place next vnto the Canonicall bookes V. The rules of faith can be prooued onely by the canonicall bookes And therefore wee vse only the canonicall bookes for proofe of the rules of faith Hieron in praef in lib. Sal. Cypr. in sym p. 377. Con. Laod. cap. 59. and with the fathers wee teach that they are to be vsed but wee thinke the rest to be of great force to confirme the same rules beeing before sufficiently prooued VI. The canonicall scriptures take not their authoritie from the Church VVherefore this we hold without all controuersie and wee thinke it is to be holden that although the Church beeing taught of the first fathers namely Prophets and Apostles who receiued their doctrine immediatly from god and committed the same to writing and beeing also instructed by the holie ghost hath deliuered to the posteritie by a continueing and perpetuall tradition which are canonicall and which are not canonicall bookes yea and hath giuen and shall alwaies giue testimonie vnto them of the holie and heauenlie truth yet that these writings haue not receiued their authoritie from the same Church but of god onely their onely proper author and therefore that of themselues because they are the word of God they haue power ouer all men and are worthie to bee simplie beleeued and obeyed of all VII Yet that the Churches authoritie doth much auaile to make men beleeue the holie Scriptures Although wee denie not by the waie but that the authoritie of the church hath an especiall force to mooue men to the hearing and reading of the holie Scriptures as the word of god according to that of Augustine I had not beleeued the gospell for so he meant vnlesse the authoritie of the church had mooued me Tom. 6. cont Epi. Fund ca. 5. Yet the same Augustine notwithstanding in all places pronounceth that his beleefe came not from the church but from the bolie spirite whose gift faith is VIII That the church hath nopovver ouer the holie scriptures But to dispute whether the authoritie of the church be greater then that of the holie scriptures yea and much more to set downe the affirmatiue part as though the church ouer and aboue the gift of knowing the spirits and of discerning canonicall scriptures from others and of testifying of them and of interpreting of them should haue also authoritie either of adding too or diminishing anie thing from them and of dispensing with thē we iudge it more then sacriledge Deut. 4.2 5.31 12.32 Apoc. 22.18 19. For God commandeth that no man shall add or diminish nor anie one shall decline to the right hand or to the left but all together shall simplie obeye him speaking vnto them in the holie scriptures in all manner of thinges IX The holie scriptures are so perfect that nothing may be added to or taken from them For the scriptures are so holie and meerlie perfect plentifully containing whatsoeuer is necessarie to saluation that nothing can bee added vnto them written with such perfection and wisedome that nothing may bee taken from them X. And therefore men ought to rest vppon them VVherefore wee euen as all godlie men ought to doe doe rest our selues vppon the doctrine of those holie writinges holding that same spoken by the Apostle 2. Tim. 3.16 all Scripture inspired from aboue is profitable to doctrine c. XI Nothing must be established concerning religion vvithout the vvord af god but all things to be reformed by it VVe hold therefore Dist 9. that nothing must be determined cōcerning religion in the church of god which hath not apparent testimonie in the canonicall bookes or may out of them be conuinced by manifest and necessarie consequence And if at anie time there hath crept into the church anie thing either concerning doctrine or the seruice of god which is not agreeable to the holie scriptures the same ought by some lawfull meanes either quite to be taken away or els to be reformed by the rule of gods word and that all controuersies in religion ought lawfully to be iudged and decided out of the same holie scriptures XII Traditions truely apostolicall and catholicke are to be retained in the church And the traditiōs in meane while which it is manifestlie knowne haue come from the Apostles Aug. tom 7. con Donat. lib. 4. ca. 24. tom 2. 