agrees not with the Scripture which shews us the ascension of Christ into heaven to be after his death nor can I conceive that it was every where in the state of his exaltation from the very instant of his resurrection or that of his session at the right hand of his Father for if it were so such an alteration in humane nature could not have been without a wonderfull signe as being so prodigious that it cannot be conceived without the destruction of Christs body indeed it is impossible to apprehend a thing circumscribed in a place when it is not in a certain place fully contained but every where in all the places of the superiour and inferiour world which is the manner of being in a place that is attributed unto God privatively to all others for in all the School-Divinity in the old Philosophy and in nature there are but three natural proper waies of being in a place circumscriptivè desinitivè repletivè where you must observe that all corporal substances are circumscriptively in a place all the spiritual but finite substances as angels and souls of men separated from their bodies definitively and God alone is repletively in many places for it is that manner of being in a place by which God is distinguished from his creatures because God not his creatures nec loco includitur nec loco excluditur nec loco circumscribitur nec loco definitur is neither included in a place nor excluded from any Indeed I cannot imagine how it came to pass that the body of Christ which was before in order to a certain place circumscriptively should be now every where and made ex finito non finitum from finite not sinite besides you must know that Christs body is not every where because it is a glorified body for if it were so all glorified bodies would be every where nor because the humane nature is united with the divine to the person of the Son of God for it was so from the very instant of his conception which teacheth us that the body of Christ is not in the bread with the bread and under the bread but if you instance and say then follows the separation of the two natures of Christ I answer that such a thing doth not follow for although the humane nature of Christ be not every where yet the divine nature is and therefore it cannot be separate from the humane nature then it remains that this is my body is nothing else but this bread is the signe and sacrament of my body Now it may be that you will say by all what you have said we cannot well gather how Christ is present in the Sacrament but rather it seems that you deny the presence of our Lord in it To which I answer and say that Christ is present in the Sacrament but you must observe that by the Sacrament I understand the Sacramental action in concreto comprehending the signe and the thing signified according to which sense our Learned Doctours use to say that Christ is not present in the bread but in the Sacrament because in the Sacramental action the thing signified Christ our blessed Saviour is given together with the signe to the beleever but observe that Christ is present in the holy Sacrament not locally but sacramentally significativè spiritualiter virtualiter signisicatively spiritually and virtually for you must know that besides the local presence of a thing of which we have spoken and which we have said was threefold there are also presences of 3. several sorts which are of another nature for there is a symbolical and significative presence which is when a thing is present unto us by some mark or signe as our brother and sister is present unto us by their picture the second presence is a spiritual presence which is when by faith things that are not present locally are made present spiritually as the day of Christ was present to Abraham although it came to pass long after him above 2000 years after as we reade S. Joh. 8.36 where Christ saith unto the Jews Abraham rejoyced to see my day whether it was his birth or his death upon the Cross it matters not he saw it by saith and was glad as now we see and touch Christ for as S. Ambrose de Sacrament lib. 5. c. 4. saith fide langâ—ur side videtur non langitur corpore non oculis comprehenditur Christ the bread of life is toucht by saith and seen by faith and that spiritually not corporally which is consirmed by Christ himself S. Joh. 6. where you may observe against Bellarmin and others of the Church of Rome that Christ speaks de re Sacramenti of the thing signified in the Sacrament the slesh and bloud of Christ which we receive by saith not de ipsis signis of the external signes of it which we corporally and materially receive the third presence is a presence of vertue which is when a thing which is far from a place is nevertheless present by its vertue as you may see in the Sun which being far distant from the Earth yet is present unto it by its vertue Now you must know that all these presences are to be found in the holy Sacrament for Christ with his body and bloud is there present first symbolically and significatively for he is represented unto us by the external signes of bread and wine secondly spiritually because in the spiritual reception of the Sacrament we apply unto our selves the body and bloud of Jesus Christ by faith and so we are united unto him and spiritually nourished with his body and bloud thirdly Christ is present in the Sacrament with his body and bloud virtually for in the worthy participation of the Sacrament we receive the fruit and vertue of his death and passion but observe that the first presence of Christ which is