Sum of the Christian Faith, Treatise 1 · Point 2 – Point 3
Of God the Father. The ii point.
2 The firſt article of the perſon of the Father.
VVE beleeue in GOD the Father a a perſonneIoh. 1. … diſtinct from his ſonne and …rom the holye Ghoſt.
…. Hovve the father is creatour and preſeruour of all thinges.
IT is he that hath created all of nothinge, a when it ſéemed good toGen. …. Heb. 1. a & xi. a. Iohn. 1. …. him by his eternal worde, that is …o ſaye by his ſonne. And whiche hathe …et, eſtabliſhed and ordained al thinges, as alſo he ſuſtaineth and gouerneth all according to his eternal prouidence, by his infinite and ſubſtaunciall power, and vertue which is the holy ghoſt proceding from the father and the ſonne.
3. Of the creation of Angels.
WE beleue that god dyd not onelye create thys viſible worlde: that is to ſaye, the heauen and the earth & all that is conteined therin, but alſo the …nuiſible a ſpirites of whoſe nūber thoſeColoſ. …. … whiche continued in theyr pure Integritie by y• ſingular grace of god by hisb Heb. 1. d. bleſſed and happye meſſengers for the preſeruation of ye elect. The other ſorte to weete the diuels beyng cIohn. 8. ffallen withoute anye hope of ryſyng againe, and that by their owne proper malyce and wickednes be condemned to perpetuall damnation which is the laſte Iſſue d2. Pet. 2. a Luke. 8. dof their hope. And we deteſt the errour of the Saduciens which denye that there be any ſpirites, and of the Manicheans eActes. 23.which holde that the deuels had their beginning of them ſelues and be evyll of their owne nature wythoute corruption.
4. The vvorkes of the Trinitye are inſeperable.
WE do by no meanes ſeperate from the father, neither the ſonne nor yet the holye ghoſte either in the creation or in the gouernement of all thynges, nor yet in any thynge whiche appertaineth to the ſubſtaunce of god.
Of Ieſus Chriſt the only ſonne of God. The thirde poynt.
The firſt article of the diuinity of the Sonne.
VVE beleue that Ieſus Chriſt concernynge hys diuine aIhon. 1. a &. 17. anature is the onelye ſonne of god béegotten from euerlaſtynge …nd not made, one withe the father in …ubſtaunce, coeternall and conſubſtan…iall, equall to God his father in all thinges and euerye where.
2 The ſonne onelyonly mediatour betvveene god and his elect eternally ordained.
THis is the onelyonly whom the father hath ordained from euerlaſting a2. Tim. 2. … 2. Tim. ….to vnite him to mans nature, to …hende to ſaue his electe and choſen by …im as foloweth.
3. God is perfectlye iuſte and me…cyfull.
GOD is perfectlye rightous a who…od. 2…. b …. Cor. 6. c vponupon it foloweth that he neythe… wyll ne maye ſuffer any iniuſti… vnpunyſhed. He is alſo perfectly merc…full b whereupon it foloweth that th… Exod. 34. agood whiche he dothe to man, be doth i… of his full and only grace.
4. God is immutable.
GOd is immutable in his counſell… a ſo it foloweth that al which commethRom. 31. c or happeneth to man, hath… bene eternally ordained by him b accordyngeEphe. 1. b. to that we hauehave ſayde of his pronydence.
5. The councell of god dothe not exclude the ſeconde cauſes.
THis doth not let but eſtabliſhe the ſeconde cauſes by the whiche all thinges doe come to paſſe. For god in ordaynynge that which ought to…. Sam. 12. c come, ordayneth …ſo the meanes by y• which it pleaſeth him that ſuch things …hould come to paſſe, yea in ſuche ſorte …hat although there be found ſome vice …r faulte in ye ſecond cauſe, yet is there …o euil in y• euerlaſting counſell of god.
