in the Churches of God that one should say the other holdes truth to please him though in his heart he thinke the contrary For God hath flatly forbidden and said Esa 5.20 Woe vnto them which put darkenesse for light and light for darkenesse But this is the way to hold peace and vnity in the Churches of God that one beare with the infirmities and errours of another which ouerthrow not the foundation of saluation and condemne them not for them And this haue wee hitherto done to the vttermost and will doe it hereafter it pleasing God the Lord and as well beare with Doctor Luther himselfe as also with his followers and not condemne them being that otherwise they make a good confession of the foundation of faith Onely we desire as requisite that they also may beare with vs where they vnderstand that wee faile and not presently giue vs to the diuell as their custome is It is well knowne ouer Christendome that wee haue nothing from the world but despite and shame crosse and persecution because we agree not with Doctor Luther in all things about the holy Supper And therfore euery vnderstanding man can easily iudge that there is an higher force then any thing in this world that must occasion it For we are not of such a commixture that we should rather desire despite and shame crosse and persecution in this life rather then honour peace and rest amongst men Therefore it is our entreaty that no man will ouershoot himselfe in condemning vs because that we are gone aside from Doctor Luther in some measure in the point of the holy Supper But godly Christians may bee pleased to consider the motiues mouing vs so to doe and in such consideration not be led away in respect of Doctor Luthers credit He was a notable man and highly indued But it is no new thing with God the Lord to reueale something to a simple vnlettered man which hee would neuer make knowne to the greatest Doctors of all And God will so haue it that wee shall acknowledge such his counsels and shall yeeld him obedience therein as it is written Quench not the spirit despise not prophesying 1. Thes 5.19.20 Also If any thing bee reuealed to another that fitteth by let the first hold his peace 1. Cor. 14.30 These are the motiues beloued Reader which moue force and driue vs to depart from Doctor Luthers opinion in this that the body of Christ should be really in the bread of the Supper hidden c. because wee see and wee are perswaded in our consciences that such an opinion hath not onely no ground in Gods word but indeed is cleane against the same and hath no testimony from the old Apostolicall Churches but was first hatched in the blindest times of Popery and serues to no other end then to vnderprop the Popedome and to darken the Gospell of Iesus Christ The aforesaid opinion of Doctor Luther hath no warrant in the word of God The first cause wherefore wee cannot receiue Doctor Luthers opinion whilest plainely to say it hath no warrant in Gods word which is from hence manifest and cleere For whatsoeuer shall haue warrant from thence that must be either expresly written therein or it must be such as can well be drawne from thence by necessary consequence Now stands Doctor Luthers opinion that the body of Christ should be in the bread not expresly written in Gods word For Christ saith not that his body is in the bread but that the bread is his body as plainely appeares by the text And hee tooke the bread and thanked and brake it and said This is my body But not therein is my body And also such a construction followes not out of the word of God Christ indeed shewed forth bread and said This is my body But it followes not of necessity that he meant it so as if he would haue said Therein is my body For this maner of reasoning when one saith This is this or that hath nor alwaies such a meaning as if one said Therein is this or that But this manner of reasoning when one faith This is this or that hath often this meaning as if one would say this betokeneth this or that or which is to one effect as Doctor Luther himselfe confesseth Tom. 3. fol. 343. B. This is a token and signe of this or that For example Gr. 26. where Ioseph saith to Pharaoh Seuen kine are seuen yeeres that can no otherwise be vnderstood then as if he had said Seuen kine betoken seuen yeeres Euen in like manner when Christ said to his Disciples Mat. 13.38 Luk. 8.11 The ground is the world the seede is the word of God c. That can be no otherwise vnderstood then as if he had said The ground betokeneth the world the seed betokeneth the word of God The very like where Paul speaks of the Rocke 1. Cor. 10.1.4 Gal. 4.24 which yeelded forth water for the children of Israel in the wildernesse The Rocke was Christ Also of Hagar and Sarah These are the two Testaments These speeches can no otherwise be vnderstood then as if hee had said The Rocke betokened Christ Also Hagar and Sarah betoken the old and the new Testaments And such examples are not onely found in those places where dreames and parables or visions are spoke of as some are ready to alleage but such examples are also found in the institution of the Sacraments As in the institution of Circumcision God saith This is my couenant Gen. 17.10 where he meant this shall be a token of my couenant as hee