great that first indeed What Christ is or doth according to his divine nature that is all-Christ the Son of Man said to be or to do and again What Christ is or doth or hath suffered according to his humane nature That is all-Christ God Son of God said in holy Scripture to be to have done and to have suffered As in that place where it said a Acts 20 2◠God that is Christ Man and God hath purchased the Church with his own bloud whereas the force of the purchase pertaineth unto the Deitie or Godhead and the pouring out of bloud onely unto the humanitie or Manhood Yet both these Actions are joyned together in one and both are attributed unto the whole Person of Christ although they were and are distinguished For although the natures be distinguished yet are they coupled together in the Person of Christ which is but one Yet further Christ as Mediatour never did or doth any thing according to his humanitie whereunto his divinitie did not and doth not cooperate or work together and again he did nothing according to his divinitie whereunto his humanitie did not consent and willingly agree And therefore well did the Fathers in calling the operations or actions of Christ as Mediatour operatious Theandricall that is of God and Man In the second place As the force of the union which is between the Father and the Son is so great that he doth nothing neither communicateth unto the world any good but by the Son In like manner so great is the force of the Hypostaticall union of the two natures in Christ that there flowes unto us no grace no salvation no life from the Deitie but by the humanitie apprehended of us by faith so that it is altogether necessarie that he be coupled unto the flesh of Christ whosoever will be made partaker of eternall life according to that of our Saviour a Iohn 6.13 Except eate the flesh of the Son of Man the have no life in you And in the last place by the force of the said union it is effected that we cannot worship and adore the Deitie in Christ without worshipping and adoring also the humanitie in him and again That both the humane and divine nature are to be worshipped and adored of us altogether with one and the same manner of worship and adoration according to that a Hebe 1.6 And when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world he saith And let all the angels of God worship him him that is the whole Person God and Mau together whereas yet the humane nature by it self and in it self merely considered neither can nor ought to be worshipped For God onely is to be worshipped But it is not any union but the Hypostaticall union of the divine and humane nature which effects this that we have said Wherefore although God dwelleth in his Saints yet are not they to be worshipped or pray'd unto as is the Man Christ Great therefore surely we confesse is the union whereof we speak but yet such is the union that it excludes all confusion and transfusion For if the union between the Father the Son and the holy Ghost in one essence then which union there neither is nor can be imagined a greater take not away the distinction of Persons neither can this union of natures and so of properties and actions in one Person take away the distinction or bring in a confusion thereof DOCT. XII That unto Christ as Man was given indeed the greatest power that could be but yet finite as also other gifts WE believe further that as Christ as he is God is simply omnipotent and simply wise and so also in his other Atrributes So as he is man there was given unto him power and knowledge fárre surpassing yea almost by infinite degrees the power and knowledge of all creatures both in heaven and on earth but yet finite and so likewise all other gifts and virtues as charitie prudence fortitude justice grace truth and the rest whereof the Prophet Isaiah speaketh a Isa 11.2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him c. and Iohn the Evangelist who testifieth that he was b Iohn 1.14 full of grace and truth and Luke c Luk. 2.25 And Iesus increased in wisedome and stature and in favour with God and Man For which cause he is by the Apostle said to be d Eph. 1.20 set at Gods right hand in the heavenly places e 21. Farre above all principalities and powers and again Iohn saith f Iohn 3.34 God giveth not the Spirit unto him by measure and again the Apostle g Coloss 2.3 In him are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Whence it cometh to passe that as he is Man he knoweth all things and can do all things which belong unto his office but as for those things which no created substance can do but God alone those he doth by the power of the Deitie yet not without the consent and as it were the supplication of the humane nature insomuch that to all the actions of Christ as he is God concerning our salvation his soul in some manner is alwayes added by the love desire and will thereof As likewise in all which he did as Man the Deitie alwayes concurred even in his death and passion not that the Deitie suffered but that it willed the death passion of Christ and gave unto his death and passion infinite power and efficacie to expiate and purge away our sins To conclude in a word concerning the natures of Christ together with their union and properties we believe whatsoever was set down and concluded by the Nicene Councill and that of Constantinople and that of Ephesus and that of Calcedon agaist Arius Apollinaris Nestorius Eutyches as also what was defined and determined in the sixt Synod against the Monothelites DOCT XIII That the actions of Christ are of two kinds and that what we read that Christ did or suffered was all done and suffered by him according unto truth and not according to outward appearance onely NOw to passe from the Person of Christ and his natures and the union of the natures unto his actions and office peculiarly We believe first as there are two true natures in Chrst whereof each had and hath it 's own true and essentiall properties conjoyned indeed as the natures also are united but not confounded So likewise that there are two kinds of actions which we read that our Lord Iesus Christ partly hath already performed and partly doth not yet cease to performe and that some of these actions flow from the Deitie and others from the humanitie and that they were partly and partly are so conjoyned and yet so distinct that each form as Leo speaketh doth alwayes work with the communion of the other The Word still doing that which is proper to the Word and the flesh exequuting that which belongeth unto the flesh And again as the works
