his sayings Here is a full tender of a Covenant and Covenant-termes on Christs part he that accepts of Christ as his Lord and professes to keep his sayings enters Covenant he that hath in him such an heart as God wished in Israel To feare him and keep all his Commandements alwayes Deut. 5.29 keeps Covenant Gospel-Preachers hold out Christ in Covenant and they do not onely tender mercies but engage to duties Act. 5.31 Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and remission of sins and this duty of repentance is in order to the priviledge of remission of sins as we find from Peter Act. 3.19 Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the duty of the Covenant is neglected the mercy of the Covenant is lost This caused them in their Ministery to be so zealous to urge men to it Testifying both to the Jewes and also to the Greeks repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Christ For the usuall solemnities of a Covenant In the usual accessories on solemnities These are found in the transactions between God and his people as well as the essentials of it 1. Covenants used to be written for memorial for posterity and so is the Covenant between God and man as in Old so in New Testament-times These things are written that you might believe and that believing you may have everlasting life Joh. 20.31 2. Covenants used to be confirmed with outward visible signes as the killing of beasts Jo. 15. Jer. 34 This was done in the old administration Exod. 24. Half of the blood was sprinkled upon the Altar to denote Gods entering of Covenant vers 6. The people also were sprinkled with blood to shew their voluntary entering into Covenant vers 8. And in the new dispensation a new and unheard of ratification was used the blood of the Mediatour of the Covenant Matth. 26.27 28. This Cup is my blood in the New Testament which was shed for you and for many for the remission of sins This latter is a plain allusion to the former in which you may find 1. A threefold agreement Either of both these were Covenants 2. Either of both these had their ratifications and confirmations 3. Either of both were confirmed with blood 2. A threefold difference 1. The former was the Old Covenant which was antiquated This is the New 2. The former was ratified and sanctified with the blood of beasts This is ratified and sanctified in the blood of Christ 3. That blood could never take away sin Heb. 10. This was shed many for remission of sins Thirdly Covenants use to be confirmed by seal so is this Covenant between God and his people as remaines to be spoken to As the being of a Covenant is thus plentifully proved by Scripture-testimony so we might as amply prove it by arguments drawn from thence Arguments evincing a Covenant in the proper nature of it The Churches of Christ are espoused unto Christ Hos 2.19 20. And I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousnesse and in judgement and in loving kindness and in mercies I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulnesse and thou shalt know the Lord. 2 Cor. 11.2 I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you to Christ and Spouses are in Covenant with their Bridegroom The Churches of Christ are married to Christ Esay 54.5 Thy maker is thine Husband the Lord of hosts is his Name and thy Redeemer the holy One of Israel the God of the whole earth shall he be called And wives are in Covenant with their husbands Their sins against God are branded with the names of Adulteries Whoredomes and these are not barely disobedience of a Command or neglect of a favour but breaches of Covenant The Churches of Christ are servants of Christ Levit. 25. houshold servants Ephes 2.19 and servants are their Masters by Covenant Their sins in this relation are not barely obstinacy stubbornness or ingratitude but they are charged with treachery falsehood dealing falsely in Covenant and their hearts being not stedfast in Covenant It is above me to conceive how man can be a Covenant-breaker not alone respective to man but God as he is frequently charged when there hath past no Covenant between God and man They may question whether there were ever any such thing as a Covenant in the world SECT III. Proposition 2. SEcondly Whereas there is an usual distinction almost in all that write or speak of the Covenant of a double Covenant between God and his people one external and the other internal one passing outwardly and the other inwardly kept and observed Or as Doctor Preston expresseth it a single and a double Covenant which I shall forbear to examine seeing I know there is a right meaning though I much doubt whether there be in the Reader a right understanding My second Proposition shall be that it is the external Covenant not the inward that exactly and properly is called by the name of a Covenant and to which priviledges of Ordinances and title to Sacraments are annext This Proposition occasioned by this received distinction is of three heads which in case the Reader please he may subdivide into three distinct Positions 1. The outward and not the inward Covenant is most exactly and properly called by the name of a Covenant The outward and not the inward Covenant is properly a Covenant which I thus make good That Covenant to which the definition of a Covenant doth belong hath exactly and properly the nature of a Covenant this none can deny The definition sets out the nature of the thing defined But the definition most actly belongs to the outward Covenant not to the inward this is plain An agreement of parties on tearms and Propositions is the definition of a Covenant Now the outward Covenant is an agreement on tearms and Propositions as elsewhere I have abundantly declared In that Covenant God engages himself to man for his happiness and man engages to faith and obedience The inward Covenant hath no tearms or Propositions at all for man to make good upon account of his Covenanting seeing the performance of the conditions of the Scripture-Covenant is his very entrance into the inward Covenant He that believes and repents keeps Covenant nothing more is expected of God or promised by man But believing and repenting is the first closing with God in Covenant according to them that speak of an inward Covenant A Covenant to perform conditions is a Covenant properly so called But the outward Covenant not the inward is a Covenant to performe conditions is plain The conditions in the inward Covenant are the Covenant That which confounds entrance into Covenant and keeping of Covenant is no Covenant properly so called In a Covenant properly so called these are distinct But the inward Covenant confounds entrance into Covenant and keeping of Covenant and therefore in exact propriety of
known There have been transubstantiations but those were never hidden Moses his rod was turned into a Serpent and it was seen to be a Serpent so that Moses on sight fled from it Exod. 4.3 It was turned again into a rod and known to be a rod vers 4. Christ turnes water into wine Joh. 2.9 that was not judged to be still water or called by that name but by the taste known to be of the most precious wine vers 10. But our senses having thus deceived us and made us believe that there is still bread and wine when by miracle bread and wine is gone where shall we find any Word to ground our faith to believe this delusion The words of the institution or nothing must carry it This is my body this Cup is my blood in the New Testament But such an interpretation 1. Destroyes the outward sign and makes it no Sacrament 2. Makes the speech wholly not Sacramental No Sacramental speech can be proper and we have enough from out adversaries to excuse our faith from the acknowledgement of any such a change If we look no further then three testimonies quoted by learned Mr. Gataker from three Romish Cardinals in his discourse of transubstantiation Pag. 2. 3. Cardinal Bellarmine saith he granteth that these words This is my body may imply either such a real change of the bread as the Catholiques hold or such a figurative change as the Calvinists hold but will not bear that sense that the Lutherans give it And Cardinal Cajetan acknowledgeth and freely confesseth that there appeareth not any thing out of the Gospel that may enforce us to understand those words This is my body properly And he addeth that nothing in the text hindreth but that those words may as well be taken in a metaphorical sense as those words of the Apostle the Rock was Christ and that the words of either proposition may well be true though the thing there spoken be not understood in a proper sense but in a metaphorical sense onely And he further q saith he finds alleadged out of Bishop Fisher whom Bellar. lib. de Scriptor Ecclesiast Pag. 209. makes both a Cardinal and a Martyr that there is not one word in St. Matthewes Gospel from which the true presence of Christs flesh and blood in our Masse may be proved out of Scripture it cannot be proved And being traduced for this quotation by an adversary as taking king it out of a nameless Author ignorant and unsincere in his assertions In his defence of the said discourse Pag. 44. he tells his adversary that his Author whom he thus brands as ignorant and unsincere is Bishop Andrewes in his answer to the Apology of Card. Bellar. against King James his admonitory preface Chap. 1. and I find Musculus in his common places de Coena Domin Pag. 365. quoting the same words out of the same Author and much more to the same purpose He that would be further furnished against this monster of transubstantiation in our own language let him read the fore-mentioned discourse of Mr. Gatakers together with the defence as also Bishop Mortons his Treatise divided into eight parts of the institution of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ Gods goodnesse seen in his