presently after cleared vers 11. And as the Apostle Paul saith thereof Rom 4.11 where hee saith that Abraham receiued the signe of Circumcision as the seale of the righteousnesse of faith The like saith God in the instituting of the Passeouer Exod. 12.11 It is the Lords Passeouer where he meant It shall be a token and remembrance or a signe of the Lords passing by your houses when he slue the first borne in Egypt as hee himselfe also presently declareth Exod. 12.13.14.27 Exod. 13.9 Whilest now this construction when as one saith This is this or that can also be vnderstood as if one said This betokeneth this or that and such a construction is not against the word of God euen when the Sacraments are spoke of it followes that one cannot so conclude as Doctor Luther concludes Christ spake of the bread This is my body that therefore he meant Therein is my body That followes not as is before said For hee could also haue well spoken That betokeneth my body or which is all one That is a token or signe of my body Yea it is easilier to to be beleeued that he meant This betokeneth my body or this is a signe of my body then Therin is my body For this manner of speaking when one saith This is this or that in stead of therein is this or that is neuer any where vsuall but when vessels
with this comfort That God is faithfull and will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we be able 1. Cor. 10.13 Also He will not breake the brused reed nor quench the smoking flaxe Esa 42.3 Also That Christ will cast out no man that comes to him that is that desireth to bee saued by him Ioh. 6.37 And That also no man shall plucke them out of my hand Ioh. 10.28 From which comfort the faithfull find such ioy which passeth all vnderstanding Mat 24.24 2. Tim. 2.19 c. and those portions of the holy Scripture which speake of the vnchangeable election and choice of God are then no more feareful but vnmeasurably pleasant and comfortable to them For they conclude out of it That nothing can separate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord Rom. 8.38 And it is impossible that any where a man should say from his hart I beleeue to obtaine euerlasting life But all men must doubt of life eternall if wee had not that comfort that God had so blessed vs that beleeue in him 1. Pet. 1.2 That he would keepe vs in the same faith by his power to euerlasting life For we are much too weake to protect our selues against so much assaultment by the diuell the world and our owne flesh Wee beleeue further that God hath also ordained the holy Sacraments Of the holy Sacraments together with the repetition of his word to strengthen and keepe vs in faith the principall end thereof being that God might thereby also set before our eyes the promises of the Gospell or the profits we haue by Christ that so we might not onely heare but also see feele and apprehend how hee is minded towards vs namely that hee will forgiue vs our sinnes and bestow vpon vs the holy Ghost and euerlasting life for the merit of of Christs blood-shedding These his promises and profits will God assure vs by the holy Sacraments But on the contrary side we ought also to ingage our selues againe to God by the vse of the same that wee will constantly beleeue in Christ and will liue an vndying life to the honour of him Of Gods couenant Ier. 31.31 32 33 34. Heb. 8.9 10 11 12. And this is the new couenant of God with vs men which is so often thought of in the holy Scripture namely that God will be mercifull to vs for Christ his sake we on the contrary should be obedient vnto him and according to his Commandement beleeue in Christ Also in the ordaining the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and otherwise and loue as Christians The old couenant was that God would be merciful to man if he fully kept the Law But if he ouertread the same in the least measure then should hee be cursed and damned Now it was impossible that any man could fulfill the same Therefore hath God made a new couenant with vs which hee also reuealed to the fathers and they were not lesse nourished therby vnto saluation then we as the Apostle Paul saith Act. 15.11 Wherein he promiseth vs that he will bee mercifull to vs for Christ his sake though wee doe not perfectly kâ—epe the Law but haue many waies broken the same Onely we shall acknowledge his grace and receiue it with faithfull hearts and shall endeauour our selues from henceforth in testification of our duties to liue vnblameably to which then hee will plentiously impart the helpe of his spirit vnto vs when wee shall entreate him for the same and hee will couer all our imperfections with the perfect obedience of Iesus Christ This is the new couenant of God with vs men for confirmation whereof he hath ordained the holy Sacraments For euen as men vse to deale one with another in their contracts and agreements they make it not onely with words but also they ratifie it with writing seale are other open testifications customes or ceremonies euen so dealeth the Lord with vs. Hee transferreth his gratious couenant to vs not onely with words and hath not onely ratified it by writing but hath instituted certain ceremonies to that end that thereby the same his couenant betwixt him and vs might bee