A15857:858
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.
But surely, to say that these twelve did lye unto the church and to the Apostle: it seems to me, to be to hard and vile a thing in men which professed Christ. And for this cause we did ever better allow of the opinion of Ambrose & Hierome: that the 12 did say truly, when they said, they were baptized unto Johns baptism: but yet not by John himself, but by some one of Johns disciples, who expounded not unto them the true doctrine concerning God: and therefore baptized them not rightly. But all the fathers do hold beyond all controversy, that they which are not rightly baptized into Jesus Christ, as the natural Son of God, & mediator, and so also into his father, and the spirit of them both: the same must be rightly baptized. And therefore those twelve were not, as ⟨p. 308⟩being not baptized, rebaptized: but, as being not rightly baptized, Paul did baptize them with true baptism, first teaching them the true doctrine of the trinity, which also John had preached unto them.
But surely, to saye that these twelue did lye vnto the church and to the Apostle: it seemes to me, to be to hard and vile a thing in mē which professed Christ. And for this cause we did euer better allow of the opiniō of Ambrose & Hierome: that the 12 did say truely, whē they said, they were baptized vnto Iohns baptisme: but yet not by Iohn himselfe, but by some one of Iohns disciples, who expounded not vnto thē the true doctrine concerning God: and therefore baptized them not rightlie. But all the fathers doe hold beyond all controuersie, that they which are not rightly baptized into Iesus Christ, as the naturall Sonne of God, & mediatour, and so also into his father, and the spirite of them both: the same must bee rightlie baptized. And therefore those twelue were not, as ⟨p. 308⟩being not baptized, rebaptized: but, as being not rightlie baptized, Paule did baptize them with true baptisme, first teaching them the true doctrine of the trinitie, which also Iohn had preached vnto them.
And thus much of the authority of the fathers: from whom, either in their assertions, or in their expositions of Scriptures, especially where they all, for the most part do agree, I dare not decline for my conscience sake, unless I be constrained by most apparent reasons. Thus I freely confess to the whole church of Christ.