6. Man vvas created to declare the Iuſtice and mercy of god.
THere ſhalbe ſome …aue… and ſome damned, & all for the glorye of god, as the whole Scripture dothe declare. It foloweth then that for as much as nothing doth happen or come to paſſe at auēture or by chance, & that god doth neuer chaunge hys purpoſe nor mynde, and god hathe not onelye foreſéene but alſo eternally ordained to create man to ſprede for the and declare his glorye a in…. Cor. …. … ſauing b by his grace thoſe which pleaſeth him, forgetting nothing appart…yningRom 9. c to his iuſtice without the which he cannot be god, and c condemning otherExod. 9. … Rom. 9. c by his iuſt Iudgement.
7. vvhye it vvas neceſſarye that the firſte man shoulde be created good and pure.
FOR to execute thys counſell … was neceſſarye that god ſhoulde create nan good and pure, for beſyde this that god himſelfe beinge good he can doe nothinge but that whiche is good, but if man had bene created wicked or euyll, god had not had iuſt occaſion to puniſhe the wickednes wherof h… himſelfe was the authour and maker.
8. It vvas neceſſarye that man ſhould fal from his puritie.
IT was then neceſſarye that man ſhould ſo be created good that not withſtanding he ſhould be mutable and fal from this degrée and that by his owne onelyonly faulte. For if ſinne had not ſo entred into the worlde, aRom. 11. dGod had not founde ſuche cauſe to magnifye hys mercye in ſauing thoſe whiche he hathe ordained to ſaluation, nor matter to declare hys iuſtice in condemninge thoſe which he hathe ordayned to hys wrathe to the ende he maye puniſhe them for their demerites.
9 Hovv God hath created men good.
THe lorde then at that tyme whiche ſemed good to him to execute his eternall counſell created men aGene. 1. d. Exod. 7. d male & female after his owne image, and likenes that is to ſaye with righteouſnes and trewe holynes.
10 Hovve man broughte himſelfe vvith all hys poſteritie culpable of the firſt and ſecond death.
MAn being ſuche aGen. 2. …. Rom. 5. …did willingly and withoute any… compulſion Ioigne and knite hym ſelfe to the diuel, and therefore became culpable of the firſt and ſecond death withall his poſteritie: & conſequētly hath made himſelfe and all his culpable of all that, whiche leadethe to the one and other of theſe two deathes.
xi. The vvaye vvhyche leadeth to the firſt death.
THE corruption of humors wyth infinite other inconueniences deſcendinge and di…yllynge from the ſynne of Adam by lineall ſucceſſion and hatheReade …. Aug. in the 13. boke de ciuitate dei. 2. 12. 13 & 14-Chap. brought all men vnderunder ſubiection to the firſt death, which is the ſeperation of the ſoule from the bodye with putrefication of the bodye.
12. The firſt death cannot be eternal.
THis death cānot be eternall, for by that meanes the bodye at the leaſt had eſcaped ye eternal death which bringeth wyth it ſorowe and perpetuall puniſhement: and likewiſe it ſhould neuer hauehave enioyned the eternall felicitie: and ſo by this meanes the eternall coū ſell of god concerning the declaratiō of his mercy & iuſtice ſhuld be made voide.
13. The vvaye vvhichwhich leadeth to the ſeconde death.
THe inward corruption of the hole man nothing reſerued the whiche we call originall ſinne a maketh eueryevery man euen from the verye firſt beginningGen. 6. … Phil. 15. b Iohn. 3. a. of his conception the chylde of wrathe and ſubiecte to the ſecond and eternall death. For to ſpeake briefly, this corruptiō maketh vsus altogether vnpro…table, yea contrary to all goodnes, and …holly ſubiect to ſinne. Whervpon S. …uguſtine ſaid agreing b with the ſcripturesLi. de perfectione iuſticiae. that the will of man vanquiſhed …f ſynne into whiche it fell, nature was …epriued and loſte her libertye, and a …aine, cLib enchiridion ad laurentium chap. 30. Li. 2. de precatorum meritis cap. 13.that man euyll vſynge frewill …ath loſt it and hymſelfe withall. Item d …en ſaith he labour to fynd what good …ere is in their owne wyll, but knowe …ot howe a man ſhuld finde any.