expresseth by the name of Heaven Earth and they were all exceeding good Prov. 16.4 And we believe likewise that he ordained them for the use of man and for his own glorie And therefore we acknowledge both the Sonne and the holy Ghost to be Creatour of the world as well as the Father For as much as the Father the Son and the holy Ghost is but one and the same God DOCT. II. That the Heaven is distinguished from the Earth and that the Heaven of the blessed doth differ from the other Heavens NEither do we mingle Heaven and Earth together 2 â—â—r 22.2 Matth. 6.10 nor make a confusion of the Heavens one with another but according to the holy Scripture we make a distinction as we see the elements and all kinds of creatures animate and inanimate to be distinguished And further we confesse that the Heaven in which the souls of the blessed live with Christ and the bodyes of all the godly shall which Christ also calleth his a Iohn 14.2 Fathers house and b Luk. 23.43 Paradise and which the Apostle calleth c Heb. 11.10 A citie which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God We confesse I say that this Heaven differeth from the other Heavens but much more from Earth and Hell Unto this Heaven also the Apostle alluded when he said 2 Cor. 12.2 That he was caught up to the third Heaven to wit above the Heaven of the aire and above all the visible and moveable orbs DOCT. III. That all the Angels were created good although they did not all stand fast in the truth WE believe also That the Angels were all created good and righteous being substances spirituall and immortall and indued with understanding and free-will although they did not all stand fast in goodness and righteousness Iohn â— 44 and the Truth as our Lord Iesus speaketh but did many of them from the very beginning sinne of their own free-will and so became the enemies of God and all goodness the enemies of all mankind and especially of the Church of God liars and speaking lies of their own murderers devils evil spirits and 2 Pet. 2.4 that therefore they were cast down to Hell and delivered into chaines of darkness to be reserved unto judgement DOCT. IV. The causes or reasons why many of the heavenly Spirits were permitted to sinne and became evil ANd this was not without cause permitted by the wisedome of God as we are taught in holy Scripture For besides that God would have his justice and judgement made known unto them as likewise his anger and wrath against sin by what creature soever committed he hath also appointed to use them as his instruments to a 1 King 21.22 tempt us and exercise our faith and patience in b Eph. 6.12 spirituall combats and all to further our salvation and to conclude He would have them to be the executors and administrators of his justice judgements against mans wickedness that as many as c 2 Thes 2.12 will not believe the truth whereby they may be saved should follow the d Tim. 4 1. doctrines of devils giving heed to seducing spirits and e 2 Thes 2 11. believing lies and so f 12. be damned DOCT. V. That the good Angels were by the grace of God preserved in goodness that so they might become God's ministring Spirits for our good AGain we believe That g D 10. innumerable of the celestiall spirits were by the grace of God in Christ preserved that they might not sin with the rest but persist in truth and obedience and that so they became Gods messengers and h Heb 1.14 ministring spirits for the good of his elect to defend and protect them against the devils and to promote the Kingdome of Christ And they do so love us and wait upon us that they do exceedingly i Luk. 15.10 rejoyce for our salvation But they will k Revel 22.9 not be worshipped of us by any means but put us in minde that God onely is to be worshipped and that they are but our fellow-servants with whom we shall also live a blessed and eternall life as the Angels of God in heaven Matth. 22.30 DOCT. VI. That man was created after the Image of God WE believe That after that all other things were created at last man also was a Gen. 1.26 27. created after the Image and likenesse of God his body being b 2 7. formed out of the earth but his soul which is a spirituall and immortall substance being made of nothing and c ibid. inspired by God into his body Not long after a wife also was by God given unto him d 2.22 made of his bone as concerning the body and created after the Image of God DOCT. VII Wherein especialy that Image of God consisted BUt we believe that the Image of God consisted in this especially That as God is the absolute Lord of all things So unto man were e Gâ—â— 1.28 Psal 8.6 7 8. all things made subject that he should have dominion over the fowles of the aire the fishes of the sea and the beasts of the land insomuch that he was the king of all the lower world And again more especially in this That as God is most