a true faith in Christ of al his good giftes and benefites and further that he is our comforter and is with vs and will remaine with vs vntill the ende As touching the vniuersall Christian Church we beleue that the sonne of God hath out of all kinreds and generations of men chosen a congregation vnto him selfe for euerlasting life by the holie Ghost his godly word in the vnitie of true faith which frō the beginning of the world he hath gathered yet gathereth together preserueth defēdeth beleue also that we are a liuely member therof and so shall remaine eternally Of the communion of Saints we beleue and confesse that wee with al and euerie true beleuers as members of our Lord Jesus Christ haue a communion and societie in all his treasures and giftes and therefore we acknowledge that wee are debters of all such giftes as he hath imparted vnto vs to bestowe thē willingly and ioyfully to the profit helpe of others our commembers Wee beleeue and confesse also that God the Father for the satisfaction and ful paiment of Christ Iesus hath forgiuen and neuer will call to remembrance our sinnes or sinful inclinations and affections wherewith wee haue to fight all the dayes of our life but rather will giue and impute vnto vs the righteousnes of Christ Iesus So that wee neede not to bee afraid of the iudgement of God. Of the resurrection of the flesh we beleeue and confesse that not onely our soules when they shall be departed out of our bodies by temporall death are in the same instant takē vp and receiued vnto Christ their head but also that our flesh shal be in the last day vnited againe with our soules and made conformable vnto the glorious bodie of Christ Iesus Of life euerlasting we beleue and confesse that euen as now we feele in our hearts the beginning of an euerlasting ioy so after this life wee shall possesse an eternall blessednes which neither eie hath seene nor eare heard nor any mās heart can conceiue God bee alwayes thāked praised therfore and thereto helpe vs God the Father Sonne and holie Ghost one true and euerlasting god Amen And for asmuch as without cause we haue bene suspected of many as though we helde beleued not in such sort of the holy and blessed Sacraments as became good Christians wee haue thought good immediatly after the former Confessiō of our faith to set down also in writing our plaine Confession of those pointes We therfore beleue and cōfesse both with our mouth hearte and penne that all Sacramentes aswell of the olde as newe Testament were appointed and ordained by God him selfe to this end that they all should signifie and pointe as with a finger vnto the bloudie offering of Christ Iesus once accōplished vpon the crosse as vndoubtedly all the patriarches and faithfull fathers in the olde Testament herewith onely comforted them selues in faith when they killed their lambes other beastes that after the same sorte the seede of the woman the Lord Iesus should be slaine and make a full satisfaction and paiment for the sinnes of the whole worlde And therefore the holie Sacraments as many hundred yeres hitherto in the scholes hath bene taught to youth and yet is are onely Sacrae rei symbola inuisibilis gratiae visibilia signa that is to say visible signes or seales of a holy thing namely of the grace of God in Christ Iesus whereby we are assured and made certain of that which otherwise in Gods worde by God him selfe and his holy Prophets Apostles hath bene promised vnto vs And we beleue and holde stedfastly that the Lorde God thought chieftiest vpon the weaknes and infirmitie of mans nature and as the only knower and searcher of heartes vnderstoode how hard it was for the nature of man to beleue the naked worde of God which is preached and declared in the holy Gospel And therefore he would also represent and set before our eyes such things which we daily vse and are most knowen vnto vs to quicken stirre
vp strengthen our faith to the intent that thereby wee might giue the sooner credit to the worde preached As the same may appeare by this similitude taken from worldly things namely when wee receiue frō an Emperour King or other great Prince a letter or writing although the same be subscribed with the Princes owne hande yet wee are not satisfied therewith if the seale bee not annexed also to it And in case the Seale be put thereto then it contenteth vs and then we may saye I haue from that Emperour King c. a letter seale wherein this or that is written and signified vnto me But to speake of the vse of the Sacraments we beleue and cōfesse that the holy Sacraments of the new Testamēt as the holy Baptisme and Supper of the Lorde were ordeined of Christe himselfe to that ende that Christians should vse them holde thē in great reuerēce and not despise them For that they are not onely markes whereby we are knowen to be Christians of the opē profession before God mā of the couenant grace of God but also especially principally are true assured tokēs witnesses of gods grace towardes vs For which cause whē we shal haue yōg children borne into this worlde wee should not as some do suffer thē to be 8. 