14 vvhat frevvyll remayneth in man after ſynne.
NOtwithſtanding we denye not a but that men hauehave ſufficienteRom. i. c light to make them without ex…ſe. And to ſpoile them not, nor dipriue …em of their naturall faculties and po…ers, as of reaſon, Iudgement, wyll ſuche others to make them ſtockes or …okes, nor yet of frewyll: ſo that they …igne this to it, that al is nothing but darknes and enemitie againſt god, and that by this worde frewyl be not vnderſtand a naturall power to thinke, wy… or doe good or euell, but a wyll not conſtrayned the whiche not withſtanding cannot bIhon. 3. a Rom. 8 p.nor wyll not any thyng but altogether euyll, ſo much is the nature … mā not being regenerate (that is to ſa… not healed nor reſtored by grace (not onlye wounded or hurt, but vtterly and altogether corrupted and alſo willyngly becom y• ſeruant of ſinne. Therfore ſaid S. cLi. de derfectione iuſticia.Auguſtine, that the faulte whych… folowed the ſynne and whiche is the puniſhement hathe tourned lybertye into neceſſitie. Item dLi. 3. ad ob …i facium.frewyl as it is bound and thralle is nothinge worthe but to ſynne and fall.
15. Abriefe ſome of originall ſynne
ORiginall ſynne then is a fulle corruptiō of the whole nature of m… the whych corruption is proceded from Adam into all his raſe, and bryngeth forth in man thre maner of ſinnes. The firſt comprehendeth eueryevery inwar… mocion and thought in mannes vnderſtandinge althoughe the wyll gyue not conſent there vntounto. For god requireth to …e loued withal the vnderſtāding: & we hauehave alreadye ſayde that it is vtterlye and altogether corrupted. The ſecond maner of ſynne is when the wil and af…ection doth conſent therto. The third is when men euen enforce them ſelues to …xecute that whiche inwardelye they …aue conceyued and willed.
16. Hovve god tourneth mannes ſynn… his glorye.
SO nowe there remayned aRom. 3. cnothing but that all the whole world ſhould runne to ruine and deſtruction, but that God beinge not onelyonly moſt rightu…us, but alſo moſte mercifull had eter…ally ordained a meane to cauſe al thoſe …hinges to tourne to his greate glory, to …ete bRom. 3. dto the greater declaration of his …finite goodnes towardes thoſe whiche … hath alſo ordained cRom. 8. fand choſen eter…allye to be glorified in their ſaluation, and likewiſe to the declaration of his p… wer d and wrath by the iuſt iudgemen… Rom 9 cand condempnation of the veſſelles … wrathe prepared to deſtruction. For a… S. e Auguſtine ſayde vearye well: if a… Epiſt. 103 ad ….were deliuered, that which were dew… to ſynne by iuſtice ſhould be ſecret an… hidde, and if none were deliuered, th… ſhoulde not be ſéene whiche grace ha… geuen and graunted.
17. Ieſus Chriſt the onelyonly med…atou… ordained and promiſed.
THis one and all onelyonly meane is th… miſterye of the incarnation of th… ſonne of god with all that which foloweth it, who was from age to ag… promiſed euen from a Adam vntounto ſain… Gen. 3. c Deut. …8 … …. sam. 7. bIhon was publiſhed and preached b… the patriarkes as prophetes, was all fygured diuers wayes vnderunder the law as is at large contained in the bokes … the olde Teſtamente, to the ende tha… man moughte be ſaued by faythe … Ieſus Chriſt for to come.