holy and righteous So also man was f Eccl. 7.29 created upright at the first that is g Eph. 4 24. in righteousness and true holiness as the Apostle doth interpret it DOCT. VIII That Adam had free-will before his fall HEreupon we believe that man in his first estate had not onely this libertie that he could will nothing against his will which libertie hath alwayes remained in man and still remaineth but also that he was indued with such power from above that if he would he might have not sinned and so not have died but have persevered in righteousness and have escaped death Insomuch that his losse of both is to be justly attributed unto himself and not unto any other DOCT. IX Heresies and Errours condemned WE condemne therefore the Valentinians Alarcionites Manichees and as many as have taught or have left any thing in writing behinde them against this article of our Christian faith whether they feigned the world to be made by some other God then the Father of Christ or whether they held that all things that are good were made by one God that is good and all things that are evil by another that is evil For how can he be God which is not the chief and soveraigne good and the onely maker of all good things We condemne also all those which hold that the soul of man was made of the substance of God or which deny it to be immortall and alwayes working or which make the Image of God to consist onely in the dominion over his creatures or last of all which deny that the first man was created by God at the first with free-will truely so
heart we both love again and also glorifie God the Father and Christ our Redeemer that we are inclined and moved to good will and bounty towards all men in generall yea even towards our enemies but especially towards the Saints and those which are of the houshold of faith Therefore we condemne all those which say that a man by his own naturall powers may love God above all things 1 Iohn 4.7 For Love is of God as saith St. Iohn DOCT. XI The signes and tokens of charitie BUt we do not believe that to be true Christian charitie which agreeth not with that description set down by St. Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinthians which is after this manner 1 Cor. 13.4 Charitie suffereth long and is kind Charitie envyeth not Charitie vaunteth not it self is not puffed up 5.6 Doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked 7. thinketh no evill Rejoyceth not in iniquitie but rejoyceth in the truth Bearethall things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things c. DOCT. XII That our communion with Christ and his Church is cherished and maintained by love and Charitie WE believe that by true love and charitie our communion with Christ and his Church is very much cherished increased and maintained Forasmuch as love joyneth together in one the persons loving and the persons loved For St. Iohn saith a 1 Ioâ— 4 16. He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him CHAP. XVIII Concerning Repentance ALthough all these faith hope and charitie repentance justification the study of good works and a holy life cannot really be separated one from another Yet forasmuch as they depend one upon another we know that in this regard they are to be distinguished and we are to take them into consideration each apart and enquire what they are and what their efficacie is We think good therefore briefly to set down our opinion and deliver our judgement concerning each of them beginning with Repentance which is the perpetuall individuall and inseparable companion of faith For although after Iustification it is perfected every day more and more yet because no man is justified without Repentance and the beginning thereof goeth before Iustification it self Therefore in the first place we are resolved to declare what our faith and belief is concerning this DOCTRINE I. That Repentance is necessarie to our Iustification and so also to our Communion with Christ WE believe that to our true partaking of Christs righteousnesse and our communion with him Repentance is necessarie whereby turning from sin and from the world by change of mind and will we may turn unto Christ cleave unto him and obtain in him and from him remission of sins and be endued with his righteousnesse and holinesse For the first thing that a Matt. 1.4 15. Iohn the Baptist and our Saviour preached was the Doctrine of Repentance for the remission of sins And Except ye Repent saith our Saviour ye shall all likewise perish DOCT. II. What we understand by the name of Repentance BY the name of Repentance we understand two things more especially The first is true and serious grief and sorrow for sins committed against God and that not so much for fear of punishment due unto sin as that we have offended God himself the chiefest good who is our Father and Maker The second is a true change of heart and mind will and purpose and of our whole life This part of Repentance which properly is by Christ called Resipiscence and by the Prophets Conversion unto God and Circumcision of heart according to the Doctrine of the Apostle proceedeth from the former for he joyneth both together saying a 2 Cor. 7.10 Godly sorrow worketh Repentance to salvation not to be repented of DOCT. III. That Repentance is the gift of God WE believe that Repentance is the gift of God proceeding from his mere grace not due to any meries or preparations of ours according to what the Apostle saith b 2 Tim. 2.25 If God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth c 26. And that they may recover themselves out of this snare of the devil and according to the Prophet d Ier. 31.18 Turn thou me and I shall be turned For thou art the Lord my God