2d Ian. ep 118. D. 11. c. 8. to haue beene euer obserued in all churches as that of hallowing the Lords daie in place of the Sabaoth and such like and allthough there be no expresse commandement in the scriptures for the obseruing of them yet wee iudge that they are to be retained in the church XIII The scripture is verie perspicuous in such things as be necessarie to saluation and therefore ought to bee read of all Yea wee thinke and knowe the whole doctrine of saluation not onely plentifully but plainelie and perspicuouslie to bee deliuered in the holie scriptures and sith God neuer spake vnto his people but in their natural language which might bee vnderstood of all that it is a great iniustice and tirannie to forbidd the reading of them to anie men consequentlie the turning of them into the proper tongue of anie nation which the Lord hath willed and commaunded should be read of all men for their owne saluations sake yea should be continuallie borne about in their hands daie and night XIIII The faithfull interpretations by learned godlie men are not to be contemned Although the holie scriptures in those matters which are necessarie to saluation be plaine and easie yet wee dissolue not the interpretations and expositions of skillful and learned godlie men 1. Thess 5.21 aswell aimcient as later namely such as are grounded vppon the same scriptures and so farre forth as scriptures are expounded by scriptures and that in correspondence to the chiefe principles of faith the summe whereof is contained both in the Apostles Creede and also in the Creedes of the true generall and of the auncient holie councells gathered together against those which were notorious heretikes XV. The onely word of god to be the piller of faith and foundation of religion For our faith nether cā nor ought to groūded vppon anie other thing Rom. 10.17 then the word of god deliuered in the holy scriptures that faith may be allwaies of hearing and hearing by the vvord of god wherunto whatsoeuer in any mens works is repugnāt we reiect it whatsoeuer is agreeable we embrace it but that which standeth in a newtralitie as it shall be expedient or not expedient to the church we allow or disallow it and so we teach that it is to be allowed or disallowed CHAP. II. Of God and of the diuine persons and properties I. That there is one onely god distinct in three persons AS wee are taught therefore by the holie scriptures Deu. 4.6 which are his owne word we beleeue that there is only one god that is one simple indiuisible eternall liuing
the gift of constancie in the faith the end is our glorious resurrectiō euen eternal life I say for this other principal foundation of christian religion what cā be said more plainly more largely thē that which hath bin in the councells of Africa determined out of the scriptures by Meliuitanus Arausicanus others against the Pelagians which were written by Augustine to say nothing of others in manie bookes against the same Pelagians Concerning the holy Catholike Church what is there needfull to bee knowne which hath not beene most plentifully and plainely set downe by Augustine aswell in other places as especially in his bookes against the Donatists euen out of he foundations of the holy scriptures But it is a matter of great moment to knowe what and where the true church of Christ is being out of the church there is no saluation and therefore it is an article of faith not of the least accompt About the points of the sacraments also if a man will cōtent himselfe with the simple truth what is more euident then the doctrine which the auncient fathers Iustine Ireneus Tertullian Cyprian and chieflie Augustine haue deliuered out of the scriptures and left vnto vs in their writings One saith Like as Iesus Christ being by the word of God made flesh had flesh and blood so also we haue learned that the foode hallowed by him by the word of prayer and thanks giuing is the flesh and blood of the same incarnate Iesus Christ euen according to those words of Christ This is my bodie But Christ that is the vvorde was made flesh without anie chaunging of it selfe into flesh but onely by a hypostaticall or personall vnion therefore neither is the bread made the body of Christ by any transubstantiation of it selfe into the body but onely by an vnion and that not a physicall or bodily or hypostaticall but onely a sacramētall vnion Also he saith by that foode namely of the blessed bread our blood and our body is nourished by a certaine chaunging of it selfe namely into Christ therefore that chaunge which is made in the supper is not of the bread into Christs body nor of Christ into vs but of vs into Christ by reason of our ingrafting as also wee reade in Augustine that Christ should say speaking of the receiuing of the Eucharist I shal not be chaunged into thee but thou shalt be chaunged into me The same man saith vnto this the foode of the Eucharist none is to bee admitted but they that beleeue that our doctrine is true being washed with the water of regeneration vnto remission of their sinnes so liuing as Christ hath taught them Therfore no infidells and heretikes nor they which haue not receiued the baptisme of Christ not they which liue in such apparent sinne and wickednes that they giue no notice to the church of their amendment are to bee admitted to the supper Another of them saieth the eucharist consisteth of two