yet if wee bee vncleane and vnpure we make them all vnpure to our selues I say to our selues but not to others For why should they bear the blame of our impurity or why should they bee punished for our iniquity The Apostle speaking of the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11. saith He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh iudgement to himselfe not discerning the Lords body hee cannot eate and drinke iudgement to other men but hee may to himselfe Likewise the same Apostle writing to Titus saith Chap. 1.15 Vnto the pure all things are pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minde and conscience is defiled No man can defile the Sacraments to others but onely to himselfe forasmuch as they take their nature and borrow their force from God not from men and therefore are not to bee esteemed by the vice or vertue of the Minister but by the power and vertue of God If a Prince should send vs a pardon by his letters pattens and deliuer them into the hand of a wicked man as God sent Iudas the son of perdition to the Children of Israel to preach vnto theÌ„ that the kingdome of God was at hand would we refuse the pardon because of the wickednesse of the messenger Or may wee thinke it to bee lesse forcible and auaileable because hee is an vngodly person Woe then vnto those that bring in againe the damnable doctrine and practise of the Donatists long since buried and shaken in peeces who make a schisme in the Church depart out of the church for the faults offences of the Ministers because wee are not baptized into the names of the Ministers neyther are made partakers of the supper of the Ministers but we are baptized in the name of God and we are made partakers of the Supper of the Lord. They are therefore their owne enemies that looke too much vpon the messenger and too Vse 2 little vpon him that sendeth him vnto vs. Secondly is God the true and onely author and appointer of Sacraments Then none must adde vnto or take from the Sacraments instituted by him in the church no more then vnto the c Deut. 4. worde it selfe Deutronomy 4. Yee shall put nothing to the word which I command you neyther shall ye take ought there from that ye may keepe the commandements of the Lord your God which I command you And Reuel 22 18 19. If any man shall d Reuel 22 18 19. adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke and if any man shall diminish of the words of the booke of this prophesie God shall take away his part out of the booke of life If the Sacraments were the inuentions of men they might also fitly receiue the additions and subtractions the changes and the alterations of men but seeing they are the ordinances of God we must be content to haue them ordered by God All Ceremonies therefore and rites deuised by men as parts of Gods worship are so many abhominations and innouations of his seruice As God onely can gratiously promise so hee can onely effectually performe what he hath promised Wherefore we must condemne those as guilty of rebellion against God that bouldly breake out eyther to deuise new Sacramentes or to adde and detract from them that God hath ordained We are commanded to rest in those that he hath appointed to the Church in his worde for as well wee may deuise a new word as deliuer a new Sacrament aswell wee may coyne a new Article of faith as bring in a new confirmation of of faith Thirdly wee learne heereby that they which condemne Vse 3 the Sacraments and will not suffer them to bee of any force with themselues and making small account of them doe esteeme them as trifles or otherwise abuse them contrary to the institution will and commandement of Christ all these do greeuously sinne not against man but against the author of them that is God who hath ordained them and greatly indanger their owne saluation as 1. Cor. 11. He that eateth drinketh vnworthily e 1 Cor. 11 29 eateth drinketh his owne iudgement because hee discerneth not the Lords body If a man contemne or any way contumeliously abuse the seale of a Prince he is punished and therefore such as scorne and make a mocke of the Sacraments which are the seales of God cannot goe scot-free but shall bee indighted of high treason and rebellion against his Maiesty The last point to bee considered in the description of a Sacrament is the end of them where it is added Whereby Christ and al his sauing graces by certaine outward rites are signified exhibited and sealed vp to vs. This is proued directly by the Apostle 1. Cor. 10 16. The f 1 Cor. 10 16 cup of blessâ—ng which we blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the Communion of the bodye of Christ So Peter speaketh Acts 2. of the other Sacrament g Acts 2 38. Amend your liues and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and ye shall receiue the guifts of the Holy-Ghost And Paul saith in another place All ye h Gal. 3 27. that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ Our soules are washed in the bloud of Christ his buriall his resurrection his sanctification his wisedome his righteousnesse his redemption is made ours all his benefits are ours as Christ is ours Vse 1 Let vs make vse of this point and apply it to our selues First is Christ the summe and substance of all Sacraments Then the Church of Rome is heere condemned that say we make the Sacraments bare and naked signes God forbid that we should say so or make them to be so they are the sure seales of Gods promises heauenly tokens spiritual signes and authentike pledges of the grace and righteousnesse of Christ giuen and imputed vnto vs. The Sacraments and sacrifices of the olde Testament were not bare signes Circumcision was not i Rom. 2 28.29 a bare signe as Rom. 2. This is not circumcision which is outward in the flesh but the circumcision of the heart And In Christ k Col. 2 11 12. yee are circumcised with circumcision made without hands by putting off the sinfull body of the flesh through the circumcision of Christ Euen so Baptisme is no bare signe it were great blasphemy so to speake it were very great iniquity so to thinke The grace of God doth worke with his Sacraments and therfore the signes are neuer receiued in vaine of the faithfull and worthy receiuer The water washeth not from sinne the bread and wine feede not to eternall life but it is the precious blood of Christ that doth cleanse vs from al sin and purchaseth for vs all grace which is the life and the truth of the outward signes Againe
THE NEVV COVENANT OR A Treatise of the Sacraments Whereby the last Testament of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ through the shedding of his Pure and Precious Blood is ratified and applyed vnto the Conscience of euery true Beleeuer Diuided into three Bookes 1. Of the Sacraments in Generall 2. Of Baptisme 3. Of the Lords Supper Verie Necessarie and Profitable for these Times wherein we may behold THE Truth it selfe plainly prooued Doctrine of the Reformed Churches clearely maintained Errors of the Church of Rome soundly conuinced Right maner of the Receiuing of thē comfortably declared And sundry doubts and difficult Questions decided By William Attersoll Minister of Gods word at Isfield in Sussex For by one Spirit we are all Baptized into one Body whether wee be Iewes or Grecians whether we be Bond or Free and haue beene all made to Drinke into one Spirit 1 Cor. 12 13. The second Edition Newly Corrected and Enlarged Printed at London by W. Iaggard and are to be solde by Nicholas Bourne at his Shop at the entrance of the Royall Exchange 1614. TO THE RIGHT worshipful Sir IOHN SHVRLEY Knight all health and happinesse from Christ Iesus our Sauiour Right Worshipfull THE former Edition of this Treatise touching the Sacraments some eight yeares since published was not onely by your selfe louingly receiued but by diuers godly Christians beyond my expectation fauourably and friendly accepted And being at length content to yeeld to a new Impression it hath fared with mee in perusing this worke as with him that goeth about to repaire an old house For albeit he purpose with himselfe to pull downe a little or to make a slender addition and alteration in the building yet when once he beginneth to stirre and meddle with the old frame one piece