his heauenly father towards vs poore sinfull men And in the fourth yeere after that he was captiued crucified put to death and buried descended into hell and rose againe from the dead the third day and ascended into heauen fortie daies after and set himselfe at the right hand of God the father Almighty from whence he shall returne to iudge the quicke and the dead And therefore we beleeue of Christ that hee is not a bare man Of the person of Christ but that hee is the euerlasting Almighty Sonne of God who at the appointed time tooke the nature of man vpon him and is now together God and man and so shall remaine euerlastingly in one vnseparable person And being thus at present both God and man in one vnseparable person therfore do we beleeue further that all may be said of him that may be said of God and all that may bee said of man yet with this caution that euery thing must bee vnderstood of him to be true the Diuine thing according to the Diuine nature and the humane according to the humane nature For example it may bee said of him that hee is from euerlasting and also hee was first borne in the last times both are true but not both according to both natures For according to the humane nature was hee not from euerlasting Also according to the Diuine nature was hee not borne in the last times But he is from euerlasting according to the Diuine nature and first borne in the last times according to the humane nature According to which then wee doe beleeue that in deed and truth the Sonne of God died for vs but yet not according to the Godhead but only according to the manhood for the Godhead cannot die Also wee beleeue that indeed and truth Christ is present with vs and will so remaine to the end of the world but yet not according to the humanity but the Deity For according to the humane nature is he ascended vp into heauen And the Scripture is manifest which saith That by the offering vp of his body he must enter into the heauenly tabernacles and not remaine vpon the earth else were he not our Priest Heb. the 8.9 and 10. Chapters Of the power of the death of Christ beleeue we that the death of Christ Of the power of the death of Christ whilest hee being not a bare man but the Son of God died is a full and alsufficient payment not onely for our sinnes but also the sinnes of the whole world And that hee by his death hath purchased not onely forgiuenesse of sinnes but also the new birth by the holy Ghost and and lastly euerlasting life But wee beleeue therewithall that no man shall be made partaker of such a benefit but onely he that beleeueth in him For the Scripture is plaine where it saith He that beleeueth not shall be damned Mark 16.16 Also Hee that beleeueth not in the Sonne of God the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh. 3.36 Wee beleeue further that the true sauing faith cannot be without repentance and good workes Of the nature of the sauing faith For such a faith layeth hold on Christ wholly who was made of God not onely righteousnesse to vs but also sanctification 1. Cor. 1.30 We beleeue further that though the true blisse-making faith cannot be without good workes Of the righteousnesse before God yet neuertheles the man before Gods iustice seate that is when he is throughly touched with his sinnes neither can or should beare himselfe vpon his good workes it so being that they are euer vnperfect But that a man shall appeale onely and alone vnto the grace of God before his iudgment seate which grace hee hath prepared for vs in Christ and take hold on the same grace with a beleeuing heart and so will God forgiue him his sinnes and esteeme him iust for the full satisfaction of Iesus Christ And that is our meaning when wee say that man is iustified before God onely by faith without helpe of good workes namely not that good workes should bee abandoned but onely that a man should not put any confidence therein We beleeue further that God hath ordained the preaching of his Gospell to this end Of the Ministery that he would worke in vs faith in Christ therby and that the same preaching of God the Lord is no iest but that it is his earnest will and intent that all people that heare such preaching should beleeue the same should returne to Christ Of the fountaine of faith Wee beleeue further that mankind is so corrupted by the fall of our first Parents that they cannot vnderstand or entertaine the preaching of Christ vnlesse God open their vnderstandings by his holy spirit and turne their hearts to Christ And that therefore the Gospell is not onely a speciall worke oâ— God which God bestoweth not vpon all men but also that the vnderstanding and the receiuing of the Gospell or to speake with one word faith is an especiall worke of God Ephes 2.8 Also 2. Thes 3.5 Which gift no man hath deserued of God It being so that all men are sinners Rom. 3.23 But God giues it by grace to whom he will Rom. 9.18 But those whom he presently will those hath he willed from euerlasting For from the beginning of of the world God knoweth all his workes Act. 15.18 Therefore it is most certaine that no man beleeueth in Christ except God hath chosen him to euerlasting life as Paul saith The election hâ—â—h obtained it the rest haue