H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which novve at length being 70. yeares of age, he caused to bee published in the name of himselfe & his family. Englished in sense agreeable, and in words as answerable to his ovvne latine copie, as in so graue a mans worke is requisite: for the profite of all the vnlearneder sort, of English christians, that desire to know his iudgement in matters of faith.

CHAP. XXVII. Of perpetuall remisson of sinns in the church of Christ.

I. There is a perpetuall dispensation of remission of sinnes in the church: and thereunto, is the perpetuall ministerie of the word ordayned.

WE haue before confessed, that so soone as any one is ingrafted into Christ by his holy spirit, he presently obtaineth forgiuenesse of all his sinnes com∣mitted, and draweth a new life from his head Christ, and so is made a liuelie member of the church. But, because the most holie ones that are in this militant church do daily sinne, euē

to the last ende of their liues, so that they haue still need of new forgiuenesse of their sinnes, and also of new repentance, and new faith to apprehend forgiuenesse of sinnes in Christ: & that faith and repentance, is stirred vp by the ministerie of the word and sacraments: there∣fore wee beleeue that remission of sinnes is dispensed and bestowed perpetually in the church, by the ministerie of the word and sa∣craments, and that the ecclesiasticall ministe∣rie which is perpetuall in the church, is ordai∣ned thereunto.

II. What we meane by the name of remission of sinnes.

And sith there be three things in sinne, the action it selfe; the wickednesse of the action & therefore the sinners fault remaining in him; and lastlie the desert of due punishment clea∣uing vnto the fault; then we vnderstand that our sinnes are forgiuen vs, when not onely the faulte and wickednesse of the action is not imputed vnto vs, but also when as the desert or guiltinesse is taken awaye, and the due pu∣nishment pardoned. For then are our sinnes properlie forgiuen vs: and we, when wee de∣sire in prayer that our sinnes may be forgiuen vs, wee desire not onely to bee absolued from the fault, and that the iniquitie maye not bee imputed vnto vs, but also that the punishment and condemnation due vnto vs for the iniqui∣tie may be forgiuen, and we deliuered from

our debts and guiltinesse: seing that neither we can say that we forgiue our brethren their debts, vnlesse wee set them free from the debt it selfe and from all satisfaction: and seing it is certaine that we are not commaunded to aske any thing, but that which he will giue vs: and that Christ hath cancelled the hand writing of all our debts, hauing himselfe made a per∣fect and full payment and satisfaction.

III. The afflictions, vvhich the children of God endure after their sinnes are pardoned, are not punish∣ments and satisfactions for sinnes past, but fatherly chastisement for those to come.

But whereas God, after the forgiuenesse of sinnes, is wont to afflict and scourge his chil∣dren with manie torments: wee beleeue that God doth it not, for that, they should by that meanes either wholly or in part satisfie his iu∣stice for their sinnes: seing that one full satis∣faction of Christ for vs, is inough and more then inough: but, that by them, as by fatherly corrections, we may afterwards be more wa∣rie, and take heed what belongeth to the mor∣tifying of sinne that dwelleth in vs: and that we should no more so easilie slipp into sinne: whereuppon we with Augustine do cal them and teach that they are to bee called, not the punishments of sinne, but the tryalls of faith, and exercises of the Saints.

IV. Sinnes are properly remitted of God alone free∣ly, and for Christs sake our mediatour.

Wee beleeue also, that our sinnes are pro∣perly forgiuen vs, of God onely by meere fa∣uour, and for Christ our mediatour: sith also it is he alone, against whome we properly com∣mit sinne both mediatly and immediatly, whē as we breake his lawe: and it is alwaies in the power onely of the creditour, to gratifie his debtors, and to forgiue their debts. Where∣upon Christ also, as man, prayed his father for them which crucified him, that he would par∣don them, and forgiue them their offences: & when the Iewes said, vvho can forgiue sinnes but onely God? he partly by holding his peace, and partly by shewing a miracle confirmed it.

Wherefore in that, that Christ of his owne au∣thority forgaue sinnes, we with the fathers, do beleeue it may well bee concluded, he is true God: sith the same cannot bee done by any meere creature, but onely ministerially, or as being a minister (as they speak) & in the name and authoritie of God. Which wee knowe was equallie giuen, not to one alone, but to all the Apostles, and so to all lawfull ministers of the gospell.