draweth downe another and the augmenting of one part I know not how in a pleasing manner procureth the adding and annexing of another In like manner when I determined to review and peruse this booke mine intent was no more then heere and there to insert a little as time reading conference and better iudgement haue giuen occasion to see farther but beeing entred into the matter and one change causing another the worke is risen to this volume like a flood that swelleth by the accesse and comming in of other waters that it may rather seeme to be the making of a new then the amending of an olde I haue endeuoured heere to set before the eyes of all that wil vouchsafe to reade these lines the nature and vse of the Sacraments which were instituted of almighty God to admonish vs by their mysticall signification both of his goodnes and of our weaknesse being as signes and seales to assure vs of Christ and of his righteousnesse and all his merits There are diuers sorts of signes mentioned in the holy Scriptures which may be fitly sorted into foure ranks Some are naturall Mat. 16 2 3 as the clouds be a signe of raine the rednes of the sky in the euening of faire weather the lowring of the sky in the morning of foule weather Some are ciuill as a sword carried before a Magistrate is a signe of his authority Rom. 13 4. as the Consuls of Rome had their roddes and axe born by their officers Some are miraculous as we see in Gedeons fleece Iudg. 6 36. Mat. 24 29 which was wet when the earth was dry and dry when the earth was wet such shall be in the Sunne and Moone and in the starres in the end of the world as the Lord declareth Other are religious signes which appertaine to piety and godlinesse and an heauenly life of which some are tokens of things past Exod. 16 33 Heb 9 4. Leuit. 8 7 as the reseruing of Manna some of things present as the garments of the Priests and Leuites and their often clensings and purifications Some be signes of things to come as the sacrifices and oblations But the Sacraments of the new Couenant and last Testament of CHRIST sealed by his precious blood which wee haue heere described serue as monuments and memorials of all these euen to note out vnto vs blessings past and present and to come For they signifie the death and passion of Christ which is already past likewise the promise of grace and forgiuenesse which are present to the mindes of all right receiuers Lastly holinesse of life mortification of sinne repentance from dead workes and the fruites of faith heereafter more and more to be perfected and performed as also the resurrection of the body and eternall life which are to bee accomplished in the world to come Especially I haue beene carefull a The corruptions of the Romane Church vnmasked to vnmaske the corruptions of the Church of Rome if I may call that vnmasking which is in it selfe so palpable and apparent that whosoeuer hath the sight of the eye may quickly espy them or the vse of reason may easily discouer them wherein wee haue the full consent of the former and purer Churches If we wil a little consider the truth of this point and compare the doctrine of the reformed Churches with the pollutions and prophanations of the Romish Synogogue we shal plainely perceiue that light and darknes are not more different and repugnant then these are the one to the other Indeed they oftentimes appeale to the sentence of the Fathers as if their faith were the ancient faith and their doctrine had the approbation of elder times howbeit all this foppery serueth but for a flourish to varnish their rotten postes with deceitfull colours forasmuch as they are content the Fathers shall be expositers of the Scriptures but it is with this caueat and condition that themselues will bee Interpreters of the Fathers Wherefore I will b 3 points discussed propound as it were in a Table 3. points to be handled First their contrarieties and oppositions standing against the truth Secondly their contentions and contradictions remaining among themselues Lastly I will answere their obiection that thinke the matter is not so cleere on our side as we pretend who contemne Transubstantiation and the reall presence and maintaine the spirituall eating against the carnall and Capernaiticall First touching their corruptions c Comparisō between the Lords supper the Masse and contrarieties they are so notable and notorious to all the world that they can no longer hide them and conceale them as we may gather by comparing the institution of Christ with the traditions and abhominations of Antichrist Christ deliuered his last Supper as he sate at the Table with his Disciples where they did all eate as at a banket but Antichrist hath turned and transformed this Supper into the abhominable Idoll of the Masse which hath no shew or appearance of any feast at all where the Priest plaieth this Pageant alone hee sitteth not at the Table but standeth at the Altar turneth away his face from the people beeing belike ashamed that they should see his fraud and
the substance Lastly this Author is so farre from saying that the bread is conuerted into the flesh of Christ that hee saith the contrary to wit that this bread is conuerted into our flesh and our blood and serueth for our life and the increasing of our bodies Thus we see that the ancient Fathers held the same faith that we hold and differ not in iudgement from the reformed Churches nor the reformed Churches from them as we shall shew God willing more at large in another place And thus I haue runne ouer these three poynts which I purposed and proposed to handle in the beginning all which are more at large to be seene in the Treatise following This I offer the second time to your Worships consideration as a witnesse of my loue and a testimony of the sauours I haue receiued My meaning was and yet is that it should first come vnto your view and from you for your sake to the vse of the Church of God euen of as many as can make any vse of these my simple labours I haue prosecuted these points at large but I cease from troubling you any further cōmending you to his good hand who t Ioh. 13 1 loueth them to the end whom once he loueth u Rom. 11 29 whose guifts and graces are without repentance and so wishing all good from the Almighty a Reuel 5 13. that sitteth vpon the Throne and from the Lambe which liueth for euermore both to your selfe to your good Lady to your hopefull Children and to your whole family I ende and rest Your worships euer in the Lord William Attersoll The Praeface to the Reader IT is wel said Aul. Gel. noct Attic lib. 18. cap. 6. that the very title of a book hath a certain pleasant allurement to draw men to the reading therof The argument of this Tretise is of the Sacraments a comfortable portion of the Scriptures a necessary part of the Catechisme There is no knowledge comparable to the knowledge of Gods word there is no parcel of Gods word more holsome and heauenly then the Sacraments There is no Sacrament more excellent and effectuall then the Supper of the Lord which is a medicine to them that are sicke a preseruatiue to them that are whole a cordiall to them that are weake and a precious treasure to them that are in wants being an instrument to conuay vnto vs the benefit of Christs Passion and the assurance of our owne saluation Neuerthelesse there is no ordinance of God more neglected of vs nor lesse regarded among vs. We cannot be ignorant that it was instituted by the Lord of life to giue vs life and in remembrance of his death to take from vs the feare of death and therefore in the words of institution he said to his Disciples This is my body which was giuen for you Math 26 26. this is my bloud which was shed for you to the end we might behold him liuely described before our eies I haue desired and endeuoured not only to teach this trueth to the most simple and to informe the consciences of those that are ignorant but also to bring to light such doubtful and difficult poynts as may any way trouble the vnlearned Here then the discreet Reader shal meet with fit matter both to satisfie sundry not well aduised among our selues and finde sufficient armour to ouerthrow the opē common aduersaries Touching the errours crept in among vs as it were into the bosome of the Church as well in practise as in iudgement I haue aymed especially at two things both to reforme some and to informe others To reforme such as thinks they are left at liberty to receiue when they list and whether they list and to informe such as call in question the lawfulnesse of kneeling at the Communion according to the order established and commanded the one sort erring in action the other being deceiued in opinion First for the better discouering and preuenting of their spirituall danger I haue laboured to set before the faces of all drowsie professors Against negligent commers to the Communion their slacknes and sluggishnes in comming to the Table of the Lord and answered such obiections as they vsually alledge in their own defence for asmuch as there is no sluggard but he is wise in his owne eyes Was Christ made man for vs subiect to our infirmities beaten with stripes crowned with thorns and pierced with nailes that we should despise the blessed Sacrament that resembleth and representeth all these vnto vs which is as a looking glasse wherein we may behold him crucified and hanging vppon the crosse Chrysost hom 60. ad pop An. 