A15877:26
The Reckoning and Declaration of the Faith
The reckoning and declaration of the faith and belief of huldrike Zwingli bishop of ziiryk the chief town of Helvetia, sent to Charles .v. that now is Emperor of Rome: holding a parliament or counsel at Ausbrough with the chief lords and learned men of Germany, the year of our Lord M.D.xxx. in the month of July.The rekenynge and declaracion of the fayth and belefe of huldrike zwyngly byshoppe of ziiryk the chefe town of Heluitia, sent to Charles .v. that nowe is Emproure of Rome: holdynge a parlement or counsayll at Ausbrough with the chefe lordes and lerned men of Germanye, the yere of our Lorde M.D.xxx. in the moneth of July.
printed by Richard wire, 1548printed by Richarde wyer, 1548
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.
¶ The .v. article.
Fifthly, hereby it is manifest that if we be restored in Christ the second Adam unto life as we were given over in the first Adam unto death, that then be we to fool hardy to damn any children borne of christen parents, yea or yet the heathen mens children (though they dye without baptism or circumcision) for if Adam were able to lose all mankind ⟨image 12⟩by one sin, & christ by his death hath not revived and redeemed all mankind from that plague given through Adam, then was there not like health given through christ neither can it be like true (which God forbid) that as in Adam all were dead, even so in christ all be restored to life. But how so ever men define of the children of the infidels: thus verily do we constantly affirm through the virtue & power of the health given by christ, that they pronounce and speak without the book: which judge them to be damned standing both the said cause of our reparation, & also the free election of god: which election followeth not faith, but faith followeth the election. Of which thing we shall treat in the article following. For who so are elect of everlasting, are elect doubtless before their faith. They ought not therefore to be so temerariously damned of us, which yet for lack of age have not faith. For although as yet they have not faith, yet is the election of god hid from us, with whom if they be elect, we be to hasty to judge that we know not. But as touching the infants of the christen men we define otherwise. That is thus. The infants of the christen people are of the church and of the people of god, parts and members ⟨image 13⟩of his congregation. Which thing thus we prove. It is promised by the testimonies all most of all the prophets, that the church of the gentiles should be gathered together and unite unto the church of the people of God, And Christ himself said they should come from the east & west and sit down to eat with the God of Abraham Isaac & Jacob.1 And again.