The Sum of Christian Religion, Articles
The Catholick Faith, concerning the Incarnation of the Son of GOD, our Lord JESUS CHRIST; According to the Creed of ATHANASIUS, briefly declared and aſſerted.
ARTICLE I. Of the Creed the ninth.
But 1. it is neceſſary unto eternall ſalvation, that whoſoever will be ſaved, 2. he beleeve rightly the 3. Incarnation of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
The Declaration.
1. BƲt it is neceſſary.] This neceſſity is every where delivered in Scripture: John 3.36. He that beleeveth in the Son, hath everlaſting life; and he that beleeveth not the Son, ſhall not ſee life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. Joh. 6.14. This is the will of him that ſent me, that all that ſee the Son, and beleeve in him, may have life eternall. John 17.3. This is life eternall, to know thee the onelyonly true God, and whom thou haſt ſent Jeſus Chriſt. 1 John 4.3. And every ſpirit that confeſſeth not that Jeſus Chriſt is come in the fleſh, is not of God. Acts 4.12. Neither is there ſalvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we muſt be ſaved. Acts 10.43. To him give all the Prophets witneſſe, that whoſoever beleeveth in his Name, ſhall receive remiſſion of ſins by his Name. By faith then in the Son of God made man, it behooveth all to be ſaved, and without this faith no man can be ſaved.
2. Incarnation alſo.] In Greek foreign, his inhumanation, foreign, his incorporation; of the cauſes, truth, and manner of which, Athanaſius leſt a famous Booke entituled, The inhumanation of the Word of God; other Greeks commonly call this, The Incarnation: which word is made out of the ſayings of Scripture, in which the Incarnation of the Son of God is chiefly grounded, John 1.14. The Word was made fleſh, and dwelt among us. 1 Tim. 3.16. God was manifeſted in the fleſh. Heb. 2.14. Becauſe children are partakers of fleſh and blood, the Son of God himſelfe was made partaker of the ſame; and ver. 16. He tooke not on him the nature of Angels, but he tooke on him the fleſh, is of God. To this purpoſe are the Angels words to the Virgin Mary, Luke 1.35. The holy Ghoſt ſhall come upon thee, and the vertue of the moſt High ſhall over-ſhadow thee; therefore that holy thing that ſhall be borne of thee, ſhall be called the Son of God. And that of the Apoſtle, Gal. 4.4. God ſent his Son, made of a woman: out of which is underſtood, that this Incarnation is the miraculous aſſumption of humane fleſh or nature, by the operation of the holy Ghoſt in the Virgins womb, being performed by the Son of God, into the unity of his perſonality.
3. Beleeve faithfully.] In the Greek it is firmely;foreign. in the laſt Article it is faithfully and firmely; of which, the firſt reſpects the ſincerity of this faith, purified from errour, deniall and hereſie whatſoever, concerning this myſtery: the latter requires an aſſurance and confidence of ſalvation in the Son of God incarnate, foreign.being oppoſite to doubt and conjecturall opinion.
ARTICLE II. Of the Creed the X.
This then 4. is the right Faith, 5. that wee beleeve and confeſſe, that 6. our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, 7. the Son of God, is 8. God and man.
The Declaration.
4. RIght faith.] The right faith concerning the Incarnation of the Son of God, is briefly ſet out in two heads: The firſt is of the very myſterie of the Incarnation, or of the perſon of the Son of God incarnate. The later is concerning his office, or the myſterie of our redemption, which was performed, and to be performed by him in the fleſh. It is equally neceſſary to ſalvation to beleeve both; and the firſt for the later. The faith of which, except it be held entire and untainted, as the Goſpel declares it, to beleeve Chriſt to be God and man (which the divels alſo beleeve, and tremble) will help nothing to ſalvation.
5. That we may beleeve.] We muſt beleeve and confeſſe, becauſe with the heart we beleeve unto righteouſneſſe, and with the mouth we confeſſe to ſalvation.
6. Our Lord.] So the Angell calls him the ſame day he was borne, Luke 2.11. There is borne to us this day a Saviour, which is Chriſt the Lord: And the New Teſtament in very many places, chiefly 1 Cor. 8.6. We hauehave one Lord, Jeſus Christ. And he will be ſo called of us; John 13.13. You call mee Lord, and you ſay well: for ſo I am. Hence, in the Creed, we beleeve in Jeſus Christ our Lord. The Septuagint everywhere expreſſe the word foreign, Lord, by Gods proper name foreign, which is worth the obſerving; becauſe it affords an ample argument of the true Deitie of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: For, if foreign, be the ſame that Jehovah, ſurely foreign, our Lord, is God Jehovah. The Son of God then is our Lord by a two-fold dominion; one of his Deitie, common to him, with the Father and holy Ghoſt, which is his abſolute power over all things: the other is of mediation, proper to himſelfe; by which, as he is the Mediatour between God and men, he alone is at the right hand of God, appointed head of the Church over all things, Epheſ. 1.22.
