Confession of the Christian Religion, Confession · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Of the true diſpenſation of the Redemption, the ſaluation, & life which is laid vp in Chriſt alone: and therefore of the neceſſarie vniting, and participation vvith Chriſt.
I. Saluation and eternall liſe is laid in Chriſt, that from him it may bee communicated to be.
WE beleeue, that euen as the ſinne of Adam, and death which followed the ſame, remained not in Adam alone: but from him, as from the head of all mankinde, it did and doth flow into all men, which by a common generation hauehave bin and are borne of him: ſo likewiſe that the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, and the eternall life due vntounto him, is not holden in Chriſt alone, but is deriued into all thoſe, who by the regeneration of the holie ſpirite are made one with him, and as true members are ioyned vntounto him as head of the whole church: and that to this ende and purpoſe Chriſt came in the fleſh, and that all our ſaluation and life conſiſteth in him, as in our head: that it may indeed be beſtowed and communicated vppon all the elect of God which are vnited vntounto him.
II. The grace of redemption, and ſaluation is offred vntounto all men: but indeed is not communicated, but to the elect, who are made one vvith Chriſt.
For we beleeue, Mar. 16.15 & 16that although the grace of redemption, ſaluation and eternall life which God beſtoweth, be earneſtly propounded and offered vntounto all men by the preaching of the goſpell (for, that very manie are not made partakers of the ſame, it is through their owne fault:) yet is it not indeed communicated, but vntounto thoſe, who (beeing from the beginning choſen and predeſtinate vntounto it in Chriſt, as in the head of all the elect, that they ſhould bee his members and ſo made partakers of ſaluation) were afterwards in their time called by the goſpell, indued with faith and ſo grafted into Chriſt and made one with him.
III. To the true participation of eternall life, howe neceſſarie this true vnion or communion is with Chriſt.
For euen as the braunch can draw no liuelie ſapp from the vine, Ioh. 15.1.2.3.4.5.6.7nor the bough from the tree, nor the members anie motion, ſence, or life from the head, vnleſſe, they be ioyned to the vine & tree, and theſe to the head: euen ſo cannot men receiue anie ſaluation or life from Chriſt, (in whome onelie it conſiſteth) vnleſſe they be grafted into him, & coupled in a true and reall vnion, and being coupled doe abide in him.
IV. That we cannot be vnited vntounto Chriſt, vnleſſe he firſt vnite himſelfe to vsus.
Sith therefore the whole participation of true righteouſnes, ſaluation, and life, hangeth and dependeth vppon this moſt neceſſary cō munion with Chriſt, and vntounto the ſame is referred, both the preaching of the goſpell, and adminiſtration of both the Sacraments, yea & the whole Eccleſiaſticall miniſtrie: Therefore what our faith cōcerning the ſame is, we purpoſe to declare & witnes to the whole church, as brieflie and plainelie as may be, in certaine aſſertiōs or poſitions, which after follow. Of the communitie with Chriſt. 1. Ioh. 4.10And firſt we beleeue that, as we therefore louelove Chriſt, as Iohn ſaith, becauſe he firſt loued vsus. & we come vntounto him by our ſpirite, becauſe he came firſt vntounto vsus, by his: and therefore wee imbrace him by faith, becauſe he firſt, by vertue of his ſpirite imbracing vsus, ſtirreth vsus vp to faith: ſo we alſo can by no meanes cleaue and bee vnited vntounto him, vnleſſe he firſt doe ioyne and vnite himſelfe vntounto vsus. For the one is the cauſe of the other the firſt of the latter. Wherefore we muſt pray vntounto him, Ioh. 14.23that he will come vntounto vsus, and make his abode with vsus.
V. How many fold is the vnion of Chriſt with vsus, and of vsus with Chriſt, and how they are ordered in themſelues.
We acknowledge furthermore this coniunction of Chriſt with vsus, and likewiſe of vsus with Chriſt to bee threefold: one, which was once made in our nature: another, which is dailie made in the perſons of the elect, which yet goe aſtraie from the Lord: and the laſt, which ſhall be likewiſe with the Lord in our perſons when they ſhall be preſent with him: namelie when God ſhall be all in vsus all. And the firſt is referred to the ſecond, & the ſecond to the third euē as nature is ordained to grace, and grace to glory. For the firſt is alſo made by aſſuming of our nature into the vnitie of the perſon foreign Of the word. The ſecond is made by aſſuming of our perſons into grace, and into one miſticall bodie with him, and as Peter ſpeaketh, into participation of his diuine nature. The third ſhall likewiſe bee made by aſſuming of vsus all into euerlaſting glorie with Chriſt. Neither doe wee doubt, but Chriſt purpoſed to foreſhew vntounto vsus the ſecond by the firſt, and the third by the ſecond: that by that which was alreadie made, we might bee confirmed in the hope of that which was to be made.
