of the heauenly inheritance IX Charitie also doth spring of faith We beleeue also that of true faith springeth true charity by which it worketh and by which it sheweth how forcible it is as the Apostle saith Gal. 5.6 1. Ioh. 4.3 that the faith auaileth much in Christ which worketh by loue and Iohn affirmeth that he which loueth not Ia. 2.15.16 hath not knowne God Therefore we acknowledge not them for brethren which boast of faith when they haue not charitie X. Charitie is the gift of God And wee beleeue that the same charitie is the singular gift of God 1. Ioh. 4.18 whereby we are affectioned towards God the father and Christ our redeemer to loue them againe to glorifie them with all our hearts and inclined made proue to good will and louing kindnes aswell towards al men yea euen our enimies as especially towards the saintes and faithfull Therefore we disallow them which saye that man can of his owne naturall power loue god aboue all things For loue commeth of God 1. Ioh. 4.7 saith Iohn XI Testimonies of true charitie Neither doe we thinke that to be true and christian charitie which commeth not to that nature which the Apostle describeth in the first to the Corinthians chap. thirteen ver 4.5.6.7 namely that it suffreth long is bountifull enuieth not doeth not boast it selfe is not puffed vp doeth no vncomely thing seeketh not her owne things is not prouoked to anger thinketh not euill reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the trueth suffereth all things and the rest which follow XII By charitie the communion with Christ and the church is nourished We beleeue that by true charitie the communion with Christ and with the church is exceedingly cherished increased and preserued in as much as loue doth vnite betweene themselues the persons louing and beloued as Iohn saith He which abideth in loue abideth in God and God in him CHAP. XVIII Of repentance ALthough that all these thinges Faith Hope and Charitie Repentance Iustification the studie of good works and of a godly life cannot indeed be separated from one another yet in as much as one of them dependeth on another they are therefore to be distinguished and each of them seuerallie to bee considered of and to bee seene what they be and what they worke And therefore wee thinke good brieflie to declare what wee thinke of them euerie one and first of repentance the continuall and inseparable companion of faith For albeit it bee daily made more perfect after iustification yet because no man is iustified without repentance and the beginning thereof goeth before iustification therefore wee haue purposed in this first place to declare what our beleefe is concerning the same I. To Justification and therefore to the communion with Christ Repentance is necessarie Wee beleeue that to the true participation of Christs righteousnesse and so to the communion with Christ repentance is very needefull whereby beeing turned from sinne and from the worlde by chaunging our mindes willes we are turned to God and are ioyned vnto him and so obtaine forgiuenesse of our sinnes in him and by him be cloathed with his righteousnesse and holinesse For the first thing that Iohn Baptist yea that Christ himself preached Mar. 14.15 was repentance for the remission of sinnes And except saith Christ yee repent Luc. 13.3.5 yee shall all likewise perish II. What we meane by the name of repentance By the name of repentance we vnderstand two things especially first an earnest griefe a true sorrow for our sinnes cōmitted against God and that not so much for the feare of punishment due to sinne as for that we haue offended God himselfe our chiefest good yea our maker and louing father and then an vnfained chaunging of our mindes hearts wills and intents and so of our whole life For this part which Christ calleth properly repentance and the Prophets a turning to God 2. Cor. 7.10 and the circumcision of the heart the Apostle teacheth to come of the former ioyning both partes together where he saith Godly sorrowe causeth repentance vnto saluation III. Repentance is the gift of God We beleeue that repentance is the gifte of God comming from his meere grace not due to any of our deserts or endeauours as the Apostle saith 2. Tim 2.25 If god at any time will giue them repentance that they may acknowledge the trueth may come to amendment out of that snare of the deuill Ier. 31.18 and the Prophet saith Turne me O Lord and I shal be turned IV. To stirre vp repentance in vs God vseth ordinarily the word of the law and the gospell and therefore the hearing of both is most necessarie in the church God accustometh for the stirring vp of repentance in vs to vse ordinarily aswell the declaration of his lawe which discouereth our sinnes and laieth open gods wrath as also the preaching of the gospel which sheweth remissiō of sinnes fauour of god in Christ euē as it manifestly appeareth to euerie godly man which readeth the holie scriptures And therfore wee iudge the declaration and hearing of them both to bee verie