conuenient preparatiō thereunto Chrisost in 1. Cor. hom 24. For if it were a princes sacred body or but purple garment onely the matter whereof is wormes thread colour no better then the dead fishe blood yet were it not rashly to be abused with vnwashed or vncleane handes How much the more reuerent then ought the receiuing of these holy mysteries of Christs body and blood to be of all them that know what it is to stand in awe that they offend not Wherfore let a man examine himselfe saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 11.28 so let him eat of this bread drinke of this cup. Euen so therfore if not so not at all Better to abstaine then to come together for the worse As the print in waxe is more fitly receiued and fully expressed when the waxe is wrought and warmed first so like wise the effect of this Sacrament is more liuely felt and seene when wee repayre thereunto with prepared mindes wel instructed and throughly examined In which examination two poyntes chiefely are obserued wherof the one cōcerneth faith the other loue Fayth to be setled in our heartes towardes God Loue to be she wed to our neighbor The latter procedeth out of the former and both from the spirit of God Faith receiueth increase by hearing and prayer Rom. 10.17 Luk. 17.5 Mark 9.24 O Lord increase our faith Loue and faith iointly are stirred vp and strengthened by repentance in the worthy repayring to receiuing at the Lordes table Wherupon ariseth these three as agents in this examination assured faith brotherly loue earnest repentance Faith directeth in knowledge Loue is occupied in thākfulnes to God and good doing toward men Repentance euer in eyther amendeth what is omitted or done amisse and craueth pardon with humble minde and ful purpose not to offend in the like againe All which dueties as I take may be rightly considered according to the times wherin eyther we are to receiue or presently receiue or haue receiued the Sacrament The first is called a Preparation vnto the Supper the second a meditation therein the third a christian conuersation that must ensue thereupon In preparing our selues is required Preparatiō that we knowe of whom what and in what order wee must receiue It seemeth to be recorded as a commēdation Of whom we receiue 1. Sam. 1.23 that Anna nursed her owne sonne in which respect among infinite others the loue of God exceedeth all loue Wherein as he spareth no cost so hee vndertaketh any care Plutar de institu lib. which nice and vnnatural mothers refuse to do putting forth their infantes to bee nursed abroade without neede or cause Our God doeth not so neyther needeth he so to doe Isai 49.15 his breasts are neither sore nor drye at any time Of his owne good will he begat vs againe in baptisme so will he stil feede and bring vs vp to a full age perfect grouth in Christ Sufficient or abundant prouision for the house himselfe in his wisedome hath prouided the holy spirite being steward of all and as it were distributer and caruer at the board What we receiue And to come to the seconde poynt what we receiue The meate of this table is the very death of Christ the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world The story and institution whereof is recorded by three Euangelistes Matt. 26.26 Mark 14.22 Luk. 22.19 and againe commented vpon by the holy ghost at large in the former Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians where the Apostle beginneth the matter with a faithful saying 1. Cor. 11.23 That which I haue receiued of the Lorde I haue deliuered you For otherwise if he came with offers of his own deuising himselfe raught the Galathians what his entertainement ought to be Gal. 1.8 Let him be accused though he were an Angell of God from heauen The Lord Iesus that night that he was betrayed tooke bread and when he had giuen thanks he brake and sayde Take eate this is my bodie which is broken for you this doe in remembrance of me In like maner the cup c. For as often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shewe the Lordes death till he come againe Wherein wee see euidently what Christ did also in duetie what we must do In the visible signes which he tooke of bread that he brake wine that he powred foorth and in deliuering thē both to be taken eaten and drunke he manifestly declared two things the one that he woulde immediately make an oblation for the redemption of mankinde vpon the altar of the crosse the other that for euer he woulde be the euerlasting foode of their soules his body to be the bread of life his precious blood to be their comfortable drinke the Physicke of immortalitie Ignat. epist ad Eph. and preseruatiue against all euill The sacrifice oblation he intēded is plaine by these words Which is broken Mat. 26.28 which is shed for many for remission of sinnes Euen is brokē and shed because the houre wherin he should be betrayed and suffer drewe nigh and was at hande That he would be their