A15877:35
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 .vii. article.
Seventhly, I believe, yea I know it verily / that all the sacraments,1 neither give they grace, nor yet bring it nor distribute any grace at all. In which assertion peradventure I shall seem to bold to affirm (most mighty Emperor) but yet my sentence standeth fast. For grace, for as much as it is given and made us by the holy ghost (I speak latynely, using this word Grace for forgiveness indulgence, absolution, and a free benefit) so doth this gift pierce and enter only into our spirits. Now, the holy ghost needeth neither guide nor carrier, for he himself is the bringer and power and might whereby allthings are borne, having no need to himself, to be borne, neither have we red in any place of scripture, that sensible things, as are the sacraments should certainly bring with them the holy ghost. But if the sensible things be at any time brought with the spirit, then was it the spirit that brought them with him, and not econtrarie, the sensible brought the spirit. For when the vehement wind was brought, and with the wind was brought the tongues: the spirit brought them, & not ⟨image 17⟩they the spirit. So did the wind bring the quails,2 and toke away the locusts: but never were quails or locusts so swift as to bring the wind with them.3 So when the wind being so great, that it might even hills have taken away, going over Hell as: yet was not the Lord borne in that blast. And to be short,4 like as the wind bloweth whether his natural course lieth, we hearing his voice, & not knowing whence he cometh n•r where he falleth even so is it with every man that is borne of the spirit, that is to wit that is invisible and insensibly lightened […] of the spirit and drawn of god the father. The verity hath spoken these things. Whe fore it can not be that through thy doping into the water, nor by this draft / nor y morsel nor that anointing that the grace of the spirit be brought into us, for if it be so, then were it known, how, where, by whom, & into whom the spirit were brought. For if the present effect of grace were bound unto the sacraments in the which it should now be brought and work, then were all they graceless which had not received the sacraments albeit they be elect and chosen which election is by the grace of god in Christ