HAVING DECLARED THESE THINGS which appertain unto the person of Christ: it remaineth that we speak by what means, Christ with all his benefits, is applied unto us.

1. CHRISTIAN faith is that only hand, whereby we take hold, or apply unto ourselves, Christ being {48} offered unto us, with all his benefits, that are necessary unto our salvation.

2. This Faith, we do first of all distinguish, from that mere agreement of the understanding, whereby it cometh to pass, that we believe all these things to be true which are contained in the holy Scriptures: the which agreement or assent, we affirm that it may arise from the light of nature also, and the arguments that may be compassed by human reason, without any peculiar [en]lightening of the Holy Spirit, seeing the very unclean spirits themselves do believe this.

3. We also distinguish this Faith from the assent, whereby some have peculiarly applied some peculiar promises made unto themselves, that were diverse from the promises of eternal life, who notwithstanding were never made partakers thereof.

4. The Faith therefore whereof we now speak, we do define to be that assurance whereby, beyond the former assent, the godly are carried unto Christ, and so particularly apply unto themselves the promise of salvation offered in him.

We do condemn therefore all such sophistry as doth confound these two sorts of faith, and especially those who, taking Faith for the obedience that is yielded unto God’s commandments, do by that means mingle the one of them with the other.

5. We affirm this Faith to be the mere gift of God, peculiar only to the elect: and such a gift as in no wise can be repented of, or called back, or being the most sure & immovable remedy unto the salvation of all the elect.

We detest therefore all those, who imagine that Christ and his saving grace may be received, by any merit, either preparatory, or fore-seen;  And especially all these who dream, that Christ may be conveyed unto us, with the hand or mouth of the body.

6. We deny also that this Faith can ever utterly be lost, although at some times, even in the most holy men, it be asleep, as the mind is in those that are overcome with {49} drink: and notwithstanding that some have, as it were, a shadow thereof begun in them.

7. This faith doth God create, at what time, and in what measure it pleaseth him, strengthening and increasing the same, by little and little, though never perfecting it while we are here; yet granting so much of it in this life, as is needful for the elect to obtain the victory:  Now in the life to come, he doth fulfill indeed, that which we believed and hoped for, while we were here on earth.

We do execrate and detest therefore, the CELESTINIANS, and the ANABAPTISTS, who dream of a perfection of faith and righteousness in this life, and do abolish the daily growth of repentance, and our continual prayers, which even unto our last gasp, we are to make for remission of sins.

Defended by BENJAMIN CRESSONIVS of Burgundy.

1. THE efficient cause of faith indeed, and to speak properly, is one; to wit, the mercy of God; that is, if the Father in the Son, by the Holy Ghost, that the same coessential power of the Father and the Son, by the which man at the first was created in the image of God, should restore in us the same being left.

2. The ordinary means whereby the same is wrought, (that is, whereby both the understanding of man is framed unto a saving knowledge of God in Christ, and a particular receiving thereof; and also the will powerfully disposed unto a right order of the affections) is the preaching of God’s word, delivered unto us by the Prophets and Apostles, and for that cause (so far as it concerneth the elect) appointed to be in the Church.

3. But here two extremities are to be taken heed unto: the one of the ENTHUSIASTS, who do not only distinguish {50} but also separate the internal word as they call it: that is, the work of the Spirit of God in our souls, from the preaching of the written word: whence followeth not any faith, but rather a mere dotage.  The other is of those, who after the manner of Sorcerers, do transfer the efficacy, which is the proper and incommunicable work of God only, either unto the ministers which speak, or to the Sacramental elements: whereas notwithstanding, they have no other effect, than to represent these things to our understanding, which, according unto God’s ordinance they are appointed to signify.

Whereas then the ministers are said to work together with God, it is so to be taken, as they are used, but for the outward planting & watering: when as in the mean time, the whole force which worketh in the understanding and the will, doth flow from God only.

4. Now that which we have spoken of the Ecclesiastical ministry, is so to be taken, as in the mean time we are to know, that God as often as it pleaseth him, is able in a moment by the inward operation of his Spirit, extraordinarily to regenerate his elect.

5. But this extraordinary work of God, is neither to be expected for of us, nor yet rashly to be admitted.

6. Now the most sure way to try it, whether it be truly from God, or no, is this: namely, that whether it be by the ordinary hearing of the word; or, (which hath been always most seldom,) whether God worketh by extraordinary inspiration; it must needs evermore teach the very same doctrine, which the written word of the Prophets and the Apostles do teach.

