vnto him Pigions turtle Doues If their abilitie serued not for these they offred a little meale The outwarde signes in the Sacraments are very meane and base things if wee looke on them with the eyes of our fleshe but they are most precious and singuler Iewelles if wee looke on them with the eyes of our fayth and do esteeme them according to the Lordes institution 10 The Sacramentes are not naked and bare signes In Baptisme the efficacie of Gods spirite is present to washe and regenerate those which appertayne vnto God The Lordes Supper is a spirituall banquet 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 3.4.16 wherein Gods children are truely and in deede fedde with the body and blood of Christ The apostle calleth the Sacrament spirituall meate and spirituall drinke and a litle after in the same chapter hee calleth the cuppe of blessing which we blesse the communion of the blood of Christe and the bread which we break the communion of the body of Christ The Sacraments are not bare signes because we haue the Lords institution they are seales of righteousnes and tokens of grace they are sure warrantes of Gods promises whereby God bindeth himselfe vnto vs and wee likewise stande bounde to his Maiestie so that God is our God and we are his people 11 The Sacramentes must haue the worde of God annexed to them For the worde of institution is the life of the Sacrament The Sacraments are seales of Gods word Rom. chap. 4. verse 11. Therefore where the word of intution is not there is no place left to the Sacraments There is no vse of that seale and in deede it deserues not the name of a seale whiche is put to an vnwritten either paper or parchment Take away the word of institution and what is the water of Baptisme but water Aug. Tract 80. in Iohan. The woorde of institution is added to the element it becomes a Sacrament 12 Gods Churche hath neede of Sacraments so long as it is in the worlde The fayth of Gods children is true that is to say not counterfaite but their faith is not perfit in this life The Sacraments are pillers of our faith Saint Paul hath these wordes as often as ye shall eate this bread and drink this cup 1. Cor cha 11 verse 26. ye shewe the Lordes death till he come whereby it is manifest that vntill Christes seconde comming wee haue both neede and vse of the Sacraments whereof wee shall haue neither vse nor neede in the life to come 13 The Sacramentes are higly to be esteemed The Sacramentes are pillers of our fayth they are glasses wherein we may beholde the riches of Gods grace which he reacheth vnto vs they are the Lordes couenauntes therefore they contayne promises whereby our consciences are lifted vp to the hope of eternall life Gods childrē receiue great benefit by baptisme Galath chap. 3. ver 27. 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 16. for all that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ by the Lords supper bicause the bread which we breake is the cōmunion of the bodie of Christ and the cup of blessing is the communion of the bloud of Christ If the Sacramentes are highly to be esteemed what shall we thinke of Pope Iohn the 23. for baptizing and beeing godfather to the great bell of Laterane in Rome of the popish sort for giuing out that we haue nothing but bare bread bare wyne in the holy communion The Sacramentes are highly to bee accounted of and honoured as holy mysteries but they must not bee honoured with diuine honour 14 The contempt of the Sacraments is very daungerous The contempt of Circumcisiō which was one of Gods sacraments was greeuously punished Gen. chap. 17 ver 14. Exod. chap. 4. ver 25. The Angell woulde haue killed Moses because his sonne was not circumcised Negligence in keeping the passeouer Nomb. chap. 9. ver 13. was greeuously punished It is a common a very soūd speech that not the want but the contēpt of haptisme bringeth condemnation The Messalian heretikes did condēne both externall signes Sacraments Obiection The Israelites were not circūcised in the wildernes by the space of 40. yeeres Iosue chap. 5. ver 7. Answere God commaunded the Israelites to goe on continually in their iourney If they had beene circumcised they had not bin able by reason of the sorenes of their bodies Iosue chap. 5. ver 8. to do as God commanded them so that Gods latter commaundement was a dispensation to thē for the omitting and deferring of circumcision Obiection The Apostles would not presse the Gentiles to be circumcised Acts. chap. 15 ver 24.28 Answere Circumcision after Christes ascensiō was not a necessary Sacrament but a thing indifferent that is to say which might for a time eyther be vsed or omitted If it had been a necessary sacramēt in the Primitiue Church Titus should haue beene circumcised Gala. chap. 2. ver 3. as Timothie was Besides circumcision after Christes ascension might not be thrust vppon the Gentiles Acts. chap. 16. ver 3. because Moses must giue place to Christ Iesus 15 The Sacraments during the time of the action of Baptisme and of the Lordes Supper are Sacramentes but after the action is ended they are no Sacramentes The elements in the sacrament during the time of the action which they serue for are true signes and pledges of the things signified by thē for in baptisme Christes bloud is propounded to vs as a lauer with which bloud we being washed are more and more graft into Christ buried together with Christ In the Lords supper Christes body and bloud is giuen to vs 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 16. and that by distinct and seueral signes I meane the bread the wine as our true meate and true drinke vnto life euerlasting When the action of baptisme the Lords supper is ended the water in the font is no Sacrament but simple and common water and the bread and wine in the Lordes supper are not the Sacrament of Christes body bloud but commō bread and commō wine Therefore their fault is great which after the action of the Sacrament is ended eyther reserue any part of the elementes for Sacramentes or doe thinke that a mowse dogge or such like tasting or eating of the bread after the Lords supper is ended doe receiue the Sacrament whereas it is a certaine truth that if eyther mowse or dogge shoulde eate of the bread in the Lordes Supper during the time of the holy action they neyther doe receiue nor can be saide to receiue the Sacrament at any hande For seeing the Sacraments are seales of Gods promises touching eternall life it is certayne that no such seale is or can be giuen vnto or receiued by thē to whom Gods promise of eternal life in no wise doth appertayne 16 What good we receiue by the Sacramentes We are put in mynde by the Sacraments of Christes