condescension to our weaknesse Thirdly We may see the goodness of God in this way of condescension by earthly things carnal sensible and suitable to our natures to help our understandings and strengthen our faith in things heavenly If we were meer incorporeal substances and had spirits not shut up and imprisoned in bodies then saith Chrysostome we should have had spirituall things in an answerable way nakedly in themselves held out unto us then Parables had not been used nor similitudes borrowed nor Sacramental signs instituted But having souls affixt to bodies that which our spirits should learn these things of earth are imployed of God to teach God looked not at himself when he chose this method It is farre below him to fill up his sacred Oracles with these things but at our imbecillity In case he should speak as God that is in a language answering the Majestie of God we must be as gods to comprehend his words and understand his speech but dealing with us that have bodies made up of earth and minds over eagerly addicted to earth he is pleased in his transactions not to deal if I may so say as God but as with man seeking glory onely in manifestation of his goodness and tender regard of our weakness Christ saw a necessity of this way of dealing not onely as God by his omniscience but as man by his practical experience He taught Nicodemus the nature of regeneration by similitudes borrowed from water and from the wind Except a man be borne of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth So is every one that is born of the Spirit Joh. 3.5 8. Notwithstanding all this endeavour of Christ to cleare this truth Nicodemus still remaines ignorant he answers and saies to Christ How can these things be Christ after a sharp reproof ver 10. Art thou a master in Israel and knowest not these things not onely a Scholar but a Teacher and that not in any place of darknesse but in Israel that valley of vision addes ver 12. If I have told you earthly things and ye beleeve not how shall ye beleeve if I tell you of heavenly things Christ had not read a Lecture to Nicodemus of the water or of the wind neither had Nicodemus questioned either of those assertions The wind bloweth where it listeth thou knowest not whence it comes nor whither it goes that he should on this account charge Nicedemus with not beleeving doctrine of this kind But the meaning is If I speak of regeneration by earthly similitudes and expressions obvious to the senses and you are not able to apprehend and understand them how then if I speak to you of heavenly things in an heavenly manner without any such sensible representation at all would you then understand This interpretation of these words Maldonate doth give notwithstanding Bullinger Decad. 5 Ser. 6. had gone before him in it Ravanellus in his Thesaurus and Mr. Burges in his Ser. 35. pag. 211. give the same In which we see our need of help this way and the singular condescension of Christ Jesus in dealing this way for our help which place in my thoughts serves to cleere that speech of the Evangelist Mar. 4.33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them as they were able to beare it many are there reckoned up and more by Matthew Matth. 13. many more perhaps were uttered then either Matthew or Mark relate as they were able to bear saith the text according to their capacities say the larger Annotations And so Jansenius upon the words
f Quo significat Dominum voluisse aptare suum sermonem ad captum auditorum ob id locutum in parabolis quod nudi sermonis nondum essent capaces at parabolas suas desumsiffe a rebus vulgaribus per quas idiotae utcunque induci parari possunt ad mysteriorum captum Hereby he signifies that Christ would fit his speech to the capacity of the hearers because they were not capable of naked truthes and he borrowed his speeches from vulgar things by which the most unlearned might be fitted for the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven Though some understand the words as they were worthy to hear and not to understand parables being above the common capacities and put for hard and difficult speeches As Matth. 13.10 Christ being demanded Why speakest thou in parables he answers ver 11 12 13 14 15. Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of heaven but to them it is not given for whosoever hath to him it shall be given and he shall have more abundance but whosoever hath not from him shall be taken away even that he hath Therefore speake I to them in parables because they seeing see not and hearing they hear not neither do they understand And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which saith By hearing ye shall hear and not understand and seeing ye shall see and not perceive For this peoples heart is waxed grosse and their ears are dull of hearing and their eyes they have closed lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their eares and should understand with their heart and should be converted and I should heal them But blessed are your eyes for they see and your eares for they heare But these texts may be reconciled A parable or Similitude when men stay in the outward bark of it is as a riddle nothing can be more obscure Some mystery men know is hid under it but they know not what Therefore Christ having uttered a parable to the multitude Matth. 15.11 and Peter requesting Declare unto us this parable ver 15. saith Are ye also yet without understanding Parables explained are the plainest way of teaching shewing the face of heavenly things in earthly glasses and therefore the Lord to set out his dealing with his own people faith I have also spoken by the Prophets and I have multiplyed visions and used similitudes by the Ministery of the Prophets Hos 12.10 But the scope be not discerned onely that which is said of earthly things and no more is known Now what words are to the eares in similitudes and comparisons that Sacramentall signes are to the eyes by both the understanding is holpen the memory refresht and as may God willing be unfolded faith strengthened The cleansing from sin we find in Scripture held forth under the metaphor of pouring out water Ezek. 36.25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthinesse and from all your Idols will I cleanse you To which the Apostle alludes Ephes 5.26 where he saith Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it by the washing of water by the word Which was typified also in those divers washings mentioned by the Apostle Heb. 9.10 which the blood of Christ doth really work Purging our consciences from dead works to serve the living God cleansing us from all sin 1 John 1.7 and therefore it is called the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus 1 Pet. 1.2 In Baptisme in a standing Ordinance this is held out The party interessed in Covenant is dipped in or washed with water and the reason of it given Acts 22.16 Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins calling on the Name of the Lord. Christ promises to his Church living bread and water whereof whosoever drinketh shall never thirst He further explaines himself The bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world Joh. 6.51 My flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed Joh. 6.55 Christ being to dye holds this out in outward signes and with his own Comment upon them Taking and breaking bread he saith This is my body Taking the cup he saith This is the cup in the New Testament in my blood shed for them and for many for the remission of sinnes In elements of frequent use ordinary easy to be compassed these high mysteries and singular mercies are shadowed SECT IV. A further Corollary drawn from the same Doctrine The necessity of explanation of Sacramental signes FOurthly Then there is a necessity that these Sacramental signes be opened explained the mystery cleared the thing signified held out and the Analogy and proportion made known otherwise the soul is still left in the dark and no benefit reaped either for the help of our faith or clearing of our understanding There is no Sacrament as Calvin well observes without a promise preceding The Sacrament is an appendant to the promise as a seal among men is to a Covenant an earnest to a bargain or a ring hath been to a marriage were there no promise there were nothing in those signes As where there is no Covenant there is nothing confirmed by a seal where there is no bargain nothing is ratified by earnest given where there is no matrimoniall consent the ring would be but an imposture the Word of promise gives being to the Sacrament according to that received speech g Accedit verbum ad elementum fit Sacramentum The Word to added to the Element and it is made a Sacrament And there can be no improvement of the Sacrament to any spirituall advantage without understanding of the promise Were the signes such as did proclaime their own signification as a footstep the foot that made the impression or a shadow the body then the signes might stand alone and speak their own intentions But being creatures for civill uses and having only an aptnesse in them to hold out the thing that they signifie and as hath been said equally apt to other significations a further explanation is necessary Signes among men must have their significations known as well as founds in musical and military instruments otherwise as none could know in the one what is piped or harped nor upon sound could prepare themselves to battell 1 Cor. 14.7 8. so in the other none can know what is shadowed out or resembled There was a custome to ratifie Covenants by killing a calfe and the Covenanters passage between the parts of it as you may see Jerem. 34. He that understood not the meaning of that ceremony could know nothing of a Covenant by that means between parties to be solemnized none understand any more then by sight then many of us do now by the reading of it A garland at the door if custome did not give us a reason of it would speak no more to a passenger without