VI. As the firſt vnion was made that ſatisfaction might bee made for our ſinnes: ſo the ſecond is made, that vve might bee partakers of that ſatisfaction.
Wee beleeue therefore (that letting paſſe thoſe things which pertaine not to this matter in hand, wee may come neerer) that the Sonne of God, by the euerlaſting will of the Father, and therefore of himſelfe alſo and of the holy ghoſt, like as he tooke vponupon himſelfe into vnity of his perſon, our fleſh, that is, mans nature, conceiued by vertue of the holy ghoſt in the wombe of the virgine, that he might in himſelfe purge vsus of our ſinnes, and in that fleſh he moſt perfectlie fulfilled the lawe of God for vsus, beeing made obedient vntounto his Father euen vntounto death, and at the length the ſame fleſh being offred vp in ſacrifice for our ſinnes, he obtained in himſelfe eternall ſaluation for vsus: ſo alſo, that he might make vsus partakers of this ſaluation, by ſacrifice of his fleſh aſſumed for vsus, he was willing & accuſtomed to take vntounto him and to knitt and ioyne all his elect vntounto him, in another kinde of vnion: namelie in ſuch a coupling, as in it wee may bee vnited with him, though not into one perſon, yet into one miſticall bodie, whereof he is the head, and euerie one of vsus members, and may be made partakers of his diuine nature.
VII. As the firſt is made by vertue of the holie ghoſt, ſo is the ſecond.
As we certainelie knowe that as the Sonne of God, our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, in the firſt vnion coupled vntounto himſelfe our fleſh and blood, by vertue of his ſpirite: (for he was conceiued man of the holie ghoſt, and therefore without ſinne: for which cauſe alſo he is called, the man from heauen:) ſo alſo in the ſecōd vnion he doth communicate his fleſh and his blood and his whole ſelfe vntounto vsus, and in the ſame communion doth knitt, ioyne and incorporate vsus into him, by the power of the ſame his ſpirite: that alwaies the bonde, where with Chriſt is coupled with vsus, and we with Chriſt, might bee the ſame ſpirite of Chriſt: which, as it did bringe to paſſe in the wombe of the virgine, that the ſonne of god ſhould be made fleſh of our fleſh, and bone of our bones: ſo alſo by working in our hearts, and incorporating vsus into Chriſt it bringes to paſſe, that wee likewiſe, by participation of the bodie & blood of Chriſt, ſhould be bone of his bone, and fleſh of his fleſh: eſpeciallie ſeeing hee ſtirreth vp that faith in vsus, whereby wee acknowledge and embrace him for true God and man, and therefore a perfect Sauiour.
VIII. The vnion of vsus with Chriſt, is ſpirituall, yet ſo as it is true and reall.
So we beleeue, that this other vnion alſo, is almoſt no leſſe (then the former) ſo ſpirituall (if we may ſo ſpeake) that yet it is true & reall: Becauſe that by the ſpirite of Chriſt, wee, allthough remaining on the earth, yet are truely and reallie coupled with the bodie, blood, and ſoule of Chriſt, raigning in heauen: ſo as this miſticall bodie, conſiſting of Chriſt as the head and of the faithfull members, ſometime is ſimplie named Chriſt. So great is the coniunction of Chriſt with the faithfull, and of them with Chriſt: that ſurelie it may ſeeme not to be ſaid amiſſe, that as the firſt vnion was made of two natures in one perſon: ſo this is made of many perſons, as it were into one nature: 2. Pet. 1.4 Eph. 5.30according to thoſe ſayings, That ye ſhould be made partakers of the diuine nature: And: Wee are members of his bodie, of his bones, and of his fleſh.