〈…〉 Hee is a shepheard that feedeth his Sheepe with his owne bloud and nourisheth them with his owne substance If an earthly Prince should call vs as his guesse to sit downe at his Table would any bee so foolish or so froward as to refuse to come Behold the King of Heauen and earth inuiteth vs to his heauenly banquet and therefore we ought not to stop our eares or to withdraw our selues to perdition True it is all men almost come thicke and threefold at Easter or else they should not think themselues to be good subiects then they offer themselues without difference and distinction howbeit at other times they make no cōscience of their ordinary absence almost continual negligence Such as come not at other times it is to be feared they come not in knowledge at that time For if they come at Easter in conscience of Gods comandement more then for feare of the Princes law and with a feeling of their own wants rather then for forme and fashion sake they would fit themselues for this woorke at all times of the yeare so often as the Sacrament is deliuered Indeede none ought to present themselues being vnprepared presume to handle the outward signes of the body and bloud of Christ comming in impiety impenitency Mat. 22 11. like to the guesse in the Gospell that came without his wedding garment notwithstanding when we haue made our selues ready wee must not abstaine and absent our selues from it at our owne pleasure for then we make our selues guilty of the body and bloud of Christ 1 Cor 11 27. and vnworthy of any mercy to be reaped and receiued Wee may not be weary in well doing Gal 6 9. but must bee forward in the religious exercises of our faith taking all oportunity to performe this commandement of comming often to his Table 1 Cor 11 26. This is one sinne among others that draweth downe heauy iudgements vpon vs and our soules 1 Cor 11 30. for this cause many are weake and sickely among vs and many sleep yea it prepareth the way for farther vengeance except we repent of our euill wayes and amend our former negligence by greater diligence It is not enough that we submit our selues to the hearing of the word vnlesse withall we ioyne
as it may in part be gathered out of chap. 16. when Paul saith I will tarry at Ephesus vntill Pentecost how can it be that the Apostle baptising these Ephesians and writing his Epistle from Ephesus shold not remember them among aboue the rest beeing many and also present with him before his face Thus wee haue opened the meaning of this place which the vnlearned vnstable haue wrested as they do also other Å¿ 2 Pet. 3 16. Scriptures to their own destruction and we haue proued the baptism of Iohn to be one the same in substance with the baptisme of Christ and therefore to be neither vnperfect nor vnprofitable Thus we see that the vnion of the outward and inward parts togither teacheth t The sum of thâ— Chapter is â—et downe that in baptisme the outward rites are no needlesse ceremonies that it must bâ—â— ministred with all conuenient speede against those that defer the same many weekes and months that it requireth our presence to the end of the administration thereof that prayers may bee offered vp by the Church for infants to be baptized and our selues learne what we haue vowed to God Wee haue also learned that God testifieth his loue euen to the lowest in the Church Nothing is done in the Church but to the benefit of the whole and if we desire our Children should be the children of God why do we not stay to aske it of God Or how shall we better know what our selues haue vowed and promised in our baptisme to God and how we haue beene answerable thereunto then by our continuall presence when it is administred Lastly this diuision of the parts teacheth that the baptisme of Iohn Christ differ not in the truth and substance thereof Thus farre we haue shewed that the parts of baptisme are partly outward and partly inward Now let vs see what these outward parts are and afterward proceed in order to the inward CHAP. III. Of the first outward part of baptisme AS we declared before in the former booke chap. 3. the number of outward parts of a Sacrament a Foure outward parts of Baptisme so the outward parts of baptisme are foure namely the Minister the word of institution the water and the receiuer All these though outward parts yet are substantiall and necessary parts The first is the Minister as the Ambassadour of God sent out by him with commission to meddle in the matter of the Sacraments as appeareth by the ministry of Iohn by the commandement of Christ and by the examples of the Apostles The Baptist b Luke 3.15 when all men mused in their hearts if he were not that Christ saide to them Indeede I baptize you with water but one stronger then I commeth whose shooes latchet I am not worthy to vnloose And Ioh. 1. he saith I am come baptizing with water I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with water saide to mee vpon whome thou shalt see the spirit come downe and tarry still on hâ—m that is hee which baptizeth with the Holy-Ghost And Mat. 28. Teach all nations baptizing them Now according to this commandement and commission the Apostles went forth teaching preaching to the people and ministring the Sacraments to such as were conuerted to the faith c Act. 1.38 8 12.38 as we see Act 2.38 Notwithstanding whereas Paule sayeth Christ sent me not to baptize d 1 Cor. 1.17 but to preach the Gospell 1. Cor. 1.17 It is not to be vnderstood historically but comparatiuely For his meaning is not simply to relate and set downe his office whereunto hee was called but by conferring it with his preaching as if hee should say This is not the chiefe and principall end of my calling and function to baptize the high work of my ministery is to preach the Gospell Indeede they are both of them parts of the Ministers Office but this is the chiefest to labour in the word and doctrine in regard of the greater gifts required and of the fruite that floweth and followeth from thence to their hearers it being the high ordinance of God to saue such as belieue That this is the Apostles minde and meaning appeareth by the wordes immediately ensuing where he reckoneth vp some whom he had baptized which he wold neuer haue done or attempted without a calling True it is the dignity and force of baptisme dependeth not vpon the worthines or excellency of the Ministers thereof but on the authority and institution of God who onely remitteth sinnes and baptizeth with the Holy-Ghost This appeareth by the example of such as caâ—t out diuels in Christs name of whome Christ sayeth Mâ—t. 7 22.23 hee knew them not So Iudas was sent out with the rest of the Apostles to teach and to preach the Gospell of the kingdome Mat. 10.1.2.3 Mâ—t. 23.1 â— 3 Iâ—h 4.1 and to heale euery sicknesse and euery disease among the people yet hee was the sonne of perdition that the Scripture might be fulfilled The Scribes and Pharisies sit in Moses his chaire For this cause Christ himselfe would baptize no man Ioh. 4. least any should esteeme of baptisme by the worthinesse or vnworthines