priuate to the minister alone When our Sauiour Christ did institute the holy supper commend it to his apostles Math. chap. 26. ver 26.27 he did neither eate drink alone for them nor cōmaunded that one of them shoulde eate and drinke for the rest but he sayde take yee eate yee c. Likewise drinke yee all of this c. 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 16. The Apostle calleth the cup of blessing c the communion of the bloud of Christ and the bread which wee breake the communion of the bodie of Christ by which wordes it is manifest that the holie Supper must bee no priuate banquet Saint Paule willeth them of Corinth 1. Cor. chap. 11. ver 33. when they come together to eate to tarry one for another which words doe euidently condemne all priuate and alone pertaking of this holye Sacrament If any saye that Paules wordes proue not my purpose because they are to be refered to the Corinthian loue feastes my answere is that the Apostles wordes doe make greatly for my purpose though it were as they fay because the feasts of Corinth were ioyned with the celebration of the holie communion In the time of Iustinus Martyr al that were present in the holie assembly did cōmunicate Apol 2 pro Christ Priuate Masses as yet were neither borne nor conceiued c. 8 Gods people must not bee barred from the cup in the Lordes Supper Christ at the first institution of the holy Supper said drinke ye al of this Math. chap. 26. ver 27. c. If the papists say that Christ spake vnto the Apostles onely my answere is that they may as wel barre Gods people from the bread of the Sacrament because onely the Apostles were partakers of the bread as well as of the cup at the institution of the Supper Let a man examine himselfe 1. Cor. chap. 11. ver 28. and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup c. Saint Paule ioynes the bread and cup together how then dare any man make a diuorce betweene the bread and the cup Saint Paule speaketh to the whole body of the Church howe dare anye man presume to barre Gods people from the cup and to restrayne it to the popish priestes The breaking of the bread and distributing of the cup to the communicants are essential parts of the holy supper therfore may not be omitted or altred In Iustinus Martyres tyme after cōsecration of the bread and cup Apol. 2. pro Christ both bread and cup were distributed to the communicants In Cyprians Ambroses and Chrisostomes time Cyp. lib. 1. Epist 2. Theodoritus lib. 5. cap. 18. Chrysost in cap. 8. epist 2. ad Corinth Hom. 18. Gods people were partakers of the cup in the Lords supper Innocentius the 3. was the first that shut Gods people frō the cup in the Lordes supper He did this strāge fact in the Laterane councell in the yeare of our Lorde 1215. 9 What consecration is Consecration is a dedicating to the holy vse of the supper of so much bread wine as shal be occupied in the celebration of the holy communiō and neither more nor lesse Cōsecratiō stādeth not in the abolishing of natures but in the conuerting of the naturall elemēts into a godly vse This is cleere in both the sacramēts whē the minister hath added the word of institutiō to the water it is no more common water but baptisme which is a Sacramēt of our Regeneratiō Whē he hath done the like to the elemēts of bread wine it is no more cōmon bread common wyne but the sacrament of the body bloud of Christ Iesus yet the substaunce of water is not abolished in baptisme nor the substance of bread and wine in the Lords supper If anie say that the meate which is set on the table at dinner supper 1. Tim. chap. 4. ver 5. is dedicated to a godly vse when it is sanctified by the worde of God prayer I grāt it to be so but there is another signification of that then of this in the sacramēt We obtaine by the word of God prayer the lawful vse of Gods creatures at our dinners suppers that if any iot of Gods first curse vpō the earth and fruites thereof remained it shal not be hurtfull to vs but the elemēts signes in the sacraments become more excellēt things by many degrees for by Gods worde institution they are made signes mysteries of our saluation 10 The substance of bread and wine remaine in the Lordes Supper after the words of Consecration The bread which we breake in the Lords supper 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 16. is it not the partaking of the body of Christ Saint Paule doeth expressely call that which is broken bread not the Accidents of bread I will not hence forth drinke of this fruite of the vine c. by the fruite of the Mat. cha 26 ver 29. vine our Sauiour Christ meaneth wyne not the accidentes of wyne By Accidents of bread wine are vnderstāded the colour roundnes breadth tast c. of bread and wyne The worde of institution is added to the Element and it is made a Sacrament Tract 80. in Iohan. Augustine saith not that it taketh away or expelleth the element Tertullian calles that bread by which Christ represented his bodie Tertul. lib. 1. cont Mar. The same Tertullian labouring to prooue that Christ had not a fantasticall body as the Heretique Marcion imagined but a true body reasons thus frō the sacramēt Christ did giue bread in the sacrament for a true figure of his body lib. 4. cont Mar. therefore Christ had not a fantasticall but a true bodie If no substance of bread remayne in the Lordes Supper which the Papistes hold Tertullians argument against Marcion were verye weake and Marcions monstrous opinion were very strong If we say that Christes bodie is made of the substance of bread how is it true that his body was made of the substāce of the blessed virgin There must be alwayes an Analogie betweene the signe and the thing fignified in the sacrament The Analogie in the holy supper appeareth in ferding The body bloud of Christ doth feed our soules the bread and wine doeth feed our bodies If the substāce of bread wine bee abolished what is left to feede our bodies If the popish sort say that the Accidēts of bread wine doe feede vs they teach strange both diuinitie and philosophie straunge diuinitie because they are manifestly confuted by Christ and Paule straunge philosphie Math. chap. 26. verse 26. 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 17. Arist cap. 5. de sensu sensili because they reuiue an olde and grosse errour of the Pithagoreans confuted long agoe by Aristotle Besides the Philosophers teach vs that wee consist of the same thinges wherewith we are nourished If we be fedd and nourished with Accidents the