7. There is not at all times the like majesty of the good order of this sacred Ministry, because the Lord doth as often, and as far as he thinketh good, revenge the negligency and wickedness of the Shepherds, and the contempt of the sheep in such sort: that sometimes it is darkened by the spots of filthiness; and otherwhiles for a time, it goeth as it were, clean out of sight, as it came to pass in the former ages. {51}

8. Yet the Militant Church, either private or public from others, or by means of private reading, hath ever enjoyed, and ever shall enjoy the hearing of the word, and the understanding of the truth that ariseth therefrom.

9. Now that true and lively faith, whereof we speak, is no less made known, by the perpetual and necessary effects thereof, than is the life of the body, by motion and sense.

10. But these effects do not give being unto faith, or inform the same, as the Sophisters do most absurdly dream, but they are the undoubted and sure signs of it.

11. These effects are partly carried out of us unto Christ, with whom we are united by faith, and partly they do beget some things within us.

12. The outward effects, inasmuch as they do peculiarly apply Christ and his benefits, unto those that believe, and therefore the most excellent, and of greatest account.  And they are, both the full remission of all sins, as well original as actual, by the blood of Christ, and also the bestowing upon us of all righteousness fulfilled by him, together with the most full restoring and repairing of our nature in the flesh of Christ: All which, are freely by faith in Christ, imputed unto us, who take hold both of him and his gifts.

13. Another effect of our spiritual joining together with him by faith is, that he governeth by his Holy Spirit, both our understanding & will, being sanctified and brought out of darkness unto that marvelous light; so as we begin to think, to will, and to do, the things that are of God.

This self-same Spirit, increasing faith in us, being now not under the authority of the law and the flesh, but under the grace of effectual Regeneration, doth teach, comfort, raise, and confirm us in all our conflicts against Satan: Until we obtain the crown, which is given of free gift, though unto these only, that do lawfully strive and overcome.

Defended by HILARIUS FANTRAT an English-man of Guernzie, [Guernsey.]

1. THAT we may have a sure foundation of eternal life, and may worship God in this life with a quiet conscience, the doctrine of man’s justification in the presence of God, is very necessary.

2. Justification therefore, is a free imputation of righteousness, made of God, by and for Christ, to salvation unto every one that believeth.

3. But inasmuch as God is exceedingly merciful, and exceedingly just, and that his mercy doth not abolish his justice, which remaineth unviolated, it behooved that his justice should be fully satisfied, before such time as he could pour forth his mercy upon mankind, and therefore that Christ should be God and man.

4. For he who is only man, cannot be able to sustain the wrath of God; nor on the other side, he who is only God, because, that God can be subject unto no kind of suffering.

5. Therefore God the Father, being drawn in mercy, would have his only begotten Son, at the appointed time, to become true man, without any confusion or mingling of the natures, [that he] might reconcile men unto God.

6. The efficient cause therefore, of the righteousness imputed unto us, is the mercy of God the Father, and his free love towards us: for he it is that saveth and justifieth.

7. The material cause, is Christ crucified, and risen for us, where three things come to be considered: the one whereof, consisteth in the punishments, whereby he hath most fully satisfied for all our sins; The other standeth in his obedience, & the fulfilling of the whole law, by him for us; the third, is the most perfect repairing, and integrity of our nature in the flesh, which Christ took upon him; whereby the filthiness of our nature is covered, that it cometh not into the sight of God. {53}

8. The formal cause, is the very imputation of Christ’s righteousness, by means whereof, we are accounted to be freed from sin, just, holy, and heirs of eternal life.

9. The instrumental is of two sorts: the one in respect of God that justifieth, which is Christ himself; the other in respect of us, that lay hold upon imputation of righteousness; and the same is faith, embracing firmly the promises of the grace of God in Christ.

10. The final [cause] likewise is two-fold; the one in respect of GOD, and that is, that he might declare his righteousness unto men, by partaking the same with them, and also the glory of his name, the which he maketh more clear in the vessels of mercy; the other in respect of us, that we may at the length enjoy indeed that life which is laid up for us in the Heavens, which now we possess by hope only.

11. The effect inherent in us, as in a subject, is that new quality, which is called inherent righteousness, or regeneration, which in no wise doth absolve us in the presence of God, but is only a most sure witness of our engrafting into Christ, and therefore, of our free absolution in him.