IX. A confirmation of the former opinion, hovve ſtraight this vnion is.
For like as the ſoule in a man, becauſe it is one and the ſame, and no leſſe whole in the head, and in each member, then it is in all the bodie together, it cauſeth, that all the members do vnite and ioyne themſelues into one bodye, vnderunder one head: euen ſo, by vertue of Chriſts ſpirit, becauſe it is one and the ſame in Chriſt and in eueryevery of the faithfull, it cauſeth, that all of vsus knitte ſpiritually together both in ſoules and bodies into one, we are all one and the ſelfe ſame body with Chriſt our head: a body (I ſay) miſticall and ſpirituall, becauſe it is ioyned and compact, by a ſecret band of the ſame ſpirite.
X. This vnion, becauſe it is made by vertue of the holie ſpirit, cannot be hindred by anie diſtance of place.
Whereupon it followeth that this true and reall vnion (though ſpirituall) of our bodies & ſoules, with the bodie and ſoule of chriſt, can be letted by no diſtance of place, though neuer ſo great: becauſe that ſpirite is ſo mightie in operatiō, as it reacheth from earth to heauen, and beyond, and ioyneth in one no leſſe ſtrictly, the members of chriſt being on earth, with their head in heauen ſitting at the right hand of the Father, then the ſoule of a man ioyneth together the hands and leggs and other members into one bodie with the head: yea though that man were ſo great, that his head did reach vntounto the ninth ſpheare, and his feete ſtand faſt in the center of the earth. So great is the vertue of the ſoule: thē how great is that of the holie ſpirit, the true and almightie God.
XI. The ſpirit, by whome this vnion is made, is giuen of Chriſt, to the preaching of the goſpell and adminiſtration of the Sacraments.
Furthermore wee beleeue, that his ſpirite, whereby chriſt both coupleth himſelfe vntounto vsus, and vsus vntounto him, & ioyneth his fleſh with ours, and ours with his: is communicated of the ſame chriſt, vntounto vsus, by his meere grace, when and where and how he pleaſe, yet ordinarily at the preaching of the goſpell and adminiſtration of the Sacramēts. Of which thing was a viſible teſtimonie, which we read, how that they in the primitiue church, which imbraced the goſpell by faith, and were baptiſed in the name of chriſt or vponupon whomſoeuer the hands were laid, beſids the inuiſible grace receiued alſo diuerſe ſenſible giftes of the ſpirite.
XII. This vnion, is the eſpeciall ende of the goſpell, and Sacraments.
Whereuppon we do eaſily gather, which is the principall end, both of preaching the goſpell, and adminiſtring the Sacraments: namelye this communion with chriſt the Sonne of God incarnate, who ſuffered and died for vsus, but now raigneth in heauē, and imparteth ſaluation and life to his choſen: which communion was begonne here, but was to be perfected in heauen: ſo that we, by this true & reall copulatiō of our ſelues with his fleſh & blood, and his whole perſon, may alſo be made partakers of eternall ſaluation, which was purchaſed by him, and ſtil remaineth and abideth in him.
XIII. That this vnion is not imaginarie, nor made by participation of gifts onelyonly, but by communication of ſubſtance.
But we call this preſent incorporation of vsus with chriſt, true, and reall, and ſubſtantiall: that we may meet with that errour, wherein ſome thinke that wee forge a certaine imaginarie and a falſe vnion: or that wee meane no other true vnion, but that which is made by participation of ſpirituall giftes, and grace of chriſt, without communication of the ſubſtance of his fleſh and blood.
XIIII. This vnion is made by no other meanes, but by the holie ſpirite, and by faith.
But againe, leſt ſome might hereby falſlie gather, that wee conceiue of ſuch an vnion, which is made with the fleſh of chriſt beeing really here vppon earth, by ſome phyſical or naturall touching, either groſſe or ſubtile, as al ſenſible thinges are coupled with the ſences, ſome in groſſer; and ſome in a ſubtiller manner: or which is made with the ſame fleſh remaining in heauen, by certaine intelligible formes in the minde (as the philoſophers ſpeake) as all things which are vnderſtood are vnited with the vnderſtanding faculty, which apprehendeth the ſame by certaine formes or images: Therefore we al adioyne the meanes whereby this vnion & incorporation is made namely by the ſpirite of chriſt, communicated vntounto vsus, really abiding in vsus, coupling vsus vntounto chriſt, and working in vsus, that by a liuely faith we may embrace chriſt.