18. The agrement and difference of the olde and nevve teſtament.
THer was neuer but one couenant of ſaluation betwene god & man if we conſyder the ſubſtance ther…, which is Ieſus Chriſt. a But in con…derationHeb. 13. … 1. Tim. 1. … 1. cor. 10. … Reade all the epiſtle to the Ebrues. of the circumſtaunces there …re two teſtaments or couenantes wher…f we hauehave the names and autentike re…iſters called the holy Scripture and …orde of god. The one is called the old. The other the newe b which is the bet…er, abolyſhing the olde, for as much asIerimi … ▪ Heb. …. …. …e olde did not propound and ſet foorth …eſus Chriſte but a farre of and hidden …nder ſhadowes and fygures whiche …ere aboliſhed by his comming.
19 vvherfore it behoued Ieſus Chriſt to be a verye naturall man in bodie and ſoule vvithout ſynne.
IT behoued the Mediatour of this couenant and reconciliation to be a veryman & without any ſpot of origi…all ſinne or other for thoſe reaſons folowyng. Firſt for as muche as a1. Tim. 2. a. Ihon. 1. bGod … iuſt and man was bound and endette… to his wra…he by his naturall corruption as we hauehave declared heretofore i… the fiftenth Article, it was méete ther… ſhoulds be a very man, in whome thi… ruine and decaye ſhoulde be thorowly… and perfectelye repayred for to pleaſ… God. Secondlye bMatth. 3. c Rom▪ 5. dman is bound to accompliſhe and fulfyll all the righteouſnes which god requireth of him for to be glorified: then there muſt be a man for to accomplyſhe perfitelye all righteouſnes to pleaſe god. Thyrdly, cRom. 3. d Act. 20. fall men be couered with an infinite nūber of ſynnes as well inwardly as outwardly, & therfore culpable of y• maledicton of god: of neceſſity there muſt be a man which ſhould ſatiſfie fullye the iuſtice of God for to pleaſe him. Forthlye dRom. 8. a Rom. 5. dno man beyng corrupte coulde in any wyſe beginne to doe the leaſt of theſe thynges, but rather ſhoulde hauehave néede of a …edemer euen for him ſelfe, muche leſſe then coulde he redeme or deliuer other men, or do any thyng whiche ſhoulde be pleaſyng or acceptable to God.
It was néedfull then that the eRom. 14. dRedemer and Mediator of man ſhoulde be a verye man in bodye and foule, and yet neuertheleſſe perfectlye and altogether pure and cleane from all ſynne.
20. wherfore it was needfull that Ieſus Chriſt ſhould be very God.
IT was of neceſſitie y• this Mediatour ſhoulde be verye aIohn. …. b. & other places infiniteGod and not onlye man, for theſe reaſons folowing. Firſt bEſaye▪ 43. b …if he had not bene very God, he ſhoulde not hauehave bene a Sauiour, but ſhoulde hauehave néeded a Sauiour for himſelfe. Secondly, cRom 3. dthere muſte be before the iuſtice God proporcion betwene the faulte and the payne thereof: the offence or faulte is infinite, for as muche as he is infinite againſt whoſe maieſtie it is committed: therefore it was nedefull to hauehave ſatiſfaction that is infinite and conſequently that he which ſhould… do it as very man ſhould alſo be infinite that is to ſaye verye god. Thirdlye d forIohn 14. b …. Cor. 5. d that the wrathe of god is infinite there was no ſtrength of mā or Angell which coulde hauehave bene able to beare ſuche a burden but it ſhould fal & be ouerwhelmed vnderunder it, therfore it was néedefull that he which ſhould riſe againe hauing the victorye ouer the deuill ſynne the worlde and death ioyned with the wrath of god ſhould be not onelye perfect man but alſo very god. Fynally god the better to declare his incōprehenſible goodnes woulde make his grace not onelye equall e with our offence, but wouldeRom. 5. c. that it ſhould exceede and ſurmount the treſpaſſe. For this cauſe, euen as the f2. Cor. 15. firſte Adam the auctour of oure offence though…e he were created to the Image of god, yet notwithſtanding was earthy as his frailty and weaknes hathe well declared, ſo on the cōtrary Ieſus Chriſt the ſeconde Adam by whom we be deliuered is in ſuch wife perfecte and very man, that he is alſo heauenly, that is to ſay very god, for as much as the fulnes of gColoſ. 2, bthe godheade dwelleth in him bodily. So that if the diſobedience of Adam doth aſtoniſhe or make vsus afraid, ye righteouſnes of Ieſus Chriſt ſhould muche more comfort and ſtabliſhe vsus, and that we ſhoulde hope for a lyfe obtained vsus by Ieſus Chriſt much better then that which we hauehave loſt in Adam: yea ſo much better as Ieſus Chriſt is aboue Adam.
