originall righteousnes and the inclination vnto all sorts of wickednes Therfore the scripture teacheth that al meÌ„ must be born againe euen infants and all vnto whome for this cause wee doe rightlie maintaine against the ANABAPTISTS that the signe of Regeneration is to be administred Although we make no question but that the reliques of corruption doth still remaine and is not vtterly taken away after Baptisme whatsoeuer the Papists say to the contrary 8 Actuall sinne is when the lawe of GOD is broken in deed and that is two maner of waies either when as that which God commandeth is omitted or that which he forbiddeth is committed Whence those two sorts of sinnes vz. omitted and committed sprang vppe in the Schooles The first whereof ariseth in that we are vnmeet to do well The latter in that we are prone vnto euery euill 9 There are other distinctions of actuall sinne For in respect of the object some are said to be done against God others against men And in regard of the ends some reach vnto the soule onelie others vnto the body also Vnto the first sort of the latter diuision do appertaine all inordinate motions whatsoeuer they are and euen all the euill cogitations euen the beginnings of them before they be fully framed and though the will doth not assent vnto them and those in like sort that the will which especiallie maketh the forme and giueth being vnto sinne doth allow and strengthen Vnto the latter member are all those referred which are brought vnto action by the outward seruice of some part of the bodie The Papists therfore do erre in denying concupiscence and those first inordinate motions to bee sinnes most absurdlie affirming that concupiscence is giuen to man to the end that wrastling with it he shuld be more and more whetted on to imbrace vertue and so should bind God so much the more vnto him by his merite Defended by RAMOND PALOCANE of Bearne PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE RESTORING OF MANKIND XIX WHERE FIRST THE PERSON OF CHRIST is to be spoken of 1 GOd would not haue the felicitie of man to consist in that first estate wherein hee was created for then had his felicitie beene earthly and in some sort subject vnto chaunge but he placed it in a more firme and a more excellent estate whereby he might liue a heauenlie life and such as from the which he could in no wise fall 2 Now that man might bee brought vnto that perfect estate he fell by his owne fault yet not without the prouidence of GOD and so was made subject vnto the death both of his soule and bodie to the end that being deliuered from sin and death hee might passe vnto a better life and so might become a most certaine president of the justice and mercie of God 3 Our restoring againe consisteth in that that we shuld be freed from sinne and death and also from all the effects of both and should bee preferred vnto the dignitie of that righteousnes and that immortall life which is far more excellent and permanent 4 Our deliuery from sinne is wrought by the abollishing of sinne which is doone two manner of waies First by taking away both the guilt and punishment therof by the mercie of God Secondly by the regeneration of a newe life which is opposed vnto the corruption of nature and by the which Sanctification is so begone in this life as it shall be fullie perfected in the next 5 Our deliuery from death is when as we are assured that God is not angry with vs yea and doe hope and also feele him so appeased towards vs that we know our selues to be safe from the aeternall destruction of bodie and soul and from all other miseries 6 These and all other gifts which God bestoweth vpon the elect are giuen vnto vs in Christ Iesus onely Now that we may bee trulie partakers of them there are two thinges to be considered namely his person and his office 7 The person of Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God who hath personallie vnited vnto himselfe the humaine nature which he tooke of the seed of DAVID For he who is God from all aeternitie began to be man when hee was conceaued by the holie Ghost and incarnate that from the verie moment of his conception he shuld continue for euer true God and true man 8 Now although this work of the restitution as well as of the Creation doth agree vnto the whole Trinity yet the seuerall persons are distinguished For the Father sent the Sonne the holy Ghost did incarnate him and the Sonne made him selfe of no reputation We condemne therefore the CERINTHIANS EBEONITS PHOTIMIANS SAMOSATENIANS ARTEMONIANS and SERVETIANS who affirmed Christ to be but a bare man The ARRIANS EVNOMIANS BONOSIANS and ORIGENISTS who held him to be a God that was created and that hee was the Sonne not by nature but by grace and adoption The MARCIONITS and the VALENTINIANS who denied him to bee true man The APOLLINARISTS who denied him to be indued with a true soule and would haue his diuinitie to serue instead thereof To be short wee detest all those that do any waies either directly or indirectly withstand the puritie of the foresaid doctrine Defended by WILLIAM MOGNES of Niueâ—se PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE PERSONALL VNION OF THE TWO NATVRES IN CHRIST XX. VNTO THE FVLL VNDERSTANDING of those things which wee haue to beleeue concerning the person of Christ it serueth to be needfull that wee declare how it is that hee consisting of two natures is yet but one subsisting person 1 THe second person of the Deity namly the word did so neerelie vnite and appropriate vnto himselfe the humaine nature that these two whole natures their proprieties vnited togeather are but one subsisting person Iesus Christ true God and man Yet so as the humain nature doth subsist in the diuine Wherfore this vnioÌ„ is called an Hypostolicall or a personall vnion 2 In Christ therefore there is not one Christ and another Christ that is Christ God and Christ man seeing the person is onelie one but yet there is one thing and another thing that is a diuine and an humaine nature seeing the natures are diuers 3 Now although these two natures be inseperable yet in very deed they remaine distinct both in themselues and also in their essentiall proprieties and their actions And therfore the diuine nature is seuerally attributed vnto the Deitie and is humaine vnto his humanity 4 Wherefore neither of the natures seuerally considered in it selfe can be said to be the other For you cannot truly say that the Deitie of Christ is his humanity or that his humanity is his Deitie 5 Neither can the essentiall proprieties of the one nature be more attributed vnto the other seuerally considered then the one nature can bee said to be the other For this is no true assertion to say that the Deitie was created is finite and contained within a place Nor yet this The humanitie is without beginning
the Angell witnessed he remained from the very moment of his conception a most pure consubsisting habitation of the eternall Sonne 15 For the holie Ghost when hee tooke the substance the Virgin did altogeather cleanse the said substance from all corruption before such time as hee turned the same into the seed of mans flesh 16 In this most pure flesh was placed also a most holie and a most pure soule that Christ alone shuld be that true holie one of the Lord making holie all his members for euer of whome the Leuiticall high Priest was onely a Type 17 Wee condemne therefore the Samosatenians who will haue Christ to be a bare man The Arrians and Seruetians who gaine-say his Coessentiall and Coeternall Deitie The Marcionites and the Manichaees who change the flesh of Christ into a bare shew The Schuengfeldians who attribute vnto Christ a heauenlie bodie The Appollinarists who affirme that the WORD was in stead of a soule vnto the flesh that was assumed The Nestorians who deuide the person The Eutychians who both confound the natures and mingle togeather their Essentiall properties The Monophysits who in steade of the vnitie of the person did place the vnity of the natures The Vbiquitaries who with EVTICHES do define the personall vnion by a Reall effusion of the properties of the Deitie into the humaine nature and with NESTORIVS doe define the same by the Co-operation of the natures and with the Monothelites to be onely a power proceeding as it were from God and man The Papists who affirme the Virgine Marie to haue bene conceiued without originall sinne and in mainetaining Transubstantiation do ouerthrow whatsoeuer they holde aright concerning the trueth of the fleshe of Christ and the personal vnion And their doctrine also who placing here vpon earth an essentiall Consubstantiation vnder bread and wine do strike vpon the same rocke of confusion Defended by DAVID PIOTAEVS of Lions PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE NATIVITIE CIRCVMCISION AND BAPTISME OF CHRIST XLII IN THE FORMER PRINCIPLES WE HAVE doone with the conception of Christ now wee are briefly to deale with his Natiuitie 1 EVen as these words of the Creed of the Apostles conceiued by the holy Ghost do set forth the purifiyng of the seed of the Virgin to the end that the bodie of Christ might bee purely formed thereof So these wordes Borne of the Virgin Marie doe declare vnto vs the bringing forth of Christ into the world by the said virgin and so his Natiuitie 2 Wee say