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
and whatsoeuer is contrary or besides the will of God 12 The word BE DONE that is be fulfilled doth teach vs that we are to obey Gods will with the whole affection of our soule with all our mind and thoughts 13 Whereas it is set down passiuelie BE DONE it seemeth that it may bee gathered thereby that man before the first grace is onelie considered passiuelie as beeing to bee wrought vppon but not working so that euen to will what is right is giuen of God Next wee gather that after the first grace the continuaunce of willing that which is good and the perfection therof is in the hand of GOD onelie euen thence that we are commanded to craue that Gods will may be done whereas wee doe not craue those things that are in our owne power 14 BE DONE IN EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN the word HEAVEN and EARTH are to bee vnderstood Metonymically that which doth containe beeing put for that which is contained 15 The will of God vpon earth is in deede performed onelie by men vnlesse a man will referre the word OBEYING Metaphorically vnto other creatures yet not by all men but by them onely who are regenerated Although as AVGVSTINE saith the will of God is doone concerning but not by the rest 16 Now because humaine frailty which by Gods decree doth alwaies cleaue vnto man in this life can beare no more it commeth to passe that the will of God is but begun to be performed by the regenerate here vpon earth and that onely in affection and in faith this also being the will of God that besides the loue which wee are commanded to yeeld vnto God and our neighbour we should also beleeue in Christ But when God shal be al in all we shall then perfectlie and fully obey his will 17 Neither is there any more then this meant by the note of the similitude AS which doth not point out an aequall qualitie but a likenes and an agreement therein not that the regenerate should vppon earth performe the will of GOD in as great measure but in the like affection operation that the Angels do execute the same in heauen 18 Now IN HEAVEN al those that remaine therin as the soules that are in blisse and the Angels doe obey the will of God 19 Yea and the Sonne also in respect that the Mediatour Christ doeth as yet the will of his Father in Heauen when as he doth make intercession for vs and bringeth to passe whatsoeuer doeth belong vnto the edification of the Church 20 The soules also that are in blisse doe in heauen celebrate the praises of God and do desire after their manner both the deliuerance of their brethren that are heere militant vppon earth and also the punishment of the enemies 21 Now those blessed ministering Spirits do performe the will of God diuers waies as by singing that song Holie holie c. by procuring the saluation of the elect and punishing the wicked as it pleaseth GOD to vse their seruice 22 Now all these Spirites doe execute Gods will I Most willingly bicause they obey him without murmuring II Most readily and surelie because they make no delaies but presently betake themselues vnto that which they are commanded to doe III Most faithfully because they both heare and also performe in deede their whole charge and not a part onely and being once sent they neuer cease vntill they be called backe againe 23 We desire therefore of God that hee would giue vs both the will and the power to obey and that wee may be seruice-able and obedient vnto his majestie according vnto the same Spirit manner affection readines and cherfulnes of the will that the Angels in heauen do obey him And we doe also craue the taking away of all those things which either directly set themselues against his will or do anie wise withstand the same Defended by IOSIAS sonne vnto IOSIAS SIMLERVS of Tigurine PRINCIPLES TOVCHING THE FOVRTH PETITION OF THE LORDS PRAYER LXVIII THE THIRD PETITION OF THE LORDS Prayer hath beene opened in the last Principles concerning the will of God so that the first part of the Prayer beeing expounded we come now to the second 1 AFter that Christ had taught in the three former petitions such things as do immediatlie respect the glorie of God he now adjoyneth those which thogh they are to be referred vnto Gods glorie do yet especiallie concerne vs and our profit 2 Now as man consisteth of two parts so these things are of two sorts corporall and spirituall 3 This first petition of the second part thē is touching corporall the other two are concerning spirituall blessings 4 Now whereas mention is made first of corporal benefites the reason thereof may seeme to bee in that corporall things and the profite that arise of them are better knowne vnto vs. And therefore the Lord to the end he might relieue the slownesse infirmitie of our nature dooth lift vs from common thinges vnto these that are lesse knowne vnto vs