are glad of this and do therefore think very hardly of corrupt mē which will not be restrayned and reformed eyther by Gods and the Queenes both lawes and speech or by the woorthye example of Constantinus or by the testimonye of their owne consciences which cannot but both accuse condēne them They which present mē to ecclesiastical liuings are called patrons that is to say defenders of the church to keepe back either all or part of the church liuinges is not to be a shielde to couer the Churche and the Minister but a sworde to cut them and therefore they may iustly be called the schollers of Lysimachus the Churchrobber which was slaine for his villanies 2. Machab. chap. 4. ver 42. If a patrone preferre a minister for monye and corruption hee must needs thinke hardly and vily of that minister the minister likewise of that patrone for who can like a minister when he feeles his corruption and what minister though hee fishe with a siluer hooke wil accompt of that patrons friendship which he payes so deare for and what good men can like of eyther him that preferres or is preferred in this sorte will they not iudge them to bee straunge market men Ierohoam made Priestes of the lowest of the people which were not of the sōnes of Leui 1. Kings chap 12. ver 31. chap. 13. ver 33. but hee did it for monye For the like respect I feare manye haue beene preferred which cannot be allowed for Prophets because they neuer were the sonnes of the Prophets I haue handeled these poyntes I trust for the good of all that they which are guiltie of this sinne may make restitution and leaue the practise of it and that they which are not guiltie of it may take good heede that they fall not into that sinke of corruption If anye be offended with this I haue set downe it is their faulte and not mine for the seed which I haue sowen is very good but the ground which receiues it not is very bad but my comfort is this that I haue pleased almighty God and his seruauntes in this godly labour though this certayne truthe bee a shut booke as a sealed letter vnto graceles Cormorantes Question Whether landes and pensions giuen for the maintenance of Idolatrie may and ought to be conuerted to the seruice of God Answere They may ought for if mē should conuert them to their priuate vse it might bee iustly thought that in abolishing superstition priuate gaine is the marke which is louelled at and not the promoting of Gods true religion This is Augustines iudgement in a notable and learned Epistle Aug. epist 154 ad Publicolam and deserues to be greatly liked of To the Reader SInce the printing of the first part of my Catechisme I haue bin earnestly dealt with to write somewhat of the Sacraments The request was verie equall and I haue yeelded to it as appeareth by these Treatises The course I haue taken in them is plaine and short If they shall profite such as haue neede of instruction I will thanke God very humbly for it and hereafier by Gods assistance set downe another short Treatise of the Scripture and the Church and Confession for their further benefit These points are waighty but necessary arguments to be handled yet very breesly because the memories of the simple are verie shorte and long discourses are not easily digested by them God giue vs grace to increase in the knowledge of his truth and to frame our liues accordingly to his glorie and our comforte through Iesus Christ A Table of such poyntes as are contained in the first part of this Treatise 1 VVHat a Sacrament is 2 There are but two Sacramēts Baptisme the Lords supper the other fiue which went vnder the name of Sacraments are no Sacraments 3 It is not in any mans power to make a Sacrament 4 Whether the Sacraments of the olde and new testament are all one and howe they differ 5 The Sacramēts must not be administred at all aduentures to euery one 6 The signe must not bee confounded with the thing fignified in the Sacramēt 7 The Sacraments are not to be esteemed better for the worthines of the minister or the worse for his vnworthines 8 The Sacramentall signes offer grace vnto all but doe not of their owne nature conferre grace vnto all that doe receiue them 9 Why almighty God would haue the external signes in the Sacramēts to consist of very simple and vsuall things 10 The Sacraments are not naked bare signes 11 The Sacramentes must haue the word of God annexed to them 12 Gods Church hath neede of Sacraments so long as it is in this world 13 The Sacraments are highly to bee esteemed 14 The contempt of the Sacramentes is very daungerous 15 The Sacraments during the tyme of the action of Baptisme of the Lords supper are Sacraments but after the action is ended they are no Sacraments 16 What good we receiue by the Sacraments ⧠A Treatise of the Sacraments 1 What a Sacrament is A Sacrament is a visible signe of an inuisible grace 2 There are but two Sacramentes Baptisme and the Lordes Supper The other fiue which went vnder the name of Sacramentes that is to say Matrimonie Orders Pennaunce Extreme vnction and Confirmation are no Sacramentes SAynt Paule prouing that the Israelites were equal vnto thē of Corinth 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 2. 3. and consequently of vs in the externall signes of Gods fauour nameth onelye Baptisme and the Lordes Supper wherein hee had dealt verie strangely if of seuen Sacramentes he had left out fiue Two thinges are especially ioyntly required vnto euery necessary Sacrament of the Churche First a sēsible outward element Secondly the word of institution the element in Baptisme is water the elementes in the Lords Supper are bread wyne the word of institution in baptisme is that which is pronounced by the minister I baptize thee in the name of the Father of the Sonne Math. chap. 28. ver 19. and of the holye Ghost the word of institutiō in the Lords supper is 1. Cor. chap. 11. ver 23.24.25 The Lorde Iesus the same night that he was betrayed tooke bread and when he had giuen thanks he brake it and sayde take eate this is my bodie which is broken for you this do ye in remembrance of me After the same maner also he tooke the cup when hee had supped saying this cup is the new Testament in my blood this doe as oft as yee drinke it in remembrance of me Matrimony orders pennance haue the word of God but no outward element Extreme vnction and Confirmation haue neither word nor element Obiection for Matrimony For this cause shall a man leaue father Ephes chap. 5. ver 31 3◠and mother and shal cleaue to his wife they twayne shall be one flesh this is a great mysterie that is to say Sacramēt as the Church of
thēselues to the Lords Supper but after dewe examination of themselues 6 The godly are not defiled if they receiue the holy cōmunion at such time as wicked men do present them selues and are admitted to the Lords table 7 The Lordes Supper must be commō to all the godly not priuate to the minister alone 8 Gods people must not be barred from the cup in the Lordes Supper 9 What consecration is 10 The substance of bread and wine remayne in the Lords Supper after the wordes of consecration 11 The wicked do not eate Christes body in the Sacrament 12 Christes body is not euery where 13 The bread and wine in the Lordes Supper must not bee reserued for any superstitious vse 14 Howe gods children must be haue themselues at and after the receyuing of the holy Supper ⧠A Treatise of the Lords Supper 1 What the Lordes Supper is The Lordes Supper is a holy action wherein according to Christes institution the Sacrament of his bodye and blood by a misticall breaking of breade and blessing of the cuppe is distributed by the minister and receyued by the godly assēblie wherein the remembrance of Christes sacrifice on the alter of the crosse is celebrated with perfourmance of most humble thankes to his Maiestie and of Christian charitie amongst our selues 2 Why two elements that is to say bread and wine are vsed in the Lordes Supper and but one element that is to say water in the Sacrament of Baptisme Christ in baptisme is propounded vnto vs as a lauer therefore only water is sufficient But in the Lords Supper because Christ as heauenly foodé is giuen vnto vs and that this life of ours hath neede as well of drinke as meate it pleased our Sauiour Christ to vse in this holy supper both wine and bread that we may be well assured that our whole life is to bee sought by vs in Iesus Christ alone The Passeouer consisted of two elements meate and drinke Exod. cha 12 verse 8. The lambe with the vnleauened breade was the meate the cup of the Testament wherin there was remembrāce of the blood whiche was clapt vppon the Israelites doore postes for assurance of their deliueraunce our of Egypt was the drinke in the Passeouer The Lordes supper consisteth of two partes meat drinke Christes body offred for vs on the crosse is the meate Christes blood shedde on the crosse for our sinnes is the drynke Our Sauiour Christ instituting a Sacrament of this meate and drinke Matth. chap. 26. vs. 26. 