A briefe and piththie summe of the Christian faith made in forme of a confession, vvith a confutation of all such superstitious errours, as are contrary therevnto. Made by Theodore de Beza. Translated out of Frenche by R.F.

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 a nature 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 thin∣ges and euerye where.

2 The sonne onely mediatour betvveene god and his elect eternally ordained.

THis is the onely whom the father hath ordained from euerlasting a 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 vpon it foloweth that he neythe•• wyll ne maye suffer any iniusti•• vnpunyshed. He is also perfectly merc〈…〉〈…〉full b whereupon it foloweth that th•• good 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 com¦meth or happeneth to man, hath•• bene eternally ordained by him b accor¦dynge to that we haue sayde of his pro¦nydence.

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 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 y^e 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 de∣clare. 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 sauing b by his grace those which plea∣seth him, forgetting nothing appart••y∣ning to his iustice without the which he cannot be god, and c condemning other 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 be∣syde this that god himselfe beinge good he can doe nothinge but that whiche is good, but if man had bene created wic∣ked or euyll, god had not had iust occasi∣on 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 muta∣ble and fal from this degrée and that by his owne onely faulte. For if sinne had not so entred into the worlde, a God had not founde suche cause to magnifye hys mercye in sauing those whiche he hathe ordained to saluation, nor matter to de∣clare 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 a male & female after his owne image, and likenes that is to saye with righte∣ousnes and trewe holynes.

10 Hovve man broughte himselfe vvith all hys posteritie culpable of the first and second death.

MAn being suche a did willingly and withoute any•• compulsion Ioigne and knite hym selfe to the diuel, and therefore became culpa∣ble 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 in∣finite other inconueniences descen∣dinge and di••••yllynge from the synne of

Adam by lineall succession and hathe brought all men vnder 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 y^e eternal death which bringeth wyth it sorowe and perpetuall punishement: and likewise it should ne∣uer haue 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 vvhich leadeth to the seconde death.

THe inward corruption of the hole man nothing reserued the whiche we call originall sinne a maketh e∣uery man euen from the verye first be∣ginning of his conception the chylde of wrathe and subiecte to the second and e∣ternall death. For to speake briefly, this

corruptiō maketh vs altogether vnpro∣〈…〉〈…〉table, yea contrary to all goodnes, and ••holly subiect to sinne. Whervpon S. ••ugustine said agreing b with the scrip∣tures that the will of man vanquished ••f synne into whiche it fell, nature was ••epriued and loste her libertye, and a ••aine, c 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 haue sufficiente 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 vnder¦stand a naturall power to thinke, wy•• or doe good or euell, but a wyll not con¦strayned the whiche not withstanding cannot b nor wyll not any thyng but al¦together euyll, so much is the nature •••• mā not being regenerate (that is to sa•• not healed nor restored by grace (not on¦lye wounded or hurt, but vtterly and al¦together corrupted and also willyngly becom y^• seruant of sinne. Therfore said S. c Augustine, that the faulte whych•• folowed the synne and whiche is the pu¦nishement hathe tourned lybertye into necessitie. Item d 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 cor¦ruptiō of the whole nature of m•• the whych corruption is proceded from Adam into all his rase, and bryn¦geth forth in man thre maner of sinnes. The first comprehendeth euery inwar••

mocion and thought in mannes vnder∣standinge althoughe the wyll gyue not consent there vnto. For god requireth to ••e loued withal the vnderstāding: & we haue 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 a nothing but that all the whole world should runne to ruine and destruction, but that God beinge not onely 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 b to the greater declaration of his ••••finite goodnes towardes those whiche 〈…〉〈…〉 hath also ordained c and 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•• and condempnation of the vesselles 〈…〉〈…〉 wrathe prepared to destruction. For a〈…〉〈…〉 S. e Augustine sayde vearye well: if a•• 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 onely med••atou•• ordained and promised.

THis one and all onely 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 vnto sain•• Ihon was published and preached b•• the patriarkes as prophetes, was all fygured diuers wayes vnder 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∣••••deration of the circumstaunces there ••re two testaments or couenantes wher¦••f we haue 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 as ••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 co∣uenant and reconciliation to be a veryman & without any spot of origi∣••all sinne or other for those reasons fo∣lowyng.