DOCT. IV. That for the stirring up of Repentance in us God ordinarily useth the word of the Law and Gospel and That the hearing of them both in the Church is therefore necessarie GOd to stirre up Repentance in us doth ordinarily use the expounding of the Law which discovereth our sins unto us and Gods wrath against sin as likewise the preaching of the Gospel which declareth unto us remission of sins and the grace of God in Christ As it is manifest to every godly man which looketh into the holy Scripture And therefore we judge that in the Church both are necessarie both the expounding of the Law and the preaching of the Gospel DOCT. V. The summe of the Doctrine concerning Repentance and in all every where and alwayes necessarie unto salvation to as many as are of years THe summe then of our belief concerning Repentance every where and alwayes necessarie unto salvation to as many as are of yeares is this That Repentance is the change of heart and mind wrought in us by the holy Spirit by the word of the Law and of the Gospel whereby Forasmuch as our sins and corruption of nature are as the Law teacheth things repugnant to the will of God and so stand in need to be purged away as the Gospel preacheth by the death of the Son of God We from our souls lament and bewail them detest and abhorre them humbly confessing them before God and begging pardon for the same resolving upon amendment of life and a constant studie of innocency and all Christian vertues and therein exercising our selves diligently all the dayes of our life to the glorie of God and the edifying of the Church DOCT. VI. That simply and absolutely we condemne not those parts of Repentance commonly so called viz. Contrition confession of sins and satisfaction COncerning the parts of Repentance before spoken of we list not much further to dispure being thoroughly perswaded out of the holy Scriptures that in brief it consists in a serious and earnest mortyfying of the old man and quickning of the new the former whereof hath force and efficacie from the death of Christ and the latter from his resurrection the holy Spirit communicating both unto us Yet simply and absolutely we condemne not that long agoe received and yet retained distinction in the Schooles of the parts of Repentance into contrition confession of sins and satisfaction with this proviso that they be examined at the rule of the holy Scriptures and not found to decline from the godly customes of the ancient Church As concerning contrition and confession of sins likewise both before God and our brother
which Christ either did or doth by the virtue and power of the divine nature are true and not feigned for he reconciled us truely unto his Father he pardoneth and forgiveth sinnes truely he truely sanctifieth and regenerateth So also whatsoever we reade that he either did or suffered for us according to his humane nature all that we believe that he both did and suffered in deed and in truth and not in shew and as they speak appearance onely DOCT. XIV The explication of the fore-going opinion THerefore we believe that Christ as he was truely conceived of the seed of David as he was truely born and true Man as he did truely eate and drink and performe other outward actions of a man So also that he truely fulfilled the Law for us that he truely a 1 Pet. 4.1 suffered in the flesh that he b Matt. 27.50 truely c Rom. 5.3 died that he d 2 Cor. 5.15 truely rose again from the dead e Luk. 24.39.51 in the same flesh that he f Act. 1.9 ascended with his visible palpable true humane body being terminated by certain dimensions into the true and created heaven g Eph. 4.10 farre above all the visible heavens that he there remaineth working according to his own free will untill he shall come again from heaven in the same visible body to judge both the quick and the dead that in heaven he truly willeth our salvation that he hath a care of us a Eph. 1.22 4 16. that he sends down the influences of Spirituall and vitall sense and motion into us as unto his own members and that he governeth his whole Church CHAP. XV. The fruits of Christs obedience passion death and resurrection ANd we believe that Christ by his perfect obedience merited not onely for himself but for us also eternall life That he by his death and passion hath expiated and purged away all our sinnes in his own flesh That he hath redeemed us out of the hands of Satan from the tyrannie of death and from the slaverie of sinne that he hath reconciled us unto God in himself and made us beloved of him that we might be accounted righteous in him before God the Father that by his resurrection and ascension into heaven he hath obtained for us a twofold resurrection a Revel 20.5 the first and b 6. the second as Iohn speaketh that he hath taken possession of an heavenly inheritance for us that he sitteth at the right hand of the Father that is That c Matt. 28.18 All power is given unto him in heaven and in earth So that as he is Mediatour and Man he hath the second place from the Father being constituted the head of the whole Church both that in heaven and that on earth that from him and from his flesh there may be derived unto us by the holy Ghost unto us I say who as members are joyned unto him as unto our head there may be derived whatsoever pertaineth to our vivification and Spirituall life And therefore we acknowledge believe and confesse that in Christ alone all our Salvation redemption righteousnesse the grace of God and eternall life consisteth according to that of the Apostle d 1. Cor. 1.30 Of him are ye in Christ Iesus who of God is made unto us wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption and in another place e Eph. 2.14 He is our peace and according to the Prophet f Ierem. 