heart so in the Sacrament he preacheth to the eye and by the eye conveyeth himself into the heart And therefore it is well called a visible Sermon What can be more plain then this to set the out the power of the Sacrament to soul contrition true humiliation and mortification Too many that professe Faith have their hearts lift up and live not by faith Here is a way to bring them down when they see sin to be of such a provoking nature that onely the sufferings of the Sonne of God are able to satisfie that their demerit doth put him upon a necessity of all these woes These are certainly heart melting considerations If it be yet objected that the Provincial Assembly at London speak to their own communicants whom they suppose to be in grace To this I reply that in case that should fail and some at least should have their predominant lusts lurking and treachery against the Covenant as in Judas against Christ harboured it can be of no danger to say that here is a means to work them on to humiliation and brokennesse of spirit 2. If any yet say that their thoughts are otherwise of this Sacrament I answer their words best speak their thoughts and we see what they say The very breaking of the bread say they understandingly looked upon is a forcible Argument to break your hearts and the breaking of the bread may be looked upon understandingly by an unsanctified man if there be truth in their Propositions as I doubt not but they are most true then my Conclusion is true likewise We may make up if you please this part of the Argument thus A sin aggravating ordinance is an heart breaking and soul humbling ordinance But the Sacrament of the Lords supper is a sinne aggravating ordinance Therefore it is an heart breaking and soul humbling ordinance For the other branch of the Assumption that this ordinance is the holding out of the pardon of sin needs no proof This is my blood in the New Testament shed for you and for many for the remission of sinne Matth. 26. Fifthly That which is annext to the Word to second it in that very thing which works the soul unto conversion to good may bring the person of Covenant interest up to the termes of the Covenant may work one of profession of faith onely unto faith saving and justifying This none can deny being added to the Word as it 's second in such a work it well may have an hand in the working of it But the Sacrament is annext to the Word to second it in that very thing which works the soul unto conversion to God The Assumption is manifest If we consider what the Word does for conversion and the whole in which the energy and power of it as an Ordinance is exercised then we shall soon see that this Sacrament is added as a second in that work The Word converts in holding out sin in its defilements and danger in the discovery of the loathsome nature of it and the cursed effects that follow upon it together with Christ in the promises to save from it I know no other way that the Word hath to bring a soul in sin to God but in setting forth the lost and undone condition of it and so to bring to conviction compunction and enquiry what to do and then to make tender of Christ In this method souls as we find on record have been brought home to God of which there might be frequent instances Now that this Sacrament is added to the Word for further discovery of sin in the defilement and danger to hold out Christ in his death taking away sin need not to be proved It is true that the first detection of sin is by the rule of the Law and therefore the Apostle sayes By the Law is the knowledge of sin In case the question be put whether this or that act be sin then neither the tender of Christ in the Gospel nor yet the Sacrament can have any hand in the determination of it but they both serve for the aggravation of sin to lay it open in the dimensions and danger of it Sin is no where so seen in its height as in the sorrowes and sufferings of Christ as is by all affirmed and these sufferings we know the Word holds out for conversion from sin And the visible Word of the Sacrament seconds the Word in this very thing to set out Christs death to lay before our eyes Christ broken for us both for the aggravation of sin and for the pardon of it Thus if you please you may put the argument If the Sacrament doth the same thing as the Word doth in conversion then the Sacrament cannot be denyed to have an hand in conversion But the Sacrament as we see does the same thing as the Word it serves to the heightning of sin and the setting out of the pardon of sin Therefore it followes that the Sacrament may have an hand in conversion Sixthly That which by frequent experience we see the Sacrament works toward and for ought we are able to judge works unto that we may well conclude it is designed and appointed of God to work This cannot fairly be denyed yet if any think that this of it self is not of full strength seeing our experience may deceive us we may conceive what is not Let these then joyn to it what hath been already said This experience added to so much evidence of reason I doubt not but will be found to have strength in it And I put it for their sakes that say Let any give instance of any man or woman that hath at any time been converted by the Sacrament And that there are frequent experiences of the Sacraments working towards this thing is plain How frequent is it with men to have affrightings soul-shakings tremblings strong present resolutions against sin upon their approach to this Ordinance being convinced of it to be a duty that they ought to go to it How mightily are their spirits often affected in it If we make that an argument of the power of the Word towards wicked men in the affrighting and astonishment of them in the terrifying and amazement stopping for present their full swinge in sin and wickednesse as we know it is ordinarily with those that set out the power of the Word see Dr. Reynolds on Psal 110. pag. 150. why then should we not make the same effects that we see ordinarily produced by the Sacrament to be evidences of the like power in the Sacrament And as we read of an Ahab a Felix a Zedekiah an Herod thus startled by the Word so we may see and know such as these alike startled and affected at the Sacrament Superstition perhaps works it in some But we find the work in others in whom such superstition hath no place It can be no other then the Majestie of the Ordinance the high aggravation of sin and the glory of Christ set out in it All this
beares no relation to the cleansing of sin but washing with water and bread and wine no relation to the setting forth of the Lords death remembrance of him or life by him but the breaking eating and drinking Thirdly That which being removed nulls a Sacrament that is necessary to the being of Sacraments This is plain Nothing can destroy being but the want of that which is necessary to being But the removal or taking away of the use nulls and destroyes the bring of Sacraments Let not the foreskin be cut off nor the Lamb rosted and eaten the water not be applyed to the person nor bread and wine eaten and drunken there is no Sacrament therefore the use of Sacraments gives being to them Fourthly All benefit of and in the thing signified consists in the application therefore the Sacraments for their being use and benefit consist in their application likewise The consequence is grounded upon the analogy that is between the sign and the thing signified The antecedent is clear the blood of Christ the sufferings of Christ not brought home to the soul and interest obtained by application doth not benefit or profit Fifthly That which enters the definition of a Sacrament is of the being of it This none can deny But the use or office of a Sacrament enters the definition of it Ergo. The Apostle defines it to be a sign and seal which plainly speaks not the nature but the use of Sacramental elements Here is no Conroversie in this thing among parties save with the Church of Rome neither is there any with them save in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper They confesse that the being of Baptisme doth so consist in the use that without it it is no Sacrament Onely the Lords Supper for Transubstantiations sake though never used is still a Sacrament when they reserve it in a box carry it about for pomp hold it up for worship it is still a Sacrament The body of Christ is still there and if a mouse falls upon it the mouse receives a Sacrament knawes upon Christs flesh But when worms breed in it as they may by their own confession they are hard put to it They cannot breed upon accidents the shape the colour of bread cannot give being to worms And to say that the substance which remains there which is the flesh of Christ breeds them is no low blasphemy The generation of one is the corruption of another and God will not suffer his holy One to see corruption I remember an answer to this great difficulty when I first read Philosophy out of Conimbricenses Physicks That learned Society did determine that God by miracle did create matter and laid it by the consecrate host and that did putrifie and not the consecrated bread and so Worms were generated They sure believe that it is an easie thing to put God upon miracles Against this permanency of this Sacrament out of the use of it we say First If the use of this be instituted The Sacrament of the Lords Supper equally transient with Baptisme as well as the use of Baptisme and given in command then this Sacrament consists in the use as well as Baptisme This cannot be denyed for the institution and Comman of Christ must equally lead us in both But in the Lords Supper as well as in Baptisme the use is