of Ministers Neuerthelesse f Reasons reÌ„dred why the Minister onely may baptize it is required that baptisme be done and deliuered by a Minister â—f â—he church and one reputed so to be of the Church as may be confirmed by sundry reasons First baptisme is a part of the ministry which none may vndertake but such as are therunto lawfully called God hath ioyned the g Mat. 28 19. Heb. 5 4. Mat. 19 6. ministry of the word and Sacraments together and what God hath coupled together let no man separate Mat. 19.6 But women or priuate persons may not be admitted to teach in the publike assemblies h 1 Cor. 14 34 35. in a true and well ordered Church 1 Cor. 14. Let your women keepe silence in the Churches for it is not permitted vnto them to speake but they ought to bee subiect as also the Law saith and if they will learne any thing let them aske their husbands at home for it is a shame for women to speake in the Church 1 Tim. 2 11 12. And 1 Tim. 2 Let your women learne in silence with all subiection I permit not a woman to teach neither to vsurpe authority ouer the man but to bee in silence Likewise i Reuel 20 20. the Apostle reproueth the Church of Thyatira that it suffered a Woman to teach among them and to exercise the publike ministry of the word contrary to Gods commandement and the practise of Gods people I confesse k Iudg. 4 4. 1 Sam. 2 2. 2 King 22 14. Act 21 9. there haue beene Prophetesses in the Church as Deborah Huldah Hannah the foure daughters of Philip with some others but the examples are extraordinary and therefore cannot make an ordinary rule for imitation The causes hereof are direct
which he commanded them to eate he calleth his body This appeareth by the testimony of g Mat. 26 26. Mar. 14 22. Luk. 22 19. the Euangelists and coherence of the words But he tooke bread and brake it therefore he gaue bread he commanded to eate bread he said of the bread This is my body Now if he tooke bread but brake it not or if he brake bread but gaue it not or if he gaue bread to his Disciples to eate but told them not this which he gaue them but some other thing beside that was his body the latter part of the sentence starteth from the beginning and the middle swarueth from them both Secondly the Apostle after the words of consecration doth oftentimes call it bread as 1 Cor. 11. As often as yee shall eate this h 1 Cor. 11.26 27 28. 1 Cor. 10 16. bread and drinke this cuppe yee shew the Lords death till hee come And againe Whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily shall bee guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. And againe Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. These men say it is not bread the Apostle saith it is bread whether of these we shall beleeue iudge you So in the former chapter he saith The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ Likewise touching the other signe i Mat. 26 29. our Sauiour expresly calleth it wine after the thanksgiuing Mat. 26. I will not drinke henceforth of this fruite of the Vine vntill that day when I shall drinke it new with you in my Fathers kingdome This fruite of the Vine is wine therefore the substance of it remaineth Now if the bread had bin turned into the body or the wine into the blood of Christ and if the Apostle would haue spoken properly he should haue said As often as ye shall eate not this bread but this body of Christ vnder the forme of bread the blood of CHRIST vnder the forme of wine And againe He that eateth the body and drinketh the blood of Christ vnworthily And againe Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate and take in his mouth the very body of Christ his Creator But thus the Apostle hath not spoken neither could he so speake truely properly and fitly therefore we do truely properly and fitly conclude that there is no transubstantiation Thirdly Christ speaking of the cup saith Take k Luk. 22 1◠19. diuide it among you and of the bread he saith he tooke it and brake it But if the substance of bread be abolished or chāged into the body of Christ and likewise the nature of the wine turned into the blood of Christ there could bee no true distributing or breaking for the blood of Christ is not deuided into parts neither is his body broken Fourthly if the strength or force of transubstantiation depend vpon these words of institution This is my body This is my blood then there can be no reall change before these words be fully finished and pronounced to the end Therefore when they begin to say This is what is it What meane they I say it is Is it any other then bread wine by their owne confession til the words be ended So then these sentences shall not be true when they say This is my body this is my blood except they meane this bread is the body of Christ this wine is his blood wherfore bread and wine remaine their nature is not changed and altered Fiftly these words This is my body must be vnderstood as the words following This cup is the new Testament but the cup is not turned into the new Testament nor into the blood of CHRIST therefore the other words must be figuratiuely vnderstood not literally for there is one respect of them both neither can any reason be rendred why a figure should be admitted in the one part rather then in the other The 6. reason Christ is said to giue to his Disciples that which he said was his body If then this be properly taken we shall thereby make a proper Christ and make him a monster of two bodies as they also make the church a monster of two heads For so there must be one bodye which gaue and another body which was giuen But it is most absurd that he should giue and be giuen hold himselfe and be holden offer and be offered which differeth little from the l Theodoret de sabul haeretic lib 2. August de haeresib cap. 32. heresie of the Helcesaits who held ther were sundry Christs two at the least one dwelling in heauen aboue the other in the world heere beneath so these make Christ to haue a double body visible and inuisible a visible body sitting at the table and an inuisible body made of the substance of bread which as the papists hold was giuen to the Disciples as likewise they teach of the headship of the Church that one head is inuisible to vs in the heauens another visible to vs vpon the earth The 7. reason It destroyeth the nature of a Sacrament which standeth m Iren. lib. 4. cont haer cap. 34. of an earthly and heauenly part one outward the other inward one seene the other vnderstood one a signe the other a thing signified of which we haue spoken before booke 1. chap. 3. But if there be an actuall transubstantiation then the outward part is abolished and disanulled The 8. reason In baptisme the substance of water remaineth though it haue words of consecration and be made a Sacrament of our regeneration and therefore in the Lords Supper the bread and wine are not changed and done away vtterly The Scripture speaketh as highly n Mat 26 26 1 Pet. 3 20 21 of the one as of the other The ninth reason If bread be really turned into the body of Christ and the wine into his blood then the bodye and blood of Christ are really separated for the words are seuerally pronounced first of the bread then of the wine yea the soule of Christ should be separated from his body for the bread is turned onely into his body and not into his soule But his soule his body and his blood are not really separated So then if the bread be his very flesh and the wine his blood and the one really separated from the other then Christ must necessarily bee slaine afresh euery time the Supper is celebrated and we are found to be crucifiers of the Lord of life whereas it is contrary to the doctrine of the Scriptures that he should dye any more being ascended far aboue all principalities and set downe at the right hand of his Father The 10. reason If the bread be turned into his body indeed by force of a few words vttered by a Priest then the Priest should be the maker of his maker so euery massemonger should be preferred before Christ
