A15857:365
H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which now at length being 70. years…H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which novve at length being 70. yeares…
H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which now at length being 70. years of age, he caused to be published in the name of himself & his family. Englished in sense agreeable, and in words as answerable to his own latin copy, as in so grave a mans work is requisite: for the profit of all the unlearneder sort, of English christians, that desire to know his judgement in matters of faith.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.
Cambridge: printed by John Legat, 1599Cambridge: printed by Iohn Legat, 1599
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
XV. Between the signs and the matters is a sacramental union, and what it is.
XV. Betvveene the signes and the matters is a sacramentall vnion, and what it is.
And although we say, that the matter of the sacraments is not tied to the sacraments, or included in them, namely either physically or locally, or corporally, or also by any knot or band, as though God had simply promised the very matters themselves to every one that should receive the sacraments, howsoever they lacked faith: so that he were bound to communicate them unto unrepentant and unbelievers: yet we take not away all conjunction and copulation of the thing signified, ⟨p. 112⟩with the signs. For we acknowledge & confess a sacramental, that is, such an union, as is agreeable to a sacrament, with the things of the Sacrament. And this sacramental union consisteth in a certain mystical and holy relation: namely in as much as the signs do signify the things, and offer them to be received: & the things are signified by the signs, and are given to be received: no otherwise than the union is, between the word signifying & exhibiting, and between the things by the word signified and exhibited. But the conjunction, aswell that of the sacraments, as this of the word with the things themselves, hangeth or dependeth upon the will and counsel of God the institutor: who when he instituted the preaching of the gospel, and administration of the sacraments, did institute them to this end and purpose (as is declared;) both that we, hearing the word, and seeing and receiving the signs, should by & by lift up the eyes of our mind to the things signified by them: & being offered unto us, should receive them with the hands of faith: and might indeed be united unto Christ, whom they preach unto us, and show as it were with the finger, by their signification. Therefore as the conjunction of us with Christ, is all full of mystery, as the Apostle teacheth in the 5. to the Ephe. So also we think this union both of the word, & sacraments, with the things whereof they be signs and sacraments, to be mystical and spiritual.