The Whole Body of Religion, Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. Concerning Chriſt our Redeemer.
DOCTRINE I. The ſumme of our faith concerning the Perſon and Office of Chriſt our Redeemer.
THereforeaGal. 4.4. When the fulneſſe of the time was come, in which the promiſe of Redemption which was made unto the firſt man, was to be fulfilled by the ſecond: God ſent forth, The eternall Father, his Sonne, onelyonly begotten and eternall, and therefore true God of the ſame nature with the Father, made of a woman, alone without the ſeed of man, and therefore true man; but without ſinne, and therefore true Chriſt, made under the Law, and therefore alſo circumciſed, that he might with moſt perfect obedience fulfill the Law for us all, becoming obedient unto his Father even unto death, to wit for us: (for being without ſinne himſelf,5. he deſerved not to die) To redeem them that were under the Law, them that were, &c. Therefore all the elect: To redeeme them, to wit by his obedience, death, andaAct. 10.28. bloud ſhed, that is, a ſacrifice of infinite virtue, and a price of redemption of the greateſt efficacie (for it was the bloud of God) To redeeme them, I ſay, from their ſinnes unto the former image of God, and ſo unto the former image of God, and ſo unto perfect righteouſneſſe; and from death likewiſe unto eternall life; and from the kingdome of Satan unto the Kingdome of God: That we might receive the adoption of ſonnes, and ſo at length be received unto the full and perfect poſſeſſion of an heavenly inheritance, as ſonnes and lawfull heires; and to conclude,aEph. 1.10. That he might gather together in one head all things both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, and that he might make them cleave faſt unto him,bEph. 1.12. to the praiſe of his glorie.
DOCT. II. That Chriſt our Redeemer is both true God and true Man.
WE believe therefore that Ieſus Chriſt iscIohn 1.14. the onelyonly begotten Son of God, and therefore his Son by nature, coeſſentiall with the Father, anddMic. 5.2. coeternall, true God and Lord Jehova: and we believe that the ſame Ieſus Chriſt is alſo true man of the ſeed ofeMatt. 1.1. Abraham and David, conceived of the holy Ghoſt without the help of man, in the wombe of the VirginfHebr. 4.15. without ſinne: born of her, having a true humane ſoul and mind, being made like unto us in all things, ſinne onelyonly excepted. So that he is truegAthanaſ. in Symb. God of the ſubſtance of his Father begotten before all worlds, and man of the ſubſtance of his mother born in the world.
DOCT. III. That the Son onelyonly is both God and Man together.
BUt, ſo do we believe that the Son of God is both true God and Man together, and therefore true Chriſt, that we confeſſe him onelyonly to be ſo, & none beſides: For we read not that the Father or the holy Ghoſt, butaIohn 1.14. the Word onelyonly was made fleſh: And the Apoſtle ſaith that thebGal. 4.4. Son was made of a woman, and ſo he onelyonly ſuffered: although to the creation of the nature aſſumed by the Son, not onelyonly the Son, but the Father alſo and the holy Ghoſt concurred.
DOCT. IV. That the Son was made Man without any change in himſelf by aſſuming onelyonly the humane nature unto himſelf.
BUt we believe that the Son of God was made Man, not by any converſion of himſelf into fleſh, not by any mutation in the fleſh, not by any confuſion of the divine and humane nature, but by the aſſuming onelyonly of the humane nature into the unitie of his Perſon. And, as Athanaſius ſpeaketh,aAthan. in Symb. Not by converſion of the Godhead into fleſh, but by taking of the Manhood into God: So that he in no wiſe loſt what he was, but aſſumed what he was not, according to what the Apoſtle ſaith,bHebr. 2.16. He took on him the ſeed of Abraham: whereby he teacheth us, That, as the Son aſſuming was not changed into the thing aſſumed (for God is altogether unchangeable) but remained what he was, being truely diſtinguiſhed from the thing aſſumed: So the ſeed aſſumed was in no wiſe converted into the thing aſſuming, but was united onelyonly with the divine nature into the unitie of the ſame Perſon, according to what the Evangeliſt ſaithcIohn. 1.14. The Word was made fleſh. Therefore the fleſh remained fleſh, and was not changed into the Word.