foode is proued cleerely in that hee commaūded to take eate this is my body Nowe by the way out of these two notes may be noted two forcible reasons against the sacrifice pretended in the masse They are lately delighted with motiues and demandes may I aske them this question Doe they thinke a sinfull priest can do more at his masse then the sōne of God did at his supper I hope they will not prefer a meere man before Christ God and man the Sauiour of the worlde And if so then may they see their priest can make no sacrifice for Christ himselfe when he sate at boorde with his disciples made none but declared what he meante to make For and if he had so done the Thursday at night what needed he thē to haue suffered the Fryday at noone againe he willeth vs to take and eate and feede on him He offreth himselfe to be receiued of vs not to be offered by vs to his Father That was his owne proper and personall duety But to leaue to speake hereof our dewtie is with thankfulnes to feede on the food he offreth vs euen to eate and drinke him to partake his blessed body and precious blood Wherein notwithstanding to mistake and mingle the signes and the things signified cōfusedly without differēce were as Aug. sayth De doct Chr. a miserable thraldome to the very soule of a Christian man Christes wordes be plaine He tooke bread after thankes giuen he breake gaue bread for what he toke he brake and what he brake he gaue and therefore he gaue bread For the Apostle saith he brake bread and that he calleth his body and so concerning the cuppe for after a sort to speake of one is to speake of both Marie tooke Christ to
and beholdeth the inwarde parts may commaunde and will rewarde the good conscience will and is able to discerne right and iudge uprightly and hath denounced to take vengeance of the very soules of sinners wherein they closely but chiefly offende Neither may mortall men adde to take from or alter at pleasure his wordes and what are his Sacraments but his wordes made visible and inuested with signes of his owne ordayning August 80. tract in Ioh. The examination of Iohns Baptisme was on this maner Whence is it Matt. 11.15 from aboue or from beneath of God or of mā Yf from heauen it was to be receiued if from the earth they might reiect it For what is earth to heauen man to God our dreames to his worde our dregges to his wine Is there any taste in the white of an egge What is chaffe to wheate or glasse to a diamonde 1. Sam. 15.22 Verily obedience is better then the sacrifice of good ententes as they be termed For will we honour him with the fattest cattell out of the stall or worshippe him in the calfe of purest golde the one is but a beast that eateth hay the other the workmanshippe of the engrauers hands By obeying we offer vp our bodyes soules a reasonable sacrifice wherein he is well pleased Thereby we reuerence his maiesty adore his wisedome subiect our willes to his will rest in his worde making no reckoning at all of any institutions that merely touche the conscience but of his Wherupon with the blessed virgin we saye Iohn 2.5 What euer he commandeth doe and also what he hath not commaunded we feare not to transgresse breake asunder as Samson did those greene withes and newe cordes Iudg. 16 9. Wee knowe all such witchecraftes the Lorde doeth vtterly abhorre As for his Sacraments they are his owne institutions hee marketh his sheepe with his owne markes writeth all with his own singer sealeth his writing with his owne signet Neither shoulde any presume so much as to set to these his seales but one ly such as are called to so hye a calling to be as it were the keepers of them to that ende appointed much lesse may men make newe seales of their owne deuising When it pleased GOD to seale his promise made to Abraham with the sacrament of circumcision Gene. 17. he calleth it his own couenant and saide It is I the Lorde the author thereof A particular rule generally to bee obserued in euery Sacrament of either Testamēt It is I the Lord. The signes 2 In the second place we are to take viewe of these seales for they are visible to the eye as his voyce is audible to the eare The drane water flie gazeth on euery faire flower but gathereth no honye as doth the Bee The wandring sight cōsidereth litle of the excellencie of the seales Before it was true to say No institution no Sacrament here we may as truely auouch No signe no Sacrament For the whole is made of all his partes and euery Sacrament hath euer these two members the outwarde signe and the inwarde grace and without the signe is no grace sacramentally signified at any time neyther is the shew of a signe sufficient it must be material and able in a conuenient proportion to demōstrate and declare to mans frayle capacitie the grace implied and signified as shall better appeare in the specials afterwarde The signes barely looked vpō in thēselues they are base matters earthly elements common ordinarie