9. or 10. yeres old till they be of some reasonable discretiō and then first baptise them But rather much more cōfort our selues with that which our Lord Christ sayd to his disciples Mark. 10. Let litle children come vnto mee for of such is the kingdome of heauen If then the kingdome of heauen belong vnto yong children as it is vndoubtedly true why should we then doubt that they are not also comprehended and concluded in the couenant which God made with Abraham and the beleuing fathers heretofore And for that cause wee ought not by any meanes seclude or forclose them from the holie baptisme Of the efficacie and working of the holie Baptisme we beleue that our children seeing as is before declared they be comprehended in the couenant when they shal be baptised according to the article of our true olde and vniuersall faith and also be afterwardes brought vp in the same they are also made partakers of the bloudie death of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ and all his benefites which hee hath purchased vnto vs by his said death in such sorte that they not onely receiue the outwarde seale of the holie Sacrament which is the elemētall water vpon their outward bodies but like wise inwardlie are baptised in their soules by Christe him selfe with his bloud which was shed and also through the working of the holie Ghost regenerated and borne again to be new creatures For as the elementall water of the holie Sacramēt in baptisme is not Christes bloud nor the holy Ghost it selfe so also the holie Ghost or bloud of Christ is not in the Sacrament of the elemental water And although the elemētall water according to his propertie and nature can do no more then outwardly clense the bodie and reacheth not so farre as vnto the soule yet the bloud of Christ clenseth the soule inwardly to euerlasting life And as the minister doth the one so doth Christ the other as saint Iohn the Baptist witnesseth in the third chapter of saint Matthewes Gospel I baptise you with water to repentance or amendement of life but he that commeth after me is strōger then I am whose shoes I am not worthie to carie he shall baptise you with the holie Ghost and with fyre And like vnto this is the saying of Saint Paule in the tenth Chapiter of his first epistle to the Corinthians that after the same sort the Israelites were baptised with the cloudes and sea as also they were fedde with Manna and dronke the water which proceaded out of the rock c. And to speake of the holy most worthy Supper of our Lord Iesus Christ we beleue and confesse willingly with al other Christians that our Lord Iesus Christ first instituted the said Supper which he him selfe kept with his disciples And therefore it ought not to be despised of Christiās but rather to be holdē in great estimatiō reuerence For the Lord Iesus for this cause ordeined this participation and fruition of bread and wine that thereby we should remember him and declare his death vntill his comming and after wee haue bene instructed assured thereof both before God and man acknowledge praise this his great benefit that the bodie of Christ hath bene deliuered vp to death for vs and his bloud shed for the forgiuenes of our sins which if wee shall apprehende and take vnto vs with true faith it wil be a true spirituall foode and drinke to eternall life as the visible bread and wine is foode for the nourishing of the corporal bodie seeing we are in Christ mēbers of him the head branches of him the vine tree incorporated into him by his spirit and so for his sake and through him shall obteine forgiuenes of our sinnes iustification and life euerlasting Wee beleue also that wee at this daye haue no other Supper or Communion then as our Lorde Iesus Christe at his last supper ordeined and held it with his disciples and that wee ought not to haue any other much lesse vse any other vnles wee would contemptuously offende against the commandement and institution of Christ Now it can not be denied but must be confessed of all that obstinatelie malitiously seeke not to contende that our Lorde Iesus Christ did not deliuer vnto his disciples his naturall then present bodye as it was sitting at the table not yet crucified to be eaten with their corporall mouthes much lesse gaue or cōmanded his blood to be drunkē which was yet in his bodie and not shed as at these dayes some haue caused a great diuision in the Church of God teaching that men must beleeue that they must eate and drinke in the communion the bodie and blood of Christ with their corporal mouthes as it was then naturall and present at his last supper and whosoeuer will not beleeue and confesse this which without great preiudice of their consciences they can not beleeue they are called despisers of the Sacramentes and great blasphemers of god But rather he commanded vs to eate his bodie which was the day following nailed to the crosse and drinke his blood which shoulde be shortely shed euen as the very wordes of Christ him selfe sufficientlye giue vs to vnderstande And wee doubte not but that his disciples before at Capernaum were sufficiently instructed persuaded what was the meaning and maner of the eating of his bodie and drinking of his blood so that they had not anye occasion or cause to make the least dout therein As also Peter himselfe notablie confesseth saying Lord whither should we go thou hast the words of euerlasting life and we haue beleeued and confessed that thou
