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authority_n	allege_v	church_n	scripture_n	2,665	5	6.1884	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80635	Some treasure fetched out of rubbish: or, Three short but seasonable treatises (found in an heap of scattered papers), which Providence hath reserved for their service who desire to be instructed, from the Word of God, concerning the imposition and use of significant ceremonies in the worship of God. viz. I. A discourse upon 1 Cor. 14.40. Let all things be done decently and in order. Tending to search out the truth in this question, viz. Whether it be lawful for church-governours to command indifferent decent things in the administration of God's worship? II. An enquiry, whether the church may not, in the celebration of the Sacrament, use other rites significative than those expressed in the Scripture, or add to them of her own authority? III. Three arguments, syllogistically propounded and prosecuted against the surplice: the Cross in Baptism: and kneeling in the act of receiving the Lord's Supper.	Cotton, John, 1584-1652.; Nichols, Robert, Mr.	1660 (1660)	Wing C6459; Thomason E1046_2; ESTC R208022	73,042	79

they answer Nay to this demand let us take heed to our selves that we presume not beyond commission Cut off those places before cited the Papists grant the perfection of the Word of God may well be concluded Our Writers do substantially prove the sufficiency of the Scripture in matter necessary to Salvation because we are forbidden to add ought to the Word written for of that the Te●● is meant or to take ought from it and by the same reason the sufficiency of the Scriptures in matters Ceremonial is established for thse places must be understood of Ceremonies no less then other things Descrip q. 8. prop. 1. Zanchius thus urgeth this argument And lest any Papist saith he should except and say Neither do we think it lawfull to add to those things which pertain to Internall and so to Spirituall piety and worship of God but onely the Controversy is of external Ceremonies I pray you consider of what things the Lord speaketh in that Chapter Deut. 4. Of what Ceremonies sacred Rites and Judicial Laws for in the Hebrew it saith thus Hear now O Israel the Statutes and the Judgments That word Hachukim doth properly signify Ceremonious Rites of worship Therefore the Lord would teach that nothing is to be added not onely to the Moral Precepts and internal worship but also to the Ceremonial-Rites and Institutions which may be further confirmed against our Adversaries by the Authority of the vulgar Translation Interpreting it in Deut. 4.5 Ceremonies And the Opinion of Stapleton Relect. prin fid doct cont 4. q. 3. art 3. arg 10. Answ to the Adm. pag. 30. who making answer to that place alledged by our Divine to confirm the perfection of Scripture against unwritten traditions saith It is especially to be understood of the Ceremonies This is acknowledged by D. Whiteg God saith he in the old Law to his people prescribed perfect and absolute Laws not onely Moral and Judicial but Ceremonial also neither was there the least thing to be done in the Church omitted in the Law And therefore for them at that time and during that State it was not lawfull to add any thing nor take any thing away no not in Ceremonies and civill Laws Bill de Pont. Rom. l. 4. c. 17. The Jews saith another had a Prescription of particular Rites most fitly agreeing to the Polity of their Church and Common-wealth But what hath God left no greater liberty to the Church in the time of the Gospel to ordain significant Ceremonies than was before given unto the Synagogue of the Jews No surely both the Jewish and Christian Church are tyed to the direction of the Scriptures without which they might not presume to do any thing in these matters How can these places be alledged with truth of reason against our Adversaries to prove the perfection of Scripture in opposition to unwritten Traditions If the Church have authority now to ordain Ceremonies without direction of the Word which then she had not easily might they reply That that Injunction did not concern us at this day seeing more liberty is given to us touching the Institution of external Rites pertaining to the worship of God then was granted to the Jews And if we may add without warrant of the Word what and where they might not Surely the Scripture was a perfect rule to them In another manner than it is to us Zanchius therefore objecting in the name of the Papists That if these places must be understood of the Ceremonial Law then it pertaineth not to us inasmuch as the Ceremonial Laws are now changed maketh answer That that Precept doth pertain to us which is manifest saith he if you consider the end of the Commandment What end That we should obey those things and those things onely that God hath commanded adding nothing detracting nothing Therefore when the same God hath by his Son given Precepts concerning Ceremonies of the New Testament and willeth us simply to obey them the force of that Precept remains Thou shalt add nothing diminish nothing Matth. 