but put once the princes stampe to the mettall the seale to the waxe the waxe and seale to the Lordes promise the case is altered For earthly common and vsual elementes Iren. lib. 4. cap. 34. that a litle before were doe put nowe vpon them and are endued with diuine considerations yet stil in substāce remaining the same but in efficacy vertue seruice ends signification and representation of graces base thinges become beautifull and marueilous being thus sequestred by God himselfe to so high and holy purposes and therefore are vsualy termed by the very names that the graces themselues are called by And this is also a common rule amongst the Fathers See it so in examples out of the Scriptures Circumcision is the couenant the Lambe the Passeouer the Arke the Lorde Baptisme our buriall Christ the rocke the Bread his bodye the Cup his blood because the analogie of these thinges is liuely the proportion plaine the signes significantly ordeyned of God and being thus vttered they more affect our fayth and touch our affections The inuisible grace 3 Thirdly the graces that is the inward parte of the Sacraments are though singular in consolation yet secret in the mysterye of their operation God worketh howe he listeth and on whom he pleaseth The Iay feedeth belowe the carnall eye seeth nothing but the barke and ryne of these things bare water and bakers bread Fayth flyeth higher as the Eagle soareth vpwarde and mounteth to heauē it selfe where Christ sitteth at the right hande of the father the onely grounde worke life and soule of all the Sacraments that euer were or are in vse The song of Salomon is called the song of songes for his excellencie Nazianz. de Sacro Bapt. and God the God of gods for his puissāce In like maner the graces we reape receiue by Christ in the sacraments so great gracious are they they may be termed graces of graces as namely remission of sinnes imputation of righteousnesse sanctification of life a speciall application of our sauiour Iesus Neither yet for all this which is diligently to be noted doe we tye or binde his goodnes so hereby that he must needes worke with or can not worke without these meanes by his spirit the saluation of them whom he had chosen and destinated to eternal life before all worldes Many Israelites that died in the desert when they could not trauaile if they had bene sore and cut were saued without circūcision The thiefe that from the crosse went straight to heauen was neuer otherwise baptized then in his owne confession faith and petition to Christ Saluation is neither kneaded into the dough nor mingled w e water no more then with the word which is as Hierom sayeth more truely Christ Hierom. in Psal 147.3 cap. eccle but proceedeth from God and is conueyed by ordinary meanes of eyther word or outward signes where they are not contemned but may conueniently he had are reuerētly vsed as they ought The vse cōtinuance 4 And this is the fourth and last point the right vse and continuance of the Sacraments Phisicke is not prepared but to be receiued As in the Reuelation no man receiueth the white stone Reuel 2.17 but to whome it is giuen so no man readeth the writing but who receiueth it The authour of the Sacraments is God the signes holy the grace most holy This Manna would be kept in a golden pot and these iewels set in the
rudenesse a Kinge to conquere our enemies But his Priesthoode and his sacrifice we chiefly celebrate in this Sacrament which also may be and is termed therfore a Sacrifice not of Christ but to Christ in remēbrance of his the sacrifice of praise the calues of our lippes the incense of thankes giuing and this Leuites fire should neuer go out and in the present flame all abroad Wherein we beleeue in heart confesse with mouth that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners being perfite God was made perfite man Man that he might die God the in dying he might satisfie for mankind for because that the flesh alone profiteth nothing his manhood was not sufficient except also he had bene very God Wherfore God euen our God so exceedingly loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne and therefore he also naturaly God the sonne like the father to bee the ransome for the sinnes of the world Isai 53 5◠The chastisement of our peace was vpon him the peace ours the chastisement his all sufficient for all the sinnes both of body and soule of all sinners The grieuousnes and bitternes of which cup may be considered in that our Sauiour after a sort tasted thereof and it tasted bitter put forth his hand to take it pulled it in againe began to tremble his very soule was sorowful praied earnestly went out and prayed againe that if it were possible it might passe ouer needed an Angell for comfort swet water drops of blood If there were nothing herein but an vsuall death woulde Christ thus haue bene afflicted The heathē haue suffred more with more pacience apparant therfore there