matters an earthly and an heauenly The bread though it be sanctified yet he calleth it an earthly matter why so because it comes from the earth it existeth on earth and is eaten with an earthly mouth the body of Christ he calleth a heauenly matter not because the substāce of it is out of heauen but partly because it is taken into vnitie of the person of the word and partly because it is in heauen endued with heauenly qualities For although in the hypostasie which is the very word it bee euerie where yet in the owne proper essence it is only in heauen and not on earth Whereupon it also followeth that it is not eaten either by earthly men or by the teeth of an earthly body but onely of those men who being borne from aboue do carrie the image of heauenly men eate it in a heauenly manner namely in soule spirite And yet notwithstanding the very bodies also of the faithful while they eate onely an earthly matter they also participate of a heauenlie matter to their glorious resurrection are nourished by it as the same author in that place very learnedly expoundeth I think that by this which I haue spoken out of the creede concerning foure principal partes of christian doctrine your Hon. can well gather such is your piety learning wisedome what is to be concluded concerning the whole body The summe is this that those bee the true churches of Christ and therefore called of vs the truely defensed citties of Christs kingdom which professing generally the sacred scriptures and specially the catechisme in all places receiued doe so reuerence the auncient church and auncient fathers hauing therefore friendshipp and communion with them being now in heauen that neither in their opinions nor yet in their expositions of the holy scriptures they will easily decline from them but onely then whenas they bee forced to dissent both by manifest wordes of the holy scriptures and also by testimonies and consequences beyond all doubt necessary drawne from the principles of faith This surely was counted for a notorious fault in Nestorius and it is written to bee the cause of his vile heresie that contemning the fathers and trusting vpon his owne witt he expounded the holy scriptures after his owne braine What speake I of Nestorius yea that the same contempt of the fathers and some confidence of their owne witts and their owne learning did cause diuers more besides otherwaies verie notable men to fall into sundrie heresies I could easilie shewe out of the Ecclesiasticall histories and councells if the breuitie of an epistle would suffer me For whence I pray was it that after that most holy councell at Nice so many heretikes forth with arose of whome some oppugned the true and euerlasting deity of Christ others his true and perfect humanitie others the true vniting of both the natures in one and the same person others the true distinctiō of their natures their proprieties hence surely that contēning the determinations of the fathers in the Nicene councell and their expositions vpon the holy scriptures and trusting confidently to their owne witts and puffed vp with humane knowledge and eloquence they dared euery one to expound yea indeed to depraue wrest the holy scriptures and foundations of the faith according to their owne fansies Hereunto pertaineth that which Vigilius left written in his first booke of the causes of heresies against Eutyches but they blow forth saieth he these smoakes of vaine accusations chieflie because they are euen sicke of the infirmity of ignorance or disease of contention and whilst they are gogged on with a fond conceite of minde they despise the rules of faith deliuered of old by the fathers onely for this cause to bring in their owne conceited opinions of innouations into the church Thus saith Vigilius This that I say is confirmed by the dispositions imitations and wordes of the sound fathers on the other side who expounding the scriptures and the foundations of christian faith
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
in the same manner that he was to the Apostles namely visibly seeing he saide not I will be but I am neither is there any necessity to alter the sense of those wordes 46 Adde this that if he speake of the same reall presence of his body and that this promise pertained not to the Apostles onely but also to all the faithfull which were then in the world Christ had not spoken a trueth For he was not before his death or after his Resurrection present in a visible presence with all the faithfull which were then in the world and which were gathered together in his name 47 VVherefore the doctrine of the reall and substantiall yet invisible presence of the body of Christ Iesus on the earth and euerie where is not agreeable with the holy scriptures but seemeth to come neere to the Maniches who