28.19 20. Moreover Christ himself plainly commandeth the same Baptize them into the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded What is this but ye shall not add or diminish Again what is that that the Apostle saith I have received of the Lord what I have delivered unto you but that it is not lawfull to add nor diminish Then he concludes Therefore the force of the Precept in Deuteronomy Zanch. de secundo praec tit de ext cult q. 1. Tam igitur nobis non licet addere his vel detrahere quam eriam non licebat Judaeis addere vel detrahere de illis of not adding or diminishing any thing in the Precepts of God doth remain perpetual even concerning Ceremonies and holy Rites and pertains to us The Jews had liberty in certain matters of order pertaining to the service of God as we now have In matter of Ceremonies we are tyed to the Word of God as they were We have no Ceremonies but two the Ceremonies or Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper and we have as certain direction to celebrate them as they had to celebrate their Ceremonies and fewer and less difficulties can arise of ours than of theirs we have no special hour place or manner of celebration assigned for them the like may be said of many Jewish Ceremonies What hour had they for their ordinary and daily Sacrifices Jun. et Trem. in act 13.15 was not it left to the order of the Church what places were appointed in their several dwellings to hear the Word of God Preached continually when they came not to Jerusalem The Word was commanded to be Preached but no mention made in what particular method what manner of place Pulpit Seat or Chair they should have and yet they had these they had also forms of Burial and Marriage though nothing be commanded concerning them The liberty of the Christian Church standeth in freedome from the burthen of Jewish Ceremonies Beza annot in act 6. not in power to ordain new Rites at her pleasure when those which God himself instituted are abolished for then should our condition in the time of the Gospell be far worse in many respects then theirs was in the time of the Law for whereas it is the vertue of a good Law Arist ad Theod Ra. 1.3 to leave as little undetermined and without the compass of the Law as may be If we have no Word for divers things wherein the Jews had particular direction there was greater perfection in the Law given unto them then in the Word which is left to the Christian Church Again Calv. opus respons versipel pag. 413. the Ordinances of God which are ever behovefull are not so burthensome as are the unprofitable inventions of men it is far better to bear the yoak of God then to be in subjection unto the meer pleasure

in Faith Do we then leave nothing to the Arbitrament of the Church Nothings but what was left to the Power and Authority of the Jewish Church for we have a Canon as perfect a direction as exact and particular as ever they had Many honourable witnesses of God's truth have judiciously observed That Christ in holy Scripture hath not singularly and specially prescribed concerning externall Discipline and Ceremonies for that he foresaw these things were to depend upon the occasions and opportunities of times which must be determined by generall Rules given for direction in these cases whose Judgment we imbrace with reverence acknowledg consonant to the words of wholesome Doctrine so it be understood according to their true intent and meating Of matters meetly accidentall circumstan●iall or naturall concerning Discipline or Worship But thence to infer a liberty to ordain in substantial matters of Discipline significative Ceremonies whatsoever shall seem good in our own eys without the approbation and warrant of Gods Word is more than the Learned grant or the Truth it self will permit As touching the Church saith Martyr she altereth not her form Loc. Com. part 1. c. 11. Sect. 12. It is alwayes one manner of Common wealth nothing is hid from the understanding of God the Author of the Laws The Lord of the house was not inferiour to the servant in fidelity What our Saviour Christ heard and saw of the Father that he manifested to his Disciples charging them to teach the Church to observe it What they received of the Lord that they delivered in great simplicity without any addition of new doctrine to his Doctrine or of devised symbolical signs to his Signs never once intimating in their Epistles or Writings any liberty that the Church should have to multiply Rites or Ceremonies for mysticall signification and to annex them to the holy things of God And when we can neither hear from Moses Christ nor his Apostles that the