must be and was more in it and yet he is not come to the bitternes in the bottom of the cup. Those former agonies were but hony in comparison of the conflict with Sathan which followed and the wrath of his father which ensued when all sinnes as heauy as hell more then the starres of heauen or the sand of the sea were layed in one vpon him and he for them made a curse and execration Isa 53.8 the iust executed for the vniust one for all A childe is borne to vs and giuen vnto vs and liued for vs. This might comfort Ierusalem at the heart but the end perfection of our ioy and his sorowe was his death on crosse wherein consisteth the thankfull meditation I speake of holpen by breaking of the bread and the powring foorth of the wine before our sight wherein the default of our aduersaries appeareth greatly that debarreth the people of so great an helpe For be it that perfect Christ be communicated in the bread yet in the wine significātly is resembled his bloodsheding most And howe dare they alter the Lordes institution As he tooke bread euen so he tooke the cup 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then if bread be requisite so is the cup also For as he tooke the one so he tooke the other Eckius in ench Eckius woulde proue his halfe cōmunion out of his Paternoster giue vs this day our daily bread A begger is neuer out of his way What scripture wil not serue for any purpose if that do for his Saint Paul teacheth what the Lorde did and what the Corinthians should do till Christ his comming in the cloudes hee meaneth what al posteritie was to do For those Corinthians are gone the way of all fleshe their church rased He telleth them in them vs Other thinges at his comming he would dispose of as of indifferent circūstances But for the lawfull and inuiolable vsage of the Sacrament in both kindes he deliuered as he had receiued Dauid slewe the Gyant with one stone but he toke more then one out of the brook Christ is receiued in his word by his spirit in baptisme sacramentaly in either or rather in both the signes of the Supper ioyntly taken as he ordeyned So sufficiently and aboundantly hath the Lord prouided for his houshold bread made of many graynes and also wine of many grapes the answerably we being many may bee one in him and hee in vs expecting the accomplishment of our ioy to the full no more in signes figures in earth but apparantly to eate and drincke at Christes table with him in the kingdome of heauen where we shal sit on seates iudge the twelue tribes of Israel Luke 22.30 Amen There are certaine kindes both of byrdes and beastes Conuersation whose meate wil not tarie with them but passeth quickly away recto intestino Such beastes neuer chew the cud And some men not vnlike or worse then beastes meditate litle of whom they were begotten and fed what they feede on or in what sorte much lesse doth the meat digest with them to make thē strōg men in Christ as if Sara were their mother Agar their nurse or as if they were nursed with milke weaned with poyson and the meate naught and woulde not proue with them so doe they liue In comming to the Seruice Sacramentes eyther for company or custome sake they looke one way with the godly but in their conuersation they row another way and shewe in their deedes of what felowship they are They passe through the redde sea but murmure in the wildernes nay euen at the redde sea offend they God In pretence somwhat they are but inwardly nothing and in fact naught Their windows be not scued as Salomōs were to giue a full light into the house to their owne heartes in hypocrisie somewhat is shewed the window wide enough outwardly Fayth Loue Repentance to sight are set forth in performāce euery one is for him selfe neyther thankefull to God neyther charitable to his neighbor and both without remorse These thinges ought not to be so this Passeouer would not be so eaten our loynes so soone vngirded our staues throwen away the water of Baptisme trampled on the bread and wine or the body and blood of Christ thus receiued all in vaine Were it that the naughtye liuer could bee a good beleeuer for the time or were it that as water he might be whote immediately before and at the action of receiuing yet if when the fire is remoued the cold qualities returne againe what auayleth the former heate A cole is red while it is in the fire when the fire is out his blacke and naturall colour returneth by by againe and then light it againe and it seemeth red againe but yet in the ende it consumeth to ashes The bone that is often set in ioynte August de tem Ser. 58. will hardly be wel ioyned often Let no man presume of sinning nor yet despaire of mercie The Sacraments as they are seales of mercy so are they also bondes of obedience as God will perfourme on his part al so must we endeuour to shew our selus duetiful in al good works Wherunto to perswade if there were nothing els but this this may suffice that