V. Christ, God and man, indeed forgiueth sinnes, but in a diuerse manner: as he is God, & as he is man.

Whereon it also followeth, that Christ god

and man, (which wee also confesse) together with the father and the holie ghost, forgiueth sinnes: but he doth it in one sort, as he is God, and in another, as he is man. For as he is god, he doeth effect the same properly and of his authoritie: but as he is man, he doth it, and did it in the flesh, as being a fello-worker with the deitie: in his humaine will consenting to the diuine, and pronouncing the wordes thy sinnes are forgiuen thee: as also Leo the first, so expoū∣deth it to Flauianus, saying, each forme (name∣ly of God and man) worketh with communion of the other, that which is proper to it selfe: as, the word working that which is proper to the word, & the flesh performing that which belongeth to the flesh. To for∣giue sinnes vvas the proper action of the diuine na∣ture: and to saye, thy sinnes are forgiuen thee, of the humaine. Thus farre he.

VI. Jn Christ alone is offered the forgiuenesse of sinnes, and of the elect alone, indued with faith, it is receiued.

But like as in Christ alone, our mediatour & redeemer, as the head of the whole church, we haue redemption, by his blood and remission of sinnes; so as without Christ there is none: so also wee beleeue that onely the elect, indued with true repentance and true faith, and in∣grafted into Christ by the holie spirite as mē∣bers to their head, are made partakers therof: and therefore although forgiuenes of sinnes bee declared vnto all manner of men by the

gospell, yet to the reprobate, as vnrepentant and vnbeleeuing they are not forgiuen: but by their owne fault and blame, their sinnes do still remaine.

VII. All sinnes at once are forgiuen to the faithfull elect.

Wee also beleeue, that as Christ by his one oblation satisfied not for some, but for all our sinnes: so also is offred vnto vs, that are truely penitent, of Christ and in Christ by the gospel, the forgiuenes not only of some of our sinns, but also of them altogether: and the same cō∣municated to vs by the holie ghost: and recei∣ued by faith: seing God declared by a parable: that he forgiueth all our debt, not part of it.

VIII. Forgiuenesse of sinnes is bestowed in the church onely, receiued by faith onely, and that onely in this life.

Lastlie, to make an ende, we beleeue, that as in Christ alone, is found remission of sinnes, so the same also is disposed and bestowed in the church onely: and as it was purchased for vs by the merits and blood of him alone, so also it is receiued by true faith in Christ only, with∣out our owne meritts: and as in this life onely the gospell is preached, and by it, forgiuenesse of sinnes declared to the repentant and belee∣uers; so also we can onely in this life be made partakers thereof: seing after this life there is no place lefte for faith and repentance: and

therefore that the church, by her ministerie, can do nothing for the obtaining of forgiue∣nesse for men after they be departed this life: as Cyprian also saieth. VVhen a man is once gone hence, there is no place for repentance, no effect of sa∣tisfaction. Here life is either lost or gotten: here he must prouide for saluation by seruing of God, and by the effect of faith.

IX. A confirmation of the former doctrine, by the order of the creede.

According to these three pointes we inter∣pret this article of forgiuenes of sinnes in the creede: as first, that after the article of the church & communion of Saints, is placed this article, to teach vs, that, without the church, remission of sinnes is not bestowed, nor hath any place. Againe, that the same is placed after the confession of our faith in God the father, the sonne, and the holy ghost, and of our faith, wherein we beleeue the church to be holie, & to consist of the societie and communion of Saintes: to wittnesse vnto vs, that not for our owne merites, but by our faith in the father sonne and holie ghost, and because wee are in the church, and haue communion with all the Saints, therefore we daily obtaine forgiuenes of our sinnes. And finally by this placing of the articles of faith, we may well beleeue and confesse that after forgiuenesse of sinnes ob∣tained

in this militāt church: there is no more to be looked for of the dead, but the resurre∣ction of the flesh, and life euerlasting.

X. Errors.

Thus wee condemne, the error, wherein some do teach, that after the fault forgiuen, there remaineth a debt to be paied for the pu∣nishment: and this punishment, being eternall death, by penitencie is chaunged into tempo∣rall paines: which we must abide either in this life or after death in purgatorie, vnlesse wee bee deliuered thence by masses, indulgences and other helps. Secondly we condemn their blasphemie, which seeke for forgiuenesse of sinnes, any where then in Christ, and doe so teach. Likewise them which would prooue, that the same may bee applied to themselues and receiued, by any other meanes, then by true faith, and by the holie spirite. Wee con∣demne also their sacrilegious doctrine, which teach, that God doth forgiue alwaies to the faithfull, all their sinnes: but euer retaineth some of them which are to be satisfied for, by fasting, almes deeds, prayers, and other works of our owne, or else by the oblations of other men, and sacrifices of priests.

Notes

• T. 7. de pec. mer. & Rē. lib. 2. c. 33 & 34.
• Ies. 43.25
• Luc. 23.34
• Luc. 5.21. &c
• Mat. 18.18 Ioh. 20.23
• Epist. 10. c. 4
• Mat. 18.23 &c.
• Cyp. ad Demetr.