confirmed and ratified manifestly to the whole world and be as it were sealed also And this is the right end and profit of the holy Sacraments Of which there are two in the new Testament Baptisme and the Lords Supper euen as there were two especiall ones in the old Testament Circumcision and the Passeouer Baptisme is the first Sacrament of the new Testament Of holy Baptisme ordained of God for these ends first that they for their parts whosoeuer they bee that giues vp themselues to the Christian faith and so will enter into bond with him giue hereby an open token and testimony whereby they can and shall informe themselues so long as they liue that God hath assuredly taken them into couenant with him and according to the forme of the same couenant washeth them so certainly from the filthinesse of the soule with the blood and spirit of Christ that is forgiueth their sins for the merit of Christs blood-shedding and more and more regenerateth them by the spirit of Christ making them new creatures so certainly as they are sprinkled and washed outwardly with water which commonly taketh away the filthines of the body And secondly that they also on the contrary side for their parts openly acknowledge before the whole world by the taking vpon them the godly token of the couenant and testifie their duty to God the Lord to doe euen as couenanters and members of Christ are bound and indebted for to doe liuing a pure and blamelesse life by the assistance of his spirit To that end is Baptisme ordained of God Wherfore it is most comfortable and furthersome vnmeasurably to the beleeuers And the profit to the vnbeleeuers is euen as little as in former times Circumcision profited the disobedient Iewes For though it be named the washing of the new birth and the purging from sins in the holy Scripture Tit. 3.5 Act 22.16 yet neuerthelesse hath it not that construction as if the outward water bath could wash and regenerate one from sinnes whether hee beleeue or doe not beleeue But this construction hath it that by this manifest and honourable ceremonie the faithfull are admitted for children of God and the washing away of sinnes which is performed by the a 1. Ioh. 1 8. blood and b Tit. 3.5 1. Cor. 6.11 spirit of Christ is thereby figured and sealed to them with one word The water saueth vs not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the couenant of a good conscience with God saith Peter 1. Pet. 3.21 Further and though it bee that a man doe ouertread the couenant which hee made with God in Baptisme Of repentance after Baptisme and sometimes bee brought to an heauie fall by the deceits of Satan the world and his owne flesh yet shall
true God For the Angels worship not bare flesh or humane nature Therfore there must be both God and man together in this person and when Christ is named then is named an vnseuered person who is both God and man That whosoeuer sâ—â—th Christ heareth or layeth hold on him with the faith of the heart he layeth hold certainly not onely on the man but on the true God that God be not made to sit aboue in heauen loytering among the Angels but heere below in the Crib and lying in the mothers lappe and in some where the person is found For what serues it whereas it is said that the Sonne of God and not a bare man died for vs. there is certainly found the godly Maiesty This serues now to this end as hath been often said that we may resist the diuell and vanquish him in the battell of death and other extremities when he terrifieth vs with sinne and hell For if hee could perswade mee that I should behold Christ as a bare man crucified and dead for me then were I vtterly lost But and if I repose my whole treasure hereon that Christ both true God and man died for me c. that waieth vp and driueth away all sinne death hell and all woe and sorrow of heart For when I know this that hee who is true God suffered for mee and died and againe the same true man risen from the dead ascended into heauen c. Then can I assuredly conclude that my sin and death is by him destroyed and ouercome and therefore now there remaines no anger with God nor displeasure against mee whilest I both heare and see in this person nothing else then meere tokens of mercy Behold so learne to vnderstand this article that the person of Christ be kept whole and that the worke of both natures be infolded together though the natures be made distinguished For according to Diuine nature was hee not borne of man neither tooke hee any thing from the Virgin and it is true that God is the Creator but the man a creature or thing formed But they are vnited into one person and now God and man is called one Christ that Mary hath borne a Sonne and the Iewes crucified such a person which is both God and else if hee were bare man as other holy men hee were not of ability with all his holinesse blood and death to free vs of one sin or to quench one drop of hell fier The fourth place where Doctor Luther entreates about the doctrine of the Communion of the properties Tom 7 Jen. fol. 249. is in the booke of the Councels and Churches written Anno 1539. where hee saith The errour of Nestorius was not that he held Christ for a bare man neither that he made two persons of him but confessed two natures