27 vseth bread and wine for the externall signes in this Sacrament 8 Why Christ did celebrate the supper at night The Passeouer by Moses law was to be eaten at night Exod. cha 12 verse 8. Iosu chap. 5. vers 10. Christ did first eate the Paschall lambe and did presently after institute the Sacramente of the Supper in the place of the Passeouer Wee are not tyed to the euentide for the celebration of the Lords Supper because Christe did so for wee are not bounde to eate any Passeouer immediatly before the Lords supper as Christ was by the lawe of Moses and in the forenoone whilest we are fasting wee are more earnestly and reuerently addicted to the partaking of the word and Sacrament He that thinkes that the Lordes Supper must of force be ministred at night because Iesus Christ did so will I feare bee mooued by a little perswasion to deferre baptisme vntill the age of thirtie yeeres Euseb lib. 1. cap. 10. because Christ before that time was not partaker of that holy Sacrament 4 The essentiall partes of the Lords Supper are not to be omitted but the accidentall may The essentiall ceremonies of the Lordes supper are these that the minister after a reuerent deliuery of the words of Christes institution and inuocation of the name of God breaketh the bread when it is broken distributeth it to the communicants in order afterwards likewise the cup. They whiche present them selues to the Lordes table are commaunded to take and eate the bread and to drinke of the cuppe shewing the Lordes death that is to say professing their fayth in Christ Iesus with a solemne remembrance of his passion humble thankesgiuing to his Maiestie for that inestimable benefit These essentiall ceremonies may not bee eyther altered or omitted The accidentall ceremonies of the Lordes Supper are that it was ministred at night to the disciples whilest they did sitte at table These accidentall ceremonies may bee altred by the Churches ordre 5 None may presume to present themselues to the Lordes Supper but after due examination of themselues None might eate the Passeouer before he was prepared 2. Chro. cha 35. ver 6. The Passeouer was the same to the Israelites that the holie supper is to vs but because our sacrament is more excellent then theirs great care must be had in preparing our selues Saynt Paule commaundeth a man to examine himselfe 1. Cor. chap. 11. ver 28. before the pertaking of the holy Supper This examination consists in faith and repentance faith containeth the truth of our beleef repentaunce concerneth the amendement of our life Weakenes of faith ought not to withdraw vs from the holy communion seeing it is instituted for the strengthening of our faith Vncleannes of life which is priuate and not openly knowen neyther may nor doth barre any frō the Lordes supper but such as meane not to amend 6 The godly are not defiled if they receiue the holy communion at such time as wicked men doe present themselues and are admitted to the Lordes table He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh iudgement to himselfe 1. Cor. chap. 21. ver 29. S. Paule saieth to himselfe not to others The Apostle willeth a man to examine himselfe 1. Cor. chap. 21. ver 28. before he presēt himselfe to the Lords supper Hee requireth not any cōmunicant to examine the rest of that church which no doubt he would haue required if a godly mā were defiled by the vnworthines of any lewd cōmunicāt Obiection It is not lawfull for vs to eate our owne bread with a wicked man therefore it is not lawfull to eate the Lordes bread with him 1. Cor. chap. 5 ver 11. Answere It is in our power to practise the former but it is not in our power to abstayne from the Lords supper though east mē be at that time partakers with vs. It is a great sinne for a knowē wicked mā either to minister the Lords supper or to presēt himself to the holy cōmuniō such boldnes must be seuerely punished by thē in whose handes it is to redresse it But if this grosse sinne be practised no medicine vsed to cure it the godly must cōtent thēselues with grief for these enormities and remēber that the sacrament sealeth vp Gods sweete promises to thē which the wicked sorte at no hand are partakers of 7 The Lords supper must bee common to al the godly not
Rome translateth it therefore Matrunonie is a Sacrament Answeare If by this word Mistery we vnderstād a Sacramēt 2. Thes chap. 2. ver 7. Ephe chap. 5. ver 32. iniquity shal be a Sacramēt for the Apostle makes mentiō of the Mystery of iniquitie Besides this Mystery pertayneth not to the carnall mariage of man and wife but to the spirituall mariage of Christ and the Church S. Paules wordes doe warrant this this is saith he a great secret but I speake concerning Christ and the Church Obiection for Matrimonie Mariage is a signe of a holy thing therefore it is a Sacrament Answere The argument folowes not for if to bee a signe of a holie thing bee sufficient to make a Sacrament I confesse mariage is a Sacrament because it resembles the coniunction of Christe and his Churche but by this meanes we are like to haue more then seuen sacramentes for then Christes washing of his disciples feete his imbracing of young children in his arme and almost all his actions because they are signes of holy thinges must goe for Sacramentes Obiection for extreeme vnction Is any man sicke among you let him call for the Elders of the Church Iam. chap. 5. verse 14.15 and let thē pray for him anoint him with oyle in the name of the Lorde and the prayer of fayth shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp c. The Apostle setteth downe a commaundement in these wordes let him call for the Elders of the Church and the element in these words anoint him with oyle and a promise aunexed to the element in these wordes and the Lord shall rayse him vp therefore extreeme vnction is a Sacrament Answere I graunt there is a comaundement an element and a promise but because that commaundement is not giuen to vs nor that promise belongs to vs annointing with oyle which was vsed in the Primitiue Church must not in that case be vsed of vs and therefore neyther is nor must bee accounted a Sacrament for vs. Circumcision had the worde of institution and a sensible