23.6 The Lord our righteousnesse and again according to the Apostle a Eph. 1.7 In him we have redemption through his bloud the forgivenesse of sinnes and again b Coloss 1.19 It pleased the Father that in him all fullnesse should dwell and according to St. Iohn the Apostle c 1. Iohn 5.11 This life that is life eternall is in his Son And hereby we understand that the promise concerning redemption which was made unto the first man received it's complement and perfection in the second the Man Christ Iesus so that he which will be made partaker of redemption must needs be made a member of Christ and be joyned unto him as unto his head For we have redemption and salvation not onely by sins as our Mediatour but also in him as in our head This is our faith and belief concerning Christ our Redeemer concerning his Person Natures Office and concerning the salvation of mankind in him complete and finished DOCT. XVI Heresies and errours condemned THerefore we condemne all Heretikes as well ancient as moderne old and new which ever taught or now teach the contrarie by name Arius Phornius Servetus all others of the same stampe which deny the true Deitie of Christ as also the Cerdonians Marcionites Valentinians Manichees Priscillianites Apollinarists and others which oppugned the humanitie of Christ Whereof some denyed that Christ was come in the flesh or that he had true flesh saying that he brought a body onely in appearance from heaven or that he had a body conceived of the elements and not of the seed of Abraham and that he was not born of a woman And others indeed granted that he had humane flesh but denyed him to have a reasonable soul putting the Deitie in the place of it We condemne likewise the Nestorians which denyed the true union of the humane nature with the Person of Son and held two Persons in Christ and two Sons the Son of God and the Son of Man We condemne likewise the Eutychians which contrarily as the Person of Christ is onely one so also hold that there was in him but one nature onely to wit the divine teaching that the humane nature which he assumed was either converted altogether into the divine or else that it was so mixed and confounded with the divine that they made no difference at all between the properties and actions of the divine and humane nature We condemne likewise those that came from them Macarius with his followers which held that there was but one onely will in Christ to wit the divine and so acknowledged no proper action of the humane Will in him We condemne also the Cerdonians in this that they said that Christ neither suffered truely nor died truely but seemingly onely in outward shew and appearance together with them we condemne also all those who heretofore have taught or at this time do teach the like saying That Christ either rose not again in the same flesh wherein he died but in another and that of a diverse nature Or if he did rise in the same yet that he ascended not truely into heaven and carried it in thither with him We do also following the judgement of Ierom Cyrill and the rest of the Fathers condemne the Origenists and such like as they were which held that Christ rose with a body like a Spirit most subtill and of it's own nature invisible and not coming under the judgement of humane sense And last of all those
pardoned and forgiven for ever that we are received into grace and made the Sons of God and heires of eternall life The third and last is that being perswaded of the free pardon and forgivenesse of our sins and eternall salvation for Christ's sake and merits we afterwards labour to keep and observe all things whatsoever Christ hath commanded us for the glorie of God and the salvation of our neighbour keeping faith alwayes even unto the end and stedfastly believing that whatsoever sins we commit in our new obedience are not imputed to us and that for Christ's sake onely as also that by the imputation of Christ's most perfect obedience righteousnesse and holinesse unto us our imperfect obedience is made perfect and so reputed and accepted for most perfect in the sight of God The commandments of Christ may be all reduced unto three That denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live SOBERLY in respect of our selves RIGHTEOUSLY in respect of our neighbour and GODLY a T it 2.12 in respect of God in this present world a 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our saviour Iesus Christ This we believe to be the sum of all that Christ requireth of us in the word of his Gospel and therefore that they are true Gospellers and Christians indeed whosoever with studious care and diligence give themselves wholly to the observation hereof DOCT. VIII In what things most especially the Gospel differs from the Law ANd it appears sufficiently by what hath been said That we confound not the Law with the Gospell For although we confesse that God is the Authour of the Law as well as the Gospel and again that b Rom. 7.12 the Law of it self is holy and just and good as well as the Gospell yet we believe that there is a great deal of difference between them and that not onely because that was delivered to the Iews onely whereas the Gospell belongeth unto all nations nor yet onely because that was temporatie and to last onely untill Christ whereas the Gospel is everlasting not yet onely because that was delivered by Moser and expounded by the Prophets whereas the Gospel was brought unto us by Christ and published unto the whole world by the Apostles Not for these reasons onely I say but more especially for these which follow First because the matters of the Law consists in commandments with curses irrevocable