from easie vnto hard from earthlie vnto heauenlie matters 5 The summe of this first petition is that the Lord would bestow vpon vs things necessarie for this life to wit food and raiment especiallie next those things which are helpes of the outward necessities of this life that is such things as make for our peaceable being as far as long as the Lord thinketh expedient for vs. 6 The necessitie or rather the aequitie of this petition is manifold First it teacheth vs that we ought wholly to depend vpon Gods Prouidence by whome we are nourished maintained and preserued Secondlie that wee acknowledge him the giuer of all good things both spirituall and temporall Thirdlie that we may with quiet minds expect those things at his handes which otherwise would holde vs in a miserable care and perplexity 7 For our mercifull Father dooth not disdaine to receaue our bodies into his protection and custodie that by these small thinges hee may exercise our faith when as wee looke for all thinges at his handes euen the least crumb of bread and drop of water that we put into our mouthes I. The Marcionites and Manichaees therefore are out of their wits who haue endeuored to defend that God hath no care of these our bodies as though the same were vnbeseeming his Majestie and that our fleshe or our bodies were the worke not of God but of an euill beginning that is of the Diuell and therefore that it became not the good God to sustaine them seeing they are euill II. They are madd also who thinke that all thinges are disposed by the tossing of Fortune And the Epicures also togeather with those who houlde that God hath no care or respect vnto the thinges that are done vnder the or be of the Moone III Witches and Sorcerers in like sort are heere condemned and all those who either openlie or by anie secreat trade seeke their maintenance in this life of the Diuell and not of God 8
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
vnderstanding and will are renued vnto true holines of life 8 These being renued by faith powred into vs though all the time of our being heere we doe but in a sort vnderstand and will the thinges that are of God yet neuerthelesse our workes which belong vnto Gods seruice are fauourablie accepted by his Majestie as proceeding from Christ liuing and working in vs by the holy Ghost 9 In this respect then we make this difference between Philosophicall and Christian vertues that the former proceeding from a minde not yet regenerated are no other then filthie and impure in the presence of God whereas the latter on the other side doe of fauour please God and are in mercie crowned by him because hee looketh vppon them as fruits of faith flowing from Christ who is the Authour of all our purity and holines 10 Out of these thinges which haue bene spoken may be vnderstood not onely al the parts of our sanctification but euen the causes which concurre for the making vppe thereof may bee so easilie gathered as it may be well perceaued that we put the holy Ghost for the efficient fayth for the instrumentall the force and efficacie of that essentiall holines which is in Christ for the materiall the renuing of our whole minde from impure vnto pure and vpright qualities for the formall and the worshippe of God tending vnto his honor and the loue of our neighbour according vnto the prescript rule of the first and second Table for the finall cause thereof 11 Whence it apeareth that the Libertins who loath the practise of good workes are not to be reckoned vp amongest the number of true Christians seeing they neglect the chiefe end of a Christian life It appeareth also that the PELAGYANS and the halfe PELLAGIANS the PAPISTS are to bee detested because the former of them doe affirme that we are sanctified by nature onely the latter partly by nature and partly by grace Defended by FRANCES Pâ—FAYRIVS of Bearne PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE IVSTIFICATION OF SINFVLL MAN IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD. XXVI 1 IN asmuch as our whole saluation consisteth in our justification before GOD it is needfull that wee maintaine the true doctrine thereof against al the corruptions of the same if so bee that wee will obtaine saluation 2 This justification then is when God doth attribute the sanctification of his Sonne Iesus Christ performed for mankind vnto those that beleeue in him 3 For whereas God is exceedinglie merciful and excedinglie just his mercie indeed did desire the redemption of man but his justice demaunded an absolute and euery way a perfect satisfaction for the same 4 To the end therfore that the Lord might bestow his mercie vpon vs it was needful that his justice should be satisfied 5 Now the most seuere justice of God could not be satisfied either by him who should be onely man because no Creature no not the Angels themselues