that Christ was borne when as the vsuall tearme of Child-bearing common vnto all other men being fulfilled the Virgin brought forth Christ that word of the Father and the Sonne of DAVID 3 For hee which was conceiued was also borne The Virgin Marie therefore is justly called the mother of God though she be not the mother of the Deitie And wee doe justlie condemne NESTORIVS who made a vaine distinction between the mother of Christ and the mother of God as being things opposite the one to the other 4 Of the sure perswasion of this Natiuitie wee reape a double profit the one that hence we learne that the word yet without the laying a side of his diuine nature or anie conuersion or mixture of the same hauing taken vppon him our flesh our soule and our minde that in all thinges sinne excepted he might be made like vnto his brethren began to be God and man The Arrians therfore are to be condemned who denie our Sauiour Christ to haue had an humaine soule and the Appollinaristes who deny him to haue had an humaine mind 5 The other that by this meanes wee might be assured that Christ according vnto the flesh is from those Fathers of whome Mary came that is from ADAM ABRAHAM and DAVID vnto whom it was peculiarlie promised that the Messias should come of their seed 6 Hee was also borne as it must needs bee according vnto the fore-telling of the Prophets of a Virgine that was vnknown of man because otherwise he could not be borne a pure man and so he himselfe should haue stood in need of a Mediator The Iewes therefore are to be condemned who holde against the Christians that it was not needfull that the Messias should be borne of a Virgine but that he should be the Son of some King or of some Prophet 7 The virginitie of Marie after her Child-bearing to wit that as it is most certaine that before her Childe-bearing she was vnknowen of man so also she remained a Virgin after the same vnto her dying day is religiouslie beleeued yet there is nothing expreslie found concerning this point in the holie Scriptures neither doth it belong anie-wise vnto the mysterie of our saluation 8 In this place we do not onelie refuse but vtterlie detest all filthie questions and such as are most vnagreeable vnto so holy a birth 9 Christ beeing an infant and bound in his swaddling bands after the maner of all other men that are borne cried in his swathes as also he did trulie sucke milke it behoued also that his bodie and his humaine wisdome though it made greater growth in him then in other men and his experience did grow as he did increase in yeares in so much as God would not haue the lawes of nature to bee broken in these things 10 Christ therefore at that time had a Childes bodie and afterward a mans finite and hauing the instrumentall parts thereof and therefore circumscribed in a place the which essentiall qualities of a true bodie hee neither did at any time nor euer will cast of They err therfore who teach that the bodie of Christ can be euerie where and yet his humanitie remaine still vnuiolated neither doth it followe thence that the natures are separated 11 That bodie euen vnto his death was subject vnto humaine infirmities and so of it selfe subject vnto corruption though it neuer felt the corruption of the Graue but after his resurrection he laid aside all those infirmities that were brought vpon man for sin and euen the naturall life it selfe Whence MANES is conuinced with MARCION and those whome they call DOKITAE who teach that Christ in deede neuer did or could suffer any thing and that he did onely beare men in hand that he suffered 12 This Natiuitie was the beginning of the open humiliation of Christ whereby he made himselfe of no reputation namely when taking vpon him the form of a Seruant he trulie came into this world euen as his death and buriall was the last part of the same 13 Furthermore in that he was circumcised â—nd baptized it was not done therfore because he in himselfe needed to be made cleane by them as though before he were poluted but that we should learne 14 First that the whole force both of the circumcision of the Fathers did and of our Baptisme dooth depend vppon him as beeing hee by whome the Sacraments are trulie made the signs of our reconciliation with God 15 Secondly that hee was the Sauiour and
infinite and immeasurable or vncircumscribed in a place or that it can bee in many places at once or euery where or yet any where indeed any otherwaies then as in a place 6 Yet as they are joyned togeather that is in respect of the whole wholie considered the word is trulie said to be this man and this man to bee the worde not that the one nature is transfused or turned into the other but because these two natures are one only subsisting person which the Schoole-men call the grace of vnion or vniting grace 7 In like manner although the essentiall properties of the one nature be not transfused into the other yet is the word said to be crucified and dead not in it self but in the nature that was assumed In like sort this man is saide to be Eternall Infinite Immeasurable and God himselfe not in it selfe but in the assuming nature or the nature that tooke flesh 8 The maner of speaking is called the communicating of properties the which in respect of Christ wholie considered is Reall or both in name and in deed but in consideration of the natures seuerallie considered it is verball or onely in name 9 The Deitie of Christ borroweth nothing of the humanitie which it assumed Whereas on the other side the humanitie subsisting in the Deitie is perfected by it 10 Nowe the humanitie of Christ is fullie indued with so great store of all qualities most excellent those onelie excepted which are so essentiall in God as they can be in no wise communicated with any creature and by the powring whereof the humaine nature should be swallowed vp and become the Godhead as in dignitie and glorie hee doth farre surmount all Creatures as being inferiour vnto the Deitie onelie The which fulnes of gifts the Schoolmen call grace habituall or fullie possessed 11 Now this exceeding vertue and power was powred by degrees vpon the flesh that was assumed not at the very moment of the vniting togeather of both natures In as much as it behooued Christ to take vpon him such flesh as was in deede subject to all our infirmities sinne excepted vntill that hee hauing fulfilled whatsoeuer was necessarie vnto our saluation had obtained a name aboue al names the Godhead onelie excepted Wee doe abhorre then both the NESTORIANS who deuide the person and the EVTYCHIANS who either confoūd the natures or mingle their essentiall proprieties 12 The glorifiyng of the humanitie of Christ which is ment in the Christian beleife by ascending into Heauen and sitting at the right hand of God hath neither abolished the essence nor the essentiall properties of a true body Defended by STEPHEN BLOIVS of Angiers PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE OFFICE OF CHRIST XXI SEING THAT WE HAVE DONE ALREAdie with the person of Christ it followeth now that we deale with his office For these two are to be considered in him 1 MAnkinde by reason of sinne whereunto it wilfullie fell was altogeather loste in such sort as it could in no wise by it owne strength escape aeternal damnation 2 But God to the end that hee might affoorde a moste cleare testimonie of his mercie did appoint in his aeternal counsell to deliuer men from this miserie and calamitye And to the end that this might bee done without anie impeachment of his justice he appointed a Mediatour who should performe all these things that were required 3 Therfore seeing to auoide the curse of the lawe the lawe it selfe must bee fulfilled by men and this can by no meanes be performed by them it behooued the Mediator to effect this worke and not to ouerpasse the very least title of Gods Law The opinion of the PAPISTS therefore is very wicked in attributing anie other merite vnto any man saue onely the merite of Christs alone obedience 4 Furthermore seeing it behoued God which is moste just to punishe the sinnes of men that by this meanes his justice might be fulfilled and men could not vndergo the weight of Gods anger but they should bee euerlastinglie swallowed vp thereby It was the office of the Mediatour seeing he bare the person of all men to pay all their debts and to suffer punishment for them all They are againe most wicked who bring in any other Mediatour of satisfaction in the presence of God saue onlie this one 5 And as Christ was vnder the law represented by Prophets Kings and Priests so beeing exhibited in his time hee was annointed to bee a King Priest and Prophet In which three callings his whole office is contained 6 The Propheticall office of Christ is to teach men the will of God and clearelie to lay open vnto them his decree concerning the saluation of mankinde and so to put an end vnto al prophesies that is to fulfill all those things that were fore-tolde of him It is execrable wickednes therefore to burden the conscience of man with new commandements added vnto the worde or to impose anie lawe vpon the conscience and much more to adjoine vnto the Gospell new supplies of saluation 7 The Kingdome of Christ consisteth heerein namely that al his enemies beeing subdued vnder him as Sathan sinne and death he