needefull in the church V. A summe of the doctrine of repentance euery where and alwaies necessarie to all of yeares of discretion The summe of our faith concerning repētance necessarie euerie where and at al times to all that bee of yeares of discretion is this that repentance is a chaunging of the minde and heart stirred vpp in vs through the holie ghost by the word both of the law and the gospell wherein wee greeue from our heart wee detest we lament we loath and bewaile and cōfesse before God all our sinnes euen the corruption of our nature as things vtterly repugnāt as the law teacheth to the wil of god to the cleansing whereof the death of Gods owne sonne as the gospell preacheth was needefull and doe humblie pray and intreat for pardon and forgiuenesse of the same and do earnestly resolue vpon amendment of our life and on a continuall studie and care of innocencie and christian vertues and exercise our selues in the same diligently all the dayes of our life to the glorie of God and edification of the church VI. That the vulgar or vsuall partes of poenitencie as contrition confession of sinnes and satisfaction are not simplie condemned Concerning the partes of repentance besides those which are alreadie declared wee haue not much to speake being taught by the holie scriptures that the same doth wholy and chiefly consist in an earnest mortification of the olde man and a quickening of the newe whereof the former taketh the force from the death of Christ the latter from his resurrection the holie ghost imparting them both vnto vs. Meanewhile we doe not simplie disallow that same distinction receiued and long held in the schooles of the partes of repentance into contrition confession of sinnes satisfaction namely if it bee examined
rites and ceremonies wherein the vnitie was be polluted with diuers superstitions yea and especially if also the Sacraments instituted of Christ be corrupted and wholly disordered so that a good conscience can not bee partaker of them but what if the heauenlie trueth also be banished from them and in the place thereof preached and defended the doctrines of deuills what also if thou canst not there bee suffered to bee silent but shalt bee constrained either to denie Gods trueth and to subscribe to diuelish vntrueths or else to spill thy life and blood XVII He which is departed from the church of Rome hath not thereby broken the vnitie of the Church nor is seuered from the bodie of Christ In as much therefore as wee are accused of apostasie or a backsliding from the catholick and apostolick church of Christ and are saide to haue broken the vnitie thereof because we would no longer communicate with the congregations of the Romish church in vngodly superstitions idolatrous seruices but choose rather to follow the aūcient doctrine seruice and discipline renued through gods benefite by the true seruants of Christ wee protest before God and his angels the whole church euen to the worlds ende that they doe an exceeding iniurie not onely to vs but also to the holie ghost and to all the auncient church Sith in this matter we haue done no otherwise nor doe then wee are commaunded to doe by the holie ghost taught by the fathers yea and counselled by the Papists themselues XVIII A confirmation of the former opinion For the Lord hath especially forbidden 1. Cor. 5.11 2. Cor. 6.14 Tit. 3.10 Rom. 16.17 Ca. 24 q. 1 c. 24 26 q. 3. c. 9 that we should haue any fellowship with idolaters and obstinate apostataes and heritickes in their idolatries and heresies Nor otherwise do the fathers teach as they are alleadged for witnesses euen in the canons then that not onely if there be a man but also if there bee a church which renounceth the faith C. 24. q. 1. c. 29. holdeth not the foūdation of the Apostles preaching and in which Christ doctrine abideth not it is to be forsaken Neither for any other cause was the old church of Rome so celebrated of the fathers that which then flourished was holie and called the mother of the churches but because it constantly retained the doctrin receiued of the Apostles all the rest for the most part slipping away But now what the doctrine of it is and what seruice and how farre it is fallen from the auncient doctrine in manie things it is too too well knowne We therfore moreouer protest that we haue made no other separation from the church of Rome that now is but as we are constrained by the word of God as we must needs obey God so commaunding vs and therefore least wee should still abide in an apostasie from the apostolicke and catholicke church wee haue iudged it our partes and dueties to returne at length to the same againe and to depart from the idolatries of this filthie polluted Romish companie XIX We are not simplie departed from the church of Rome but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some respect For we haue not simplie and in all thinges forsakē the ehurch of Rome but only in those things wherein it hath fallen from the apostolicke church and euen from it