added thereunto if they be broken in the least part It hath indeed the promises not onely of earthly and temporall blessings but also of heavenly and eternall but yet they are all with a condition of most perfect righteousnesse and obedience and not of free grace But the Gospel is properly the message of glad tidings freely setting before us Christ our Redeemer freely pardoning and forgiving sins and saving us not requiring any thing at our hands for the attainment of salvation but onely true faith in Christ which we cannot have without repentance together with a care to do Gods will as we declared before Secondly because the Law did not enable us for the doing of that which it required for it gave us no power whereby we might be saved and so was insufficient and a 1 Cor. â— 6 a killing letter and b 7. the ministration of wrath and death rather stirring up sin then taking it away But the Gospel requireth no more of us then it enableth us to performe and so communicateth really unto us what is offered forasmuch as the holy Ghost worketh thereby in the elect at the preaching thereof stirring up in them true faith whereby to lay hold on Christ when he is offered unto them and together with him everlasting salvation For c Rom. 10.17 faith cometh by hearing of the Gospel but obedience cometh not by hearing the Law For the holy Ghost at the hearing of the Law did not enable them to keep it whosoever heard the same whereas it doth stirre up faith in the elect at the hearing of the Gospel For which cause as the Law is called the killing letter so the Gospel is called the quickning Spirit or the a 2 Cor. 3.6 Spirit giving life And therefore it is a true and effectuall instrument and meanes unto salvation to every one that believeth From whence followes a third difference which is this that the Law was not wrote in the hearts of men but in tables of stone so that there was not any change in men wrought thereby But the Gospel is wrote in the hearts of the elect by the holy Ghost and worketh in them b 2 Cor. 3.18 a change and true renovation being used by the holy Ghost as an instrument of our sanctification and salvation DOCT. VIII That by the Gospel the Law of Moses is partly taken away and partly not IT appears manifestly by what hath been said what our faith is concerning the abrogation of the Law by the Gospell We believe first that by the Gospel forasmuch as it declareth unto us the fulfilling of all things which were fore-told by types and figures in the old Testament concerning Christ as we shewed before in the 11. Chap. The Law concerning Ceremonies and sacrifices and all the externall Mosaicall worship is absolutely abrogated according to that of the Apostle teaching that they were a Hebr. 9.10 imposed on them untill the time of reformation and that of the Evangelist that b Iohn 1.17 the Law was given by Moses but grace and truth by Iesus Christ Secondly Forasmuch the Gospel is one instrument of the holy Ghost whereby we are ingrafted and united unto Christ and made partakers of redemption and salvation as we shewed in the 12. Chap In that regard we confesse that even the Morall Law also as concerning the curse denounced against the transgressours thereof is by the Gospel of Christ abrogated according to that of the Apostle c Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus A signe whereof this is that they d ibid. walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit But forasmuch as the Doctrine of the Gospel requireth repentance of us and sanctitie of our whole life and that we live soberly righteously and godly In this regard I say it taketh not away the Morall Law For it agreeth altogether with the Doctrine of the Gospel concerning eschewing vices and following after virtues Thirdly and lastly forasmuch as Christ by his Gospel hath not taken away the Politicall or civill Laws by which commonwealths are governed which are agreeable to the Law of nature Therefore we leave it free to Magistrates to use the Laws which were delivered to the commonwealth of the Iews and to govern their people thereby considering that there are none more equall and just then they Wherefore if there be any one that dare presume to say that by the Gospel of Christ the government of commonwealths is overturned or troubled he offers
we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ The breaking and the receiving the blessed bread he calls the communion of the Lord's body because they which eat thereof with actuall faith in the Lord himself grow up together in communion with the Lord himself and with his flesh and bloud Even as they also which with faith embrace the word preached by the Apostles b 1 Iohn 1.3 have also fellowship with the Apostles and that fellowship is with the Father and his Son Iesus Christ DOCT. II. A confirmation of the former FOr as Baptisme is an instrument to inchoate and begin this communion because thereby we are born again in Christ So the Supper was instituted to perfect the same because therein we are fed with the flesh and bloud of Christ that we may grow up in him a 1 Cor. 12.13 For as the Apostle saith by one Spirit are we all Baptized into one body and have been all made to drink into one Spirit DOCT. III. That the furthering and increasing of our communion with Christ is the chief end of the Lords Supper THe Lords Supper was indeed instituted for many other ends to wit that being admonished both by words and signes representing the Lords death and the effusion of his most precious bloud we might call to mind and thankfully acknowledge the great benefit of our Redemption For what saith the Apostle b 1 Cor. 11.26 As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come To