onelie may beare rule ouer his church defend the same and bestowe all thinges needfull therevpon 8 This Kingdome is not like vnto other Kingdomes that are earthlie but it is spirituall And therefore the Iewes are worthelie condemned with all others that thinke this kingdome to consist in a kinde of outward pompe majestie and magnificence And they are much more impudent then the Iewes themselues who will haue the tyrannie of the Romane Praelate to bee a visible representation of Christs kingdome 9 The office of Christs Preist-hood was by some acceptable Sacrifice to pacifie God being offended with vs And because no other Sacrifice could bee found meet and no other Priest worthie for this worke hee who was without all spot became both the Sacrifice and the Preist now also making intercession for vs in heauen Therefore the Papisticall Sacrifizing Preists are most grosse seducers who saye that in the Sacrifice of their Masse they offer Christ really both for the quick and the dead Defended by BERNARD CASANOVA of Bearne PRINCIPLES CONCERNING FAITH XXII HAVING DECLARED THESE THINGS which appertaine vnto the person of Christ it remaineth that we speak by what meanes Christ with all his benefites is applied vnto vs. 1 CHristian faith is that onelie hand whereby wee take hold or apply vnto our selues Christ being offered vnto vs with all his benefites that are necessarie vnto our saluation 2 This Faith wee doe first of all distinguish from that meere agreement of the vnderstanding whereby it commeth to passe that we beleeue all these things to bee true which are contained in the holie Scriptures the which agreement or assent wee affirme that it may arise from the light of nature also and the arguments that may be compassed by humane reason without anie peculier lightning of the holie Spirite seeing the verie vncleane Spirits themselues do
cause made known before the Presbyterie not that anie satisfaction shoulde thereby be made vnto God as though the penaltie were satisfied but to the end that the pride of the sinner being beaten downe the Church might haue a sure testimonie of his repentance those punishments wee say haue the saide Papists changed with manifest impietie into certaine formes of penalties that partlie are full of superstition and partlie altogether blasphemous which also they teache to bee such a satisfaction of the penalty in the presence of God as deserueth remission of sinnes 15 Vnto this most foule delusion they joyne an other twofolde error to wit purgatorie and indulgences wheras indulgence was nothing els at the first but some mitigation of the seueritie of the Canons whereby vpon good grounds some fauour was shewed vnto those that had offended least they should haue bin swallowed vp with over much heauines Wee detest therefore that whole fable of purgatory as being an execrable impietie and meere contrarie vnto our free reconciliation by Christ 16 The lawe is properlie the object of repentance as the promises of the Gospell are of fayth Therfore to speake properlie Faith is the mother and not a parte of repentance 17 Yet if by repentance wee will vnderstand the whole change of man vnto better we acknowledge that fayth is a principall parte thereof whereby a man is changed from beeing an vnbeleeuer to be a beleeuer 18 Nowe we rightly gather by the former things that repentance is a meere gift of God and that it is ridiculouslie said to arise from our naturall free-will seeing by nature we are seruants vnto sinne 19 And seeing that the flesh doth in some sort remaine in vs two things doe followe thence first that continuall Repentance is required of vs as long as we are in this life Secondly that Repentaunce is acceptable vnto God not by any merrite thereof but onelie by his meere free mercie 20 We condemne the Nouatians who deny repentance vnto them that are once fallen 21 And the Annabaptists who dreame that they haue attained vnto a perfect degree of righteousnes in this life 22 And that ouer great seueritie of the Cannons who did exclude the Ministers of the Church after they had once made publicke repentance from al hope of being receaued againe Defended by DANIEL DOOLEGIANVS a Low-countrey man PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE CONCEPTION OF IESVS CHRIST XLI SEING WE HAVE SVFFICIENTLY SPOken of the person and office of Christ and also of the Lawe which bringeth vs vnto Christ we thinke it meet now particularly to handle those things out of the Creed of the Apostles which Christ in the performance of his office hath done for vs beginning with his conception in the wombe of the Virgine 1 BY Conception wee vnderstande that which was made within the Virgin namely that in deed essentially she should beginne to beare in her wombe that Sonne of God which was true God and true man 2 Neither was that man formed any space of time before the person of the word was vnited vnto him but that Man began to bee at the one and the verie same moment that it was personallie assumed by the aeternall word 3 This humanity was and shal continue for euer a true and a perfect humaine nature in regard both of the bodie and soule beeing then made when as it was conceaued in the wombe of the Virgine and not before 4 That aeternall person also of the word or of the Sonn of God Coessentiall with the Father is the true person of the Sonne of God 5 In this conception which was a beginning in time of that personall vniting the one nature did not simplie assume the other but the person of the Sonne tooke vppon him the nature of man in that one particular man and did preferre it vnto the dignitie of the person of the Deitie Wherein notwithstanding doe remaine both the very natures also their proprieties wherby they are that which they are distinguished without anie confusion or separation 6 Whereas DAMASCEN then doth call the person of Christ wholie considered a compound person because hee is God and man his words are warily to be taken For the partes concurring togeather for the making of some third thing which of it selfe is not as the soule and the body in the making of a man doe of them selues exist before the third thing made of them is existent But in the person of Christ the Deitie of the worde doth not onely sustaine the consideration of the one nature but euen of the whole person attributing this vnto that man that hee doth subsist in the very Sonne of God and is not man alone of him selfe For otherwise there should be one person of the Son of God and another of the Sonne of man neither wherof could of him selfe be the Mediator 7 The parts furthermore that properlie make vpp the whole are compounded togeather But the Deity can admit no composition seeing it is most perfect and therefore in this conception it did preferre that man vnto the dignitie of the diuine person but so as nothing was added thereby vnto the worde but rather that that man did receiue this personall dignitie from the word whereby it is come to passe that as wee haue said he is exalted aboue the Angels the natures yet remaining 8 Therefore Christ was rightlie said by the Fathers to be greater then himselfe and lesser then himselfe 9 Nowe this assumed bodie was made out of the substaunce of the Virgin Marie according vnto the promises made by the Prophets in which respect he the very same who is the Sonne Coeternall and Coessentiall with the Father is trulie the Sonne of ADAM out of the stocke of ABRAHAM and DAVID Coessentiall also with his Mother 10 This conception the effect whereof was the personall vnion of the word and that man could not possiblie be wrought by the power of any Creature 11 Furthermore Christ is said in the beliefe according vnto the Scriptures to bee conceaued of the holie Ghost which is as the Angell GABRIEL doth expound the power of the most high and the third person in the Deitie 12 Yet cannot Christ bee said therefore to be the Son of the holy Ghost for in this conception the holy Ghost doth not sustaine the consideration of the Father who begate of his owne substance but of a cause forming the flesh out of a matter taken els-where 13 Yet is this Conception the worke of the whole Trinitie but distinctlie considered for the Father doth send his Son into this flesh the Sonne is conceaued in this flesh the holy Ghost dooth forme this flesh out of the substance of the Virgin 14 Although that that Virgine blessed aboue all women was yet the daughter of ADAM and therfore infected of her selfe with that vniuersall contagion of all mankind whereof also vndoubtedly she brought forth some fruits Yet notwithstanding the flesh of Christ was in no wise poluted with that contagion but as
