towell to the Altar to poure out water to wash their hands These are their higher Offices aboue the rest as the higher trees among the lower shrubs The lesser orders are foure in number First of doore-keepers these receiue the keyes of the Church doore to open the same Secondly of readers to reade the Bible to the people Thirdly of Exorcistes to call vpon the name of the Lord ouer such as haue vncleane spirites adiuring and coniuring them to come out in the name of God which power of commanding euill spirits is ceased in the Church Lastly Acolythes to prepare and carry torches and tapers when the Gospell is read to the people or the sacrifice is to be offered These seauen popish orders or rather plaine disorders and confusions we cannot receiue d Reasons rendred why orders are no Sacraments into the number of Sacraments of the Church For first orders are so fruitefull that this Bird hath hatched seauen young ones This Sacrament is so rich so ranke so riotous that it hath ingendered and brought forth seauen petty and pretty Sacraments and therfore these being numbred and patched vp to the former we should haue 13. Sacraments A goodly brood of a gallant egge For if euery one of these orders of doore-keepers readers exorcistes Acolythes subdeacons deacons and Priests be Sacraments we should multiply the number of Sacraments according to the number of these orders and so indeed of seauen wee should haue 13. Sacraments which were a very disorderly order or if you list to call it an orderly disorder And so Peter Lumbard maister of the Sentences e Sent lib. 4. dist 24 cap. 1. calleth not orders a Sacrament as speaking of one but Sacraments as speaking of many saying Orders are called Sacraments because in receiuing of them grace is conferred which is represented by those things that are there performed Neyther can they say they all make but one Sacrament seeing they are distinct offices one from another diuers in offices in institution in calling in ordination in ceremonies and in forme of consecration so that they may by as good right and as great reason make baptisme and the Lordes Supper one Sacrament as all these orders so diuers and distinct the one from the other Secondly Sacraments haue their institution from Christ Orders haue not their institution from Christ to bee Sacraments of the Church therefore Orders are no Sacrament Nay as they are retained and vsed in the Church of Rome they are no ordinance or institution of Christ at all For touching the offices of Priest-hood to offer vp the body of Christ for the quicke and dead of deacons to serue these Baals Priests at their Idolatrous altars of subdeacons of readers and of the rest they are not found in Scripture neyther were ordained by the Apostles neither were they receiued into the Church for many yeares after Christ and his Apostles The new Testament as it doth acknowledge no other sacrificer and sacrifice but Christ so it admitteth no Priests no Priest-hood but spirituall Priests and a spirituall Priest-hood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices of praise thanksgiuing vnto God as appeareth f Reuel 1 6. 1 Pet. 2 5.9 Christ hath washed vs from our sinnes in his blood and made vs Kings and Priests vnto God euen his Father And the Apostle Peter in his first Epistle Chap. 2. saith Ye also as liuely stones be made a spirituall house an holy Priest-hood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ And againe afterward Ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy Nation a people set at liberty that yee should shew foorth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darkenesse into his maruailous light Whosoeuer bringeth in another Priest-hood then this and maketh new Priests abolisheth as much as in him lyeth the Priest-hood of Christ Againe what will they say of offices and dignities in the Church greater then these the office of Pope of Cardinal of Patriarch and the rest of that vnholy hierarchy Will they discharge and cut off these from beeing Sacraments and aduance the baser orders of hedge-Priests and dumbe Deacons to so high a dignity What Do they abase and disgrace those greater places and thinke their Popes and Cardinals not worthy of that honour and authority Or do they thinke this Sacrament too vile and base to agree to those Prince-like dignities of the Church Or dare they preferre their Priest-hood their Readers their Deacons their doore-keepers their dog-keepers and the rest of that rabble before the Popedome the Cardinalship the Patriarchship Is not this high treason against their holy father and petty treason against the Cardinals and other of that generation Lastly Sacraments must haue an outward element and word of institution as hath beene often declared and prooued but their orders haue neither outward element nor word of institution therefore Orders are no Sacraments Seeing therefore they can shew no material signe added to the promise nor gracious promise added to the signe there can be no Sacrament of orders to seale vp and assure any mercy of God granted vnto vs. To omit that reason which we might presse vpon them namely that Orders are peculiar and proper to the Ministry and are no sanctified instrument to apply any generall and common grace of the Church Wherefore inasmuch as Orders haue neither outward signe nor promise of grace nor institution from Christ but disgrace the higher dignities of their Church and ouerthrow their owne chosen number of seauen Sacraments we conclude necessarily from these premises that orders are no Sacrament CHAP. XXI That extreme vnction is no Sacrament THe last fained Sacrament is the last annointing as they call it performed by the Priest in extremity whereby they teach that a Bellar. lib. 1. de extr vnct cap. 2. God assureth forgiuenesse of sinnes and promiseth ease of bodily disease if it bee so expedient if not the saluation of the soule in the life to come They vse this forme of words By this holy annointing and his most holy mercy God doth forgiue thee whatsoeuer that hast offended by seeing hearing smelling tasting and touching This vnction cannot be a Sacrament for b Extreame vnction can be no Sacrament sundry causes First themselues confesse that it hath not his institution from Christ For the Rhemists in their hereticall c Rhem testam Annotations vpon Mar. 6. confesse that there is onely a preparation vnto it And Peter Lumbard saith d Senten lib. 4. dist 23. cap. 2. It was instituted by the Apostle Iames. By this doctrine Christ should onely be a preparer of Sacraments not an appointer a beginner not a finisher of them So that they deale in this Sacrament as they do in other matters of our saluation for they make Christ a beginner of saluation but our selues the finishers of it therby shaking the foundation of our Christian faith Now these men are all accursed by the Conuenticle
our sins more throughly before him Surely we do herein much deceiue our selues while we go about to deceiue others and thinke to make them beleeue that we desire nothing more then to come throughly prepared to this Sacrament to which end let vs marke these few points following First we must know that he which will not be fit to day shall finde himselfe lesse fit to morrow his heart will more and more be hardned and custome will turne into another nature and continuance in any thing bringeth a resolution of the hart not to giue ouer Whosoeuer he be that beginneth not to remoue his corruptions speedily which keepe him frō being prepared shal see it much more difficult euery day then other wheras contrariwise he that receiueth often shall be the more fit to receiue For how vaine a thing is it for any to perswade thēselues that by delaying their repentance they shall repent the better or by delaying to take phisicke they shal be healed the better or by suffering a disease to grow dangerous vpon them they shall be recouered and restored to health the sooner Thus much for answere to this obiection Let vs proceed For albeit truth be one yet error is manifold and the by-paths of it haue no end The ninth obiection Some others obiect that the Iewes receiued the Passeouer but once a yeare Exodus 12 18. Leuiticus 22 5. In the foureteenth day of th◠first month at euen is the Lords Passeouer Now the Passeouer of the Iewes and the Supper of the christians is in substance the same howsoeuer in outward rites they differ therefore seeing they killed the Paschall Lambe once onely in the yeare and then did eate it why should it not suffice vs to take the Supper of the Lord once in the yeare and eate of it I answere Answere we compare these two in this one particular point wherein they are not to be compared For this was the ordinance of God to his owne people that once in the yeare to wit in the first month a Lambe without blemish should be killed but touching his Supper it is his will it should be administred and receiued often-times in the yeare How then should we make them like in that point wherein God hath made them to be vnlike And if we will tye them to the same time then it ought also to be celebrated the 14. day of the first month for then was the Passeouer to be eaten This communicating once a yeare was hatched in popery when ignorance preuailed in the Church as darknes doth in the night season and is by no meanes to be followed of vs. And albeit the Lord hath not tyed vs to a certaine and setled time neither limited vs a certaine day or a certaine month yet it ought not once only but often to be receiued of vs Reasons why we ought oft-ten-times to communicate to the end the death of Christ and his passion should be oft-tentimes remembred that our faith should be strenghened that the name of God should be praised and that mutuall loue among vs might be professed Hence it is that the Apostle doth make mention of often eating this bread and often drinking of the cup of the Lord 1 Cor. 11 24.25 1 Cor. 11. This do yee as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me for as oft as ye eat this bread and drinke this cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come But these men would not care if the remembrance of the death of Christ were quite buried vtterly forgotten and would not haue the Sacramēt of his Supper to be ouer common in vse whereas doubtlesse they are all enemies to the sufferings of Christ that are enemies to the often remembring of his sufferings which is done in this Sacrament True it is they would be loth to be so censured and wil be ready to tell vs that their life consisteth in his death and their saluation in his passion but it skilleth not what they pretend forasmuch as they do deceiue themselues and bar themselues from all comfort to be receiued that way The tenth obiection And hereby appeareth the answere to another obiection which is iust of the same nature and stampe with the former For what need we say they such frequent and ordinary vse of the Supper seeing the Lord administred it once onely in al his life Now if there had bin such a necessity to haue it so common no doubt he would haue administred it oftentimes in the yeare and so haue commended it by his owne example and left it as a direction vnto vs. I answere Answere by this do these vngodly men bewray most notoriously the prophanes of their hearts And indeed whereunto tend all that they haue said but to leaue euery one to his owne discretion and disposition to abolish all good order out of the Church to bring in an horrible confusion of al Gods holy ordinances among vs. And whereunto do their allegations ayme pretending that often receiuing will bring a loathing that the Sacrament is as phisicke which is not good to vse too commonly that a mā by sildome receiuing shall come the better prepared that the Passeouer the same in substance with the Supper was solemnized but once in a yeare and now lastly that Christ the Lord of this Sacrament celebrated it but once in all his life whereunto I say do all these arguments and allegations tend but to depriue vs of the comfortable vse of the supper and to rob vs of that good which ought to be more deare vnto vs then our liues Thus doth all error and impiety howsoeuer it be couered leaue somewhat behind it as a foule and filthy sauor wherby it may be discouered For hereunto their talking of sildome receiuing driueth as to an issue that it should be receiued but once a yeare or once in our life time and this also they would make arbitrary and not of necessity These will seeme to be very good Christians and to looke for saluation by the death of Christ yet notwithstanding they cannot abide the oftē vse of that Sacrament which putteth vs in minde of his death But let vs know and beare this away with vs that the more we haue a feeling of the fruite and benefit of his death the more we will haue a desire to do this in remembrance of him 1 Cor. 11 25. and contrariwise the lesse we finde profit by the death of Christ and the more hard we finde our hearts to be the lesse we will desire to come to his Table The comfortable feeling of the great worke of our redemption wrought for vs will make vs so long to eate of this bread drinke of this cup as the hungry soule doth for meat to slake and satisfie his hunger And therfore the Apostle layeth before vs both the common and the continuall vse of it For as we must eate this bread and drinke of the cup of the Lord
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
themselues why they refuse to ioyne with the people of God among vs that come with loue and zeale to his Table I haue not to doe with them in this place they were for the most part carelesse men secure in the matters of God and sencelesse in al good things but those that now we are to encounter withall pretend greater care and conscience in the worship of God then our selues These are they of the separation who haue left our Church as no Church and abhorre our Sacraments as no Sacraments and reuile our Ministers as no Ministers And yet if they would confesse the trueth and giue God the glory they must for the most part of them acknowledge that they receiued to beleeue in our Church were begotten a new by our ministery and haue reaped strength of faith by our Sacraments if they may bee called ours which are deliuered by vs but instituted by God Neuerthelesse I wish and desire from the bottome of my hearte that our Church were once so happy as to separate notorious offenders to cut off all occasion of this question But because we cannot yet obtain this mercy through our sinnes and that through the iniquity of the times euill men preuaile wee must not consider so much what ought to be among vs as how farre wee ought to submit our selues neither should we fixe our eyes so much vppon that which is wanting and missing in our Church as what great guifts and good thinges GOD hath vouchsafed vnto vs and bestowed vpon vs we confesse we are not in all poyntes that which we should be howbeit by the grace of our GOD wee are farre from that which they charge vs withall But let vs see what they obiect Obiection 1 Cor. 5.11 First they alledge that we are forbidden to eat and drink at our common Tables with them 1 Cor 5 From hence they reason from an vnequall comparison of the lesse to the greater that if we may not doe that which is lesse then wee may not eate and drinke with them at the LORDS Table which is the greater I answere Answere this consequent will not follow For wee cannot conclude the abstaining at the Lords Supper from their company whose company we are to auoide at our owne table It is in our owne power for the most part to depriue whome wee will of our priuate Suppers but it lyeth not in vs to barre whome we please from the Lords Supper This belongeâ—h to the officers and ouer-seers of the Church But as in the priuate family euery one may not be a gouernourâ— and in the Common-wealth euery person may not be a Magistrate to order the affaires thereof so is it in the Church no man may seuer the holy from the prophane but such as are called to sit in the sterne of it Again they alledge the sentence of the Prophet Come Obiection 2 out from among them and separate your selues from them and touch no vncleane thing Esay 52.11 2 Cor. 6 17.18 Esay 52 11. 2 Cor. â— 17. Answere I answere three things First the place must be vnderstood not somuch of the separation by place as by affection not somuch of the company as of the coruptions of others Secondly Paul speaketh of the communion of Idolatry which is nothing at all to the holy Communion which is commaunded vnto all Christians without any such limitation as these would bring in For they can neuer proue any such exception to wit that we may abstayne if we see any offer themselues to receiue which doe seeme to vs vnworthy Lastly here is mention of such as were straungers from the faith and did not so much as professe the Christian Religion and therefore it serueth not their purpose who refuse to communicate at the Table of the Lord with such as embrace Christianity and make profession of the Gospell albeit peâ—aduenture their life be not answerable thereunto so that thâ—y abuse this place who will by no meanes bee brought to come to the Supper of the Lord when they perceiue those to haue accesse vnto it whome they account wicked and prophane Ioseph and Mary frequented the sacrifices in the publike assemblies at Ierusalem at the solemne feasts Luk. 2. So did Christ himselfe as appeareth in many places of the Gospell The Church was then full of scandals as a body full of sores but because he had no calling nor commission to remedy those euils he chose rather to ioyne himselfe with the company of the wicked theÌ„ to separate himselfe from the Sacraments and other holy things Thus it was with Simeon Hannah Zachary Elizabeth and other of the faithfull There are two certaine rules with which I will conclude First that our being in company with the wicked vnwillingly not willingly by compulsion not by free election shall not hurt vs. It is our delight in them and desire of them and striuing to be with them that bringeth danger vnto vs but if it be against our will there is no feare of being infected by them The second rule is this that we are greatly hurt in our saluation and wounded in our soules by separation from the exercises of our religion and therfore there is no iust cause why we should leaue the fruite of the one for the presence of the other It is a part of Gods spirituall worshippe to heare his word and indeed one of the principall seruices we can performe vnto him yet may a Christian lawfully heare it where there are Infidels and vnbeleeuers yea not onely communicate with them but be glad that they will vouchsafe to communicate with vs. And touching ioyning in prayer and participation of the Sacraments if it were in our choyce and liberty to auoid them wee might not ioyne with them nor make one among them but because we haue no power nor authority to make any separation wee ought not to refuse or renounce the seruice of God which is enioyned and commanded vnto vs and let vs take heed least while wee go about to separate our selues from the wicked we separate our selues from God himselfe For there is no man that forsaketh his worship but after a sort forsaketh God seeing that to cleaue vnto him and not to his worshippe is vnpossible and to diuide betweene these which are alwaies ioyned together is to turne him into an Idoll And thus much touching Examination in generall CHAP. XVI Of the knowledge of God the first part of Examination AS we haue waighed the necessity of preparing and examining our selues so let vs consider the manner how it is to be performed Such as will in an holy manner prepare themselues a Four points required in Examination of our selues to celebrate the Lords Supper to the glory of God the discharge of their duties and comfort of their owne soules must diligently acquaint themselues with these foure points with knowledge faith repentance and reconciliatioÌ„ to those whom they haue offended First it is required of all persons that come