7. He is the Son of God.] Not a ſon by the grace of creation, as the Angels are Gods Sons, Job 1.6. nor a ſon by the grace of adoption, as thoſe that are predeſtinate, are adopted to be ſons by Jeſus Chriſt, Epheſ. 1.5. but the proper Son of God, Rom. 8.32. The onelyonly begotten of the Father, John 1.14. Begotten before all created things, from eternitie, Prov. 8.23, 25. Whoſe going forth from the beginning, from the dayes of eternitie, Mich. 5.4. By whom all things were made, and without whom nothing was made that was made, John 1.3.
8. God and man.] Not God alone; for ſo he were not truly Chriſt, that is, anointed: for, God alone is the anointer, not the anointed: Nor man alone; for ſo he were not truly Jeſus, that is, a Saviour: for, man alone is not the Saviour, but the ſaved; but God and man, one and the ſame Son, conſiſting of two natures, the divine and the humane, in the unitie of the hypoſtaſis.
Furthermore, why the Son of God, the ſecond perſon of the bleſſed Trinitie, rather then any of the other perſons, to wit, the Father, or the holy Ghoſt, united humane fleſh to himſelfe, although that humane reaſon ſhould ſtand amazed, Chriſtian faith ſhould humbly adore, and not ſearch this myſterie; ſome reaſons, notwithſtanding, are unfolded by Divines, not improbable; to wit, that it was fit, that he, who was the Son of God, begotten of the Father before the world, ſhould likewiſe be the Son of man, borne in time, of the ſubſtance of his mother: Firſt, leſt by the Incarnation, the denomination of the divine perſons ſhould be changed, or a confuſion introduced; which had hapned, if either the Father, or the holy Ghoſt, or all together, by the diſpenſation of the fleſh, had challenged to themſelves the name of Son. Secondly, the benefit of the Incarnation was by God ordained, and beſtowed upon men, for this end, that wee might become the ſons of God: for it was meet, that we ſhould be made Gods adopted ſons by him, who is Gods naturall Son. Thirdly, it was moſt convenient, that he, who had obtained a middle place among the creatures, ſhould be repaired by the middle perſon of the Trinitie, that there might be a decent correſpondencie between the middle and middle. Now, man hath a middle place among the creatures, having obtained to be under the ſpirituall, and above the corporeall creatures; it was then fit, that man ſhould be repaired by the middle perſon of the Trinitie. Laſtly, there is nothing more decent, than that decayed nature ſhould be reſtored by him, by whom it was created; becauſe all things were made by him, John 1.3. therefore man was to be repaired and reſtored to his former dignitie by the Son of God.
ARTICLE III. Of the Creed the XI.
9. He is God, 10. of the ſubſtance of his Father, 11. begotten before the world: and man 12. of the ſubſtance of his mother. 13. Borne in the world. 14. Perfect God. 15. Perfect man, of a reaſonable ſoule and humane fleſh ſubſiſting. 16. Equall to the Father, according to his Divinitie: 17. inferiour to the Father, according to his humanitie.
The Declaration.
9. HEe is God.] It is as evident, that the proper and onelyonly begotten Son of God, is God; as the proper and onelyonly begotten ſon of man, is man: which the Scripture in innumerable places confirmeth.
10. Of the ſubſtance of his Father.] This alſo the Scripture confirmeth, as often as it witneſſeth the Son of God to be begotten, and the onelyonly begotten of the Father. For, when an intelligent nature is ſaid to beget, it is properly to bring forth an iſſue out of its owne ſubſtance, that is, the begetter to that which is begot, the father to the ſon communicates his owne ſubſtance.
11. Begotten before the world.] Wiſdome, which is the Son of God,Prov. 8.22, 23, 25, 30. three or foure times plainly reſtifieth, that ſhe was begot before time, and before the world was made. And this, among ſenſible or rationall men, (not to ſpeak of godly men) ought not to be doubted. For, how could God be a Father before the world, if he begot not his Son before the world? The Church confeſſeth, that the manner of this generation is ineffable. Rufinus in his Expoſition of the Creed (which is commonly attributed to Cyprian) ſaith thus,foreign. I will not have thee diſcuſſe how God the Father begot his Son, neither ſearch too curiouſly into the depth of this myſterie, leſt perhaps, whilſt thou art making too ſtrict a ſcrutiny, to find out the ſplendor of this inacceſsible light, thou forfeit that ſmall and weak ſight, which, by divine bounty is beſtowed upon men. Know, that the myſterie of this divine generation is as far different and eminent above all things that are in us, as the Creatour is more potent then the creature, and the Artificer more excellent then his worke, &c. When thou heareſt of this Son, I would not have thee think of a carnall nativity; but remember, that theſe things are ſpoken of the ſimple nature of an incorporeall ſubſtance. For, if in that word, which the heart; or in that meaning, which the mind; or in that brightneſſes which the light begets of it ſelfe; if, I ſay, there is no weakneſſe in that generation: how much purer must our thoughts be of him, who is the Creatour of all theſe? By this manner then of ſubſiſting proper to himſelfe, is the Son of God diſtinguiſhed in the holy Trinitie, from the Father and holy Ghoſt, becauſe he alone is begotten of the Father before the world: and therefore hee onelyonly aſſumed mans fleſh, and was borne of the Virgin in time.