selfe and from the old and sound church nether are we gone with any other meaning but that if it would returne amended and reformed to the auncient state wee would also returne vnto it and haue communion with it and in their owne congregations Which that it maye one day come to passe wee beseech the Lord Iesus with our whole heart For what were more to be wished of euery good man thē that where we were by our baptisme borne a new there we might liue euen to our liues end so it were in the Lord. I Hier. Zanchius with my whole familie pronounce this to be witnessed to the whole church euen to the worlds end XX. The whole catholicke church is not suffered to erre but euerie particular church may Wee beleeue and acknowledge that this catholicke church as wee haue before described it is so gouerned by the holie ghost that he neuer suffereth the same wholly all of it to err because it euer preserueth in some godlie men the light of the trueth and retaineth the same pure and sounde by their ministerie to the ende of the world and deliuereth it to posteritie To which purpose wee doubt not but that tendeth which Paule saide 1. Tim. 3.15 The church is the pillar and ground of trueth because without the church is no trueth but in the church it is alwaies reserued sith there is euer more some congregation great or smale wherein the word of trueth doth sound But of euerie particular church wherein there bee euer good and badd mingled together wee know the reason is farre otherwise For first in these congregations either the pure word of God is preached or else with it vntruethes are also taught For where no ministerie of the word is ther we acknowledge to be no church If therefore together with the trueth there may also false assertions be taught howe can that congregation be said that it cannot erre when it doth manifestly erre And if the pure word of God be onely taught then the reprobate hypocrites which beleeue it not doe alwaies erre when they reiect the light of the trueth and walke in darkenesse and of them is almost in euerie place the greatest number As for the godly Mat. 24.24 though they are neuer suffered so to erre that they cōtinue in their error and perish Christ himselfe saying Gal. 2.11 c. 1. Cor. 1.11 c. Gal. 1.6 c. The elect can not be seduced no not by the miracles and wonders of Antichrist namely not to the end to their destruction yet that they may erre aswell euerie one seuerally as many gathered together and that not onely in manners but also in the doctrine of faith wee are manifestlie taught by the histories both sacred and ecclesiasticall and by that which hath happened to godlie and holie byshops and their churches in the East and in the West XXI A confirmation of the former opinion Peter doubtlesse did erre at Antioch manie in the church of Corinth and more in that of Galatia being seduced by the false Apostles did most grossly erre though they were soone after called back againe by the Apostle from their errors Dauid also taught that the verie sheepe of Christ may erre Psal 119.176 when he said I haue gone astray like a sheepe that is lost and why were the ministery of the word in the church needfull for all the godlie if they could not erre Sith therefore euerie godlie man in each particular church and the same a true and pure church haue often and doe often erre that hypocrites are neuer indued
with true faith whereby they are rightly minded how can it bee saide of any particular church that it can not erre that then can much lesse be affirmed of those churches from whence the trueth is banished and wherein lyes doe preuaile and iniquitie it selfe and palpable darkenes They surely which are such cānot be the true church of Christ 1. Tim 3.15 if the church bee the pillar and ground of trueth Therefore we conclude that euerie particular flock and each seuerall sheep thereof can so farre forth not erre as it heareth onely the voyce of the shepheard Christ being guided by the holie ghost but as oft as it heareth not his voyce but harkeneth to strangers voices it cā straight waies do no other thē erre But in a word seing God in the scattering and dissoluing of all churches doeth yet reserue some vnto himselfe whome he holdeth in the trueth and by whose ministerie he will spread the same still to the ende of the world therefore we confesse that the whole catholicke church altogether is neuer suffred to erre XXII Without the catholicke church is no saluation Here hence we consequently learne beleeue that this catholicke church onely is so holie and hath saluation so annexed to it that out of it there is no holines no saluation sith that in it onely the trueth so shineth without which saluation can come to none that without it there can bee no trueth and lastly sith none but the bodie of Christ can be saued Ioh. 3.13 For no man ascendeth into heauen but he vvhich came downe from heauen the sonne of man vvhich is in heauen that is the whole sonne of man withal his whole bodie which is the church that not vnfitly