symbolical is given to the wicked but the spiritual and virtual presence to the faithfull although then the body of Jesus Christ is as far from us as heaven is from the earth yet the real Sacramental presence remains for you may know that presentia alicujus rei non opponitur distantiaesed absentiae the presence of a thing is not opposed to distance but absence and so you may see that these presences do not contradict our assertion but do rather confirm it and oblige us to say that this is my body signifies nothing else but this bread is the signe and Sacrament of my body Now let us conclude with Application and learn from thence the great and exceeding affection of our Lord towards us who would not expire upon the Cross before he had given us the precious token of our redemption was it not enough for our blessed Saviour to assume our humane nature to manifest in it his Father unto the corrupted world and propose by it his sacred counsel to sinners Was it not enough for our blessed Saviour to be made flesh with the weaknesses and infirmities
impassible in the Sacrament But give me leave to go yet further and say that if Christ were corporally in the Sacrament under the accidents his body had been visible although it had been glorious for Christ speaking to his disciples after his resurrection said behold my hands and my feet and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have but as you see nothing in the breaking of a consecrated host but bread besides you cannot discern a consecrated host from another that is not as I have observed when I was in the Church of Rome it follows that the body of Christ is not in the Sacrament under the accidents passibly nor impassibly moreover if Christ were in the Sacrament corporally he had eaten himself if as some of the Church of Rome confess Christ did communicate with his disciples which is very probable as you may see by S. Mat. 26.29 where Christ after the exhibition of the bread and cup saith I say unto you I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine till that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom Lastly I say that if Christ is in the Host corporally his body which according to them remains no longer in their bodies then the substance of the bread if there it were should remain ceasing to be under the accidents is reduced to nothing or changed into another substance or remains wholly but is not reduced to nothing nor changed into another substance according to them for if it were so Christs body should be corruptible and could be changed into any sensible and insensible substance which cannot be said without dishonour to our blessed Saviour to say that the body of Christ remains wholly that cannot be proved or maintained without absurdity for I ask whether that body remains in our bodies or goeth to heaven they will not say that it remains in our bodies for some should have as many as they have received the Sacrament nor will they say that it goeth to heaven for the multiplication of so many millions of Christs by the multiplication of their consecrations cannot be admitted in heaven without absurdity and contradiction to the holy Scripture which tels us that there is but one body and one Christ in heaven it follows then that the body of Christ is not under the accidents which obligeth me to say with Erasmus that the Church of Rome hath too late determined the transubstantiation the truth being known before as Scotus and their Learned Tonstal lib. 1. de Euch. pag. 46. insinuates and indeed this Proposition this is my body signifies nothing else but this Sacramental bread is the signe of my body But it seems that some others will not yield to our assertion for the Lutherans say in defence of their Consubstantiation that in this bread under this bread and with this bread is the body of Christ for they pretend by their ubiquity that the humane nature of Christ is every where but me thinks they should have better observed the words of our blessed Saviour who onely saith this is my body and not in this bread with this bread and under this bread is my body let us keep close to his words Christ being the truth it self and indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this doth not signisie in with and under but onely demonstrates the singular substance of the Sacramental bread as being the signe of his body truly natural visible palpable and in order to a certain place sinite which they understand to be not natural not visible not palpable and every where not sinite although not infinite which is such a body that Christ never had for after his resurrection his body was palpable visible and in one place at once as well as before and that will not save them to say he was but in one place at once visibly but every where invisibly for Christ shews that a body is always visible of its nature saying S. Luk. 24.39 after his resurrection handle me and see me for a spirit hath not slesh and bones as you see me have where you may observe that Christ distinguisheth the humane body from the spirit by its visibleness and palpability after its glorious resurrection moreover the ascension of Christ into heaven diversly exprest by the Evangelists teacheth us that the body of Christ cannot be in two places at once visibly nor invisibly for S. Mar. 16.19 saith that Christ after he had spoken unto his Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was received up which could not be according to his divine nature which is every where but according to this humane