can so sustaine the waight of Gods anger as they may be deliuered therfrom much lesse deliuer others or yet by him who shuld be onelie God because the Deitie cannot bee subject vnto any sufferings 6 Therefore God the Father mooued by his vnspeakeable mercie would haue that onelie Sonne of his Coessentiall and Coaeternal with him as he had promised vnto the Fathers when Sin first entered into the world at the time appointed to become true man who as beeing true God and true man without any confusion of the two natures might reconcile men with God 7 Of the justice of this Mediatour the which justice is laied against those thinges that make vs guiltie of Gods wrath there are three parts The one is the penalty sustained for the satisfaction of all our sinnes which hee discharged to the verie vttermost farthing The other is the absolute fulfilling of the whole lawe of GOD thereby couering our whole guiltines both that which wee haue by our originall blemishe or by sinning sinne and also by the sins that ar the most bitter fruits of that root The third is the repairing of our humaine nature in that most perfect humanitie which Christ tooke vpon him whereby all our corruptions and staines are blotted out 8 The righteousnes of Christ profiteth vs nothing vnlesse it be made ours 9 Now it becommeth ours not by any infusion either Essentiall as OSIANDER dreamed or qualitatiue as the jangling Sophisters doe auouch but by a spirituall apprehension or applying of Christ effected in our mindes after the which followeth the free imputation of that threefold righteousnes which is inhaerent in the man Christ onely as in the subject 10 Of this spirituall and most effectuall apprehension and application the only inward instrument is true faith which is that full assurance whereby euery one that beleeueth doth imbrace particularlie the righteousnes of christ offered as appertaining vnto them 11 This faith is in noe wise of our selues but from the meare grace of God the holie Ghost mercifully creating the same in the vnderstanding and the harte of the elect that is being the cause that after they haue heard and vnderstood the worde of the Gospell they doe trulie beleeue although not perfectlie whoe also doth afterwarde seale vp and nourishe this gift in them as they doe learne more and more by the dailie hearing and meditation of the word of the said Gospell and as the Sacraments annexed vnto the worde doe most effectuallie witnesse vnto them 12 Now as the same Christ doth reconcile them vnto his father and purchase vnto them the title of the heauenlie inheritance who being freelie made partakers of that three-folde righteousnes doe lay hold vpon him by faith euen so doth hee sanctifie them by his Spirite abollishing the olde man in them by a little and a little both kindling a new light in their vnderstanding and also sturring vp holie motions in their wils to the end that strongly resisting with all their might the reliques of the old man they shuld beginn both to will and to doe that which is good 13 That newe qualitie then called inhaerent righteousnes and regeneration testified by good workes is a necessarie effect of true faith whence it is to bee gathered that good workes are by no meanes the causes but onelie the witnesses of that imputed justification whereby alone trobled consciences are at rest for they are no otherwise to be considered then as things that necessarilie followe the beleeuers being alreadie justified in Christ 14 Therefore we are said to be justified by faith onelie without any works not that true faith is at any time alone or destitute of good works but in asmuch as workes how good so euer they be do not concurre or availe to the obtaining of the righteousnes of Christ 15 The square and only rule of these good works according to the which they are to be directed most diligently to be waied is the wil of God laied open to vs in the law 16 Now althogh that they who are after this maner reconciled vnto God
day which went before the Sabaoth lay in the graue the whole Sabboth according to the custome of the Iewes which account a naturall day from Euening to Euening and rose againe the beginning of the next which was the first daye of the weeke 13 Concerning this Article of the descension of Christ into Hell it is manifest that there is no mention made of either in the Nicene or in any other of the ancient creeds and RVFFINVS witnesseth that it was not read in the Church of Rome 14 No man therefore ought to wonder if some question be made of the meaning thereof 15 That the Creede which is called the Apostles was written by the Apostles themselues before they departed from Ierusalem euerie one of them bringing in his seueral Article it is a meere fabulous tale as the very number of these Articles do shew 16 Yet it is cleare that they were faithfullie and