Peter compared the church to Noahs arke in which alone mankinde was preserued 2. Pet. 2.5 and out of which whosoeuer were found perished in the waters of the floode Gen. 7.23 Nowe that which wee confesse of the whole church as a thing most assured the same of euerie particular one we cannot graunt namely to say that in this church alone or that in the Romish or that at Constantinople the rrueth and saluation is obtained so that without it should be no saluation and consequently to depart from it were nothing else then to forsake the trueth our saluation and Christ For some church may bee brought to that passe that vnlesse thou departest from the fellowship therof thou canst haue no parte nor fellowshipp with the catholicke church and her head XXIII The catholicke church is not tyed to certaine persons or places Moreouer we confesse this catholick church because it is catholick therefore to be tied to no certaine places persons or people so that who so would be of the church hee should needs get him to Rome or to Wittemberge or he must depend vpon the authoritie of their churches by shops or ministers Seing Christ is in all places and euerie where may the word be heard the seale of Baptisme receiued the commaundements of Christ kept and a communion with the Saintes had And wheresoeuer these things haue place ther is the church that not without good cause were the Donatists condemned who shutt vp the church in Africa onely and not in al Africa neither but in certaine parcells of it where they thēselues dwelt and taught that it was onely there Nor lesse worthily are they to be condemned which accompt the churches of no forraine countries for true churches but onely such as consist of men of their owne nation XXIV The catholicke church is partly visible and partly inuisible To conclude we beleeue this church to be partly indeed visible and partly inuisible but these in diuerse respects Visible in that it consisteth of men visibly hādling and hearing the word of God ministring and receiuing the sacraments praying not onely priuately but also publikely to God exercising the workes of loue towards their neighbours and glorifying God by their whole life which things can not indeede be performed but they must sensiblie be perceiued And if it should be meerly inuisible howe could it bee discerned from the Synagogues of the wicked Againe we call it also inuisible first because it hath in it many hypocrites mingled which performe all these outward things as the elect doe and who are the elect for of them onely consisteth the church surely it cannot be knowne of vs but onely of God according to that The Lord alone knoweth who are his 2. Tim. 2.19 Ro. 2.28.29 Whereunto also tendeth that of the Apostle He is not a Jewe which is one outward but one within Moreouer because the church in regard of the outward appearance being euermore pressed with manifold calamities in the worlde the number of the professours of Christs faith is sometimes so diminished all christian congregations thrust vpp into such narrowe straightes that it may seeme euen to be none at al remaining namely when there is no longer any publike assemblie wherein Gods name is called vppon as the histories both sacred and ecclesiasticall do most clearely and plentifully teach to haue often happened whenas notwithstanding it is very certaine that God alwaies reserueth some church vnto himselfe vppon the earth Mat. 16.18 28.20 the Lord himselfe saying And the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it and behold J am vvith you euen to the ende of the world and the same do we also with the whole church confesse in the creed saying I beleeue the holy catholick church namely to haue euer bin from the beginning to bee now and shal bee vnto the ende of the world euen vppon the earth For properly we beleeue alwaies those things which we do not alwaies see Heb. 11.1 This is our confession concerning the militant church what it is how it differeth from the triumphant howe diuerse oft times in it selfe howe of many particulars it is made one catholicke church by what markes the true may bee discerned from the false what manner of succession of byshops what māner of consent may proue a true church howe not for euery difference in the verie doctrine the vnitie of the church is to be broken what is ment by the name of ecclesiasticall vnitie and in what things it consisteth of what estimation it ought to bee in what respect also it may erre and in what it cannot erre and how without the church there is no saluation and lastly howe it is visible and howe inuisible It remaineth that we speake of the gouernment thereof CHAP. XXV Of the gouernment of the militant church and of the ecclesiasticall ministerie I. The church is gouerned of Christ WE beleeue Col. 1.17 that as all thinges were made haue their being and are ruled by Christ so hee also gouerneth the church which is his kingdome his bodie by a more peculiar meanes then all other things as being author king Eph. 1.23 Luc. 11.33 Heb. 3.6 and head of the same as the Angell saieth of