the word essence in this doctrin is ment that which in deed is one and of al things most singular or single wherein the seuerall persons being euery one of them the whole the same essence do subsist being distinguished in their peculiar proprieties These persons are the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost 6 The Persons in the Deitie are the whole and the verie same substance of the Deitie distinguished the one from the other by their peculiar or respectiue incommunicable proprieties 7 The proprieties whereby the persons are distinguished are the diuers maner of being that they haue in the Deitie whereby the substance of the Godhead is no wise deuided assunder nor the persons of the same essence seperated but yet so distinguished as the one of them cannot possiblie bee the other 8 The diuine Essence the Deitie or Godhead God are essentiallie the one and the same 9 These persons are sayd to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or coessential not because they are only of like essence and substance as we see the particulars of the same kinde to bee but inasmuche as they are indeed the one and the selfe same simple essence of which sort nothing that is created can be And therefore the persons of the Deitie cannot without blasphemie be said to bee onelie cohaerent togeather in substance or onely of like substance 10 Amongst these persons distinguished indeed by their respectiue proprieties although there be an order yet is ther not any degree whence either any inferioritie inequalitie or confusion may arise Therefore wee conclude that there are indeed three persons in nomber yet but one Godhead and one GOD in regard of substance 11 The proprietie of the person of the father is to be vnbegotten and to beget The proprietie of the sonne is to be begotten of the father The proprietie of the holy ghost is to proceed from the father and the sonne Wherefore in conclusion we do from our hearts detest all the blasphemies that both old and new heretiks haue maintained contrary vnto this doctrine Defended by IOHN CHEROPONTIVS of Neocome THE THIRD SORT OF PRINCIPLES CONCERNING GOD THE FATHER AND GOD THE SON SEING WE HAVE DEALT CONCERNING God one in substance and three in persons it followeth nowe that we speake in order of euery one of the persons 1 THe word GOD is sometimes taken particularly for the person of the Father because that the persons of the Son and of the holy Ghost are referred vnto the father as it were vnto a certaine original of their being wheras the father receiueth his being of none but doth communicat it both with him selfe and also with the other two persons 2 God the Father was alwaies God and alwaies the Father and therfore it fell not as a property vnto him that being meerely God at the first he shoulde be afterwarde made God the Father but as he is God from all aeternitie so he is the Father from all aeternitie 3 God the Father after an vnspeakable manner of generation begat his onely Sonne by communicating his whole essence with him the which maner of begetting is shadowed out by a kind of similitude where the son is in the holy scripture named the Wisdome the Power the a Coll 1 15 Image the b Heb. 13. brightnes and the ingrauen forme of his person 4 And after this sort wee are to conceaue but not curiously to scan the similitudes of the fountaine the streame that issueth from it of the Sunne and the Sunbeames of the light that proceedeth from light of the water the vapors that arise out of it of the tree and the branches of the mind and the speach that is inwardlie conceiued of the seede and the budde and to be briefe of al such similitudes as the Fathers haue broght to manifest in some measure though not perfectly to lay open this mistery Which they accounted a matter to be reuerenced adored not curiously and prophanely to be sifted and waded into 5 And althogh this diuine maner of begetting doth neither cutte into parts nor multiplie the essence of the Deity which Deity is not a thing that onely may be conceaued in thought hauing no other being or existence as are the generall kinds and sorts of things created but is in deede a most single and a most pure infinite self-being yet doth it multiplie the persones but so as it doth in no wise seuer the one of them from the other 6 The Father therefore is an other person in number then the Son and in like sort the Son is another person then the Father And yet is the Deity neither deuided nor multiplied when the Son is said to be God of God And euen as in substance he is the one and the selfe same with the Father so is he in his person so distinguished from the Father that hee is and remaineth in him still 7 The Father and the Sonne then are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the one of thē in the other or neither of them seuered from the other by any distance of place Yet is the Son more properlie sayed to be in the father then the father in the sonne by reson of the dignitie as it were of the Fatherhood Hence also it is that the Son personally distinguished from the Father is in many places of the Scripture called God 8 Out of these things it apeareth what we are to beleeue concerning the person of the Sonne to wit that in regarde of his substance absolutely considered hee is that one onelie true God vnto whome doe agree whatsoeuer may be attributed to the diuine substance considered in it selfe but in regarde of the maner of his being that is in respect that hee is the Sonne or as far as hee is personally considered then we are to beleue that hee is not of him selfe but of the Father yet coaeternall and coessentiall with the Father 9 Wee do condemne therefore the Tritheits by whome not onely the persons which also wee graunt are nombred but euen the substaunce of the Godhead wherein also they place an inaequality multiplied In like sort we condemn the SABELLIANES who holding a contrary errour doe not soe much as nomber the persons and in stead of the royall notions whereby the persons are distinguished the one from the other do bring in only a certaine difference of their effects and names We do also condemne the ARRIANS who rob the Son of his essentiall Godhead And the EVNOMIANS who haue forged the inaequalitie of the persons Togeather with the followers of SAMOSATENVS and SERVETVS and all other fanaticall spirites who affirme the person of the Son to haue taken his beginning with his humane nature because as they hould before that time either the Worde was not the Sonne or was nothing els but a shape or a forme conceaued in Gods minde of the humane nature that should afterwarde be borne or was onely predestinate and appointed to be but not being
indeed from all aeternitie or els because they will haue the fleshe of Christ to be taken out of the substance of the Godhead or as some do nowe affirme because all the proprieties of the Deity were poured into the humane nature when the worde was incarnate or to be briefe by what other dotage soeuer they goe about to obscure the coaeternall generation of the Sonne Defended by IOHN HENRY SCHINTYER of Tigurine THE FOVRTH SORT OF PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE HOLY GHOST HITHERTO CONCERNING THE PERSONS of the Father and the Sonne it followeth now that we speake of the holie Spirit 1 VVHereas the word SPIRIT is diuersly taken in the scriptures we in this doctrine do vnderstand by the holie spirit the third person in Trinitie 2 The holie Spirit is that Essentiall and working power who is essentially subsisting in the Father and the Son from whome the whole Deity wherein also they doe subsist being communicated vnto him after an vnspekable maner though he procedeth or if we may so speake is as it were breathed yet is he not at all seperated in respect of this his proceding but is in regard of the maner of his being distinguished from the persons of the Father and the Sonne And therefore he is not without cause reckoned the third person in nomber seing in consideration of his being hee is referred vnto the Father and the sonne yet not as vnto two beginnings but as vnto one 3 The Deity thus communicated by issuing and proceeding is not multiplied in substance seing he is most simple and single Whence it is that the holie Ghost in regard of his person is and euer hath bin coessentiall and coaeternall with the Father and the sonne and in regarde of his substance is that one onely true God in himselfe Wherevpon also the name of God is sometimes personally attributed vnto him The holy Ghost is therefore to be worshipped by the one and the same faith and inuocation that the Father and Son are 4 And although the works of the Trinnitie which they cal outward or external are vnseperable yet in the effecting of them wee are to obserue a distinction not onelye of the persons but also of the personall actions 5 The proper and the peculiar action of the holie Spirit in all the workes of the Deity bee they naturall and ordinary or els extraordinary was and is to effect in his time and maner those things which the father from all aeternitie hath decreed in his owne wisdome that is in his Son and the Son hath ordered and disposed to come to passe 6 Yet is not the holy spirit any instrumental cause affording his helpe as a seruaunt vnto the Father or the Son but working together with them without any inferioritie or inaequallitie 7 But the power and working of the holy spirit is especiallie seene in the planting and gouerning of the Church In which particular respect he is called the holie spirit even because that he who is most holie doth stirr vp and nourish all the holie motions that are in the elect For he it is by whose inspiration all the holie prophets haue spoken it is he that giueth eares to heare and a hart to beleeue who appointeth Pastors and doth enable them with necessary gifts who stirreth vp the slouthfull and being the true comforter indeed doth comfort the afflicted soule By whome those that