The Whole Body of Religion, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Concerning the Promiſe of Redemption and Salvation through Chriſt.
DOCTRINE I. That Chriſt the heavenly man was of grace promiſed to ſave us.
WHena1 Cor. 15.47. the firſt man, which was of the earth earthy, wasbGen. 3.17. fallen into ſuch a miſerable eſtate and condition by his own fault through diſobedience; and not he onelyonly, but together with him all his poſteritie, which ſinned in him, and were to becPſalm. 5….5. conceived in ſin, & to be borndEph. 2.3. the children of wrath: We believe, that God of his mere grace and merciemercy to Adam and Eve, and in them to all mankind,eGen 3.15. Matt. 1.21. promiſed another manf1 Cor. 15.47. from heaven, of the true ſubſtance of man indeed, but to beaLuk. 1.34. conceived without the ſeed of man, and therefore to bebIſa. 7.14. Matt. 1.23. Luk. 1.34. born of a VirgincHeb. 4.15. without ſinne: in whom as in another head of mankind, conſiſting of a divine and humane nature, being the true &dHeb. 1.3. expreſſe image of God the Father, and filled with the holy Ghoſt that might be fulfilled, which in the firſt head ſucceeded not through his own fault, that is, That he the ſecond man in our name and for us, which were to beeRom. 6.5.11.7. grafted into him by his Spirit, and by ſpirituall generation to befEph. 5.29. fleſh of his fleſh, and bone of his bones, might moſt perfectlygRom. 5.19. obey God the Father, and by hishPhil. 2.8. obedience and death take away ſinne, appeaſe the wrath of God, redeem us, juſtifie us, ſanctifie us, rule us by his Spirit, ſet us at libertie, give us grace and ſtrength to that which is good, and finally ſave us unto everlaſting life and glorifie us.
DOCT. II. That the Promiſe, Concerning the Redemption by Chriſt, was neceſſarie.
FOr Adam, not as a private perſon, but as the parent and root of all mankind, as he was indued at the firſt with righteouſneſs, that he might propagate it unto all his poſteritie as in an inheritance; for which cauſe it is commonly called Originall righteouſneſs: So by his diſobedience, he hath tranſmitted unto all men great unrighteouſneſſe in ſtead of righteouſneſſe, and eternall death in ſtead of life eternall. Neceſſarie therefore was it, that there ſhould be another head, that is, Chriſt from whom by reaſon of his obedience there might be derived on all his members true and heavenly righteouſneſſe, holineſſe, and life.
DOCT. III. To what end the Promiſe was made preſently after that the ſinne was committed.
WE believe, That therefore the promiſe was preſently after the ſinne committed, made from the begining of the world, and afterwards by the holy fathers was often repeated, expounded, and confirmed, by divers wayes ſignes and ſeales. That not only we, which have been ſince the coming of the Meſſias; but alſo all others from the foundations of the world, as many as ſhould believe this promiſe, and by true faith embrace Chriſt to come: might alſo be made partakers of redemption, juſtification, and ſalvation.
DOCT. IV. That, from the beginning of the world, as many as believed on Chriſt to come, were ſaved.
WE believe, That from the beginning of the world as many as believed on Chriſt promiſed and to come, they were grafted into him by faith; they were made partakers of his future obedience, paſſion, death, and redemption; they did eate his body which was afterwards to be delivered, and drink his bloud which was afterwards to be powred out; and laſt of all, they were all Chriſtians indued with the Spirit of Chriſt, and ſaved unto everlaſting life, no leſſe then we are.
DOCT. V. Errours condemned.
ANd further we condemne and deteſt their opinon which hold that no man was ſaved before the coming of Chriſt; and that the Fathers which were before, received no promiſe of eternall ſalvation, but onelyonly of things temporall.