these ends therefore serveth it that we may be confirmed in our faith about the remission of our sins that we may be nourished unto the hope of a blessed resurrection that we may be stirred up to give thanks unto God for so great a benefit and to repent us of our sins and last of all to renew our covenant made with God openly and in the presence of the whole Church But because all these tend to no other end but this that we may be more and more united unto Christ and become one with him and that a Gal. 2.20 he may live more effectually in us and we in him b Eph. 5. â—0 being made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones Therefore we doubt not but the Supper was chiefly and principally instituted for the increasing and furthering this our union and communion with Christ in which is perfected and consummated our salvation Whereunto also serveth the bread and wine being bodily nourishments That we may know it for certain that what the bread and wine is for the nourishing of our bodyes and the preserving of this naturall life such also is the flesh and bloud of Christ for the feeding of our souls and the maintenance of our Spirituall life DOCT. IV. Why the bread is called the body of Christ FRom whence also we may learn why Christ calleth this bread his body Not so as if it were either properly his true body or as if his body were included in it or so as if it were but a bare and naked signe of his body which was broken and crucified for us But because it is a Sacrament thereof and Sacraments as St. Augustine saith are often called by the names of those things whereof they are Sacraments and so is made an instrument of the holy Ghost for the communicating unto us the true body of Christ and for the confirming us in the communion thereof As also the Apostle for the same reason speaking of Baptisme called it not a signe of regeneration but the very laver of regeneration without doubt because a Eph. 5.26 with the washing of water by the word as by a fit and convenient instrument Christ by the effectuall working of his Spirit doth inwardly wash cleanse and regenerate us DOCT. V. That the bread is but improperly and figuratively called the true and substantiall body of Christ WHerefore we doubt not but in the words of the Supper the true and naturall body of Christ is predicated of the bread especially seeing that for explication sake there is added b Luk. 22.19 Which is given for you So that this is a most true saying the bread is Christs body to wit that true boby which was given for us but this is improperly and figuratively seeing that in very deed the bread was given for us but the true body of Christ whereof the bread is a Sacrament DOCT. VI. That the body of Christ is not in the bread really and properly FRom hence also we are confirmed in our opinion that as the bread is not properly the very body of Christ but a Sacrament thereof so likewise the body of Christ is not really and properly in the bread For in Sacraments the things themselves whereof they are Sacraments are not really included although they sometimes receive the names thereof As it appeareth plainly in Baptisme without all controversie in which no man saith that either the bloud of Christ by which we are washed from our sins or regeneration it self is included For neither in the word of the Gospel are included really those things which thereby are declared Now the Sacraments are the visible word But neither did Christ say My body is in this that is in the bread but he used another farre different manner of speaking to wit This that is This bread is my body Now if any one list to be contentious and say that the sense is all one It will follow that if the body of Christ be really in the bread the bread likewise is really properly and substantially the body of Christ which if it be impious once to affirme then cannot the other be affirmed without great impietie And yet we deny not but that Sacramentally it may be so according to the sense in which we say that in the word of the Gospel is remission of sins life and salvation which thereby are declared and offered unto us But forasmuch as by such manner of speaking the vulgar sort are commonly drawn to superstition we judge it fitting to abstain altogether from them and we hold it most mete to use such formes of words as we find recorded in the sacred Scripture DOCT. VII That in the Supper not onely the signes but also the things themselves signified are distributed NOw without all manner of controversie this we hold for a sure position and a certain truth that although the very body and bloud of the Lord are not that is exist not in their own substance and really and properly in the bread wine but in heaven Yet together with the distribution of the bread and wine the very flesh and bloud also are truely offered unto all to be eaten and to be drunk But how Not simply but as the one was delivered unto death for us and the other poured forth for the remission of our sins For the words of Christ in a Iohn 6.51 Iohn are manifest concerning the eating of his flesh