nature which cannot be in several places at once S. Luke tells us 24.51 that Christ parted from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and was carried up that is according to his humane nature which onely was capable of local motion by which we leave one place to go to another Act. 10.9 it is said that while the apostles beheld 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was taken up which is also said in regard of his humane nature and so the Greek Fathers judiciously speak when they say that the ascension of our Saviour is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his assumption in slesh Moreover we reade in the 3. Chapter of the Acts 21. verse that the heavens must contain him until the restâ—tution of all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which evidently shews that the humane nature of our Saviour cannot be in two places at once for when Christ shall come upon the earth to judge the Universe he shall in regard of his humane nature leave heaven where he now is But let us go further and give me leave to say that if the humane nature of Christ be every where it was or in the Estate of his humiliation from the very instant of his conception as some Lutherans do affirm or in his estate of exaltation from the very instant of his resurrection or that of his session at the right hand of his Father as some other Lutherans say but I cannot perceive that it was in his estate of humiliation from the very instant of his conception for if it were so the body of Christ had not onely been formed in the womb of the blessed Virgin but also in every womans womb even the most wicked for in that very instant according to those of that opinion it was every where nay more then that Christ could not have been born of her for in the very instant of his conception he was in every part of the world his soul could not have been separated from his body being every where and so he could not have died for us for so long as the soul remains in the body we cannot say properly a man is dead but onely we conceive a suspension of the vital actions moreover Christ had been in heaven before his resurrection according to his humane nature being every where in the very instant of his conception which
shall leave to them by that you see how the Church of England differeth from the Church of Rome the Liturgy from the service of the Mass in its matter form and manner of its celebration But me thinks that I hear some of the factious say whatsoever you say there is something of the Mass in the Liturgy of the Church of England and much of the Breviary which is a Book different from that of the Mass to which I answer that there is nothing of the corrupted service of the Mass and if there be something in the Liturgy which is observed and said with the Mass and read in the Breviary I say that in is what is good and what was observed in the Christian Primitive Church leaving what was not good to the Church of Rome and her superstitious inventions Conclusion and Application Now let us conclude with Application and to remove the divisions which are now in the Land let us be of one minde and of one perswasion that we may see this Kingdom flourish in peace and truth for if divisions cause such disorders and confusions in States Families and Churches as you your selves by sad experience know you will confess with me that union cannot but bring peace and procreate good order unto them for union conserveth the kingdoms of the earth keeps families in awe and preserveth the Churches of God from schism licentiousness and heresie you know that the God of heaven is a God of union who hateth division which destroyeth his works of nature and that of his grace in which appeareth an admirable and inexplicable union for by the work of his grace our blessed Saviour united unto God those who were divided from him by their iniquities and by that gracious work earth is united with heaven and men with Angels Then let us all that are here present embrace that vertue and daughter of heaven union which leads us to the God of order all the sacred Scripture preacheth nothing else but union and as our Apostle Paul exhorteth unto it the Corinthians so do I exhort you all unto union and beseech you with him by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same things and that there be no divisions among you but that you be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement 1 Cor. 1.10 and do not tell me that your conscience cannot bear with those things which are imposed upon you for if you seriously consider the occasions of our fatal divisions you will finde them to be no sufficient occasions examine without partiality your reasons and I am sure that you will not finde any sufficient argument for your division for all that you can plead will appear to be under some of those monsters pride envy ignorance or obstinacy do not say in your selves I have so much spoken against these circumstantial things that I do not know how I shall submit my self again to these orders and injunctions for besides you have the commandment of an August Parliament which you must submit unto let me tell you that such considerations proceed from the devil the god of this world and the Prince of division who doth what he can to hinder the glorious union which we hope the great God of heaven will give unto this Nation to the glory of his great Name and the advancing of the spiritual kingdom of his Son Jesus Christ Let us repent brethren in the consideration of our sins