truely gathered out of the preaching of the Apostles acounted euen frō the most ancient time as a square a rule of faith 17 Now their opinion is verie probable who doe take these words he descended into Hel if this Article was at the first in the common creed expressed in so many words not for any distinct Article but for a summary comprehension of the last and lowest degree of Christes humiliation which should bee pointed out by the wordes of suffering crucifiyng death and burial as this kind of speach is somtimes in the Scriptures Metaphorically vsed for the lowest estate of anguish and dejection So that He suffered was dead buried and descended into Hell should be but one Article of faith 18 But who can beleeue that the Fathers of Nicene and so many Synods that afterward followed and the very Church of Rome it self would haue rashly blotted out this Article if it had bin written in so many words in the common Creed 19 Either of the two therefore must needs bee necessarie namelie that either this kinde of speach in that sense that wee haue spoken though familiar vnto the Hebrues was not yet receiued in all Churches as being ambiguous and not necessary seeing it was sufficiently vnderstood by the former and so by a little and a little grewe out of vse or that this Article also was then inserted into the common Creed when as their opinion which hath bene of ancient time had by degrees taken place who thought that the soule of our Sauiour Christ beeing separated from his bodie went into I know not what place where the Spirits of the beleeuing Fathers should haue their aboad 20 But this opinion though it hath bin of a long time receaued by a common and an olde growen error cannot bee confirmed any wise by any testimonie of the Euangelicall Historie but is manifestlie ouerthrown thereby seeing it is very apparant by the woordes of the Euangelists that the Spirite of Christ being departed out of his bodie was there receaued into whose hands hee committed it when hee gaue vppe the Ghost that is into the place of aeternall blessednes whereof speaking vnto the Theefe he said this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise 21 Nowe that there was any place allotted vnto the Spirits of the Fathers that departed before the incarnation of Christ whence afterward the Spirite of Christ comming thither indeed shuld bring them with him into heauen it can in no wise bee confirmed by any colourable testimonie of the Scriptures Neither would the Euangelists haue omitted any such thing in the storie of the passion of Christ But this opinion seemeth to arise partlie in that manye are written to haue risen either by Christ or with Christ partly out of the PSALME 16.8 which PETER citeth Act. 2.25 and out of two other places also of 1. PET. 3. wrongfullie interpreted 22 Out of this error arise two other that are more absurd the one of those who beeing ledde by the misvnderstanding of the words of PETER thought that the soule of Christ went indeed into Hell to the ende that as in bodie hee had preached the Gospell vpon earth vnto those that were liuing so also he should preach the said Gospel in his Spirit vnto the Spirites of those that were dead as though that after death there were any place left for preaching repentance 23 The other errour is of those who dreamed that the Spirite of Christ should goe vnto the soules of the damned that hee might there also suffer in his soule the paines ordained in hell for the damned as though that the soule of Christ whilest it was in his bodie did not beare those punishmentes for our sake as both that horrible agonie which hee sustained in the Garden and also that fearefull crie My God my God c. which vpon the Crosse made Heauen and earth to tremble doe beare witnesse or as though that speache It is finished wherein our whole hope consisteth were vntrue 24 But wee omitting the whole controuersie concerning the putting in or the blotting out of this Article do simplie vnderstand by the Descension of Christ into hell those things which Christ being made a curse for vs suffered in his soule for our sake in those torments especiallie which were so greeuous as nothing could be no not imagined more horrible 25 By the word DESCENSION therefore is not ment any remoouing from a higher place to a lower because that can properlie agree neither vnto the Deitie which is euery where nor vnto the bodie which of it selfe lay dead in the Graue neither vnto the soule which beeing commended vnto the Father was straight way in Paradise after it was separated from the body 26 Now the word HELL which in the Scripture is diuersly taken signifieth neither the Graue because that explanation should bee superfluous and obscure neither yet the place of the damned as it is cleare out of the former Principles 27 Therefore this Descension of Christ into Hel