those from the number of Sacraments which want the warrant of the word The third outward part of a Sacrament is p Marke 1 5. the signe for wheresoeuer there is a Sacrament there must of necessity be an outward element so that neyther must wee make an Idoll of the Signe by aduancing it too high nor cleane abolish it as the Church of Rome dooth by their doctrine of Transubstantiation The last outward part is the q Gene. 17 12 Receiuer so that the Sacraments without their lawfull vse are no Sacraments at all so long as the signes are reserued and not applyed The inward partes also are Å¿ 1 Cor. 3.7 foure First God the Father offering and applying Christ Iesus as surely as the Minister doth the outwarde signe which is a great comfort to such as come to the Sacraments The second inward part of a Sacrament is t Titus 3.56 the holy Spirit working by the worde so that wee can neuer heare the word or receiue the Sacraments aright without the speciall direction and inspiration of the spirit of God neither must we hang vpon extraordinary reuelations which openeth a wide doore vnto all disorders inasmuch as the Spirite is not separated from the word The third inward part is Iesus u 1 Cor. 10 3 Christ who is the truth the life of all Sacraments nowe if God the Father haue giuen him vnto vs a Rom 8 32. how shal he not with him giue vs al things else Let vs therefore lay hold vpon him especially in all difcomfits and troubles when our faith is assaulted by the enemies of our saluation The last inward part is the faithfull Receiuer for except we b Ro 14 23 send out faith to bring Christ home to dwell with vs in our hearts we shall in vaine looke to receiue profite by the Sacraments so that the Reprobate who are vessels of wrath and the children of perdition cannot receiue Christ albeit they partake the signes of Christ As for the elect who are the Lords fealed vp to the day of redemption before their conuersion and gathering into the sheepefold of Christ they also onely receiue the outwarde signe without Christ inasmuch as they are without faith but after they are called with an holie calling effectually and haue receiued to beleeue vnfaignedly they are partakers both of the signe and of the thing signified These are the outward and inward parts Now there c Actes 8 36 is a fit proportion and agreement betweene these partes each verie aptly answering the other For euen as the minister by the word of Institution offereth and applyeth visibly the outward element to the bodie of the Receiuer so the father by the spirit offereth and applieth Iesus Christ inuisibly to the faithfull receiuer Wee shewed before that in a Sacrament wee are to obserue two points his parts and his vses Hitherto we haue spoken of all the parts both such as are outward and such as are inward Now it remaineth to handle his vses The vses of a Sacrament d 3. cheefe vses of a Sacrament are chiefelie three first e Rom. 4 11. to strengthen secondly f Ge. 17 1 11. to seale vp the couenant betweene God and vs thirdlie g Ephes 2 11 to be a Badge of our profession and as a banner displayed to witnesse our warefare vnder our chiefe Captaine Christ Iesus If these be the true vses and ends of the Sacraments then we learne to take notice of h Mark 9 23 our owne failinges and infirmities of Faith that GOD refuseth none for weakenesse and wauering of Faith i Rom. 4 11 that there is an assurance of Fayth to be attained vnto in this life that as God euermore keepeth his promise with his people k Num 23 15. who is not as man that hee should lie l 1 Iohn 3 13 nor as the sonne of man that hee should deceiue so must we be carefull to keepe the Articles of agreement betweene God and vs namely to beleeue his word to loue our bretheren to obey his will that the Sacraments belong not to the vnfaithfull and can do them no good at all forasmuch as they be effectual vnto vs by faith Lastly as our priuiledges are great to beare the badges of Christ our Lord so it teacheth that we are not our owne m 1 Cor. 6 19 20. but are bought at a great price not with n 1 Pet. 1 18.19 coruptible things as siluer and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lambe vnspotted and vndefiled Hitherto of the nature of the Sacraments now of the number of them as we vnderstand the word for such as are seales of our communion with Christ The Sacraments o The Sacraments of the new testameÌ„t are onely two of the new testament are two baptisme and the Lords Supper neither are there any moe left vnto the Church For Christ taught no moe p 1 Cor. 10 1.2 Act. 20 27. Sacraments to the Apostles the Apostles deliuered no moe to the Churches who yet were faithfull witnesses and reuealed the whole counsell of God without concealing and keeping backe of any doctrine which themselues had receiued Besides these two Sacraments are altogether perfect and sufficient both to enter a Christian into the Church and to retaine him continually in the same From this number of two Sacraments we learne first to acknowledge the great loue of God toward vs who hath eased vs of the r Act. 15 10. heauy burthen of infinite ceremonies prescribed in the law and deliuered vs Å¿ Aâ—g de dâ—â—â— Câ—â—â— â— 3. c. 9 a few Sacraments in stead of many Secondly we see heereby the difference betweene the old Testament and the new and betweene the Sacraments of the old Testament and the new they had sundry significant signes and ceremonies whose interpretation was not easily knowne vnto them Thirdly seeing God hath giuen vnto vs two signes and added two seales to his word and writings we ought to haue the stronger faith in his mercifull promises For wherefore hath he doubled the signes but that we should increase in faith as it were double our assurance of his graces Lastly this number of two ouerthroweth the number of seaueÌ„ Sacraments maintained in the Church of Rome which iust number was t 〈…〉 first broched by Peter Lumbard afterward ratified in the Counsell of Florence and lastly established in the Counsell of Trent and is now become the common doctrine of that counterfeit Church For besides baptisme and the Lords Supper which wee receiue they u The number of seauen Sacraments is faâ—se and forged haue installed into the number of SacrameÌ„ts Confirmation Penance Matrimony Orders and extreme Vnction contrary to the doctrine of the Scriptures contrary to the nature of Sacraments contrary to the euidence of sundry reasons And first of all a Confirmation no Sacrament Confirmation be lifted vp into the seate
Church remained maintaining those opinions which that present Church holdeth They teach that which was neuer taught for sixe hundred some things which were neuer knowne for a thousand yeares after Christ Answere to those that ask where our Church was before Luther Mark 1 27. The true Church of GOD hath alwayes beene taxed with this imputation and accusation of nouelty as appeareth by the words of the Iewes to Christ the master and of the Philosophers to Paul the Scholler They say to Christ what new doctrine is this Marke 1 27. Wee know that God spake vnto Moses as for this fellow wee know not from whence he is Ioh. 9 29. Ioh. 9 29. So the Epicures Stoikes tooke Paul and brought him to Areopagus the highest Court in Athens saying May wee know what this new doctrine whereof thou speakest is Act. 17 19. Indeed in the hottest times of persecution Reuel 12.6 the woman fled into the wildernesse where she had a place prepared of God that they should finde her there a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes But what an absurd thing and how iniurious dealing is this to persecute vs with fire and faggot and to driue vs as poore banished men from place to place and from corner to corner and then to aske where our Church is and to complaine against it that it is inuisible Neuerthelesse that great Dragon and old Serpent which deceiueth the whole world Ver. 8 9. and all his instruments shall not preuaile because to the woman wer giuen two wings of a great Eagle that she might flye into the wildernesse to her place where she was nourished for a time Ver. 14. and times and halfe a time so that the gates of hell shall not be able to ouercome it and to preuaile against it And albeit the Church be vnknowne to the world and oftentimes to the particular parts themselues as it was in the dayes of Eliah 1 King 19 14 Rom. 11 3. 2 Tim 2 19. Galath 1.9 who complaineth that he was left alone yet it is not hidde from God who knoweth who are his and described fully in the Scriptures which cannot deceiue vs. If wee or an Angell from heauen should teach otherwise let him bee accursed It was our Church that shined with glorious myracles confirming the faith which we professe that was dyed with the blood of so many Martyrs confessing the truth which we imbrace It was our Church which conuinced the Arrians Macedonians Nestorians PelagiaÌ„s Manichees such like hereticks The general Councels celebrated in former times at Nice Popish opâ—nions not heard of for 600. yeares after Châ—ist at Constantinople at Ephesus and at Chalcedon stand on our side But where was the Popish Conuenticle which nowe boasteth it selfe to be the only Church for six hundred yeares after Christ which were the purest times Had they any Church any where that worshipped images that decked them and then ducked downe vnto them that held that the old vulgar Translation of the Bible is authenticall that no interpretation of Scripture is to be allowed against that sence which the Church of Rome holdeth that the Virgine Mary was exempted from originall sinne that the Scriptures are vnperfect and no sufficient rule of faith that the holy Scriptures and the traditions of the Church are to be reuerenced with equall affection that the Bishop of Rome is iudge of all controuersies of Religion Had they any Church vpon the face of the earth that beleeued that the Pope was euer called a God and the spouse of the Church that held that veniall sinnes are cleansed and done away with holy water that the Pope is aboue a generall Councell that the Pope may dispense by his omnipotency wâ—thin the degrees of affinity and consanguinity forbidden in the Law that by dispensing the merites of Saints by indulgences hee is able to deliuer Soules at his pleasure from the paines of Purgatory that the Pope defining out of his Chaire cannot erre Were all these or any of thâ—se preached or professed in the true Church of God which are now broached and beleeued in the Church of Rome But to passe ouer these as impertinent to this present Treatise New doctrins of Popery touching the Supper and to speeke onely to the matter in question concerning the Sacraments what Church did beleeue the reall presence or Transubstantiation or priuate Masses or receiued in one kinde or held that there are seauen Sacramenss neyther more nor lesse or beleeued accidents without their subiect or called the Sacrament his Lord and God or administred it in a strange tongue or lifted it vp ouer his head or worshipped it as his Maker and Creator All these are now made articles of faith and principles of religion such as without them a man cannot be saued yet which of them were imbraced for sixe hundred yeares I might adde more after Christ These were neuer heard off neuer dreamed off which are now the chiefest dreams of the Romish Prelates And no maruell For seeing they haue in a manner banished and buried the remembrance of CHRIST it may not seeme strange that they haue abolished his Supper instituted in memory of his death and passion Christ our Sauiour sitteth in heauen at the right hand of his Father and maketh continuall intercession for vs Sadeel de spiri manduc cap. 1 and wee must feed vpon him spiritually which is not a faigned or forged presence bred in our owne idle fansie and consisting of our priuate opinion neither doth it signifie and import that which is onely inuisible and not offered to the obiect of the eye or that we go about to turne and transforme the body and blood of Christ into a spirit but we call it spirituall eating and feeding vpon him spiritually The reasons why we are said to eate Christ spiritually for three causes First because the eating of Christs flesh and drinking of his blood is brought to passe by the worke of the holy Spirit for it may well be saide to be receiued in that manner seeing it is effected by that meanes Secondly because this mystery is wrought by the instrument of faith which we send vp to the Throne of God as the Eagle which mounteth vp to heauen inasmuch as it is opposed to the fleshly eating of him wherein the Papists are like to the Capernaites Ioh. 6. that dreamed of a carnall and corporall eating and drinking Ioh. 6 63. which profiteth nothing and helpeth no man and bringeth no good Thirdly because this most excellent and precious food belongeth to our spirituall and eternall life seeing wee receiue the signes not to nourish our bodies but to feed our 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
ruinous it is whereas if it were strong enough it needed nothing to beare it vp euen so seeing God contenteth not himselfe with bestowing vpon vs and blessing of vs with his word but giueth vnto vs together with his word his holy Sacraments also so that our faith is not onely vnderset with the one but vnderpropped with the other it serueth to lay before our eyes our weakenesse our distrust and our vnbeleefe For if we had fulnesse and perfection of faith we should haue no neede eyther of the worde or Sacraments and therefore when this world shall haue an end the ministry of the word shall cease and the administration of the SacrameÌ„ts shall be abolished Seeing then the word is not sufficient but the Sacraments were added for further assurance wee must in this behalfe consider the great goodnesse of God towards vs who doth not onely giue vs faith by his word as by his sauing instrument but hath also added to his word Sacraments or seales of his promise and grace that by the lawfull vse of them he might vphold and strengthen our faith through his blessed Spirit For in asmuch as the Lorde not onely sent the blessed seede for the redemption of mankinde for the remission of our sinnes and for the brusing of the Serpents head but ordained for vs Sacraments to bee pledges of his promises testimonies of his faithfulnesse and remedies of our distrustfulnesse we must freely confesse and thankfullye acknowledge the bottomlesse depth of Gods endlesse mercy towards vs who vouchsafeth to be our God to be reconciled to vs being vile and miserable sinners to make a league couenant with dust and ashes and deliuer his onely Sonne to suffer the shamefull death of the Crosse for vs. And withall wee must â—abor more and more to feele our owne blindnesse distrust infidelity and peruerse nature wee would easily forget this mercy of God vnlesse it had beene continually represented before our eyes Againe seeing nothing is offered and giuen in the Sacraments Vse 2 which is not published in the Gospell seeing they cannot bee where there is no word and seeing the same Christ with all his benefits is propounded in both it meeteth with a common corruption and lamentable practise among many professors that desire and craue especially in sicknesse and extremity often to come to the Lords Table but esteeme little of the preaching of the word and that seeme to languish with a longing after the Sacrament but neuer mourne and lament for want of the word which is as great an error and madnesse as if one should euer looke vpon the seale of his writings but neuer regard the conueiance of his estate Is there not one God the author of both Is there not one Spirite that sealeth vp his promises by both Is Christ deuided that speaketh euidently vnto vs in both How is it then that many desire the Sacrament of the Lords supper seeme to pine away through want thereof who neuer wish or regard the preaching of the Gospell which is the foode of the soule the key of the Kingdome the immortall seede of regeneration and the high ordinance of God to saue those c Ro. 1 16 and 10 14. that beleeue And whence proceedeth it but from palpable ignorance in the matters of God and their owne saluation to be much troubled that the Sacrament is not brought vnto them and yet neuer couet to haue a worde of comforte spoken to them in due season Let all such persons vnderstand that as the Minister d Acts 15 21 and 19 4 and 2 42 40. is charged from God to teach euery Sabboath day and to preach the word in season and out of season to deale the bread to the hungry and to giue vnto euery one in the family his portion so is it required of all the people to desire the sincere milk of the word of God that they may grow thereby which howsoeuer it bee to them that perish foolishnesse yet to such as are called e 1 Cor. 1 24. it is the wisedome of God and the power of God Thus Origen a man excellently learned among the Ancients one of the most ancient saith When yee receiue the Lords supper with al heed reuerence ye take heed that no smal peece fal froÌ„ it by negligence to the ground how theÌ„ do you think it is a matter of lesse heinous offence to neglect his word then his body Wherby we see in the iudgement of this Father and Doctour of the Church the losse of the word is as great a want as the losse of the Sacrament and the neglect of the word is as high an offence as the neglect of the SacrameÌ„t for asmuch as one God is the author of them both and the worker by them both Wherefore we are deceiued if wee make account that there is lesse danger in neglecting the word of God then in neglecting the Sacrament of his last supper but wee must take heede that while wee willingly desire the one wee doe not wilfully despise the other For wee must carefully consider that as the Sacrament is a visible word so the worde is a speaking Sacrament and as God lifteth vp his voice vnto vs in the one so hee reacheth out his hand vnto vs in the other Wee must as well heare when hee calleth as receiue when hee offereth Now by his word preached hee calleth by his Sacraments administred hee offereth his graces vnto vs and as wee must haue hands stretched out for the one so wee must haue eares opened for the other Lastly seeing the Sacraments are so neerely linked together Vse 3 and ioyne as friends hand in hand one with another it checketh all such as are content to come ordinarily and vsually to heare the word and will scarce misse one Sermon howbeit when the Sacrament of the supper is administred they are so sencelesse and secure that except it bee at Easter when they come to it of custome rather then of conscience for feare rather then of faith they make small reckoning of it neither thinke it their duty to resort vnto it Woe vnto all them that vnioyne and put asunder those things which God hath coupled together woe vnto such as doe the worke of the Lord negligently or deceitfully This is to serue him 〈◊〉 halfes and to worship him after our owne inuentions For as it is a counterfeit repentance to leaue one sinne and cleaue to another so it is a fained holinesse to follow one ordinance of God and to omit or forsake another True repentance standeth in denying of all sinne and true religion consisteth in practising of all good things of God Among many that are often hearers of the worde you shall not finde many that are often receiuers of the Supper of the Lord. These are like vnto Ahaz mentioned in the Prophet Esay when God offered vnto him a signe and bad him aske it eyther in the depth Esay 7 11. or in the height
is Christ Iesus offered by God the Father in the Vse 2 right vse of the Sacraments then God doth not deceiue or delude those that come vnto them If any that come to the Sacraments depart without grace without Christ without fruite the cause is in themselues the fault is not in God for l Christ is offered to all but receiued onely of the faithfull he offereth Christ to all euen to the vnfaithfull but they haue not hands to receiue him If a Prince should offer a rich present and he to whome it is offered haue no hand to receiue it he goeth away empty When the Sunne giueth light vpon the earth if men shut their eyes and bee wilfully blinde they receiue no profite by it When God offereth himselfe and his graces to vs by his word and Gospell if we stop our eares and harden our hearts it turneth to be the fauour of death to death so is it in the Sacraments when wee come to them God doth not feede our eyes with naked vaine and idle shewes but ioyneth the truth with the outward token and giueth the grace signified with the signe If we bring the hand of faith with vs which openeth the gate of the kingdome of heauen for vs Christ is both offered and giuen to vs. But howsoeuer the signe be alwayes inseparably ioyned with the grace that is signified in respect of God yet hence it followeth not that both of them are of all receiued For the outward signe is offered to the hand to the senses and instruments of the bodye which because all bring with them all are partakers of the outward parts But Christ who is signified by the signe is offered to the soule and faith of the receiuer m 2. Thes 3 which because many want they loose the fruite of their worke and the benefite of their labour Thirdly if the right receiuers receiue Christ and with Vse 3 him all sauing graces needfull to eternall life then the presence of vngodly men that come to the same Sacraments with vs and meete vs at the same Table cannot hinder and hurt vs in our worthy receiuing The vnbeleeuers and vnrepentant persons come indeed into the assembly of the faithfull to heare the worde of God read preached and expounded and as they come without faith so they depart without fruite yet their company defileth not the sauing hearer So is it in the Sacraments I confesse it were to bee wished that the Church were pure without spot and perfect without corruption faire without blemish and they euen n Gal. 5 12. out off that trouble the same yet sometimes it o Reuel 2 14.20 wanteth that good censure and godlye seuerity which is required to separate such as may infect with the leauen of their life and doctrine Againe as the faith of the wise and worthy receiuer cannot sanctifie the conscience of the hypocrite and offensiue liuer so the infidelity or iniquity of another shall not barre the faithfull soule from fruitfull receiuing to his saluation according to that p Ezek. 18 20 saying The righteousnesse of the righteous shall be vpon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be vpon himselfe Euery one is to prooue and examine himselfe not to enter into the consciences and conuersations of other men wee shall giue an account of our owne wayes and workes not of the deformities of others which we cannot reforme and redresse Furthermore as in an Army euery man hath his standing so in the Church euery man hath his calling it is not in the q Priuat men are not to meddle with the censures of the church power of priuate persons but of the Gouernors of the Church to draw out the censures of the Church against notorious offendors and therefore in their slacking and negligence the people must tollerate that which they cannot amend and not make a separation or rent in the Church as the manner of some is disturbing the peace quietnes thereof Vse 4 Fourthly if Christ be offered giuen and sealed vp to vs in the Sacraments then the Sacraments must be holden of vs in great price and estimation for their profites sake not lightly to be regarded but reuerently to be esteemed They that respect Christ in whom the tresures of al graces are laide vp must regard the Sacramentes of Christ and such as reiect them reiect Christ with all his benefites Vse 5 which who so doth sinneth against his owne soule Lastly if they be signes and seales of grace offered then the Sacraments make not a Christian no more then the seale giueth the purchase or possession The faithfull and the children of the faithfull are true Christians differing from Pagans and Heathen before they be baptized The Sacraments are signes not causes of grace And whosoeuer is not a Christian before he receiue baptizme baptizme can make him none which is onely the seale of the graces of God and his priuiledges before receiued The worde of God and the Sacraments of God are both of one nature but the word is not able to conferre grace but onely to declare and publish what God will confer inasmuch as to some it is the sauour r 2 Cor. 2 16. of death to death therfore also the Sacraments of themselues do not confer and bestow grace hauing it tyed vnto them or shut vp in thē For if the Sacramentes did actually and effectually giue grace by inherent power and vertue in themselues it would follow from hence that euery person baptized is certainely saued and hath his sinnes remitted or else that his sins remitted may returne and remaine and bee againe imputed But when God graciously pardoneth sinne ſ Ezek. 18 22. he remembreth it no more Besides that which is proper to God ought not to be ascribed to the creature Againe we see Abraham was not iustified by his circumcision hee was iustified by his faith for t Gen. 15 6. Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse and afterwarde hee receiued u Rom. 4 10 11. circumcision to bee the signe and seale of his iustification Notwithstanding the Sacraments may bee saide to conferre the grace of regeneration and remission of sinnes as they are instruments vsed of God and as they are pledges tokens to vs. They are meanes to offer and exhibit to the beleeuer Christ with all his benefits wherby the conscience is assured of comfort saluation as the Princes letters are saide to saue the life of a malefactor whereas they only signifie to him and others that it is the Princes pleasure to fauor him Again they may not vnfitly be said to giue vs grace because the signe exhibiteth the thing signified the out-ward washing of the bodye is a pledge and token of the grace of God so that whosoeuer vseth the signe aright shall receiue forgiuenesse and life euerlasting CHAP. III. That the parts of a Sacrament are partly outward and partly inward WE haue seene what