as Augustine sheweth against Faustus saie that Christs bodie doth invisiblie hang on euerie tree 48 If Christ also satte not at Gods right hand in his bodie before his resurrection and ascension into heauen as the wholle Church confesseth then their doctrine is impious and hereticall which teacheth that Christ Iesus euen from his mothers wombe according to the flesh he tooke hath sitteth at the right hand of Gods power 49 If this also be true which the Apostle teacheth and the whole scripture confirmeth and the Catholike Church confesseth that Christ Iesus not only then sate at his Fathers right hand after he ascended into heauen but also is so placed in the same at Gods right hand as he is neuer read to sitte at such a right hand in any other place then in heauen therefore then it cannot onely not be saide according to the holy scriptures that Christ Iesus sitteth any other where at God the Father his right hand then in heauen but also it is false that he also so sitteth in the earth that he is no lesse present really in substance of his body in the bread of the Lords supper and in euerie place then he is in heauen 50 For the Apostle also in other places and specially in the epistle of S. Paule to the Hebrues denieth that he is vpon the earth namely in a corporall presence for as much as hee sitting at the right hand of the throne of maiestie in heauen executeth his office of priesthood 51 Moreouet wee hold beyond all controuersie that Christ sitting at Gods right hand is a figuratiue speach seing God to speake properly hath neither right hand nor left hand neither is it lawfull to imagine any carnall thing concerning the seates and thrones in heauen wherein they are saide to sitt and often-times in the scriptures this word sitting is vsed besides other significations for dwelling ruling exercising iudgment and for resting 52 But that the Apostle Paule ment not by this phrase that Christ Iesus in his owne bodie is truely and substantially present in all places besides that which hath bin already saide it is also euident by that which for declaration sake he adioyneth 53 For to this sitting of Christ at Gods right hand the Apostle addeth for declaration sake three thinges First that Christ is so placed at Gods right hand that he is aboue all principallitie that is that he hath no creature aboue him or equall to him no not in heauen but is made higher then the heauens and al heauenly things then he addeth that all thinges are made subiect to him that is that there is nothing beneath him ouer which he hath not power and authoritie thirdly that he was giuen to be a head of the church 54 Now as we said that whatsoeuer wee haue before spoken of the resurrection from the dead and so of the ascension ought to bee vnderstood according to the humane nature of Christ so wee thinke with the sound fathers that these thinges also must bee vnderstood especially according to the same humane nature 55 The exaltation of Christs humane nature aboue al things may be vnderstood two waies either in re-pect of the locall placing as this he ascended aboue all the heauens that the meaning may be the humane nature was placed locally aboue all created things or in respect of the excellēt preheminence of the dignitie and power thereof then the meaning may be Christ euen touching his humane nature was set ouer all created thinges and to him was giuen power and authoritie ouer all things For in these two manners any thing of the same kinde is said to bee ouer another eiin place or in dignitie 56 If then this saying be vnderstood the latter waye thereupon the vbiquitie cannot be proued seing Christ in that in his humane nature he may vse his authoritie ouer all creatures although he be not in substance of body euerie where If the former way then he is not euery where seing that which is euerie where is aswell beneath and at and within as aboue all creatures 57 But Paule doeth plainely teach that Christ touching his humane nature did so rise from the dead that hee was no longer among the dead and so ascended into heauen that hee was no longer on earth and so being exalted aboue all creatures sitteth at the fathers right hand that he is nether beneath nor within created things seing all thinges are put vnder his feete 58 Neither can the head bee saide to bee in it owne substance where the feete are although it be in them in vertue and operation and indeed aswell the head to the feete as the feet to the head are ioyned together in their substāce by the sinues and by the soule 59 But the Apostle saieth Christ Iesus is giuen for a head of the church namely according to his humanitie nowe the head is aboue all the bodie 60 The Apostle therefore ment nothing lesse by his wordes of Christs sitting at Gods right hand then to conclude that Christs bodie