or difficulty to say this is my body when he gaue a signe of his body declaring thereby that by these words My body he vnderstood the signe of his body expounding the former by the latter It is also very waighty and worthy to be considered Epist 23. which he writeth in his Epistle to Boniface If the Sacrament had not a resemblance of the things whereof they are Sacraments they should not be SacrameÌ„ts at all but because of this most commonly they take the name of the things themselues so then as the Sacrament of Christs body is after a sort the body of Christ and the Sacrament of Christs blood is after a sort the blood of Christ so the Sacrament of faith is faith If he had verily beleeued that it is really the bodye of Christ he would neuer haue said this Sacrament is after a certaine fashion the body of Christ as euery man would laugh vs to scorne if we should say that Paul was after a sort a man or Peter was after a sort a man who were men truely and indeed And in another place he saith e Tract 50 in Iohan. Wee haue euer Iesus Christ according to the presence of his Maiesty but according to the presence of his flesh hee hath truely sa de to his Disciples Mee shall ye not haue alwayes Mat. 26 11. Origen also is plaine for vs writing vpon Mat. 15 Mat. 16 11 where he saith f Orig hom in Mat. 15. This meat which is sanctified by the word of God by prayer as touching his matter goeth downe into the belly and is voyded into the draught Let vs come to Chrysostome who aboue al the rest is vehement in his amplifications excessiue in the hight of his eloquence being desirous to draw the people to a reuerence of this Sacrament to redresse the abuses thereof crept in of which he complaineth in all places of his workes yet when hee speaketh properly he teacheth as others teach and writeth as others write as when he saith g Chrysost hom 83 in Math. If Christ be not dead wherof is this Sacrament a signe and token And likewise in that place When our Lord gaue the Sacrament he gaue w ne And if he gaue wine then by consequent hee gaue bread also which ouerthroweth such as h Dureus in Whâ—t say he took bread but gaue it not he tooke wine but gaue it not If these places bee not plaine and pregnant enough heare yet much plainer He demandeth i Hom. 24 in 1 Cor. What is this bread He answereth himselfe The body of Christ now least any should imagine some change of substance and the maintainers of Transubstantiation begin to lift vp their eares he addeth immediately And what are they made which partake thereof He answereth The body of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in the same place he telleth vs We must mount on high like Eagles if we will come neare to that body And in the vnperfect worke vpon Mathew if that worke be Chrysostomes k Câ—â—â—â—ost oper inâ—â—â—â—â—r Mat. hom 11. If it bee so dangerous a thing to transferre to priuate vses those sanctisied vessels in which the true body of Christ was not but the mystery of his body how much more the vessels of our bodies which God hath prepared for his habitation But of all other testimonies none is more euident then an Epistle of his written to Caesarius in the time of his banishment which albeit it be not printed among his workes l Pet. Martyr loc class 4. c. 10. sâ—ct 31. yet is auouched to be extant in the Library at Florence Before the bread be sanctified wee call it bread but when the grace of God hath sanctified it it is surely freed from the name of bread and is thought worthy to be called the body of our Lord though the nature of bread remaine in it True it is m Bellar. de Euchar. lib. 2 cap. 22. Bellarmine denyeth that euer he wrote any such thing howbeit Gregory of Valence admitteth the words confesseth the place and yet goeth about to shift it off and to weaken this witnesse as if it were not written by that godly and golden Father n Greg. de Valen lib. de transub but by one Iohn of Constantinople Thus he would delude and deceiue his Reader forasmuch as that Iohn was no other then Iohn Chrysostome and Iohn Chrysostome was Bishop of Constantinople Their owne glosse maketh this exposition o De Cons dist 2. Vocatur corpus Christi id est significat corpus Christi It is called the body of Christ that is it signifieth his body Adde to these the witnes of Maximus the Greeke p In eccles Hierar Scholiast who opposeth the signes to the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these things are signes but not the truth I will shut vp all these authorities and allegations with the words of Gelasius Bishop of Rome q Gelas in his booke of two Natures Surely the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ which wee receiue are diuine things for that also by them we are made partakers of the diuine nature and yet neuerthelesse the substance nature of the bread and wine do not cease to remaine Can any speake more cleerely and euidently then these do Or haue any of our owne writers written more plainely and distinctly against popish Transubstantiation How then are they deceiued that thinke we wrest the words of Institution Or that we impose vpon the people more to bee beleeued then can be collected concluded out of the Scripture or that we teach and receiue more as authenticall out of Caluine Beza and other later authors then the ancient Fathers euer deliuered I wil briefly answere an obiection which these produce out of Cyprian in his Tract of the Lords Supper Obiect r Cyprian de coen dom This bread is changed not in shape but in nature and by omnipotency of God is made flesh To which I reply 4. things First Answere a change of nature doth not euermore import a change of substance A wicked person when he repenteth and turneth vnto God changeth his nature but the alteration is in quality not in substance there is a kinde of conuersion but no Transubstantiation Secondly this booke is but a bastard it beareth vpon it the name of Cyprian but it is a counterfeit Å¿ Censur patruÌ„ authore Rob. Coco pa. 75 as is sâ—â—ficiently and substantially prooued euen by the confession of the Papists themselues And whosoeuer will vouchsafe to reade the booke it selfe may easily discerne by the style as it were by the smell that it came out of some Couent or Cloister it is in many places so barbarous Thirdly if the word Nature should be taken for Substance in this place it must expresly contradict sundry testimonies of those writers which wee haue alledged before who deny that the nature of bread is changed that is
compact which the eternall God hath in great mercy and compassion made with mortall and miserable men accepting them into grace and fauour promising to them remission of their sins and saluation of their soules The summe and effect of this Booke These things the iudicious Reader shall finde largely discussed in this Treatise which I haue therefore called The New Couenant because it layeth open the doctrine of the Sacraments which serue to confirme and strengthen vs in that Couenant and compact which the eternall God hath in great mercy and compassion made with mortall and miserable men accepting them into grace and fauour promising to them remission of their sins and saluation of their soules These my rude though renewed labours I willingly submit to the wise censure of my learned Brethren remembring that the spirits of the Prophets are subiect vnto the Prophets If I haue any where erred through humane infirmity 1 Cor. 14 32 or mistaken the matter any way which I go about to prooue or perswade I desire them heartily by some meanes to giue mee friendly notice thereof which I shall receiue as precious balme or as an excellent oyle that shall not breake my head Psal 141 5 The Lord God almighty from whom euery good giuing and euery perfect giuing proceedeth establish vs in the New Couenant and make vs carefull to keepe the conditions thereof to the increase of our knowledge to the growth of our faith to the furtherance of our obedience to the comfort of our soules and to the glory of his great name Amen Amen Thy Brother in Christ our Sauiour William Attersoll THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE Sacraments in generall Of the agreement and difference betweene the Word and Sacraments CHAP. 1. GOD euen from the beginning added vnto the preaching of the word a God alway gaue his sacraments to his Church his Sacramentes in the Church as the Scripture teacheth outwardly repesenting and visibly offering to our sight those things that inwardly hee