place I take the word part in a generall sence and signification and therefore do conclude in it and comprehend vnder it as well the Ministers and receiuers to bee outward parts of a Sacrament as the signes themselues All men do confesse that the signes are parts because they are materiall but I vndertake to prooue the persons both of him that deliuereth and of them that receiue to bee essentiall also Besides the actions of the Minister and the actions of the receiuer are both of them significant as is manifestly shewed so that there is a fit resemblance betweene the workes of the Minister and the workes of God the Father for God performeth the truth of that inwardly which the Minister doth outwardly and the actions of the receiuer doe serue to instruct the faithfull what they are to doe by faith Wherefore if the signes bee partes because they are significant then wee are to receiue the Ministers and receiuers as parts also because whatsoeuer they do is significant also First then c The Minister is the first outward part of a Sacrament there is required a Minister lawfully called chosen and ordained hauing at the least the approbation and allowance of the Church to pronounce the words of institution and to deliuer the outward signes to the receiuers They are not makers of the Sacrament but Ministers not authors but administrators not deuisers but deliuerers Earthly Princes haue their letters patents and their great seales and keepers of the same if another shall set to the seale that is not appointed the keeper thereof is it not made an heinous crime worthy of heauy punishment So the Lord is a mighty Prince King of Kings and Lord of Lords he hath appointed his seales to seale vp his promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall life and he hath ordained his Officers as it were keepers of his great seales God publisheth saluation and pardon to all beleeuers by his worde as by his letters pattents and hee addeth baptisme and the Lords Supper as two broad seales for greater assurance and confirmation and appointeth the Ministers to bee keepers thereof Whosoeuer therefore shall presume to set to any of these seales without warrant without a calling without a function and direction from God himselfe being no officer no Minister no keeper of them prophaneth these seales and setteth to a counterfeit stampe For as no man may preach d Rom. 10 15. except hee bee sent so no man may administer the Sacraments except he be called This is it the e Heb. 5 4.5 Apostle teacheth No man taketh this honor vnto himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron and Christ tooke not to himselfe this honor to bee made the high Priest but hee that saide vnto him Thou art my Sonne this day begat I thee gaue it to him Now to minister the Sacraments is an honour in the Church which none can take to himself at his own pleasure but God must giue it They should haue in their owne consciences a witnesse of Gods calling them to this office and honour Wherefore the sacred functions ordained of God must not be prophaned by voluntary officers and vsurped offices no man must take vpon him without a lawfull calling to teach these holy mysteries Of these the f Ier. 23 21. Lord complaineth I haue not sent these Prophets yet they ranne I haue not spoken to them and yet they prophesied Thus these intruders did thrust their sickle into other mens corne The reasons g Reasons why the Ministers onely are to administer the Sadraments why the Ministers and no others are to intermedle with the Sacraments are very apparant First because euery part and member of the Church hath his especiall office and his proper guifts to execute his calling we see in a campe the Souldiers in warre haue their standing-place in sight of their captaine who hath chosen thē to be warriors so in the Church must euery one keep his seuerall calling in the presence of God who hath in wisedome and mercy called him therevnto Wee see in the naturall disposition of the body h See Booke 2 cap. 3. euery member hath his speciall vse the eye to see the hand to handle the foote to walke the eare to heare and if one member should incroach vpon the office of another it must needs tend to the destruction of the body We see in the gouernment of an house and family the husband and wife the father and sonne the maister and seruant know acknowledge their places to rule and to obey to command and to bee commanded without intruding themselues and incroching vpon the function as it were vpon the free-holde of another If wee would ascend a step higher wee obserue in the affaires of state and matters of the common-wealth euery man doth keepe within his owne listes and limits and no man dare presume to charge any man or enterprise any thing in the Princes name authority without a sufficient warrant from the Prince himselfe so may no man take vpon him any functions in the Church vnlesse he haue a commission and commandement from the Lord. For as the Prince appointeth by what officers he will bee serued so is it in the offices and officers of the Church God hath placed and ordained the Apostle to plant the Euangelist to second and assist the Prophet to prophesie the Pastor to feede and hath set euery one k 1 Cor. 12 12 14. in his proper place and standing as it were in his watch-tower out of which he must not wander and depart It is a generall common rule set downe by the Apostle Let euery man abide in the same vocation wherein hee was called and againe afterwards Let euery man wherein he was called therein abide with God Whosoeuer therefore medleth without a lawfull vocation as it were violently inuadeth another mans possession as Ahab did the Vineyard of Naboth and cannot do it without the checke controlment of Christ Iesus who is the l Iosh 5 14. Captaine of his owne hoast m Eph. 4 15. the head of his owne body the n Heb. 3 5 6. Lord of his owne house and the o Reuel 12 5. great King of his owne Church Againe Christ the Prophet and teacher of his Church and the Prince of Pastors hath committed the office of administration of the Sacraments to those alone to whō he hath committed the dispensation of his word and preaching of the Gospel therfore if any other shall set to the seale it is no true seale but a counterfeit stampe The truth of this appeareth by the words of Iohn Baptist Indeed I baptize with water that is I that am appointed a teacher in the Church to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. And Paul beeing conuerted and called to preach to beare the name of God to the Gentiles did without further word warrant or commandement minister the Sacraments Now then
we receiue not because he ordained them not Secondly the Apostle Paul admonisheth the Corinthians to beware of Idolatry not to flatter themselues or to thinke themselues the members of Christ therefore should escape the iudgement of God because they had the Sacraments for the Church of the Israelites had as great priuiledges as they they had the same Sacraments e 1 Cor. 10.1.2 3 4. the same Baptisme the same Supper in substance and effect yet God was not pleased with them but ouerthrew them in the wildernesse If then the Corinthians had any moe then these two they might haue iustly replied We grant indeed in respect of these they are equall with vs but we haue other which they had not wherein they are inferior to vs and we superior to them and therefore are preferred before them If then the Apostles reason conclude strongly we may hence gather directly that there are onely two and no other Sacraments because the Apostle mentioneth no moe where he purposeth to set forth the priuiledges of the Iewes to make them equall with the Gentiles Wherefore wee must receiue two Sacraments onely or else the Apostle hath reasoned weakely Furthermore the same Apostle 1. Corinthians 12.3 purposing to shew that many members of the Church are one body in Christ coupled by him as by ioynts prooueth this point by a full enumeration ot the Sacraments being pledges of our setting into the body of Christ and continuall nourishment in the same when he saith As by one Spirite we are all baptized nto one body whether Iewes or Gentiles so we haue all beene made to dri ke into one Spirite Where the Apostle sheweth that all the faithfull by the effectuall working of the Holy-Ghost are made one body in Christ which hee confirmeth by the two sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper without mention of any moe Moreouer another reason may be framed by comparing the Church of the Iewes with the Churches of the Christians in regard of their ordinary Sacraments There are no moe Sacraments deliuered in the Gospell then were prefigured vnder the lawe for their Sacraments were types answering to our Sacraments as 1 Pet. 3 21. Our baptisme answereth the figure of the waters refresenting the same that our Baptisme doth True it is the Sacraments of the old Testament were not g Iewish Sacraments not figures of Christian Saâ—â—ments figures of the Sacraments of the new Testament for then their Sacraments should be the signe and ours should be the thing signified and so there should be Sacraments of Sacraments which were foolish and absurd Againe the Iewish SacrameÌ„ts should be signes of things altogether vnknown vnto them not giuen them of God for they were vtterly ignorant of Baptisme the Lords Supper Besides that auncient people should be saued by beleeuing baptisme the Lords Supper to come for doubtlesse they were saued by beleeuing that which their Sacraments did signifie but they were not saued by beleeuing Baptisme and the Lords Supper but by beleeuing in Christ to come Lastly the old Sacraments should haue one signification and the new another for the old should signifie the new and the new should signifie Christ and all his benefits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Notwithstanding the Sacraments of the new testament succeed in the roome of those of the old and signifie the same things that they doe baptisme k Col. 2 11.12 came in place of circumcision and the Lords Supper is come in place of the Paschall Lambe as appeareth in that it was administred presently after it Luke 22 14.15 to declare the abrogating of the one and establishing of the other As then there was the same faith and the same way of saluation by Christ m Reuel 13.8 who was the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world n Heb. 13 8. hee was yesterday and to day and the same for euer so had the Iewish rites respect to o 1 Cor. 10 3 4. Christ and al of them are reduced to our two Sacraments Wherfore as the Iewes had only 2. ordinary Sacraments Circumcision the Passeouer as appeareth p Exod. 12 48 If a strâ—nger dwell with thee and will obserue the Passeouer of the Lord let him circumcise all the males the belong vnto him So the ordinary Sacraments of Christs Church are Baptisme and the Lords Supper agreeing to the same Now the 5. other Sacraments newly inuented were not prefigured in the law they succeed not in the place of their ceremonies they are not answerable to any types of Iewish rudiments therefore they are no Sacraments Fiftly these two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper are altogether perfect and sufficient not onely to enter and plant a Christian into the Church but also to retaine him in it and therfore all other are friuolous vaine and superstitious as superfluous branches to bee pared away Now that they are sufficient to these purposes appeareth by the effects vses of them What other grace can we haue then to be borne againe in Christ to haue iustification forgiuenes of sins and all priuiledges of eternall life and then afterward to be nourished and kept continually in him All these are fully represented and sealed vp to vs in these two whereupon it followeth that Christ who ordained the fewest and best Sacraments vnder the Gospell appointed these and no moe Thus then wee may gather that by the institution of Christ by the argument of the Apostle by comparison of the Iewish ceremonies and by the sufficiency of the two Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper that these are the onely two Sacraments the rest are forged and counterfeit Sacraments they seale not vp Christ q August in Psal 40. they neuer flowed out of his side r Iohn 19 34. from whence issued onely water and blood Lastly this number of 2. Sacraments appeareth not onely by the testimony of ancient Fathers but by the confession of the aduersaries For howsoeuer in many other controuersies their words are many and their arguments probable and very specious yet for the auouching of 7. Sacraments they are dumbe and silent and are not able to produce the reuerent witnesses of the elder time Bellarmine prooueth the word Å¿ Bellar. de esâ—â—ct sacr lib. 2. cap. 24. Sacrament sometimes to be giuen to al the seauen but this is when the word is taken in a large and generall signification for any mysticall signe and token t Câ—nsur Colon dâ—al 7. pag 248 which may signifie some other thing and may more properly be called a signe then a Sacrament as the couering of the head in the woman was a signe of subiection laying on of hands in ordination of the ministry is a signe of their separation to that worke and of Gods presence to assist them with his grace and blessing the Saboth day was a signe of the heauenly rest In this sense Augustine calleth the u Aug. de sim lib.
3 cap. 9. mystery of the Trinity a Sacrament and fire a Sacrament because by the heat light and shining brightnes thereof the Trinity may after a sort be shaddowed out Besides a Warnw. Encâ—unt 1. c. 13. the late Warneword Page 91. handling this controuersie of the number of Sacraments doth not prooue the number of seauen Sacraments out of the Scripture neyther goeth about it neither is able to deriue it further then the counsell of Florence holden in the yeare 1440. and from Peter Lumbard b Sâ—nent lib. 4 d st 2. who was indeed the Father and first finder and founder of this number of seauen Augustine wheÌ„ speaketh of Sacraments in the strict and proper signification and taketh them for holy signes and seales not onely signifying representing and exhibiting spirituall graces commanded by Christ succeeding in the roome of the Iewish two ordinary Sacraments and offering Christ to all faithfull receiuers the vse whereof is perpetuall and vniuersall reckoneth them as we do c August de simb ad cateâ—hu Haec sunt Ecclesiae gemina sacramenta i. These be two Sacraments of the Church And in one other place d August de doctr Christ lâ—b 3. cap. 9. Christ and his Apostles haue deliuered vnto vs a few Sacrament instead of many as Baptisme and Lords Supper Cyprian that liued before him Cyprian lib. 2. Epist 1. is of the same iudgment who saith plainely Tunc demum planè sanctificari c. that is may be throughly satisfied and become the children of God Vtroque Sacramento Paschas de coena dom if they be new borne by both the Sacraments And likewise Paschas 9. speaketh to the same purpose sunt Sacramenta c. that is The Sacraments of Christ in the Catholike Church are baptisme and the body and blood of our Lord. So S. Ambrose intreating purposely e Ambrose lib. 1. de Sacra cap. 1. of the Sacraments speaketh but of two as the reformed Churches hold at this day Innocentius the third speaking of them f C. Firmiter onely maketh mention of those two which we receiue not of the rest which we refuse Yea Thomas of Aquine the Chiefe Doctor of the Papists holdeth heerein the truth g In lib. 4. sent dist 28. qu. 4. teaching that the forme of Baptisme and of the Lords Supper is found in the Scripture but not of the other pretended Sacraments and namely of extreme vnction To conclude h Bessar de sacra Eucharist Cardinall Bessarion confesseth this Haec duo sola Sacramenta in Euangelijs manifeste tradita legimus that is we reade that these two onely Sacraments were deliuered vs manifestly and plainely in the Gospell Thus we see that others before vs do ioyne with vs and speak directly of both the Sacraments of two Sacraments and of onely two Sacraments and therefore the bringing in of seauen is as strange and monstrous as if a man shold say we wanted seauen feete to walke or seauen eyes to see or seauen hands to handle or seauen eares to heare whereas two of each sort are sufficient and the other fiue are needlesse and superfluous in the body Now let vs come to the vses of this diuision In Vse 1 that Christ hath appointed so few Sacraments in number heereby appeareth the great loue of God toward vs he hath not laid a burden vpon vs which neither we nor our Fathers were able to beare but charged vs with two Sacraments onely whereas he might haue deliuered other moe vnto vs. The Ceremoniall law was a very heauy burthen pressing downe the Father of the old Testament and keeping them i Act. 15 10. in great bondage now the yoke is broken and we are deliuered As we see the like mercy of God in teaching a short forme of praier as a perpetuall direction to the Church and in deliuering the ten Commandements diuided into two tables so he hath not troubled vs with many SacrameÌ„ts wherby also our nature prone to idolatry is respected and the grace of the new Testament is wonderfully amplyfied We see how superstition and grosse Idolatry haue preuailed in the Church of Rome infected with deadly poyson one of the Sacraments how much greater danger were it if moe Sacraments had beene commanded and commended vnto vs Againe heereby we may perceiue and conceiue the Vse 2 difference betweene the olde and new Testament betweene the Sacraments vnder the lawe and these vnder the Gospell k Difference betweene the Sacraments of the old Testament the new betweene those giuen to the Iewes and these retained among Christians For ours are few in number theirs are many in number the Arke Circumcision the Passeouer Manna the Cloud the Sea the Rock many purifications oblations which are not easy to be numbred But the Gospell acknowledgeth onely two as two twins begotten of the same father brought forth of the same mother Hereunto we may adde not vnprofitably other materiall differences to bee acknowledged They differ in time ours shew forth our communioÌ„ with Christ already come and so are more firme and durable as those l 1 Cor. 11 26 which are not to be changed to the ende of the world 1 Cor. 11. Yee shew the Lords death till hee come Their Sacraments were ordained onely vntill the comming of Christ because they shewed and pointed out Christ to come so that the worke of grace was more obscure vnto them Againe they differ much in variety of Sacramentall signes and rites as the cutting of the fore-skinne the Lambe of the Passeouer iournying through the Sea sauing by the Arke drinking of the rocke lifting vp the brazen Serpent raining downe of Manna washing of their body they had calues sheep goates doues bread wine oyle and such like we haue onely water in Baptisme bread and wine in the Lords Supper Thus the signes do greatly vary Fourthly they differ in easinesse For the ceremonies committed to the people of the Iewes were hard cumbersome painful to the flesh and some of them were administred with effusion and shedding of blood partly of man partly of beasts Of man as in circumcision of beasts as in the Paschall Lambe and in the sacrifices But our Sacraments though Sacraments of Christs blood shed for vs yet of themselues be voide of blood Fiftly they differ in measure of signification For our Sacraments haue a more plentifull and full representation of grace offered and stirre vp a greater measure of faith then the Sacraments of the old Testament which were more darke obscure the Lord reseruing a fuller measure of knowledge vnto the blessed times of the Gospell For as the exhibiting of Christ Iesus in the flesh in fulnesse of time and as it were in the olde age of the world is of more efficacy to moue vs then the expectation of him to come so wee haue better helpes and an holye aduantage to raise and rouse vp our faith vnto a greater assurance of grace