losse of the graue elders After this being called to Cleue I was pastor in that church about foure yeares with what fruite though not without my crosse your Hon. doth verie well know who such was your singular piety were euer my hearer and no smale helper both with your labour and authoritie in setting forward the kingdome of Christ Afterwards in the raigne of that great incomparable prince Frederike the 3. I professed tenne yeares in the vniuersitie at Heidelberg and at length I came to Neustade the famous most valiant prince Iohn Cassimiers towne where in the schoole newly erected I haue taught seuen yeares and more And where as yet being a withered old man but yet by Gods good fauour in good health I liue by my princes liberalitie And as by little and little I die vnto the world in bodie so I doe my best eudeauour that I may also more and more die vnto it in minde I wish it indeed For the vvorld passeth avvay and the lustes thereof And the little worme in Ionas in a little houres space so gnawed the roote of the gourde vnder the shaddow whereof he laye secure that it being withered away the good prophet had not wherewith to shade himselfe from the exceeding heat of the sunne This very meanes I wish that mine owne children may also follow VVhich is also a principall cause why I was willing now to publish this summe of all the christian doctrin not onely in the name of my selfe but also of my whole familie which indeed I writt long since for another vse purpose but now brought forth into light because that my children besides the doctrine of Christ Iesus which they dayly heare deliuered in our congregatiōs may haue also mine owne forme of the same christian faith left vnto them by me which they may follow For although touching the substance of christian doctrine I teach nothing in this my confession different from that which is preached in our churches yet for that I am not ignorant how much the authoritie and example of parents preuaileth with children therefore I deemed that I should doe a thing not a little beneficiall vnto them if I should leaue behinde me in Christs church some picture or image of my selfe I meane not of my countenance but of my faith which they might often looke vppon and by which they might be more and more encouraged to the studie of the holy scriptures to proceed in the knowledge of the trueth and finally to the constancie and perseuerance in true pietie Neither was it vnknowne vnto me that hereunto belonged that which the Apostle writt to Timothie If there be any man that prouideth not for his owne and namely them of his houshold he denyeth the faith and is vvorse then an infidell To this I ioyne also another cause which pertaineth properly to my self mine own estate That which hitherto I haue in heart beleeued with my mouth cōfessed yea many years publikely taught in the church both by word by bookes published my desire was to comprehend the same wholly in one iust volume that all posteritie might knowe what my faith hath beene and that all the faithfull both now liuing and to come and so all the true catholike church may euidently vnderstand that I neuer consented to such heresies as do now spread all about or euer heretofore did spread specially seing that if I haue beene deceiued in any one thing I submit me to right iudgement therein and I wish that my escape may be examined reformed by the touchstone of the holy scriptures and by the analogie of faith Now to dedicate this my booke vnto your Hon. I was induced by many and those verie honest causes which I trust shall not bee disallowed either of you or any other good man It was meet that a booke not ill containing good doctrin should haue a good patron who both for his pietie would and for his learning could defend the same and that constantly whereunto how much the nobilitie of blood and generosity of minde if they be ioyned with true pietie can help we haue learned by long expetience For it is proper vnto a noble man to be constant in a matter commendable and worthie of honor and not to suffer himselfe to be carried away from any honest purpose either by weale or woe Sinceritie and constancy are such vertues as cannot fall into rusticall and scruile mindes Add hereunto that I iudged it a thing honest and necessarie that there should some monumēt be extant to all men in all ages of my duetiful obseruāce to you of our christian friendship For the friendship which proceedeth of vertue and is therefore sincere and sound is a thing both with God and men most worthie of all praise such as was betweene Dauid and Ionathan Peter and Iohn Paule and Barnabas For as all haue not faith as the Apostle said so al haue not true friendship as faith so also loue is from God saith Iohn and springeth from true pietie and vertue Ours doubtlesse was not setled through flesh and blood but through Christ pietie religion and loue of the same religion whereunto afterwards was added a likenesse of our mindes