are borne againe of him do cry Abba father he also formed the fleshe of Christ in the wombe of the virgine and did most aboundantlie anoint his humane nature to conclude it is he by whose strength we stand vntill we overcome Wherefore we doe abhor and renounce the SABELLIANS who confound the persones with the substance of the Godhead the ARRIANS and the MACEDONIANS who deny the holie Ghost to bee coessentiall with the Father and the Son the GRECIANS of later time who affirme that hee doth onlie proceed from the father and those also who by the holie Ghost will haue nothing els to be ment saue certaine motions and inspirations onely together with those who deny that he is to be invocated by the one and the selfesame faith with the Father and the Sonne and to be briefe we detest all those that any waies oppugne the Deity of the holy Ghost either in his substance or person Defended by IOHN IAMES COLER of Tygurine THE FIFT SORT OF PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE ATTRIBVTES OF GOD IN GENERALL HITHERTO WE HAVE SPOKEN OF GOD both as far as wee are able to attaine vnto bee the light of nature also as he is laied before vs in the holy Scripturs to be three in person and one in substance now it followeth that we intreat of his attributes wherby in a sort we are taught what maner of God he is 1 ALthough there be no composition in God nor yet any accidentall qualitie seeing hee is a substance most single and euery way one yet to the end that according vnto our capacitie we might vnderstande what a God hee is he himselfe in the scriptures is accustomed to attribute vnto himselfe many things as qualities 2 By attributes in this place then we vnderstande the essentiall proprieties of the Deity which are attributed vnto him in the scriptures 3 These things are so attributed vnto him that notwithstanding they place nothing in him that is cōpoūd or diuers from his substance but look whatsoeuer they point him out to be the very same he is in his owne most simple substance 4 For both these proprieties and also their actions doe in very deede differ no whit from the substance of the Godhead but onely in some consideration we are to holde them diuers both from the diuine substance and also the on from the other 5 Now these things are attributed vnto the Deity sometimes substātiuely somtims adjectiuely as they speak that we may thereby knowe him to be a being that subsisteth indeede and that he is such a one not by participation and imperfectlie but of himselfe and that most perfectlie 6 Of attributes we make two kinds the one is of them which are so proper vnto the Deitie that they can bee in no sort communicated vnto creatures neither haue they anie other respect vnto creatures saue that by them the Deitie is distinguished from creatures of this kind are aeternity simplenes vnmeasurablenes omnipotencie 7 The other kind is of those who although simply and as far as they are in the Deitie they cannot be communicated yet creatures may be partakers of them not properly but by analogie and a kinde of agreement and that not essentially but in regarde of qualitie and but in part neither such ar wisedome goodnes and the rest of that kind Therefore OSIANDER erred grosly whoe taught that the essentiall righteousnes of God was communicated vnto vs and at this day their error is intollerable who recalling back again the blasphemie of EVTYCHES holde that al the proprieties of the Deitie were powred by personall vnion into the flesh which
the Sonne of God tooke vpon him 8 For whatsoeuer is not the diuine essence thervnto the essentiall attributes of the Deitie cannot be communicated 9 The actions furthermore which we said to be also attributes of the Deitie wee deuide both into those which they call remaining because they doe so continue in the Deitie that worketh as they bring forth no worke out of the doer of which sort are prouidence and predestination and also into those which may be tearmed passing that is those which leaue some worke out of the doer or doe inferre a suffering vnto some thing as are creation and redemption 10 As for the attributes which haue their names from the effects proceeding from God vpon the creatures thogh they seeme to haue had their beginning in time as where God is called the Creator redeemer c. yet wee denie that either they put any change in God or do agree vnto him by way of accident Defended by IOHN CASTOL of Geneua THE SIXT SORT OF PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE OMNIPOTENCY OF GOD. THE ATTRIBVTES OF GOD IN GENErall haue bene dealt with now some of them in speciall are to be handled 1 THe omnipotencie of God is that very immeasurable and infinite essence of God which is communicable vnto no creature alwaies doing neuer suffering and which cannot decist to be that which it is 2 This being in deed but one may yet in diuerse considerations be said to be manifolde 3 For the omnipotencie is one way considered when we speake of it as God doth alway worke in him selfe it is another way regarded in respect that God worketh out of him selfe and can worke innumerable thinges if it pleaseth him 4 For wee hold that God is omnipotent in as much as besides that he is able to do whatsoeuer he will he can both will and do innumerable things which hee will neuer either will or doe We do therefore condemne them who say that God is for no other cause omnipotent but in as much as hee can without exception worke whatsoeuer can bee either spoken or imagined And we doe dislike of them who thinke that God is in that respect onely called omnipotent because he can do onely whatsoeuer he will For his power is in it selfe infinite whereas his will is as it were bounded within the verie act of will 5 Now we hold that God cannot do any of these things which either are repugnant vnto his personall proprieties as that the Father cannot bee begotten neither the Sonne begotten or are contrarie vnto his essence as to be finite or which implie a contradiction of which sort it is to make that a bodie shall bee truly naturall and yet neither to haue quantity nor to be contained in any place Brieflie we denie that God can doe any thing which if they were done might shew him to haue defects and weaknes in him as to die to lie to sinne c. 6 And as by faith we beleeue according vnto the Scriptures and the Creeds appointed in the church that God only is omnipotent so we do professe and publish the same with our mouth 7 For it is no lesse repugnant vnto his nature that there should be many omnipotents then that there should be many Gods Whence it is that Christian Religion doeth not acknowledge in God distinct into three persons three omnipotents but one omnipotent Now concerning the humane nature of Christ although it be vnited vnto the deuine in the person of the Sonne who is but one yet as it is not therefore made God so is it not properlie made omnipotent but it retained even it own infirmities before it was glorified wherein it might suffer and dye for vs and now being glorified although it be free from all infirmities and glorious yet is it not in it selfe made omnipotent Defended by WILLIAM MOâ—NES of Niuerse THE SEVENTH SORT OF PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE KNOWLEDGE THAT IS IN GOD. I VNto the treatise of Gods omnipotencie is to be joined the declaration of the knowledge that is in him being a doctrine verie necessarie to the end that the true God may bee seuered from the false and that from it we may take counsell and consolation II Now this science or knowledge is considered both in it selfe simplie when the question is what and of what sort it is and also in respect of the things that it doth know III By this knowledge we meane an absolute and a most cleare knowledge in God both of himself and of all things created whereby he doth not onlie know all things to bee but also the reason why they are so And this knowledge is different from all the sight that men and Angels haue not by comparison that it is greater and theirs lesser but altogether in the whole nature of it The which difference wee discerne by these notes 1 That this knowledge is essentiall and euen the vnderstanding essence of God 2 That it ariseth not from the outwarde senses or from the notions that the vnderstanding doth apprehend by reasoning by joining things together and by deuiding or yet from the report of any other no not from the knowledge of principles and causes that are of themselues formed in the vnderstanding 3 That it is neither any habite nor action nor any thing different from that verie thing that doth vnderstand that is from the essence of God seeing it is moste simple 4 That it vnderstandeth all things at once 5 That it is most certaine 6 That it is alwaies the same IIII Now in respect of the things that it doth know wee affirme that God doth know al things by himself of himself 1 Himself properly and most fullie 2 All things past present and to come euen those things that are casuall 3 Yea and such things as neither are nor euer shal be 4 Euen euill things 5 Yea infinite 6 And euen all the motions of the will and their issues 7 And not onely by a generall knowledge of generall things but euen by a most exact and perfect of euerie particular V This knowledge which in respect of things to come is called praescience or fore-knowledge is not the cause of the existence of thinges although there is nothing to come to passe which God did not fore-know that it should come VI This knowledge either in whole or in part can no creature be capable off Defended by IOHN FLORIDVS of Angieu THE EIGHT SORT OF PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE VVILL OF GOD. 1 THe discourse concerning Gods will which is most of al to be sought into for our saluation followeth that which is concerning his knowledge 2 By the worde WILL in God wee vnderstand both the diuine essence which doth imbrace and delite in that chiefe and soueraigne good which it hath in it selfe and also in respect of the thinges that God will haue done wee meane the verie action of will 3 And in this latter regard it is also considered two manner of waies either as it is a decree certaine