any one place els thē at this presēt sought by our prayers aboue in heauē honored inuocated as only present and bodily there If it be true that as hee ascended vp he shal come down again from heauen in the cloudes then is hee not alreadie before inuisible belowe And he shall not bee in al places visible and inuisible but visible in one place with his humane nature that is in the cloudes where he shall shew him selfe as a iudge of the liuing and of the dead He sendeth also his holy Spirit into the heartes of his electe to assemble and gather together vnto him amongest the generations of men frō the beginning of the worlde vnto the ende an vniuersall church or congregation which hath the verye same and like fellowshippe with their head Christ to whome he participateth all his heauēly benefits And this fellowshippe or communiō of the saints is not wrought by a visible or inuisible entrance of the bodie of Christ into our bodies but by the dwelling and working of the spirit of Christ in them and in vs We also which come vnto the Supper of the Lorde shall not nor can not haue anye other participation or habitation of CHRIST in vs then such as all the faithfull had which from the beginning of the worlde haue bene saued or such as they which cannot come vnto the communion now haue and shall retaine euerlastinglye Yea Christ in his holye supper wil impart giue vnto vs the fruition of himself no otherwise thē so farre in such sorte that he according to the vse of the said supper not onely in this life but in the life to come will euerlastinglye dwell and remaine with vs And seeing it is assured and certaine that hee giueth the fruition of him self vnto vs it is not to be thought that he wil againe incōtinently departe from vs as to the great dishonour of the Sōne of God hath bene forged by the papistes but will remaine in and with vs euerlastingly If he hath purchased vnto vs the forgiuenes of all our sinnes through his bitter passiō death vpon the crosse in case we shal receaue take applie and make the same proper vnto vs by true faith as the ful satisfactiō ransō for our sinnes then had he not a nature deified presēt in euery place but a very true humane visible cōprehēsible bodie also at the time subiect to death which was sin excepted in al thinges like vnto ours for otherwise we could not be saued fromour sinnes by him Hebrewes 2. If our fleshe shall rise againe from death be made partaking of euerlasting life through Christ then must our head Christ Iesus haue bene conuersant here in his trew humane nature and not alone in his godlie spirituall and inuisible nature present in euery place but retaine for euer the liknes and vnitie of his humane nature which it had and hath with our nature so that we may for euer bee his brethren and members of him planted and graffed in him as the braunches in the vine tree and so be and remaine alwaies his fleshe and his bones And lastlye if the communion of CHRIST and of all his giftes and benefites righteousnesse and lyfe euerlasting was not otherwyse purchased vnto vs then by his death vpon the crosse and otherwise cannot be obteined of vs but through trewe faith which the holy ghost worketh in our hearts then it is certaine that neither the vse of the holy Sacraments nor yet any other inward or outward worke ex opere operato that is by vertue of a worke done can make vs partakers of Christe or his benefits But the holye Sacramentes are godlye tokens and seales by which our faithe is strengthened and they doe directe and leade vs to the onelye offering of Christe which hath bene once made vpon the crosse for vs And there cannot come vnto vs anye such communion fellowshippe with Christ when we only heare outwardely the visible worde or promise of the Sacraments as whē inwardly we beleue the word of the Gospel which shal be heard and preached vnto vs And therfore although the visible signes may be abused by the vngodly wicked to their condēnation yet the inuisible and heauenly giftes and benefits which we apprehēd onely by our faith must onely be and remaine proper to the faithfull And in this cōfession and profession of our Christian and true faith both nowe and at al times we bequeath our soule when it shal be separated from our mortal bodie to the holie and vndiuided Trinitie God the Father our maker God the sonne our redeemer mediatour and onely Sauiour Christ Iesus God the holy Ghost our true comforte humblie beseching from the bottome of our heart our onely redeemer and sauiour Christ Iesus that hee would vouchsafe to holde his gratious mercifull and sauing hand ouer vs encrease our faith and graunt vnto vs a Christiā and good ende in perfect sense and memorie and when wee shal be separated from this earthlie bodie wofull vale of miserie that it would please him to carie and receiue vs vp into euerlasting rest peace and blessednes in his fathers kingdome which he hath promised purchased and prepared for vs and all the faithfull by his bitter death and shedding of his most pretious bloud to remaine there in the companie of his Sainctes and all true beleeuers in Christe Iesus And as we thinke to bee saued by this our former Christian confession and to appeare with a ioyful coūtenance before the iudgement seate of Christ Iesus So we admonish warne and praye our deare childrē heires and successours in most friendly sort as a true father also gratiouslie require such our subiects as by Gods ordināce haue bene cōmitted vnto vs our coūsellours officers and especiallie our Vniuersitie schoole ministers of what dignitie state or degree soeuer they be their successours we also ordaine cōmāde enioyne vnto thē euerie of thē by vertue of the immutable cōmandemēt of the almightie God of Abraham who said I know he will giue charge vnto his children his house after him that they may keepe the wayes of the Lorde and doe that which is good and right in his sight to the intent the Lord maye bring vpon Abraham that which hee promysed vnto hym And therefore wee will and commande with the greatest earnestnes charge zeale that we can that they not onely for their own persons persist cōstant vnto their end by this acknowleged confessed and blessed truth of the holie Gospel and former Christian cōfession wherby the horrible darknes of Poperie in our dayes through the vnspeakeable goodnes and mercie of almightie God hath bene confounded throwen downe And besides ioyfully and frankely confesse the same before God and the worlde neuer abalienate or withdraw them selues from the same to the intent that with vs as wee heartily desire they may bee partakers of euerlasting saluation But chiefly