studies manners and a most sweet conuersing together for many yeares whereby the same was confirmed and so confirmed that it could not by any though very great distance of place no not in many yeares bee diminished or weakened What that it hath not onely cōtinued hitherto firme and constant but also hath euer and stil doth seeme more and more daily to increase the holy ghost more and more kindling this brotherly loue in our hearts I surely for my part do well feele how great a desire is in me both to see you and to speake with you yea and to imbrace you in the Lord as also I well vnderstand both by your letters vnto me and by your kinde dealings in my behalfe what great care you haue of me So true friendship which is wrought by the spirite of God is euer wont continually to be preserued and increased And surely such good things as proceed frō God and may also be for the profite of others those wee ought to shew forth celebrate by al meanes that we can for his glory the edification of our brethren Therefore as it was Gods will that the particular leagues of friendship of some of the Saintes should be commended in the scriptures so this of ours ought not to be buried in perpetuall silence Hereunto also besides that with your singular beneuolence fauour you haue respected not onely my selfe as is said but also my deare kinse-men and all that honest and christian familie of the Limacii such also haue beene your good benefites and offices towards me that vnlesse I would bee vtterly vnthankfull I must needes minde if not a full recompence yet at least an honest declaration of a gratefull heart especially seing true friendship cannot consist among
ignorant of nothing he is able to do all those things which pertaine to his office yea and such things as cannot bee performed of anie created substance but onelie of God himselfe may bee done by him by the power of his deitie yet his humaine wil alwaies working therewithal euermore by consent and as it were by desire so that in all the actions of Christ as he is God pertaining to our saluation alwaies his soule in some sorte ioyneth it selfe thereunto by loue by desire and will as also in all things which he did as man the deitie was alwaies concurrent yea euen in his death and passion not that the deitie suffred but that it willed both the passion and death of Christ and added to his passion and death an infinite power euen to cleanse vs of our sinnes To conclude concerning the two natures in Christ and the vnion and proprieties of them wee beleeue whatsoeuer hath bin determined in the Nycene Constantinopolitane Ephesian and Calcedonian counscels against Arrius Apollinaris Nestorius and Eutyches and in the sixt Synode against the Monothelites XIII Tvvo kindes of actions in Christ and all those things which we read that he did suffred were done indeede according to the trueth of the matter and not after a vaine shew or illusion Now from the person of Christ and his natures and the vnion of the natures to passe ouer peculiarly to his actions and his office First we beleeue that as there are two true natures in Christ whereof each hath had and hath her true and essentiall proprieties coupled together euen as the natures are also vnited but not confounded together so there are two kinds of actions which our Lord Iesus Christ is said partlie to haue performed and partlie wil yet performe for our saluatiō some wherof proceed from his deitie and some from his humanitie and the same partlie haue bin partly are so ioyned together and yet distinct that each of their formes as Leo speaketh alwaies worketh with communiō of the other The word performing those thinges which are of the worde and the flesh those thinges which pertaine to the flesh Moreouer as those thinges which Christ did and doeth by vertue of his diuine nature were true and not fained deeds for he truelie reconciled vs to his father he truelie forgiueth sinnes truely sanctifieth and regenerateth So whatsoeuer we read that he did or suffred for vs according to his humanitie wee beleeue that he did and suffred all those things truelie and indeed and not onelie in a vaine shew and as some speak an appearance onelie XIIII A declaration of the former opinion Wee beleeue therefore that Christ as hee was truelie conceiued of the seede of Dauid and truelie borne true man and did truelie eate drink performe other humaine deeds so also that he truelie kept the law for vs 1. Pet. 4.1 Luc. 24.36 that he truely suffred in the flesh and died and rose againe from the dead in the same flesh and ascended with his visible palpable humain bodie circumscribed with true and certaine dimensions into the true and created heauen placed aboue all these visible heauens Act. 3.21 and ther of his free wil worketh abideth til such time as hee returne againe in the same visible body truely from heauen to iudge the quick and the dead and that he truely desireth our saluation in heauen and hath a care ouer vs his spirituall and liuelie motion and feeling worketh