performeth to vs as b Gen 2 9. the tree of life the tree of knowledge of good euil in the Garden After mans fall when a new necessity was added in regard of mans want and weakenesse he testified his loue and ratified his Coueant by sacrifices Ceremonies to our first Parents Hee gaue the c Gen. 6 14. Arke to Noah and his sonnes to confirme them in the promise which he made to them that they should not be drowned with the rest of the world Hee added to Abraham d Gen. 17 11. the signe of circumcision as a seale e Rom 4 11. of the righteousnesse of faith and to the Israelites hee gaue the Passeouer Manna oblations purifications the brazen Serpent the Rocke and such like spirituall tipes whereby he assured them of the promise that God for the onely sacrifice of Christ wrought vpon the Crosse would giue to all that beleeue forgiuenes of sinnes and euerlasting life Now the word of God may fitly bee resembled to writings and euidences and the f The agreemeÌ„t between the Word Sacraments Sacraments to seales which the Lord alone setteth to his owne letters They are as a visible Sermon preaching vnto vs most liuely the promises of God that as the worde wee heare doth edifie and instruct the minde by the outward eares so do the Sacraments by the eyes and other senses First then that wee may vnderstand the doctrine nature of the Sacraments wee are to consider what the word and Sacraments haue in common and how they agree one with another then what they haue peculiar and proper each to other and how they differ one from another The argument betweene them standeth in these points First both are of God and instruments which the Holye Ghost vseth to this ende to make vs more and more one with Christ and partakers of saluation not that God needeth them or that he is tyed vnto them for as he can nourish without meate and drinke so he can saue without word or Sacraments but because wee neede them hee vseth them when hee will and as often as it pleaseth him The same which is published and promised by the worde of God is signified and sealed by the Sacraments For they are not a deliuering of new promises and articles of faith but seale vp such as are offered in the word Secondly although God vse them as instruments of his grace yet the especiall working and forcible power of them is not in them but dependeth on God alone so that wee must not thinke that whosoeuer partaketh them is partaker of grace saluation forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting glory but the vertue of them floweth from him onely as from a fountaine A man may heare the word and receiue the Sacraments all the dayes of his life and be neuer the better except God change the minde open the heart enlighten the vnderstanding cleanse the conscience and sanctifie the affections to his glory Thirdly as the preaching of the word profiteth nothing vnlesse it be vnderstood applied and receiued but g Heb. 4 1. tendeth to iudgement so the Sacraments except wee bring the hand of faith with vs cannot giue vs faith nor grace but tend to our condemnation Yet as the Gospell is alwaies the sauour of life vnto life of it owne nature and the h Heb. 4 12. word liuely and of comfortable operation howsoeuer the vnfaithfull turne it to be the sauour of death vnto death So the Sacraments cease not in themselues to bee true Sacraments although they bee administred by vnworthy Ministers and receiued by vnfaithfull people For mans wickednesse cannot peruert much lesse euert the nature of Gods ordinance Lastly as the best seede springeth not vp and bringeth not fruit so soone as it is sowne but lyeth a time couered in the earth to take rooting so the fruite reaped by the word and benefit receiued by the Sacraments presently appeareth not but groweth and increaseth at the time appointed of God who will blesse them in his elect at what season himselfe hath ordained Thus wee see what the word and Sacraments haue in common both are instruments of the same grace both haue their benefit blessing and force depending on God both require faith to bee mingled with them without which they are vnprofitable and lastly they profite not by and by at the same moment they are published administred heard or receiued but God afterward worketh oftentimes by them in his children to their great comfort when all fruite to come by them seemed to be buried The Disciples at the first vnderstood no more of Christs resurrection then the vnbeleeuing Iewes did when hee saide i Iohn 2 19. Destroy this Temple and I wâ—ll builde it againe in three dayes But they lay it vp in their hearts and long afterward remember the words he spake vnto them So wheÌ„ they saw Christ riding to Ierusalem the multitude spreading their garments in the way and cutting
Apostles God commended Abraham for this saying u Gen. 18 19. I know him that hee will command his sonnes and houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to do righteousnesse and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that he hath spoken vnto him Dauid gaue Salomon his sonne a notable and right noble charge before he dyed a 1 Chr. 28 9. speaking thus to him standing before him and before the Princes and Peeres of the kingdome Thou Salomon my sonne know thou the God of thy Fathers and serue him with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and vnderstands all the imaginations of thoughts if thou seeke him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for euer Teach them that child-hoode youth are vanity b Eccl. 1 12. teach them to remember their creator in the dayes of their youth teach them to reade the Scripture and to practise in their liues and conuersations what they haue read and learned Instruct them to auoide idlenesse to eschue euill company to giue themselues to prayer and hearing the preaching of the worde Warne thy children to loue God to reuerence their mother and to loue one another Warne them to speake euill of no man and beware of taking Gods name in vaine Put them in minde that God is their father their creator their preseruer their redeemer their sanctifier yea their iudge that shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead and reward euery man according to his workes We must all appeare before the iudgement seate c 2 Cor. 5 10. of Christ that euery one may receiue the things which are done in his bodye whether good or euill Put them in remembrance not to oppresse or defraud any man d Psal 41.5 for the Lord is an auenger of all such things whoe will not blesse euill gotten goods but send his curse vpon them and they shall not prosper Admonish them to shew forth their faith by good works and to shew mercy according to their powers Lastly to honour their Princes parents maisters and all superiors Thus we instruct men to liue and to dye that dying they may liue with God in his kingdome Thus we annoint the sick with precious balme that e 1 Thes 4 6. shal not break their head with the inward and inuisible oyle of Gods grace and mercy Thus we warne them to prepare the oyle of faith in their lampes and to keepe a good conscience toward God and man that they may with ioy and comfort depart in peace render vp their soules into the hands of God cheerefully meeting the Bride-groome and entring with him into his kingdome So then the people loose nothing by lacke of the materiall oyle the want thereof beeing supplyed with exhortations admonitions reproofes consolations prayers and supplications more desired of the sicke and more auaileable for the sicke And thus much of extreame vnction and the other forged Sacraments whereof some wanting the outward signe some the spirituall grace signified some the word of institution some the promise annexed and al of them the commandement of Christ the testimony of the Scriptures and the consent of elder times we cannot admit them for any Sacraments and so we conclude that there are onely two Sacraments of the Church vnder the Gospell which are Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. THE SECOND BOOKE Of the Sacrament of Baptisme being an Honourable Badge of our Dedication to Christ containing the true Doctrine thereof ouerthrowing the errors of the Church of Rome and deliuering the comfortable vse of this Sacrament to all the people