First for as muche as a God 〈…〉〈…〉 iust and man was bound and endette•• to his wra••he by his naturall corrupti¦on as we haue 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 b man is bound to ac¦complishe and fulfyll all the righteous∣nes which god requireth of him for to be glorified: then there must be a man for to accomplyshe perfitelye all righteous∣nes to please god. Thyrdly, c all men be couered with an infinite nūber of syn∣nes 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 d no man beyng corrupte coulde in any wyse be∣ginne to doe the least of these thynges, but rather shoulde haue néede of a ••e∣demer 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 e Rede∣mer 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 a God and not on∣lye man, for these reasons folowing. First b if he had not bene very God, he shoulde not haue bene a Sauiour, but shoulde haue néeded a Sauiour for him¦selfe. Secondly, c there muste be before the iustice God proporcion betwene the faulte and the payne thereof: the of∣fence or faulte is infinite, for as muche as he is infinite against whose maiestie it is committed: therefore it was nede∣full to haue 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 for that the wrathe of god is infinite there was no strength of mā or Angell which coulde haue bene able to beare suche a burden but it should fal & be ouerwhel∣med vnder 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 bet∣ter to declare his incōprehensible good∣nes woulde make his grace not onelye equall e with our offence, but woulde that it should exceede and surmount the trespasse. For this cause, euen as the f 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 de∣liuered is in such wife perfecte and ve∣ry man, that he is also heauenly, that is

to say very god, for as much as the ful∣nes of g the godheade dwelleth in him bodily. So that if the disobedience of A¦dam doth astonishe or make vs afraid, y^e righteousnes of Iesus Christ should muche more comfort and stablishe vs, and that we shoulde hope for a lyfe ob∣tained vs by Iesus Christ much better then that which we haue lost in Adam: yea so much better as Iesus Christ is aboue Adam.

21. Howe the misterie of our salua∣tion was fulfilled in Iesus Christ.

WE confesse then that for to ful∣fyll the couenante promised to the auncient a fathers and pro∣phesied by the mouthe of the prophets. b The 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 c nature with the infirmities of the same, sinne excepted, beinge conceyued in the wombe d of the blessed vyrgin Mary

by the vertue of the holy, ghoste with∣out 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 in∣stāt of this conception a the per∣son 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 onely sonne of God Iesus Christ, very God and very man: yet neuerthelesse bothe these natures abyding and remainyng in their seueral properties. For the di∣uinitie seperated from the humanity, or the humanitie deuided or pluckte from the diuinitie, or the one confused with the other woulde serue vs to no purpose.

23 The virgin Marye is mother of Iesus Christ God and man.

IEsus Christ verye God and verye a man, that is to say, hauyng a very

trewe and humaine soule and a very humain body formed of y^e substance of y^e 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 accomplish∣ment of our reconciliation.

24. The summe of the accomplishe∣ment of oure saluation in Iesus christ.

HE therfore came a down on earth for to drawe vs vp to heauen. He hath borne the paine dewe to our sins, clearly to discharge vs euen from the beginninge of his conception vnto his resurrectiō: c He hath fulfilled per∣fectly al righteousnes, for to couer our vnrighteousnesse, he hath declared d to vs all y^e wyl of God his father both by workes and also by words, to the end to shew vs the trew way of saluation. In fine, for 〈◊…〉〈◊…〉 whole & ful satisfaction

for our sinnes which he toke vpon him: he was bound e to vnbind vs: con¦dempned, for to delyuer vs: he suffred great and infinite shame, for to deliuer vs from all confusion: he was nailed f on the crosse for to fasten thereon our sinnes, he died g and sustained y^e curse and malediction which was dew to vs for to apease the wrath of god for euer by his onlye oblations made, hee was buried h 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 o∣uercome & vanquished death. He was raised againe in i tripūhe as a conque¦rer to y^e end that al our corruption be∣ing dead & buried we should be renu∣ed into a new spirituall & euerlasting life, & that therby the first death should be no more to vs a punishmēt dew for sinne, & as it were an entraunce into the second death, but cōtrariwise a fi∣nishing and ende of y^• death of our cor∣ruption,

and an entrance into eternal life. Finally he being raised afterward was conuersaunt here on earth by the space of fortie daies to confirm and ap¦proue his resurrectiō. He ascended vi∣sible & verily into heauen, where he is set on the right hande of god his father and hath taken possession m of his eter¦nal kingdom for vs and for our behoue for whose sake also he is y^e only medi∣atour n and aduocate o gouerning his church by his holy spirite vntil the nō∣ber of y^e elected of god his father be ac∣complished and fulfylled.

25. Hovve Iesus christ beinge ascen∣ded into heuen is neuertheles here on earth vvith his flocke.

WE vnderstande that glory hathe brought a immortality to y^e body of Iesus Christ, but hath not ta∣ken away the nature of his body, ther¦fore concerninge his humayne b na∣ture, hee hathe taken it from vs into heauen, where he shal dwell vntil the

time he shall come to iudge the quyck and the dead, c but concerning his dy∣uinitye 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 d shall yee haue alwayes with you, but me shal ye not haue. 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 haue seene him ascend into heauen, & as S. Peter sayd to the Iewes that heauens f must hold him vntil the restoring of al thin∣ges. Whervpon saint Augustin g 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 whi∣ch are in god be euerye where, as God is euery where.