God and man in one person but he would not yeeld vnto the communicationem Idiomatum which I cannot vtter in Dutch word Idioma is as much as what concernes one nature or the properties thereof As dying suffering weeping speaking laughing eating drinking sleeping sorrowing to bee borne to haue a mother to sucke the brests going standing working sitting lying Properties of the humane nature and whatsoeuer else are called Idiomata humanae naturae that is properties which appertaine to a naturall man which he either can do or not or must doe For Idioma Properties of the Diuine nature in Greeke is proprium in Latine Let vs therefore call it propertie Againe Idioma Deitatis is properties of the Diuine nature that it dieth not is almighty infinite vnborne eateth not drinketh not sleepeth not standeth not goeth not sorrowes not weepeth not And what shall a man say much It is an vnmeasurable contrary thing God to be a man therefore can the Idiomata of both natures not agree in one This is the opinion of Nestorius When I now should preach thus Iesus a Carpenter of Nazareth for so doe the Euangelists call him the Sonne of a Carpenter goeth there in the street and fetcheth his mother a pot of water and a penniworth of bread that so he may eate and drinke with his mother and the same Iesus the Carpenter is the right true God in one person herein yeelds Nestorius vnto me and saith it is true But when I say thus there goeth God in the street and fetcheth water and bread to eate and drinke with his mother this speech will not Nestorius yeeld vnto but saith to fetch water to buy bread to haue a mother to eate and to drinke with her those are Idiomata properties of the humane nature and not of the Diuine Euen so when I say Iesus the Carpenter was crucified by the Iewes and the same Iesus is the true God this yeelds Nestorius vnto me that it is true But if I say God was crucified by the Iewes then saith he no. For to endure the Crosse and die is not the Diuine but the humane natures Idioma or propertie When now common Christians shall heare this then cannot they thinke otherwise then that hee esteemes Christ to bee a meere man seperates the person which yet hee doth not intend to doe but onely that the words sound as if he did it By which may be seene that hee was a very vaine and ignorant man For it being that hee yeeldeth that God man ioyned in one person is vnited As God and man is vnited into one person eâ—en so the properties of the natures then can be in no sort gainsay that the Idiomata of the natures should not also be vnited Else what were this God and man in one person vnited And his follie is euen with that against which wee teach in the Schooles Quâ— concedit antecedens bonae consequentiae non potest negare consâ—qâ—ensâ— which is as much as this is one true then must the other be also true is the other not true then is the first also not true Whosoeuer yeelds to this that Margaret is a married wife hee cannot denie that her child if shee bee honest is legitimate When one teacheth this in the Schooles no man thinks that there should be any such blockish people But demand of the Magistrates and Lawyers thereof if they haue not many the like oftentimes before them who acknowledge one thing and yet will not yeeld to that that followes vpon it But it might be alleaged that Nestorius did craftily confesse that Christ was God and one person No hee was not so skilfull for all his stoutnesse but hee meant it earnestly For in a Sermon saith the Tripartite history did he cry no â—ouing Iew thou hast no cause to boast thou couldest not crucifie God There will hee say Christ is indeed God but God is not crucified And in the Councell before Bishop Cyrill hee said that many acknowledge Christ to be God but I will neuer say that God is bitris or trinitris which is as much as to say Iesus indeed is God which is so much talked
amongst others cites Marlorat vpon the 11. Chapter of Iohn where these words stand to be read Wherby it stands vnreuokeable whom God hath chosen out of the world he can neuer vtterly perish Note 〈◊〉 by â—â—ncluded words did Doct. Mylius leaue out of â—t purpose and in the stead the 〈◊〉 he 〈…〉 c. Thes 172. Pag. 117. for no man can take them out of the hand of the shepheard But who so to reprobated by God hee can neuer bee saued though hee had all the good workes of the of the Saints together on an heape So little change is there in the councell of God Ouer these words Doctor Mylius make himselfe exceeding merrie and saith heare O you louing Psaltzgranians you haue your conclusion Now these very words are not the words of a Caluinist but they are the words of Brentius who died an enemy of the Caluinists as his Testament declareth as the desirous Reader may see the truth the words being printed at Hagenaw Anno 1534. in the Exegesi of Bremius in the 260. leafe And Marlorat did not onely write them out of Brentius but he set his euen Brentius his name thereby with an R. as he vsed to doe This could not the strife sicke blind man perceiue but thought that he would then set a blocke in the way of the Caluinists when he himselfe and his factious companion did doe it themselues Is not this a liugâ— example how they â—eale with the Caluinists and how their citationes or testimonies are to bee â—steemed by which they would haue them taken for hereticks The matter in it selfe consisting â—â—maines all one as we haue written in our faithfull Admonition We say indeed that the elect cannot be lost 〈…〉 And why should we not say so Christ saith it himselfe Mat. 24 ch And Doctor Luther saith so also in innumerable many places a Yet the Papist◠〈…〉 lib 2. de 〈◊〉 cap 10. §. 