and Sauiour and his most godlie worde the right touchestone we also through the helpe and assistance of almightie God minde to perseuere and continue vnto our last ende and beseche the almightie that he will not onely gratiously preserue vs and all our fellowe members in Christ Iesus from all contrarie errours and deprauations which by vnquiet and contentious persons and members are moued in matters of religion and brought into the Church but also mainteine keepe in vs his knowen veritie cōfort strengthen vs in all troubles and tentations and of his goodnes once in these latter daies open the eyes and hearts of all Christian people that we may haue a regarde not vnto traditions of men or priuate affections but only to his most godly worde as the truest and infalliblest line direction of our consciences and faithes and graunt vnto vs all grace that brotherlie Christian and due charitie may take place and dwell among vs. These sentences words following were distinctly spoken by the said prince Electour being of good vnderstanding memorie not long before his death after he had declared that hee persisted constant in his said confession which followeth First the saying of S. Paul 1. Timoth. 1. This is a most true and assured saying and worthy by all meanes to be embraced that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am the chiefest The second saying to them which stoode by I haue liued lōg inough for you I must also once liue for my selfe The third The gracious Lorde call me when it shall please him I haue a ioyfull free conscience in the Lord Iesus whome I haue serued with all my heart and render thankes vnto him that I haue liued so long that in the churches and schooles vnder my dominion and charge the people haue bene directed taught from traditions of men to beleeue in him alone The fourth 2. Timoth. 4. I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith from henceforth is layed vp for me the crowne of righteousnes Here foloweth the said christian confession ⧠In the name of the holie vndiuided Trinity of God the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost WE Friderich by the grace of God Count Palatine by the Rhein one of the Electours of the holy Romaine Empire Duke in Bauaria c. confesse and make knowē to all persons by these our letters c. ¶ First whereas we haue bene before all thinges Christianlie taught and resolued out of gods worde that both euerlasting and perpetuall and also the worldlie and temporall prosperitie peace quietnes concorde and good estate of all gouernements principalities countryes people aswell of such persons as are ordained heades magistrates as other inferiour members subiects haue their beginning increase and enriching and are most assuredly mainteined and preserued by this onely meanes when they shall set before their eyes and seeke to aduance god his holie worde and according to the same directe all their affaires and causes in this life as by a most true and infallible line which thing also the very heathen although they had no true vnderstanding of god yet by the light of nature ingraffed in them sawe and confessed after a sorte and from thence at the first these declarations and making of last wils which men commonly call testamentes tooke their beginnings But especially among the olde fathers patriarkes other religious persons they seeme to haue bene chiefliest made to this ende for that they woulde leaue after them vnto their children heires and successours a certaine token and witnesse whereby not only their said successours might assuredly vnderstand what religion and faith their forefathers were of which they had receiued out of gods worde by open testimonies and wherin they had liued holilye and vprightely and were gratiously mainteined defended and protected by almightie god and in the ende so died but also that their successors might haue more cause to be moued with like bondes and duetie to folowe the christian footsteppes of their predecessoures and to imitate their examples and according to the same to rule and mainetaine the people and countreys committed to their charge if they did looke for and desired to enioye such euerlasting and worldelie blessinges of almightie God as had bene bestowed vpon their fathers which thing appeareth by the last wordes vsed by some of the patriarches good King Dauid him selfe where he speaketh to his sonne Salomon after this sorte Be of good comforte and shewe thy selfe a man And attende or take heede vnto the charge of the Lorde thy God that thou walke before him in his wayes and keepe his precepts commaundements iudgements and testimonies as it is written in the lawe of Moyses that thou maist prosper in all that thou doest and whereunto soeuer thou turnest thy selfe that the Lord may confirme his word that he hath spoken ouer me and said If thy children shal take heede to their wayes that they walke before me in trueth and with all their hearts and with all their soules there shall not at anie time a man