in it owne substance is present in all places Wherefore they doe great wrong to the Apostle which by their cauills labour to conclude this out of his words 61 Neither can any such Vbiquitie be proued by any necessary consequence out of that article of faith 62 For although it were graunted which cannot bee graunted that by the sitting at Gods right hand the humane nature is made truely by it selfe omnipotent yet vnlesse it bee prooued to bee so made omnipotent that it is also made infinite and immeasurable it can by no meanes bee conuinced that Christs bodie in it owne substance is euerie where present 63 For so is this the onely cause why God also in his owne essence is euerie where that if ye take immeasurablenesse from him he cannot be saide to be euery where in his owne essence 64 And if also yee faine an infinite body and therefore euerie where yet that it is whollie in all places at once you shall neuer prooue while the world stands vnlesse yee can shewe that the same body is also a most simple essence seing God is
cannot bee mooued from place to place according to it whole selfe as true philosophie teacheth christian theologie cōfirmeth which sheweth that God therefore is not mooued from place to place because being immeasurable he fileth all things 78 Neither can that bodie also which is euery where be rightly said to sitt at the right hand or the left of another but you must needs cōfoūd the substance of him that sitteth with the substance of the right hand at which with the substance of him whose right hand he sitteth at seing therefore euen the father the sonne the holy ghost filling heauen earth are euery where both all and each of them because they are one and the same essence 79 Finally we think this doctrine of the inuisible vnpalpable presence of Christs flesh euery where is neither true nor profitable 80 Not true indeed because wee could neuer see the same shewed either by any manifest testimonies of holie scriptures or any necessarie consequences drawne out of them nay wee haue obserued the same to bee repugnant to the scriptures and to the catholicke consent of the old church rightlie expounded by the rule of faith contained in the Apostles creede 81 Yea and wee see it so contrary to the scriptures that without a manifest implying of a contradiction yee cannot graunt both those things which the creed deliuereth and those things which the authors of this Vbiquitary doctrine do deliuer 82 Neither is it profitable because that which is not agreeable with gods word to propoūd beleeue and obserue it as agreeable and necessary vnto saluation is a sinne The Lord saying Add not nor diminish and the Apostle Deut. 12 32 Rom. 14.23 Rom. 6.23 All that is not of faith is sinne and the wages of sinne is death 83 Finally because if that opinion of the Vbiquitie of Christs bodie should be beleeued to be true it would bee a hinderance that a man could not apprehend and eate with a minde lifted vp Christ to the true flesh of Christ Iesus being in heauen whereunto notwithstanding both the Apostle the church calleth vs saying lift vp your hearts And seeke those thinges which are aboue where Christ is sitting at gods right hand 84 They thē do nothing lesse then eate Christs flesh which doe not behold the same in heauen where indeede it is but imagine him to bee really present euerie where in his owne substance Aesops dogg leauing the true flesh did foolishlie catch at the vaine shaddowe of the flesh because it seemed a bigger peece A question out of the 1. of Ioh. 4.3 S. Iohn describing Antichrist saith Euery spirite which confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the true humane flesh is not of God and this is that spirit of Antichrist And seing that Christ neuer laid aside that flesh which he once tooke but carried it with him vp into heauen and shall returne againe in the clouds in the same apparēt vnto all mē to iudge the quicke and the dead The question is of what spirite they are and by what name to bee called who make no doubt with the old heretikes to forge for our Lord Iesus Christ I know not what kinde of inuisible flesh vncircumscribed vnpalpable whole and in his whole substance forsoth really existing in all places in heauen in the starres in the ayre in the earth vnder the earth in hell in all the seuerall partes of the world and the parcells of the partes yea and in the least parcells of the parcells against Scripture and against the sound agreement of the whole catholike church Of the dispensation of saluation by Christ Out of the first chapter of the Ephesians yeare 1580. 