12. This righteousness, seeing it cannot be given unto any, save only unto the elect by faith, hath annexed unto it, the gift of perseverance; although by their fault, it seemeth sometimes to be ceased.

13. Whence we gather, that they, who have been once endued by God with this righteousness, can never fall away from his grace, and as for them that shall never be partakers hereof, they shall perish for ever.

We do therefore condemn those, that gainsay this Doctrine.

I. The LIBERTINES and the EPICURES, who when they hear that man is not justified by works, nor by his own righteousness, but by the righteousness of another; namely, by the righteousness of Christ imputed by faith, casting off all care of good works, have endeavoured, and daily do labour, to bring a kind of profane and godless security into the Church. {54}

II. The PAPISTS, who deny that we are justified by Faith only, but do attribute part of our justification unto works, and such works as are meritorious.

III. OSIANDER, who held that man was justified by the essential righteousness of God.

Defended by WILLIAM QUARCINUS Tarbiensis.

SEEING THE EFFECT OF FAITH IS twofold, Justification and Sanctification: it followeth that having spoken of the former, we adjoin the latter unto it.

1. HERE first of all, we do especially distinguish, Sanctification, whereof we are now to speak, from that most perfect integrity which in Christ is imputed unto us, as the effect is to be severed from the cause, and the fruit from the tree.

2. To express this whereof we now speak, there do occur many & diverse names in the holy Scriptures, as are these especially in the new testament: Sanctification, regeneration, newness of life, Baptism taken passively, Spirit, mortification of the old man, and the quickening of the new, with other the like phrases, which would be too long to be here recited.

3. Sanctification in this place we describe to be an effect proceeding from the Holy Ghost, working in the minds of the faithful: whereby, by little & little, even unto the end of this life, as the natural corruption is purged, so the image of God is repaired in us, until, after death, it be perfectly finished in the other world.

4. This gift (as also all others) which it bestoweth upon us, doth the Holy Ghost wholly draw from Christ, in whom the Scripture giveth us specially to consider in his death, burial, and resurrection, the subduing of that original corruption of ours, which was imputed unto him: {55} whence it cometh to pass, that we divide our whole sanctification into these three members: mortification, burial of the old man, and the rising again of the new.

5. The mortification of the old man, we call the effect of that spiritual and most powerful application of the death of Christ, whereby our corruption receiveth a death’s wound; so that it is no more so powerful, to stir up in our minds, wicked motions, & such as are contrary to God’s will.

6. The burying of the old man, is also an effect of the spiritual application of Christ’s burial, whereby, our old man, being already wounded by that deadly stroke, dieth by little and little, until at the length, after the death of this body, it be brought to nothing: For as the burial of the body, is a going forward of death; so also the burying of the old man, is nothing else, but a continuance, still proceeding further and further, of that mortification which went before.

7. The raising again of the new man, is also an effect of the spiritual application of the resurrection of Christ; whereby it cometh to pass, that the new man is raised up in us, that is, that the qualities of our mind (to wit, our understanding and will) are renewed unto true holiness of life.

8. These being renewed by faith, poured into us, though all the time of our being here we do but in a sort understand, and will the things that are of God: yet nevertheless, our works which belong unto God’s service, are favourably accepted by his Majesty, as proceeding from Christ, living and working in us by the holy Ghost.

9. In this respect then, we make this difference, between Philosophical and Christian virtues, that the former proceeding from a mind not yet regenerated, are no other than filthy and impure, in the presence of God; whereas, the latter on the other side, do of favour please God, and are in mercy crowned by him, because he looketh upon them as fruits of faith, flowing from Christ, who is the Author of all our purity and holiness.

10. Out of these things which have been spoken, may {56} be understood, not only all the parts of our sanctification, but even the causes which concur for the making up thereof, may be so easily gathered, as may be well perceived, that we put the Holy Ghost for the efficient, faith for the instrumental, the force and efficacy of that essential holiness which is in Christ for the material, the renewing of our whole mind, from impure, unto pure and upright qualities for the formal; and the worship of God tending unto his honor and the love of our neighbour, according unto the prescript rule of the first and second Tables, for the final cause thereof.

11. Whence it appeareth, that the Libertines who loath the practice of good works, are not to be reckoned up among the number of true Christians; seeing they neglect the chief end of a Christian life.  It appeareth also, that the PELAGIANS, and the half PELAGIANS the PAPISTS, are to be detested, because the former of them do affirm that we are sanctified by nature only; the latter, partly by nature, and partly by grace.