in vs Eph. 1.22 4.16 as his members and lastly that he gouerneth the whole church XV. The fruites of the obedience passion death and resurrection of Christ And wee beleeue that Christ by his perfect obedience deserued eternal life not only for himselfe but also for vs by his passion death he satisfied for our sinns in his flesh he redeemed vs out of the hands of Satan the tirannie of death and the bondage of sinne he reconciled vs to God in himselfe and made vs his beloued that in him wee might bee deemed righteous with the father and by his resurrection and ascension into heauen hee obtained also for vs both the resurrections Apo. 20.5 as Iohn speaketh the first and the latter and that in our name he tooke vnto himselfe possession of the heauenlie in heritance Eph. 1.20 and sitteth at the right hand of God that is hath taken to himselfe power ouer all things in heauen and in earth So that in asmuch as he is our Mediatour and is man he hath obtained of his father the secōd place is appointed head of the church aswel which is in heauen as which is on earth that from him and euen from his flesh is conuaied by his holie spirite whatsoeuer pertaineth to the quickning and to the spirituall life of vs to all those which as members are fastened vnto him their head And therefore wee acknowledge beleeue confesse that in Christ alone is placed our whole saluation redemption iustice fauour of God and eternall life 1. Cor. 1.30 according to that saying VVho of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification redemption Also be is our peace Also Eph. 2.14 Ier. 23.6 Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.19 1. Ioh. 5.11 Iehouah our righteousnesse In him vvee haue redemption by his blood forgiuenesse of sinnes Also it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell Also life is in his Sonne And therefore we know that the promise concerning redemption which was made vnto the first man did receiue accomplishment in this other man Iesus Christ so that whosoeuer will bee made partaker of it he must needs be ioyned to his head Christ be made a member of him For we haue redemption and saluation not onelie by him as a Mediatour but also in him as our head This is our faith cōcerning Christ the redeemer his person natures and office and the saluation of mankinde fulfilled and laide vp in him XVI Errors Therefore we condemne all aswell the ancient as later heriticks which euer taught or teach the cōtrarie Arrius Photinus namelie Seruetus and all other vngodlie men of that crewe which denie the true deitie of Christ the Cerdonians the Marcionits the Valentinians the Maniches the Priscillianits the Apollinarists and the rest which do oppugne the true humanitie of Christ some denying that Christ came in the flesh and that hee had true flesh and doe contend that he brought a phantasticall bodie from heauen or that hee was conceiued of the elementes and not of the seede of Abraham and that hee was not borne of a woman others graunting him indeede a true humaine flesh but yet depriuing him of a reasonable soule and substituting his deitie in place of his soule Also the Neitorians which denied the true vnion of the humaine nature with the person of the Sonne did set downe two persons in Christ and two Sonnes the Sonne of God and the Sonne of man We likewise condemne the
they are made present and are truely communicated vnto vs. Yea wee also doe little doubt but the flesh of Christ is present in the bread and his blood in the wine but after no other sort then as wee vse to say that what so is declared and offred in the word of the gospell the same is present and is contained in the word sith euen the sacraments are visible words and euerie thing that is signified is in some sorte in the signe thereof and is giuen with it XVII The presence of Christs bodie in the supper depends not vppon vbiquitie but vppon Christs wordes Whereupon it is euident that the presence of Christs bodie in the supper dependeth not vpon vbiquity or being in all places at once as some haue dreamed but vppon the verie words of Christ working in vs to whome he is made present by the holy ghost For if the Apostles had eaten the bread receiued at the hand of Christ and had not heard and by faith vnderstood those his words This is my body doubtlesse they had then nether receiued nor eaten any other thing then bread So that to the confirming of their reall presence in the bread that monstrous opinion and odious to God and his whole church concerning vbiquity can nothing help them drawne indeed out of their scholasticall distinctions but yet cleane against the iudgement of the schoolemen themselues And this is our faith and confession of the true communion of the true eating and of the true presence of Christes bodie XVIII What rites are to bee vsed in the celebration of the Lords supper Concerning rites and ceremonies in the celebration of the Lords supper we say onely this that those are principally to bee allowed of which come neerest to the Apostolicall