1 OVr Lord Iesus Christ ver 7 8 in whome wee were elected vnto saluation not onely once redeemed vs by his owne blood hauing obtained remission of sinnes and gottē the victorie but doth also dayly dispense and communicate vnto his the grace of redemption and saluation 2 For it belongeth to a perfect redeemer not onely by paying the ransome to redeeme but also to make the redemption knowne to them that be redeemed and to deliuer them quite out of the hands of the tyrant into freedome as it also belongeth to a good head to impart the life sense and motion which it hath vnto the members 3 Nowe Christ vseth to dispense this grace of saluation by the word of trueth that is ver 13 by the gospel of our saluation with which wee ioyne the Sacraments as seales and instruments of saluation 4 For by the gospell hee makes knowne vnto vs the misterie of his diuine wil ver 9 10 concerning our saluation through Christ and concerning the gathering together aswell those that are in heauen as these that are on earth concerning the knitting of them to one head Christ 5 Neither doth he onely make knowne vnto vs the mistery of saluation by the gospell ver 13 but also effectually calleth draweth vs to himselfe to the communion of himselfe so to the participation of redemption saluation 6 For by the preaching of the gospell ver 13 Rom. 10 hee vseth to stirr vp faith in our hearts whereby wee beleeue in him and are receiued into his communion 7 For he giueth vs his holy spirit by which he regenerateth vs ver 13 and sealeth vs with the expresse image of God to the full possession of an eternall inheritance 8 By the same spirite he stirreth vp worketh and leadeth vs to the studie of a holy life and good workes 9 And if it so be ver 14 we fall into sinne such is our frailtie he lifteth vs vpp by repentance giuen vnto vs maketh vs more assured of forgiuenesse and by that meanes through the same spirite as it were a pledge he more and more daily confirmeth vs in that assurance of saluation 10 And these benefits Christ bestoweth on vs neuer vtterly forsaking vs till he hath brought vs by his grace and singular loue towards vs from the first redemption which is our redēption from the guilt and seruitude of sinne and from the power of the deuill to the other redemption namely the full libertie which consisteth in the perfect assuring and full possession of the heauenly inheritance 11 But our Lord Iesus as he is our redeemer the head of the whole church ver 22 according to both the natures so also he cōmunicateth eternall life saluation not onely as he is god but also as he is man according to that same Beleeue my sonne thy sinnes be forgiuen thee And immediatly after but that he might know that the sonne of man hath power to forgiue sinnes he saieth to the sicke of the palsey arise take vp thy bed goe vnto thy house where each nature worketh that which is proper to it with communion of the other 12 For as the natures are so vnited within thēselues in one person that yet there is made no
according to the determinations of the fathers of elder times haue euer no lesse prosperously then faithfully defended the truth of christian religion and preserued the same soundly confirmed in the church To which purpose tend the wordes which they vse in their owne determinations We therefore euery vvhere following the determinations of the old fathers and their rule doe also determine the same c. Nothing then is more safe then that euery man keepe himselfe within these churches as in citties well fensed wherein the holy scriptures are expounded according to the analogie or rules of faith and according to the receiued expositions of the auncient fathers and consequently which hold the same faith that the Apostles did and all the auncient church I haue spoken of the first duety of a christian man which desireth to keep himselfe and his family safe from his enemies vnto euerlasting life namely that he must retire himselfe into the defensed citties of Christs kingdome and there constantly abide vntill that at the last all enemies being put to flight by the glorious comming of our king we may be safe and free in all places But without prouision of vitalls who can long maintaine his life our victual or sustenāce is the daily hearing reading and meditation of Gods word and the receiuing of the holy supper at appointed times For by both these wee are nourished streng thened and we liue that through Christ our life whome they offer and giue vnto vs. He which eateth this bread takē either by the word or by the sacraments shall neuer die In the Acts Christs disciples continued in the Apostles doctrine and in breaking of bread that is in their common loue-feastes in which the Lords supper vsed to be celebrated And such heauēly victuals are seeldome wāting in well defensed citties yet except thou eatest and drinkest and by that meanes preseruest thy life what good will it do thee to be in a defensed cittie Thou must therefore frequent sermons and receiue the sacraments and imploye thy