Defended by FRANCES PEFAVRIVS of Bearne.

1. INASMUCH as our whole salvation consisteth in our justification before GOD, it is needful, that we maintain the true doctrine thereof, against all the corruptions of the same; if so be that we will obtain salvation.

2. This justification then is, when God doth attribute the sanctification of his Son Jesus Christ, performed for mankind, unto those that believe in him.

3. For whereas God is exceedingly merciful, and exceedingly just; his mercy indeed, did desire the redemption of man, but his justice demanded an absolute, and every way a perfect satisfaction for the same. {57}

4. To the end therefore, that the Lord might bestow his mercy upon us, it was needful that his justice should be satisfied.

5. Now the most severe justice of God, could not be satisfied, either by him, who should be only man, (because, no Creature, no not the Angels themselves, can so sustain the weight of God’s anger, as they may be delivered therefrom; much less deliver others:) or yet by him, who should be only God, because the Deity cannot be subject unto any sufferings.

6. Therefore God the Father, moved by his unspeakable mercy, would have that only Son of his Coessential and Coeternal with him (as he had promised unto the Fathers, when Sin first entered into the world) at the time appointed, to become true man, who, as being true God and true man, without any confusion of the two natures, might reconcile men with God.

7. Of the justice of this Mediator, the which justice is laid against those things, that make us guilty of God’s wrath, there are three parts.  The one is, the penalty sustained for the satisfaction of all our sins, which he discharged to the very uttermost farthing: The other is, the absolute fulfilling of the whole law of GOD, thereby covering our whole guiltiness, both that which we have by our original blemish, or by sinning sin, and also by the sins that are the most bitter fruits of that root.  The third is, the repairing of our human nature, in that most perfect humanity, which Christ took upon him; whereby all our corruptions and stains are blotted out.

8. The righteousness of Christ profiteth us nothing, unless it be made ours.

9. Now it becometh ours, not by any infusion, either Essential, as OSIANDER dreamed, or qualitative, as the jangling Sophisters do avouch; but by a spiritual apprehension or applying of Christ, effected in our minds; after the which followeth the free imputation of that threefold righteousness which is inherent in the man Christ only, as in the subject. {58}

10. Of this spiritual and most effectual apprehension and application, the only inward instrument is true faith, which is that full assurance, whereby every one that believeth, doth embrace particularly, the righteousness of Christ offered, as appertaining unto them.

11. This faith is in no wise of ourselves, but from the mere grace of God, the Holy Ghost mercifully creating the same in the understanding, and the heart of the elect, that is, being the cause that after they have heard, and understood the word of the Gospel, they do truly believe although not perfectly: who also do afterward seal up and nourish this gift in them: as they do learn more and more, by the daily hearing and meditation of the word of the said Gospel, and as the Sacraments annexed unto the word, do most effectually witness unto them.

12. Now as the same Christ, doth reconcile them unto his father, and purchase unto them the title of the heavenly inheritance, who being freely made partakers of that three-fold righteousness, do lay hold upon him by faith: even so, doth he sanctify them by his Spirit, abolishing the old man in them by a little and a little, both kindling a new light in their understanding, and also stirring up holy motions in their wills, to the end, that strongly resisting with all their might, the relics of the old man, they should begin both to will, and to do that which is good.

13. That new quality then, called inherent righteousness, and regeneration testified by good works, is a necessary effect of true faith: whence it is to be gathered, that good works are by no means the causes, but only the witnesses of that imputed justification, whereby alone troubled consciences are at rest.  for they are no otherwise to be considered, than as things that necessarily follow the believer’s being already justified in Christ.

14. Therefore we are said to be justified by faith only, without any works; not that true faith is at any time alone or destitute of good works, but in asmuch as works, how good so ever they be, do not concur or avail to the obtaining of the righteousness of Christ. {59}

15. The square and only rule of these good works, according to the which they are to be directed, & most diligently to be weighed, is the will of God laid open to us in the law.

16. Now although that they, who are after this manner reconciled unto God through Christ apprehended by faith, do daily sin; and though also, that their good works are not every way perfect, but defiled by sin, (whereof we have many remnants still continuing in us after our renewing,) yet those that do believe, are to fear no condemnation, but may assuredly wait, and look for eternal life, whereof they shall be undoubtedly partakers.

These Doctrines therefore are to be detested.

Defended by BARTHOLMEVV RHODINOVS of Hassia.