12. Of the ſubſtance of his mother.] As the Angel ſaid to the Virgin Mary, Luke 1.35. That holy thing which ſhall be borne of thee, that is, of thy ſubſtance and wombe, ſhall be called the Son of God. For, the Son of God ſhould have been the ſon of David, according to the promiſe, 1 Chron. 22.10. Hebr. 1.5. Math. 1.1. Of the ſeed of David, according to the fleſh, Rom. 1.3. Hence hee is called the fruit of Maries womb, Luke 1.42. But the fruit is begot of the ſubſtance of the tree; which is flat againſt the madneſſe of Valentinus, affirming, that Chriſt was ſent by the Father, and brought with him an heavenly bodie, and that he aſſumed nothing of the Virgin Mary; but that hee paſt through her, as through a channell or pipe, without taking any fleſh of her, August. de haereſ. 10.
13. In the world.] That is, in time, or in the fulneſſe of time, to wit, prefixed by God, Gala…. 4.4. which was in the 42. yeare of Augustus his reigne, and in the year of the world 3928. according to Beroaldus his beſt account.
14. Perfect God.] In Greek, perfect God is the ſame that 1 John 5.20. the true God: for, there is but that one and eternall God by nature, foreign who calls himſelfe,Gen. 17.1. the God of ſufficiency or perfection. He is not then God equivocally, in reſpect of the excellencie of his gifts and office, as Angels, Pſal. 97.7. Or, as Princes, Pſal. 82.6. as Samoſatenus and Photinus of old blaſphemed; and of late, the Servetians and Socinians, affirming Chriſt to have taken his beginning from Mary, and not to have had any being before her. Neither a factitious or created God before all things of non-entities, as Arius madly ſaid. For no creature can attaine to the perfection of the Creatour, whereas every creature proceeds from non-entitie to entitie; but not to be, is abſolutely repugnant to God, and to his perfection.
15. Perfect man.] A true and entire man, conſiſting of a reaſonable ſoule, and a humane body; which is contrary to the hereſie of Marcion and Manichoeus, affirming, that Chriſt came in the later times to deliver ſoules, not bodies; and that he was not truly in the fleſh, but onelyonly to delude humane ſenſes, hee made ſhew of humane fleſh. This is alſo againſt the errour of Apollinaris the Syrian, affirming the Son of God to have aſſumed the fleſh without the ſoule, and that the Word was in ſtead of the ſoule in him, Auguſt. de haereſ. 46.55. Chriſt himſelfe did pithily refute both theſe: the former, when, riſing from the dead, he ſhewed himſelfe to his diſciples, who, being affrighted with his ſight, ſuppoſed they had ſeen a ſpirit; to whom Chriſt faith, Why are you troubled? See my hands and feet: for I am the ſame. Touch me and ſee; for a ſpirit hath not fleſh and bones, as you ſee mee have, Luke 24.39. But the later he refells, when, in the garden, in his feare and agonie, he cried out, My ſoule is heavie unto death, Matth. 26.38. Now, the Word could not either be troubled with paſſions of the mind, or with the feare of death; becauſe the nature of man, being aſſumed into the hypoſtaſis, doth not ſubſiſt by it ſelfe, but in the perſon of the Word, which is ſo far from diminiſhing mans perfection, that it rather perfects it. As for mans perſon, to be, or to ſubſiſt, it is the perfection of a meere man, which, indeed, ſhould make Chriſt to be meerly man: But to ſubſiſt in the perſon of the Word of God, is the perfection of him that is both God and man; or of man aſſumed into the Godhead, as Athanaſius ſpeakes in the following Article.
16. Equall to the Father.] That Chriſt was the Son of God, and God, the forenamed Hereticks of old did not, and the moderne doe not deny; but they did, as they doe at this day, trifle with an equivocation, affirming a factitious god, in reſpect of gifts and divine operations; or a God created before all things, but leſſer and inferiour to the Father: which is directly againſt the aſſertors of the Chriſtian faith, amongſt whom Athanaſius was not the meaneſt: who, by evident teſtimonies out of Scripture, and arguments, did demonſtrate, that the Son of God was God, equall and conſubſtantiall with the Father. Here let a few ſerve: We are inaugurated by baptiſm equally in the name of the Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt, as in the name of one true God. The Jewes themſelves did acknowledge Chriſt, when he ſaid, John 5.17. My Father worketh hitherto, and I worke, that he called God his owne Father, and that he made himſelfe equall with God; which Chriſt was ſo far from denying or reproving, that through the whole Chapter he confirmes it by notable documents, taken from the equality and identity, both of his owne and Fathers workes and operations, power and authoritie, honour and worſhip: Whatſoever (ſaith he) the Father doth, the Son doth the ſame alſo. For, as the Father raiſeth the dead, and quickneth them; ſo doth the Son quicken thoſe whom he will, &c. The Father hath committed all judgement to the Son, that all may honour the Son, as they honour the Father. As the Father hath life in himſelfe, ſo he hath given to the Son to have life in himſelfe, &c. There needs no more: Chriſts owne witneſſe alone of himſelfe is ſufficient to confirme our faith, and to overthrow hereſies;John 8.14. For if (ſaith he) I teſtifie of my ſelfe, my teſtimony is true: but hee teſtifieth of himſelfe, that God is his proper Father, and that he is equall with God the Father; therefore his teſtimony of himſelfe is true. Hence the malicious ſtupiditie of Hereticks, derogating authoritie from his teſtimony, is more to be deteſted, then that of the Jewes.