of GOD. CHAP. I. Of the word Baptisme and what it is HItherto wee haue spoken of the Sacraments in generall together with the parts vses and number of them now wee come to the first Sacrament which is Baptisme being an honourable badge whereby wee are dedicated vnto Iesus Christ a The word bapâ—isme is taken many waies This word in scripture hath many significations First in the natiue proper signification it signifieth to dippe to diue and plunge vnder water as Mat. 3 16. Iohn 3 22 23. Acts 8.38 39. Secondly to cleanse and wash any thing with water euen when this Sacrament is not administred as Marke 7. where it is saide the Pharisies did not eate except first they washed So Heb. 9 10. the old tabernacle did consist in washings Thirdly it signifieth the Crosse afflictions miseries persecutions and inward vexations of the spirite as Luke 12.50 where Christ saith I must be baptized and how am I grieued till it be finished And Mat. 12 22. Are ye able to drinke of the cup that I must drinke of and bee baptized with the baptisme that I shall be baptized withall Fourthly it is taken for a liberall and plentiful distribution of the graces and gifts of God as Acts 15. Iohn baptized with water but ye shall bee baptized with the Holy-Ghost within these few dayes that is ye shall receiue a greater measure of the guifts of God then yee haue done before Fiftly the worde is taken for the doctrine of Iohn which he deliuered before he administred the Sacrament of baptisme as Act. 18.25 Where Apollos is said to be an eloquent man and mighty in the Scripture knowing nothing but the baptisme of Iohn Likewise Mar. 1 4. Mar. 1 4. it is said that Iohn preached the baptisme of repentance vnto remission of sinnes that is the doctrine of repentance for otherwise how could he preach Baptisme which properly is ministred not preached Heereunto commeth the question that Christ demanded of the chiefe Priests and Elders of the people The Baptisme of Iohn whence was it Mat. 21 25. from heauen or of men whereby he meaneth the doctrine as appeareth by the words following for so they vnderstood him when they reasoned among themselues saying If wee shall say from heauen he will say why then dâ—d yee not beleeue him Mar. 11 31 32 for all men counted Iohn that hee was a Prophet indeed The reason why his ministry preaching is called by the name of Baptisme is because his doctrine that he deliuered was first of all sealed with that Sacrament which none of the Prophets did or could do before him so that as his person was called the Baptist so his doctrine was called by the name of baptisme one part of his ministry being put for the whole Lastly it is taken for the whole worke and action of the Sacrament of Baptisme as Math. 28 19. Goe vnto al Nations teach and baptâ—ze them and in this last sence we are now to speake of it Let vs therefore see b Whâ—t bâ—ptisâ—e is what this Sacrament is Baptisme is the first Sacrament whereby by the outward washing of the body with water once into the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost the inward clensing of the soule by the blood of Christ is represented This
matter to giue sundry instances of sundry humane traditions that haue beene abused to Idolatry and yet are not meerely vnlawfull nor in themselues euill when they are retained and receiued Of this sort is prayer toward the East an ordinance of man and such an action as hath beene very superstitiously abused yet if it were imposed vpon vs by authority I see not but we might and ought to submit our selues vnto it with all obedience Of this kinde also is the setting of the Lords Supper vpon an Altar which God neuer appointed nor Christ himselfe with his Disciples obserued and it is that which hath beene and at this day is greatly abused in popery yet if it were appointed that in euery church we should haue Altars as in some reformed churches is practised why might wee not content our selues to receiue vpon Altars prouided that all superstition be abandoned and remoued Thus much of the first reason which is the ground of all the rest and therefore we will passe them ouer briefly The second argument Secondly it is obiected that kneeling is commanded with mysticall signification I answere the people of God in all times haue vsed such actions and gestures as that they vsed them as helpes of their weakenesse and furtherances of themselues in true piety Thus they vsed to rent their clothes to testifie their sorrow and heauinesse of heart and some their displeasure and indignation conceiued at that which they did see and behold with their eyes This was an humane tradition and yet it had a mysticall signification declaring the renting of the heart Neither doth the Prophet simply reproue it but comparatiuely correct it Ioel 2 13. saying Rent your heart and not your garments that is rather this then them For this cause also we vncouer the head lift vp the eyes and hands in prayer Now kneeling hath no other mysticall signification at the Communion then this and the former gestures haue in prayer shewing the humble and gratefull acknowledgment of the benefits of Christ with all thanksgiuing beeing of our selues vnworthy as we professe to gather vp the crums vnder his Table and to receiue the least of his mercies The third argument Thirdly it is obiected that kneeling is imposed as a necessary part of Gods worshippe I answere as before the kingdome of God consisteth not in this or such like ceremonies It is a wrong done vnto our Church to lay any such imputation vpon it forasmuch as it doth no where vpon no person impose it is as a necessary part of the seruice of God For then it were vtterly vnlawfull to alter or change it or to bring in any other gesture in stead therof because it is not in the power of any Prince or people to abrogate any necessary part of the seruice of God Howbeit we noted before out of the defence of the Articles against Harding written by the reuerent Father in God Bishop Iewel of famous memory that comming to the Communion fasting and in receiuing to sit or kneele or stand may be disposed and determined by the Church yet he neuer thought that the church had any authority to destroy abolish any necessary part of Gods seruice and worship If any of the ignorant sort doe iudge otherwise it is their fond opinion not the Churches resolution It skilleth not what any priuate person holdeth or may hold touching this point neyther may the whole Church be iustly charged with it and beare the blame of it The fourth and last argument The fourth argument is of lesse validity then the former For as the first encounter hath the greatest force and the surest guard is placed in the forefront so hauing sustained the shocke of that battell I doubt not but to put to slight the poore remainder It is obiected that the action of kneeling swarueth from the generall rules appointed to direct indifferent things which should not be vngodly nor offensiue nor vnfit nor ridiculous nor vnprofitable nor vndecent I answere I haue proued already that this gesture containeth no wickednesse not impiety it is not childish or ridiculous neither hath it in it any shew or colour thereof neyther is it offensiue except peraduenture any take offence at it And touching the indecency or vnfitnesse of it albeit I cannot see how it can be rightly so accounted among vs where the people are taught and instructed how to vse it yet if this were granted it cannot prooue the vnlawfulnesse of it Thus I haue runne ouer as briefly as I could these reasons and opened the weakenesse of them to the faces of such as vrge them I haue not purposely concealed any waight or force that they may carry with thē for mine own aduantage but propounded thē to the view of al mē as sincerely as I could for the cause noted in the end of this discourse neither do I know any learned writers beside themselues against it It is true that some of late opposing the order of the church do pretend sundry testimonies and authorities of many Authors and paint the margins of their bookes with almost infinite quotations but what do they all make either for them or against vs Do they speake against the lawfulnesse of kneeling or shew that it is against Gods word or hold that all men ought