forging and inventing of such observations is allowed before God what warrant can we have to bear us out therein If Cities and Towns-Corporate plead Immunities and Exemptions from the Law and assume to themselves authority to make Decrees of this or that sort being impleaded by the King's Attorney for it either they must shew their Charter to warrantize such Priviledges or incur Censure for their sawciness and presumption So they that challenge priviledg to devise significant Rites in the Worship of God and annex them to the Signs which God Himself hath established must either shew their Charter signed with the authentique Seal of the Court of Heaven or be cast in Judgment when they be impleaded at his Barr. 6. If God be the only Teacher of his Church to instruct it by Word and Sign then no Ceremonies significant may be admitted into the solemn Worship of God for doctrine and instruction but such as bear his stamp are marked with his Seal are warranted by holy Scripture For the chaste Spouse of Christ who knowes the voyce of her Beloved will not acknowledg unwritten Traditions for the Word of God But God is the only Teacher of his Church both by Word and Sign Jam. 4.12 Matth. 23.8 Act. 3.32 As the doctrine which is taught must be from above so the means whereby it is taught must be of God both he that teacheth new doctrines and he that deviseth strange means to instruct the people of God in the knowledg of the truth according to godliness doth run upon his own head Mic. 7.16 Hos 14.1 It is a truth without controversie That as to forgive sins receive into favour and bless with spiritual blessings in Jesus Christ is proper to the Lord alone so it is his peculiar Esay 7.14 38.7 to institute signs and seals of his Covenant and Mercy For none can sign a Lease who hath not power to let and demise it nor annex a seal to any promise that hath not authority to make it and to confer the good promised Jewel Treat of the Sacr. But it seems as lawful to devise new seals of Divine promises as Symbolical signs of spiritual duties seeing to teach the way to heaven and to prescribe what service man should perform to God doth belong to him that hath Power and Soveraignty of life and death who is able to save and to destroy And if we may be bold to invent signs to teach man his duty and link them to the means of God's Worship so long as they signifie no other thing but what the Scripture teacheth Bellar. de Sacr. l. 1. cap. 24. Sect. de Sacr. Why may we not bring in signs also to assure us of the truth of Gods promises when nothing is thereby assured and sealed but what is promised in the written Word As the Duty taught and the Promise confirmed are both from one Supream so the sign of Instruction and the seal of Confirmation do challenge the same authour require the same authority This will the better appear if we shall consider That signs do not become seals by any special institution whereby they are distinguished from signs in regard of the efficient cause but in respect of the thing that they are appointed to sign or signifie Signs of Divine promises are seals true or false vain or behooveful even from this that they are determined to signifie such a thing whether the Institution be of God or Man Signs of mans duty be signs only from what authour soever they have their ordination The reason is because duties are only taught not assured as duties but promises represented by signs are thereby sealed What is a seal Basting Cate. q. 66. of the Sacram. but a sign sealing up a thing promised or a print whereby a thing promised by Covenant is signed Therefore if the Church may not presume to add new seals to the promises of God but is bound to rest contented with them that are commended unto her by the Lord himself She may not devise symbolical signs in the worship of God for the instruction of her children in the wayes of holiness It may further be added That a sign is a visible word and therefore if no voyce must be heard in the Congregation but the Lords alone no teaching signs must be admitted in his worship but such as he hath licensed to speak and stand in place Syntag tom 2. l. 6. c. 38. Polanus saith Those things are impious which are directly opposed to the Commandement of God of which sort are many Traditions of the Papists as the abuse of the Lords Supper the Mass Invocation of dead men worshipping of Images the law concerning Single life Festival dayes dedicated to Saints Images made for religious uses that is that they might serve for the use of Religion either that they might be worshipped or that holy things might be represented by them or that God be worshipped by them For God willeth not this end of Images but will have