be wanting from my bodie to sit vpon the throne of Israel So also in like sort as a christian prince fearing and louing god and hauing in the making of our last wilmore regard in our heart to euerlasting and immortal things then to worldly and temporall matters which perish and folowe depende of the former we haue thought good for the honor of almighty god discharge and comforte of our conscience and for an vnfeined declaration to our louing and deare sonnes heyres and successoures whole posteritie and also of all our true and faithful subiectes and euerie other whatsoeuer to whom it may appertaine in this our fatherlie disposition testament and last will to make an open true declaration of our faith that euery one may haue certaine knowledge thereof whereto we haue bene the rather induced for that in these latter dayes diuers sundrie errours and debates in matters of religion haue bene moued by vnquiet and contentious persons wherewith both wee others in the time of our gouernment haue bene much troubled and some sectes factions haue bene raised in the church by certain persons going about to persuade simple men as though wee were priuie and consenting to their erronious opinions And to the intent that it do not onely appeare that the same our confession is only grounded built vpō the true rocke Christ Iesus our Lord sauiour his only word but also that therewith our deare children may be the more cōforted to persist stedfastly in such our christiā confession for no tēptaciō or troublesome storme whatsoeuer that might happen to the contrarie wherof god be thāked hitherto by his almighty help assistance in the time of our gouernmēt we haue both felt and ouercome many turned backe or made faynte hearted fearefull or negligent in their callings and
setting forth of the said trew and christian religion Euen as wee for our own persō as heretofore so notwithstanding minde to continue by the said knowen and cōfessed trueth through the grace of the most highest vntill our last ende And so first and in generall wee confesse with an vnfained assured heart that we stedfastly beleeue whatsoeuer is reuealed contained taught witnessed and grounded in the holye propheticall and apostolicall scripture and doctrine in the righte trewe christian and vncorrupted vnderstanding and meaning of the same in such sorte as the churche in the time of the Apostles did comprehende the principall poyntes of christian doctrine in our christian creede commonly called Symbolum apostolorum and as afterwarde in the confession of the counsel of Nice and Athanasius the former apostolicall faithe was truly expounded and declared This is the chiefe foundation wherevpon we and all other true beleeuers in Christe which eyther haue bene before vs presently are or shall come hereafter ought to build our faith And through this we also hope to bee saued according to the saying of Athanasius in his Symbolo whosoeuer wil be saued must before al things holde the true christian faith And seeing the confession and declaration of the christian faith which in our time and namely in the yeere of our lorde god 1530. was openly presented at Augusta to the Emperour Charles of that name the fifte with the apologie thereto annexed was gathered out of the saide propheticall and apostolicall doctrine aboue named creedes or confessions as a summarie of them as the time then suffred and therevpon grounded thēselues as vpō the chiefest and vnfalliblest foundation the onely certaine and stedfaste line whereby they ought to bee directed For this cause wee also syth the time that wee came to the knowledge of Gods trueth haue receiued and allowed the same with other Electors and Princes beeing addicted thereto wee also for the mainetenaunce of Christian vnitye and peace in the righte and true vnderstanding and meaning of the same and with this declaration did set our hande Seale thereto And according to this commaunded the preachers and teachers to instructe in our landes and dominions as wee yet also confesse and acknowledge the same both of the saide confession and of al other writings that are agreeing and conformable with the godlie prophetical apostolical scriptures As wee especially take the cathechisme which wee heretofore haue caused to bee printed and published and also the booke of the reformation and orders of our churches wherein all the questions of christian doctrine are distinctlye orderlye and intelligiblye conteyned and also in some parte more amplye explaned But for the more declaration of our minde and meaning and to the intent our deare children the whole posteritye and euerye particular personne maye as it were in a briefe summe or collection vnderstande what wee particularlye beleeue and holde in all and euerye of the articles of the christian faithe and no man after our deathe maye defame vs with anye erronious opinions and sectes as it is the custome and propertye of manie vnquiet persons in these dayes of the euill worlde and for the satisfying of them which vnderstande and interprete the said confession of Augusta and the Apologye thereof in some poyntes after another sense and meaning then the letter and true vnderstanding can beare following the direction of Goddes worde whereto it referreth it self as to the chiefest foundation wee beleeue holde and confesse from the bottome of our heart the articles of our olde trew and knowen Christiā faith in maner as foloweth I Beleeue in God the father almightie maker of heauen and earth and in Iesu Christ his onely Sonne our lord who was