According to his divinity.] Not according to his humanity; otherwiſe hee were not true man: therefore the doctrine of Schwenckfeldius if falſe, which equals Chriſts humanity in all things to God; or, which makes Chriſts humanity equall to God.
17. Leſſer then the Father.] And this Chriſt witneſſeth of himſelfe, ſaying, My Father is greater then I, John 14.28. to wit, by reaſon of my Incarnation, as man, I am leſſer then the Father. Which, becauſe Arius drew this to the inequalitie of the divinitie, hee brought in the hereſie of the Anomaei, Cyril. l. 2. theſ. c. 3. So far is the Son equall to the Father, in that he is by nature God; but in that he was made man, and as a man was crucified and died, he is leſſe then the Father. The definition of Chalcedon afterwards againſt Eutyches thus declares it, Conſubſtantiall to the Father, according to the divinity; conſubſtantiall to us, according to the humanity. In all things like to us, except the filth of ſin, Hebr. 2.17. and 4.15.
ARTICLE IV. Of the Creed the XII.
18. Who, though he be God and man, yet he is not two, but one Chriſt. 19. One, not by converting of the divinitie into fleſh, 20. but by aſſuming of the humanitie into God. 21. One altogether, not by converſion of the ſubſtance, 22. but by unitie of the perſon. 23. For, as the reaſonable ſoule and fleſh are one man, ſo God and man is one Chriſt.
The Declaration.
18. WHo, though God.] Hitherto of the truth of the two natures of the Son of God incarnate: now, of their union; or of the perſonall unitie. The Article in the beginning hath a Prolepſis or anticipation: whereas God and man are two divers ſubſiſtances; therefore, if Chriſt be God and man, hee will not be one, but two. Yet one Chriſt, God and man, not two;foreign. becauſe of the union of the natures. God, indeed, and man are different ſubſiſtences, without the perſonall union; but Chriſt is God and man in the perſonall unitie. Upon this part of the Article pitcheth that hereſie, which, about an hundred years after Athanaſius, Neſtorius, the Patriarch of Conſtantinople, brought into the Church; but was condemned by the Councell of Epheſus.
19. One, not by converſion.] The reaſon of the unitie conſiſteth not in the converſion of the divinitie into fleſh, which hereſie was deviſed two hundred yeares after Athanaſius, by Eutyches a Monk of Conſtantinople, who expounded the words of John, The word was made fleſh, of the converſion of the word into fleſh: As the water is ſaid to be made wine, that is, converted into wine, John 2.8. affirming, that after the incarnation, not two natures did remaine, but one onelyonly; to wit, the fleſh made of the Word. But not without cauſe he was ſuppreſſed by the authority of the Councell of Chalcedon: For, how can the divinity be turned into fleſh? or an uncreated nature, void of mutation, be converted into a creature? By this meanes, Chriſt ſhould neither be God nor man truly; becauſe he muſt loſe both the Divinity and the humanity together.
20. But by aſſuming the humanity into God.] In the Greek, into the Deity; yet not abſolutely, but into one of the perſons of the Deity, or of the Word. For this alone, not the Father, not holy Ghoſt, aſſumed humane fleſh into the unitie of the hypoſtaſis. See the 8. and 1. Note. Of this aſſumption the Apoſtle thus, Hebr. 2.14. He was made partaker of fleſh and bloud. And ver. 16. He took not on him the nature of Angels: but he took on him the ſeed of Abraham; that is, he united it to himſelfe perſonally, as the Schooles ſpeak, that there might be one hypoſtaſis of the Word and fleſh. The true reaſon or manner then of the unitie of Chriſts perſon, is not the converſion of the Word into fleſh, but the hypoſtaticall union of the Word with fleſh.
21. Not by confuſion of the ſubſtance.] That is, not by commixtion of the nature and naturall properties of them both, into ſome third thing, ſuch as is the confuſion of water and honey in Metheglin, which was the hereſie afterward of the Monophyſits ſprung out of Eutyches his follies, againſt which Damaſcen diſputes at large, lib. 3. orthod. fidei. c. 3.
22. But by unity of the perſon.] To wit, of God-man, or the Word incarnate: the natures of the Word & fleſh, and their eſſentiall properties remaining diſtinct and ſafe; as, after Athanaſius, the Councell of Chalcedon, Act. 20. hath more fully explained, in theſe words, We all acknowledge our Lord Jeſus Chriſt in two natures inconfuſedly, immutably, indiviſibly, inſeparably; the diverſity of the two natures being no waies made void, by reaſon of the union: rather the propriety of each nature, agreeing in one perſon, is preſerved; ſo that he is not divided or ſevered into two natures, but Jeſus Chriſt is one, and the ſame only begotten Son, God the Word.