which had an ende at his death went before the Article of his buriall but yet it is placed after the same in the order of speach euen because it was thought meet to set downe in one tenor of speach whatsoeuer did belong to the humiliation of his body Defended by HILLARIE FANTRART an English-man of Guernzy PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE RESVRRECTION OF IESVS CHRIST XLV 1 HItherto wee haue heard Christes combate with death wherein he might seeme to be ouercome by death because it so far preuailed against him as it threw his dead bodie into the graue 2 Now we are to speake of Christs victorie ouer death the beginning whereof was the preseruation of his dead bodie in the graue vncorrupted and that without the help of anie art of the Apothicarie 3 His full victorie manifested it selfe in the resurrection of his bodie seeing that life is directlye opposite vnto death 4 Now that onlie is said to rise again which lay down and therefore neither the Deitie nor the soule of Christ rose againe Yet notwithstanding the resurrection after a
in regard of those things that appertain vnto the foundation of the gouernment of the Church as for the hard places that are in the word it interpreteth them both by conference of the scriptures and also according to analogie of faith 20 Nowe as touching those thinges which appertaine vnto outward order the Church in the feare of the Lord may therein consider what is most meete vnto time and place Wee doe condemne therefore those who dreame that euerie man whatsoeuer hee professe shall bee saued by his own Religion seeing out of the Catholicke Church there is no saluation And those who tie the Catholicke Church vnto one certaine place Those who bring vnto the Church the Academicall â—ncertainty Those who require a forme of perfection in the Militant Church Those who holde the personall succession absolutelie for an vndoubted note of the Church Those who haue by little and little transformed the Christian Presbyteries or Eldership that is the gouernment ordained by Christ the onely King and Monarch of his church into the image of the beast which was the olde Romaine Empire and that first by bringing in the dignity of Bishops next by apointing degrees amongst them and last of all by placing Antichrist at Rome vnder the title of the Ministeriall head Those who doe not measure the Church according to the word of God but the word according to the bare name of the Church Defended by DAVID PIOTAEVS of Geneua PRINCIPLES VPON THE ARTICLE I BELEEVE THAT THERE IS A COMMVNION OF SAINCTS LI. 1 CHrist can be fruitfull vnto none but by participation 2 This participation is partly of Christ and partlie of of his benefites which doe flow from the participation of him 3 That therefore whereof wee are made partakers is partly substantiall and partly a quality 4 The Substantial things are both Christ himselfe God and man and also all those corporall things which are bestowed vpon vs together with Christ beeing participated vnto vs. The qualities are all those gifts both of the bodie and the mind which in him we receaue in this life and obtaine in the life to come 5 Now wee are made partakers of the Deitie of Christ onely in force and operation but of his humanity in verie deed as far as he is our brother 6 Nowe this participation by reason of the most strait baÌ„d and the vnspeakable efficacie therof not that the one substance doth touch the other is expressed by the names of vnion engraffing incorporation and such like 7 The same is for three causes called spirituall first of all because the true and the soueraigne cause thereof is that power and vnspeakable force of the holy Ghost the which notwithstanding the distaunce of place doth most trulie and most effectually joyne the Saints though here as yet vpon earth in a spiritual marriage with Christ that they may be flesh of his flesh bone of his bones althogh according vnto this flesh they are not vpon earth but in heauen 8 Secondly because again this conjunction with Christ himself according to the flesh is in regard of vs a worke not of the bodie but of the minde which receiueth Christ by faith 9 Thirdly because the end and the scope of this mutuall Communion is not to the end that a kind of monstruous bodie should arise from the vniting of his substaunce with ours but that in this life we shuld be gouerned by his Spirit and that in the life to come we should liue an aeternall and a heauenly life with him 10 Yet may this vniting bee called a corporall vnion in a sound meaning so that all ambiguitie and newnes of wordes be auoyded namely if that especiall thing which in this mysterie as before hath bin said we spiritually receiue by faith and that is the verie humanitie of Christ be considered Next if respect be had to the external means which the holy Ghost vseth to beget and