conceiued by the holye Ghost borne of the virgin Marye suffred passion vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead buried and descended into hell He rose againe the third daye from death he ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of God the father almightie from thence hee will come to iudge the quicke and the dead I beleeue in the holie Ghost the holy church vniuersall the communion of Saints the forgiuenes of sinnes the rising againe of the bodies and life euerlasting That is We beleeue and confesse that the eternal father of our lord Iesus Christ made heauen and earth and all that therein is of nothing and also yet conserueth and gouerneth the same by his eternall wisedome and prouidence And that not for our own desertes or worthinesse but of meere grace and mercie and according to his godly prouidence for his onely begotten and deare sonne Christ Iesus sake he also is our God and Father vppon whome we haue so set and reposed our confidence that we dout not but that he will prouide for vs all thinges necessarie for our bodies and soules hereafter euē as he hath done heretofore And as hitherto he hath turned to our best and profite all such euils as the deuil and the world haue attempted against vs euen so hereafter he wil be no lesse gracious and mercifull vnto vs seeing hee is able to do it as an almightie God wil also doe it as a louing Father Secondlye wee beleeue and confesse that Iesus Christe the sonne of the almightie God from the beginning begotten of the Father is one and the same GOD with the Father and the holye Ghost and at the time appointed as it was determined in the eternall wisedome of God was conceaued by the holie Ghoste in the wombe of the most pure and alwayes virgin Marye tooke vppon him our fleshe was borne into the world To this ende that hee beeing our King and highe Prieste for which cause he is called Christ might be our Mediatour and brother receiue vs to grace and as a true Iesus and Sauiour reconcile vs to his heauenlye Father We also beleeue that for that cause hee suffered a moste shamefull deathe vnder Pontius Pilate the Iudge to the intent he might redeeme and deliuer vs from euerlastinge death wherin we otherwise were and must haue perpetually remained and to deliuer and loss vs from the curse which by the sinne and fall of our first fathers Adam and Eue was rooted in all mankinde We beleeue also and confesse that this Lorde Iesus Christe being made an offering vppon the crosse is so puissant and strong that by the power and strength of the same through the working of the holy Ghost our olde man is with him crucified dead buried so as the euill concupiscenses of the flesh ought not anye more beare rule in vs but rather we should offer vp our selues vnto him as a sweete sacrifice of thankesgiuing We beleeue also that hee was buried and therefore vndoubtedly dead yea also that he descended into hell to the intent that in our greatest tentations we might assure our selues that our Lorde Iesus Christ by his vnspeakeable sorowes pangues and horrours which he also suffered in his soule both vpon the crosse
art Christ the sonne of the liuing god Out of which confessiō of Peter which he made not alone for him selfe but in the name of all the twelue Apostles it appeareth that hee had vnderstoode and receiued such sufficient instruction out of this sermon at Capernaum that neither he nor the other eleuen had any cause to aske what the lord Iesus meant by such his said institution And therefore wee beleeue and confesse that in the holye supper of our Lord IESUS CHRIST where it shal be kept accordynge to his owne institution to the faythfull for whome this Supper or Communion is onelye ordeyned euen as for his disciples at the firste the trewe offered and crucified bodye of Christe with al his heauenly treasures and benefits which he hath purchased by his death for his people shal be giuen and deliuered by Christ him selfe vnto our hungrie soules for foode his blood which he hath shed for the forgiuenes of sinnes for our drinke And so litle did the distance or espace of the time hinder his disciples at that present namely that although his body was not yet offred and crucified nor his blood yet shed yet his said disciples did eate his very naturall and humane bodye which was borne of the immaculate virgin Marie should be shortely after deliuered vp for them did drinke his true blood which shortly should be shed for them as though it had bene deliuered vp and shed alreadie So also the distance of the place hindreth not vs and other faithfull beleeuers that is that wee also with the holy apostles according to the Lordes institution do eate the same body of Christ drinke his bloud although the Lord Iesus with that his naturall body be now no more vpon earth but sitteth in heauen on the right hād of god his heauenly father from whence he shal come to iudge the liuing and the dead as the article of our Christian faithe teacheth declareth vnto vs And therfore we haue no need of this question whether with his selfe same naturall bodie sensible vppon earth as he was at the last supper with his disciples he can be presēt with vs in our communions But it is inough that we vnderstand out of his word that he with his said bodie wil be neither visible nor inuisible neither comprehensible nor incomprehēsible vpon earth And neuertheles he is as the almightie sonne of God at all times and in al places with his grace and holie spirit with his and chieflye in his holye supper where hee is bothe our hoste