within the institution and given in Command by Christ Therefore this Sacrament of the Lords Supper consists in the use as well as that of Baptisme Whereas Bellarmine replyes to this that Christ commanded the bread to be eaten but not presently after consecration therefore to delay eating is not against the institution To this we answer 1. Neither did he command water as soon as set apart for Baptisme to be applyed to the party to be baptized yet till it be applyed the party is not baptized water is no Sacrament and so the bread and wine in that interim still applyed still wants the nature of a Sacrament 2. He did command it then to be eaten by Bellarmin's confession though not instantly to be eaten and he gave the like command of the cup as of the bread yea with more exactnesse a note of universality added Drink ye all of it yet their Laity have a Sacrament and never drink of it 3. That which the Apostles did that Christ enjoyned as Amesius well replyes they understood Christs intimation as well as the most nimble-headed Jesuites but they did not reserve it but did eat it Secondly If there be no footsteps in all the holy Scriptures of any other way of dealing with the elements of the Lords Supper then the eating and drinking of them then according to the institution they must be eaten and drunken But there is no footstep there of any other dealing with the Sacrament then eating and drinking Therefore according to the institution it is not to be reserved but to be eaten and drunk Indeed Chamier quotes Croquet replying that some of the Ancient have said that Judas took one part of the Sacrament and reserved the other for scorn but this may be well reckoned among others of like nature in their Legends And I would advise all those that believe it if they be ambitious to be disciples of Judas to follow it Thirdly The promise in this Sacrament is not to be divided from the precept by any that will expect a blessing But where the promise is This is my body this is my blood in the New Testament in the institution There is a precept Take eat Drinke ye all of this therefore they must eat and drink that will have benefit in the promise It would little I suppose please the Reader to hear Bellarmine Suarez and other Jesuits to exempt this Sacrament from the common nature of Sacraments and to make it permanent when the other as they speak are transeunt Thomas Aquinas Part 3. Quaest 73. art 1. resp ad 3. makes this difference between the Eucharist and other Sacraments This Sacrament is perfected saith he in the consecration of the matter other Sacraments are perfected in the application of the matter to the person to be sanctified Suarez disp 42. Sect. 4. quotes it with approbation and Scotus in quanto Dist 8. quaest 1. as he is quoted by Amesius All the Sacraments except the Eucharist consist in their use so that in them the Sacrament and the receiving of the Sacrament is the same He that pleases may read Bellar. Arguments lib. 4. de Eucharistia Cap. 2 3 4. Suarez in the place named with Whitakers Amesius Vorstius in 3. Tom. Bellar. Thes 9. pag. 406. Chamier against them both with others of that party de Eucharistia lib. 7. cap. 4 c. I shall desire to take up the Reader with that which I judge more necessary Gerard in his Common places Cap. 4. de Sacramentis makes it his businesse to find out the Genus in the definition of a Sacrament in which the general form of Sacraments he sayes is to be
as general truths are brought home by particular application so they seal mens particular interest in the Covenant He that hath the Son hath life He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life These are Scripture-Propositions and he that is to seek here hath no cure in the Sacraments They can give no direct remedy These signs and seals take this for granted and cannot make proof of it But when this is assented to in the general He that hath the Son hath life and he that feeds upon him shall live for ever Here soules are confirmed in their particular interests that the Son is theirs and that they feed upon him for life eternal Thirdly we must distinguish the outward sign in the Sacrament together with that which is done about them or any of them and the Communicants act in the bare beholding of them from our act of receiving of them In the former sense they are no more then signes The Lords Supper thus considered is no more then a remembrance memorial or representation of Christs death and passion In the latter it is a seal pledge or earnest And therefore to say that Christ ordained it to be a remembrance memorial and representation of his death is a truth But to say that therefore he did not ordain it to be a seal is a manifest error If Christ had taken bread and broken it taken the cup and poured out wine and had said This is my body this is my blood here had been a sign a memorial a representation and no more But when he saies Take eat this is my body This is my blood in the New Testament drink ye all of this it is as Circumcision was both a sign and seal As a sign remembrance or representation the beholding is sufficient as the Israelites did the brazen Serpent and as Papists look on their Images for which if they had an institution as they have a prohibition they might be defended and if we were to do no more it would be no more then a sign memorial and representation But being to receive it It is a seal and pledge of that which it represents and brings to our minds Fourthly They are not absolute seals but conditional They do not make it good to all that Christ is theirs but upon Gods terms which is exprest by St. Peter to be the answer of a good conscience towards God Of this I spake largely Treatise of the Covenant pag. 34 35 c. which by Mr. Baxter in his Apology hath been examined Sect. 60 to Sect. 82. which here must briefly be taken into consideration A digression for vindication of chap. 7. of the Treatise of the Covenant from Mr. Baxters exceptions touching conditional sealing in Sacraments HAving in my Treatise of the Covenant shewed at large that the Covenant of grace is conditional In my seventh Chapter I inferr'd that the seals of the Covenant are as the Covenant it self conditional making it good with six several arguments as I had before asserted it in my answer of Mr. T. chap. 15. p. 100. This reverend Mr. Baxter is pleased to take notice of in his Apology and to put the question in opposition to me in these words Sect. 60. Whether the Sacraments seal the conditional promise absolutely or the conclusion conditionally when onely one of the premises is of Divine revelation and whether this conclusion be de fide I am justified and shall be saved Which terms I leave to the intelligent Reader to consider He is not pleased to take notice of any one of my arguments whether it is because he judges them unworthy of his answer or for any other reason I cannot tell I produce likewise the testimony of many of our Divines speaking the same thing and he takes as little notice of any of their authorities As I then spake what reason inforced me to believe so I have the same reason still to believe what I have spoke and when all is examined which may be found in that apology from p. 115 to p. 144. I think more is spoken for me then against me He is pleased pag. 139. to say The difference is so small that were it not for some scattered by-passages I would scarce have replyed to you I therefore shall return no other rejoynder but onely to observe such passages as may best serve to clear the truth in question He goes about to take away the subject of the question and saies I never heard of nor knew a conditional sealing in the world which to me is very strange Besides what I have spoken of it he hath doubtlesse read Mr. Marshalls answer to Mr. T. and pag. 224. of his Treatise of Infant-Baptisme he makes us know that he hath read it and he expresly calls it a conditional seal of the receivers interest in the Covenant He confesses the possibility but asserts the vanity of such sealing As if a man saith he Sect. 77. pag. 140. should set the wax and material Seal to a deed of gift with this addition I hereby seal to this or own it as my deed if such a man be now living in France or if such a ship be safe arrived or if such a man shall do such a thing otherwise this shall be no seal Here I think an impossibility is found out Is an actual Seal made no Seal upon any condition in the World Hath he never heard of that Maxime Quicquid est quando est necesse est esse or that other Quod factum est infectum reddi nequit And we are wont to say that this is not within an omnipotence to make a thing that is whilest it is not to be unlesse Mr. Baxter means that such wax with impression made is formally no seal before the time that in law it hath its efficacy as he seems to say Sect. 72. where he hath these words To say I conditionally seal is to say It shall be no seal till the performance of the condition So a bond sealed and delivered in presence of witnesses is unsealed till it be forfeited which is a manifest absurdity And I speak not of a conditional seal as opposed to actual I should call such a seal not conditional but potential I speak to conditional sealing as it is in the question that is when a man ties himself by seal to such or such a thing not absolutely but upon condition and such sealings I think are common in the world A Master seals to his Apprentice and binds himself at the end of his term to apparel him to make him free of his mystery c. but all this upon terms and condition of true and faithful service If Philemon in his way had sealed to Onesimus his seal had not tyed him to make good such engagements I have alwaies thought As is the obligation so is the seal and if there be no such conditional obligations we have been long abused with such forms The condition of this obligation is such