nourish faith in vs namely both the outward word sounding in our ears and also the Sacramentall elements and rites that affect the rest of our senses 11 Out of this spirituall vnion ariseth that mysticall bodie wherof Christ is the head both in respect of his preheminence ouer the same and also because he doth wholie giue sense and motion therevnto Nowe all those that beleeue and are sanctified are called members vnder this head in which sense is the Church called by PETER the Citie the spirituall temple of God built of liuely stones whose foundation and cheife corner stone is Christ who sustaineth and beareth vp the whole building It is no lesse absurd therefore to suppose that there is a kind of fastning and a cleauing of Christs bodie within ours or of ours within his then it were to say that the bodies of the Saints do subsist one within another Seeing that the band of the Communion of Saints is the very same that the vnion is which they haue both with themselues and with Christ 12 Some of those things wherof we are made partakers in this mysterie are altogeather proper to the elect namelie Christ himselfe of whome none can be a member except he be indued with true faith true faith which is inseparablie joyned with true hope charitie and last of all that aeternall kingdome prepared from all aeternity according to the free purpose of God vnto the elect onelie Some also are after a sort as the Lord thinketh good common to the hypocrites and prophane by reason that they seeme to bee ingraffed into Christ as are the gifts of Prophesie of tongues and of healing togeather with manie other notable gifts of the mind and excellent benefites of this life the which as by the elect they are consecrated to God who is the giuer of them so are they prophaned by the wicked 13 Againe these gifts though not alwaies in the same measure are partly common to all the Saints as beeing necessarie to the saluation of all of which sort are the participation of Christ himselfe liuelie faith steadfast hope loue vnfained remission of sinnes and sanctification by the holie Ghost with suche like and partlye proper to euerie seuerall beleeuer the which the same holie Spirite doth distribute according to the diuers consideration of the callings of men vnto whome and in what measure hee thinketh good 14 Euerie one of the Saints seuerallie considered haue their peculier giftes both in regarde of the possession of Christ himselfe and also of his benefits as it is expressed in the similitude of the talents But in asmuch as there is one GOD and Father of all one Christ the Lord one Spirite whereof all the Saints are endued one faith one hope of the same calling one baptisme one kingdome of heauen and also because whatsoeuer graces bestowed vpon anie is therefore giuen that the vse of them may bee common vnto them all and so that they should be the one and the selfe same bodie of Christ therefore all the gifts bestowed vppon any of the
whole analogie may be kept and also for the cause alledged in the 11 principle 16 This analogie doth depend vpon the diuine ordination institution or blessing by vertue wherof common things are drawne vnto a holie vse The signes therefore haue by the ordinance of God no consideration at all of a Sacrament saue onely in the action of their lawfull administration Neither are wee to imagine of any force that should bee engraffed in the signs themselues seing they differ from common things in regard of a Sacramentall signification onely and that in the very vse That carrying about an adoration of the signes is most horrible Idolatrie 17 As the whole force of the Supper and the Sacramentall formes of speach doe arise from this analogie so they are to be judged thereby These speaches therfore This is my body the cup is the new Testamēt in my blood are not to be expoūded according to the words but according to the meaning that is by a Sacramentall Metonymie or chaunge of the name whereby those things are said to be that wherof onely they are a signe 18 The proper and principall endes of the Suppcr are both the serious remembraunce joyned with thankes-giuing of the death of Christ to his glorie and our profite and also the neerer ingraffing of vs into the body of Christ by faith beeing strengthened and increased and our neerer vniting with God the Father by meanes of the Mediator who dwelleth in vs by his Spirite 19 The lesse principall endes are the mutuall communion and loue of the faithfull being members of the same body the outward witnessing of that mutuall consent and the preseruation of publicke meetings 20 The effects of the Supper doe differ from the ends but in respect onely For seeing it is ordained by Christ vnto these ends it cannot be but that they should ensue vppon the lawfull vse of the Supper yet so as the instrumentall signification is attributed vnto