DOCT. V. That neither one nature aſſumed another, nor one Perſon another, but the Perſon of the Son of God the humane nature.
FRom whence we underſtand that the divine nature which is common to all the three Perſons, yea one and the ſame in them all, aſſumed not unto it ſelf the humane nature, nor one Perſon another, but nature onelyonly. For the Son of God took not upon him any ſon of Abraham: but the ſeed of Abraham, that is, the humane nature propagated from Abraham: and therefore we acknowledge not two Perſons in Chriſt, but that one onelyonly, by which all things were made, and which was ſo perfect before the aſſuming of the ſeed of Abraham, that by the aſſuming thereof it became not another from what it was, neither yet a more perfect Perſon, nor any way elſe imperfect.
DOCT. VI. That the humane nature was not by Chriſt aſſumed to conſtitute any new Perſon, nor to make the Perſon that was before, more perfect then before it was: But, that it was aſſumed onelyonly into the ſocietie and unitie of that eternall and moſt perfect Perſon.
FOr, although in Chriſt we acknowledge two natures, the divine and the humane: Yet we do in no wiſe grant that the humane nature was therefore aſſumed, that either of this and that as of the parts there ſhould be conſtituted any new Perſon unto Chriſt, or that the eternall Perſon which was before ſhould be made more perfect then before, by the acceſſe of a new nature; but this onelyonly, That the humane nature being aſſumed into the unitie of that Perſon, which was exiſtent from all eternitie, and alſo moſt perfect, the Son of God remaining what he was, might become what he was not, and might have what to offer to his Father for us. And therefore we do not abſolutely and ſimply like it, if any man do ſay, That, as of the ſoul and body there is conſtituted the perſon of every man, ſo alſo of the divine and humane nature was conſtituted the Perſon of Chriſt. But we like the phraſe which is uſed in the Church, That Chriſt clothed himſelf or was clothed with our fleſh. Whereupon ſaith St. Auguſtine, aAuguſt.That Chriſt deſcended from heaven, like a naked man from the mount; and that he aſcended up again, clothed with our fleſh as with a garment. For this phraſe, Although it do not perfectly expreſſe the Hypoſtaticall union, yet it maketh a manifeſt difference between the Perſon of the Son of God aſſuming, and our nature aſſumed. For the ſame reaſon alſo we like the manner of ſpeaking which is uſed by the Fathers, That the humane nature is born by the Son of God, and again, That it doth ſubſiſt in the Perſon of the Son of God, and ſuch like, diſcerning the Perſon of the Son of God aſſuming from the nature aſſumed, & teaching moreover that the Perſon of the Son of God was not made another from what it was, nor more perfect then before it was, by the acceſſe of the humane nature.
DOCT. VII. The confirmation of the foregoing opinion together with the expoſition of that place of Athanaſius.
WE confeſſe indeed, That, As the reaſonable ſoul and fleſh is one man, ſo God and man is one Chriſt: that is, That there is but one Perſon, although there be two natures in him. But not thus, as if of the two natures, as of the parts thereof, (to ſpeake properly) were conſtituted the Perſon of Chriſt; as to the conſtituting of the perſon of man, the body as well as the ſoul doth concurre neceſſarily, as an eſſentiall part: For as much as the Perſon of Chriſt was exiſtent, and moſt complete and perfect before the manifeſtation thereof in the fleſh; but the perſon of man, ſuppoſe Adam, was not, before the conjunction of the ſoul and body: and again, for as much as neither the ſoul of man aſſumed the body, nor the body, the ſoul; as the Son of God aſſumed unto himſelf the ſeed of Abraham into the unitie of the fame perſon: and further, for as much as the body and ſoul are two ſubſtances, as it appeareth in the creation of Adam; but the humane nature of Chriſt never ſubſiſted by it ſelf alone, but onelyonly in the Perſon of the Son of God. From whence it appeareth, how unjuſtly ſome abuſe the godly ſaying of Athanaſius, to prove their own dreams and phanſies. For it is altogether neceſſarie that he which manifeſted himſelf (that is, the Perſon of the Son of God) ſhould be different from the fleſh in which he manifeſted himſelf; and that not onelyonly before, but alſo after the reſurrection, and his ſeſſion at the right hand of the Father: which (as St. Auguſtine ſaith) brought glorie indeed into the fleſh, but took not away the nature thereof.