are a sleepe vntill the last day of judgement Defended by BENIAMIN CRESSONIVS of Burgundie PRINCIPLES CONCERNING CHRIST HIS ASCENSION INTO HEAVEN XLVI SEING THE ARTICLE OF CRISTS REsurrection hath bene alreadie opened it now followeth that we deale with his ascension into heauen 1 AS the Scripture dooth teach that the death resurrection and buriall of Christ were true and not fained so the same doth testifie that his Ascension into heauen was not onely visible but also locall 2 For although the word ASCENDING is sometimes Figuratiuely spoken concerning God yet in this Article of the Faith it is taken in his proper and naturall signification in such sort that by it is expressed a passage from a lower place vnto a higher which is pointed out by the name of Heauen 3 Whereas in the Scripture there is mention made of a three-folde Heauen wee affirme that the highest of all is heere to bee vnderstood wherein is the seat and aeternall habitation of the soules of the faithfull and where also Christ is exalted aboue all Creatures 4 And although he be trulie ascended into Heauen yet doth it not follow thence that he is no more present here with his Church for the gouernment thereof seeing that the said Ascention dooth onely appertaine vnto that nature which is finite and contained in a place that is vnto his humanitie and not to his Diuinitie which is euery where alwais present and can be contained in no certaine place seeing it containeth all things For as AVGVSTINE hath spoken very notablie the body wherein Christ rose must bee in one place where as his trueth is euery where spread abroad 5 Hence we gather that hee is not now vpon earth in respect of his Manhood seeing he hath once ascended into that place whence the Scripture dooth testifie that hee will not depart vntill the restitution of all thinges and in no other manner neither then he did ascend 6 Yet wee say that God and man did ascend because that his humaine bodie was taken vp by the power of the Deity which was vnseparably joyned with the humain nature and nowe remaineth there after a manner vnknowen vnto vs. They are deceiued therefore who holde that Christ according vnto his humaine nature can be at the same time both in heauen and in earth And those also who auouch that his fleshe is euery where and all those in a word who bereaue his body of the essential and as DAMASCEN speaketh of the Caracteristical properties therof that is such as are markes of a true bodie 7 Now where as Christ after his Ascention was seen of PAVL and STEPHEN that vision was extraordinary and a peculier reuelation So that from thence it cannot bee gathered that Christ was not in that place wherevnto hee ascended 8 This Ascention furthermore was as it were a certain triumph after the victory gottē ouer the enemies of mankind which he ouercame 9 The end of this triumph is diuers and manifold First of all it testifieth that the woorke of our Redemption was finished vpon earth the which he would seale by this magnificall and royall triumph which for this cause is called by AVGVSTINE a confirmation of the Catholicall faith For by this meanes Christ hath gotten vnto the immortal and incorruptible life not an earthly but an incorruptible and aeternall mansion 10 Secondly that there should be extant a most cleare testimonie of the Diuinitie of Christ by the which his humanitie was taken vppon high whence also it appeareth that he consisteth of two natures 11 Thirdlie that hauing ouercome death hee should enjoy that glorye which was prepared and ordained for him before the foundation of the world was laid not according to his Deitie but according to his humanitie the glory wherof appeared then when a new ghuest as it were entered into heauen to wit the man GOD the which thing the Angels had neuer seene before 12 And although the man Christ was glorified by his Resurrection in such sort as there was nothing wanting vnto him yet this Ascention was a more certaine ample possession of that glory 13 Fourthly and lastly that he might prepare a dwelling for vs in Heauen and not onely prepare it but also allure vs thither that wee might follow him by an ardent desire and affection while we are in this life and here vpon earth seeke those things that are aboue 14 Nowe euen as Christ was borne for our cause dead for our cause c. So hee ascended into Heauen for our cause 15 The fruit and profite therefore which ariseth to the faithfull out of this Ascention is manifolde For first wee are thereby vndoubtedly assured that we shall once namelie at the last day ascend also into Heauen For where the head is there the members also ought to be the Ascention of the members shall bee such as the Ascention of the head was saue that he ascended by his own power where as we shall ascend not by our owne but by his vertue For our bodies ought to bee fashioned like vnto his glorious body as the members vnto the head 16 Secondly after this Ascention was the holy Ghost giuen vnto the Apostles Next were other gifts from heauen bestowed vppon men and the Church furnished with things needfull for the same 17 Thirdlye heereby a way is opened for vs vnto our heauenly countrey from whence we fell by the meanes of ADAM 18 Fourthly and lastlie his Resurrection confirmeth our faith For hereby we are assured that our soules separated from our bodies euen before the Resurrection shall passe to no other place then where Christ is that they may liue for euer in blessednes with him Defended by WILLIAM QVERCINVS Tarbiensis PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER ALMIGHTIE XLVII 1 SEeing whole Christ that is Christ personally considered or in respect that he is one subsisting person is said to sit and that the action of sitting can not in the proper signification thereof agree vnto the Deitie in it self we must needs conclude that sitting properlie taken can in no wise agree vnto the Deitie 2 And although it may be properlie applied vnto that other nature of Christ which is corporall in that sense that sitting is opposed vnto the standing or the moouing of the bodie yet wee must not thinke that that glorious bodie of his though it be truly circumscribed and contained in a place doth either continually stand sit or moue For all these things are grosse and curious matters neither are they so particulerly to bee applied to the estate of that life 3 That which is added concerning the right hand of God is much more to bee taken Figuratiuelie as whereby those thinges are attributed vnto God which are proper vnto man seeing that God who is without a bodie hath neither right side nor left as beeing altogeather immeasurable and infinite 4 By this kinde of speach therefore being taken from the custome of Kings and Princes who are wont to make a
Sacraments are supplies joined vnto the worde it commeth to passe that in some thinges they agree together and differ in some other For both are instruments which the holie Ghost vseth to make vs partakers of Christ and his benefites yet so as hee may worke without them both in the harts of the godlie when and as often as he will and that he doth not anie wise giue vnto the signes his owne force and efficacie by vertue whereof the thinges signified are receaued They are blasphemous therefore who will haue grace either in whole or in part to bee bestowed by the Sacraments And they are no lesse blasphemous who will haue this to be done by the worke wrought 20 The force of the Sacramentes doth in no wise depend vpon the person of the Minister who deliuereth thē but vpon the ordinaunce of God onlie so that the same be obserued and that by a publick person either rightly called or at the least exercising a publick function by a common errour The Donatists therefore and such like did erre who taught that the Sacramentes administred by euill Ministers were of no force 21 Euen as the Gospell who of it owne nature is the word of life and saluation is yet turned by the wicked vnto the sauor of death so the Sacramentes also which are instituted by God vnto the saluation of men are notwithstanding receaued by the faithlesse the vnworthy communicants vnto their condemnation and judgement and yet do they not desist in respect of God to bee true Sacraments still 22 As the seede of the woord preached dooth not alwaies bring forth fruit at the same moment that it is sowed in the heartes of the faithfull so the fruit of the receauing of the Sacraments dooth not