to deny to yeeld vnto it no such matter Nay eyther they are silent in the point for which they are alledged or else they are witnesses directly deposing against those that alledge them Let them without all circumlocution or multiplying of words informe vs eyther by text of Scriptures or decree of Councels or constitution of Emperors or sentence of Fathers or iudgement of Martyrs or determination of Diuines who haue euer taught or published that kneeling at the Lords Supper is vtterly vnlawfull This as yet they haue not done and by reason of their deepe silence in this matter I am perswaded they cannot doe Let them or any for them proue vnto vs directly that wee ought by no meanes to submit our selues to this gesture or that wee may disturbe the peace of the Church for it either out of Caluine or Beza or Iunius or Vrsinus or Bucer or Bullenger or Bucanus or Piscator or Paraeus or Polanus or Peter Martyr or Aretius or Gualter or Musculus or in effect any of elder or later times or shew vnto vs that they haue aduised and counselled any either vtterly to abstaine from or for a time to forbeare the receiuing of the Communion rather then to kneele at it and then they shall speake more to the purpose and yeeld vnto vs better satisfaction But if they be not able to bring vs one sentence or sillable out of these Writers which are produced by themselues or out of any other whose praise is in the Church for their worthy labours because their iudgement is plaine let them freely confesse their error and readily yeeld vnto the truth These are those pillars of the church that
manner how it is to be performed If we come furnished with these things with sauing knowledge with iustifying faith with vnfained repentance with a louing and longing reconciliation toward our brethren among whom we liue hauing as much n Rom. 12 15. as is possible Peace with all men yea euen our enemies let vs not abstaine from the Lords table by reason of some fraileties and infirmities in vs for God couereth them o and wil not bring them into remembrance as we see 2 Chro. 30. A multitude of people had not clensed themselues yet did eate the Passeouer but not as it was written wherefore Hezekiah prayed for them saying The good God be mercifull toward him that prepareth his whole heart to seeke the Lord God the God of his Fathers though hee bee not clensed according to the purification of the Sanctuary and the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people Where we see that because their heart was vpright sincere their wants and imperfections were not imputed vnto them For God respecteth the truth of the inward parts and pardoneth their sinnes that thus prepare their hearts to seeke him So then p The sacrament is not honoured by abstayning from it they were greatly deceiued that thought they honoured the Sacrament by abstaining from it it is not honoured but dishonoured not hallowed but prophaned not regarded reuerently but reproched greeuously by our wilfull abstinence q 1 cor 11 28 as the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 11. Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. He doth not say let him proue himselfe and so let him abstaine For the Sacrament is abused as well by forbearing hauing examined our selues as by not examining our selues and receiuing vnworthily And thus much of Examination and the manner to be obserued therein CHAP. 20. The conclusion containing an abridgement of the whole Treatise together with a confirmation of some parts and passages of it THe effect of that which hath beene deliuered hitherto in these Bookes may thus be gathered into a short sum and abridgement We haue a The sum of the first Book declared that God in al times and ages of the Church from the first being of our first parents hath to his word and promises annexed Sacraments as conduites of grace and seales of assurance b Gen. 2 9 c for the confirmation of them thereby magnifying his owne mercie toward his people shewing our weaknesse and vnworthynesse and condemning such as oftentimes desire to come to the Lords Table but esteeme little of the preaching of the word and such as are diligent in hearing of the worde but carelesse in comming to the Sacraments and manifesting Gods goodnesse to vs in giuing vs such helpes as if a man should put a staffe in his hand that is weake and readie to fall whereas the word and Sacraments haue one and the same Author they are instruments of the same grace their whole force effect dependeth on God they require faith c Hebru 4 2. to be mingled with them and they profit not alway at the verie moment of hearing and receiuing Notwithstanding some differences we finde betweene them as namely in the greater necessitie of the word then of the Sacraments Infidels were neuer barred from hearing the worde when they would become d 1 Cor. 14 24 hearers thereof and whereas the word affecteth one onely of the sences to wit the hearing the Sacraments are offered to the eies as well as to the eares and fo in some sort become more effectuall then the word Touching the word Sacrament it is drawne from martiall Discipline and properly signifieth the Souldiers Oathe whereby he bindeth himselfe to his Captaine which word being vsed by the old Latine Interpreter is now beecome ordinary and common in the Church which is not mentioned in so many Sillables in the Scriptures And howsoeuer the word be often taken in a large and generall signification yet as we take it in these Bookes e What a Sacrament is a Sacrament is a visible signe and seale ordained of God whereby Christ and al his sauing graces by certaine outward rites are signified exhibited and sealed vp vnto vs. This description being receiued teacheth vs these points first that the force of the Sacraments dependeth not on the worthinesse or vnworthinesse of the Minister but vpon the ordinance of God f Mat. 23 2 3. so that an euill Minister may deliuer the good things of God And this was the cause that g Iohn 4 2. Christ Iesus baptized none but his Disciples baptized that wee might learne not to esteeme of the effect of the Sacraments by the fitnesse or vnfitnesse of the Ministers Besides wee are admonished heereby of the weakenesse of our Faith which needeth to be strengthened and this is the reason why so long as we liue in this world wee must vse the Sacraments because our Faith is alwaies weak and vnperfect and needeth helpes to further it meanes to encrease it and proppes to stay it And therefore the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 11 36. As often as ye eate this bread drinke this vp ye do shew the Lords death till he come Furthermore we learn that there is no vse of the Sacraments in the kingdome of heauen where all things are come to perfection Now when that which is perfect is come 1 Cor 13 10. then that which is in part shall be done away Againe h Deutro 4 2 none must adde vnto them none must take ought from them none must any way abuse them contrary to the institution and ordinance of God Lastly we learn from hence that the Sacraments are not bare and naked signes of Christ absent i 1 Cor. 10 16 but sure and certain seales of Gods promises and of the righteousnesse of Christ who is offered vnto all but receyued onely of the faithfull so that the presence of vngodly men meeting vs at the same Table cannot any way hurt vs in our worthy receiuing In a k In a Sacrament consider his Parts and his Vses Sacrament we are to consider two thinges his Parts and his Vses The parts of a Sacrament are l The partes are outwarde and inward partly outward and partly inward The outward parts are m The outward parts of a Sacrament are foure the Minister the Worde the Signe the Receyuer these foure First the Minister lawfully called is necessarily required If then the Minister will not administer them or if priuate persons will administer them n Math. 28 19 they sinne against God the one for not performing the duties of his calling the other because hee runneth beyond the bounds of his calling The second outward part o Esay 6 6 7 is the word of institution consisting of a Commandement and a promise so that it is required of vs to vnderstand the words of institution to ioyne the worde with the Sacraments and to discharge