the mercies of the Covenant No opinion that they hold party that they take name that they think they have got supposed interest that they have in Christ can acquit them They may be denominated unsanctified or unholy men having not obtained that which the Apostle sought in prayer in behalf of the Thessalonians that they might be sanctified throughout in spirit soul and body sanctification purifies all the unclean and heales all the diseased parts And no unclean person can inherit the Kingdome of God Eph. 5.5 They are truely styled impenitent ones Repentance is a return to God in the same latitude as our departure by sin was from him In every sin of all these and of the like kind we depart from God In repentance therefore we are to return from every sin to God The Prophet tells us upon what terms our souls may be freed from ruine by sin Ezek. 18.30 Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine and unlesse we repent we shall all perish Luk. 13.3 5. They are justly pronounced to be void of grace there being that contrariety between grace and sin that they cannot rest in the same subject or lodge continually in the same heart without opposiition Where grace is prevalent sin falls and where sin prevails grace is excluded and it is the grace of God that brings salvation Tit. 2.11 They are void of the Spirit of regeneration As our birth-corruption hath in it the spawn of all sin so regeneration hath the seed of all grace And Except we be born again we cannot see the Kingdome of God John 3.3 These are the men which by their claime of Baptisme The uselessenesse of Sacraments to these persons and offer of themselves to the Lords Table subscribe the equity of their own condemnation and justifie the sentence of death pronounced against themselves They accept the Covenant on those terms on which it is tendered in the Gospel and upon these terms they are under the wrath of God and lyable to the sentence of eternal death Yet not remedilessely helplessely hopelessely as it is with those oftentimes that upon forfeitures of Covenant fall into the hands of man the forfeiture being once made advantages are taken by many to the uttermost The prodigal is an instance of the Fathers readinesse to receive to mercy those that have gone away from him in wayes of sin And the Prophet tells us Ezek. 18.21 22. If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not dye All his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him in his righteousnesse that he hath done he shall live And though it be a wickednesse that reaches to the highest violation of Covenant yet this shall not hinder Jer. 3.1 They say If a man put away his wife and she go from him and become another mans shall he return unto her again Shall not that land be greatly polluted But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers yet returne again to me saith the Lord. He that hath hitherto come in the highest degree of unworthinesse to the Lords Table as oft as he hath come to it yet casting that off which was his unworthinesse and coming up to Gods terms he is now received and accepted SECT VII A further Corollary from the former Doctrine THen let all take heed that they look for no more from Sacraments then God hath put into them We are to look for no more from Sacraments then God hath put into them and promised to do by them and hath promised to work by them least looking unto them and waiting for them as the troops of Tema and companies of Sheba for the stream of Brooks which vanish when they wax warm and are consumed out of their place they be confounded and coming thither be ashamed And this caveat is no more then needs seeing men in all times have been wonderfully apt to delude themselves upon account of their fruition of outward Church-priviledges Mens aptnesse to delude themselves in Sacramental priviledges and in particular Sacrament-priviledges And to this they are induced by divers reasons 1. Because Sacraments are an honour which God hath vouchsaf'd to his people and denyed to others that stand not in that relation and they cannot think that it is in vain that such an honour is conferred upon them 2. There are great promises annext to them and made to those that make right improvement of them The bread is the Communion of the body and the wine in the Lords Supper the Communion of the blood of Christ 1 Cor 10.16 It is the New Testament in Christs blood shed for many for the remission of sins Matth. 26.28 Baptisme saves through the resurrection of Christ 1 Pet. 3.21 As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 Insomuch that we have been taught that in Baptisme we are made children of God members of Christ and inheriters of the Kingdom of heaven These promises are streight applied without any eye had to the terms and Propositions annext to them like unto men that look at dignities in offices and never regard the burthens 3. Interest in Sacraments is not onely a priviledge but a duty not onely an honour but a work of obedience in them that partake of them To be baptized with water and to eat of the Bread and drink of the Cup in the Lords Supper is a duty as it was to be circumcised in the flesh of the foreskin and to eat the Paschal Lambe at the time appointed and there is danger in neglect of these This gives some ease and speaks some peace to the conscience that they have done the Command of the Lord. 4. They are yet matters of ease especially New-Testament-Sacraments Here is no mortification of the members no crucifying of the flesh no cutting off the right hand or plucking out the right eye and therefore no marvel that men could wish that all Religion were in them and hope that salvation may be gained by them Lastly Those of these conceits have alwayes met with teachers to sooth them up in them In all Ages some have over-highly advanced Sacramental priviledges and carry on their delusion How high was Circumcision set up in the Apostles times as in regard of the necessity of it Acts 15.1 Certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren and said Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved So also in regard of the power and efficacy of it and therefore the Apostle was put to it to warn men in that way of the delusion and to give that undervaluing term of concision to it Phil. 3.2 After-age produced Schoolmen and Popish Writers to magnifie them affixing and limiting salvation except in some cases extraordinary to the water in Baptisme and
a memorial of a temporal mercy It is the Lords Passeover Exod. 12.11 that is a memorial that the Lord passed over them when he smote the Land of Egypt v. 13. But this is no concluding Argument that it sealed not Christ or the righteousnesse of Christ by faith as may God willing be made to appear when we shall have occasion to speak of the Cloud that guided Israel out of Egypt the Sea that they passed through and Manna and the rock whereof they ate and drank This deliverance celebrated in the Passeover was in and through Christ as is gathered from the blood that was to be struck on the two side-posts and on the upper door-post of their houses Exod. 12.7 But most clearly from the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.9 He there sayes they tempted Christ but they tempted him from whom they had defence and present deliverance And therefore the Apostle expresly calls the Paschal Lamb by the Name of Christ 1 Cor. 5.7 For even Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us And John Baptist had respect to it as well as to other Sacrifices of the Law when pointing out Christ he said Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world Joh. 1.29 This is so clear in the Sacraments of the New Testament Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord that proofs do not need By Reasons And the Reasons of it are clear Reason 1 First Sacraments are for power against sin and pardon of sin as appears by those frequent Texts produced for the working power of Sacraments which need not to be repeated But by Christ we have power against sin Without him we can do nothing Joh. 15.5 We can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth Phil. 4.13 In him we have the Circumcision made without hands which is the putting away the body of the sins of the flesh Col. 2.11 By Christ we have pardon of sin God hath set him forth a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 The blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 Christ then is signified and sealed in the Sacraments Reason 2 Secondly Sacraments are for salvation that is their end in common with all other Church-Ordinances whatsoever Baptisme saves 1 Pet. 3.21 But salvation is through Christ He is the Authour of eternal salvation Heb. 5.9 Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other Name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Reason 3 Thirdly Sacraments lead to the Covenant and confirm by way of seal all whatsoever that there in word is made over This is done in all seals which serve for ratification of grants When you see a seal you must find the use and latitude of it in the Covenant so it is in Sacramental seals God entering Covenant with Abraham to be his God and the God of his seed which was a Covenant for true blessednesse Matth. 