outward element but because che commaundement and promise was giuen to the Israelites and not to vs it was a Sacrament to them but is not so to vs. Secondly the Apostle Iames speaketh of an extraordinary gift of healing by anoynting with oyle as the Euangelist Marke reporteth Mark chap. 6. verse 13. whiche extraordinarie gift of healing being ceased many yeeres past what extreeme folly is it to retayne annoynting with oyle which was a signe of that gift Thirdly the annointing with oyle vsed in the Primitiue Churche is very vnlike the extreme vnctiō of the Popish Church Saint Iames woulde haue all sicke folkes to be anointed his woordes are playne is any sicke c. The Papistes do anoynt them onely which are at deathes dore Saint Iames promiseth recouerie of health to the sicke which were anointed in the Prinitiue Church which promise was accordingly perfourmed his woordes are manifest and the Lorde shall rayse him vp the Papists may promise recouerie to them whō they anoint but they are not in case to performe it for they haue not the gift of healing If they woulde answere they haue it they might bee iustly conuinced of great both vanitie and crueltie vanitie for vaunting of that which all the worlde sees they haue not crueltie for not curing those sicke men and women whom they see to die presently after their anointing Lastly the anointing in S. Iames time and curing of the sick extraordinarily by that meanes and godly praiers did make greatly for the confirmatiō and increase of religion at the first planting of the Gospell Acts. chap. 5. vers 15. Act. chap. 19 verse 12. as Peters shadowe and Paules Napkinnes did The extreme vnction of the Papistes neyther cures sicke men nor increases religion but nourishes superstition and prooues gaynefull to the popish priestes 3 It is not in any mās power to make a Sacrament The Israelites had two Sacraments Gene. cha 17 vers 10.11 Exod. cha 12 verse 3. Mat. cha 21 verse 25. Circumcision and the passeouer God himself was the authour of them both Christ asking the Pharises whether Iohns Baptisme were from heauen doeth giue vs very clearely to vnderstande that it was not to be allowed for a sacrament vnles it had bin commanded of almightie God The Apostle remembring that by one spirite we are all baptised into one body 1. Cor. cha 12 verse 13. doth manifestly teach vs that the Sacramentes are not the worke of any man but of the spirit of God Saint Paule doth not take vpon him to institute the Lordes Supper in the Church of Corinthe 1. Cor. cha 11 verse 23. but for the reformation of such abuses as had crept into that holy Sacrament deliuers that to them which he receiued of the Lorde The name of the Lordes Supper doeth teach vs that Iesus Christe was the authour of it A Sacrament can neuer be without promise of saluation all men of the worlde can not of them selues promise any thing to vs of our saluation Therfore they neither can nor ought of them selues to institute or erect any Sacrament 4 Whether the sacraments of the old and newe Testamēt are all one and how they differ Circumcision was to the Israelites a Sacrament of regeneration Baptisme is so to vs. By Circumcision the Israelites were incorporated into gods visible Church so are we by Baptisme Circumcision was to them a signe of Gods couenant so is Baptisme to vs. The Paschall Lambe was to the Israelites a sacrament of that immaculate Lambe Christe Iesus by whose blood their redemption shoulde bée wrought the bread and wine in the Lords Supper is a Sacrament to vs of Christes body and blood which is giuen and shed for vs. The Israelites did eate the same spirituall meate whiche wee doe 1. Cor. chap. 10. verse 2. because there was one and the selfe same substance of their Sacraments and ours that is to say the partaking of Iesus Christ vnto life euerlasting The Sacramentes of the Israelites touching the external signes do differ from ours but theirs ours are a like if we consider the thinges signified by them For in their Sacramentes was expressed the death of Christ which was then to come in ours is expressed the death of Christ already past The new Sacraments instituted of Christ are plainer and clearer then the Sacramentes vnder the Lawe as the Gospell is playner and clearer then the Lawe but the thinges signified in and by their sacramentes and ours are not contayned more in our Sacramentes then in theirs 5 The Sacramentes must not bee administred at all aduenture to euerie one The Passeouer was one of the Sacraments amongest the Israelites Exod chap. 12. vers 48. It was not lawefull for any that was vncircumcised to eate of it It is not lawfull to giue the precious treasure of Gods worde to them which do contemne it Mat. chap. 7. verse
6. therfore it is as vnlawfull to giue vnto them the Sacramēts which are the seales of the worde Philip the Emperor offered himselfe to be partaker of the prayers in a publicke assemblie Euseb lib. 6. chap. 34. the gouernour of that Church refused to admit him vntill by confession of his sinnes he satisfied the Church and had ioyned himselfe to the penitentiaries in the face of the cōgregation The Emperor according to his duetie yeelded his obedience most willingly If the Emperour was repelled for a time from the publike prayers it is a cleare case that hee shoulde not at that time haue bin admitted to the holy Sacrament The Emperour Theodosius after that he had defiled himself with shedding innocent blood in the citie of Thessalonica Theod. lib. 5. cha 17. 18 was not admitted by Ambrose the Bishop of Mediolanum either to enter into the Church or to present him selfe to the partaking of the holy Sacrament vntill Theodosius by a notable confession of his sinne had satisfied and reconciled himselfe to the Churche of God 6 The signe must not be confounded with the thing signified in the Sacrifice For not eueryone that receiueth the signe is partaker of the thing signified This is cleare in Simon Magus for Baptisme and in the traytour Iudas for the Lords Supper The water of Baptisme is one thing the blood of Christ signified by the water is another thing The water purgeth our bodyes Christes blood purgeth our soules without partaking of Baptisme so that contempt be absent we may be saued without Christs blood we can neuer be saued The bread of the Sacrament is one thing the body of Christ is another the breade entereth onely into the bodily mouth Christes fleshe entreth onely into the soule without eating the bread of the sacrament so that contempt bee absēt we may be saued without eating of Christes flesh we can neuer be saued It is a miserable bondage of the soule Aug. de doct Christ lib. 5. cap. 5. to take the signes in the Sacramēts for the thinges signified by them I confesse that the name of the thing signified is giuē sometime to the signe Gene. cha 17 verse 10. Circumcision is sayde to bee the couenant betweene God Abraham when notwithstanding it was not the couenant but the signe of Gods couenant The Lambe is called the Lords Passeouer Exod. cha 1◠verse 11. but the Lambe was not the passage it selfe of the Israelites