presentlie shewe it selfe in such sort as the faithfull haue receaued the same For that is onelie done at the time appointed by God 23 As the holie Ghost by meanes of the word dooth beget and strengthen faith so dooth he sturre vp and confirme the same by the Sacraments And therefore regarde is to be had that they who are of the age of discretion enjoy the effectuall preaching of the word wherby faith may be wrought in them before they receaue the Sacraments that so they may worthelie participat them which cannot be without faith 24 The word is necessarie saue when it pleaseth God to work extraordinarilie in the harts of his children and sufficient vnto their saluation that are of age but the Sacraments are not absolutelie and preciselie necessarie vnto all For it is not the want of them but their contempt that is damnable 25 The word of promise is without respect to bee offered both vnto the beleeuing and to the vnfaithfull and that generallie But the Sacraments are onelie to be administred vnto those that are taken for the knowne members of the Church and that vnto euerie one of them seuerallie whereby a particular full assurance may be wrought in them 26 The preaching of the word may be offered alone vnto the Church without the Sacramentes but the Sacramentes are neuer to bee administred without the woord preached To conclude seeing the word dooth affect but one of our senses whereas the Sacraments are object vnto manie of them especiallie vnto the sight therefore it is that they are the more effectuall meanes to apprehend Christ so that they be lawfullie administred Defended by PETER CARPENTER a low countrieman PRINCIPLES TOVCHING THE AGREMENT AND THE DIFFERENCE BETVVEN THE SACRAMENTS OF THE OLDE AND NEVV TESTAMENT LVI 1 INasmuch as men can be joined together as AVGVSTINE saith in no Religion be it true or be it false except they be tied by some kinde of visible thinges and sacramentes hence it commeth that the Church either vnder the olde or vnder the new Testament hath neuer wanted the seales of the grace of God that is the Sacraments 2 Of these thinges seeing we haue spoken generallie in the former disputation we may now conueniētly see what agreement and what difference there was between the sacraments of both the couenaunts that by this meanes it may bee declared that the same faith was vnder both of them 3 Vnto this treatise we lay this most true ground as a foundation namelie that the couenaunt of God with his Church was alwaies one and the same which notwithstanding seemed to bee diuers in regard of the diuers circumstances of the dispensation whence did arise the name and the difference of the old and the new Testament or couenaunt Whereas therefore the thinges remained in the same in regard of substance the signes were chaunged according vnto the circumstance of time For the fathers as the Apostle saith 1. COR. 10. did eate of the same spirituall meat and drinke the same spirituall drinke out of the rock that followed them the which rock was Christ 4 But to the end that the whole matter may bee the more manifest we will more particularlie set downe their agreement and difference and first of all their agreement which consisteth in their efficient and finall cause 5 Their efficient cause is one and the same namelie God the authour of the Sacramentes of both the couenaunts who alone as hath beene already set downe hath authoritie to appoint Sacraments as hee onelie is to promise grace 6 The finall also is one and the same For they respect the same end and scope and teach the verie same things to wit Iesus Christ the participation of all his benefites vnto aeternall life 7 The difference consisteth in the manner and measure of signifiyng or applying Christ and also in the outwarde matter forme and number 8 For the Sacraments of the olde Testament did signifie Christ to come and therefore at his comming they ceased and ours came in their place Wherefore they were justlie condemned by the Apostles who taught that Circumcision was to bee joined vnto Baptisme as beeing as yet necessarie vnto saluation And a fewe yeares after the Ebionites who woulde retaine the Iewish ceremonies together with the Christian Sacraments 9 Nowe the Sacraments of the newe Testament doe shewe that Christ is already come and they are therefore established with new signes that are to continue vnto the worlds end whereas the other were onelie appointed for some certaine time 10 The nerer furthermore that Christ hath manifested himself vnto vs by so much the more clearlie doe the Sacramentes of the newe Testament lay him before vs. For things that are past are better knowne then these that are to come And therefore AVGVSTINE hath saide well that wee haue fewer Sacramentes then the Iewes had but yet clearer and a great deale more significatiue and therfore of greater efficacie to confirme our faith and to seale the promises of God in our hearts 11 The which saying of AVGVSTINE is to bee rightlie vnderstood For wee thinke not as the Schoole-men did that they vnder the law had the same grace onely shadowed vnto them in the Sacraments which is offered as present
Father 2. In respect that his humanity being conceaued by the holy Ghost dooth by personall vnion subsist in that aeternall Sonne of God 10 But he is our Father in respect of Adoption that is in regarde that he doth vouchsafe vs being spirituallie engraffed into Christ by Faith to be called children as those whome being elected in him he justifieth will one day glorifie 11 Therefore this worde teacheth vs againe that beliefe in the Father through the Sonne must go before our Prayers the which if it bee not present prayers are not only not acceptable but euen sins in the presence of God 12 Wee are also by this meanes taught that if we will be heard we are bound to come in the presence of God not onlie wihout anie consideration of our merites which can be none at all but contrariwise that we conceaue our prayers trusting in his onelie free Adoption and mercie in Christ Iesus 13 Lastly this word FATHER doth require that we pray vnto God with a true sense of our sinnes past and a firme purpose to amend our liues otherwise our prayers are in vaine For the impudencie were not tollerable to call him Father whome wee are not sorie that wee haue offended and whome euer after wee meant not to feare and reuerence OVR 14 This doth put vs in mind of 2. things both being of great moment in true Praier 1. of our Adoption wherof wee haue spoken whereby it commeth to passe that he who hath that onelie Sonne by nature coaeternall with himself doth account vs his sonnes adopted in him without whome there is no saluation nor anie true confidence in calling vpon God 2. That true loue is to bee joined with faith that as the Father who is but one is yet in his Sonne the common Father of all the faithfull so we shuld think that they cannot be acknowledged for sonnes who are not in loue with their brethren otherwise they should bee accounted to bee in the bodie who seuer themselues from the members thereof which cannot be 15 This conjunction consisteth partlie in the agrement of doctrine and religion partlie in the affections And therefore before we can trulie call vpon God we must be members of the Catholicke Church and haue a regarde to maintaine peace and concord one with another in such sort as all vnkindnes and hatred being laid aside we must pray from our hearts euen for our enemies 16 But this conjunction cānot be perfect while we liue heere For all of vs know but in part and often not in the same part now in respect of mutuall liuing together there is none but in some thinges hee sheweth himselfe to be a man But as the imperfection of faith doth not hinder the effect thereof the same is to be said of our mutuall agreement both in Religion and also in affections so that wee be displeased with our selues for those our imperfections and be more and more desirous of a growth in our obedience 17 Seeing this communion of faith doeth not onelie comprehend the elect that are alreadie indued with faith and striue togeather with vs in this life against sinne But euen those that are to beleeue and lying as yet vncalled knowne onelie vnto God our prayers also doe belong vnto them 18 But as for those whose Spirits are already gathered with Christ and whose bodies are a sleepe in the graue our Praiers for them should bee altogether vaine and vnprofitable as also for those whose soules are already condemned An addition That custome therefore though auncient of reckoning vp the names of the Apostles and certaine martyrs in common prayers though it may bee thereby excused in that such prayers were meere thanks-giuings doth neuertheles want a ground and therefore is to bee abolished as the verie issue of it hath proued for it is certaine that from hence did arise by little and little both inuocation of the dead who were assuredlie beleeued to bee in heauen and also prayer for the departed vnto whome superstitious men did according vnto their owne fancie appoint Purgatorie fire WHICH ART IN HEAVEN 19 It is needfull that vnto the assurance of Gods fatherlie goodwill towards vs we adjoine his power Majestie both to let vs know that he is not onlie willing but also able to bestow vpon vs whatsoeuer wee craue of him by true