A15857:609
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.
XVI. A conclusion of the unity of the church.
XVI. A conclusion of the vnitie of the church.
Sith therefore the ecclesiastical unity is ⟨p. 196⟩two fold, one essential, & therefore of it self, every where, and always necessary, and consequently proper to the catholic church: the other accidental, and alterable by reason of places and times, and therefore proper to peculiar churches: we believe, that it is lawful for no man to make separation from the former, at any time, or for any occasion: which were nothing else but to fall from Christ and from God, and to renounce the holy spirit, and disjoin himself from the whole body of Christ; which is a very damnable apostasy: but to forsake the latter for to return to the former, and to preserve the same, we are persuaded it is not only lawful, but very necessary unto all men: and that much more, if also those rites and ceremonies, wherein the unity was, be polluted with divers superstitions: yea and especially, if also the Sacraments, instituted of Christ, be corrupted, and wholly disordered, so that a good conscience can not be partaker of them: but what if the heavenly trueth also be banished from them, and in the place thereof preached and defended the doctrines of devils? what also if thou canst not there be suffered to be silent, but shalt be constrained, either to deny Gods trueth, and to subscribe to devilish untruths, or else to spill thy life and blood?
Sith therefore the ecclesiasticall vnitie is ⟨p. 196⟩two fold, one essentiall, & therefore of it selfe, euerie where, and alwaies neeessarie, and consequently proper to the catholicke church: the other accidentall, and alterable by reason of places and times, and therefore proper to peculiar churches: wee beleeue, that it is lawfull for no man to make separation from the former, at any time, or for any occasion: whieh were nothing else but to fall from Christ and from God, and to renounce the holie spirite, and disioyne himselfe from the whole bodie of Christ; which is a verie damnable apostasie: but to forsake the latter for to returne to the former, and to preserue the same, we are persuaded it is not onely lawfull, but verie necessarie vnto all men: and that much more, if also those rites and ceremonies, wherein the vnitie was, be polluted with diuers superstitions: yea and especially, if also the Sacraments, instituted of Christ, be corrupted, and wholly disordered, so that a good conscience can not bee partaker of them: but what if the heauenlie trueth also be banished from them, and in the place thereof preached and defended the doctrines of deuills? what also if thou canst not there bee suffered to bee silent, but shalt bee constrained, either to denie Gods trueth, and to subscribe to diuelish vntrueths, or else to spill thy life and blood?