DOCT. VIII. How Chriſt can be one onelyonly Perſon, and that eternall and immutable, and yet in it two natures: and how he can be ſaid to conſiſt of them.
WE therefore acknowledge and confeſſe, againſt Neſtorius, That in Chriſt there is one onelyonly Perſon, and that eternall, moſt ſimple and moſt perfect, and remaining the ſame for ever, to wit, the Perſon of the eternall Son of God: and, that unto this eternall Perſon there was added in time, not another perſon, but another nature, that is, the humane; but yet not as a part of that Perſon, by which it was aſſumed, but a thing farre different from it, and yet aſſumed into the unitie thereof. And further in the third place, we confeſſe that in one and the ſame Perſon of Chriſt there are now two natures: the divine and humane, in which we doubt not but it ſubſiſteth, liveth, and worketh. Wherefore we are not afraid to ſay, that Chriſt now conſiſteth of the divine & humane nature being aſſumed into the unitie of perſon; and that he is after ſome ſort compounded of them, as we may ſo ſpeake.
DOCT. IX. How the two natures are united into one Perſon, without either converſion or confuſion: the properties and actions of each remaining ſtill ſafe, and diſtinguiſhed.
ANd we believe and confeſſe, That the two natures of Chriſt are ſo truely and inſeparably conjoyned and united into one Perſon: that yet notwithſtanding we doubt not to ſay, that each ſtill remaineth entire and perfect, and truely diſtinct one from the other, and each ſtill retaineth it's own diſtinct eſſentiall properties and operations, without all manner of confuſion: ſo that, as the divine retaining it's own properties, remained uncreate, infinite, inmenſe, ſimply omnipotent, ſimply wiſe: So alſo the humane retaining it's properties, remaineth created, finite, and terminated by certain bounds. And again, as the divine hath it's own proper will and power, by which Chriſt as God willeth and worketh the things which are of God: So likewiſe the humane hath it's own, by which the ſame Chriſt as man willeth and worketh the things which are of man: So farre forth, that, as Chriſt, as he is God; neither willeth nor worketh by his humane will and power: So neither as man willeth or worketh he by his divine will and power: As it is well determined by the Fathers againſt Eutyches, and againſt Macarius. Therefore we like well that ſaying of Leo the firſt, who writing unto Flavianus concerning this matter ſaith thus,aLeo Epiſt 10. cap. 4. He which is true God, is alſo true man; neither is there any lye in this unitie, whilſt there is in Chriſt both the humilitie of the humanitie, and the ſublimitie of the Deitie. For, as God is not changed by ſhewing mercy and compaſsion: ſo neither is man (that is, the humane nature in Chriſt) conſumed by being dignified. For each form with the communion of the other worketh that which is proper unto it ſelf: the word ſtill working that which is of the word; and the fleſh that which is of the fleſh. So farre goes Leo: and what he ſayes, he afterwards illuſtrates by ſome examples, by which he demonſtrates, that, as the natures in Chriſt are indeed united, but yet remain ſtill diſtinct, and not confuſed: So likewiſe the actions, both were and are: becauſe the fleſh, and not the Word, did the things belonging to the fleſh; and, the Word, and not the fleſh, did the things belonging to the Word. To raiſe up Lazarus, was a work proper onelyonly to the Word; but to cry,aIohn 11.43. Lazarus come forth, belonged onelyonly to the fleſh: yet to the raiſing up of Lazarus, both actions were united; becauſe they were from one and in one Chriſt, and tended to one work; and yet they were diſtinguiſhed. So again, to forgive ſinnes, was an action proper onelyonly to the divine nature; but to ſay,bMatt. 9.2. Thy ſinnes be forgiven thee, this was proper onelyonly to the humane. To reſtore ſight unto him that was blind from his birth, was an action proper onelyonly to the divine nature: but to put clay upon the eyes of him that was blind, and to ſay,cIohn 9.7. Goe and waſh, this was proper onelyonly to the humane. Therefore the Hypoſtaticall union, as it confounded not the natures, ſo neither did it confound the actions, but retained them diſtinct: and therefore neither are the properties of the natures confounded, but remaine diſtinct. For there are three things in one and the ſame perſon of Chriſt, The Natures, the Properties and Faculties of the Natures, and the Actions of the Properties and Faculties: and as the Natures and Actions are in Chriſt, in ſuch manner alſo are the Properties of the Natures. As therefore it is manifeſt that one Nature is not tranſfuſed into another, nor the actions confounded one with another: So alſo is it manifeſt concerning the properties.