which brought these disorders in this kingdom it is no shame before God and angels and men but rather a commendation and glory let men say what they will but regard not what they say obey God the King and the Church but let your obedience be sincere and without hypocrisie otherwise you keep the divisions in your hearts which will break out at the first occasion Consider these things with an impartial eye and I am sure that you will endeavour to banish out of this Nation that horrible and bloudy monster of division and that for the circumstances and the garments of Religion you will not embroil this glorious kingdom with new wars and spoil the Church of God to give way to all schismaticks and hereticks who arise from the ruine of the Church I could go yet further in the representation of the disorders which are caused by contentious persons but I will not any longer trespass on your patience for I will finish my discourse at this time desiring that the peace of God which passeth all understanding may keep your hearts and minde from schism licentiousness and heresie Amen TO THE Right Honourable and Vertuous THOMAS Lord RICHARDSON Baron of Cramond c. All happiness and Peace Right Honourable IF Presents ought to be worthy of those to whom we present them I must ingeniously confess that it is in vain for me to offer your Lordship any thing being deprived of that eminent capacity and indeed persons of quality and eminency as your Honour is must not expect such presents from their inferiours yet Noble Sir I hope you will receive that which I present here to your Lordship I confess it is something presumptuous in me to make use of your Name to ennoble my Sermon unto others but I am perswaded that the most excellent courtesie which shineth in your most noble Person will excuse a stranger nay will suffer me to present you with a heavenly silence where you may see the fatal Eclipse of the Church of God under the bloody persecutions of its enemies with her happiness and prosperity at the cessation of her afflictions but specially the great mystery of our redemption that procures unto angels and men a profound silence of admiration for I am not ignorant that your Lordship takes a singular pleasure at such celestial meditations your most vertuous person being perswaded that not onely the poor but the rich also are redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ and obliged to give silence to all the sinfull motions of our corrupted nature and indeed your great charity towards the poor members of our blessed Saviour and singular affection to the Clergy is a sufficient token of that verity nay an example to draw others to the imitation of the noble daughter of heaven vertue and force the most profane to abandon vice that monstrous child of hell I could say much more of the singular vertues which nature and grace have adorned your Lordship with nay of your singular affection to the great Monarch of England and the Church but that would prove needless it being so manifest to all that therefore which I shall say for the present if you will grant me that liberty is that I am My Lord Your Honours most humble Servant James Le Franc. The Churches Spiritual Silence Delivered in a Sermon Preached at the Cathedral in Norwich REVEL 8.1 There was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour AS in difficult and obscure things we do
not know which way to turn our selves so in the matter which I have now in hand I do not know whether I shall speak or keep silence me thinks that S. John tels me that I must stay to contemplate the great wonders that are seen in heaven at the opening of the seventh seal it seems that I must keep silence because the sacred Angels do not speak themselves and dare not sound their trumpets lest they should hinder the great agitations of heaven which appear in this silence indeed I could speak at the opening of the first second third and fourth seals of the book in which is written within and on the back-side the great mystery of our redemption the conservation of the Church and the punishment of prophane and wicked men for at the opening of these seals there was no silence kept as you may evidently see in the 6. Chapter the beasts be Angels or Evangelists as some learned men will have it crying Come and see I could break silence at the opening of the fifth seal because you may easily perceive that there was no silence at the opening of it hearing under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God crying with a loud voice and saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our bloud Moreover I could speak at the opening of the sixth seal for at the opening of it a great noise was heard behold there was an earthquake which learns us that we must not keep silence but at the opening of the seventh seal I do not see how I may speak for at the opening of that seal there was silence I am at a stand not knowing which is best for me to do whether to speak or keep silence but seeing that I came to this place to inform you about that heavenly silence I must break it and implore the assistance not of angels nor of men but of our blessed Saviour who hath prevailed to open the book and loose the seven seals thereof for you know that the Lion of the tribe of Judah is he that can give me leave to speak in this silence which S. John speaks of saying there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour which are the words that I have chosen to entertain you with by the special assistance of the blessed