he hath chosen as to hold it presumption for any to imitate him in devising of the like For example none might devise an Oyl like his nor an Altar besides his Exod. 30 38. Lev. 17.3 Lev. 10.1 none a fire like the fire that he hath chosen yea in his works themselves he is not magnified as he deserveth till we confess None is able to come after him and till we say Who is able to do the like Exod. 3.14 Again where man deviseth new signs the signs of God are vilified as if they were from an Humane Spirit yea as if they were lesse fit and convenient And whereas Man is carnall blind and impotent and yet a lover of his own devices no lesse than Pigmalion of his own Picture if he should be suffered to invent new Signs they would be carnal and not spiritual dead having no Power dark veiling the brightness of the Sacraments and yet more loved and delighted in than the Sacraments themselves Calr opusc de Neces R form pag. 59. Joseph Antiq. lib. 15. cap. 8. Aegesip lib. 2. cap. 13. For example a Temple built on Garezim like the Temple of Jerusalem overtopped the Temple And to what fame arose a Temple which Orias built in Heliopolis like to that of the Lord 's in Jury What our heavenly King delivereth his People must be marked with no other form or print save that which is framed in his Word and in his own Sacraments And however God permitted the ancient Fathers to fail in heart in some particulars against thei● general Doctrine yet they ever disallowed and abhorred the changing of signs instituted by God and the devising of others determined to signify the same thing that was sealed by the Sacraments The memory of the Barsamani and Semidalitae is abhorred Danes in Aug. de haer cap. 64. Concil Bracarens 3. cap. 1. Conc●l Constan 6. in Trullo cap. 99. Aug. de haeres cap. 28. Can. Apest c. 3. Decret par 3. dist 2. cap. 1.2.3.4.5.6.7 Concil Const 6. in Trullo cap. 32. Lamb. Dan. in Aug de haer cap. 28. 64. Concil Antisiodorens can 8. for that instead of Bread they used Meal even as others are utterly condemned for bringing in Orapes instead of Wine The Ar●●mans added sodd meat to the Bread and Wine of the Lord's Supper The Aquarli changed Wine into Water The Artotyritae added Cheese to the Bread in the Supper upon an imitation of ancient times when the fruits of the Earth and the fruits of the Cattel were wont to be offered to the Lord Others added Hony to the Wine in the Supper and some Milk But all these are condemned because they are not in the Institution Q. These Hereticks and Sects condemned brought in their devised signs as parts of the Sacraments which is a thing to be condemned But what say you of signs devised by humane Authority and annexed to the Sacraments not as parts but for signification only A. Signs annexed to the Sacraments for signification to declare or teach what God promiseth to man or what duty man oweth to God are parts of the Sacraments no more than some of the former and the Reasons brought to condemn them do cashiere and cast out these also 1. For if he be not devout but presumptuous who administreth otherwise than he hath received of the Lord then must all strange signs be abandoned which hath not been seen and approved of God The charge of the Lord to his People is this Ye shall do my Judgments and keep my Ordinances to walk therein Lev. 18 4. Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 Deut. 6.13 Mat. 4 10. Deut. 12.32 Deut. 4 1.2 Zanch. d. Scrip. q. 8. prop. 1. Co. s 2 A●g Exod. 12.24.43 27.21 29.9 30.21 Deut. 4.1 the meaning is plainly this Ye shall observe all mine Ordinances Moral and Ceremonial and them onely as the words of this Law is explained by the Apostle All things which are written in the Book of this Law And him thou shalt serve is expounded by our Saviour Him onely thou shalt serve more expresly the same Commandment is repeated in other places What things soever I command you observe to do it thou shalt not add unto it nor diminish from it To what might they not add neither to the Law Moral nor Ceremonial as the Word signifieth and all Circumstances of the Text do convince For in the former of those places Israel is exhorted to hearken unto the Statutes and Ordinances of the Lord under which two words often joyned together are comprised all duties of the Law moral and ceremonial And thereupon immediately follow these words Deut. 4.8.40 Deut. 5.1 and 6.1 and 12.1 Mal. 4.4 Lev. 18.5 and 19.37 and 26.22.18.22 Deut. 4.1 2. Exod. 25.9 40. and 27.19 Ye shall not add unto the Word or things which I commanded unto you The same is more clear in the second place for having recited many Precepts Ceremonial and some few Moral he concludeth Whatsoever I command you to observe take heed to observe it c. And Moses himself faithfully in this performed the charge of God for having received a Commandment from him to make all things pertaining to the Tabernacle according to the pattern shewed in the Mount he presumed not to add one pin to that was shewed him but strictly followed his Sampler in every point Exod. 39.42 43. And if