been hardened Rom. 11.7 Also as Luke saith As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued Act. 13.48 But therewithall it is also true that we ought not to search into the secret counsell of God whether we be elected or not 2. Tim. 2 19. for such a search is in vaine It being so that God hath sealed the booke of life and will not permit any creature to peepe therein But we ought to keepe our selues to the reuealed word of God which saith that God hath chosen vs in Christ that is to that end he might make vs saued through Christ and no otherwise Ephes 1.3 And there accordingly hee commandeth vs to repent beleeue in Christ and so seeke saluation in him This commandement of Christ should wee endeauour to hold so farre as God giueth vs power and continually pray that God will bee pleased more and more to encrease our faith When wee doe so then need wee not search further whether wee be elected to euerlasting life or not For this is sure and out of all doubt that all those that repent them without hypocrisie and beleeue in Christ are elected to euerlasting saluation But for this cause will not God reueale our election any otherwise then through such testifications that we might not fall into fleshly security But work out our saluation with feare trembling Phil. 2.2 Which feare wheresoeuer it is certainly it is accompanied
and what may be said of a man whilest he is both God and man But yet must such a speech be vnderstood with difference as namely in this maner When any diuine thing is spoken of him then must it be vnderstood of the diuine nature But when as any humane thing is spoken of him then must it be vnderstood of the the humane nature For example It may bee said indeed and in truth of Christ that hee is from euerlasting and also that he was borne at the appointed time but not both according to both natures but the former after the diuine the other according to the humane nature And it is of small consequence with what name the person of Christ is named For example Whether he be called God or man the Sonne of God or of man c. then is it all to one effect For it is alwaies vnderstood of the person which is together God and man Therefore as it may well and truly be said Christ is from euerlasting euen so may it also be well and truly said the Sonne of man is from euerlasting Also as it may well and truly bee said Christ was borne of the Virgin Mary and died for vs vpon the Crosse euen so may it also be well and truly said the Son of God was borne of the Virgin Mary and died for vs vpon the Crosse This was the doctrine of Doctor Luther of the fellowship of the properties of both the natures in Christ That namely as is said the properties of both natures in Christ are common to the alone vnseparable person of Christ but not to the natures themselues And that this fellowship is mutuall that is that they are as well transferred from the humane nature to the diuine as from the diuine to the humane For example that it may as well be said the Sonne of God died for vs as it may bee said the man Christ is Almighty And as in deed and truth the Son of God died for vs though hee did not die according to the Godhead euen so in deed and in truth is the Sonne of man Almighty though hee bee not almighty according to the manhood Against this our accusers doe teach Vbiquities doctrine of the fellowship of the Properties that the properties of both the natures in Christ are not common to the alone and vnseparable person of Christ but also to the natures themselues and that for all that such a fellowship is not mutuall that is that such a fellowship is not transferred as well from the manhood to the Godhead as from the Godhead to the humane but that onely some properties of the Godhead are common to the manhood nature Therefore a man may well say the manhood of Christ is almighty all-knowing euery where present c. whilest it is vnited to the almighty all knowing and euery where present Godhead personally but on the contrary it may not be said the Godhead of Christ is created visible palpable and diable whilest it is vnited to the created visible palpable and to the deiected diable manhood personally This is at this day the doctrine of the Vbiquitists And they say that Doctor Luther of happie memory did euen so beleeue and teach But setting aside the vbiquity of the body of Christ they informe the Reader amisse And we are well assured that Doctor Luther did neuer teach so in all his life of the fellowship of the properties as the Vbiquitists do teach therof namely that such fellowship is performed in the natures themselues And that the same for all that is not transferred to and fro but onely from the Godly to the humane nature This did Doctor Luuher as is said neuer teach in all his life But so often as he spake of the fellowship of the properties of both the natures in Christ then did he say That such a fellowship is performed in the person of Christ without hurt to the difference of natures and that the same passeth to and fro that is that all humane properties may be spoken of the Sonne of God as also all diuine properties of the Son of man This hath beene indeed and at all times the doctrine of Doctor Luther of the fellowship