Spirit but for a clear intelligence of them I shall divide my text into two parts where in the first part I shall speak of the silence which was kept in heaven in these words there was silence in heaven and in the second part I will shew you the duration of it about the space of half an hour The first Part. To know well the silence which S. John speaks of we must first enter into the place where it was kept heaven there was silence in heaven but as that place is something obscure by reason of its several acceptions we must observe that here by heaven is not understood the air which the Scripture calls heaven Gen. 8.2 the place of generation of many imperfect mixt bodies ice dew clouds rain hail blazing stars and other moist and siery impressions as if these productions should cease in its breast or the air should rest from its agitation neither is it understood by heaven the skie that shining and bright heaven adorned with an insinite number of glorious stars as if there were a cessation of the motion of those shining bodies nor is it meant the supream or highest heaven the place of habitation of the sacred angels and blessed souls which the Scripture calls the third heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 as if there should be a suspension of the heavenly actions of the Citizens of that glorious palace nor is heaven to be understood in this place of the triumphant Church a glorious part of the mysticall body of our dear Saviour which sometimes the Scripture calls heaven Eph. 1.10 Col. 1.20 as if these glorious natures should cease to render their Hallelujahs and Thanks-givings unto the Almighty God who is set upon his throne of majesty and glory For here we must understand by heaven the militant Church upon the earth as it clearly appears by the preceding Chapter where you hear an angel cry with a loud voice to the four angels which did represent the four illustrious kingdoms of the earth with their Monarchs or the devils to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea saying hurt not the earth neither the sea nor the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads after which S. John beheld a great multitude of men who were to suffer martyrdom for Christ and wash their robes white in the bloud of the Lamb nay whom Christ was to lead unto the living and eternal fountains of waters and immediately after the Church of God admires the great mystery of our redemption in Christ for which she suffereth for it followeth and when he had opened the seventh seal there was silence in heaven and indeed the Scripture calls not seldome the militant Church heaven as you may see Dan. 8.10 where it is said that the little horn which did represent the power of a Potent but wicked King intra extra Ecclesiam within and without the Church waxed great even to the host of heaven that is the militant Church so in the Revelation 12. chapter 4. verse we reade that the great red dragon the devil with his well affected creatures by his fraudulent allurements drew with his tail the antichrist that follows the devils steps the third part of the stars of heaven that is the great persons of the militant Church which are eminent in learning humane wisdom nobility and riches and in my text there was silence in heaven the militant Church which obligeth me to tell you that there are three considerations for which the militant Church is called heaven First because the birth of the militant Church is from heaven for she is born of God 1 Joh. 5.1 and so I may say with S. John I saw the holy city the militant Church coming down from God out of heaven She is so called because the inheritance thereof is an inheritance of heaven and therefore it is called the inheritance of the Saints Col. 1.12 The militant Church is called heaven because her conversation is in heaven as the great Apostle tels us Phil. 3.20 and so our blessed Saviour calls often his visible Church the kingdom of heaven which agrees with our assertion of that word heaven the militant Church of which it is spoken when S. John saith there was silence in heaven But having seen the place where silence was kept the militant Church let us now consider the silence and give me leave to make a reslection upon it Silence brethren which the Hebrews call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cheresh and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we consider it in general is nothing else but a
the accidents that is what you see of the consecrated bread so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this demonstrates the body of Christ sub speciebus vel accidentibus panis under the accidents of the bread for say they this Proposition this is my body is the Will and Testament of our blessed Lord where sigures are not admitted as being something obscure But first I have shewed you that this Proposition this is my body is not a proper saying but a figurative one by the nature of all the Sacraments which are the same in signification and use in the New as they were in the Old Testament as S. Paul evidently teacheth us 1 Cor. 10.23 for saith he they were all baptized in the cloud and did all eat not onely among them but also with us the same spiritual meat and so S. Austin lib. de utilit poenit saith that whosoever apprehended â— Christ in the Manna cundem quem nos cibum spiritualem comederunt did eat the same spiritual meat which we do eat which saying of Austin made such an impression on the Jesuit Maldonat that he said if S. Austin had lived in his time he