Moses durst not challenge authority of himself to ordain Sacramentall Rite● and annex them to the holy Ordinances of the Lord how shall we be assured that the Church hath any liberty herein what reason can be given why that should be warrantable in this age of the Church and in that unlawfull If the Church will presume to claim any such Prerogative it is necessary she produce the Charter wherein the Lord hath confirmed such a Priviledg unto her which before he denied to that his Faithfull servant with whom he was pleased to speak familiarly and in most friendly manner The worthy Reformers of Religion who lived in the Church of the Jews after the dayes of Moses knew no such grant for they kept themselves precisely to the Law of the Lord by the hand of Moses not turning there-from in any thing without special and extraordinary inspiration David gave to Solomon his son 1 Chron. 28.12.19 the pattern of all that he had by the Spirit of the Courts of the house of the Lord of all the Chambers round about c. And Hezekiah set the Levites in the house of the Lord 2 Chron. 29.25 with Cymballs with Psalteries and with Harps according to the commandment of David and of Gad the Kings Seer and Nathan the Prothet for so was the Commandment of the Lord by his Prophets Ask the Scripture whether ever the godly Kings among the Jews had any such Authority to bring in any special Action or Ceremony into the service of God without special warrant Search the Scriptures about this matter and if

of sinfull men And then If the Church of the Jews was to admit of no Ceremonies but what was prescribed unto her of the Lord whereas the Christian Church is to stand to the Arbitrement of her Guides and Governours the Bondage and Infancy of the Jewish Bel. de effect Sac. l. 2. c. 32. Bell. de Mon. l. 2. c. 13. arg 9. resp pont r●m lib. 4. cap. 17. Chrysost hom 52. in Matth. cited by D. Whitak de sc q. 9. c. 14. is much to be preferred before the liberty and ripeness of the Christian Church It is replied that the adding and diminishing spoken of doth not mean addition of preservation but addition of corruption like as the fraudulent Coyner of Money doth not corrupt the Kings Coyn either by adding baser metral unto it or by clipping any silver from it and in both kinds he is a Traytor How little doth this differ from the Jesuites gloss upon this Text God commands saith he nothing to be added to his Precept to corrupt it but not some things which may perfect it Can humane devised Rites preserve the Ordinances of God from corruptions or rather are not all such additions manifest corruptions When God hath given to Moses particular determinations of all symbolical Rites pertaining to his worship had it not been an addition of corruption in him if upon his own head he had annexed any devised significative Rites unto them Bellarmine himself grants it had been when in his third answer he labours but to small purpose to put this difference betwixt the state of the old and New Testament † Petitur principium quia et hoc ipso contraria est quaelibet nova lex quod divina additur quandequidem iste sibi addi vetat Tilen de pot l. 4. c. 17. not 11. vise Lubbert de Pap. Rom. l. 8. cap. 10. That in the one all Rites pertaining to the worship of God were particularly determined but not in the other And when the Jesuite confesseth in his first answer to that Argument urged by our Divines against humane Laws binding Conscience Jun. ani in Bel. de Pont. Rom. lib. 4. cap. 17. that it is unlawful to add to the things commanded As to sacrifice two Lambs when God hath commanded onely one doth he not grant by necessary Consequence that when God hath appointed that Baptism should be administred with Water it is unlawfull to add thereto Oyl Cream Salt Spittle and such like Moreover to give Man Authority to add Rites of Information to the holy Ordinance of God what is it but to prefer the folly of Man before the Wisdom of God as though his sacred Institutions must borrow reverence or defence from humane Forgeries Doth not this Distinction open a wide gapp to let in manifold Abuses into God's Worship under the colour of Addition of Preservation Doth it not much impaire the perfection of Scripture when Rites Sacramental tending to preserve the purity and due regard of Christ's Institutions shall be esteemed lawful in the immediate Worship of God when they find no footing to stand on in the Word of God D. Lambard l. 4. dist 3. c. 1. D. Sp. pag. 32. D. Cov. against Per. pag. 123. D. Whitg Ans Adm. pag. 32. Preserve or keep carefully that which is committed to our trust 1 Tim. 6.20 Cajet interprets this place thus Inhibetur additio etiam pratextu Custodien di mandata Dei See Calv. in Mat. 15. The Synagogue of Rome doth not maintain her Addition to be of absolute necessity or essential parts of the Sacraments but instituted of the Church for signification