22.31 32. Circumcision was instituted for confirmation of it and put as we see in the Text as a seal to it When Christ had promised his flesh for meat and his blood for drink being to leave the world he iustituted signs for memorial which are seals of it With this explanation or comment of his own upon them This is my body which is given for you this Cup is the New Testament in my blood And that Christ is the great Promise for blessednesse in the Covenant and that in him all Covenant-promises are made good needs not to be proved Christ therefore is sealed in the Sacraments 1. This we are so to understand The doctrine by rules explained that as all happinesse and true blessednesse is comprized under the righteousnesse of Faith even all that the Apostle looked after and made his ambition to compasse in lieu of all those priviledges which he once had Rule 1 made and false teachers his adversaries still did make matter of their glory Phil. 3.8 9. so every Sacrament that is a seal of this righteousnesse of faith seales all whatsoever is given of God in Covenant to his people If there be thousands of things made over in any grant one seal is the confirmation of all and though the seales be many as Amesius observes yet all that is passed in Covenant is made good in each Our Justification Adoption Perseverance Glorification and whatsoever else in order to these or any of these a people upright in Covenant may expect from the hand of God is under seal in every Sacrament confirm'd unto them So that whatsoever it is that the Word promiseth that the Sacraments by way of seal ratifie and confirm unto us Abraham had this righteousnesse of Faith revealed to him by promise the Gospel being preached to him Gal. 3.8 He had also the Land of Canaan given in promise as a special gift to his posteriry This was now confirm'd also to him in his Circumcision The righteousnesse of faith was as the marrow and substance of the gift and therefore the Apostle puts it into his definition yet the gift of the Land of Canaan which was onely an adjunct annexed as Chamier observes is confirmed with it Every baptized man hath the righteousnesse of Faith in Promise and ratified to him in Baptisme and whatsoever else is made over in promise by reason of any special calling or relation which is of God is confirm'd in Baptisme likewise When we are put of God into any way we have his promise Psal 91.11 to be kept in that way This promise is assured and confirmed in Baptisme Ministers are called of God and commissioned for their work in which we know they have many and large promises all of these in their Baptisme are confirmed to them Rule 2 2. Sacraments seal these blessings not onely universally and in the bulk but with particular application to every one that doth partake of them The Word holding this out indefinitely unto us that he that hath the Son hath life and that unto whom God gives his Son with him he gives all things that eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Christ believers have eternal life here a particular tender is made of his body and blood in these visible Elements of water and of bread and wine The water is passively received in Baptisme the bread and wine actually taken eaten and drunk in the Lords Supper In either whole Christ and the whole of all the benefits of Christ is tendred and to be received So that what miracles extraordinarily were to particular promises as we read in Scriptures for the confirmation of those that beheld them and for whose sake they were wrought that Sacraments ordinarily are and serve for as to true blisse and eternal happinesse This Bellarmine lib. 1. de Sacram. in gen cap. 24. charges on his adversaries quoting Melancton and Luther for it and we are content willingly to own it and among many others which he charges as errours he sayes this is the chief and diligently to be refuted therefore he
some purpose so that a man might be married and poverty continued but Christ cannot be received and a state of unrighteousnesse remain It is said Receiving the persons into relation from whom we expect the benefit goes before the receiving the benefit by them which is usually the remote end and not the object of that first reception which is the condition Which may be true where person and benefit are separable but I cannot receive a woman in marriage and a wife after As an eternal increated righteousnesse is essential to Christ as God and the quality of righteousnesse connatural as man so a righteousnesse to constitute others righteous is essential to Christ qua Mediator without such a righteousnesse he is no high Priest for us and therefore his righteousnesse as Mediator was before very harshly called an accident It followes Our Divines therefore of the Assembly do perfectly define justifying faith to be receiving and resting on Christ alone for salvation as he is offere d in t Gospel And is he offered in the Gospel without a righteousnesse being offered in the Gospel as Mediatour and righteousnesse essentially necessary in a Mediatour resting on Christ we rest on righteousnesse 3. In my judgement saith he it is a meer fancy and delusion to speak of the receiving a righteousnesse that we may be justified constitutive thereby in such a sense at if the righteousnesse were first to be made ours in order of nature before our justification and then justification follow because we are righteous and so these were two things for to receive righteousnesse and to receive justification is one thing Gods justifying us and pardoning our sin and his constituting us righteous and his giving us righteousnesse is all one thing under several notions If it be granted that justification is verbum forense To receive a righteousnesse for justification is no fancy or delusion borrowed from proceeding in Courts of justice and holds out our acquittal or discharge from sentence and not making us formally just then it is no fancy or delusion to say that we receive a righteousnesse to be justified but dangerous as I think to deny it if righteousnesse and justification be one thing then that is a tautology Deut. 25.1 ye shall justifie the righteous and condemn the wicked Though it is impossible that God should condemn a just and justifie a wicked person as a man may yet righteousnesse and justification as wickednesse and condemnation differ both in God and mans proceedings And righteosnesse is not justification as wickednesse is not condemnation sure Davenant was high in this fancy and delusion when he thus entituled his 28. Chap. de justitia habituali Imputatam Christi obedientiam esse causam formalem justificationis nostrae probatur 4. Christs satisfaction or redemption saith he solvendo pretium and merit cannot be properly received by us for they are not in themselves given to us but as tropically they may be said to be given to us because the fruit of them is given us It was not to us but to God that Christ gave satisfaction and the price of our redemption And yet justifying faith doth as necessarily respect Christs satisfaction and merit as it doth our justification thereby procured It is therefore the acknowledging of this redemption satisfaction or merit and the receiving of Christ as one that hath redeemed us by satisfaction and merit and not the receiving that satisfaction or redemption our selves c. If Christ gave satisfaction to God How Christs satisfaction to God for us is receiued by us he yet gave it for us and God accounts it ours In him we have redemption through his blood Ephes 1.7 If we have it in him some way we come by it And how we come by it if we do not receive it I cannot imagine As the Sonne gives himself for our ransome to the Father So the Father gives the Sonne to us I marvell what comment will be put upon the words of the institution of the Lords Supper Take eat this is my body which is broken for you as it is broken for us so it is given to us and so of the Cup This is my blood in the New Testament shed for you and for many for the remission of sins Christ and satisfaction wrought by Christ Christ and redemption wrought by Christ are both received seeing Christ is made unto us redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 and faith is our way of receipt 5. If faith shall be said saith he to be the instrument of justification eo nomine because it is the receiving of that righteousnesse whereby we are justified then it will follow that faith must also be called the instrument of our enjoying Christ eo nomine because it receiveth him and the instrument of our adoption eo nomine because it receiveth adoption and so the same act of faith which entitles us to justification doth not entitle us to any other blessing nor that act that entitles us to Christ doth entitle us to justification unlesse there be several justifying acts but every particular mercy hath a particular act as the instrument of receiving it which is no Scripture doctrine Mr. Baxter being given to understand by a friend that this is scarce intelligible he hath expressed himself with more cleernesse in a postscript in this syllogism If the apprehension of Christs righteousnesse and no other act should strictly be the justifying act of faith and that eo nomine because it is the object of that apprehension which is the matter of our justification then it would follow 1. That the apprehension of nothing else is the justifying act 2. And that we have right to every other particular mercy eo nomine because we apprehend that mercy and so our right to every particular benefit of Christ were received by a distinct act of faith But the consequent is false Therefore so is the antecedent The consequent is here twofold the first I yield but deny the second The apprehension of nothing else is the justifying act but that there needs distinct acts of faith to receive other mercies does not follow upon this principle which Mr. Baxter so far as I understand him in the following words hath proved when it lay on his hand to disprove Having mentioned several Sciptures 1 Joh. 5.12 Joh. 3.16 Joh. 1.12 he addes as a result from all So that one entire faith is the condition of our right Interest in Christ gives interest in all other priviledges to all particular benefits And he must remember that it is the first according to the tenour of the promise that gives right to all He that spared not his own Sonne but gave him for us how will he not with him give us all things Rom. 8.32 When the Prophet was to confirm Ahaz in the truth of a promise then to be made good he holds out to him the promise of the Messiah and onely that promise which would not have carried strength but that interest