DOCT. X. That, from the union of the Natures, the true and reall transfuſion of the divine properties into the humane nature of Chriſt, can in no wiſe be proved.
FOr we like and approve of that moſt true ſaying of the Fathers againſt the Eu…ychians, and Monothelites (to witt) That they which have the ſame eſſentiall Properties, have alſo the ſame Natures and eſſences: and they which have their Naturall Properties confounded, have alſo their Natures confounded. Which as it is true in all, ſo in God eſpecially, in whom his Eſſentiall Properties are nothing elſe really, but his very Eſſence: From whence it followes upon neceſſitie, that, if they can truely and properly be communicated unto any created ſubſtance, ſo that it can become as God is, as for example, Simply Omnipotent; then alſo Gods very Eſſence may be communicated unto it: ſo that, if it can become equall unto God for Power or any other Propertie, then may it alſo become equall unto God for Eſſence, and ſo Co-eſſentiall with God. Which to ſay, were to commit two grand errours: One, in making the creature equall to God, by attributing and communicating unto it thoſe things which truely and properly belong onelyonly unto God. Neither doth the exception help, in ſaying, That God hath them from himſelf, but the humane nature in Chriſt hath them from the Godhead: For even the Son himſef, is not from himſelf, neither hath he his divine eſſence from himſelf, but from the Father; and yet he is equall to the Father and hath the ſame nature with the Father. The other errour is committed, in attributing divine, and ſo infinite properties, as infinite power, unto the humane nature; and ſo taking from it the finite properties thereof: Even as the great light of the Sun taketh away the light of a candle; or as the glory which ſhall be communicated unto our bodyes at the reſurrection, ſhall take from them all their diſhonour and corruption. For where an infinite power is an Agent, and worketh; there a finite power is idle and none at all. But this Hereſie hath been ſo fully and perſpicuouſly refuted by many learned men in our age, that for our parts being here to ſet forth a brief and ſimple confeſſion of our faith unto the Church of God, and all poſteritie; we will not adde any thing more to that which hath been ſaid.
DOCT. XI. How great the force of the Hypoſtaticall union is.
YEt we believe and confeſſe, that the force of the union of natures in Chriſt is ſo great, that firſt indeed, What Chriſt is, or doth according to his divine nature, that is all-Chriſt the Son of Man ſaid to be, or to do; and again, What Chriſt is, or doth, or hath ſuffered according to his humane nature, That is all-Chriſt, God, Son of God, ſaid in holy Scripture to be, to have done, and to have ſuffered: As in that place, where it ſaid,aActs 20.2…. God (that is, Chriſt Man and God) hath purchaſed the Church with his own bloud: whereas the force of the purchaſe pertaineth unto the Deitie, or Godhead; and the pouring out of bloud onelyonly unto the humanitie or Manhood: Yet both theſe Actions are joyned together in one, and both are attributed unto the whole Perſon of Chriſt; although they were and are diſtinguiſhed: For although the natures be diſtinguiſhed, yet are they coupled together in the Perſon of Chriſt, which is but one. Yet further, Chriſt as Mediatour, never did or doth any thing according to his humanitie, whereunto his divinitie did not and doth not cooperate, or work together: and again, he did nothing according to his divinitie, whereunto his humanitie did not conſent and willingly agree. And therefore well did the Fathers in calling the operations or actions of Chriſt as Mediatour, operatious Theandricall, that is of God and Man. In the ſecond place, As the force of the union which is between the Father and the Son is ſo great, that he doth nothing, neither communicateth unto the world any good but by the Son: In like manner, ſo great is the force of the Hypoſtaticall union of the two natures in Chriſt, that there flowes unto us no grace, no ſalvation, no life, from