good whatsoever is due unto them For e Luke â—â— 10 though we should perfectly keep all Gods commandments yet even then should we be but unprofitable servants But there is no man no though he be ingrafted into Christ and justified that doth keep the commandments of God as he ought And yet we find no fault with the Fathers for using the name of Merit so farre forth as they use the word in this sense as signifying a good work done in faith which is recompensed with a reward and that of grace and for the merits of Christ But again we like not those who dispute of good works as if they were things indifferent and further say that they are so farre from being necessarie that they make nothing at all unto our salvation For a â—eb 11.6 how can a man be saved without faith and b Iam. 2.20 How can faith be lively without the studie and practise of good works and c 1 Tim. 1.19 How can a man hold faith unlesse also he keep a good conscience and How can a man keep a good conscience unlesse he hold a constant resolution to eschew sin to practise good works and to compose and frame his whole life to the will of God But we absolutely condemne all libertines to whom it is all one without difference either to keep God's commandments or not to keep them to do well or to do ill We condemne likewise those who teach that our good works are profitable for the souls of the dead in I know not what fire which they call Purgatorie forasmuch as the Scripture saith that every man shall be judged according to the works which he hath done in his body and that as concerning the dead their own works and not other mens do follow them CHAP. XXII Concerning Invocation and Swearing BEcause amongst good works commanded by God Invocation is none of the last but is often taken in holy Scripture for the whole worship of God whereunto also is added an Oath as being a part of divine worship Therefore we thought good here in brief to explicate and declare what is our belief concerning both and that the rather because even amongst those that professe the name of Christ there is some controversie concerning them both DOCTRINE I. That Invocation is due to God onely and therefore also to Iesus Christ AS concerning religious Invocation we believe that it is a Deut. 6.13.10.12 20. due onely to the true God that is the Father the Son and the holy Ghost and therefore to Iesus Christ our Advocate and to none besides Matt. 4.10 That Invocation is due to God onely it is made manifest by many places of Scripture Because God alone is to be worshipped and adored And that it is due unto Christ as our Mediatour and Advocate we have sufficient testimonies in the Acts of the Apostles in the Epistles and in the Revelation And as we are expressely b Coloss 2.18 forbidden to worship and adore any creature whatsoever it be whether in heaven or on earth So likewise are we forbidden to invocate and call upon them And if whatsoever is not of faith is sin much more that which is committed against the expresse word of God For the very gentiles themselves did not judge it fit to call upon any with a religious worship whom they did not acknowledge for a God And as the Apostle saith a Rom. 10.14 How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed But we must believe onely in God and in Iesus Christ as we are taught in holy Scripture and all the true Catholike Church confesseth in the Apostles Creed which is dayly recited DOCT. II. That a Christian man may swear lawfully WE believe likewise that a Christian man may swear lawfully to wit in truth b Ier. 4. 〈◊〉 in judgement and in righteousnesse as the Prophet teacheth so that his oath be neither false nor rash nor unjust For the taking of the name of the Lord in our mouthes is not simply condemned but the taking of it in vain and falsly And it is a received custome amongst all nations from the foundation of the world to take an oath when it makes for the glorie of God and the benefit of a neighbour And to say nothing of the perpetuall consent of the Church in all ages it is likewise confirmed by Gods own example as also by the example of Christ and his Apostles Wherefore the Doctrine of Christ in a Matt. 5.24 St. Matthews Gospell b Iam. 5.12 St. Iames in his Epistle is not repugnant to ours For their purpose was to shew the true meaning of the commandment concerning swearing and they spake onely against the abuse thereof DOCT. III. That when we swear we are to swear by God onely and by no other WE believe that when we are to swear no other is by us to be called upon as the witnesse of our consciences but God alone and therefore that we are to swear by none but God For God alone is the beholder and searcher of our hearts and he alone hath power over our souls And therefore to him onely is this honour and worship due to be appealed unto by us as unto a witnesse and avenger on our souls if we observe not what by oath we have promised DOCT. IV. That such oaths as are just and lawfully * Or taken made are to be kept and observed by us HE reupon we confesse that such oaths as are lawfully * Or taken made are by us to be kept and observed also and that for the glory of God whose name we do as it were lay to pledge as often as we swear by it As it is also commanded in the law for we are not to take the name of God in vain or falsly DOCT. V. That oaths concerning * Vnjust Or unlawfull wicked and ungodly matters that is such as are repugnant to the Law of God are not to be taken or if taken yet not to be kept AGain forasmuch as we are to promise nothing which is * Unjust or unlawfull wicked and ungodly that is to say repugnant to the Law of God Therefore much lesse ought we to confirme any such thing by an oath interposing the name of God But if any such oath of it self unlawfull be taken we affirme that it ought not to be kept for in keeping it the sin is doubled as we read in the a Matt. 14.7 8 9 c. Gospel concerning Herod DOCT. VI. That such oaths as cannot be kept without trangressing Gods Law are not to be kept although some of them of themselves be not unjust or unlawfull ANd this also we adde that such oaths as cannot be kept without transgressing Gods Law are not to be kept although the things themselves be not of themselves unjust or unlawfull And therefore to instance in a particular If any man hath bound himself by an oath never to