the Leekes and the Onions and the Garlick but now our soul is dryed away there is nothing at all besides this Manna before our eyes They might according to this fancy have found flesh fish cucumbers melons leekes onions garlick and all things else in the Manna it self unlesse any will turn it into an Allegory that that which answers to all is found in Christ whom Manna did typifie Num. 20.9 opened The last of these providences is the Rock The history we may see Exod. 17. Num. 20.9 and observations made upon it by the Psalmist Psal 78.15 Psal 105.41 Psal 114.7 8. and the like by the Levites Nehem. 9.25 As the Manna was given upon Israels want of bread so this upon their complaint of want of water Go on before the people saith the Lord and take with thee of the Elders of Israel and thy rod wherewith thou smotest the river take in thine hand and go Behold I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb How the rock is said to follow Israel and thou shall smite the Rock and there shall come water out of it that the people may drink How it is said to follow the Israelites 1 Cor. 10.4 is the great difficulty Rocks being above all other things immovable The Jewish fable that it was carried those fourty years on Chariots in the wildernesse is not worthy to be named in order to our inquiry into it This must be taken for granted that the Rock it self is not here intended as a sign but the water flowing out of the rock As the cup is not the blood of Christ in the New Testament but the fruit of the vine that is in it and this of following the Israelites being referred to the water which flowed out of the rock That resolution which is generally received is most probable that many running streames were framed to draw the water along according to their several stations and removals to which River wil have that song Num. 21.17 18. to allude Spring up O well sing ye to it The Princes digged the well Nobles of the people digged it by the direction of the Law-giver with their staves But if we referre it to Christ the thing signified as Diodate on the words sayes it is very properly spoken for not onely his benefits are perpetual but he himself who is the spring of them is ever separated from his but resideth alwayes in and with them by his Spirit If now we look upon these respective signs with our Saviours and St. Pauls Comment upon them we shall not find for the time that they were in use any thing that serves to make up the proper nature of Sacraments that was wanting in them All that is essential in Sacraments was found in these providences during the time that they served the Israelites And the Apostles hope at which it appears he aimes when he speaks of these 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. plainly doth evince it The Corinthians taking themselves to be high in the favour of God by reason of their priviledge of Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord the Apostle lets them know that the Jewes had that which answers to our Baptisme figuring out salvation by Christ to them as Baptisme to us They were all baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea As the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt was a figure of their redemption by Christ and their pilgrimage through the wildernesse an image of the Elects life in the world and the Land of Caanan a shadow of that Kingdom of heaven so their passage through the Red-Sea and their being under the Cloud were a sacred figure correspondent to Baptisme And Manna and the water coming out of the rock a sign which had its relation to the Lords Supper And our Saviour applyes that type of Manna to himself as we see Joh. 6. throughout When the Jewes said v. 31. Our Fathers did eat Manna in the wildernesse quoting the Psalmists words He gave them bread to eat Christ answers Verily verily I say unto you Moses gave you not that bread from heaven but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world And upon their request Lord evermore give us of this bread v. 34. he answers v. 35. I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst So also v. 49 50 and 51. Your fathers did eat Manna in the wildernesse and are dead This is the bread that cometh down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not dye I am the living bread which came down from heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world Here is an outward visible sign given of God and received of his Covenant-people sealing Christ or righteousnesse by Christ unto them The whole therefore that is of the essence of a Sacrament is found in them Onely these were found with Israel but for a time namely the time of the pilgrimage in the wildernesse when Circumcision and the Passeover Baptisme and the Lords Supper are Ordinances stated and constant therefore the observation is that in Old-Testament-times there were onely two standing Ordinances of the nature of Sacraments Here some questions might be put necessary to be answered Object 1 1. Though we have the word Baptisme in this text of Scripture yet the addition seems to make it no Sacrament They were baptized into Moses saith the text and being baptized into Moses how could it be the same with Christian Baptisme We are baptized into Christ and not into Moses Answ Ans Into Moses is here no more then the Ministery of Moses or by the hand of Moses who was a Mediatour in type between God and that people And though some would overthrow our argument drawn from Baptisme into the Name of the Son and holy Ghost as into the Name of the Father to prove that the Son and the holy Ghost are God as is the Father seeing we are baptized as they object into Moses yet Moses is not God It will not yet serve their turn seeing the Name of the Son and of the holy Ghost are made equall in Baptisme to the Name of the Father and so is not the name of Moses We are Baptized into the Name of Christ and called by his Name so the Israelites never were into the name of Moses no more then the Corinthians into the name of Paul 1 Cor. 1.13 That is Christs peculiar with the Father and the holy Ghost not communicated to any creature 2. It is objected that these outward elements were given not Object 2 onely to the Israelites but also to their beasts for the water of the rock the text saies They drank of it and their cattel Num 20.11 And as
worthily be rank'd in the first place amongst those that you thus honour As soon as he enters upon the dispute of justifying faith in answer to Bellarmines first question What that faith is that is required to justification he sayes in the name of Protestants (a) Hoc ipsum vel imperitè vel sophistice in quaestionem vocatur Nam 1. Multa ad justificationem requiruntur quae non justificant 2. Non tam quaeritur quae aut quid fides quae justificat quam quae sit ratio quâ propriè dicitur justificare This is either unskilfully or sophistically put to the question giving in his reasons 1. Saith he There are many things required to justification which do not justifie 2. It is not so much enquir'd into what that faith is which do's justifie as in what notion it is that it is said to justifie And giving answer to farther words of Bellarmine he saith in the same page that (b) Observandum est nos non restringere fidem illam quae justificat sed tantum quà justificat ad promissionem misericordiae Arguments evincing that faith in the blood of Christ only justifies Protestants do not restrain the faith which justifies but faith as it justifies to the promise of mercy Much more may be seen in this Author in his next Chapter Sect. 1. Sect. 8. which I leave to the Reader to consult at pleasure And together with it that which may be seen largely in Chemnitius enquiring into the proper object of justifying faith in his Examen Concil Trident mihi pag. 159. under this head Quid verè propriè sit fides justificans quo sensu scriptura velit intelligi quando pronunciat impium fide justificari I shall here take the boldness to give in my arguments to make good that faith in Christ quà Lord doth not justifie 1. That which the types under the Law appointed for attonement and expiation lead us unto in Christ our faith must eye for attonement expiation and reconciliation This cannot be denied These Levitical types lead us doubtless to a right object being School-masters to lead us unto Christ and shaddows whereof he is the substance As also to that office in him who is the object of faith that serves for this work But these types lead us unto Christ in his Priestly office for the most part as Sacrificing sometimes as interceding John 1.29 2 Cor. 5.21 1 Pet. 1.18 A great part of the Epistle to the Hebrews is a proof of it 2. That which the Sacraments under the Gospel setting forth Christ for pardon of sin lead us unto That our faith must eye for Reconciliation Pardon and Justification This is clear Christ in his own instituted ordinances will not misguide us But these lead us to Christ suffering dying for the pardon of sin Mat. 26.28 This is my blood in the new Testament shed for you and for many for the remission of sins Here is a confirmation of both these arguments in one The types of the Law and the Sacrament of the Lords Supper lead both of them to his blood for this reason of attonement and forgiveness There was an old Testament enjoyn'd of God in which the people in convenant were sprinkled with blood Exod. 24.1 c. commented upon by the Apostle Heb. 9.20 c. That blood and this cup lead to Christs blood for forgiveness and in them the death of Christ is remembred A broken bleeding