23. For as the reaſonable ſoule.] The manner of the union of the Word & fleſh is illuſtrated by a Similie, which, before Athanaſius, Juſtin Martyr, a very ancient Writer, in his Expoſition of the Faith, did make uſe of, whoſe words we thought good to ſet down that we may underſtand how much they agree: Let no man (ſaith he) enquire of me the maner of this union; for I am not aſhamed to confeſſe my ignorance: yet I will rather glory, that I beleeve thoſe hidden myſteries, with which I was initiated, which are not perceptible to reaſon and underſtanding. Some there are, who underſtand this union, as they doe that of the ſoule and body, and ſo they teach. And the example agrees, if not in all, yet in parts: For, as man, being one, hath two different natures; and with one part he conſulteth, and with the other he puts his counſell in execution; with his mind he decrees to build a ſhip, with his hands he puts in practiſe the work which he decreed: So one Son, being of two natures; according to the one he workes miracles, according to the other, he takes upon him all ſort of humility: For, as he is of the Father, and God, he works miracles; as he is of the Virgin, and man, of his owne accord he did naturally undergoe the croſſe and paſsion, and ſuch like. Hitherto if one compare, the ſimilitude doth well agree; on the other ſide, if he compare the whole with the whole, he takes away the difference: For, though man conſiſt of body and ſoule, yet he is not the ſame with theſe, but ſome other thing; as he is man, he conſiſteth in the union of body and ſoule, and ſo exiſteth ſome other third thing: But Chriſt is not made of the Deity and humanity, when he is not different from theſe two, but both, God and man. Againe, the ſoule is alwaies affected with the body, which no Orthodox man, that is well in his wits, dare ſay or think of Chriſts divinity: therefore this example of man is partly to be received, partly to be avoided.
By which words we underſtand, that the ſimilitude conſiſts in two things, and in ſo many is diſcrepant. It agrees firſt, that as the reaſonable ſoule is coupled with mans body into one perſon of man; ſo God the Word, with the nature of man, is coupled in the one perſon of God and man, and that by an unſpeakable way. Again, as the union of the ſoule with the body is made, the eſſentiall properties of both natures remaining entire; for, the ſoule remaines in the union inviſible, ſpirituall, immortall, rationall, impartible; but the body is viſible, tangible, mortall, void of reaſon, and partable. The union alſo is made without transfuſion of the eſſentiall properties of the one nature into the other: The ſoule is not made viſible corporeall, mortall, irrationall, partible, for being united to the body: The body is not made inviſible, ſpirituall, immortall, rationall, impartible, becauſe united to the ſoule. The union notwithſtanding is made with the communion of the eſſentiall properties of body and ſoule, really tranſient into the perſon of man, in reſpect of each nature: As man really becomes immortall, rationall, according to his ſoule; ſo he becomes mortall, and void of reaſon, according to his body. So the union of God the Word was made, the properties of both natures remaining entire. God the Word remained in this union eternall, uncreated, moſt ſimple, infinite, omnipreſent, omnipotent, omniſcient, impaſſible, immortall, &c. The fleſh in time was created, compounded, finite, in reſpect of place, power, knowledge, paſſible, mortall, &c. The union alſo was made without transfuſion of the eſſentiall properties of God the Word into the fleſh, or of the fleſh into God the Word. The Word was not made temporary, was not created, nor compounded, nor finite in place, power, and knowledge, nor paſſible, or mortall, by the union with the fleſh: So the fleſh was not made eternall, uncreated, uncompounded, infinite, omnipotent, omnipreſent, omniſcient, impaſſible, immortall, by the union with the Word; yet the union was made with the communion of the eſſentiall properties of the Word and fleſh, really tranſient into the perſon of Chriſt, God and man, or the Word incarnate, in reſpect of each nature (which Damaſcen calls the manner of alternation, lib. 3. orthod fid. cap. 4.) As Chriſt-God becomes man really in time,foreign. created and borne, compounded, finite in place, power, and knowledge, and was paſſible, mortall, ſuffered, died, according to the nature aſſumed; ſo Chriſt-man is really God, eternall, uncreated, moſt ſimple, finite, omnipotent, omnipreſent, omniſcient, according to the divinity aſſuming.
But the ſimilitude agrees not in this: Firſt, that in man, by reaſon of the union of the reaſonable ſoule and body, ſome third thing, ſpecifically different, is made up, to wit, man, as of matter and forme, neither of which is man. 'Tis not ſo in Chriſt; becauſe the Word, aſſuming the fleſh, both before and after the incarnation, was God and the ſame perſon, heretofore without fleſh, afterward clothed with it. Secondly, the ſoule of man receives into it the paſſions of the body, with which it grieveth and rejoyceth; but God the Word is void of all affection and paſſion.
ARTICLE V. Of the Creed the XIII.