4. 1. Pet. 1.5 Luk. 22.31 Ephes 1 4.5 Rom. 8.30 Ezek 36 27. But that we should say that the elect cannot perish with this addition doe they what they will that will neuer be shewed in our writings But this is our opinion and for that wee say that the elect cannot perish because God keepeth them by his power in saith to saluation and though they sometimes fall yet they lie not therein but he raiseth them againe by repentance For whom God hath elected to euerlasting life those hath hee not otherwise elected then with this condition that hee would giue them faith in Christ and that by his holy spirit hee would make them new cr â—tures and such people as should walke in his Commandements Therefore they are no elect that doe what they will but onely they that haue a hearty purpose and an earnest intent to doe what God will this is our opinion herein Which opinion the aboue written doctrine of the bare councell of God doth not contradict at all For wee name the gratious election not therfore a free bare councell of God that God will make vs saued freely and barely Est absolutum decretum â—à priori noâ— Ã posteriori without faith and repentance without Christ without word and Sacraments as the enemies of peace doe construe it But therefore name wee the gratious election a free bare councell of God whilest God did finde no caus in vs wherefore hee should elect vs before others and dignifie vs with faith in Christ Therefore Doctor Mylius hath no cause to triumph so much and say that wee renounce and cast off our former confession Wee doe not renounce and cast off our former Confession but wee onely guard off those lies which formerly were throwne vpon vs. And we hope that honest vnderstanding God fearing and peace-louing people shall haue no cause of complaint any further against vs for this point CHAP. IX That wee doe not beleeue and teach otherwise of holy Baptisme then as Doctor Luther of happy memory did teach thereof in the Smalkaldes Articles and in the Sermon of the blessed Sacrament the holy Baptisme an 1519 THe fourth and last point of doctrine which after the blessed death of Doctor Luther was brought into controuersie by vnpeaceable people to separate the Protestant Churches daily more and more is of the holy Baptisme Whereof our aduersaries say that the washing away of sinnes which is effected by the blood of Christ is not onely betokened and sealed to the faithfull and their children through the holy Baptisme as wee say but that there is a secret power adioyned or affixed to the water of Baptisme also whereby it washeth away sinnes and regenerateth a man As is to bee seene in the conference at Mompelgart Pag. 430. and 433. Now indeed there are some sayings to be found in the writings of Doctor Luther which beare a shew for such a construction But there withall there is such an exposition added thereunto which is flat opposite to the aboue mentioned idolatrous opinion As in the Smalkaldes Articles in the third part in the 5. article saith he Tom. 6. Ien. fol. 519. lib. conc fol. 149. B. The Baptisme is nothing else then Gods word in the water commanded by his institution Or as Saint Paul saith Lauacrum in verbo As also Augustine saith Accedat verbum ad elementum fit sacramentum Note Originall of the Vbiquitists opinion of Baptisme when the word comes to the element then it becomes a Sacrament and therefore we doe not assent vnto Thomas Aquinus and to the preaching Friers who forget Gods word his institution and God hath founded a spirituall power in the water which washeth away sins by the water Also not to Scotus and the barefoote Monkes who doe teach that the Baptisme washeth away sinnes by the accompanying ef the Diuine will so that this purging is effected onely through the will of God nothing at all through the word or water Behold Reader there is the opinion of the Vbiquitists expresly disclaimed about the secret power which should be hidden in the water of Baptisme and testified that such an opinion was sprung from the Monkes which Doctor Luther will not ratifie What then is the true vnderstanding about Baptisme that declareth Doctor Luther very notably in the Sermon of the blessed Sacrament of holy Baptisme de Anno 1519. Tom. 1. Ien. fol. 183. c. where amongst other words he saith What Baptisme is Baptisme is an outward token or watchword which maketh a separation betwixt vs and all other Heathen men whereby we may be knowne to be people belonging to our captaine Christ vnder which standard that is the holy Crosse we fight resolutely against sinne Three things to be considered in Baptisme 1. The token Therefore we must haue respect vnto three things the token the signification and faith The token consisteth therein that the person bee put into the water in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost but hee is not suffered