purest golde The gifte that is bestowed is most syncere the stone white that is deliuered And ought not then the hande to be a cleane hande or rather the heart a pure heart that receiueth such pearles GOD couenanteth to bee our God shoulde we not accept the offer reioyce in his couenant Achaz in hypocrisie pretended he woulde beleeue God without a signe Esai 7.12 Certainely so must we doe in deede many times Balaam Nom. 23.19 that saw lesse thē his asse saw so much the Gods worde is ynough Shall he speake and not doe Yet when he offereth signes withal to helpe forth our infirmities in faith according to his worde eyther naturall as the rainebow or artificiall as the brasen serpent or miraculous or Sacramental or whateuer if we then refuse them in steade of shunning the fault of tempting him we runne vpon the contempt of his heauenly wisedome Goe preach baptize all nations Mat. 28.19 This is a generall commaundement and must be obserued 1. Cor. 10.24 As often as ye eate this bread and drinke this cuppe ye shewe the Lordes death vntill his comming againe As often therefore often and vsually vntill his comming againe therefore perperually must this Sacrament be continued in a godly remembrance of the Lordes death Gen. 29.17 Deut. 34.7 The olde ceremonies were weake sighted like Leah and therefore could not last euer Moses eyes were not dimme vntill his dying day so the force of Christian Sacraments remaine in their full vse vntill the ende of the worlde Their sacraments some were speciall for place and person In Paradise the tree of life was for the place Gen. 2.9 Iudg. 6.37 Esa 28.8 the wette dryed fleece the going backe of the dial were personally to Gedeon and Ezechias And their chiefest Sacraments either extraordinary as Manna and the rocke ceased in the wildernesse or ordinary as circumcision and the Passeouer these also haue had their ende in the fulnesse of time when their wombe as Cirill speaketh was deliuered of Christ as a woman of her childe into the worlde For Christ is come and their ceremonies were of Christ to come and when he came they as shadowes yeelded place at the presence of the body The difference of their Sacraments and ours consisteth in cleerenes of knowledge and continuance of tynte They caryed the former parte of the staffe we the hinder ende Christ is borne betwixt vs both but we that come after haue the fuller viewe and see directly before our face they respectiuely and looking backe to that which they caryed and came after and therefore more obscurely then we And nowe because Christ is borne no more liueth no more dieth no more because all these thinges are plainely to the eye painted poynted to with the finger in our Sacraments ours are not henceforth to be changed any more but are constant and perpetuall and continually in all duety to be vsed and enioyed till his comming again to iudge the quicke and the dead in the last day Of Baptisme The nature of Baptisme BAptisme is the Sacrament of regeneration in water wherby our sinnes are clensed we clad with Christ endued with his spirit our names entred among the number of Christian professours in the name of the blessed Trinitie The institution Touching the institution whether it growe out of the earth or descende from aboue be of men or of God being of all confessed to be a Sacrament and a Sacrament being already proued to be alwayes a diuine institutiō it is needlesse to repeate or say further therein Yet moreouer and aboue that our Sauiours owne example and general commandement Go preach Mat. 3 15. baptize c. are euident warrants autentike and special for proofe herein that it is of God The forme of the administration The fourme of the action declareth what we receiue of God and there withall enformeth vs what we owe and ought to render him againe Through singular mercie in the name of the Father by like merit and mame of the Sonne by the vertue of the Holy Spirite name power thereof we are made partakers of all the priuiledges that may be incident to such as shall be saued in the house Church of God In whose lap we are as it were newe borne newe washed new apparelled made new creatures in Iesus Christ Such is the forme so great the force of this sacrament Wherein yf any man vpon a farther desire to be instructed in the mysteries of his profession The marueilous operation of Baptisme muse in minde breake foorth and say as Mary did to the Angel Luke 1.34 How may this be that a materiall element shoulde thus worke in spirituall things that water touching the body should clense the soule that water in the fountaine where it is cleanest hauing no such operatiō should thus change and be changed in the Church and fonte whither it is brought from his spring are these effectes naturall Exod. 11.25 Of olde the waters of Marah were made sweete water in Cana Iohn 2.8 turned into wine Exod. 7.17 the riuers of Nilus into bloode and though euery of these mutations were marueilous in