dying Christ in the Lords Supper is received 3. As the Spirit of God guides faith so it must go to Christ for propitiation and attonement This needs no proof The Holy Ghost is the best leader But the Holy Ghost guides our faith to go to the blood of Christ for attonement whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood Ro. 3.25 It is blood is our propitiatory or mercy seat We are justified by his blood Rom. 5.9 And faith is our way of interest and thither the Spirit of God by the Apostle leads our faith as we see in the words mentioned I am checkt indeed by you because I say through faith in his blood not faith in his command quo jure nescio say you My reason or warranty is because I durst not adde to the Apostles directory when he leads us one way I dare look no other If he had intended to have led us to Christ as a propitiation without further direction under what notion our faith should have look'd upon him It had been enough to have said that he is our propitiation but distinctly pointing out his blood and faith in his blood I think I have warrant sufficient to lead souls hither and only hither especially seeing I find him still in the same language Rom. 5.8 9. God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of our sins Ephes 1.7 The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1.7 For as much as ye know that we were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ as a Lamb without blemish You demand Will you exclude his obedience resurrection intercession To which I only say I marvail at the question If I exclude these I shall exclude his blood His shedding of blood was in obedience John 10.18 Phil. 2.8 His resurrection was his freedom from the bonds of death and an evidence of our discharge by blood His intercession is founded on his blood He intercedes not as we by bare petition but merit He presents his blood as our high Priest in the holy of holies You tell me further that the thing I had to prove was not the exclusion of faith in his commands but of faith in Christ as Lord and teacher I can no more distinguish Lord and command then I can blood and sacrifice it being the office of a Lord to rule as of blood to make attonement You yet tell me It was fittest for Paul to say by faith in his blood because he intends to connote both what we are justified by ex parte Christi and what we are justified by ex parte nostri but the former principally To this I say If this were fittest for Paul then it is unfit for any to come in with animadversions and tell us of any other thing either ex parte Christi or ex parte nostri for justification I pray you rest here and we are well agreed Here is Christs Priestly office on his part alone and I am resolved to look no further 4. Our faith must look upon Christ so as to obtain righteousness by him by vertue of which we may appear before God as righteous But it is by his obedience as a Servant that we obtain righteousness and stand before the Lord as righteous Rom. 15.19 By the obedience of
are likewise seals where there are like Sacramental expressions notwithstanding they have no such name in Scripture And as the Apostle infers from the institution of Circumcision and Abrahams acceptation of it that Circumcision was a seal so may we infer in like manner that other Sacraments are signs and seals Compare that which the Apostle here deduceth from Gen. 17. concerning Abrahams Circumcision with that which may be deduced from Acts 8.34 35. concerning the Eunuchs Baptisme Abraham believed and was justified upon believing and then received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousnesse of faith which he had being uncircumcised And the Eunuch did believe on Philips preaching and afterwards received Baptisme May we not well then say He received the sign of Baptisme a seal of the righteousnesse that he had being yet unbaptized so we may say of Pauls Baptisme and the Jaylours upon their miraculous conversion to the faith they received the sign of Baptisme for the same reason Secondly It is demanded whether the Covenant of grace and promises of salvation be compleat valid and firm in themselves Object without these things annexed to them or whether they be meerly void and null in Law as Kings and mens Deeds and Charters without a seal to confirm them If incompleat infirm and invalid this is extreamly derogatory to the Covenant and therefore they are not properly seals Answ 1. Sol. If there be some dissimilitude between civill seals used by men in Charters and conveyances and seals of God put to his Covenant will it then follow that upon that account they are no seals There are dissimilitudes between the Ambassadors of Princes and the Ministers of Christ respective to their functions are Ministers then no Ambassadors There is difference between servants of men and servants of God are Christians then no servants Sacraments are seals by way of metaphor because they do the office that seals do among men and if they do not per omnia quadrare as no metaphors do yet in case they agree in the main for which that serves from whence the metaphor is borrowed it is sufficient Ministers are fitly called Ambassadors being sent of God to treat from him with a people as Ambassadors are sent of Princes notwithstanding that those to whom Ambassadours come may treat or not treat at pleasure may give in Propositions as well as receive them when they to whom Gods Ministers are sent must give audience must take the Propositions delivered and not stand to Capitulate If Sacraments ratifie to us the promises of the Covenant That is enough to denominate them seales though wit could devise twenty differences And yet I read some differences assigned which I confesse I do not understand to be any differences at all 2. I know not that it is absolutely true in Law that mens grants are void altogether without a seal I have heard of Leases parol and Wills nuncupative which I am sure have no seal And seales sometimes by the injury of time are utterly broke and lost and in this case I suppose the Covenant may yet stand 3. What is objected against this office of Sacraments as seales may also be objected against the oath of God made to Abraham for confirmation of his Word That will admit the dilemma Either his Word of Promise was true and firm without it or else which I am loath to speak subject to change The application is easie The same thing was revealed to Pharaoh in a dream for seven years plenty and seven years famine by a double sign If there was truth in one we may argue the second needs not if untrue neither have cause to be heeded or regarded If we will undertake such kind of reasonings we should make no end 4. The Covenant is compleat full firm and valid in case we should never more then once hear it or never have any seal put to it nor any oath for confirmation yet our unbelief and distrust is such that we need ingeminations inculcations oaths seals and all from God to uphold us Object Thirdly It is yet demanded whether these seales are inseparably annexed to the Covenant and promises of grace in the Old or New Testament as parts or parcels of them as seales are annexed To the Charter If yea then shew us to what Covenants and Promises and in and by what Texts they are thus inseparably annexed and how any can be saved or made partakers of the benefit of the Covenant and promises of grace who do not actually receive these seales of grace when as your selves with all Orthodox Divines must grant that many who were never baptized and infinite who never received the Lords Supper are and may be saved and are made partakers of the Covenant and promises of grace without receiving or enjoying these seales of grace If no then how can these be termed seales of the Covenant and promises of grace which are not inseparably affixed to them as seales are to Charters since many receive the Covenant and promises of grace without these seales and other receive these seales without the Covenant or promises the benefit whereof they never enjoy Answ They are inseparably joyned respectu praecepti Sol. as being enjoyned of God and here all the Texts brought to prove the Sacraments not arbitrary but necessary may be brought in to witnesse though not so respectu medii The Covenant may have its effect without them The Covenant is intire in it self without them They are not inseparable quoad esse yet they have their necessity though not simple and absolute quoad operari for the Covenant to have its due work on our hearts God saw them necessary helpful and useful and therefore gave them in charge as many Scriptures witnesse and we of necessity must submit to them in order to obtain the end to which they serve and for which they are designed and appointed SECT II. Rules for a right understanding of Sacramental Seales FIrst These are outward visible seales Explicatory Propositions touching the sealing of Sacraments and priviledges of visible Churches and Church-membership committed to the Stewards of God in his house to dispense and apply to their people And so different from that other seal of God frequently mentioned the seal of the Spirit which is internal invisible proper onely to the elect regenerate reserved in the hand of God according to prerogative to give That these are external and visible needs no more then our eyes and that they are the priviledg of visible Churches and Church-members sufficient hath been spoken And therefore they both agree in the general nature of a seal both are for ratification and confirmation of the truth of Gods promises yet in a different way and different latitude They have the former that never reacht the latter and the former is serviceable to attain to the latter Secondly They are seales not to confirm any truth of God in it self or to work in us any assent to general Scripture-Propositions But