simplicitie CHAP. XVII Of faith hope and charitie I. To the communion with Christ and therefore to the participation of saluation faith is most necessarie TO the ingrafting into Christ the helping forward this communion the holy ghost vseth the outward instruments of the gospell and the sacraments But vnlesse the same spirite doe also stirre vp in vs faith by which we may imbrace Christ with all his benefites offred vnto vs we hold that those instruments can profitt vs nothing to saluation And therefore wee doubt not but to the vnion with Christ and participation of all his benefites faith is most necessarie II. What we meane by the name of faith Now by the name of faith wee vnderstand not a certaine humaine opinion or perswasion concerning God and Christ but a gift of diuine wisedome and prudence stirred vp by the holy ghost in our heartes by hearing the word of God whereby wee with a sincere firme and constant minde doe assent to the whole word of God reuealed in the scriptures for the authoritie of God speaking therein but especially to the gospell which bringeth the gladd tidinges of redemption purchased by Christ and doe truely vnderstand in it God himselfe his will Christ our mediatour and all his benefites yea we certainely knowe them louingly imbrace them and call vppon God with an assured trust in his mercie and in his vnspeakable loue towards vs we are incouraged to loue him againe and also prouoked to the performance of a faithfull obedience to him and to glorifie him in good workes and dueties of charitie towards our neighbour euen to the ende of our liues III. A confirmation of the former opinion For neither is true faith a property of mans wit but a gifte of God Phil. 1.29 Tit. 1.1 Act. 13.45 Heb. 11. neither is it giuen to all but to the elect neither is it an vncertaine and wauering opinion of things promised but a substance and setled assurance of things promised an assured taking hold on things which are not seene Rom. 10.17 Neither doth it growe from the hearing of humaine reasons but is conceiued by hearing the word of God and is grounded vpon the authoritie of God himselfe onely speaking and promising Neither is it an hypocritical and dissembled 1. Tim. 1.5 Mat. 13.21 but a sincere assent thereunto Neither is it a temporall persuasion but a constant and perpetuall though many times wee weaken the same by our sinnes Eph. 1.8 Neither is it a blinde or fonde matter but an exceeding great wisedome whereby wee knowe God and Christ and heauenlie things and a christian prudence which causeth vs not to abuse that knowledge of God but to apply it to the true vse Gal. 5.6 Ia. 21.20 Neither lastly is it a dead thing but liuely and working through charitie IV. Faith hath her increases And albeit the faith of the elect doth neuer vtterly decay but alwaies liueth yet we know that it is not alwaies so perfect and complet but it hath daily neede of increase for which both the Apostles prayed Luc. 17.5 Eph. 1.17.18 and wee confesse that we ought alwaies to pray vnto god V. The confession of the trueth cannot be separated from the true faith Wee also beleeue that true faith can neuer when neede is want the true confession of the trueth Rom. 10.10 as saith the Apostle VVith the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and vvith the mouth man confesseth to saluation And therefore we condemne the Libertines and others of their crew that think it is in their owne choise to dissemble the trueth in all places and among all people and to apply themselues vnto any religion VI. Hope springeth of faith Wee also beleeue that hope springeth of faith and that faith is the foundation of hope as the Apostle saith Faith is the ground of things which are hoped for Heb. 11.1 For therefore doe we hope for the good things to come assuredly looke for them through patience because wee beleeue in Gods promises VII VVhat hope is Now hope is a gift of god whereby we do as certenly looke for as we assuredly beleeue through patience in the mercie of God for the merit of Christ alone Rom. 8.24 those promised good thinges which are not yet either had or seene VIII The assurance of hope whence it is For Christian mens hope as it doeth not spring of any humaine promises so neither is it cherished by humaine merites nor relieth thereupon but being manifoldly confirmed and sealed in our hearts by the sole trueth of Gods promises being also declared to all the faithfull by the mighty all-working power of the same God alone which promised but especially beeing shewed openly in Christ at such time as he raised him from the dead and made him sitt at his right hand in the heauenly places Eph. 1.20 and lastly beeing fixed and vpheld by the onely obedience and merits of Christ in whome we beleeue and in whom we hope it doth assuredly and stedfastly looke for the accomplishment of our saluation euen the resurrection from death the comming of the glorie of the great God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and the full possession