the sight of the wisest eye yet in this case there is more done Meere and bitter water in comparison is made exceeding sweete sweeter then the fruite of the ripest purest grape yea yet more then this is done Cold and vsual water is really changed truely and indeede turned after the maner of Sacramēts from a common moisture into the dewe of gods spirit and into the bloode of the Lambe Reuel 7.14 wherein the soules of the Saintes are washed For although it leaue not off to be water but remaineth as before a visible signe yet by the accesse of Gods worde and the omnipotent power of his spirite the Angell as it were descending vpon the poole in the Gospel Iohn 5.4 the change is greater then mans wordes can expresse By similitudes framed and vttered to our capacities fayth conceiueth conuenient instruction sufficient comfort Where the sunne warmeth not water is a sterile and bare moysture neyther can it engender any thing without the heate and helpe of the spirite that moued vpon the waters at their first creation Gen. 1.2 For as it was then so is it still as it was and is so in the generation of things so much more is it so in the regeneration of man Water of it selfe cannot make a man much lesse a Christian man The proportion of the signe with the graces signified The spirite of God is sometymes sayde to enflame and purifie like fire and in this case to regenerate in water to clense and washe like water And as verily as cleare water clenseth and cooleth the body so and as truely the like graces by the bloode of Christ and his spirite are wrought vpon the soule by entrance into this bathe Wherin we may obserue a further
similitude that as in washing pooles when men goe into thē they doe off their aparell and then enter the bath and bathe their bodies so in this the olde man is put off Adams fig leaues throwen aside then with niter fullers sope nay rather with the bloode of the sonne of God all our former filthe is scoured away This dissimilitude is in this similitude our former rags are neuer resumed as sinners resume their garmentes when they haue washed Those plaguy clothes that tooke stayne and infection from sinfull Adam we burie or we burne The regenerate man hath done away his former generation dyeth to sin the gylte and dominion whereof lyeth as a dead body in the graue and hath no more power ouer the creature which is endued with the newe man freed from Satan accepted into seruice and fauour in the familie of GOD weareth the cloth of righteousnes and is apparelled as the womā in the Reuelation with the sonne of God Reue. 12.1 Wherein notwithstanding it is expedient still and euer to remember from what rocke we were he wen on what stocke we grewe what we haue lost and what wee haue founde howe fowle we were howe cleane we are that tasting howe sweete the Lord is we may as it were feele the difference betweene soote and sugar see and view the oddes betweene our crimosin blood red sinnes and the snowe white innocencie we haue obteyned in him To compare the state wherin we were by creation then in nature corrupted and nowe by grace and regeneration were to compare an innocent lyfe a deserued death life euerlasting together that is Paradise hell heauenly blisse betwixt themselues For our case at the first was no worse afterward no better and in Christ betterthen euer before Rom. ◠For as by one man came sinne and by sinne death which presupposeth a former innocencie and life so by the man Christ much more excellent is the righteousnesse that is imputed to faith imported by this Sacrament and shal be enioyed without end As the first Adam eating of the forbidden tree he susteining the person of al mankinde by his disobedience did set on edge his posterities teeth so the second Adam trode the wine presse alone and yet wee his posteritie also drinck neuer the lesse of his wine And here let no man say Prou. 9.2 I haue mixed mine owne wine I haue compassed these thinges my selfe Strength if it leane to presumption is weaker then water and the broken reede and yet the strongest thinges of man are but meere weaknesse the puritie of nature pollution libertie of will thraldome and the merite of workes a stayned cloute And then if the clothe be so course howe course is the list or if the wooll be course can the clothe be fine Adam begate Seth Gen. 5.3 and all his children in his owne likenesse For as the man that is not cannot beget himselfe that he may haue a being so man being naught can neuer of him selfe beget any thing els or him selfe to bee good againe Why thē do we presume A puffe of pride bloweth out the candle that was lightened of another at the first and cannot kindle it selfe the seconde time The debter in the Gospel was not able to make payment for the ten thousand talentes Matt. 18.24 and the more in debte in processe of time the more vnlike to come out of debt albeit he sayd as the aduersaries of the trueth saye if his Lorde would