and preservation and yet they are justly censured as unlawful and contrary to the Authority of the Holy Scripture The Lord chargeth that we do not add that so we may preserve it This Argument might here be shut up but that to prevent some Objections it is good to enquire what is an Addition to the Word The Patrons of significant Ceremonies say An unlawful Addition to any of Christ's Sacraments is onely that which either participates therewith in all or at least in the chief and proper ends thereof or is added for Complement thereof as necessary and so unchangeable To add to the Word is to ordain somewhat as a thing absolutely necessary and pertaining to the Essence of Worship Those add to the Word 1. Who teach or decree any thing either in matters of Faith or Ceremonies contrary to the Word 2. Those that make any thing necessary to Salvation not contained in the Word 3. Such as put any Religion or Opinion of merit in any thing that they themselves have invented besides the Word of God Last of all They add to the Word which forbid that thing for a thing of it self unlawful which God doth not forbid and make that sin which God doth not make sin But in all these definitions that is left out which Moses meant specially to comprehend which is not to do more nor to do lesse than he had commanded Every unlawful Tradition is contrary to the Word which forbiddeth all such Additions But as the Word contrary in strict sense is opposite to that which is besides the Word it reacheth not with the other particulars added to it to express what is an Addition prohibited The Lord Jesus is the sole Doctor of his Church whose Office it is to teach by word and sign and therefore whatsoever is devised by Man to instruct by outward resemblance and to admonish by striking the senses by way of Representation that is an unwarrantable Addition God is the only Sealer of his Promises Tho Aquin. pag. 3. q. 60. Cajetan ibid. Cerimonalis lex perfecta in Sc. traditur in libris Mosis ubi nulla Ceremonia ne minutissima quidem praetermissa est Wh. de Sc. q. 6. cap. 14. Quod uni Judaeorum populo per Mosen diligentersatis praescripta essent c. Jansen cond cap. 120. and Signifier of his Will by things sensible in the Sacrament and by words similitudinary in the Scripture to him it appertaineth to determine what signs must be used to signify In the time of the Law when signs reigned none were lawful but such as were shewed in the pattern upon the Mount much more in the time of the Gospel when shadows are abolished what God hath not instituted is to be abandoned Moses durst not add of his own head to those signs that were appointed of the Lord though to ends inferiour as profitable onely to signify not to exhibite as matters of expediency to explain and declare what was represented not of absolute necessity And what had been presumption in him is intolerable in us being delivered from the Pedagogy of the Law In those things God hath precisely determined in those actions the whole form whereof God hath of purpose set down to be observed we may not otherwise do than exactly as he hath commanded Herein what is not expressed or by good consequence enjoyned is

24. q. 4. Arg. 2. Divinum et integrum non esset misterium si quicquam ex te adderes Chrys homl 7. in 1 Corrinth Bell. de Sacr. l. 1. c. 9.14 de Script l. 4. c. 5. Christus in Ecclesia solus potest Sacramenta constituere Mald. in Matth. 26.11 Zepper de sacra lib. 1. The Sacraments were ordained to move lead and instruct our dull and heavy hearts by sensible Creatures that so our negligence in not hearing or marking the Word of God might be amended Jewel's Treatise of the Sacraments That the Sacraments are expresly commanded of God in holy Scripture and that in the Institution of a Sacrament there must be express mention of the material parts thereof as it was in the Institution of Baptism and the Lord's Supper yea the Papists themselves acknowledge that Ceremonies Sacramental must be Instituted by Authority divine not humane though they refuse to be judged in this by the Scripture and fly to unwritten Traditions which blasphemously they make to be one part of the word of God in authority equal to the holy Scripture But signs appointed to signify by analogy or proportion annexed to the solemn Worship of God are Sacramental The antients define a Sacrament to be A visible sign or form of an invisible Grace A sign not naturall but voluntary not indicant but analogicall teaching or shadowing by representation So they call a Sacrament a visible Word as in Scripture they are termed Signs or Memorials In modern Writers the name Sacrament is given to the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil to the Altars Sacrifices Cherubins Lights and all Ceremonies ordained for signification in time of the Law as well as to the Rainbow Manna the Rock the Red-Sea Circumcision