them as their worke whereas the whole efficacie is solie referred vnto the holie Ghost 21 The profit and efficacie of the Supper is not to bee tied vnto the verie moment of the action of receauing but doth extend it selfe vnto our whole life yet is not the action once celebrated to bee for this cause euer after neglected seeing no man hath such a perfection of faith in this life as he standeth not in need of this support Defended by IANES ARMINIVS of Holland PRINCIPLES TOVCHING THE POPISH MASSE LXI WEE HAVE SPOKEN IN THE FORMER Principles concerning the true vse of the Supper of the Lorde now wee are to shew in few wordes how the said vse hath bene diuerslie depraued by Sathan 1 OF all the errors that haue risen about the holie Supper of the Lord that inuention of Transubstantiation is the most ouglie which was brought in and confirmed especially by LANFRANKE about the yeare 1050. 2 For when as the words of Christ instituting this Supper ar to be vnderstood acording vnto his mind who speaketh them which alwaies ought to be regarded in all acts and especiallie in Testaments so that in this Sacrament the bodie and bloode of Christ are truelie but sacramentallie and by faith giuing credite without question vnto his woordes receaued The Transubstantiators contrary to all reason and vse of Sacraments haue so obstinatelie stooke to the woordes that manie absurdities haue risen thereof 3 First of all seeing all Sacraments do consist of signes and things signified they doe take away the nature of the signes For they teach that after the Consecration as they call it the signes do not remaine but that the thing it self onelie is presented vnto vs. 4 Secondlie the Sacramentall participation beeing thus abolished they make a kinde of imaginary receauing of the Lords bodie and blood whereby as they hold the bodie which is nowe in heauen is reallie and corporallie present in infinite places at the same time and is receaued at once in whole and in part by manie and by one which thing as it is most absurde so doth it ouerthrow the articles of the Ascension and sitting at the right hand of the Father 5 Thridlie they haue fained such a change as maketh that which is not to be and that which is not to be For they doe so spoile the bread and the wine of their essence as they desist to be bread and wine and begin to be some other thing and they dreame of accidences that are inhaerent in no subjectes against the first article of the beleife which teacheth that the Lord is the Creator and preseruer of the things which he made 6 And heere they doe verie foolishlie bring in the omnipotencie of God for wee are now to enquire not what God can but what hee will doe according to his written worde Moreouer it cannot be either that God can lie or that Christ can be contrarie to himself both which wil necessarilie come to passe if anie thing be said to haue beene ordained by Christ contrary to the articles of our faith 7 Hence haue risen two most greeuous errours the former touching the worshipping of the bread and the wine the which in a verie fearfull blasphemous sorte are thus commonlie saluted by the Papists ALL HAILE SAVIOVR OF THE VVORLD THE VVORD OF THE FATHER THE TRVE SACRIFICE LIVELIE FLESH THE VVHOLE DEITIE TRVE MAN c. The other touching the expiatorie and propitiatorie oblation for the sinnes of the quick and the dead which the Church of Rome doth properly call the Masse and wherein they place the somme of all Christianitie 8 For the Masse is not that mingle mangle patched vp as it were of the shreds of diuerse places gathered heere there out of the Scripture and other authours which are the reliques of the auncient Liturgie or common seruice booke of the Christians but it is that ordinarie propitiation and oblation called by them their vnbloodie Sacrifice which is offered vnto God the Father for the sinnes of the quick and the dead 9 Nowe they offend in this point first because they change the Sacrament into a sacrifice wheras Christ commaunding vs to receaue and not to offer ordained a Sacrament and not a Sacrifice 10 Next in that they falslie teach that in the Christian Church there remaineth after the death of Christ anie expiatorie Sacrifice besides the verie bodie of Christ which is endued with a true humaine nature and soule 11 Thridlie in that they closelie accuse that one and most perfect sacrifice of Christ of imperfection by iterating the same euerie hand while For iteration is a note of imperfection as the Apostle saith Heb. 7. 12 Christ indeed commanded all the faithfull to celebrate the memorie of his passion but hee gaue no commandement vnto anie that he should bee sacrificed For there ought to be no mention of the NAME and office of a PRIEST or of an ALTER at this day in the Church of Christ For Christ is now the onelie and the chief Priest who offered himself