the Deitie, but by the humanitie apprehended of us by faith: ſo that it is altogether neceſſarie that he be coupled unto the fleſh of Chriſt, whoſoever will be made partaker of eternall life: according to that of our Saviour,aIohn 6.13. Except eate the fleſh of the Son of Man, the have no life in you. And in the laſt place, by the force of the ſaid union it is effected, that we cannot worſhip and adore the Deitie in Chriſt, without worſhipping and adoring alſo the humanitie in him: and again, That both the humane and divine nature are to be worſhipped and adored of us altogether with one and the ſame manner of worſhip, and adoration: according to that,aHebe 1.6. And when he bringeth in the firſt begotten into the world, he ſaith, And let all the angels of God worſhip him; him, that is, the whole Perſon, God and Mau together: whereas yet the humane nature by it ſelf, and in it ſelf merely conſidered, neither can, nor ought to be worſhipped: For God onelyonly is to be worſhipped. But it is not any union, but the Hypoſtaticall union of the divine and humane nature which effects this, that we have ſaid. Wherefore, although God dwelleth in his Saints; yet are not they to be worſhipped or pray'd unto, as is the Man Chriſt. Great therefore ſurely, we confeſſe, is the union whereof we ſpeak: but yet ſuch is the union, that it excludes all confuſion, and tranſfuſion. For, if the union between the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghoſt, in one eſſence, then which union there neither is, nor can be imagined a greater, take not away the diſtinction of Perſons: neither can this union of natures, and ſo of properties, and actions, in one Perſon, take away the diſtinction, or bring in a confuſion thereof.
DOCT. XII. That unto Chriſt as Man, was given indeed the greateſt power that could be; but yet finite: as alſo other gifts.
WE believe further, that, as Chriſt, as he is God, is ſimply omnipotent, and ſimply wiſe, and ſo alſo in his other Atrributes: So as he is man, there was given unto him power and knowledge, fárre ſurpaſſing, yea almoſt by infinite degrees, the power, and knowledge of all creatures both in heaven and on earth; but yet finite: and ſo likewiſe all other gifts and virtues, as charitie, prudence, fortitude, juſtice, grace, truth, and the reſt, whereof the Prophet Iſaiah ſpeaketh,aIſa. 11.2. And the Spirit of the Lord ſhall reſt upon him, &c. and Iohn the Evangeliſt, who teſtifieth that he wasbIohn 1.14. full of grace and truth, (and Luke)cLuk. 2.25. And Ieſus increaſed in wiſedome and ſtature, and in favour with God and Man. For which cauſe he is by the Apoſtle ſaid to bedEph. 1.20. ſet at Gods right hand in the heavenly places, e21.Farre above all principalities and powers; and again, Iohn ſaith,fIohn 3.34. God giveth not the Spirit unto him by meaſure; and again, the Apoſtle,gColoſſ. 2.3. In him are hid all the treaſures of wiſedome and knowledge. Whence it cometh to paſſe that, as he is Man, he knoweth all things, and can do all things which belong unto his office: but as for thoſe things which no created ſubſtance can do, but God alone; thoſe he doth by the power of the Deitie, yet not without the conſent, and as it were the ſupplication of the humane nature: inſomuch that to all the actions of Chriſt, as he is God, concerning our ſalvation, his ſoul in ſome manner is alwayes added, by the love, deſire, and will thereof. As likewiſe in all which he did as Man the Deitie alwayes concurred, even in his death and paſſion; not that the Deitie ſuffered, but that it willed the death & paſſion of Chriſt, and gave unto his death and paſſion infinite power and efficacie to expiate and purge away our ſins. To conclude in a word, concerning the natures of Chriſt, together with their union, and properties, we believe whatſoever was ſet down, and concluded by the Nicene Councill, and that of Conſtantinople, and that of Epheſus, and that of Calcedon, agaiſt Arius, Apollinaris, Neſtorius, Eutyches: as alſo what was defined and determined in the ſixt Synod againſt the Monothelites.