and foode And as the minister doth distribute the precious Sacramentes seales and tokens that is the blessed bread and cuppe of the Lorde so doeth the Lord therewith impart vnto the faithfull him selfe for breade and drinke not of the worldlie bodie as the signes of wine and bread are otherwise trew meate and drinke vnto men but rather a meat and drinke vnto euerlasting life for their hungrie and thirstye soules beaten downe and dismayed by the knoweledge and consideration of their sinnes and of the wrathe of God. Now therefore if this question be made how Christ the Lorde seeing he is with his bodie aboue in heauen and wee here vppon earth can feede vs with his saide bodie we answere with S. Ambrose that albeit we be here with our feet vppon earth yet are we with our head aboue in heauen And with S. Paul We are al baptised by one spirit into one bodie and wee are all made to drinke one spirite And in this our confession wee referre and remitte our selues to the holie and godlye Scriptures of the olde and newe Testaments and confesse herewith frankelye and freelye before the sighte of Almyghtye God whome no man can abuse or deceaue that we vndoubtedly thinke that if wee did beleeue or holde otherwise of the sayde holye Sacramentes wee then should as much as in vs laye ouerthrow the articles of our old trew and christian faith and so should not be able to stand before the iudgement seat of Christ Iesus in the last day For when as in the articles of our vndoubted christian faith wee confesse that there is but one only euerlasting almightie incōprehensible godhead in three persōs which both made gouerneth cōserueth all things then must it needes bee not as some haue giuē out that the humane nature of our lord Iesus but the man Christ by his godlie nature is almightie and in all places working and presēt at once Also the onely begotten sonne of god through the working of the holye Ghost tooke vppon him and retaineth for euer to the great comforte and assurance of our saluation a true and vnfained humane nature like vnto ours in all properties of nature sinne only excepted And so vndoutedly after before his resurrection assension glorie at the right hand of his father according to his said humane nature is and was visible comprehensible and at all times in one place presēt according to his good will and pleasure as he witnesseth of himselfe in the 24 Chapter of the Gospell after S. Luke This Lord Iesus Christ is our onelye Sauiour mediatour hie Priest King and Prophet Lorde and head of his congregation And therfore the ministers of the church cannot baptise vs with the spirit and blood of christ but only with the outwarde elemental water nor feede and drinke vs with the bodie and blood of Christ but with the visible bread and wine And of his spirit bodie blood Christ him self onely maketh vs partakers by faith to the forgiuenes of our sinnes and life euerlasting Yf he truly suffred for vs if he in verye deed were crucified and dead then in the time of his passion his manhood was not in omnipotencie glory like vnto his godhead in all places in heauen and earth but suffred died not without infirmite If also his dead corpes was truely laide into the graue thē was it not before there nor after his burial was it in all places but there for the time onely If it be true that for our benefite hee descended into hell then was hee not at that time as yet set at the right hand of GOD his Father in his heauenly glory and maiestie If it bee trewe that out of the graue he rose vp from death then was the soule before not in the body so the said body was not before out of the graue also afterwards remained not therein If it be true that hee ascended vp into heauen sitteth there as perfect man on the right hand of his Father then according to his humanitie he was not already aboue before and also after his ascension he remained not inuisible belowe or in al places present incomprehensible but sheweth himself there visibly and comprehensibly in the heauenly habitation before the faces and sight of his holye angels and men And therefore hee cannot be without horrible idolatry said to be in the bread of the communion or in
principally wee desire them as Christian and godlie Princes magistrates to whom the defence and propagatiō of Gods knowē veritie is by almightie God him selfe verie earnestly imposed and commanded as their chiefest and highest office that they would with all diligence haue a due regarde that the holy and blessed Gospell and the onely trueth of God which is infallible and shal not passe away but remaine for euer may be preached and taught vnto all their subiectes others appertaining vnto them according to the contentes of the Prophetical and Apostolical scriptures purely and vnfalsified that through the blessing of almightie God the same may be stil planted inherited and professed by their successours and posteritie to the intēt they may be partakers of the rich and gratious promise of our Lorde and Sauiour IESUS Christ saying Seeke first the kingdome of God and the righteousnes therof the rest shall fall or be giuen vnto you truely assuredly confirming strengthening them selues with the commandemēt comfort of almightie God which he gaue to his louing true seruant Iosua in these wordes Be strong and of a most valiant courage that thou maiest obserue do all things according to the law which Moyses my seruant hath commaunded thee Turne not from it neither to the right hand nor to the left that thou maiest prosper and proceade wisely in all that thou