signe receiued If any further obiect say Marriage is the signe of an holy thing to wit of the spirituall coniunction betweene Christ and his Church I answere it was not instituted to confirme our faith in that point but for other ends which we named before Besides if we shold cal al signs of holy things Sacraments we should treble the number of seauen for so many comparisons as we finde in Scripture wee should haue Sacraments and then the Stars a graine of mustard-seede leauen a draw-net a shepheard a Vine a doore nay a theefe a murtherer and infinite other things should be Sacraments which sometimes are made signes of holy things This were not so much to increase the number of Sacraments as to multiply absurdities Lastly the Sabbaoth was ordained to the Iewes to be a signe betweene God and his people in their generations n Heb. 4 8. signified the spirituall rest in Christ yet was it no ordinary Sacrament albeit it were blessed and sanctified of God Wherefore all mysticall and signifying signes are not Sacraments But the greatest reason whereof they are most confident is where the vulgar translation and the Rhemish interpretation o Eph. 5 32. readeth This is a great Sacrament I answere first the word signifieth a mystery or secret but not euery mystery or secret is a Sacrament neyther will they admit a Sacrament wheresoeuer a mystery is named Secondly the Apostle speaketh not of Matrimony but of the spirituall coniunction betweene Christ and his Church as the words following do declare This is a great mystery but I speake of Christ and of the Church Where the Apostle preuenteth this very obiection and sheweth in what respect he spake of a mystery For where one might haply obiect and say Doest thou call marriage this mystery he answereth I speake not this of Marriage I speake it in respect of Christ and of his Church This appeareth likewise in that he calleth it a great mystery that is A great secret But the coniunction of man and wife is sensible not secret much lesse a great secret Now the Sacraments are called mysteries p Why sacraments are called mysteries in respect of the Sacramental vnion betweene the signe and the thing signified betweene the representation and the thing represented so that at the same instant that one is present to the eyes the hands the mouth and euery part and member of the body the other by the power and working of Gods Spirit is as present in a wonderfull mysticall and secret manner to the faith being the eyes and hands of the soule Wherefore Cardinall Caietan not so grosse as many among them q Caiet in Eph. cap. 5. confesseth that these words proue not matrimony to be a Sacrament Further it is euident to all that consider the circumstance of the text that the Apostle brings not forth marriage in this place as a similitude to represent the neere coniunction betweene Christ and his Church r Eph. 5 23 25 28 29 32. but contrariwise he bringeth forth the exceeding and eminent loue of Christ as a similitude to declare and enforce what should be the loue of the husband toward the wife For the maine point of exhortation is set downe verse 25. Husbands loue your wiues This is argued and enforced by the example of Christ As Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it Againe The man is the head of the woman as Christ is the head of the Church and afterward He that loueth his wife loueth himselfe for no man euer yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it euen as the Lord doth the Church By all these things it is plaine and manifest that if they will needes in this place dreame of a Sacrament consisting of a signe and thing signified Christ and the Church must be the signe representation and consecrated mystery to represent man and his wife and their mutuall loue each to other and not marriage a consecrated signe of him Last of all I would know of them whether so often as the old translator vseth the word Sacrament they will haue it taken strictly properly and particularly for the Sacraments of their church I thinke if they be sober minded and well aduised they dare not say so for Å¿ 1 Tim. 3.16 Eph. 1 9 and cha 3 9. Reuel 17 7. then godlinesse shal be a Sacrament Gods will shall be a Sacrament the calling of the Gentiles shal be a Sacrament yea iniquity shal be a Sacrament For in all these places the word Sacrament is vsed as well as in this place to the Ephesians by the old Interpreter sometimes in the good part and sometimes in the euill t Conc. Trid. sess 4. decret 2. Melch. Canus lib. 2. cap. 13. Andrad lib. 4. defens Trid. to whom notwithstanding they cleaue and must cleaue vnder paine of the censure curse of the councel of Trent CHAP. XX. That Orders are no Sacraments BY Orders we must vnderstand the offices and ministry of the Church a Lumb sent li. 4. dist 24 ca. 3. as also Peter Lumbard doth We confesse when Christ led captiuity captiue he gaue guifts vnto men b Ephes 4 11. and ordained Some to be Apostles some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and teachers for the repairing of the Saints for the worke of the ministry and for the edification of the body of Christ By these hee declareth his will vnto vs he gathereth together his scattered sheepe and publisheth the glad tydings of saluation as Ier. 7. I haue sent vnto you all my seruants the Prophets rising vp early euery day Ier. 7 25. Luke 10 16. And Christ our Sauiour saith He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth mee despiseth him that sent mee And the Apostle Paul teacheth that God was in Christ 2 Cor. 5 19 20. and reconciled the world to himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them and hath committed to vs the word of reconciliation Now then are wee Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled to God This wee hold this we beleeue this we teach touching the degrees orders and offices of the ministry of the Gospell c Sentent lib. 4. dist 24. cap 1. But the popish orders of the popish Church they say are seauen whereof some are greater and higher offices some are lower lesser and inferior The greater are three the office of Priest-hood to offer vp the sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ vpon the Altar of Deaconship to assist the Priests in all things which are done in the Sacraments to bring in the oblations to set them vpon the Altar to couer it with cloathes to beare the Crosse and to reade the Gospell and Epistle to the people of the Subdeacons to bring the chalice and patten to bring the cruet with water and the
an high and holy duty to God and our children Indeede i Baptisme not precisely tied to a certaine day we are not precisely tied to a certaine day in Baptisme as the Iewes were to the 8. day in their circumcision but that which the 8. day was to them a conuenient and orderly time is to vs. Now what time can be more conuenient more comely more fit then the Sabboth day following when the Church is assembled That so it may be administred rightly reuerently religiously and conueniently in the publike meetings of the faithfull Againe the needlesse and carelesse deferring of this work hath a greeuous threatning k Gen. 17 14. annexed of assured punishment and iudgement as it is set downe The vncircumcised male in whose flesh the foreskin is not circumcised euen that person shall be cut off from his people because he hath broken my couenant Whereby we see that whosoeuer shall neglect circumcision and not suffer himselfe to bee circumcised or shall approue the negligence committed by his parents shall be none of the people of God but shall be shut out from the society barred from the fellowship of the faithfull both in this world and in the world to come vnlesse he repent of this sinne And that the l Exod. 4 24. neglect of Gods ordinaÌ„ce draweth his wrath appeareth in the example of Moyses The Lord met him and would haue killed him because his son was not circumcised He had dwelt in the land of Midian an Idolatrous country 40. yeares he began to sauour of the manners thereof but hauing called him to bee a Gouernor of the people would not be appeased toward him vntill he had reformed his owne house For if any cannot m 1 Tim. 3 5. rule his owne house how shall he care for the Church of God Now whereas he had two sons borne vnto him in Midâ—â—â— the elder no doubt was circuÌ„cised the eight day according to the order and ordinance of God why then did he deferre the circumcising of the younger No doubt he was scorned derided among them for circumcising his first borne his enemies were those of his owne house euen the wife that lay in his bosome yea he being then weak in faith loued the praise of men more then the praise of God and therefore the Lord would haue slaine him Albeit the signe of circumcisioÌ„ seemed base and contemptible in outward shew and to sauour of great cruelty toward little children yet God would not suffer the deferring and neglecting thereof to goe without punishment Although grace bee not tyed to the Sacraments and that we may be saued without them yet it is not left to the disposition of men whether they will come to them or not God wil not haue the outward signes contemned of vs for if we will be in the couenant we must not despise the seale of the couenant Furthermore are the outward parts vnited to the inward Vse 3 Then this serueth as a speciall meanes to comfort the very lowest estate of men and the poorest degree in the Church that they doubt not of the fatherly fauor of God toward them but bee assured of their acceptation with God who will make them partakers of his eternal blessings in his kingdome as well as other whose condition is greater and higher in the world When God gaue circumcision to Abraham hee commanded him to circumcise n Gen. 17.12.13.27 all his seruants bond or free as well borne in his house as bought with his money thereby signifiing that he adopted them for his children and that albeit they were Abrahams bond-men o 1 Cor. 7.22 yet they were the Lords freemen So vnto baptisme wee admit and receiue the poore as well as the rich â—he seruant as well as the maister the low as well aâ— the high without respect of persons When the Lord instituted the Passeouer p Exod. 12.3 the Lambe was eaten of all the congregation So touching the Lords Supper it is an holy banket for all degrees and conditions whatsoeuer and therfore q 1. Cor. 11.21.22 the apostle checketh the Corinthians for this abuse that whereas the poorest soule eating of the bread drinking of the cup is as welcome to Christ the gouernor of the feast as the richest they did despise the poore and shamed them that had not All these things duely considered serue to assure the very meanest lowest simplest in the Church that they are made heires of eternal life as well as other as they are partakers of the signe with other if they beleeue with faithfull Abraham This the Apostle r Gal. 3.28 Col. 3.11 teacheth There is neither Iew nor Graecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ And Col. 3. There is neither Graecian nor Iew circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond free but Christ is all and in all things Vse 4 Fourthly are there outward rites signes and persons as externall parts of baptisme And are there likewise inward parts whereby we are consecrated to God teaching that wee haue vowed to renounce the lusts of the world and to forsake the workes of the Diuell Then this Å¿ They are to be reproued that depart out of the Church before baptisme be solemnized condemneth those that depart out of the Church before this holye and publike action bee taken in hand Baptisme belongeth not onely to the witnesses and parties that bring the child but to all the members of the Church that we may learne by our presence thereat to renew our faith and repentance vnto God These men do too much disgrace and deface the dignity of this Sacrament not vouchsafing to remaine at the administration thereof as if it were not worthy to bee solemnized before them whereas they should quicken their faith in the couenant of God by beholding the works of the Minister and ratifying them in their hearts t Luke 1.58 as we reade Luke 1. where they are said to circumcise because they were all present at the worke consenting to prayers and thanksgiuings of the Church u 1 Cor. 11.5 as also the Apostle saith Women pray and prophesie in the Church when they sit still are partakers of the prayers and preaching vsed in the publike assemblies And as no member is cut off by excommunication a 1 Cor. 5.4 but in presence of all to be witnesses thereof to ratifie their griefe for the losse of a member of their body so in b Reasons rendred why the assembly should remaine altogither vntill Baptisme be finshed Baptisme it is required to witnesse and approue the publike worke by their presence and to assure themselues therby with ioy comfort that a fellow-heir is made partaker with them in the communion of Saints Moreouer the excellency of this Sacrament is as great as of the other they are of like woorthinesse in themselues and to bee
had equally and indifferentlie in like price and estimation they are both commanded and instituted by the same authority of Christ there is the same matter and substance of both to wit Christ with al his benefits there is this one and the same end of both the encrease and strengthning of our faith therfore why should one Sacrament bee so much extolled aboue the other and preferred before the other So that whereas many come to the Lords Supper few remaine and abide in the Church at the administration of Baptisme Seeing then as louing Sisters they goe hand in hand together and are the deare daughters of one Father what reason is there that one should bee magnified and the other disgraced The whole assembly heareth the worde preached and deliuered by the Minister the Sacraments are Instruments of our Iustification by Faith c Christ is after a sort preached in baptisme as well as the word preached sauing that the worde worketh by Hearing onely the Sacraments serue by the senses of Seeing Handling and Tasting as well as hearing to strengthen and encrease Faith in our hearts and therefore it is requisite that we ioyne in the one as well as in the other Furthermore the excellency and worthinesse of Baptisme appeareth herein in that it was instituted of God sealing vp his gracious couenant in that it was sanctified by Christ being baptized of Iohn and in that it was beutified by the heauenly reuelation of the blessed Trinitie appearing thereat so great honour so great dignity preheminence was neuer giuen to any Ceremonie Did God institute it and shall wee contemne it Did Iesus Christ come to Iohns baptisme and shall we disdaine to be at the Baptisme of Christ Was the holie Trinitie present and will we be absent True it is some of the sacrifices and burnt offerings were d Gen. 4 5. coÌ„pared with Heb. 11.4 miraculously consumed by fire from heauen but what is this to the glorious presence of the Maiesty of God the blessed Trinity declaring to vs thereby that God the Father Iudg. 13 20. 1 King 18.38 2 Chron 7 1. God the Son and God the holy Ghost are alwaies present at the administration of Baptisme and truely performe that which is outwardly figured and represented Here heauen was open which for our sinnes was shut against vs here the Spirit descended in the visible forme of a doue vpon Christ to signifie vnto vs that beeing deliuered from the terrors of sinne and iudgement we are at peace with God e Ma. 3 16 17 The voice of the Father is heard from heauen saying This is my sonne in whom I am well pleased All these things note out the speciall force and dignitie of this Sacrament It is not therefore to bee administred in a corner of the Church with three or foure persons present to witnesse the Baptisme the rest of the bodye of the Congregation beeing departed but in the face and open view thereof forasmuch as God to deliuer it from contempt hath giuen it visible markes of greater honour The Apostle f 1 Cor. 12 23 saith 1 Cor. 12. Our vncomelie parts haue more comelinesse on for our comely parts neede it not but God hath tempered the body togither and hath giuen more honour to that part whâ—ch lacked As God hath dealt with our bodies so hath hee done in this Sacrament That which is most subiect to contempt dishonour and disgrace God hath lifted vp with sundry excellent preheminences prerogatiues as we haue seene in Christs baptisme And albeit there may be a differeÌ„ce in the person baptized one high another low one noble another vnnoble one rich another poor yet there is none in the substance of the baptisme Seeing then God so highly esteemeth of this ordinance it serueth to conuince to accuse and to condemne their carelesnesse and negligence that refuse to be present at baptisme or if they vouchsafe to bee present for a while yet they are talking and attend not vnto it and depart before the ende of the whole action and rush out of the Church before the name of God be praised and the whole worke finished g Luk. 3 21. Act. 22.16 and concluded with prayer as it was Luke 3. It came to passe as all the people were baptized and that Iesus was baptized and did pray the heauen was opened And Act. 22. Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sinnes in calling on the name of the Lord. Wherefore we are not to depart before God hath beene prayed vnto and praised for his benefits The Apostle chargeth that h 1 Cor. 14 26 40. all things in the Church be done in order and comlinesse Now what can bee more comely and conuenient i Ezek 46 10. then that the Churches begin the exercises of their holy religion together and end them together Forasmuch as nothing is done in the assembly which tendeth not to the edification of the whole body Vse 5 Lastly if in euery true baptisme there be outward inward parts vnited each to other then the baptisme of Iohn and of Christ are in nature and substance all one Contrary to the doctrine of the k Concil Trid. sess 7 can 1. Trent-couÌ„cel that teacheth If any shall say that the baptisme of Iohn hath the same force with Christs baptisme let him be accursed Although it be no matter of faith nor greatly necessary in these dayes to dispute of Iohns baptisme seeing no man or woman is now baptized by his hands yet we will shew the truth of this point out of the scriptures l The baptisme of Iohn and of Christ are in substance one the same that they are all one in substance and effect not of any other kind and nature For first Iohn preached the baptisme of repentance to remission of sins they haue therefore the same doctrine the same word the same promise m Mar 1 4. the same repentance the same forgiuenes of sins as they had the same outward element of water And the Apostle teacheth that there is n Eph. 4 5.6 One body one spirit one hope of the calling one Lord one Father one faith and one baptisme Secondly the baptisme of Iohn was consecrated and sanctified in the person of Christ for Christ was baptized with the baptisme of Iohn Thirdly it may appeare as we will proue Chap. 4. that Iohn baptized into the name of the blessed Trinity Fourthly neither Christ nor his Apostles rebaptized any that were baptized by the ministry of Iohn Apollos did know onely the baptisme of Iohn o Acts 18 25.26 he is taken and instructed further in the faith and wayes of the Lord but we reade not that he was baptized againe Fiftly if Iohns baptisme were not the same with our baptisme it would follow that Christ was baptized with another baptisme then we are and that our baptisme was not sanctified in the persoÌ„ of Christ which taketh away our comfort consolation that we
and euident For to teach publikely is a token of authority and rule ouer others inasmuch as the teacher is higher in place and authority then hee that is taught as Paul was brought vp at the feete of l Act. 22 3. Gamaliell and as the lesse is blessed of m Heb. 7 7. the greater Therefore the woman should not be admitted to be a maister in Israell a teacher of the Church and an instructer of men as 1 Tim. 2. where the Apostle forbiddeth them to teach publikely and to vsurpe authority ouer the man but requireth of them to be in subiection not to challenge dominion Againe such is the n 1 Pet. 3 7. Eccl. 7 29 30. frailenes and weaknesse of that sexe that they are easier to be seduced and deceiued and so fitter to be authors of much mischiefe being the weaker vessels therefore Paul hauing set downe the doctrine that women should not take vpon them to teach in the Church and so preach in the assembly of men presently alledgeth this reason o 1 Tim. 2 13 14. Gen. 3.6 that The woman was first deceiued of the diuell and was in the transgression hee made choise of her and made her an instrument to beguile her husband For albeit that women be capable of the doctrine of godlinesse and many examples of learned women are extant euery where and in euery nation which might easily bee produced and that such were of ability sufficient to teach the Church yet shamfastnesse and modesty the speciall ornaments of that sexe do not suffer them to enterprize and execute that function which requireth courage and boldnesse in the discharge thereof True it is among the Gentiles in their sacrifices and solemnities were women-Priests fit Priests for such purposes fit Ministers for such Gods but in the Church of God neither vnder the law nor vnder the Gospell were they allowed to serue at the Altar or to offer the sacrifice or to meddle with the seruice of holy things and therefore it is vnlawfull to haue a womanish Ministry And as Moses teacheth in the booke of Deuteronomy Deut. 22 5. that it is an abhomination for a man to put on womans apparell so it is not onely vnseemely and vndecent but vnlawfull vngodly for a woman to put on that boldnesse and manlinesse which appeareth in the countenance of a man and to put off the bashfulnesse and demurenesse which shee ought to carry with her Salomon in the description of a vertuous woman among other laudable properties as partes of her office obserueth that shee seeketh wooll and flaxe and worketh diligently with her hands Prou 31 13 19. she layeth her hands to the spindle and her hands hold the distaffe Prou. 31 13 19. It is neuer noted as the part of a good woman that she stretchech out her hand to water and baptizeth the children that are in danger Let her meddle in matters of another nature she hath nothing to do to handle these holy things True it is the gouernment of the family vnder her husband is committed and the training vp of her children in the feare of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commanded vnto her 2 Tim. 1 5. 1. Timothy 5.14 As also Lois the grandmother and Eunice the mother of Timothy bestowed no small paines to plant the vnfained faith of Christ Iesus in him howbeit they neuer presumed to baptize their children much lesse the children of others So then to commit the office of the ministry to women or any part of it were as much as to turne the nature of things topsie turny and to bury and abolish the ordinance of God For hee that should be beneath is seated aboue and he that shold be in subiection is indued with soueraignty and authority The keyes of the kingdome of heauen are committed to men not to women if then they enter into the seruices of the Church they do it by a wrong key and are no better then intruders Furthermore the Minister representeth Gods person in this holy worke and therefore he onely can offer and deliuer with power and authority the outward signe which answereth fitly to the inward matter Shall priuate persons vsurpe to be the Lords messengers to bring his letters and seales not called not allowed not authorized It cannot be without intruding of themselues and dishonour to God and confusion in the Church For as none can wash vs from our sinnes but Christ onely so none can beare his person in the outward Sacrament of the inward washing but hee whom Christ himselfe hath appointed if we will receiue the benefit of the holy seale of baptisme for the assurance of our conscience p The people cannot with comfort assure themselues to receiue a Sacrament at the hands of priuate persons that wee are washed from our sinnes And if the will and pleasure of a Prince do make that onely to be his seale which he hath set apart to seale his grants withall so that albeit another may be made right of the same matter iust of the same forme and fashion and in all points like vnto it no difference beeing to be seene betweene them yet the same is none of the Princes seale but a counterfeit stampe then how much more ought the knowne and reuealed will of the eternall God which is that they onely should minister the Sacraments that haue a publike calling and allowance therevnto to haue that authority that no Sacraments can be warranted to bee his seales but such as are signed by his Officers Againe q Beza lib. de Quest in sacra quaest 140. 141 suppose the Princes seale should bee stollen away which he hath appointed to seale his grants withall and should be set too by him that hath no authority not being the keeper thereof there can by no meanes growe any assurance of comfort to the party that hath it applyed to his writings so if it were possible to bee the seale of God which a woman should set too yet for that she hath stolen her patent and vsed it contrary to Gods commandement I see not how any man can perswade his owne heart by it to be partaker of a Sacrament but his comfort is weakened and impaired and his conscience left in doubt and perplexity Moreouer this may yet farther appeare by a comparison a forme of reasoning often vsed in the Scripture comparing different actions of things done by a calling with such as are done without a calling whereby we shall see that to haue a lawfull calling to do a thing giueth life liking and allowance vnto the dooing For wee must not onely consider what is done but also who is the dooer What is the reason that Ioab Captaine of the hoast r 2 Sam. 3.27 and 20 10. 1 King 2 5. killing Abner and Amasa two more righteous then himselfe was reserued to iudgement Å¿ Num. 6 25.7 8. whereas Phineas killing Zâ—niri and Coâ—bi it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse
in what multitudes the people in such dangers resort to the Church some desiring they may be baptized some that they may be reconciled from excommunication some that they may bee admitted to shew their repentance for their open crimes euery man desiring comfort euery man desiring the participation of the Sacrament In which case if there bee no Minister to be had what misery then followeth them that depart this life vnbaptized or bound in their sinnes Heereby hee meaneth the lawfull Minister of the Church inasmuch as hee ioyneth baptisme and reconciliation from the sentence of excommunication together If any man further shall aske the question Question seeing baptisme is limitted and as it were confined vnto the Minister whether baptisme ministred by hereticks bee auaileable or not For many incline to thinke that it is rather good which is ministred of a lay-man being a member of the Church then by him that is an hereticke Answere I answere hereticks are of two sorts some are remoued out of the Church some are tollerated in the Church and suffered to enioy their ministry So long as a Minister that is an hereticke keepeth his place and is not deposed from his function albeit hee should erre in the foundation yet he is a member of the Church though an vnworthy member and a Minister of the Church though an vnworthy Minister If he should depraue the institution and corrupt the essentiall forme which Christ hath appointed inuiolably to be vsed and obserued then were the baptisme void because the forme being changed the thing it selfe is abolished What is to be â—hought of â—he popish Baptisme Hence it is that the Baptisme celebrated in the Church of Rome is true baptisme because albeit the papacy be not the true Church yet the true Church is in the papacy God preseruing the remnants of it in the middest of the bowels of Anti-Christ as God continued light in the middest of the darkenesse of Egypt Baptisme therefore is in the papacy as the purse of a true man in the hand of a theefe or as an honest mans inheritance in the possession of an vsurper And albeit they haue no ministry rightly and lawfully called yet such as occupy the place of Pastors and hold the publike ministry are not to be accounted as priuate persons or meere lay-men and therefore the baptisme performed by them is not voide or of no effect both because they baptize in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost not in their owne name and because their ministry is not to be esteemed according to the persons but as seruing to the Church that yet lurketh secretly in the papacy What then Whether we may bring our children to be baptised of popish Priests may such as professe the reformed religion lawfully and with a good conscience offer their children to be baptized of popish Priests and Masse-mongers I answere albeit it be lawfull baptisme which they deliuer it followeth not that they may lawfully deliuer it or we lawfully seeke it at their hands and albeit it be auaileable wheÌ„ it is done yet neither haue they warrant to do it nor wee to goe for it True it is they haue a calling whereby they differ from priuate men but it is so faulty and corrupt that by no meanes we ought to vse it We ought not to do euill that good may come thereof Rom. 3. Rom. 2 8. 1 Thes 5 22. but it becommeth vs to abstaine from all appearance of euill 1 Thes 5 22. We may not by our practise and example allow and iustifie the horrible prophanations of the Sacraments the detestable corruptions of doctrine and the abhominable superstitions vsed in the worship of God and wee are bound and straightly charged to take heed we do not make our selues partakers of other meÌ„s sinnes 1 Tim. 5 22. We must beware we do not offend the weak brother for whom Christ dyed who may be imboldened by our example to approue of the reliques of Anti Christ and in the end to ioyne with that false Church Lastly 2 Cor. 6 14. 1 Ioh. 5.23 wee are commanded to flie from Idols temples to keep our selues from Idols the sheep of Christ heare his voice but the voice of a stranger they wil not hear It is better for vs to defer the baptising of our children theÌ„ to resort to their baptisme blended and mingled with so many toyes and impieties and though our Children in the meane season should dye yet we must comfort our selues in the Lord and lay hold on his couenant who hath promised to be both our God and the God of our seed and remember that it is not the want of the Sacrament that condemneth but the contempt from which we are free so long as we are ready and desirous to haue our children partakers of it when it may bee had orderly rightly and conueniently Obiection 4 The last Obiection deserueth not the name of an obiection much lesse any answere vnto it sauing that the ignorant may stumble at it some great Doctors of the church of Rome labour to add force vnto it and as it were to put life into a dead carkasse For Thomas Aquinas the darling of the Pope the Oracle of Schooles and the God of the Papists Gal. 3.27.23 alledgeth the words of the Apostle Gal. 3. As many as haue beene baptized into Christ haue put on Christ there is in Christ neither male nor female and therefore as wel women as men may baptize Answere I answere this is a most foolish and vnlearned collection and a plaine wresting and straining of the Scripture and therefore no maruaile if the saying of the wise man be verified heerein Surely the churning of milke bringeth forth Butter Prou. 30 33. the wringing of the nose bringeth foorth blood So the forcing of wrath bringeth foorth strife The popish diuinity is full of such conclusions I will giue thee a taste of them and then come to answere the obiection They reason on this manner Christ walked vpon the waters therefore the body of Christ may be shut vp in a piece of bread Peter walked vpon the waters therefore the Bishop of Rome hath authority ouer all Churches The Saints in heauen are like the Angels therefore they heare the prayers of all men Ioseph wrapped the body of Christ in fine linnen therefore the Priest must lay vp the body of Christ in the Altar The women came to the Sepulcher to see Christ therefore we must go on pilgrimage to visite the holy Sepulcher But I will passe ouer these fooleries and come to the place that is obiected The Apostle meaneth that in partaking of saluation there is no difference betweene male and female Iew and Grecian bond and free but there is great difference betweene man and man in the dispensation of the word and Sacraments Againe if this conclusion were necessary then a man might reason against the Apostle In Christ is neither
Male nor Female therefore as well women as men may teach in the Church contrary to the expresse doctrine of the Scripture set downe by Paul himselfe I permit not a woman to speake in the Church 1 Cor. 14. 1 Tim. 2. But I will spend no moe words in answering such trifles Thus much concerning the obiections Now as the truth is plaine and euident so the vse is Vse 1 profitable and comfortable First if the minister be one outward part of baptisme then he must be ready and carefull to performe his duty which is to wash the vncleane body with water in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost to call vpon God and to follow the institution of Christ as it is left in the Scripture for his direction For if there be the outward sign of baptisme as the matter of the Sacrament if there be a party to bee baptized which is the receiuer and if there be a minister to administer it yet vnlesse he perform his duty there can be no baptisme So then we must know that the actions of the Minister i What are the actions of the Minister are double first there is required of him a sanctifying of the water secondly a washing of the party The sanctifying of the water is the separation and apointing of it by the word and prayer to this vse to signifie the bloude of Christ The outward washing is a certain pledge vnto vs of our inward washing by the blood and spirit of Christ Secondly if it bee the office of the Minister to baptize Vse 2 then this giueth direction and instruction to the people to whom to repaire and resort when they haue any Children to be baptized It is required of them to haue recourse to the ministers as to the officers of God We see in the affairs of the Common-wealth and in passing conueyances of houses of lands and of inheritances how carefull and circumspect men are to passe them where they ought to bee passed and in such Courts and vnder such officers as are authorized for such purpose that ther may be no error committed in the conueyance For whatsoeuer is done and passed before him that hath not his patent to warrant his practise is held to be voide and frustrate by maisters of that profession In like manner it standeth vs all vpon when a matter of an higher nature and of greater importance is in hand then the sealing and assuring of temporall possessions to looke carefully to the diligent performance of this speciall duty that the signing of our infants and sealing them in the Couenant be made by the hands of such Officers as are appointed by God for that purpose and by no other Vse 3 Thirdly this condemneth the abuse and prophanation of the Sacrament of baptisme in the church of Rome where women midwiues and priuate persons without any commandement of God nay contrary to his word take vpon them this part of the Ministers office to baptize children which they haue receyued from the Hereticke Marcion i Epip haere 42 who gaue women power to baptize which Epiphanius k Epi. con haer 2 teacheth the holy Mother of Christ was not permitted to do And the fourth Councell of Carthage Can. 100. hath without exception decreed that a woman ought not to baptize Such then as vsurpe this calling and approoue thereof neuer knewe the force of our adoption in Christ nor the strength of the couenant nor that the elect are saued by the good pleasure and will of God Therfore there is not that absolute necessity of baptisme vnto saluation which many suppose that for this supposed necessitie the ordinance of God should be broken and prophaned And a man may maruell why at such times they did not rather commit the matter to priuate men to baptize then to women whose sexe is further remooued from execution of this office not onely because they be vncalled and priuate men l 1 Tim. 2 11 12. 1 Cor. 14 34. but euen because they are women and thereby are wholly vncapeable though otherwise qualified of anie publike charge or function in the Church they are commanded to sit still and to bee quiet Besides if in time of this extreamity and necessity which is imagined it be permitted them to minister baptisme why should it not bee suffered in like necessity and danger of death that they minister the Lords Supper and preach the Gospell in case they be able and men vnable or vnwilling the dignitie of the one Sacrament being no lesse then the other the excellencie of the worde being as great as of them both If then women may iustly bee condemned when they shall presume to sit downe in the Chaire of Moses or to minister the Supper of the Lord they cannot be iustified if they vsurpe to minister baptisme For shall wee make a shameful and double diuorcement of those things that God hath coupled betweene the word and Sacraments and likewise betweene the one Sacrament and the other This â—s too great contumely and contempt offered to baptisme to allow it in those that may neither publikely preach nor lawfully minister the Lords Supper seeing their want to practise the one is no greater then to do the other In a priuate Family it is a great disorder to see the maister play the seruant and the seruant to do the office of the maister the husband to loose his authority and the Woman to step into his place In the Common-wealth it is a wonderful confusion to see base persons and peasants set on horsebacke Eccl. 10 6 7. and Princes walking as seruants vpon the ground Is this vnseemely and vncomely in the priuate house and in the Common-welth and it is not as vndecent in the Church when the distinct partes of the same office are diuided and parted asunder that priuate persons are set in Moses his chaire and pastors are put at the feete of the people Or when the Ministers of the word do occupy the place of Teaâ—hers and the administration of the Sacraments is committed or at lest permitted to the Parishioners and people and which is worse to Women And when different offices are so shuffled and shaken together that it cannot be determined to whom of right they do belong Wherefore let all priuate persons and Mid wiues consider with themselues the fearefull examples recorded in the Scripture of such as haue rashly p esumed to prophane the holy offices of the Church and how God hath often visited this great sinne with greeuous iudgementes sometimes with fire from heauen sometimes the earth opening her mouth sometimes with sodaine death and sometimes with the most filthy disease of the Leprosie whereby as by his voice from heauen he thundred downe on mens disobedience and so ratifieth this law of the necessity of a vocation calling for euer When the men of Bethshemesh pried into the Arke without a calling the Lord smote of the people fifty
of Christ seeing they are a principall part of his possession If they be a part of the houshold they ought to haue entrance into the house if they belong to the Citty of God who shall dare to shut the gates against them Or if they bee in the number of the sheepe of Christ who shal presume to keepe them from the sheepefold Or if they be sound members of the body of Christ who shall cut them off as rotten members Wherefore then u Gen. 17 7. Acts 2 39. 1. Cor 7 14. should they not receiue the seale whereby the promise is confirmed vnto them seeing they haue the promise it selfe of saluation Why should they not bee partakers of the outward signe a Mat. 19 14. seeing they are partakers of the thing signified Why should they be put backe from the figure seeing they haue the truth it selfe Why should they not be partakers of the Sacrament with the faithfull seeing they are enrolled in the fellowship of the faithfull And who shall depriue them of the seale of the couenant seeing they are partakers of regeneration and remission of sinnes Heereupon thus we reason whosoeuer are in the couenant and Church of God vnto them belongeth baptisme which is the seale of the couenant but Infants are in the Couenant and of the Church therefore to them belongeth baptisme which is the seale of the Couenant Againe to whome the promise appertaineth they may and ought to bee baptized but the promise was made euen to Infants therefore they may and ought to be baptized Furthermore to whom forgiuenesse of sinnes and the Holy-Ghost are promised and giuen they ought by no meanes to be denied the outward signe but forgiuenesse of sinnes and the Holy-Ghost are promised to Infants and giuen vnto them therefore infants ought not to be kept from the element of water no more then such as are of yeares of discretion Thus much of the first point putting Children into the right and possession of Baptisme as if it were the right heires into their inheritance from which they haue beene wrongfully and vniustly dispossessed Hauing now sufficiently proued by the Scripture that children are to be baptized it remaineth that we should maintaine this assertion against b Obiections of Anabaptists impugning childrens baptisme anâ—wered the cauils of the Anabaptists For as the former reasons grounded vpon the euident demonstration of the worde as vpon a pillar that cannot be shaken may perswade vs to embrace the truth so the weakenesse and sophistry which appeareth in the Obiections of the aduersaries serueth to confirme vs in this perswasion But let vs examine what is the strength of them First they obiect Obiection it was neuer commanded that Infants should be baptized I answere Answere vnblameable examples practises not contradicted are in the nature of precepts Againe the will of God approuing and appointing childrens baptisme appeareth c Col. 2 11.12 in that it came in place of circumcision Baptisme is our circumcision Besides we d Mat. 28 19. 1 Cor. 10 1 2. haue a generall commandement Go teach all nations and baptize them And the apostle saith all were baptized in the cloud and in the sea and he comprehendeth the whole Church when hee saith it was clensed with the washing of water Ephesians 5. verse 26. Christ saith all nations the Apostle saith all the Israelites let them shew where infants are excepted and exempted for we hold this as a certaine principle that a general commandement includeth the particular and comprehendeth the same vnder it as well as if it were by name expressed Secondly they obiect if infants may be baptized Obiection then they may be admitted to the Lords Supper for why should not the Supper be giuen to the whole church as wel as baptisme I answere Answere there is not the like reason and respect of both There is great difference betweene these two Sacraments For baptisme is a signe of our entrance and receiuing into the church so that the Supper is to be granted to none but to such as are baptized and are fit to beâ—r strong meat being instituted for our confirmation and sealing vnto vs that God hauing once receiued vs into the Church wil also euermore preserue vs in it that we neuer fall from it nor forsake it and will nourish and châ—â—â—sh vs by the body and blood of Christ Wherfore the Lord Iesus to shew that his Supper was not for children but for men would not administer it in the element of milke which is for infants and for new borne babes but in bread and wine which are for strong men that are of age Againe sundry conditions and considerations are required in the supper which debar yong infants that although they are to be baptized yet they ought not to be admitted to the Lords supper seeing by their young yeares they are excluded For it is required of all those that come to this supper e 1 Cor. 11.26 28 29. to shew foorth the Lords death to discerne the body and blood of Christ and try themselues whether they haue faith and repentance But infants cannot doe these things they cannot shew forth the Lords death they are not apt to discerne his body and blood they are not able to examine themselues and therefore infants for good causes are excluded from this Supper If any say Is this a good reason the promise doth belong to infants and therefore the Sacrament of Baptisme Then why may not the Lords Supper be as well giuen vnto them vpon the same ground This will not follow howsoeuer some of the ancient Fathers were of that opinion Cyprian Ser. 5. de laps August de eccl dogm cap. 52. Ioh. 6 6 5â— applying this Scripture to their purpose Ioh. 6 53. Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood yee haue no life in you But this place is to be vnderstood of spirituall eating by faith not of the Sacramentall eating as wee shall shew in the next booke They were therefore deceiued that thought the Supper of the Lord did belong to infants And touching this consequence The promise of grace belongeth to children Therefore the outward signe of the Sacrament it is true being rightly vnderstood to wit according to the limitation and the appointment of God proper to euery Sacrament who hath ordained that the Sacrament of entrance should be receiued both of men and children Gen. 17. howbeit only the males in the old Testament and not before the eight day but in the new Testament both of male and female without restraint of time And touching the Supper of the Lord which is the Sacrament of our norishment it can appertaine to those onely that are come to yeares of discretion first because the end thereof is to shew the Lords death vntill he come 1 Cor. 11 26. 1 Cor. 11 28. Secondly because euery one that commeth vnto it is commanded to examine himselfe Mat. 26 26.