out of Egypt but remembred vnto them the benefite of that great deliuerāce of theirs out of Egypt The bread in the Lordes Supper is called the body of Christe Aug. contra Adimant cap. 12. but it was onely a figure and signe of Christs body yet the worthy receiuer which bringes fayth and repentaunce with him to the Lords Supper is partaker as of the bread and the wine so of the bodye and blood of the Lorde Iesus 7 The Sacramentes are not to bee esteemed better for the worthinesse of the minister or the woorse for his vnworthines Iesus Christ him selfe baptised not but his disciples Iohn chap. 4. verse 2. Iohn chap. 4. ver 1. and chap. 3. verse 22. and yet the baptisme ministred by the disciples was Christes Baptisme If that be Christes baptisme which is ministred by man whatsoeuer the minister be baptisme still remaines to be Christes baptisme Wee are baptised in the name not of any creature but of the holy Trinitie Cypr. de bapt Christi therefore whether Iudas or Paule doe baptize Christ doth wash and put away our sinnes As golde is gold of whom soeuer it be giuen or receiued so is the Sacrament alwayes a Sacrament whether it be giuē to vs by good or bad ministers The Sacramentes are Gods ordinance mans lewdnesse can not peruert the nature of Gods ordinance The Anabaptistes in our time doe thinke that baptisme is defiled by the lewdnesse of the minister The Donatistes in Augustins time did esteeme of the worthinesse of the Sacrament by the worthinesse of the minister These are grosse and palpable errours It is a cleare trueth in diuinitie that the Sacramentes are neyther better nor woorse for the goodnesse or the badnesse of the ministers yet vnlearned and lewde ministers must eyther labor to bee better furnished with learning and honesty for the good of the Church or els be remooued to the lesse hurte of the Church 8 The Sacramentall signes offer grace vnto all but doe not of their own nature conferre grace vnto all that doe receyue them Many haue been partakers of the Sacramentes which notwithstanding were very vngracious Many of the Iewes receiued Circumcision of the fleshe without Circumcision of the heart Simon Magus receyued Baptisme but not regeneration Audas receyued the breade of the supper but not the body of Christ The Sacramentes do bring to passe that which they doe figure Aug. de bapt paruulo onely in the elect We neyther doe nor may attribute forgiuenes of sinnes to the externall element otherwise then instrumentally We must by no meanes say that grace is contayned essentially in the Sacraments as water in a vessell or as medicine in a boxe but the Sacraments are saide to containe grace because they besignes of grace It is a certaine trueth that the Sacramentes doe alwayes retayne their nature Tit chap. 3. verse 5. 1. Cor. cha 10 verse 16. Baptisme is a lauer of regeneration The Lordes Supper is the communion of Christes body blood though no sparke of faith remayned in the world but we receiue not the grace which is offered by y◠Sacraments vnlesse we bring fayth to the partaking of the Sacramentes If any aske me why the infantes of the faithfull which haue not fayth are presented to baptisme I answere that though they haue not fayth yet they are vnder Gods couenant wherof Baptisme is to vs a sure warrant and confirmation Obiection The Church is clensed by the washing of water through the worde Ephe chap. 2. verse 26. therefore Baptisme doth conferre saluation Answere The Apostle ioynes together the worde of life and the washing of water as if he shoulde say by the Gospell the message of our washing and sanctification is deliuered vnto vs and by Baptisme the same message is sealed vp vnto vs. 9 Why almightie God woulde haue the externall signes in the Sacraments to consiste of very simple and vsuall thinges Almightie God woulde haue them consist of most simple and vsual things First that we shoulde not hang vpon or cleaue vnto these earthly thinges but lift vp our heartes vnto the Lorde Secondly least we which incline to much by our corrupt nature to superstition shoulde abuse the outward signes Lastly because hee woulde barre none no not the poorest from beeing partakers of the holy Sacramentes This course did the Lord take in the time of the Iawe they whiche were not able to offer vnto him Leuit. chap. 5. vers 7.11 Oxen Sheepe Lambes c. did offer
baptisme and consequently not mans but Gods baptisme and therefore neede not any seconde baptisme If it were Gods baptisme it conteined in it promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes mortification of the fleshe quickening of the spirit and partaking of Christ c. Question Seeing that wee sinne dayly and that our sinnes are done away by Baptisme why shoulde wee not desire and present our selues to be very often baptised Answere If the efficacie of Baptisme did reach only to the sinnes committed before Baptisme as for example in yong children to origmall sinne and in those which are of yeeres both to their original and actuall sinnes which went before their baptisme I coulde like well of them whiche for the cleare washing away of their sins eyther deferred their Baptisme vnto their dying day which was grosse ignoraunce or of such whiche in our time for the like reasō would desire to be often Baptised whiche is a palpable errour It is a certaine trueth in diuinitie that our sinnes committed after Baptisme do not abolish our bap tisme For Christes puritie is offered to vs in Baptisme whiche puritie of Christ because it is alwayes in force is not rased out by any sinnes of ours but clenseth vs from all filthines whatsoeuer The Galathians reuolted from that truth which Paul had taught thē Gal. 3. 5.6 chap. and were corrupt in their liues these were great sinnes after they had receiued Baptisme Paul notwithstanding reuiueth their faith by that Baptisme which before they had receiued Gal. chap. 3. verse 27. Baptisme must not be shut vp in straighter rome then Christ himselfe seeing that in Baptisme we put on Christ Rom. chap. 6. vers 1.2.3 and the efficacie of Baptisme is not lesse then the efficacie of Christes death vnto whiche Baptisme hath a singular respect To be once regenerate and to haue once entred into Christs Church is sufficient neyther is any of Gods electe cast out at any time for he that is once indewed with the spirit of sanctification is alwayes endewed with the same spirite of sanctification My reasons are these The giftes and calling of God Rom. chap. 11 verse 29. 1. Pet. chap. 1 verse 23. are without repentance The worde of God whereby we are regenerate is immortall seede that is to say neuer dieth in his children The shielde of fayth may be wounded but it can not be stricken through Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not 1. Ioh. chap. 3 verse 9. cap. 5. ver 18 for his seed remayneth in him neither can he sinne because he is borne of God The Apostle Iohn meaneth not that sinne dwelleth not in Gods chyldren but that it hath not dominion ouer them and therefore Paul saith not let not sinne dwel Rom. chap. 6. verse 12. 2. Sam chap. 11. verse 4.15 24. 