faith and also that the consideration of his majestie may retaine vs in that reuerence which is due therevnto 20 We holde that God as a most simple beeing being in regard of his infinite essence in euerie thing in all things at once but not in or of their substance is without and beyond all things whollie in himself preseruing and gouerning all his creatures not mixed with any thing contrarie vnto the rauing dotage of the Manichaees 21 He is then said to be IN HEAVEN that thereby his supreame excellencie power dominion aboue al things may be declared whereas by the name of Heauen we vnderstand the highest place of this visible worlde which is conspicuous vnto vs in regard of the vnspeakeable most certaine motion thereof wherewith the Lord hath moste excellentlie garnished the same Wherein as the Prophet DAVID saith God hath engrauen testimonies of his vnchangeable truth 22 The same God is said to be aboue al those heauens the Scripture also declaring that the place of aeternal happines is appointed euen aboue all the coelestiall spheres whereunto Christ beeing entred doth receaue the soules of his children according vnto that saying This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise and that of the Apostle I desire to be dissolued and to bee with Christ Whence also we beleeue that he will come and where he will entertain all his when they haue receaued their bodies againe being made incorruptible and will cause them to liue there with him aeternallie 23 Nowe as that glorie which wee hope for is at this day incomprehensible vnto vs so wee are not curiouslie that is without Gods woorde to make enquirie of these blessed mansions but deuoutlie to reuerence that which the Scripture teacheth vs to hope to beleeue touching them vntill the time that indeed we shall see heare and receaue those thinges which eie hath not seene eare hath not heard nor euer entred into the heart of man Defended by IAMES HABEERVTERVS of Bearne PRINCIPLES TOVCHING THE PETITIONS OF THE LORDS PRAYER IN GENERALL AND PARTICVLARLIE OF THE FIRST OF THEM LXV HAVING HANDLED THE PRAEFACE which was the first part of the Lords Prayer the second is now to bee opened which containeth the petitions or the substance of the Prayer it selfe 1 CHRIST framed these petitions according vnto the present nature and state of man vz. in respect that we are in the want of all thinges and sinners in this worlde which whollie lieth in wickednesse as it is said IOHN 15.19 and not vnto the first condition wherin ADAM was created pure and vpright before his fall 2 For there had bene no
of true Praier is the glorie of God or some profite that we hope to receiue thereby 12 It is meet that a certaine place time be apointed if it may be conueniently done in euery church for publik praier yet is it meere superstition to thinke that praiers made in a certaine place or time are of themselues more effectuall 13 The dedications of Temples and the rites vsed in this action are the reliques partly of Paganisme and partlie of Iudaisme and therefore to be vtterly abollished 14 Priuate Praiers also are carefully to be practised in the vse whereof it is the part of euery man to consider what is expedient 15 There are foure sorts of Praiers reckoned vppe by PAVLE 1. TIM 2.1 supplications praiers intercessions and giuing of thankes vnder which foure sorts hee comprehendeth all other 16 These foure sortes may be thus discerned Supplication is when wee desire to bee deliuered from the euills that hang ouer vs Praier is when wee craue a better successe of our affaires For as by Supplication we intreat the taking away of inconueniences so by Praier we craue the supplie of those things that are good for vs Intercession is when as one of vs doth intreat for the necessitie of an other beeing of charitie mooued therevnto or when as wee complaine vnto God of injuries done vnto vs Brieflie by thanks-giuing we praise God for the benefites that we haue receiued and shew that wee are beholding vnto him for al the benefits both spirituall and corporall that we haue obtained 17 The fruits which we reape by Praier are diuers 1. Our heart is inflamed with an earnest desire to seek loue and worshippe God when as we are accustomed in all our necessities to flie vnto him as vnto an holie anchor 2. No desire cometh to our minde whereof wee are ashamed to make him a witnesse when as wee poure out our whole hart before him 3. We are framed to receiue his benefits with thanks-giuing 4. Hauing obtained that which we did craue wee are more feruentlie carried to meditate of his louing kindnes 5. Lastlie vse and experience it selfe doth confirme vnto our soules his prouidence vertue and goodnes towards vs. 18 Hence it appeareth that Inuocation which is that true worship of God is altogeather ouerthrowen in Poperie 19 First of all because the Papistes doe teach men to bring their owne merites as that Pharisie did although they are beholding vnto God for them The which doctrine doth damme vp that especiall spring of true Prayer namelie the sense of our want 20 Next that they either bring in fained promises or inuent merites that haue no promise 21 Thirdlie in that they professedlie place doubting in stead of faith as though to bee assured that GOD will heare vs were a securitie full of Presumption 22 Herevnto is to bee adjoyned that both they conceaue priuate and publicke prayer in a straunge vnknown tongue which is nothing else but a manifest mocking of God and that they pray by nomber Brieflie in that they teach which is vtterlie wicked that those prayers of theirs doe deserue remission of sinnes and other benefites 23 To be short herein they are most godlesse in that they appoint Saints departed as substitute intercessours vnder Christ not onelie rashlie and in vaine besides and contrarie to the word of God and therfore without faith but also vnprofitablie seeing that cannot bee held but they must make the Spirits of those that are dead to be the searchers of harts and attribute vnto them that which is proper vnto GOD onelie namelie that they may heare those that call vpon them euery where 24 This sinne is augmented euen by an other two-fold impietie the one in that they honor the Virgine MARIE and the signe of the Crosse by a certaine peculier inuocation the other in that they doe yeeld vnto Images both painted and grauen the verie same worship whereby they would honour Christ if he were present 25 Touching those degrees of their religious adoration by LATRIA DVLIA and HYPERDVLIA wee affirme them to be altogether vaine 26 Vaine also is that distinction of the Mediator of redemption and intercession Defended by IOHN CRVCIVS a Flemming PRINCIPLES VPON THE PRAEFACE OF THE LORDS PRAYER LXIIII. WE HAVE ABOVE IN THE LAST TENTH Principle made mention of a forme of inuocation or prayer and therefore hauing alreadie spoken of the rest of the causes thereof wee nowe come to the interpretation of the said forme out of the words of Christ Math. 6. Luke 11. which is therefore commonlie called the Lords Prayer 1 THis forme teacheth vs most compendiouslie indeed but yet most absolutelie whatsoeuer wee are to aske of God generallie as it were in certaine common places and in that method wherein it is fit that these things should be craued of God it doth furthermore enforme our minds by what affectiō we are to conceaue our Prayers and in what hope we may expect the effect of thē beeing rightlie conceaued 2 It is free for vs according vnto our sundrie griefes to expresse in other speciall formes those thinges that make for the glory of God and our saluation and to apply them vnto diuers circumstāces but it is in no wise lawful to pray anie other Prayer in regarde of the matter All the Praiers of DAVID therefore of the Prophetes and other faithfull examined according vnto these rules doe agree with this perfect forme 3 The parts hereof are three 1. The beginning or Praeface 2. The petitions themselues 3. The conclusion 1. The Preface OVR FATHER VVHICH ART IN HEAVEN 4 FATHER This word doth first of all teach vs the foundation of our faith namelie the distinction of the persons for the FATHER is one the SONNE is an other 5 These petitions are directed vnto the person of the Father that therby not onelie the distinction but also the order of the persons may be expressed the first whereof is the Father the second is the Sonne of the Father and the third is the holie Ghost of the Father and the Sonne 6 When as therefore we cal vpon the Sonne our minds staie not in him but aryse from him vnto the Father as we are led by the holie Ghost vnto the Father and the Son Otherwais as the persons vnto whom the worship of inuocation is directed are not separated so is not the said worship to be seuerallie considered but onelie distinctlie seing the same reuerence is aequallie due vnto al the 3. persons as to the one and the self-same God 7 Moreouer this most sweet name of a FATHER doth regarde vs also seeing wee doe not call vpon the Father as the Father of the Sonne onelie but euen as vppon our Father 8 Againe this word doth set down the other foundation of our trust namelie that hee who is the Father of Christ is also ours though in a diuers respect 9 For he is the Father of Christ 1. by nature onlie in respect that the Sonne is Coessentiall with the