hast to do And let the booke of the Lawe neuer depart frō thy mouth but meditate vpō it day night that thou maiest do and obserue al thinges according as it is written therein Secondlie for as much as both nowe and alwayes it hath so come to passe that when Gods worde and holie Sacramentes haue bene in any place taught administred purelie clerely and without darkenes or falsehoode and almightie God by his blessed worde hath gathered vnto him a Churche that then immediatlie and forthwith the enemie of Christian faith the raging deuil partlie soweth his weedes amōg it and partly opposeth him self assaulteth it with his whole forces might goeth about by al meanes he can not only to ouerthrow quench it with his outward power but also by stirring vp of diuers diuisions cōtentions false erronious opinions which also in the time of our gouernmēt as is wel knowē vnto all men not without some daūger haue also happened vnto vs especially in the some vnquiet and contentious persons of mere ambition setled hatred whereas they could not publish a better booke of their owne went about and verie earnestly laboured to slaunder cauill the Cathechisme and booke of the orders and reformation of our Church which we caused to be published and to bring the same into suspicion by sondrie simple and well meaning people All which notwithstanding by the helpe and grace of almightie God whilest we suffered our selues not to be caried away frō the right line of Gods worde nor to be made afraide by any respect of outward power but truly and cōstantly follewed our office and calling in the end wonderfully contrarie to all mens expectation with great and apparant benefit both worldly eternall and many other blessings commodities which happened to our people which did at length submitte them selues obediently vnto the manifest trueth we outstoode ouercame them all and out of Gods worde haue stopped the mouthes of such as so opposed and set them selues against our said Christian Cathechisme booke of orders so as to our great comfort the eyes of many haue bene thereby opened and brought to the right vnderstanding of our true Christian religion and confession of pure doctrine We therefore praye admonish and warne our deare childrē also our Counsellours officers ministers subiectes especially our Vniuersitie and Church at Heydelberg that seeing the malice deceipt and subtiltie of the diuell and so the daūgers of true faithfull Christians are like euerie daye more and more to encrease and waxe greater They would in consideratiō of such imminent perils haue a more true diligent and earnest regarde thereto not onely to set forwarde this good worke as they minde to auoyde the heauie anger and displeasure of almightie GOD and his euerlasting and worldlie punishment vpon them and tender the saluation of them selues and their posteritie but also not suffer them selues to bee feared turned awaye or seduced from this knowen and confessed trothe for any contentions alreadie entered into the Churche feare of offending respectes of persones deceiptes and other subtilties of this vayne worlde but rather open their eyes awake take heede do their best endeuours that in such places of our dominions as gods trothe hath alreadie bene taught and receiued may there still and constantly be retained kept and increased And in case the same hitherto through any empechementes of the wicked diuell and other defaultes shall not haue bene perfectly in al places established knowen and rooted in our said subiectes that then in such place or places by the grace and meanes of almightie God Christ Iesus they would procure that the same may be broght in taught planted to the euerlasting and temporall profit and benefit of our said subiectes Especially for the third point we will pray our deare sonnes to beware take heede of all contentious vnquiet ministers in churches scholes which in these times go about to stirre vp in matters of faith religion sondrie euill cōtentions and strifes about words vsing vnprofitable condēnations censures against other Christian Churches Scholes which neuertheles agree in the principall foundation and chiefe articles of the Christian faith and repose the saluation of their soules vpon the onely Sauiour and redeemer Christ Iesus going about by ambition and peruerse zeale to bring in and erect a pretended iurisdiction of a holy Ghost and euē as in time of blasphemous Poperie seeking both to rule and haue dominion ouer the consciences of magistrates and subiectes and to constitute a newe supremacie whereby not onely diuisions and bitternes of mindes both in temporall and spirituall gouernementes haue followed to the ouerthrowe and ruine of them But also thereby occasion hath bene giuen to the Pope and his followers to persecute our true and Christian religion with fyre and sworde banishmentes and other paines and punishments and thereby to establish and confirme his own tyrannie the more As the more is the pitie manie examples partly already heretofore happened euen in our dayes in some Electours and Princes houses among other straunge nations our neighbours where the holie Gospell a long time hath had a swaye and partly of late tyme sprong vp might be produced to declare sufficiently what miserable diuisiōs calamities and misfortunes haue happened thereby where unto also al Christian magistrates Churches and scholes ought to beholde and looke vnto as in a glasse And therefore we would haue them as much as in them shall lie to beware of such daungerous vnquiet persones enemies of