XV. A confirmation of both theſe propoſitions, namelye, that this vnion is eſſentiall, but is made onelyonly by the ſpirit, and our faith.
For both theſe things, namely that this copulation is eſſential, & made by the only ſpirit of God, and by our faith, the holy ſcriptures, do plentifully and plainely declare. Eph. 2.14.15 16The Apoſtle writing vntounto the church at Epheſus, becauſe all enmitie being taken away by chriſt, & the particion wal broken downe, The lewes and Gentilles, two ſortes of people much different, were reconciled to God and between themſelues, and were altogether ingrafted & renued in chriſt by the ſame holy ſpirit: therefore hee doubted not to ſaye, They vvere both built, (not into one people, as it ſeemed hee ſhould hauehave ſaid) but, the better to expreſſe how ſtraight this vnion is, into one new man, in Chriſt. Wherefore ſith all of vsus doe liue with one & the ſelfe ſame ſpirite, renued as it were in one and the ſame minde, and are ioyned together vntounto one and the ſelfe ſame head chriſt: Eph. 4.1…wee are fittlie all of vsus together called one new man. And in the ſame epiſtle deſcribing this neere and eſſentiall incorporation, he compareth chriſt to the heade, and all vsus to the members, coupled & knit with the head by ſinnues, ioyntes, and ligamentes: which take their life and motion from the heade. And nothing is more often vſed in the holye Scriptures then this ſimilitude, that hereby wee might more eaſily and clearely vnderſtand, what, and how great, this coniunction of all vsus is with chriſt, through his ſpirite, which dwelleth in al people that are regenerate. For this cauſe the ſame Apoſtle, Eph. 2.21.22 23compareth Chriſt to the foundation, and all the faithfull to ſtones (but yet liuing ſtones, euen as the foundation, that they may receiue increaſe from him) built vppon the foundation: Mat. 16.18In vvhome all the building coupled together, groweth vntounto an holy temple in the Lord, by the holie ſpirite: which thing alſo chriſt did, before the Apoſtle, more then once, making himſelfe the foundation, and the church the building, ſurely grounded vponupon that foundation, and faſtened by an inſeparable knot. Ioh. 15.1To the ſame purpoſe, chriſt calleth himſelfe a vine, and vsus the braunches, which drawing life and ſapp from the vine, do liue, and bring forth good fruits. The ſame is alſo ſhewed by the ſimilitude of the tree and the oliue, Rom. 11.17whereinto the faithful, as braunches cut from the wilde oliue, are ingrafted, that they may bringe forth good oliues: and are ingrafted by the holy ſpirit, and by faith. Phil. 2.1 Eph. 3.17 Eph. 5.32Whereuppon, to the Philippians, it is called the communion of the ſpirite: And Chriſt is ſaid to dvvell in our heartes by faith. Nor is it obſcure, that the Apoſtle calleth this incorporation of the church with chriſt, and of chriſt with the church, and all the faithfull, a mariage, after the cuſtome of the Prophets: whereby two ſhalbe made one fleſh. And two, ſaid God, ſhalbe one fleſh: And the Apoſtle, This (ſaith he) is a great miſterie: but J ſpeake concerning Chriſt and concerning the church. But that ſame is ſtill very plaine and readie; which Iohn writeth of this vnion, and of the ſpirite by which the ſame is made and knowne: 1. Ioh. 4.13By this (ſayth he) we knowe that vve dwell in him, and he in vsus, becauſe hee hath giuen vsus of his ſpirite. Therefore he dwelleth in vsus, & we in him, by the ſame holy ſpirite, which is both in him and in vsus. To this alſo beelongeth that ſame, He vvhichwhich hath not the ſpirite of Chriſt, the ſame is not his. But the Apoſtle knoweth that all are chriſtes, which are true and liuely members of chriſt.