haue patience he would pay and satisfie all The three parables in Saint Luke tende all to this purpose Luke 15. to shewe mans inhabilitie in euery respect and the Lordes exceeding mercie altogether The lost groat lacketh sense the strayed sheep witte the prodigall sonne wisedome The woman lighteth the candle sweepeth the house seeketh diligently The shepheard goeth out into the wildernesse and bringeth home on his shoulders And as for the wastfull sonne God in his prouidence disposed so that by afliction and famin he should be taught and constrained to returne backe making a most true confession that hee had sinned against heauen and his father and was no more worthie to bee called his sonne Had sinned and therefore nowe onely was to stande vpon grace pardon had sinned against heauen and therefore in earth vnfit and vnable to make satisfaction had sinned against so louing a father therefore vnworthy the name of a sonne Notwithstanding while he stoode yet a great waye off his father sawe him and had compassion ranne preuented him with mercie fell on his necke and kissed him killed the fatte calfe put shoes on his feeete and a ring on his finger hyred musicians and called for the best robe clad him therewith that was vtterly destitute of al attire except such as Job speaketh of Iob. 9.31 Mine owne clothes defile me Many excellent and rich ornaments are layde together in one heape in the Prophet Ezechiel embroydred works Ezech. 16. bracelets silke siluer golde c. and all these God bestowed on them the lay dead in their blood whome he raised to life circūcised with his owne hand dryed their corruption with salte washed their vncleannes with water swadled and clad them with newe precious apparell euen with Iosephs party coloured coate or rather with the Queenes garment of needle worke which yet was not of her owne making The olde purifyings did prefigure out and as it were made the first draught thereof but the water of Baptisme most liuely expresseth his mercy compassion whose onely eye no mans els tooke pitie on vs then when we lay not wounded but dead long dead in our sinnes In this water the litle fish humble Christian resumeth life againe the lay gasping dead on the shoare before In this water the Scorpion loseth his venim Cypr. 4. lib. epist 7. and can not sting In this water Sinne Satan the flesh and the worlde lye floting drowned as in the deluge in Genesis 1. Cor. 10.1 1. pet 3.21 and red Sea in Exodus where Noah the preacher of righteousnesse and a few with him were saued in the Arke which after a sorte was a figure of Baptisme The Israelites went through on dry foot Pharao and all his hoste drowned in the red sea But for all this this is true in the letter of these stories and certaine in the trueth of a farther meaning the though Noah escaped drowning yet he was ouercome afterward with wine though the Egyptians were ouerwhelmed al yet there remained other enemies in the desert neither did Israel straightwayes enter the promised land wtout further labour fightes first had with sundry and diuers nations Hierom. ad Ocean Aug. retract lib. 1. cap. 7. Ephe. 5.25 Rom. 7. In this Sacrament though generally iniquity be pardoned and sinne drowned and wee saned yet for all this al infirmitie is not quite abolished wee are washed al Ioh. 13.10 but
our feete such are the wayes wherin we tread neede daily and continuall washing The effect of Baptsme worketh not in a moment but by litle litle as the leauen seasoneth the whole fiue peckes at length After a great sicknesse strength is not recouered but in continuance of time the wound is healed but it must be skinned ouer also When this mortalitie shall change for immortality corruption put on incorruption the olde Phenix be made a newe then neuer till then perfectly euery wrinckle shall be made plaine euery spot washed euery teare wiped away from our face our nakednesse couered ouer or quite done away and we presented blamelesse to the iudgement seat of God Col. 1.22 In the meane time while our dwelling is in this vale of miserie houses of clay it is our continuall duetie daily more and more to contende and proceed from faith to faith from strength to strength frō vertue to vertue crucifying the old mā hauing still recourse to that generall graunt of pardon we obtained in Baptisme at the first remission of sinnes in the death of Christ Not that this Sacrament be eftsoones repeated reiterated againe in fact Anabaptistes but afresh recorded in faith godly meditation August 11. tract in Ioh. vterus non repetitur humble prayer The father doth not often begette his sonne but the sonne remembring that hee was begottē of a louing father bethinketh himself considereth his duetie increaseth in pietie reuerent awe obedience Neither the seede one and the same graine is often sowen but being once sowen in due season it bringeth foorth his fruite The haruest of mans perfectiō is not in this worlde The sowing