Scripture Confirmations of New Church Doctrine [Brief Latin Title: Dicta Probantia]

1. The Apostles; Miracles

The apostles are named (Acts of the Apostles 1:13, 26).

Judas the traitor burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out (Acts of the Apostles 1:16-19).

Many miracles and signs were done by the apostles (Acts of the Apostles 2:43). Peter and John healed the lame man sitting at the gate of the temple, therefore all were astonished, but when the priests heard them preaching about Jesus, they laid hands upon them, thrust them into prison, and afterwards having threatened them sent them away because of the people (Acts of the Apostles 3:1-20; 4). This miracle was done in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts of the Apostles 4:10, 30).

Many miracles done by the apostles (Acts of the Apostles 5:12, 5:15, 5:16), but yet they were put in prison by the high priest, and although they were led out thence by an angel miraculously, yet they were beaten, and warned not to preach concerning Jesus (verses 29-40).

Stephen also did great signs and miracles (Acts of the Apostles 6:8).

Miracles done by Philip (Acts of the Apostles 8:6, 7, 13).

Simon the sorcerer made himself great in Samaria, saying, here is the great power of God; but he was severely reproved by Peter (Acts of the Apostles 8:9, 10 seq., 20-24).

Miracles done by Peter, and also that he raised the dead to life (Acts of the Apostles 9:33, 34, 36-42).

The miracle of Paul, that a certain man was made blind (Acts of the Apostles 13:11); also others (Acts of the Apostles 19:11, 12; 20:9 seq.; 28:3 seq., 8).

Miracles done by the disciples, and with Paul (Acts of the Apostles 14:3, 8-10, 19, 20; 16:25, 26 seq.).

378. IX. Quod sit Fides vera, Fides spuria, et Fides hypocritica.

Ecclesia Christiana ab incunabulis suis incepit a schismatibus et haeresibus infestari ac discindi, et successu temporis lacerari et dilaniari, vix aliter quam sicut legitur de homine, qui descendit a Hierosolyma ¹ Jerichuntem, a latronibus circumdatus ² est, qui postquam exuerunt illum, et plagas inflixerunt, reliquerunt illum semimortuum, Luca 10:30 unde factum est sicut legitur de Ecclesia illa apud Danielem, Tandem super avem abominationum desolatio, et usque ad consummationem et decisum, stillabit super devastationem, Cap. 9:27 et secundum haec a Domino, Tunc veniet finis, cum videritis abominationem desolationis praedictam a Daniele Propheta, Matthaeus 24:14-15. Sors ejus comparari potest cum Navi mercibus ³ maximi pretii onusta, quae a portu dum exivit, illico agitata est procellis, et post paulo in mari facta naufraga subsidit, et tunc merces ejus partim corruptae ab aquis, et partim distractae a piscibus.

[2] Quod Ecclesia Christiana ab Infantia sua ita vexata et discissa fuerit, constat ex Historia Ecclesiastica, ut quod ipso tempore Apostolorum a SIMONE, qui fuit ⁴ gente Samaritanus, et arte Magus, de quo in Acta Apostolorum 8:9, seq; et quoque ab HYMENAEO ET PHILETO, qui memorantur a Paulo in Epist. ad Timotheum; ut et a NICOLAO, a quo Nicolaitae ita dicti, qui nominantur Apocalypsis 2:6, et Acta 6:5, ⁵ praeter a CORINTHO. Post Apostolorum tempora insurrexerunt plures alii, ut MARCIONITAE, ⁶ NOETIANI, ⁷ VALENTINIANI, ENCRATITAE, CATAPHRYGES, QUARTODECIMANI, ⁸ ALOGIANI, CATHARI, ORIGENISTAE seu ADAMANTINI, SABELLIANI, SAMOSATENI, ⁹ MANICHAEI, MELETIANI, et demum ARIANI. ¹⁰ Post horum tempora etiam phalanges Haeresiarcharum Ecclesiam invaserunt, ut ¹¹ DONATISTAE, PHOTINIANI, ACATIANI seu SEMIARIANI, EUNOMIANI, MACEDONIANI, NESTORIANI, PRAEDESTINATIANI, PAPAEI, ZWINGLIANI, ANABAPTISTAE, SWENCKFELDIANI, SYNERGISTAE, SOCINIANI, ANTITRINITARII, ¹² QUAQUERI, HEERRENHUTERI, praeter alias plures; et tandem his praevaluerunt, LUTHERUS, MELANCHTON, ET CALVINUS, quorum dogmata hodie regnant.

[3] Causae tot discidiorum et seditionum in Ecclesia sunt principaliter tres; PRIMA, quod Divina Trinitas non intellecta sit: SECUNDA, quod non aliqua justa cognitio Domini fuerit: TERTIA, quod Passio crucis pro ipsa Redemptione assumta sit; dum haec ¹³ Tria ignorantur, quae tamen sunt ipsa Essentialia Fidei, ex qua Ecclesia est et nominatur Ecclesia, ¹⁴ non potest aliter, quam quod omnia ejus in sinistrum et diversum traherentur, et tandem in oppositum, et cum ibi est, usque ¹⁵ credere quod sit in vera Fide in Deum, et in Fide omnium Veritatum Dei: cum his simile est sicut cum illis, qui velant oculos peniculamento, et sic in phantasia sua gradiuntur recta via, et tamen gressus post gressus obliquant, et flectunt tandem in oppositum, ¹⁶ ubi caverna, in quam cadunt. Sed homo Ecclesiae non aliter potest ab erratico suo reduci in viam veri, quam per quod sciat, quid Fides vera, quid Fides spuria, et quid Fides hypocritica, quare demonstrabitur:

I. Quod Fides vera sit unica, et quod sit in Dominum Deum Salvatorem Jesum Christum, et quod sit apud illos qui credunt Ipsum esse Filium Dei, Deum Coeli et Terrae, ac unum cum Patre.

II. Quod Fides spuria sit omnis Fides, quae recedit a vera, quae est unica, et quod sit apud illos, qui aliunde ascendunt, et Dominum non ut Deum, sed solummodo ut Hominem spectant.

III. Quod Fides hypocritica sit nulla fides.

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