DOCT XIII. That the actions of Chriſt are of two kinds: and that what we read that Chriſt did or ſuffered; was all done and ſuffered by him according unto truth, and not according to outward appearance onelyonly.
NOw, to paſſe from the Perſon of Chriſt, and his natures, and the union of the natures, unto his actions and office peculiarly: We believe firſt, as there are two true natures in Chrſt, whereof each had, and hath it's own true and eſſentiall properties, conjoyned indeed, as the natures alſo are united, but not confounded: So likewiſe that there are two kinds of actions, which we read that our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, partly hath already performed, and partly doth not yet ceaſe to performe; and that ſome of theſe actions flow from the Deitie, and others from the humanitie; and that they were partly, and partly are ſo conjoyned, and yet ſo diſtinct, that each form (as Leo ſpeaketh) doth alwayes work with the communion of the other, The Word ſtill doing that which is proper to the Word, and the fleſh exequuting that which belongeth unto the fleſh. And again, as the works which Chriſt either did or doth by the virtue and power of the divine nature, are true and not feigned; for he reconciled us truely unto his Father, he pardoneth and forgiveth ſinnes truely, he truely ſanctifieth and regenerateth: So alſo whatſoever we reade that he either did or ſuffered for us according to his humane nature, all that we believe that he both did and ſuffered in deed and in truth, and not in ſhew, and (as they ſpeak) appearance onelyonly.
DOCT. XIV. The explication of the fore-going opinion.
THerefore we believe that Chriſt, as he was truely conceived of the ſeed of David, as he was truely born, and true Man, as he did truely eate and drink, and performe other outward actions of a man: So alſo that he truely fulfilled the Law for us, that he truelya1 Pet. 4.1. ſuffered in the fleſh, that hebMatt. 27.50. truelycRom. 5.3. died, that hed2 Cor. 5.15. truely roſe again from the dead,eLuk. 24.39.51. in the ſame fleſh, that hefAct. 1.9. aſcended with his viſible, palpable, true humane body being terminated by certain dimenſions, into the true and created heaven,gEph. 4.10. farre above all the viſible heavens, that he there remaineth working according to his own free will, untill he ſhall come again from heaven in the ſame viſible body, to judge both the quick and the dead, that in heaven he truly willeth our ſalvation, that he hath a care of us,aEph. 1.22, 4, 16. that he ſends down the influences of Spirituall and vitall ſenſe and motion into us as unto his own members, and that he governeth his whole Church.
CHAP. XV. The fruits of Chriſts obedience, paſsion, death, and reſurrection.
ANd we believe, that Chriſt by his perfect obedience merited not onelyonly for himſelf, but for us alſo, eternall life; That he by his death and paſſion hath expiated and purged away all our ſinnes in his own fleſh; That he hath redeemed us out of the hands of Satan, from the tyrannie of death, and from the ſlaverie of ſinne; that he hath reconciled us unto God in himſelf, and made us beloved of him, that we might be accounted righteous in him before God the Father; that by his reſurrection, and aſcenſion into heaven he hath obtained for us a twofold reſurrection, aRevel. 20.5.the firſt andb6. the ſecond, as Iohn ſpeaketh; that he hath taken poſſeſſion of an heavenly inheritance for us; that he ſitteth at the right hand of the Father, that is, ThatcMatt. 28.18. All power is given unto him in heaven, and in earth: So that as he is Mediatour and Man he hath the ſecond place from the Father; being conſtituted the head of the whole Church, both that in heaven, and that on earth: that from him, and from his fleſh there may be derived unto us by the holy Ghoſt, unto us, I ſay, who as members are joyned unto him as unto our head, there may be derived whatſoever pertaineth to our vivification, and Spirituall life. And therefore we acknowledge, believe, and confeſſe that in Chriſt alone, all our Salvation, redemption, righteouſneſſe, the grace of God, and eternall life conſiſteth, according to that of the Apoſtle,d1. Cor. 1.30. Of him are ye in Chriſt Ieſus, who of God is made unto us wiſedome and righteouſneſſe, and ſanctification, and redemption: and in another place,eEph. 2.14. He is our peace: and according to the Prophet,fIerem. 23.6. The Lord our righteouſneſſe: and again according to the Apoſtle,aEph. 1.7. In him we have redemption through his bloud, the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes: and again,bColoſſ. 1.19. It pleaſed the Father, that in him all fullneſſe ſhould dwell: and according to St. Iohn the Apoſtle,c1. Iohn 5.11. This life, (that is, life eternall) is in his Son. And hereby we underſtand that the promiſe, concerning redemption, which was made unto the firſt man, received it's complement and perfection in the ſecond, the Man Chriſt Ieſus: ſo that he which will be made partaker of redemption muſt needs be made a member of Chriſt, and be joyned unto him as unto his head: For we have redemption and ſalvation not onelyonly by ſins as our Mediatour, but alſo in him as in our head. This is our faith and belief concerning Chriſt our Redeemer, concerning his Perſon, Natures, Office, and concerning the ſalvation of mankind in him complete and finiſhed.