to the Eunuch Acts 8. If thou beleeuest thou maiest Thus we see that the children of those that professe the faith belong to the Church of God the children of Pagans belong not to the Church of God loe how great a difference there is betweene them Heereby then the children of the faithfull are discerned and distinguished from the prophane multitude of Atheists Epicures Libertines Arrians Anabaptists Turkes Sarazens Persians and other barbarous nations g Eph. 2 1â— which are without Christ without hope without God in the world whereas the holy seede of all the faithfull belong to the Church of God and are reckoned in the company of the Church For this h Rom. 11 6. cause the Apostle calleth the whole posterity of Abraham holy that is consecrated and hallowed to God If the roote be holy the branches are also holy Not that the children of the faithfull do want originall sin or that they gather any actuall holinesse or inherent righteousnes by carnall generation and propagation from their parents but because by benefit of the couenant of God and by force of his gracious promise they are separated from prophane Infidels and brought into the bosome of the Church as Noah was into the Arke Fiftly this doctrine that children are commended to Vse 5 God infranchized into the heauenly Citty setteth forth the honour and glory of God For is not God greatly glorified when he sheweth himselfe true in his promises and hath mercy vpon the faithfull i Deut. 7 9. for a thousand generations And is not occasion offered vnto vs continually to glorifie him Can we deserue that God should be our God Nay do we not deserue that he should not be our God And yet behold he will bee the God of our children also Let vs therefore neuer forget his mercies let vs fill our mouths or rather our hearts with his praises let vs confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men Sixtly all parents are heereby wonderfully comforted Vse 6 they haue their faith strengthened and are confirmed in the loue of God when they see themselues so beloued of God that it descendeth and floweth euen to their Children as they are assured by this visible signe This is that worthy and wonderfull promise which we must receiue by k Gen. 17 7. faith Gen. 17. I will be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee I will establish my couenant betweene me and thee and thy seed after thee A sentence to be written not onely in Gold but in the tables of our hearts to dwell with vs for euer When wee must leaue the world and our families in poore estate behind vs and go vnto the Father let vs not be dismayed discouraged or discomfited this is the stay of our hope this is the staffe of our comfort this is our anker-hold that he will not shut vp his mercy toward our children but be a gracious God to them as he hath beene to our selues so that we may assuredly say vnto them with faithfull Abraham l Gen. 22.8 My sonne God will prouide Let vs bee content with those things that we haue for he hath saide m Heb. 13 5.6 7. Iosh 1 5. Hâ—g 2 9. I will not faile thee neither forsake thee so that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper neither will I feare what man can doe vnto me Godlinesse is great gaine and he that is truely godly is truely rich He that hath Christ hath all things he that wanteth him wanteth all things Heauen and earth are the Lords all the gold and siluer are his who hath promised to be an husband to the widdow eyes to the blinde a couering to the naked a father to the fatherlesse and he will not forget his kindnesse toward vs for euer Wherfore let vs lift vp n Heb. 12 12.13 our hands and our hearts which hang downe let vs strengthen our weake knees and make straight steps vnto our feet God is able to worke contentednes in all his seruants whose power is best seene in our weakenes and whose glory shineth brightest in our greatest wants Remember o Psal 37.25 34 8 9 10. what the Prophet saith Psal 37. I was young and now am olde yet I neuer saw the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread And againe Tast ye and see how gracious the Lord is blessed is the man that trusteth in him Feare the Lord ye his Saints for nothing wanteth to them that fear him The Lyons do lacke and suffer hunger but they which seeke the Lord shall want nothing that is good Loe how the man shal be blessed that feareth God not only in his owne person but in his children p Psal 115 13 14. Ier. 32 38 39. inasmuch as our seed is no lesse deare to him then we are as Psal 115. He will blesse them that feare the Lord both small great the Lord wil encrease his graces toward you and toward your children And to the same purpose the Prophet Ieremy chap. 32. saith They shal be my people I wil be their God and I will giue them one heart one way that they may feare me for euer for the wealth of theÌ„ and of their children after them Let vs al rest in his words and rely vpon his mercifull promises He is not as man that he should lye nor as the sonne of man that he should deceiue He hath said he wil be our God and the God of our seed that we leaue behind vs. Behold O Lord the words of thine owne lips consider the promises that are gone out of thine owne mouth We know thou art true and faithfull in all thy sayings thou wilt not alter the things which thou hast writteÌ„ with thine owne finger on thee we waite and in thee we put our trust let it be vnto thy seruants according to thy free promise and according to thy gracious couenant that we may feele the accomplishment thereof in our soules Seuenthly al parents are heereby to be warned and admonished Vse 7 that seeing the promise of forgiuenes of sinnes and the kingdome of heauen belongeth to their seed and consequently the signe and seale therof they must be carefull to bring them vp q Eph. 6 4. in the true knowledge and feare of God as Eph. 6. Fathers prouoke not your children to wrath but bring them vp in instruction and information of the Lord. So Moses teacheth Exod. 12. Exod 12 26.27 When their children should aske them touching the Paschal Lambe that then it is their duty to declare and deliuer to them the true cause and occasion thereof Likewise so often as we consider how our children are by grace accepted by baptisme consecrated vnto God and so made heires of life and saluation it standeth vs vpon to plant and water the sauing knowledge of Christ Iesus in them For what should it profit vs to leaue them great riches
with all care before the Lord of whom wee ought earnestly to beg and desire his Spirit to teach vs the truth of our Baptisme the assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and the purging of our consciences from dead workes We come oftentimes and ordinarily to this Sacrament we see children incorporated into the Church and sealed vp to be members of Christ and yet sildome or neuer remember what vow we haue made to God and whose we are by our profession no not in the present worke doth any such cogitation or consideration enter into the hearts of many yea the most sort see the water sprinkled and heare the words pronounced but esteeme it little as a matter belonging nothing at all vnto them There is none that come to heare the word and to receiue the Lords Supper but they thinke it pertaineth no lesse if not more to them then it doth vnto others but touching baptisme and making any vse at all of it they put it farre from them they know they are already baptized and are to be baptized no more they turne it passe it ouer slightly to the infant that is brought to the well-beloued friends and neighbours that bring it saying to themselues as the Pharisies did in another case to Iudas Mat. 27 4. what is that to vs see thou to that But we cannot so shift ouer the matter our baptisme will cleaue more closely vnto vs it hath made such an impression in vs and sticketh so neere vnto vs that it can neuer be blotted out nor wiped away it summoneth vs to God and telleth vs that we are not our owne but he challengeth vs wholy to himselfe and will not let vs no from him Vse 4 Lastly is the cleansing and purifying of the foule represented by the washing of the body Then from hence ariseth vnto vs great comfort in baptisme namely that it is no idle no needlesse nor superfluous thing but of great power force and vertue For the water is not bare water but the water of regeneration being rightly vsed and administred by those onely that are lawfully called to the office and haue a warrant from God and commission from the Church to that purpose It belongeth not to any priuate persons men or women much lesse to children to make a toy or sport of it as it is said of Athanasius that being yet a childe not knowing what he did Ruffin lib. 1. cap 14. 1 Cor. 13 11. or with what he medled hee baptized Of whom we may say as Paul doth 1. Cor. 13. When I was a child I spake as a châ—lde I vnderstood as a childe I thought as a childe but when I became a man I put away childish things Or as the wise man doth Eccl. 11. Eccl. 11.10 Baptisme admiâ—istred in sport is no baptisme Childhood and youth are vanity Heereby can come no sanctification nor cleansing of the soule and therefore are they deceiued that receiue it for good and ratifie it for authenticall forasmuch as euery such baptisme vndertaken by priuate persons in case of necessity or by children after an apish imitation is no baptisme at all neither is that water consecrated water but common and prophane and therefore consequently that washing or sprinkling is to bee accounted as common and prophane also If a Child should take vpon him to minister the Supper of the Lord that knoweth not what it meaneth and charge the people to examine theÌ„selues that hath not learned as yet to examine himselfe all men must confesse this were a great prophanation of this SacrameÌ„t by no meanes to be suffered or if he should step vp into the chaire of Moses and offer fondly and childishly to vtter the word of God who would regard it Or who would care for it Shall we say this were to administer the Supper of the Lord or to preach the Gospell of Christ Or shall we imagine that any fruit or benefit can come hereby So may we say of Baptism it is prophaned by vnfit persons not profitably administred But to leaue these abuses which we haue touched conuinced before let vs see what are the comforts that arise from this inward part of this Sacrament which are of diuers sorts for hence floweth as from a plentifull spring comfort to the whole Church comfort to the parents of the persons baptized comfort to the infants themselues Comfort to the whâ—le Chuâ—ch It reacheth to the whole Church because when it beholdeth water sanctified and set apart for baptisme and spirituall washing of the soule represented by the outward cleansing of the body they may see as it were Christ crucified and his blood poured out before their eyes When we feele our hearts at any time cast downe by the sight of our sins and finde the burthen of theÌ„ to be intollerable vnto vs we must lift vp our eyes to heauen and in a sweet meditation of this holy sprinkling of the blood of Christ assure our consciences therby that he hath washed them all away that they shall not be imputed vnto vs nor be able to worke our condemnation We are also put in minde heereby that we are fellow-members of one and the same body forasmuch as we haue all one baptisme Ephe. 4. Eph. 4 5. as we haue all one Lord and Father all one faith and hope of eternall life Hence it is that at the birth of Iohn the Church reioyced comming together to haue him circumcised Let vs therfore be ready to ioyne together in this worke in praier and thanksgiuing let vs addresse our selues to be as witnesses and approuers of it that wee may receiue comfort by it being euermore taught and confirmed in the truth of our baptisme and remembring what we haue promised to God that we may be carefull to performe our promise and fearefull to breake couenant with him In this respect the Church is said to circumcise * Luke 1 59. 1 Cor. 11 5. and to prophesie and make prayer because it ioyneth together in these holy actions We haue all of vs one entrance into the Church whereby we professe to go al one way to walk one course to leade one manner of life to serue the same God Comfort to parents Secondly this comfort extendeth more principally particularly toward the parents themselues then it doth in generall to the whole Church For they see their seed together with themselues ioyned to the Church and washed with the blood of Christ they haue the ancient promise of God verified vnto them I will be thy God and the God of thy seed GeÌ„ 17. which ministreth great matter of ioy vnto theÌ„ so that they should reioyce more in this mercy shewed toward them then if they could make theÌ„ heires of the world and leaue them owners of a kingdome Howbeit this comfort carrieth with it sundry duties putteth them in minde to be thankfull to God who hath verified his couenant to them and their
inuert the reason and make it serue to euert and ouerthrow the sacrifice of their Masse seeing it is certaine there were no Altars Lastly we must obserue that it is not barely called a table but the Table of the LORD to teach vs to drawe Vse 3 neare vnto it with all reuerence and regard If we measure and marke our affection in earthly things we see what care curiosity is often times vsed when men come to the table and presence of Noble men how much greater care and conscience should be vsed of euery one of vs when wee come to this table where the King of Kings and the Lord of heauen and earth is present When Dauid would reward and recompence the kindnes of Barzillai he charged Salomon his sonne that the sonnes of Barzillai should sit and eate bread at his table how great then is the honour that God vouchsafeth to vs permitting and appointing vs to sit at the Table of his owne Son of whom we say truely a greater then Salomon is there Wherefore to stirre vs vp to this duty deuotion let euery one consider and meditate thus with himselfe I am this day to be the Lords guest I am inuited to his Table I am to eate of his bread and to drink of his cup I haue not in this busines to do with man whose breath is in his Nostrils but to deale with God in whose presence I do abide who is both a beholder and Iudge of all my actions to whom I shall eyther stand or fall If I come in hypocrisie he will finde me out o Heb. 4 13. before whom all things are naked and open If I come fitted by faith and sanctified by repentance I shall receiue Christ and all his merits to my endlesse comfort Thus much sufficeth to be considered touching this title of the Lords Table The last title of this Sacrament remaineth to be handled being called the new Testament or will of Christ p The vses of calling this Sacrament the testament or will of Christ from whence we may gather diuers vses as good conclusions froÌ„ this doctrine For first it teacheth that there is a double Testament and couenant of God made to his people one of workes the other of grace one of the law the other of the Vse 1 Gospell as Iohn 1 17. The law was giuen by Moyses but grace and truth by Iesus Christ And Ier. 31 31 32. I will make a new couenant with the house of Israell and the house of Iudah not accordâ—ng to the couenant that I made with their Fathers when I tooke them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egipt the which my couenant they brake although I was an husband vnto them But this shall bee the couenant that I will make with the house of Israell after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people The couenant of the law is a couenant wherein God hath promised to his people all blessings corporall and spiritual temporall and eternall q Leuit. 18 5. Mat. 19 17. Gal. 3 12. Deut. 27 20. vnder the condition of perfect obedience and hath threatned all curses and death 〈◊〉 to all that continue not in all parts and points of the 〈◊〉 do them The couenant of grace ratified by the death anâ— blood of Christ is a couenant wherein God promiseth his loue and fauor for euer to come vpon all that beleeue in his Sonne r Ioh. 3.16 assuring them of remission of sins and eternall life requiring of them onely faith in him as Iohn 3. God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that such as beleeue in him should not perish but liue for euer Againe if this Sacrament sealing vp the new couenant Vse 2 betweene God and man haue the name and nature of a will or testament then it serueth to condemne the Church of Rome that adde alter mingle and mangle this Sacrament at their owne pleasure For the Apostle teacheth Gal. 3. Though it be but a mans Å¿ Gal. 3 11. couenant yet when it is confirmed no man doth abrogate it or addeth any thing thereto And Heb. 9 14. He is the mediator of the new Testament that through his death they which are called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritance for where a testament is there must be the death of the testator for the testament is confirmed when men are dead for it is yet of no force as long as he that made it is aliue If then the testament of man may not be abrogated or altered much lesse the Testament of God confirmed by the death of the Mediator Notwithstanding such is the sacriledge and presumption of that Antichristian Church that the idolatrous Masse as a bottomlesse gulfe hath ouerturned and swallowed vp the Lords Supper turning the Sacrament into a sacrifice administring it in a strange tongue taking away the cuppe from the people of God making prayers for the dead bringing in their carnall presence imagininng a monstrous transubstantiation setting vp a new Priest-hood a new sacrifice a new Altar and lastly feigning vses and ends therof which Christ neuer appointed the Apostles neuer acknowledged the Churches succeeding neuer confessed or practised Now masses t Concil cabilon can 33. are mumbled in memory of the Saints they are held auaileable not only for the liuing but for the dead they are iudged profitable against stormes and tempests they are thought a soueraigne remedy against 〈◊〉 â—ore and sicknes of the body healthfull and helpefull â—â—r such as are going to warre to couer their heads in the day of battell as a shield of brasse and to preserue them from the sword of the enemy good against enchantments and sorceries and fit to be applyed to make tryall proofe whether a man be guilty of the crime and accusation laid to his charge But what are all these strange vses but strange abuses yea strong fancies and delusions of the man of sin burying in perpetuall forgetfulnes the true ends for the which Christ Iesus ordained his last Supper All these being pestilent corruptions of the Sacrament of the Supper and fraudulent additions to the last will and testament of Christ do lay open to the full the wretched abhominations of the Church of Rome the mother of fornications Vse 3 Lastly the name of Christs last will and testament giuen to this Sacrament serueth for the great comfort of Gods children For heerein we shall finde all things belongâ—ng to a full and perfect testament For Christ Iesus is the testator all faithfull Christians u Rom. 8 17. 1 Pet. 1 12. and 5 1. are appointed heires the angels are as the ouerseers the Apostles are the witnesses the legacies bequeathed are not lands and possessions or great summes a Mat. 8 20 26. of mony for the sonne of man had not
al the people to drink of the cup they might pretend this example of the Israelites but inasmuch as they vtterly deny them this part of the cup they ouerthrow theÌ„selues in their malice and yet in their blindnes they do not see it Finally many of the Fathers did both eate Manna and drinke water out of the Rocke if not in the same place yet at one and the same time n Exod. 16 21 inasmuch as they gathered thereof euery morning and it ceased not a Iosh 5 12. vntill they entred the frontiers and confines of the land of promise But they neuer allow without a tolleration and dispensation the people in any place at any time vpon any occasion and in any respect to taste of the cup in the Lords Supper Ninthly if the cup of the new testament may bee taken from the Lords people in like manner the water in baptisme may be taken away from theÌ„ For the blood of Christ whereby remission of sins is purchased and procured is represented by the wine of the Lords Supper as well as by the water in baptisme But the water in baptisme without great sacriledge cannot be omitted or neglected wherefore then should the cup be taken away Tenthly in the matter of the Supper our aduersaries alledge the words of Christ in Iohn Iohn 6. If you drinke not my blood you shall haue no life in you If these words be thus to be vnderstood then by depriuing them of the cup they depriue the people of life and saluation Againe if drinking of the chalice be a priuiledge of the Clergy how commeth it to passe that Kings and Princes haue a part in this priuiledge How is it that they are permitted as well to drinke of the consecrated wine as to eate of the consecrated bread But heerein was a notable piece of cunning a great point of policy vsed partly to aduaÌ„ce the dignity of the Clergy and partly to stop the mouthes of Princes For as by this order or rather disorder the proud Clergy are made companions with Kings and Princes euen equall vnto them so they thinke to hood-winke them make them content to swallow the rest of their superstitions because they are pleased to grace theÌ„ with this priuiledge aboue the people as with a speciall fauour Moreouer it is not to be omitted that a principall end of this Sacrament was instituted to set foorth the death of Christ not onely as an idle narration but as a profitable application thereof to the conscience How then shall the people know that the fruite of shedding his precious blood belongeth vnto them as the nourishment of their soules except besides the looking vpon the cuppe they be partakers of it It is therefore necessary to vnderstand by eating and drinking that God doth not nourish them by halfes but that Christ yeeldeth whole nourishmeÌ„t vnto them Such then are worthily taxed of rashnes themselues that complaine how the people rashly presume to receiue the Sacrament vnder both kindes for as well they might say that it is rashnesse and presumption to imitate and follow Christ And they may iustly be condemned of heresie who pronounce them hereticks and worthy to be punished by the secular power that speake against receiuing in one kind onely as if it were heresie to follow the example of Christ left to the Church For what remaineth more but to proceed one degree farther euen to pronounce Christ himselfe an Arch-heretick and all the Apostles hereticks also and to condemne them to the Inquisition as deceiuers and impostors seducing and misleading the people Lastly if any part of the Supper might be taken away from the people then likewise the word of God may bee taken from them for in this point there is the same reason and respect of them both A Sacrament is nothing else but a visible word and a sealing vp of the word and the offence seemeth to be the same whether a man breake the seale or rent the writing But the word cannot be withdrawne from Christian people it being the instrument of faith and the life of the Church Wherefore it is the greatest wrong and iniury done to the people of God to take from them the cup of saluation The answere to this reason must be to confesse the parts and yeeld the conclusion forasmuch as by forbidding the people the reading of the scriptures they haue robbed them of the word of God and taken from them b Luk. 11 52. the key of knowledge neither entring themselues into the kingdome of heauen nor suffering those that would enter No maruaile then if they take the cup of blessing from the people who haue taken from them the free vse of the word of God To conclude these reasons it is Antichrist who contrary to the doctrine of Christ contrary to the institution of the Supper contrary to the practise of the Apostles and contrary to the vse of the former churches hath excluded the people languishing and thirsting after the blood of Christ as the dry earth for the sweet showers of raine froÌ„ taking the cup of the Lord and left them a dry communion to eate the bread of the Sacrament alone Hauing considered the truth of God by sundry reasons grounded in the Scripture that the people haue good interest and title in the cup denyed vnto them let vs answere the c Obiections for taking â—he cup from the people of god Arist in Top. Cicer. lib 1 ad Heren et de Orator obiections of the aduersaries made against the former doctrine For it is not sufficient onely to teach the truth and to confirme our owne cause except wee labour soundly to infringe and confute the contrary First they pretend that Christ administred it to the apostles onely and not to any of the people and consequently the institution for taking the cup can be no generall commandement for al men thus d Rhem. Test vpon Mat. 26. and Mar. 14. the Rhemists reason without reason I answere first it may bee doubted and disputed whether onely the Apostles were present at his last Supper For seeing diuers were added vnto the Church and professed the faith of Christ seeing he had other Disciples beside the twelue seeing many godly men and women followed him to see his miracles to heare the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth why should wee thinke that none of them were admitted to his table who had often heard his preaching and depended vpon him in their liuing Againe the Passeouer was celebrated in the house e Mat 26 17.18 of a faithfull man as may be collected by sundry circumstances now then either the Lord Iesus annexed that family vnto his as the law in one case appointed or else we shall haue two Passeouers at one time in one house which hath no warrant of Scripture no colour of truth no probability of reason We reade in the institution and celebration of the Passeouer of ioyning house to house