24. Who ſuffered for our ſalvation. 25. Went downe to Hell. 26. The third day roſe againe from the dead. 27. Aſcended into Heaven. 28. He ſitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. 29. From thence he ſhall come to judge the quick and dead.
The Declaration.
24. WHo ſuffered.] Hitherto of the myſterie of the Incarnation; followes the office of the Son of God incarnate: the words are almoſt a ſuccinct repetition of the Apoſtles Creed. Now, theſe are the things, for which we beleeve the Son of God to be incarnate, and without the aſſurance of which, in vaine wee ſhould beleeve the incarnation of the Son of God. For, becauſe the Son of God became our ſurety in the judgement of God, he ought in our fleſh to have ſuffered for us an accurſed death, that he might ſatisfie for us the curſe of the Law, and reſtore to us by his death life and righteouſneſs, which were loſt: he ſuffered therefore the death of the Croſſe, to recover our ſalvation, Rom. 4.25. Phil. 2.8. Heb. 2.14 &c.
25. He deſcended into Hell.] That he might free us from the terrours of Hell; but not by a corporeall deſcending, or in his ſoule, after death, into the place of Hell. For the Scripture is cleerly againſt ſuch a deſcending, Luke 23.43, 53. but in a ſpirituall wreſtlings with the ſorrows of Hell (which the Scripture uſually calls a deſcending into Hell, 1 Sam. 2.6. Pſal. 16.18. and 116.3.) before his death in the garden, and on the Croſſe, Mat. 26.38. Luke 22.44. Mat. 23.46.
26. The third day he roſe againe.] For our juſtification, Rom. 4.25. This Article is the ground of Chriſtian hope and comfort: For, if Christ be not raiſed from the dead, our preaching is in vaine, our faith is in vaine, and we are yet in our ſins, 1 Cor. 15.17.
27. He aſcended into Heaven.] He is alwaies with us by his divinity; but if he had not corporally departed from us, we had ſtill ſeen his body carnally, and ſhould never beleeve ſpiritually; by which faith we are juſtified, Auguſt. ſerm. 60. de verbo Domini.
28. He ſits at the right hand, &c.] According to the promiſe, Pſal. 110.1. Sit at my right hand, untill I make thine enemies thy footstoole; which the Apoſtle interprets, 1 Cor. 15.25. He muſt reigne, till he hath put all his enemies under his feet. And, Epheſ. 1.2. He hath placed him above all dominion and power, &c. and hath put all things under his feet, and hath made him head over all, to his Church: Therefore the g…ory of Chriſts ſitting at his Fathers right hand, is the Kingdome of the Mediatour exalted in his own fleſh, and not the diffuſion of the fleſh, or ubiquity, which is repugnant to that which followeth.
29. From thence he ſhall come to judge.] Phil. 3.20. 2 Tim. 4.1. Hee is to judge the quick and the dead at his glorious coming in his Kingdome, Auguſt. Epiſt. 57. ad Dardan. Doubt not therefore that now the man Chriſt Jeſus is there, from whence he is to come. Call to mind, and hold faſt the Chriſtian confeſsion; becauſe hee is riſen from the dead, hath aſce…ded into heaven, ſitteth at the right hand of the Father, and from no other place but from thence will he come to judge the quick and the dead: and he will ſo come, as the Angels witneſſed, after the ſame manner that he was ſeen to goe into heaven; that is, in the ſame forme and ſubſtance of fleſh, to which he hath given immortality; but hath not taken away its nature. According to this forme, he muſt not be thought to be diffuſed every-where: for we muſt take heed, that by aſſerting the divinity of man, we take not away the verity of his body, &c.
ARTICLE VI. Of the Creed the XIV.
30. At whoſe coming all men ſhall riſe, 31. with their bodies, 32. and ſhall give an account of their owne deeds. 33. And who have done good, ſhall goe into life eternall; but who have done evill, into everlaſting fire.
The Declaration.
30. AT whoſe coming.] So it is taught, 1 Theſ. 4.16. With the voice of the Archangell, and the Trumpet of God, he ſhall come downe from heaven: and they that are dead in Chriſt, ſhall riſe firſt. 1 Cor. 15.52. In a moment, in the twinckling of an eye, at the laſt trumpet, the dead ſhall be raiſed incorruptible.
31. With their bodies.] For this corruptible muſt put on incorruption, and this mortall muſt put on immortality, 1 Cor. 15.53.
32. And they ſhall render.] So it is written, Matth. 12.36. I tell you, whatſoever idle word men ſhall ſpeake, they ſhall render an account of it, in the day of Judgement. For, wee muſt all of us appeare before the Tribunall of Chriſt; that every man may receive what hee hath done in his body, whether it be good or evill, 2 Cor. 6.10. The dead were judged of theſe things which were written in the Books, according to their works, Rev. 20.12.
33. And who have done good.] As Daniel propheſied, chap. 12.2. And many of them which ſleep in the duſt of the earth ſhall awake; ſome to life eternall, and ſome to ſhame and everlaſting contempt. And Chriſt, John 5.28. The houre ſhall come, when all that are in the graves ſhall heare his voice, and come forth: Who have done good, unto the reſurrection of life; but who have done evill, unto the reſurrection of condemnation.