of the properties of both natures in Christ The which that the peace-louing Reader may be throughly informed of we will set downe word by word in this place all the passages as they befell from yeere to yeere one after another wherein Doctor Luther did teach of the fellowship of the properties of both the natures in Christ and that as wel out of his strife writings as out of his doctrinall writings Extract out of Doctor Martin Luthers writings of the fellowship of the properties of both natures in Christ AMongst which places the first is in the Church Postill which Doctor Luther did write Anno 1521. and calleth it his best booke Tom. 2 Ien. fol. 381 B. In the same place in the exposition of the Epistle vpon Christs daie he saith thus That wee now returne againe to Christ it is to bee beleeued constantly that Christ is true God and true man And sometimes the Scripture speaketh and himselfe after the Diuine nature and sometimes after the humane nature As where he saith Ioh. 8. Before Abraham was I am That was spoken of the Godhead But where he saith Mat. 20. to Iames and Iohn to sit at my right hand and at my left hand is not mine to giue Note The manhood of Christ is not almighty Note The manhood of Christ is not all-knowing That was spoken of the humanity euen as he could not helpe himselfe vpon the Crosse Howsoeuer some will heere so shew their cunnings with their darke expositions that they ioyne with heretiks Also is this spoken of the man Christ where hee saith Mark 13. Of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in heauen neither the Son himselfe saue the Father The Glosse is not heere needfull Note They that say that Christ is also almighty according to the manhood they mingle the two natures one with the other the Son knoweth not that is hee will not know it What auaileth such a Glosse The manhood of Christ hath euen like vnto another holy naturall man not alwaies thought all things spoken willed as some make of him an almighty man mingling the two natures and their operations one in the other ignorantly c. The second place is in the great Confession which he writ Anno 1528. Tom. 3. Ien. fol. 455 B. where he saith thus All words workes sufferings and whatsoeuer Christ doth that doth worketh speaketh and suffereth the true Sonne of God And it is truly spoken the Sonne of God died for vs c. If now heere the shee weather maker womens wit the allaeosis grandmother shall say indeed the Diety can neither suffer nor die th u shalt answere that is true But for all that whilest the Diety and humanity in Christ is one person
Diuine properties as the Nouelists say that the humane nature of Christ though it bee not God but a creature and thing made yet may haue Diuine properties Omnipotencie Omniscience c. attributed to it Where withall can wee further maintaine the true Deity of Christ against the Arians For where it is alleaged that the humane nature of Christ hath the diuine properties not vpon it Apol. Concord fol. 46. and for it selfe but in consideration and by vertue of the personall vnion that helpeth not the matter at all But if it bee that any where a creature hath the diuine properties vpon it let it haue the same from whence it will and in what manner it will then is the ground false that all that hath godly properties vpon it is God Yea indeed this starting hole is more for the Arians then against them For and if so bee that of a creature which of it selfe hath no godly properties vpon it yet there may be godly properties affirmed because that he is affoorded the vse of such properties by God it cannot bee in any manner concluded that Christ vpon and for himselfe is God though for all that Diuine properties are spoken and affirmed of him in the holy Scriptures So must either the Vbiquitists hold that which is false wheras they say that also of the humane nature of Christ may bee spoken and said godly properties or the Arrians must hold the truth whereas they say that all is not God of whom Diuine properties are said and vttered in the holy Scriptures This is our entreaty againe louing sirs that you would consider it Either the Vbiquitists nouation must fall or else the ground of the true Godhead of Christ must come to naught and the Arians bee yeelded to haue the truth Then returne wee euery man home into his owne conscience whether he will be helpfull or no to the Arians blasphemies against God that they may take place in the Protestant Churches CHAP. VII That wee doe not beleeue and teach otherwise of the foreknowledge and almighty prouidence of God ouer all creatures and of the fountaine from whence sinne springeth then as Doctor Luther of happie memory hath beleeued and taught thereof THe second point which was brought into controuersie after the death of Luther is of the foreknowledge that is of the almighty gouernment of God ouerall creatures Garthius against the confession of faith pag. 25. Milius in the Euangelists brothership thesi 158. good and bad Of the same we haue heretofore diuers times so declared our minds that the contentious are forced to confesse themselues that there is nothing rebukeable in the same Onely say they that wee haue aforetime spoken and written of that matter