and the Paschal-Lamb Some of which were instituted to teach Man his Duty as others to seal and confirm the Promise of God or if all of them were seals of some spirituall Promises they were all Signs of some spiritual Duty and Sacramentall in both respects Whence we may conclude That the common nature of a Sacrament doth agree to signs determined by representation to teach any duty that man oweth to God his absolute Soveraign and mercifull Father in Christ Jesus whether Supernaturall or Morall The Precepts contained in the Book of Life are and do set forth the mind of God unto us no lesse than the Promises made therein nor can any reason be given why the representation of some spirituall Duty for all Duties that man is to perform unto God in Christ are spirituall Duties by a mystical Rite should not as properly pertain to the nature of a Sacrament as the shadowing or sealing of some spirituall Promise Quanquam ne professi● quidem fidei Nam attendendum non tantum quid velit qui profitetu● sed ●tiam quid ●●●ptum sit ei apud quem opertet professio●●●●s ●●● Ch. de Sacr. lib. 1. cap. 8. ursin tom 2. pag. 1630. What the Word doth bring to the ear that the Sacrament doth exhibit to the other senses The whole Scripture doth testifie That from the beginning of the World the Lord did intend this in Instituting Ceremonies that they should represent those things to the Eyes of men which his heavenly Word doth offer to their Ears But commandments are part of the Word as well as Promises The Will of God manifesting what he will do for us is a mystery so is it prescribing what Service he will have from us and a visible corporal material element determined to teach either of them or both is a sign Sacramentall and mysticall expressing some sacred mystery to the Eye plac = marg Signa cum adres divinas adhibentur Sacramenta vocantur Aug. de Doctr. Chr. lib. 3. cap. 6. ad Max. Ep. 5. as the Word doth to the sense which receiveth the Voyce We know no more what Service God will have a Christian perform unto his Highnesse then we do what good he would have men to expect from him by a lively Faith and it seems altogether as lawfull for man to devise signs for the confirmation of his Faith as to admonish and teach his Duty What difference can be made betwixt an addition to the means of instruction appointed of God and to the means of our assurance prescribed by him The commandments and the Promises are so knit together that it cannot be conceived how a sign should be appointed to teach man his Duty and not to assure him of some good from God in the use thereof For 〈◊〉 Will is made known by Covenant wherein he freely bin●●●●●elf to bless us upon condition of sincere and faithfull Obedie●●●●●s he obligeth us to be obedient to his Commandments that we may be blessed and the signs added to the Word do teach both as in the Word it self both parts are published Again it is one proper end of the Sacraments by striking the senses by outward representative Elements to teach the understanding help the memory stirr up the affections and excite devotion But for this end also are significant Rites devised unless we shall confesse them to be vain idle fruitless absurd and sensless And thus agreeing with Sacraments in their nature and end of necessity they must be confessed to be Ceremonies Sacramental The Scripture doth not so distinguish betwixt Signs Seals or signs significative obsignant as to make the one Sacramental not the other rather under the name sign it expresseth the nature of a Sacrament which consisteth in the analogy proportion which is betwixt a sign determined to signify and the thing signified The signs which it hath pleased God to add to his Covenant are not bare naked empty shadows but lively Seals of divine Grace Promised effectual Teachers of man's duty signs of man's duty Signs and Seals both of God's speciall favour and mercy in Christ Jesus ursia Catech. q. 65. explic 1. Gen. 9.12 By the Sacrament man is bound to God and by the same God vouchsafeth to bind himself to man Jewel's Treatise of the Sacrament See 1 Cor. 9.2 2 Tim. 2.19 Apo. 7.2 9 4 Matth 27.66 Vis Ursie tom 4. pag. 1614. 1668. Ursin pag. 1673. and in both respects Sacraments Some signs are ordained meerly to assure and confirm unto us the Promises which God hath been pleased to make Some both to teach visibly what the Lord requireth and commandeth in his holy Truth and to confirm our Faith in what he hath promised in his holy Word but all are Sacraments in each respect and what is a Seal but a visible sign annexed to a Promise to testify or assure it And how can a sign be added to it but it must testify or confirm Even from hence that it is set to the Promise by him who hath Authority to make it and Power to make it good it is a Seal So that the Word Seal doth rather note the speciall nature and end of some Signs as they are referred to