21. Howe the miſterie of our ſaluation was fulfilled in Ieſus Chriſt.
WE confeſſe then that for to fulfyll the couenante promiſed to the auncient aEſaie. 7, …fathers and propheſied by the mouthe of the prophets. bRom▪ 1▪ a Phil 2, aThe trew and only eternal ſonne of God in the time ordeined of the father toke on him the forme of a ſeruaunte, that is to ſay, a very humane cHeb. 4. d.nature with the infirmities of the ſame, ſinne excepted, beinge conceyued in the wombe dMath …. eof the bleſſed vyrgin Mary by the vertue of the holy, ghoſte without any operation of man.
22 The tvvo natures vvere vnited and knitte in one perſon from the firſt inſtaunt of the conception.
WE confeſſe that from the firſt inſtāt of this conception aMath. 1, c Luke. 1, cthe perſon of the ſon was inſeperably vnited with the nature of man in ſuche ſorte that there be not two ſonnes of God, nor two Ieſus Chriſts, but one onelyonly ſonne of God Ieſus Chriſt, very God and very man: yet neuertheleſſe bothe theſe natures abyding and remainyng in their ſeueral properties. For the diuinitie ſeperated from the humanity, or the humanitie deuided or pluckte from the diuinitie, or the one confuſed with the other woulde ſerue vsus to no purpoſe.
23 The virgin Marye is mother of Ieſus Chriſt God and man.
IEſus Chriſt verye God and verye aMath. 1, c Luke. 1, dman, that is to ſay, hauyng a very trewe and humaine ſoule and a very humain body formed of ye ſubſtance of ye virgin: Mary daughter of Dauid by the vertue of the holye Ghoſt, was by this meanes conceyued and borne of the ſame virgin Marye, deliuerance: both after and before her deliuerance: & al this was done for the accompliſhment of our reconciliation.
24. The ſumme of the accomplishement of oure ſaluation in Ieſus chriſt.
HE therfore came aEphe. 2, bdown on earth for to drawe vsus vp to heauen. He hath borne the paine dewe to ourb Math. 11, d 1, Pet. 2, d &. 3, c Eſaye. 53. b. ſins, clearly to diſcharge vsus euen from the beginninge of his conception vntounto his reſurrectiō: cRom. 5, d Math. 3, dHe hath fulfilled perfectly al righteouſnes, for to couer our vnrighteouſneſſe, he hath declared dIohn. 15, eto vsus all ye wyl of God his father both by workes and alſo by words, to the end to ſhew vsus the trew way of ſaluation. In fine, for … whole & ful ſatiſfaction for our ſinnes which he toke vponupon him: he was bound eEſaie. 53. ato vnbind vsus: condempned, for to delyuer vsus: he ſuffred great and infinite ſhame, for to deliuer vsus from all confuſion: he was nailed fColoſ. 2. …on the croſſe for to faſten thereon our ſinnes, he died gGala. 3. b.and ſuſtained ye curſe and malediction which was dew to vsus for to apeaſe the wrath of god for euer by his onlye oblations made, hee was buried hAct. …. c.to approue & verify his death and to vanquiſhe deathe euen to the houſe thereof, that is to ſay, euen to the graue wherin he felt no corruption, for to declare that euen in dying he had ouercome & vanquiſhed death. He was raiſed againe in iThe 6 to the Romanes and thorovv…ut, almoſt in all S▪ pauls Epiſtles.tripūhe as a conquerer to ye end that al our corruption being dead & buried we ſhould be renued into a new ſpirituall & euerlaſting life, & that therby the firſt death ſhould be no more to vsus a puniſhmēt dew for ſinne, & as it were an entraunce into the ſecond death, but cōtrariwiſe a finiſhing and ende of y• death of our corruption, and an entrance into eternalAct. 3. a life. Finally he being raiſed afterward was conuerſaunt here on earth by the ſpace of fortie daies to confirm and approue his reſurrectiō. He aſcended viſible & verily into heauen, where he is ſet on the right hande of god his father and hath taken poſſeſſion m of his eternalIohn. 14. a kingdom for vsus and for our behoue for whoſe ſake alſo he is ye only mediatour n and aduocate o gouerning his1. Timo, 2 Math. 28. d church by his holy ſpirite vntil the nō ber of ye elected of god his father be accompliſhed and fulfylled.