29. There can be no other nevve re∣ligion 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 per∣fetly merciful. First a perfectly righte¦ous in y^• hee hath punished al our sins very sharply in his, persō who made b himself a satisfaction & pledge, to wit, in Iesus Christ, & moreouer doeth not receiue vs nor allow vs as his childrē, c except we be couered & clothed with the innocencie, holines & perfect righ∣tousnes of Iesus Christ. On the other part he declareth himself to be perfect∣ly mercifull in y^• he finding in vs no∣thing but cause and matter of damna∣tion, d yet would that his sonne should take our nature in whom he foūd a re∣medy to appease his iustice, e whom al¦so he doth cōmunicat to vs freely with all his treasures to y^e 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 she∣wed hereafter. But contrariwise al re¦ligion

g whiche dothe appose or sette againste the wrath of God anye other thing then the only innocency righte∣ousnes & 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 decla∣red in the seuenth poynte.

Notes

• a

  Ihon. 1. a &. 17. a
• a

  2. Tim. 2. •• 2. Tim. ••.
• ••••od. 2••. b ••. Cor. 6. c
• Exod. 34. a
• Rom. 31. c
• Ephe. 1. b.
• ••. Sam. 12. c
• ••. Cor. ••••. ••
• Rom 9. c
• Exod. 9. •• Rom. 9. c
• a

  Rom. 11. d
• Gene. 1. d. Exod. 7. d
• a

  Gen. 2. ••. Rom. 5. ••
• Reade ••. Aug. in the 13. boke de ciuitate dei. 2. 12. 13 & 14-Chap.
• Gen. 6. •• Phil. 15. b Iohn. 3. a.
• Li. de perfe∣ctione iu∣sticiae.
• c

  Lib enchiri∣dion ad lau∣rentium chap. 30. Li. 2. de pre∣catorum meritis cap. 13.
• Rom. i. c
• b

  Ihon. 3. a Rom. 8 p.
• c

  Li. de der∣fectione iusticia.
• d

  Li. 3. ad ob ••i facium.
• a

  Rom. 3. c
• b

  Rom. 3. d
• c

  Rom. 8. f
• Rom 9 c
• Epist. 103 ad 〈…〉〈…〉.
• Gen. 3. c Deut. ••8 •• ••. sam. 7. b
• Heb. 13. •• 1. Tim. 1. •• 1. cor. 10. •• Reade all the epistle to the E∣brues.
• Ierimi 〈…〉〈…〉▪ Heb. ••. ••.
• a

  1. Tim. 2. a. Ihon. 1. b
• b

  Matth. 3. c Rom▪ 5. d
• c

  Rom. 3. d Act. 20. f
• d

  Rom. 8. a Rom. 5. d
• e

  Rom. 14. d
• a

  Iohn. ••. b. & other places infinite
• b

  Esaye▪ 43. b ••
• c

  Rom 3. d
• Iohn 14. b ••. Cor. 5. d
• Rom. 5. c.
• 2. Cor. 15.
• g

  Colos. 2, b
• a

  Esaie. 7, ••
• b

  Rom▪ 1▪ a Phil 2, a
• c

  Heb. 4. d.
• d

  Math ••. e
• a

  Math. 1, c Luke. 1, c
• a

  Math. 1, c Luke. 1, d
• a

  Ephe. 2, b
• b Math. 11, d 1, Pet. 2, d &. 3, c Esaye. 53. b.
• c

  Rom. 5, d Math. 3, d
• d

  Iohn. 15, e
• e

  Esaie. 53. a
• f

  Colos. 2. ••
• g

  Gala. 3. b.
• h

  Act. ••. c.
• i

  The 6 to the Roma∣nes and tho∣rovv••ut, al∣most in all S▪ pauls Epistles.
• Act. 3. a
• Iohn. 14. a
• 1. Timo, 2 Math. 28. d
• a

  Luke. 24. f
• b

  Act. 1▪ a
• c

  Math. 28, b
• d

  Math. 28. d
• e Act. 3. a
• f

  Act. 3, d
• g

  Episto. 57 ād Dardanu.
• a

  Rom. 3, d
• b

  i. Tim. 2, b
• c

  2. Cor. 5, d Rom. 8, c Collo. 2, c
• d

  Rom 5, b
• e

  Rom. 8, ••
• g

  ••, Cor. 2. a