cannot stand together to wit the blood to be in the body and to be out of the body to be shed for vs not to be shed and that the Sacrament leadeth vs to the consideration of the death and especially of the piercing of the body and pouring out of the blood of Christ we may conclude that this i Concil Trid. sess 3. can 3. vnion of the bodye with the blood and blood with the body flatly crosseth and ouerthroweth the institution of Christ And why I pray you do their sacrificing Priestes receiue the blood twice and the body twice drinking first the blood in the body and againe eating the body in the blood Nay doth not this vnion deuised alter the institution of Christ and confound the seuerall parts of it making him to speake otherwise then the Euangelists expresse For when hee saide This is my body they will haue him meane this is my body and blood Againe when he said this is my blood they will haue him meane this is my blood and my body Last of all this late inuention turneth and ouerturneth the nature of the parts distinguished one from the other while wee eate the flesh they make vs drinke the blood and while we drinke the blood they imagine we eate the body Thus to eate and to drinke shall be all one with them for we shall eate liquid and moist things and we shall drinke dry and hard things And is not this drinking of flesh and eating of blood an inuerting euerting of the nature of things But thus God striketh his enemies with giddinesse of spirit For after they haue broken the pure institution of Christ and brought in a carnall presence of his body one absurdity being granted k Arist phys lib. 1. cap. 2. 3. a thousand follow infinite abuses haue ensued vpon heapes the flood-gates being set open whereof there is no end or measure Let them therefore repent themselues of this sacriledge against God and iniury against his people restoring vnto them the communion vnder both kinds according to the ordinance of Christ direction of the Apostles And thus much of the generall vses arising from both the signes ioyntly considered Now let vs come to the particular vses offered vnto vs Partic. vse 1. in each of the signes And first touching the bread Is bread simply considered the first signe in the Lords Supper Then it is not necessarily required that it be administred in vnleauened bread For bread is oftentimes named and repeated but the word vnleauened is neuer added Wherefore as it is in it selfe indifferent whether the wine be red or white whatsoeuer the kinde or colour be if it be wine so is it not greatly material whether the bread be leauened or vnleuened so it be bread Which ouerthrowes the error of the church of Rome her fauorits who hold it l Beliar. lib. 4. de Eucha cap. 7. necessary that the bread vsed in the Sacrament be vnleauened They pretend rhe institution of Christ who say they made the Sacrament of vnleauened bread instituting it after he had eaten the Passeouer which was to be eaten with vnleauened bread m Exod. 12 8.18 according to the law of Moses neither was there any leauē to be found in Israel seauen daies together Thus they charge vs to breake the institution of Christ But see heere the peeuishnes and partiality of these proud spirits who flye to the institution and sticke precisely to the circumstances of it when it serueth any way to their purpose but when the question is of matters of substance not of circumstance as touching communicating vnder both kinds touching the necessity of eating and drinking and of many receiuing together against their halfe communions priuate masses and reseruations they cannot abide to be tyed and yoked to the institution Indeed we deny not but Christ might vse vnleauened bread at his last Supper hauing immediately before eaten the Paschal Lambe This peraduenture is truly coniectured yet no such thing is expressed in the Gospell nor prescribed as a rule necessarily to be followed The Euangelists teach he tooke bread but make no mention or distinction what bread he tooke nor determine what bread we should take no more then limit what wine we shall vse but leaue it at liberty to take leauened bread or vnleauened as occasion of time place persons and other circumstances serue so we take bread as their owne n Gregor 1. in Registr Prophets haue confessed and their owne Councels o Concil Florent sess vlt. haue concluded Wherefore to consecrate in vnleauened bread is not of the substance of the Supper no more then to eate it at night or after Supper as Christ administred and the Apostles first receiued it For if any would bring in a necessity of that time as well as of that bread which Christ vsed wee see as faire a warrant for the one as for the other nay we haue a more certaine direction for the time which is expressed then for the kinde of bread which is not defined Besides if Christ on this occasion vsed vnleauened bread it was because it was vsuall common and ordinary bread at that time as we also shold vse that bread which is vsuall and common So the Apostle speaketh of that bread which was daily vsed among the Gentiles saying p 1 Cor. 10 16 The bread which we breake he addeth neither leauened nor vnleauened but vnderstandeth that in common and continuall vse Thus then we conclude it is no breach of Christs ordinance nor a transgression of the first originall institution of the Lords Supper to eate eyther the one or the other Partic. vse 2. Againe touching the other signe which is the wine the Church of Rome may iustly be charged with transgressing the ordinance of Christ who by her sole authority would tye vs to mingle water with wine for r Rhem. Test fol. 452. nu 23. great mystery and signification especially for that water gushed with blood out of our Lords side So they condemne all those Churches as doing impudently and damnably that do not mixe water with wine in the Sacrament and say it cannot bee omitted without great sinne True it is the Church in former times where the wine prouided for the Lords Table was of it selfe heady strong hot fiery and fuming was wont to allay it with water that it might be milde temperate least that which was taken to helpe and further the soule should disquiet and distemper the body This began for conueniency not for necessity for fitnesse not for signification for sobriety not for any mystery But the water is no part of Christs institution neither can it bee proued that Christ or his Apostles vsed water with their wine or commanded others to mingle wine and water in this mystery or that Christs Apostles euer receiued it as a matter of faith or taught it to be a necessary part of this Sacramēt For Alexander the
faithful of his family to eate and drink that which he deliuereth without laying any further burden or bondage vpon them Then we must vnderstand o It is no precept of Christ to receiue the Lords Supper fasting it is no precept of Christ to receiue the Lords Supper fasting before any other meates and drinkes True it is the people whose zeale goeth beyond their knowledge make a great scruple of conscieÌ„ce in this point to come fasting p August epist 118. which custome we do not condemne but commend so it be without superstition in themselues and iudging of others But howsoeuer many make as great a matter to communicate fasting as to come in faith yet this is no necessary rule or commandement binding the conscience to the obseruation thereof For the word of God and institution of the Sacrament are perfect directions to the Church teaching all matters of faith and obedience yet they teach no such practise And our blessed Sauiour teacheth his Disciples what they should do the Euangelists deliuer what they did and among al their doctrine we finde not this precept of fasting Againe Christ administred it not fasting the Apostles receiued it not fasting not that we are bound to celebrate the Supper at that time but to shew that Christ would neuer haue chosen to doe it after supper if that time had bin simply vnlawfull Besides the Apostle 1 Corinth 11. reprouing the abuses crept into this Sacrament and labouring to reduce it to the first institution exhorteth the Corinthians to tarry one for another and if any be hungry q 1 Cor. 11 36 that he cannot tarry he must beforehand eate at home that so he may better waite for the rest of the congregation Now hee would neuer haue giuen counsell and commandement if it had beene vnlawfull or vngodly to take some little repast and short refreshing before in regard of the present infirmity and weakenesse of the body Lastly he teacheth in another place That the kingdome of heauen is not r Rom. 14 17. meat nor drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the Holy-Ghost To conclude as he willeth that he which eateth despise not him that eateth not and he which eateth not condemne not him that eateth Å¿ Rom. 14 3.5 19. so must it be in this indifferent practise he that can take it let him take it but let not him that receiueth fasting iudge him that fasteth not and let not him which fasteth not condemne him that receiueth fasting he standeth or falleth to his owne Maister Who art thou then that iudgest another mans seruant Let euery one be perswaded in his owne minde and looke to the warrant of his owne worke Let vs follow those things which concerne peace and wherewith one may edifie another If any list to be contentious we haue no such custome neither the Churches of God Lastly obserue with me that the actions commanded Vse 6 vnto the Communicants after the Minister hath taken and blessed broken and distributed the bread taken and blessed and deliuered the cup are these to take the bread and to drinke of the cuppe of the Lord these are in themselues necessary these are commanded and expressed by the Euangelists other gestures may serue to comelinesse and decency but not to the essence and nature of the Sacrament How much then are they deceiued who besides taking eating and drinking prescribed in the Gospell doe striue for the necessity of sitting at the Supper as if it were a maine pillar of religion cry out against the humble lowly reuerent gesture of kneeling as if it were a matter of impiety and abhorre and detest the order of our Church as the sinne of Idolatry There is nothing necessary to bee obserued as a point of faith but we haue faire warrant for it out of the Scriptures but for this sitting to bee so straitly vrged we haue none at all Christ saith indeed Take ye and therefore taking is necessary Christ saith Eate yee therefore eating is also necessary for vs. He saith Drinke yee therefore drinking is also necessary But hee neuer said to any Sit ye therefore we conclude that sitting is not necessary Howbeit diuers doe make sitting as necessary in the action of receiuing as eyther eating or drinking albeit we haue a commandement for the one but no commandement for the other And albeit it be an argument concluding negatiuely from authority yet it is from the authority of God wheras theÌ„selues reason negatiuely from the authority of men in matter of history that because they speake nothing of kneeling therfore it was not vsed I am not ignoraÌ„t how farre this point hath beene caried in heat of zeale and what our learned and reuerent brethren haue written of the absolute necessity of this sitting at the Sacrament of the Supper insomuch that they teach touching our kneeling that in the outward acte of Idolatry there is no difference to be discerned betweene the Papists and vs whereas they kneele to their breaden God but we giue thankes vnto God for giuing to vs the Sacrament of his body and blood and do not worship the bread nor yet kneele vnto it and therefore there can be no acte or shew of Idolatry in vs forasmuch as we haue no Idoll before vs as they haue Besides I would haue all men know what an vncharitable vnchristian censure sentence they giue of our Church which although it haue banished Idolatry and is as far froÌ„ it as themselues yet is charged with Idolatry sin greater then Idolatry Arg. 4. Pag. 62. For thus they write What speake we of seeming heerein to doe the same outward acte of Idolatry that the Papist doth seeing there is also in this so great appearance of the inward and spirituall Idolatry of the heart in that this gesture seemeth to be both inioyned practised euen with a superstâ—tious intent meaning to adore the Sacrament it selfe Heere is a grieuous accusation of priuate men against an whole Church but no proofe at all of the accusation And who made them Iudges of the heart or opened them a window to looke into it Againe they speake afterward these words Arg. 4. Pag. 66. Adde heereunto that for men to tye themselues in their prayer to adore God in or before any creature without warrant of the word is Idolatry And that it were farre lesse sinne and an appearance of an Idolatry that is nothing so grosse to tye vs in our prayers to kneele before a Crucifixe then to binde vs thus in praying to God to kneele before the bread and wine I could wish that this sentence had perished in the birth and neuer seene the light then should it not haue beene grauen as with a pen of iron and remaine to be read of euery man neither should those of the separation alledge it and take occasion to slander our Church and profession by it For by this it appeareth that they iudge our kneeling to
forgiue if ye haue ought against any Others may pray sitting or walking or lying and yet be heard of him to whom they pray Tertullâ—an reporteth this as the common custome of his time De corâ—n milit and as a tradition receiued from the Apostles that it was vnlawful to kneele at prayer vpon any Lords day or vpon any other day betweene Easter and Whitsontide And afterward in the first Nicene councell a solemne decree was made Cano. 20. that none might pray kneeling but onely standing vpon the Lords day and Basile that liued after that councell declareth that it was retained as an Apostolical traditioÌ„ in his time the true reason wherof seemeth to be this Hospin defest Christ because on those dayes is celebrated the ioyfull remembrance of the Lords resurrection Thus did those times determine for standing at prayer and yet is kneeling the fittest gesture which themselues say is knowne to be commanded of God and we dare not say that their decrees were vnlawful and against the word of God Moreouer is it of the nature of hearing to stand How then notwithstanding the former precepts precidents of such as went before vs in it is it said by Ezekiel Ezek. 33.31 ch 33. They come vnto thee as the people commeth they sit before thee as my people and they heare thy words but they will not do them Indeed the Prophet reproueth them in this place howbeit it is not for the scituation of their bodies but for not attention of their mindes and disobedience of their hearts If then neither standing at the time of hearing the word nor kneeling at the time of praying to God bee of the essence of hearing and prayer how shall sitting be of the substance of receiuing this Sacrament It can bee therefore no other in it selfe then a variable circumstance or ceremony that may be altered and changed as occasion shall serue and the Church determine Furthermore who is able to shew that there should bee greater necessity of sitting at the Supper then there is of dipping in baptisme For dipping commeth neerer to the nature of that Sacrament then sitting doth to the nature of the other forasmuch as the continuance vnder the water serueth more fitly to signifie our burying of the bodye of sinne and going forward to mortifie the corruptions of the old man and yet notwithstanding children that are sprinkled with water are truely and rightly baptized But if we would compare things of equall nature together we might affirme that receiuing sitting or standing is all one with receiuing of it in leauened bread or vnleauened with white wine or red or any other colour So that as it skilleth not whether the bread be leauened or vnleauened so that it he bread and whether the wine be red or white so that it be wine so the matter is not great considered in it selfe without the authority of the Magistrate whether we receiue sitting or standing or kneeling so that we do receiue it Nay to shew how little reason there is to stand so strictly vpon the necessity of sitting that men and women will rather abstaine from the Communion then not follow their opinion it may well be iudged more necessary to tye vs to receiue in vnleauened bread then binde our selues to the onely gesture of sitting because it may put vs in mind to keepe the feast not with olde leauen 1 Cor. 5 8. neither with the leauen of malice and wickednesse but with the vnleauened bread of sincerity and truth But it will be obiected Obiection that we must cleaue precisely to the first institution and that Christs example must be our warrant and direction what we ought to do To this I answere Answere three things First I would haue it shewed vndoubtedly demonstratiuely that the Disciples sate while they receiued It is true they sate at the Table while they did eate the Passeouer but what gesture was vsed at the Supper is not expressed neither can by any necessary consequence be collected and concluded From whence I reason in this manner Whatsoeuer is necessarily to be obserued in the Sacrament of the Supper is eyther expressed manifestly or may necessarily be gathered from the institution But that the Disciples sate at the Supper is not manifestly expressed nor can necessarily be gathered from the institution Therefore sitting is not necessarily to be vsed in the Sacrament of the Supper Obiection If any aske whether I can proue they kneeled I answere Answere I cannot neither that they stood vp forasmuch as it is left doubtfull and vncertaine how they receiued and therefore in it selfe it is a circumstance most indifferent Obiection Against this it will be saide that many great and learned men grant and confesse that Christ sate when he deliuered it and the Disciples when they receiued it I answere Answere first that some of them speake by supposition and by way of concession that albeit it be not expressed yet it may be yeelded vnto Againe they speake of it as of a matter that is probable most likely howbeit they make of it no matter of faith nor article of religion nor point of saluation much lesse do they turne a ceremony into substance or a circumstance into the essence it selfe And if this will content them wee can easily yeeld it vnto them that it is most probable that Christ and his Disciples sate Neuerthelesse from a matter that is likely we may not conclude it to be a matter necessary because albeit they sate at the Passeouer the gesture might peraduenture be altered at the Supper many things passing betweene the keeping of the one and the administration of the other For heere I would be resolued of these points whether of a matter not written wee may conclude a matter not done Secondly I demand whether they can possibly proue the sitting of the Disciples by any inuincible argument if any man wil deny it I aske this the rather because if it were a matter of so great waight and importance that we should rather not communicate at all then kneele and that it were no lesse a sinne then Idolatry which is the worshipping of Images we must haue plaine Scripture and euident proofe to inforce the necessity of sitting we must not be led by coniectures nor go by probabilities which in the matters of God do deceiue and oftentimes it falleth out Arist Topic. that many falshoods are more probable then truths because we iudge of truth by the nature of it selfe but of probality by the opinion of men Thirdly I would know whether among so many Authors and authorities alledged touching sitting or standing at the communion they be content to stand to a verdit of twelue men and so to haue the matter passe by a Iury touching the lawfulnes or vnlawfulnesse of kneeling This is our country law and this offer they cannot dislike forasmuch as the witnesses are their owne and we will take exceptions to none of their