which is once and the growing time which is still is here full ripenesse is foūd els where August de Ieiunio Imus nondum peruenimus we are but in the way to heauen going on and trauailing till we come thither euen growing toward it groning after it In the midway no man spinneth so euen a thred that neuer breaketh treadeth so right that neuer trippeth For besides diuers actuall sinnes the ineuitable sinne of concupiscēce which lusteth against the spirit is left still as a sting in the Bee notwithstanding his hony and diuers graces by grace receiued The aduersaries to the trueth in their Couent at Trent 1. Decr. 5. Sess Cat. Tri. de bap sacr and in their Treatise of Baptisme woulde extenuate make light of it saying it is not in any wise sinne except it be consēted vnto Saint Iames teaching what will be the ende of sinne Iacob 1.14 sayeth that concupiscence tēpteth draweth and entiseth to actual and externall sinne and is this no sinne It is the mother of sinne and are not the mother daughter both of one nature Againe the very name Lust carieth with it a kinde of consent desire and will to sinne But suppose that by dissenting the external acte of sinning be restrained what then God considereth the hearte and he with all our strength power and faculties is to be serued the least defaulte in any parte of our inward parts is an offence and sinne against his Maiestie But doeth consent or dissent make our lustes eyther sinnes or no sinnes Is not an enemie an enemie if he be conquered Is not rebellion treason if it be preuented Is not sedition sedition if it be repressed Is lust no sinne if it be kept in Is fire no fire except it flame What neede many words Doth not the Apostle in expresse words sundry times cal concupiscence sinne because it hindereth the good he woulde helpeth forward the euil he would not They say the Apostle speaketh improperly a wonder He that framed the eare made the eye fashioned the tongue shall he not heare doth he not see can he not speake as properly as the children of men were there nothing but this that we are taught to pray with sighes as S. Paul doth against this temptation it were sufficient proofe plaine ynough that it is sinne For in praying that it be not we cofesse that where it is it shoulde not be and so because it is it is sinne especially being forbidden in the Lawe A litle feeling of a good conscience might take away all controuersie in the question as hath bene wel declared not long since Reply to the censure 5. articulo And thou O man which hast a sence what sinne is submitte thy selfe vnder the power of Gods hand powre forth thy soule in prayse to so mercifull a Lorde who hath forgiuen the gylte of this and al other thine offences who bindeth them dayly in a bundell will one day drowne or dye them all to an other colour in the blood of his sonne whereof thy Baptisme is a sure seale This knowledge and confession belongeth to al people from the cleauer of the woode to the Prince and counseller from the Cedars of Libanus to the Hyssoppe of the wall backe agayne high and lowe rich and poore old and yong one with another without respect of persons they are the Lordes equally Ancient men must not forget who was hee that tooke them from their cradle and caried them along in his armes to their gray heares Esa 46.4 Children must learne that they also are conteyned in his couenant Iohn was sāctified in his mothers wombe The baptizing of children Samuel in his childhoode consecrated vnto the Lorde Mar. 10.14 Children brought to Christ that he might lay handes on them Bring wee then also our children that Christ may blesse them in his owne institution Gen. 17.12 as of old God did the circūcised infantes of eight dayes age Delayes may be dangerous and are needlesse August de verb. a post hom 9. the vsage is an ancient rule of fayth It is true that not the lacke Bern. ad Hugon Epi. 77. but the neglecte of the Sacrament doeth hurt beware then of contempt Christ baptizeth with the spirit with fire with the spirite that is with spiritual graces he endueth thē who in faith thankfulnesse obserue his word receiue his sacramēts are ingraffed into him growe vp in him as liuely brāches in the true vine Iohn 15.1 Againe hee baptizeth with his spirite Luk. 3.16 able to discerne hypocrites with fire red hote readie to consume al chaffe corruption as both the superstitiō of the Popishe and also the securitie of the Anabaptist that eyther presume or peruert or any way pollute the right vse of this his holy ordinance which to the reuerent receiuer is the bath of his regeneration in Christ the badge of his profession and the bonde of brotherly loue in the house of our God Ephes 4.3 Of the Supper THe Leuits dutie was to prepare the people to the worthy receiuing of the Passeouer 2. Chro. 35.6 In place whereof hath succeeded the Sacramēt of the body blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ with semblable necessarie and