ARTICLE VII. Of the Creed the XV.
This is the Catholick faith, 34. which except every one do faithfully and firmely beleeve, he cannot be ſaved.
The Declaration.
34. WHich except.] See the 1. Art. Num. 1. Of the holy Trinity, and above, Art. 1. Num. 3.
Of the Incarnation of the Word.
The Creed of the Fathers of Antioch, againſt PAULUS SAMOSATENUS: Out of the Acts of the firſt Councell of Epheſus.
WE confeſſe that our Lord Jeſus Chriſt was begotten of the Father before all worlds, but in the laſt times by the holy Ghoſt of the Virgin Mary, according to the fleſh, ſubſiſting onelyonly in one perſon, which conſiſteth of the divinity and humane fleſh: whole God, and whole man; whole God alſo with the body, but not God according to the body: whole man alſo with the divinity, but not man according to the divinity: whole (againe) to be adored with the body, but not to be adored according to the body: whole adoring alſo with the divinity, but not adoring according to the divinity: whole uncreated alſo with the body, but not uncreated according to the body: whole formed alſo with the divinity, but not formed according to the divinity: whole with God, of the ſame ſubſtance alſo with the body, but not of the ſame ſubſtance, according to the body: Even as he is not, according to his divinity co-eſſentiall with men, but he is of the ſame ſubſtance with us even exiſtent in the divinity: For, when we ſay, that he is according to the Spirit co-eſſentiall with God; we do not ſay, that he is co-eſſentiall with men according to the Spirit. On the other ſide, when we preach, that, according to the fleſh, he is conſubſtantiall with men; we do not preach, that he is, according to the fleſh, conſubſtantiall with God: for, as according to the Spirit he is not conſubſtantiall with us; (for, ſo he is conſubſtantiall with God) ſo againe, he is not according to the fleſh conſubſtantiall with God; for, according to this he is conſubſtantiall with us; but as we pronounce theſe to be diſtinct and ſeparated, not to introduce a diviſion of that perſon which is one and individed, but to denote a diſtinction and inconfuſion of the natures and properties of the Word and fleſh: ſo we preach and worſhip what conduceth to the manner of this individed union and compoſition.
Vigilius lib. 4. againſt Eutyches. Therefore, on the contrary, if the fl…ſh be found every-where, why is there not one nature of the fl…ſh & Word which is every-where.If there be one nature of the Word and fleſh, how is it, that, whereas the Word is every-where, the fleſh is not alſo found every-where? For, when it was upon the earth, it was not in heaven; and now, becauſe it is in heaven, it is not upon the earth: and it is ſo far from being here on earth, that, according to it, we expect Chriſt to come from heaven, whom, according to the Word, we beleeve to be with us on earth. Therefore, according to your opinion, either the Word is contained with the fleſh in its place, or elſe the fleſh with the Word is every-where; ſeeing one nature cannot receive in it ſelfe what is contrary and diverſe. Now, to be circumſcribed to a place, and to be every-where, are things very different and unlike: and becauſe the Word is every-where, but the fleſh is not every-where, it is apparent, that one and the ſame Chriſt hath both natures, and that he is every-where according to the nature of his divinity; and contained in a place, according to the nature of his humanity; that he is created, and hath no beginning, ſubject to death, and cannot die; the one whereof belongs to him out of the nature of the Word, by which he is God, the other, out of the nature of the fleſh, by which the ſame God is man: therefore one Son of God, and the ſame being made the Son of man, hath a beginning out of the nature of his fleſh, and hath no beginning out of the nature of his divinity. He is created by the nature of his fleſh, and is not created by the nature of his divinity; he is circumſcribed to place by the nature of his fleſh, and is not contained in any place by the nature of his divinity; he is leſſer then the Angels by the nature of his fleſh, and is equall to the Father by the nature of his divinity; he died by the nature of his fleſh, and died not by the nature of his divinity. This is the Faith, and the Catholick Confeſſion, which the Apoſtles delivered, the Martyrs confirmed, and the faithfull hitherto maintaine. How then dareſt thou, who art moſt impious, and infected with the poyſon of Eutychian Hereſie, reprove Leo; whilſt, out of the diverſity of the actions of one Lord Chriſt, he teacheth the truth of both natures; that what he produceth to demonſtrate both natures, thou calumniates, as if he profeſſed two perſons?
A Queſtion propoſed to DAVID PARRY, By Mr. MOSES VASHARHELINUS, Rector of the famous Schoole of PATACHIN in Hungary, An. 1601. a. d. 14. Auguſt. Gregor.
Whether God created all men for one end in Adam to ſalvation, upon condition of keeping the Law?