DOCT. XVI. Hereſies and errours condemned.
THerefore we condemne all Heretikes as well ancient as moderne, old and new, which ever taught or now teach the contrarie; by name, Arius, Phornius, Servetus & all others of the ſame ſtampe, which deny the true Deitie of Chriſt: as alſo the Cerdonians, Marcionites, Valentinians, Manichees, Priſcillianites, Apollinariſts, and others, which oppugned the humanitie of Chriſt: Whereof ſome denyed that Chriſt was come in the fleſh, or that he had true fleſh, ſaying that he brought a body onelyonly in appearance from heaven, or that he had a body conceived of the elements and not of the ſeed of Abraham, and that he was not born of a woman; And others indeed granted that he had humane fleſh, but denyed him to have a reaſonable ſoul, putting the Deitie in the place of it. We condemne likewiſe the Neſtorians, which denyed the true union of the humane nature with the Perſon of Son, and held two Perſons in Chriſt, and two Sons; the Son of God, and the Son of Man. We condemne likewiſe the Eutychians, which contrarily as the Perſon of Chriſt is onelyonly one, ſo alſo hold that there was in him but one nature onelyonly, to wit, the divine: teaching that the humane nature which he aſſumed, was either converted altogether into the divine; or elſe that it was ſo mixed and confounded with the divine, that they made no difference at all between the properties and actions of the divine and humane nature. We condemne likewiſe thoſe that came from them, Macarius with his followers: which held that there was but one onelyonly will in Chriſt, to wit, the divine; and ſo acknowledged no proper action of the humane Will in him. We condemne alſo the Cerdonians, in this that they ſaid, that Chriſt neither ſuffered truely nor died truely; but ſeemingly onelyonly, & in outward ſhew and appearance: & together with them we condemne alſo all thoſe, who heretofore have taught, or at this time do teach the like; ſaying, That Chriſt either roſe not again in the ſame fleſh wherein he died, but in another and that of a diverſe nature; Or if he did riſe in the ſame, yet that he aſcended not truely into heaven, and carried it in thither with him. We do alſo following the judgement of Ierom, Cyrill, and the reſt of the Fathers, condemne the Origeniſts, and ſuch like as they were, which held that Chriſt roſe with a body like a Spirit, moſt ſubtill, and of it's own nature inviſible, and not coming under the judgement of humane ſenſe. And laſt of all thoſe, as Iews and Turks which deny that the world is redeemed by the benefit of Chriſts death: together with all them which place their ſalvation in whole or in part in any other thing, but Chriſt onelyonly; or blaſphemouſlly ſay that ſins are expiated and taken away by any other ſacrifices beſide that of Chriſts. For we acknowledge one onelyonly Redeemer Ieſus Chriſt, without whom, as there is no God, ſo there is no ſalvation: and we acknowledge but one onelyonly ſacrifice, by the oblation whereof the elect were once expiated in the Perſon of Chriſt, but alſo are daily pardoned unto all believers even to the end of the world.