otherwise then now we doe speake and write thereof Admit now that it were so indeed ought wee therfore to be railed vpon for that we make amendment But for all that they giue wrong information also thereof For God bee blessed and praised the doctrine of the foreknowledge or almighty gouernment of God ouer all creatures hath been alwaies so true in our Churches and so cleare that we neuer haue had any need to amend the same The Reader may please to looke ouer all the Catechismes and confessions of our Churches which hee can euer come by And hee shall finde no other doctrine therein of the foreknowledge of God then the same which we doe at present maintaine in our Sermons and writings This is the cause then why the contentious alleage that wee teach otherwise of the foreknowledge of God then wee haue done formerly for that now God be praised and thanked many Protestant Princes and Lords haue themselues heard and read what wee teach as well of this as other points And demand of the contentious wherefore they talke of so many terrible things which wee should teach about the foreknowledge of God whereas they cannot yet finde the least shew thereof in our Sermons and writings When now they be so caught in vntruth and cannot escape then do they seeke this starting hole and say yea it is true in the present Sermons and writings of the Calumnists are not such terrible errours to be found But if their former writings bee seene into there may the same be found in abundant measure This is the originall cause of this calumnie as if we did teach otherwise at present of the foreknowledge of God then we haue taught in former times But what they accuse vs to haue formerly taught so offensiuely of the foreknowledge of God and now to bee silent in in summe is thus much That God had not onely seene from euerlasting all that commeth to passe whether it bee good or bad that it would come to passe but also decreed that it should come to passe for cause of a good end to which hee would vse the same Or which is all one that nothing is accomplished without the euerlasting councell and will of God whether it be good or bad and that the same euerlasting councell and will of God is vnchangeable And that according to the same al must so come to passe as it commeth to passe Also that the permission of God when he permitteth that which is euill is not a bare permission but that God hath alwaies his hand in the worke and hee turneth and ordereth euery action to what hee hath ordained it in his euerlasting councell Out of all which say they this must necessarily follow that God is the authour of sinne and hath â— pleasure and delight in sinne This is the complaint which they make against vs. Now it is without No that such sayings are found in our mens writings as are aboue rehearsed But neuerthelesse the same are also found in the writings of Doctor Luther As There comes nothing to passe without the will of God saith hee Tom. 6. Wit fol. 520. A. Also all comes to passe onely according to the euerlasting will of God and it must so befall vnto vs as he will fol. 590. B. Also all must so come to passe as God hath decreed it fol. 526. A. Also all in all creatures must be accomplished after the Diuine will fol. 527. A. Also it must not presently bee otherwise with vs then according to the Diuine will ibid. Also Let the Diatribe plot thinke imagine sing say what they will yet hath God decreed from euerlasting that Iudas must bee a traitour then must he commit treason and it is not in Iudas or in the power of any creature to haue it any otherwise or to change his will fol. 524 A. Also Out of which it followes that it cannot be denied that all which wee doe and all that befalleth whether we thinke it well or no as befalling by chance and is changeable yet must it so come to passe and cannot be otherwise if thou lookest to the will of God For Gods will is powerfull and will not be hindred For hee is nothing else then the godly force and power
hardeneth fol. 527. A. Also It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy folio 526. B. Item For to will and reioyce to keepe Gods law thou hast not of thy selfe but from God which he bestoweth on whom he pleaseth fol 511. B. Also If thou art accepted of God he wil giue and bestow vpon thee the power to keepe the Commandements c. fol. 511. B. Also It belongeth not to euery man neither is it sprung from the choice or power of man that one heareth the word of Christ earnestly c. Tom. 6. Ien. fol. 182. A. Also It followeth originally from the election of God who shall beleeue or not beleeue who shall bee losed from sinne or not losed In the Preface vpon the Epistle to the Romans which is to be found in euery Wittenberges Bible Also The Lord hath ordained the ministery of his word that he might bestow faith thereby and we men attaine vnto it c. and he giueth also faith by the same as the meanes therunto together with the holy Ghost how and to whom he will c. Tom. 5. Ien. fol. 15. Also Man was created to euerlasting life or to euerlasting death before all other creatures Tom. 6. Witt. Germ. fol. 480. B. Also God ordained some to damnation before euer they were borne fol. 534. B. Also Christ weepeth sorroweth and yearneth ouer the damnation of the wicked albeit the euerlasting Diuine will did let some passe cast them off and damned them purposely fol. 510. B. Also After followeth the similitude that there are seuerall vessels some to honour some to dishonour whereby hee teacheth and concludeth that the vessels did not prepare themselues but the Lord did doe it which hee also will haue vnderstood in the ninth Chapter a Also Prou. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake yea euen the wicked for the day of euill Note Note of the Romans in the worke of the potter c. fol. 533. B. Also This similitude is laid out by two words there are elect and damned so are there vessels for honour and for dishonour fol. 534. B. Also The similitude standeth as firme as a wall touching the potter and vessels c. That it consists not in our power and willes what vessels wee should be fol. 536. B. Also Christ in the 11. of Mathew shewes no other cause wherefore the Gospell was hid from the wise and men of vnderstanding c. then that it was so the good pleasure of his father Note Meerely out of will fol. 513. B. Also I know well what it is that the reason of man is highly offended withall namely that God out of will and meerely out of will forsaketh and hardeneth a man euen as hee had a pleasure in the euerlasting destruction of him fol. 527. B. Also Then you heare very well that reason thinkes it vnbeseeming that God should damne those who cannot will that which is good neither can shun the desert of damnation and therefore it must be false which Paul saith Hee hath mercy on whō he wil and whō he will he hardeneth so must now our Lord God deiect himself out of his chaire and a common fellow sit therein and so suffer himselfe to be prescribed lawes and ordinances to damne no man but as we by the iudgement of reason thinke that hee hath deserued the same fol. 534. A. But if God so worketh that he hath respect to desert wherefore do they then murmure so much and contend with God Wherefore doe they say why doth hee yet complaine who hath resisted his will and what cause had Paul to still them for they would not make much wondring much lesse complaine so hotly when as they knew that they had deserued it Also Where remaines then that the potter had power to make what he would one vessell for honour the other to dishonour if he bee subiect to lawes and seruices and dare not effect what he will but it shall be propounded to him what hee should doe For these two are directly opposite the one to the other that desert should be respected and that also he should haue the power and liberty to doe what pleaseth him Euen as the house-father in the Gospell sufficiently testifieth dealing with the murmuring workemen layeth before them his power and liberty and saith Is it not lawful for me to doe as I will with mine owne c But I will admit that God the Lord must be such a one that hee hath respect to desert in those whom he damneth So must wee euen as well yeeld and say that God hath respect to desert in those whom he saueth For and if we will follow the iudgement of reason then is it euen as vnlike and vntrue that he saueth those who doe not deserue it as that he condemnes those who haue not deserued the same a Namely according to the opinion of reason it so being that it is vnpossible for them to shun sin So must we I perceiue also conclude that hee should make men out of foregoing deserts or they will say that he is an vniust God who hath a delight and pleasure in wicked men and therewithall that hee maketh sinners drawing them from sinne and vngodly courses by his grace and reward But wee vnto vs miserable men if we had such a God who then should bee saued Whereby thou seest how deepe and secret wickednesse is hidden in the heart of man that God should make the sinner blessed without desert and take the sinner who hath deserued otherwise to mercy to this doth not reason say that hee is an vnrighteous God for this it complaineth not neither murmureth against God whereas yet it is vnright if it should be measured euen according to reason But wherefore doth it not complaine for it Indeed it is a thing that is sweet and seruiceable to it Therefore it seemes true and most acceptable But when God doth condemne those who haue not deserued the same or hath ordained some to destruction before euer they were borne whilest this is a bitter and sower doctrine vnto them and sauoureth not their pallates therfore complaine they that it is vniust and vnsupportable there they contend murmure and blaspheme Wherefore thou seest that the Diatribe do not censure there according to likelihoods and truthes but according to their owne minds and harts delights For and if they doe throughly and truly consider that then do they euen as well contend with God when he saueth sinners and those that deserued it not as they doe contend with him when hee damneth those who haue not deserued the same Also they will euen as well praise God and thanke him when he condemneth those that deserued it not as they glorifie him when hee receiueth sinners to mercy and saueth them who did not merit the same For it seemeth alike vnright on both sides if the reason of man should bee the iudge herein For