2. Sam. chap. 12. vers 13. but let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies Dauid dealt verye strangely with Vrias and with the Lordes armie his faith seemed to be quenched but he was not cleane spoyled of all sparkes of grace there remayned as it were a quicke coale in the ashes other wise the Prophet Nathan had not so easily and speedily awaked him Christes resurrection is a notable piller of our faith and the very locke and kepe of all religion Iohn chap. 20. verse 25. The Apostle Thomas doubted so much of it that he vttered these wordes except I see in his handes the print of the nayles and put my finger into the printe of the nayles and put my hande into his side I will not beleeue it This sinne of Thomas was so grosse that it might he fealt with the fingers and yet faith was not cleane extinguished in him Iohn chap. 20 verse 28. as appeareth by his answere to Christe my Lord and my God They whiche thinke that they are vtterly voyde of Gods spirite in whom the fruites of the spirit do not alwaies appeare are like vnto thē which thinke there is no sire where there is no flame and that trees are dead in winter beecause they bring forth neyther fruit nor leaues in winter 7 Whether those children whiche are knowen to be base borne are to bee admitted to baptisme The children which are base borne amongst vs are not to bee shutte from baptisme for the parentes sinne if such as feare God present them to baptisme and promise faithfullye to see them brought vp in the feare of God Augustine had a base sonne but hee was baptised Aug. confes lib. 9. cap. 6. and verye Christianly brought vp 8 What time is fitte for the administration of baptisme Circumcision was administred the eyght day after the childs birth Gene. cha 17. verse 12. chap. 21. verse 4. Luk. chap. 1. vers 59. cha 2. ve 21 at that time Isaac Iohn Baptist and Iesus Christ were circumcised If the Sabboth was the eyght day after the childs birth hee was circumcised on the Sabboth day Iohn chap. 7. verse 23. That tyme is fittest for the administration of Baptisme wherein care is had that the infants die not vnbaptised if it may bee done without breache of Gods order and yet that their superstition which tie saluation to baptisme at no hande be fauoured The Lordes day is a very fit day for Baptisme euē in the presence of the congregation 9 What is required of them whiche are alreadie baptized when they are of yeeres It is required first that they beleeue aright secondlye that they mortifie the bodie of sinne Lastly that they walke in newnesse of life a principall branch whereof is to be at vnitie with the godly One God is father of all Ephe. chap. 4 verse 4.5.6 one Christ hath redeemed vs all one holye ghost doth sanctifie vs all one fayth and one baptisme is common to vs all there is but one hope of our calling I meane euerlasting life therefore it becomes vs to bee linked together in the feare of God Salomon sayth that a threefolde corde can not easely be broken Eccle. chap. 4 verse 12. if this sixefolde and golden chaine will not holde vs wee breake it not by the power of God Iudg. cha 16. verse 9. as Sampson did his cordes but by some other power which is not of God Many grapes make one cuppe of wine many cornes one loafe of bread wee are members of one body whereof Christ is the heade therefore we must be at vnitie with Christ by giuing great honour to him and with our fellow members by doyng good vnto them A table of such poynts as are contayned in the last part of this treatise 1 WHat the Lordes Supper is 2 Why two elemēts that is to say bread wine are vsed in the Lordes supper but one elemēt that is to say water in the Sacramēt of baptisme 3 Why Christ did celebrate the Supper at night 4 The essentiall partes of the Lordes Supper are not to be omitted but the accidentall may 5 None may presume to presēt
substance of our bodies must consist of Arcidentes The popish sorte call vs Sacramentaries that is to say such as doe abolish the force vse of the Sacrament If our doctrine did ouerthrow the Analogie of the Sacrament is theirs doth we might iustly be called Sacramentaries TransubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ was borne in yâ— coâ—cel of Laterane in the yeere of our Lord 1215. Obiection Christ said at the institution of the holy supper Math. chap. 26. ver 26. This is my body therefore the substance of the bread is changed into the body of Christ Answere This argument hangs together like saÌ„d c. If Christ wheÌ„ he reached bread vnto his Apostles did giue his body really substantially to be eaten of them then had Christ many reall substaÌ„tial bodies at in one the selfe same time place which is a grosse absurditie I confesse that Christes speech this is my body when he had giuen the bread to his Apostles is a very true speech If it be a true speech it must bee true either properly and literally or figuratiuely If it be true properly literally then whatsoeuer may bee saide of Christes body as that it was borne of the blessed virgine suffered dyed rose againe c may be applied to the brend in the Sacramente whatsoeuer may be said of the bread as that it was sowen reaped threshed baked c may bee likewise applied to Christes bodie which no man that feareth God can admit If Christs speech be vnderstanded literally he did commaunde a foule and haynous thing which is sufficient to proue it a figuratiue speech Leb 3. cap. 16 de doct Chri. according to Augustines rule If any doe aske me what I take to be the true meaning of Christes words This is my body My aunswere is that they are notably expounded by S. Paule when he saith the bread which we breake 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 16. is it not the partaking of the body of Christ Question If Christ be not bodily present in the sacrameÌ„t what do Gods childreÌ„ receiue wheÌ„ they are partakers of the holy supper Answere They receiue the food of life immortality they eate life drink life when the sacrament is reached vnto them they receiue as bread wine for the nourishing of their bodies so the body bloud of the Lord Iesus for the most comfortable nourishing of their soules If any either drowned in Popery or inclined to it shall peruse this which I haue written I referre him for his further instruction to a notable treatise of Christs body and bloud writteÌ„ by Bertram vnto the Emperour Charles the great This Bertrame was both a Priest and a Monke and liued in the yeare of our Lord 840. 