had changed his opinion seeing that the interpretation of the Protestants which he calls Calvinists is almost the same Maldonat on S. Job 6.50 num 80 81. As for what they say that it is a Testament we confess it with them but we say that the expression of our blessed Saviours Will is figurative and tropical as it doth appear by what we have said and by S. Luk. 22.20 where you read after Christ had said this is my body this cup is the New Testament in my bloud which is confirmed by S. Paul 1 Cor. 11.25 for it is evident that the cup was not the testament and it will not much serve them to say that this passage hath two expressions where the first must be rendred so this is the cup the new testament in mybloud the second this cup is the new testament in my bloud because the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is is exprest in 1 Cor. 11. and omitted in S. Luk. 22. for although in the first expression the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is is taken by them properly because it was a cup that Christ presented to his disciples nevertheless they confess a sigure is in the 2d expression for they say that in that expression the cup is taken for what was in it and that the testament is that by which we have right to the Covenant but it is certain that that which they will have distinct is but the same thing and the same Proposition in that passage of S. Luke of the Corinthians to signifie that the cup or the wine in the cup is the signe of the New Testament confirmed by the bloud of Jesus Christ Concerning tropical locutions which are not admitted as they say in testaments as being something obscure I say that it is not always so seeing that they themselves use them for illustration and it is clear enough that sigures have places in testaments let them consider the testament of Jacob Gen. 49. that of Moses Deut. 33. and that of David 2 Sam. 23. and they shall with us observe them to be allegorical moreover besides the Civilians observe that in mens Testaments there are oftentimes sigurative expressions for which they have some restrictions which cause them to say that in Testaments they must not come to a proper or strict signification of words Cum plerumque abusivè loquuntur testatores seeing that the Testators oftentimes speak improperly I say if the humane Testaments should be so plain that there should be no figures it would not follow that there should be none in divine and spiritual Testaments for in a humane Testament there are nothing but Legacies and express commands which ought to be plainly understood but in a divine and spiritual Testament there are mysteries to exercise our understandings our faith hope and patience as the Learned men most judiciously observe there are some things for this life and some things for the life to come some things are clearly seen and some things darkly perceived Moreover in humane Wills men ought to speak plainly because they can speak no more when they are dead but in the spiritual Testament which is here mentioned the Testator can speak after his death as you know that he did and doth truly know it for Christ after his ascension into the glorious Palace of his Father spâ—ke unto S. Paul who was the grand Persecutour of his sacred members Act. 9.4 5. as now by his holy Spirit he speaks unto us and makes the Church understand as much as he pleaseth and as much as is necessary for the glory of his Father and her eternal salvation By this you may see that our Proposition this is my body importeth nothing else but this bread signifies or is the signe of my body and indeed if the body of Christ were corporally in the Sacrament under the accidents it should there be passible that is subject to alteration and sufferings or impassible that is not subject to any alterations or sufferings but the body of Christ cannot be there passible or subject to any alteration for if it were so he should be there with all his dimensions in order to a certain place otherwise he could not suffer as they will confess with us and so the body of Christ could be divided which they will not grant in the Sacrament saying that it is totum in tota hostia totum in qualibet parte hostiae wholly in the host and wholly in every part of it and although Pope Nicholas forced Berengarius to recant in those words I Berengarius assirm that Christs slesh is sensually handled and broken by the Priests hands in the Sacrament and grinded by the teeth of the saithfull nevertheless they will not admit of that expression and confess it is not so insomuch that the gloss on the Canon de Consecr distinct 2. cap. Ego Berengarius affirms it to be a worse heresie then that of Berengarius unless it be soberly understood for generally they hold that Christs body is in the Sacrament sub speciebus panis impassibly which yet cannot be for if it were so his body had been a glorious body before his resurrection impassibility being one of the chief qualities of a glorious body as they confess with us for you know that Christ did celebrate the holy Sacrament before his death moreover if the body of Christ were impassible under the accidents in the Sacrament I would ask them the Apostles having consecrated at his death whether Christs body had been alive or no in the Sacrament I suppose they will not say that it had been alive for in the same time it had been alive in the Sacrament under the accidents and dead in the grave which is a manifest contradiction nor dead I hope for that should be contrary to their assertion of Christ