I See here, ſaith Mr. Moſes, that there is, if not truly, yet ſeemingly, a contradiction among Writers, Mr. Calvin ſaith, l. 3. Inſt. c. 21. §. 5. That all men were not created in the ſame condition. Dr. Ʋrſinus, quaeſt. 6. Catech. affirmes, That God created man, that he might live for ever with him in bleſſedneſſe. If this be ſo, it ſeemes that mans fall is not ſubject to divine providence, and that God did not attaine his end which he intended in the creation. Piſcator againſt Andrew Schaffman, Propoſ. 29. ſaith, That God created all mankinde in one, but not for one end: And in the Queſtion 37. to this argument of Schaffmans, The Image of God was concreated, holineſſe and righteouſneſſe were to be propagated, for which man both pleaſed God, and by obeying his will, which was then ſound, he was to be made partaker of eternall joy. Piſcator anſwereth, That it is falſe, that holineſſe which was concreated ſhould be propagated; becauſe it is true, that by Gods Decree it was to be loſt, before our firſt Parents ſhould propagate children: for, if an haire of our head cannot fall, without the will of our heavenly Father; how much leſſe could that holineſſe be loſt without his will and providence?
Dr. Parrie's Anſwer.
You enquire, Mr. Moſes, Whether God created all men in Adam for one end to ſalvation, upon condition of obſerving the Law: And of this Queſtion you ſhew the different opinions of Authors. If I ſay, that I am willingly ignorant of this Queſtion, I ſhall not lye; for it is fetched out of the ſecret cloſet of Gods hidden decrees; having in it more quickneſſe of wit, then edification. Yet, I will tell you what I think of this matter: If you conſider it à priori, I affirme, that all were made for one end in Adam, as the branches of the tree in the ſtock; but with this condition, if in the Image of God (which was the beginning and a part of ſalvation) Adam himſelfe had ſtood, and had propagated it to poſterity; or, in it had propagated all men in it: but, becauſe this condition, was neither placed in the counſell of God, nor was to be placed in the event; (à poſteriori) we are forced to deny, except we will beleeve that God hath failed in his end, or hath changed his counſell; whereas, it is apparent, that many never attaine to ſalvation. But, to cut off all Sophiſtry, ſo I ſtate it:
Adam hath a double conſideration; one before his fall, as the ſtock of mankinde potentially in him, which was never to be brought into act; for God (as we are taught by the event) not onelyonly created man mutably good, who, being tempted, might loſe his uprightneſſe before he did procreate; but he decreed alſo to ſuffer him to be tempted, to fall, and to loſe his righteouſneſſe, before he did procreate: which being granted, he was not to procreate any men at all in this eſtate. It is idle then, to aske if God created all men to ſalvation in him, which he did not decree them to procreate of him, for cauſes hid in his manifold wiſedome. Then, he is conſidered after his fall, as the ſtock of mankinde actually; when, not onelyonly by nature, but alſo by divine diſpoſition, man was actually to procreate mankinde, but ſuch as himſelfe was; to wit, evill, and liable to the curſe: and to this belongs the preſent queſtion, as the whole decree of predeſtination about election and reprobation. Now, an anſwer out of Scripture and experience (à poſteriori) may eaſily be given, that as all men, begotten of ſinfull Adam, do not aime at the ſame end, but ſome at life, others at death: ſo, all are not procreated of Adam to the ſame end, and therefore, all are not created of God to the ſame end. Nor can it be ſaid that they were created in lapſed Adam, except we will utterly exclude God from creating man, or make him idle in it, or yeeld, that he is fruſtrated of his intention. Every man then is created to that end, to which either by the pravity of his nature he is permitted to tend, that is, to death; or to which, by the meanes of grace in Chriſt he is directed, that is, to ſalvation. For doubtleſſe, God did not idly ſee or fore-ſee that divorce which preſently appeared amongſt the ſons of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Iſaac, &c. being by nature corrupted, but what by grace he effected in time, according to that, (Jacob have I loved, Eſau have I hated; and, Before the children were borne, when they had not as yet done good or evill, that the purpoſe of God might remaine firme according to election) ſo he decreed from eternity. You ſee the queſtion neerely agrees with the doctrine of election, of which therefore I will adde no more, to avoid prolixity; Calvin then ſaith well, That all men are not created in the like condition; to wit, after the fall, in reſpect of the end, not of the eſtate: for, all men are borne alike in the ſame eſtate, to wit, all the ſons of wrath; for, concerning the diverſity of the end, it is ſaid of the elect, He hath appointed us to ſalvttion, &c. 1 Theſ. 5.9. of the reſt; He made the wicked for the evill day. When Ʋrſinus then ſaith, That God created man, to the end he might live with him in bliſſe for ever, he muſt be underſtood conditionally, ſo far as man ſhould perſevere in integrity; the end therefore was conditionall, not to be placed in Adam, but in Chriſt; if, as it came to paſſe Adam had fallen: and ſo Schaffman is to be underſtood, That the holineſſe which was concreated with Adam, was to be propagated to all men, to wit, if Adam did not loſe it before he did procreate all; therefore, he ſpeakes truth conditionally, but falſe abſolutely, which is that Piſcator ſaith.
Thus briefly Mr. Moſes of that great Queſtion, that you may have matter to thinke more at large, although it becomes you and us all in this, according to the Apoſtles rule, Not to thinke of our ſelves more highly then we ought to thinke, but to thinke ſoberly.