A08483:385
An exposition of the Symbol of the ApostlesAn exposition of the Symbole of the Apostles
An exposition of the Symbol of the Apostles, or rather of the articles of faith In which the chief points of the everlasting and free covenant between God and the faithful is briefly and plainly handled. Gathered out of the catechising sermons of Gasper Oleuvian Trevir, and now translated out of the Latin tongue into the English for the benefit of Christ his Church. By John Field.An exposition of the Symbole of the Apostles, or rather of the articles of faith In which the chiefe points of the euerlasting and free couenant betweene God and the faithfull is briefly and plainly handled. Gathered out of the catechising sermons of Gasper Oleuvian Treuir, and now translated out of the Latine tongue into the English for the benefite of Christ his Church. By Iohn Fielde.
London: printed by H. Middleton for Thomas Man, 1581
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
That sin is forgiven, not that it should not be, but that it should not be laid to our charge.
That sinne is forgiuen, not that it should not be, but that it should not be laide to our charge.
But whether may we say that our sins are so forgiven, that no remnants thereof remain in us? No, in no case: for although sins be in us, and shall be even until our death: yet notwithstanding, we believe, that they shall not be laid to our charge, but for the merit of Christ shall be forgiven us. And therefore ⟨p. 244⟩Saint Paul with the Prophet, pronounceth not them blessed, in whom there are no sins, but whose sins are covered. The whole matter tendeth to this, that we undoubtedly believe that the Church which is the mystical body of Christ, and every member of it, doth possess in this life not an uncertain and temporal; but a firm and an everlasting forgiveness, not of one, or another sin, but of all sins, with which they must struggle, which have joined with it an incredible peace and quietness of conscience, and therefore happiness it self. For this is the meaning of the Prophet, when he saith, that now God doth crown us with mercy & compassion. And John 5. He that believeth in me, hath passed from death to life. But God forbid that we should take occasion hereof to sin, because we believe that our sin is forgiven us. For as many as are truly engrafted into Christ through true faith, besides that benefit of forgiveness with which the image of Satan is covered: we begin to possess therewithal another, to wit the restoring of the image of God, which consisteth in the mortification of the old man, and quickening of the spirit. Rom. 6. Now both these benefits are freely given us of the father for Christ, into whom whilst he doth engraft us by his holy spirit, first he covereth our sins by the imputation of the perfect obedience and satisfaction of Christ, then he doth further begin in us by the same spirit that same new obedience, which is an undoubted