11 The wicked doe not eate Christes bodie in the Sacrament Christ cannot be separated from his spirite which spirite of Christ because the wicked haue not they caÌ„not be partakers of Christ Hee that eateth Christ shall liue by Christ Iohn chap. 6. verse 57. Iohn chap. 6. ver 56. Iohn chap. 15 ver 5. the wicked shal not liue by Christ He that eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud abideth in me I in him The wicked doe not abide in Christ because they bring not forth much fruite The meate of the soule is not eaten of theÌ„ which haue not the mouth of the foule Cyprian writes that the wicked doe licke the rocke De coena Domini but that they sucke from thence neyther hony nor oyle because they are quickned neither with any sweetnes of charity nor with any moysture of the holy spirit besides that they neyther iudge themselues nor discerne the sacraments For further proofe of this poynt I referre the learned reader to Cyprians treatise of the holy Supper Question Whosoeuer shall eate this bread drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthely 1. Cor. chap. 11. ver 27. shall be guiltie of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. The wicked are guiltie of the bodie bloud of the Lord therefore the wicked doe eate the bodie drinke the bloud of the Lorde Answeare The argument folowes not and the wicked are guilty of the body bloud of the Lorde because they eate drinke vnworthely the bread wine which are sacrameÌ„ts of the body and bloud of the Lorde For the iniury done to the Sacramentall signes reacheth to the thinges which are signified by them If the princes cloth of estate be abused it is a grosse fault and the iniury reacheth to the person of the Prince Obiection The wicked man is guiltie of the Lords body because hee discerneth not the Lords body 1. Cor. chap. 11. ver 29. therefore by eating Christes body he is guilty Answere The argument followes not for not to discerne the Lords body is to make no difference betweene the sacrament of Christes body coÌ„mon meate to abuse it which is a grosse sinne being committed against the sacrament reacheth vnto Christes body it selfe 12 Christes bodie is note uery where The Apostle Peter saith that heauen must containe Christ vntil the time that all things be restored Act. chap 3. ver 21. that is to say vntill Christes second comming The Angels say that Christ is taken vp into heauen c. Acts chap. 1. ver 11. If he be taken vp into heauen touching his body which must needs be the meaning of the Angels wordes how is Christes bodye in many places at once If Christs body be in many places at once then Christs body is infinit if it be infinite then Christes humanity is eyther abolished of made infinite by being turned into the godhead which are grosse heresies fauour the moÌ„strous opinioÌ„s of Eutiches SchweÌ„kfeldins Obiection The diuinity humanity are vnited in Christ therefore where the godhead is the maÌ„hood is likewise but the godhead is euery where therefore the manhood is euery where Answeare The person of Christ is but one and yet in doth so coÌ„sist of two natures that the proprieties of ech nature doeth must remayne whole without confusion to their seuerall natures For to deny or confounde the proprieties Lib. 4. cont Eutish is to confounde the natures Vigilius saith that Christ is contayned in a place by the nature of his fleshe and is not contayned in a place by the nature of his godhead Epist 57. ad Dardanum Augustine is very pleÌ„tifull flat for this point in one of his epistles I confesse that the proprieties of Christes maÌ„hood may be applied to his godhead contrarimise that the proprieties of his godhead may bee applied to his maÌ„hood but yet without coÌ„fouÌ„ding the natures as for exaÌ„ple Christes passion doth pertaine to his flesh according to the proprietie of nature and if pertaynes to the worde that is to saye Christes godhead according to the person Vigil lib. 2. cont Eutich because there is one and the selfe same person both of the worde and
the flesh so that whole Christ both God man suffered according to the vnity of persō but suffered not according to the propretie of nature that is to say of his godhead According to this I haue set downe Acts. chap. 20. ver 28. 1. Cor. chap. 2. ver 8. are Saint Paules words in the Actes and to the Corinthians to be vnderstanded The councell of Constantinople did decree that the blessed Virgine shoulde bee called the mother of GOD. We doe allowe that decree of the councell and yet we neither doe nor may thinke that the virgine Mary did heare Christies Godhead in hir wombe but the meaning is that he whiche was horne of the blessed virgine was not onely man but for the coniunction of the word to the fleshe God and man 13. The bread and wine in the Lords Supper must not bee reserued for any superstitious vse It was not lawfull to keepe any part of the Paschall lambe Exod. cha 12 verse 10. Exod cap. 16. verse 19.20 It was not lawfull to reserue of the Manna That which was reserued was full of wormes and did stinke Our Sauiour Christ at the institution administration of the holy Supper Mat. chap. 26. verse 26. commaunded his disciples to take and eate not to take and reserue it Cyprian writes that the Sacrament was receiued Decoena Domini but not shut vp and reserued I confesse that the Sacrament in olde time was reserued De lapsis lib. 6. chap. 44. Cyprian writeth that a certaine woman had it in her chiest Eusebius saith out of Dionifius that a priest had it in his chamber where hee deliuered it to Serapions boy to carried to Serapion which was then at the poynt of death But this relerning of the Sacrament was a strange abuse and therefore afterwarde was iustly abolished The reseruing and hanging vp of the Sacrament as the Papistes call it in a Pixe vnder a Canopie hath no light in Gods booke to shewe it by and before the time of Innocentins the fourth it was neyther an article of our fayth nor any lawe of the Church that Christians shoulde worship the breade wine in the Sacrament much lesse giue diuine honour to a wafer cake after that the action of the Sacrament is ended if that the Popish Sacrament of the Altar might be accompted a sacrament 14 Howe Gods chyldren must behaue themselues at and after the receiuing of the holy Supper In the time of the administration of the holy Supper wee must vse our eares and eyes very reuerently our eares in attending to Gods trueth and the holy institution of the Supper our eyes in beholding the holy misteries set vpon the Lordes table When the Sacrament is reached vnto vs wee are weightely to consider that as the bread and wine is broken and powred out in the holy supper for our vse so Christs bodye and blood which was giuen and shed on the crosse for perfiting the precious woorke of our redemption is giuen vnto vs to be the food of our soules and for this inestimable benefite wee must confesse our selues to be greatly and deeply bouns to our mercifull Sauiour by his grace giue vp our selues wholie to his prayse and seruice After that our soules are fedd at the Lordes table and that wee are graft into Christ as into a flourishing vine and ioyned to the faithfull as to goodly branches of this vine wee must liue Christianly not a day or two but al our life time first in beating downe our pride vanitie secondly in doing good to our brethren Lastly in keeping the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peare These graces if we doearnestly pray for to almightie God hee will giue them vnto vs in mercie for his greater glorie our singular comfort through Iesus Christ Amen FINIS Imprinted at London at the three Cranes in the Vinttee by Thomas Dawson for George Byshoppe 1582.