FOURTEEN INCONSISTENCIES, WHICH MOST RESULT AND FOLLOW FROM

THE FOUNDATION AND DOCTRINE OF OUR OPPONENTS.

FIRST, it follows incontrovertibly from their doctrine and faith that there are two sons in Christ, of which one was the im­passive, eternal Son of God, without moth­er, and the other the son of Mary or the son of man, without father. And whether or not such doctrine and faith is not an in­consistency, I will leave you to judge ac­cording to the Scriptures.

Secondly, it follows incontrovertibly that there are two persons in Christ; for where there are two actual sons there must be two persons. Or else the one must have taken unto him the other, and by the fictitious union quite absorbed the other. If this can not be called an inconsistency you may judge according to the Scriptures.

Thirdly, it follows incontrovertibly that the eating, drinking, sighing, weeping, pas­sive, dying and crucified Christ Jesus was not the Son of God, notwithstanding he is confessed by all the Scriptures to be the first and only begotten, own Son of God; for, they say that he had no Father. You may judge by the Scriptures whether this may not be called a blasphemous incon­sistency and denial of the Son of God.

Fourthly, it follows incontrovertibly that they utter a falsehood as often as they call the man Christ, the Son of God; for how can he be a Son of God according to their doctrine? for they publicly write and ver­bally confess that he was not of God but of Mary. You may judge according to the Scriptures whether this is not a blasphe­mous inconsistency, which is not conforma­ble to the true God who deals according to truth; and does not use idle names.

Fifthly, it follows incontrovertibly that it is a divided Christ, who became a Savior, and Jesus Christ, of God and man, of the heavenly and earthly, of the pure and im­pure, of the righteous and unrighteous, of the good and evil, and of the blessed and accursed, as was once heard above. You may judge by the Scriptures whether this may not, also, rightly be called an incon­sistency.

Sixthly, it follows incontrovertibly that the eternal expiatory offering, once offered for all the world, is not the spotless lamb which the Scriptures confess him to be, but an impure, sinful, and accursed man of the impure, sinful and accursed flesh and seed of Adam. You may judge by the Script­ures whether this is not an abominable, blasphemous inconsistency.

Seventhly, it incontrovertibly follows that, as the holy apostle Thomas confessed the crucified, visible Christ to be his Lord and God, and, as all Scripture testifies that he is our Reconciler, Mediator, Advocate, High Priest, Savior, and Deliverer, and if he were a man of Adam's impure seed, as our op­ponents assert, then it is manifest that an earthly, impure, sinful and accursed creat­ure, of the earthly, impure, sinful and ac­cursed flesh of Adam is our Reconciler, Me­diator, Advocate, High Priest, Savior, De­liverer, Lord and God. You may judge by the Scriptures whether this may not, also, be called a blasphemous inconsistency and anti‑christian abomination.

Tenthly, it incontrovertibly follows that if the man Christ were of the unclean, sinful flesh of Adam, as is the foundation of our opponents, that one of two things must be 381true, either that the Scriptures do not right­ly teach us, or that all are idolaters who worship, honor, thank and serve such an earthly, sinful and accursed Christ, as our opponents teach and advocate without the Scriptures; for they say, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve," Matt. 4:10; Deut. 8:13. The prophet, also says, I will give my praise to none other. And it is clear that one does not worship our Savior Christ any less than he does the Father himself. You may judge according to the Scriptures whether this is not also an idolatrous in­consistency and an infamous blasphemy.

Twelfthly, it incontrovertibly follows, if I understand the writing of Micron, that the eternal Word became the Spirit of man, and that it only took on itself a tabernacle of Mary's flesh. For, as I think, he alleges Peter for such a purpose, and says he was put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit, 1 Pet. 3:18.

If he understands the Spirit of Christ as being the Spirit which he commended to the Father, as also, being the immortal Son of God with which, according to his doctrine, he was united, then Peter did not write enough by merely saying "quickened by the Spirit," and not, " as also by the im­mortal Son of God with which he was united." Mark what I say.

And if he understand it as solely having reference to the Spirit of Christ, and not, also, to the immortal Son, as he confesses him to be, then the Son of God must have become, according to his doctrine, a spirit of man; or else I do not know for what purpose he adduces this Scripture. You may judge by it whether this is not an abominable inconsistency, and blindfold­ing of the poor, ignorant world.

Thirteenthly, it incontrovertibly follows, if the doctrine of the learned is right, that the Almighty Word, whereby heaven and earth were replenished, must have united itself with such a small body of the flesh of Mary, and thus sighed, wept, ate, drank, suffered and died with it and lay dead in the grave; or else it must have merely sheltered in Christ's Spirit, and thus, at death, departed therewith, and at the res­urrection again united therewith, the second time, Wis. 18:15. You may judge by the Scriptures, whether this may not rightfully be called a wonderful inconsistency.

Fourteenthly, it incontrovertibly follows that if the word or the eternal Son of God thus took on him such a man of Mary's flesh and blood, and united himself therewith into one person and son, as our opponents, by their philosophy pretend, then, God the Father, was not the true Father of Christ, Mary not the true mother, Christ not a true Son; and all the Scriptures are thereby denied, which confess Christ to be the first and only begotten, true Son of God, without any distinction between divine or human, between spirit and flesh, invisible and visible, immortal and mortal, as we have clearly explained above and shall still further explain below, by virtue of the word of the Lord. You may, in the fear of God, judge by the Scriptures whether this can not be rightfully called a blasphemous inconsistency, and a direct denial of both Father and Son.

Behold, chosen readers, it is such an un­scriptural, divided, unclean, sinful and earthly Savior and Christ which our oppo­nents teach and point to by their-antichris­tian, covert, garbled, mysterious and ob­scure reasonings of human wisdom. I place before you, in plain and clear words the mirror of their deceit. If you will, you may clearly see how lamentably you are de­ceived by them.

Inasmuch, then, as their doctrine and faith is nothing in fact but anti‑christian de­ceit, and the temptation of the old serpent, for it is all taking unto, uniting two into one, divine and human nature, honorable virtues and the like whatever we read or hear from them, of which we find nothing in Scripture; and as they make these asser­tions and adorn them with many broken Scriptures, glozings and false explanations; therefore I say, first, in Micron's own language, that all they philosophize and teach avails us nothing, since it is not according to Scripture. And secondly, in the language of holy Paul, it is anath­ema, since it is a strange gospel of which not a single word is taught in the Script­ures, neither by the prophets, nor by Christ, 382nor by any of his apostles, in such a sense as our opponents teach it. Take heed.

We will now, by the grace of the Lord, present to view, in the first place, the foun­dation of the confession and doctrine of our opponents, concerning this article, together with its proper contents, fruits, end, and promise, and, in the second place, the foun­dation of our confession together with its proper contents, fruits, end, and promise, that you may, by such comparison in black and white, the more readily guard against the deceit of the old serpent, and find the sure and firm foundation of truth, and be­lieve and follow it, with a sure conscience, without any fear.