selfe in reading the holy scriptures 3 It is very needefull also that continuall praiers both publike and priuate bee made vnto God wherein we must aske those things which the Lord Iesus hath commanded to be asked of his father namely al things which pertaine aswell to his glorie as to our owne and our neighbors saluation and that he would defend vs from all kinds of enemies and keep vs safe in the trueth In the day of tribulation shalt thou call vpon me saieth the Lord. And is not then chiefly the day of affliction when heresies do ouerspread and tyrants persecute the truth Then therefore chiefly is God to bee called vpon and that by faith And therefore the Apostle Paule saieth Pray ye vvithout ceasing and Christ Iesus yee must praye alvvaies and not bee vvearie And he that thus prayeth and prayeth by faith howe should he not obtaine wherefore God addeth by his Prophet And I vvill he are thee Aske and yee shall receiue said also the Lord Iesus Christ seeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you 4 But how can it be that men should there liue happily and the cittie be preserued where the cittizens among themselues keep no friendship therefore brotherly loue peace and concord must bee kept then which nothing is sweeter nothing more pleasing to God and nothing can be more profitable for preseruation of the church as contrariewise there is no thing by which churches and all societies are sooner brought to ruine then enuie then hatred then grudgings then enmities then dissentions then domesticall fallinges out Doubtlesse there is no faith where charity hath not place sith true faith as the Apostle witnesseth worketh by charitie And brotherly loue hath euer bin a marke of true christians Christ himselfe saying By this shall men know that yee are my disciples if yee haue loue one vvith another This do the Acts of the Apostles teach vs where Luke saith of the faithfull they had one minde and one heart namely in the Lord. And Tertullian reporteth in Apolog. cap. 39. that the Romanes were wont to say of the christians marke hovv they loue one another For by this brotherly loue as by the true badge of christian religion they would haue christians discerned from them that were no christians 5 Further more how necessary the care of health is to all the cittizens liuing in such a citty to defend them and theirs and so the whole cittie against the enemies was said a little before By this spirituall health I meane a good conscience which as it springeth from faith so also it preserueth faith that it cannot quite decay euē as the life of the body bringeth forth health and health preserueth the body in life Euerie one therefore must be carefull that he keepe a good cōscience But by what meanes is it kept 1. after a due sorrow by a sure trust of the free forgiuenes of our sinnes which we haue committed through Christ Next by a true amendment of life that is an earnest studie of auoiding sinnes afterward and keeping the commandements of god lastly by a firme purpose if by infirmitie we do fal to rise againe and to flie vnto Christ for pardon By this meanes shall wee alwaies hold fast a good conscience He that in this sort constantly looketh vnto his health let him assuredly know that the Lord will neuer suffer him that he shall die at all that is that hee shall euer erre and goe astray vnto his last ende in that doctrine which is necessary to his saluation For the Apostle saith to Timothie keepe faith and a good conscience which while some haue cast aside they haue made shipwrack concerning faith that is the doctrine of faith They therefore which keepe fast a good conscience shall neuer make a deadly shipwrack of the doctrine necessary to saluation Seing God by his grace indueth them as with the treasure of a good conscience so also with a perseuerance in the faith and with a heauenly gift of doctrine The safest thing therefore both at all times and especially in this diuersitie of religions is by cōtinuing in the churches where the pure word of God is preached and the assured foundations of the faith according to the expositions of the fathers are retained to imploye our selues in hearing the word of God and receiuing the sacraments to call vpon God to haue friendship with our brethren and to keep a good conscience to our selues 6 But vnto all these things how necessarie watchfulnesse is who vnlesse he bee vtterly vnskilfull in all things knowes not where there is nothing at all to be feared as in heauen there is also no need of watchfulnesse but they may and they ought to liue in great securitie But where there want no theeues robbers intrappers flatterers couseners traytors enemies and where all things are full of trecheries there howe pernicious and daungerous securitie and retchlesnesse is who is he that knoweth not