25. Hovve Ieſus chriſt beinge aſcended into heuen is neuertheles here on earth vvith his flocke.
WE vnderſtande that glory hathe brought aLuke. 24. fimmortality to ye body of Ieſus Chriſt, but hath not taken away the nature of his body, therfore concerninge his humayne bAct. 1▪ anature, hee hathe taken it from vsus into heauen, where he ſhal dwell vntil the time he ſhall come to iudge the quyck and the dead, cMath. 28, bbut concerning his dyuinitye and the workinge of the holye ſpirite, he is with his elect and ſhalbe vntyll the ende of the world▪ as Chriſt hath ſayde: the poore dMath. 28. dſhall yee hauehave alwayes with you, but me ſhal ye note Act. 3. a hauehave. And alſo as the Angelles ſayd to the Apoſtles after his aſcenſion, Ieſus which is lyft vp from you into heauen ſhal come agayn euē as ye hauehave ſeene him aſcend into heauen, & as S. Peter ſayd to the Iewes that heauens fAct. 3, dmuſt hold him vntil the reſtoring of al thinges. Whervpon ſaint Auguſtin gEpiſto. 57 ād Dardanu.ſaid well agreeing with the ſcripture, that we ought to take heede that we do not ſo confirme the diuinity, that we deny the verity of the body, and not to make this concluſion, that thoſe things which are in god be euerye where, as God is eueryevery where.
29. There can be no other nevve religion then this.
IN this miſtery of our redemption which mans reaſon cānot attaine, god is declared to be very god, y• is to ſaye, perfectlye righteous and perfetly merciful. Firſt aRom. 3, dperfectly righteous in y• hee hath puniſhed al our ſins very ſharply in his, perſō who made bi. Tim. 2, bhimſelf a ſatiſfaction & pledge, to wit, in Ieſus Chriſt, & moreouer doeth not receiue vsus nor allow vsus as his childrē, c2. Cor. 5, d Rom. 8, c Collo. 2, cexcept we be couered & clothed with the innocencie, holines & perfect rightouſnes of Ieſus Chriſt. On the other part he declareth himſelf to be perfectly mercifull in y• he finding in vsus nothing but cauſe and matter of damnation, dRom 5, byet would that his ſonne ſhould take our nature in whom he foūd a remedy to appeaſe his iuſtice, eRom. 8, …whom alſo he doth cōmunicat to vsus freely with all his treaſures to ye end that we may be partakers of eternal life by his only goodnes and mercy: ſo that by faith we lay hold on Ieſus Chriſt as ſhalbe ſhewed hereafter. But contrariwiſe al religion g…, Cor. 2. awhiche dothe appoſe or ſette againſte the wrath of God anye other thing then the only innocency righteouſnes & ſatiſfaction of Ieſus Chriſte apprehended by fayth, ſpoyled god of his perfecte righteouſnes and mercy, and conſequently ought to be holden for falſe and deceitful as ſhalbe declared in the ſeuenth poynte.