XVI. It is concluded, that this coniunction is eſſentiall, and made by the onelyonly ſpirit of Chriſt and our faith.
Being perſwaded therefore by theſe and other the like teſtimonies of holy ſcriptures, we doubt not, but chriſt and his Apoſtles ment to ſignifie vntounto vsus, that the communion, which all we the faithfull, aſwell ſmale as great hauehave with chriſt, and with his fleſh and bloode, is true and reall: and yet is made by no other meanes, then by vertue and knitting of the holy ſpirit. And therefore though it be ſecret, ful of miſteries and ſpirituall, becauſe it is made by the ſpirite and by faith: Yet we ought not to doubt, but that through the ſame ſpirit, it is as true & eſſential, as is that ſame betweene the husband and the wife beeing ioyned into one fleſh: betweene the foundation, and the ſtones thereon builded: betweene the tree & the boughes: betweene the vine & the braunches: laſtlye betweene the members and the head, coupled together with ligaments and ſinues, liuing and working with the ſame ſoule: that no coniunction with chriſt himſelfe, can be made greater then this, while wee liue in this mortall fleſh.
XVII. A confirmation of this opinion by another ſimilitude, and by very philoſophie.
Surely if there were in all men but one and the ſelfe ſame ſoule, it muſt follow, that innumerable many perſons, were onelyonly one man: Euen as, of one and the ſame eſſence being in the three diuine perſons, the holy writers doe conclude, that therefore there is one onelyonly God. Yea and the ſame would appeare much more plainly to be true, if thoſe many men had but one onelyonly head, to which they ſhould bee ioyned, and of which they ſhould hauehave their motion. VVhat maruaile then, that the holie ghoſt bee one and the ſame in all the godlie, which being alſo in Chriſt, doth ſo really couple vsus with him, that we are one body with him and amongſt our ſelues: yea al of vsus one new man in the ſame head Chriſt? for in thoſe two reſpects, namely one, of the ſpirit, by whome; the other of the head, Eph. 2.14to whome wee are ioyned, Paule ſaide all the faithfull vvere one nevve man.
XVIII. By the vnion vvith Chriſt, the participation of the benefits of his death and reſurrection is conueied vntounto vsus.
Now of this communion with chriſt, there followeth and dependeth the participation of his benefites, and of ſaluation gotten, and remaining for vsus in his fleſh and blood: For as the branches can draw no nouriſhment from the vine, nor the members from the head, nor the liuely ſtones from the foundation, vnleſſe they be really ioyned with their foundation, with their head, with the tree, with the vine, & abide in them: ſo neither can we from Chriſt our head, our foundation, our tree, our vine, vnleſſe wee bee truely grafted into him by the holy ghoſt, and do abide in him, beeing made fleſh of his fleſh, and bone of his bone. Wherfore they doe vsus very great iniurie that ſay we therefore denie the true participation of his fleſh and blood, and that we affirme a participation only of his gifts and benefits, becauſe wee will not admit, which wee cannot admit, that the true bodie of Chriſt doth paſſe reallie through our mouth into our bodies. As though it were not a true and an eſſentiall communion, which is made by the holy ghoſt and by faith: ſith nothing can knitt more ſtrictlie, diuerſe ſubſtances and natures into one, then the holy ghoſt: As we ſee in the incarnation of the ſonne of God: and in the creation of man being compounded of the ſoule and the bodie. Surelye if that communion, which is made by the onelyonly ſpirit and by faith, with the fleſh and bloode of Chriſt, were not able to ſaue, vnleſſe he ſhould alſo paſſe through the mouth into our bodies: Chriſt had prouided but ſlenderly for his church. Therefore in receiuing of the goſpell, and in the profeſſion of Baptiſme, he would hauehave the ſame communion to be made: 1. Ioh. 1.3 1. Co. 12.13as Iohn witneſſeth of the firſt, and the Apoſtle Paule of the ſecond. This therfore is our confeſſion of the true communion with Chriſt in generall, and therefore of the diſpenſation of ſaluation and life which is in Chriſt.
XIX. Errors.
Wherefore we diſallow their error, which teach that remiſſion of ſinnes, and ſaluation is communicated to men, Opus operatum.by the vvorke wrought, as they call it, without faith, and without the true vniting with Chriſt. Yea & we condemne their blaſphemie, who labour to proue, it may be done by works not commaunded of god, but deuiſed by men, and full of ſuperſtition & idolatry: and theirs alſo, which ſetting nought by the miniſterie of the worde, doe teach that ſaluation is communicated aſwell without, as with the hearing of the word and receiuing of the Sacraments: and much more thoſe, which affirme that al infants in their mothers wōbes, aſwell of faithfull parents as of infidells, are made partakers of the benefite of Chriſt.