it came Hence it is that Caluine teacheth infiit â—ib 4 cap. 17 35.36 that the Apostles are not read to haue prostrated themselues and lye along to worship the Sacrament it is the practise of Rome to prostrate themselues before the bread to adore it There hath bin much written against kneeling at the Communion but the weakenesse of the reasons serueth to discouer the imperfections of their writings For first their opinion looketh one way their proofes another they go about to tye vs to the example of Christ to proue sitting euermore they conclude standing so that we may say with the Poet Amphora coepit Institut Horat. de art Peeâ— currente rota cur vrceus exit Secondly they tell vs that some haue wished this gesture of kneeling to be abolished but who haue pronounced and determined that it is vnlawfull Thirdly do they bring vs any examples either of Churches in generall or priuate persons in particular that did sit at the communion which deepe silence of those that speake of the Sacrament argueth that the particular gesture was not thought necessary no more then eating the Passeouer standing which was afterward altered Fourthly they wrest many authors out of ioynt they bring them in to serue their purpose and then make them to depose what they list Thus they serue Caluine in many places making him to speake against kneeling at the Communion whereas he onely writeth against the popish adoration Thus also they often cite many sundry worthy defendors of our faith against the enemies of the grace of God D. Fulke D. Sutâ—â—sse D. Willet and albeit by their great labours they deserue great praise in the Church yet they marshall them among other writers as if either they disliked the order of our Church or else were some simple fellowes that regarded not what they wrote or as if their opinions and their practises their bookes and their liues their writings and their doings were dissonant and differing the one from the other or as if they did set downe certain principles which themselues do not remember when they come to particulars Fiftly they teach that kneeling in the act of receiuing the bread and wine is imposed and obserued as a part of Gods worship and that it is by all men confessed to bee a chiefe part of religious adoration De Actorat p. 22. 3. whereas Aretius a learned Diuine maketh it onely an accidentall part of religious worship and it is a cleere case it is no chiefe part of it both because religious adoration may be and is vsually without it and it is also vsually without adoration For kneeling is not alwayes ioyned with diuine worshipping as appeareth in the example of Abraham before the people of Heth of Iacob to his brother Esau of the debter before his creditor Gen. 23 7. 33 7. Mat. 18.29 Gen. 48 12. 1 Kin. 1 33. and of the subiects before their Princes al these bow the knee of the body and yet do not worship in a diuine manner Lastly the authors which they bring do speake against them in the particular point for which they bring theÌ„ such persons then as stand vpon the opinion of others let them heare with patience the iudgement of as excellent Diuines as this age hath brought forth Art 1 sect 8. B. Iewel writing against Harding saith thus I deny not certaine circumstances as fasting sitting stand ng kneeling and other like ceremonies obserued in celebrating the holy mysteries are to be moderated and appointed at the iudgement of the Church If these circumstances of fasting sitting standing and kneeling may bee appointed by the Church then the word of God hath determined and defined nothing concerning the vse of them for the Church hath not authority to establish any thing against the Scriptures But because his iudgement may be thought partiall let vs heare what others testifie It is the order of the Church of Geneua to receiue standing as we noted before and as Beza himselfe witnesseth And he hath a notable Epistle written to a friend resoluing him what the faithfull ought to do that liue where the bread in the Supper is not broken neâ—ther deliuered into the hands but put into the mouths of the Communicants things of greater waight and importance then is kneeling at the Sacrament Beza epist 2. things that are not in themselues indifferent things that are no better then plaine corruptions of the institution of Christ yet he aduiseth and counselleth that we should not trouble our conscience with these matters not giue offence to our brethren by refusing to communicate in such places and among such persons as if we were in danger to loose the life and heart of all Christianity I appeale now vnto themselues that cannot abide our kneeling and make them Iudges in this controuersie whether hee that perswadeth the people to suffer the bread vnbroken to bee put into their mouths rather then altogether to abstaine would not also aduise to receiue kneeling according to the order of the Church where it is required and commanded rather then to breake the peace of the Church To this purpose he saith That which is not in it selfe necessary we ought not to vrge farther then is meet And afterward The taking of the Supper is precisely enioyned vnto vs but not the manner how we shall take it Epist 12. et 8 And in another epistle when he was asked his opinion touching the bowing of the knee in the act of receiuing hee thinketh of it as of receiuing with vnleauened bread yet to auoid superstition though it be not euill in it selfe he wisheth it were abolished howbeit it is not of him simply condemned With him accordeth the church of France of the low Countries who dare not pronounce the ceremony of kneeling in receiuing of the Elements to be vtterly vnlawfull but for the vtter rooting of bread-worship out of the hearts of men Obâ—eruat vpon the Harmo of Câ—nfest Instit lib. 4. cap. 17. they hold it much better in most places to haue it vtterly abol shed Caluine speaking of this gesture applyeth it wholy against the Church of Rome that worship this Sacrament not against the true Churches of God that receiue kneeling at the Sacrament but abhorre and condemne the adoring of the Sacrament Peter Martyr sheweth that this outward reuerence vsed in kneeling is not in it selfe and it owne nature euill Loc. commu class 4 cap. 10. sect 50. so that we stay not in the Elements but worship in spirit and truth Christ Iesus sitting in the heauens True it is to conceale nothing of his opinion he taketh this prostrating bending of the knee not to be so fit vnlesse often preaching be ioyned by way of iustruction so that if the people bee taught that they are not to worship the outward elements then there is no such feare of Idolatry but this gesture may be vsed and retained and this is our case
at this day Besides the iudgement of this godly man and learned Diuine we haue the consent of the Churches of Bohemia who far from superstitious adoring the outward signes bow their knees at receiuing of the Sacrament as appeareth in the Harmony of the Confessions sect 14. Hum of the Church sect 14. This Sacrament without adoration and that worship which is due to God onely yet with due reuerence and religion must be receiued and administred and with that especially which is greatest of all namely faith and examination of a mans selfe And not farre after it is added The Sacrament is reuerently with all godlinesse distributed and the people of the faithfull most commonly falling downe on theâ—r knees do receiue this Sacrament with thanksgiuing with gladnesse w th singing of hymnes holy Psalmes and they shew forth the Lords death and admonish themselues of all his benefits to the confirmation of their faith in a true Communion with Christ and his body Thus we haue laid before vs the iudgement of the best Diuines of our age and the lawdable practise of sundry churches of our time among the which none doe simply condemne the vse of our Church and the practise enioyned to our people And albeit they say it is best to follow his doings who did all things well yet do not pronounce that they do euill who receiue it kneeling or otherwise then the Disciples tooke it But the question which I handle is not what gesture is the fittest or vnfittest for the Magistrate to command but whether the gesture of kneeling be lawfull or not lawfull whether the Sacrament bee prophaned by it or not and whether we ought to submit our selues to it where it is imposed and whether we should abstaine from the communion or may with a good conscience forbeare the vse of it where we are not permitted to sit or stand at our owne pleasure Hauing finished in this manner these profes for the lawfulnesse of kneeling and disproses of the contrary I receiued from a godly learned and reuerent Diuine a collection of certaine reasons together with an answere of certaine obiections whereof I haue thought good to make the gentle reader acquainted that is desirous to settle his conscience in this point Touching kneeling at the Communion Argument 1. No set gesture is commanded Paul 1 Cor. 11. 1 Cor. 11 23. deliuering what he had receiued of the Lord mentioneth not any gesture at all Therefore any decent and seemely is left free to be vsed of vs in it selfe Argu. 2. The Conscience is not bound in any thing which belongeth not to Gods kingdome Now the kingdome of God that is the kingdome of grace consisteth not in meate and drinke that is in outward things Ro. 14. Rom. 14 â—7 such is euery gesture of the body Therefore no gesture simply and in it selfe belonging to Gods kingdome as hindring or furthering vs in the seruice of God in the duties of religion any may be vsed without scruple of conscience Argu. 3. A most reuerent gesture is fit to bee vsed in that action which is performed with prayer Such is the action of receiuing this Sacrament being both giueÌ„ and receiued with prayer therefore a most reuerent gesture is fit for it which is kneeling Argu. 4. It seemeth in the primitiue Church they vsed to kneele at this action because the Pagans obiected to the Christians that they worshipped Ceres Bacchus August contra Faustum Aug. con Faust which they did as it is probable seeing them vse that reuerent gesture at the Lords Table in receiuing the bread and wine Argu. 5. Peter Martyr thinketh that kneeling may lawfully be vsed where there is no opinion of transubstantiatiation Loc. com class 4. ca. 10. sect 50. Loc. com clas 4. c. 10. Many godly men bend the knee and adore at the hearing of those words The word was made flesh yet those words are not to be said to be adored but the things themselues signified thereby Now what should hinder the same to be done in the Sacrament so that the signes themselues be not worshipped Art 1. diuis 8. against Harâ—â— B. Iewel leaueth receiuing the Supper fasting sitting standing kneeling such circumstances to the discretion and determination of the Church The like might be said of the Churches of Bohemia These exâ—mples and authorities I put down briefly because they are handled at large before Obiect 1 Christ and his Apostles at the first institution Obiection 1 sate therefore we ought to do so An. First consider the speciall occasion They were now Answer 1 sitting at supper and this Sacrament was to be instituted in the place of the Passeouer therfore our Sauiour continued that gesture still and would not of purpose rise from Table for so small a matter But if he had come of purpose onely to institue this Sacrament then it is questionable whether he would haue made choice of the gesture of sitting Secondly our Sauiour as he sate at the institution of this Sacramâ—Ì„t so also he blessed or gaue thanks sitting Mat 26.26 with 20. As they did eat Iesus took the bread when he had blessed c. compared with the 20. v. He blessed as they did eate now they did eate sitting therefore he blessed sitting If then we be tyed to his example in sitting at the Sacrament then the Minister is also tyed to it in blessing with prayer the bread and wine and so he may not kneele at that prayer which containeth the blessing of the bread and wine Thirdly why are we not likewise bound to the circumstance of time by his example to celebrate it at night as also to sit in that manner leaning one vpon another as wel as to this gesture Obiection 2 Obiect 2. We must abstaine from all appearance of euill 1 Thes 5. 1 Thes 5 12 but here is appearance of popish adoration of the bread Therefore we should abstaine from kneeling Answere Answere That place is specially meant of matters of doctrine which may iustly be suspected carry some shew or appearance of error though not direct falshood Caluin Comment in illum locum Caluin Comment in 1 Thes 5 22. Secondly if we take it as a generall rule it must be restrained and not extended to al things which come neere euill Our abstinence from flesh in time of Lent and other dayes being commanded by authority may seeme to be drawne within the compasse of that precept if we restraine it not For it hath an appearance of the superstitious religious fast of the Papists There is abstinence from flesh in both yet the end is farre different they to worship God we for politicke and ciuill respects So heere the outward gesture is like in both they kneele and we kneele but the end is different they to adore the bread we to adore God Besides in the primitiue church the christiaÌ„s in prayer turned their faces to the East which was an
is the sound comfort following and flowing from the death of Christ To conclude we must learne and hold for euer that wee haue the beginning and chiefe cause in our selues which did crucifie Christ and crush him with most bitter sorrows let vs then be reuenged of our sins and do al despite we can vnto them let vs endite them arraigne them accuse them condemn them and naile them to his crosse let vs kill them mortifie them and bury them in his graue for euer This is the first end of the supper which is signified by the breaking of the bread and powring out of the wine declaring vnto vs that as the body of our Lord was broken and by violent meanes afflicted so his bloud gushed out and flowed plentifully out of his gaping and bleeding woundes This must be our meditation whensoeuer wee come to the Lords table For the passion of Christ as the breaking of his body vppon the crosse the powring out of his bloud and the separating of the Soule from the body must be both spoken of by the Pastor and remembred by the receiuer in the Supper if the one would deliuer it faithfully and the other receiue it fruitfully We must call to minde that Christ humbled himselfe to death for vs euen to the accursed death of the crosse that hee apprehended and felte the whole wrath of God vpon him in Soule and body whereby he was brought into a grieuous agony his body being rent with nayles beaten with scourges pricked with thornes pearced with a speare and his Soule pressed with the burden of all our sins which were cast vpon his shoulders he standing as a pledge and surety in our places What shall wee returne vnto him for this mercy and what loue ought wee to render for this great loue Shal we not crush the very head of sin that hath thus crushed our head Let vs not therefore wound him that hath cured vs nor pierce him with our sinnes that was killed for our sins or crucifie him by the lusts of the old man who was crucified to make vs newe men And thus much of the first end of the Lords Supper CHAP. XIII Of the second vse of the Lords Supper THe second vse of the Lords Supper is our spirituall vnion and communion with Christ 1 Cor. 10 16 This the Apostle declareth The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the cōmunion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the cōmunion of the body of Christ Whereby hee meaneth that the faithfull which come conscionably worthily to the lords table are ioyned and vnited wholy to Christ by the bread Sacramentally by faith instrumentally by the Holy ghost spiritually and by them almost effectually For wee take the bread in our hands and likewise we take the cuppe into our hands as Christ commaunded saying b Mat. 26 26. Take ye eate ye drinke ye deuide ye Neither doe wee lay them apart or hide them aside or reserue them in a boxe or abstaine from them but when we haue taken them we eat them we digest them we are nourished by them and they are turned into our substance So Christ being eatē of the godly by saith is vnited to them by his spirit as wee haue shewed before whereby they are made one with Christ and he one with them And as meate plentifully prepared daintily dressed and onely seene vpon the table doth not nourish the body or take away hunger so if the Gospell be preached and the Sacraments administred except we apply the promises of the gospell and beleeue that Christ with all his guifts is ours they profite nothing towards our saluation Such therefore as lawfully and worthily come to the Lords Supper as to a table richly furnished and to a banket liberally prouided must not onely generally beleeue that Christ suffered in the flesh and dyed for sinners but c Gal. 2 20 particularly for themselues yea communicateth himselfe and all his guifts vnto them aboundantly as certainely as themselues eate of the bread and drinke of the cup. This vnion and communion is neere and wonderfull great and therefore the Apostle fitly calleth it a mystery euen d Eph. 5 32. a great mystery speaking of Christ of the Church For what vnion can be greater then that which is betweene the thing nourishing and the thing nourished We haue nothing in Adam but that which conueyeth death vnto vs so that it is needfull to be ioyned to one which may giue life to vs that as we dye in Adam e Rom. 5 19. so we may liue in him This vnion cannot by reason be expressed or fully vnderstood As Christ in the daies of his flesh had a double kindred one earthly and carnall kinred the other spirituall that by faith receiued his word and beleeued in his name of whom he said f Mat. 12 44. Behold my mother and my brethren for whosoeuer shall do my Fathers will which is in heauen the same is my brother sister and mother so is it in this vnion and fellowship with him one is outward bodily which al mankinde hath with him in that he is partaker of our flesh and blood the other inward spirituall whereby we are made partakers of him and of all his sauing graces to euerlasting life As Christ was borne of the Virgin Mary vnited our nature to him taking vpon him g Heb. 2 16. not the Angels nature but the seed of Abraham euery reprobate hath this vnion with him in that hee tooke vpon him the shape of a man but there is a mysticall and maruellous vnion whereby he dwelleth in vs by faith whereby we are truely coupled to him made partakers of him deliuered from sin and made heires of euerlasting life quickning and sustaining vs as food which preserueth the life of the body If the arme ioyned to the body haue no life no sence no benefit of vitall spirits it is no part of the body though it be vnited to it so the wicked liuing without faith are as it were sencelesse they haue no forgiuenesse of sinnes no sanctification no saluation and therefore are no true members of Christ If he poure not life and grace into them they are not his members if he kill not sinne in them they are not vnited spiritually vnto him The bodily vnion with him shall profite nothing it is the Spirit that giueth life Seeing then the receiuing of the bread and wine which Vse 1 turne into our substance teacheth the mysticall vnion betweene Christ and his members wee learne from hence that all the faithfull and godly are truly made partakers of Christ and his graces as the members receiue life from the head and the tree moisture from the root For euen as the wife ioyned to her husband in marriage is thereby made partaker of his body and goods hath interest with him in the commodities of this life g Gen. 20.16 and looketh
his priuate and secret prayers Lu. 18.13 Thirdly we maintaine the confession made to the Church when any person hath openly offended the Congregation by any notorious crime and is for the same excommunicated This doth testifie the conuersion and repentance of such as haue fallen Lastly we teach that confession ought to be made to our neighbour for the offences which we commit one against another when wee haue vpon any occasion wronged and offended him and therefore our Sauiour saith Math 5. Mat. 5 23 24. If thou bring thy guift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thy guift before the Altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy guift These kindes of confession we confesse and beleeue but what maketh all this for the whispering confession vsed in popery and iudged to be necessary to saluation A tirrannous law binding vs to reckon vp euery one of our sinnes in the eare of a Priest as if forgiuenesse of our sinnes stood in this Whereas we say and are not afraid to auouch that this confession pressed vpon men to be made of all sinnes to a popish Priest vpon paine of damnation is no better theÌ„ another Inquisition Would wee then know what this shrift is and how to esteeme of it and what effects it worketh It is the mocking of God What popish shrift is the inuention of the diuell the pride of the Clergy the pick-pursse of the people the racke of the Conscience the shame and reproach of the offender the bewrayer and discouerer of the secrets of Princes and states the piller of popery the ape of repentance the nurserie of despaire the cherisher of vncleannesse and to be short the bawd of all sinnes It getteth a pardon for all that is past it giueth free passage for such as are present and purchaseth a priuiledge for them that are to come Thus sinne is made no sin it is a light matter that no man need to trouble himselfe for it for asmuch as the Priest may pardon him with a word speaking Wherefore albeit this institution be ful of humane wisedome and policy for the vpholding and strengthning of the kingdome of Antichrist yet there is no title in the word of God to prooue it or confirme it I confesse indeede it was a custome sometimes in the Church of Constantinople Sozomen Eccl â—â—â—â—ter lib. 7 cap. 17. but when it hapned that a noble matron was dishonoured and dishonested by a certaine Deacon of vncleane life Nectarius the Bishop of that place by the consent of others did abolish it out of the Church VVhat would he haue done if hee had liued in the times and places of popery where such examples are not straunge but common If one fast were of sufficient force to thrust it out of that Church doubtlesse many hundred presidents that might bee produced not inferiour vnto it ought to serue as a whip to whippe and scourge it out of other Churches and as a strong barre to keepe it out for euer that it neuer get footing and enâ—rance into it againe Hence it is that the Church remained in the liberty of Confession twelue hundred yeares and had no snare to intangle the conscience laide vppon it vntill the Councell of Lateran in which the law of auricular Confession was first of all inacted whereby it is come to passe that they haue secret intelligence of all secretes for by this occasion they know the hearts affections and dispositions of all persons and by this meanes they finde an easie way to enrich that couetous and ambitious See with the riches and reuenues of the world and by them both ariseth a twofold benefite because both they knowe howe to shift for themselues and to preuent a mischiefe before it come vpon them But to leaue these wee exhort men to make Confession of their sinnes to GOD the onely beholder of our thoughtes and heartes who hath promised to forgiue them and will neuer vp-braide vs with them And herein wee doe no otherwise then the holy and ancient fathers of the Church did before vs who send the people from men to God from the earth to heauen from the fellow seruants to the common maister of all It was well sayed of Augustine What haue I to doe with men Confess lib. â—0 cap 3. Curiosum genus ad cognoscendum vitam alicitaâ— that I should make confession to them as if they could heale all my sores It is a curious kinde of people to search into other mens liues but most slothfull to reforme and amend their owne The like we might say of Chrysostome who is plentifull in this argument I doe not compell thee to confesse thy sinnes to others And againe If thou be ashamed to confesse them to any man because thou hast sinned say them dayly in thine owne soule Homil. 2. in Psal 50 ser de poenit Hom. 4. de Laza I doe not bid the confesse them to thy fellow seruant who may cast them in thy teeth but confesse them vnto God who is able to heale them In another place hee sayeth Why should we be ashamed to confesse our sinnes that he may pardon them Doth God therefore commaund them to be confessed that after the manner of men he might punnish vs Hee doeth it not to punnâ—sh vs but that he might pardon vs. I will alledge one testimony more and then conclude Homil. de incomprehens natura dei I doe not leade thee as it were into an open stage of thy fellow seruants I doe not compell thee to vncouer thy sinnes to men vnfould thy conscience before God shew thou thy woundes to the Lord the best Physitian and craue of hâ—m to heale them Thus ought we to do let vs fly to God when we want helpe who is the God of all mercy and the father of all consolation And when wee minde to come to the holy Communion of the body and bloud of Christ let vs not think to fit our selues vnto it by a foolish numbring vp of our sins to men but not to God of custom but not of conscience by obseruing the traditions of the Church but not by seeking to obtaine pardon of our offences The order which we ought to obserue in the examination of our selues is laid downe vnto vs in the Chapters following Thus much touching the first reproofe The second reproofe 2. Reproofe serueth to condemne all such as are very precise and curious in searching into the liues and conuersations of others that say stand aparte and come not neere me for I am holier then thou These abstaine from the Communion becauâ—e of the presence of euill men and cannot be perswaded to take the Supper with them Such as are of the separation reprooued for not ioyning with vs in the worship of God In the former part of this Booke we haue answered sundry obections which sundry persons alledge for
of the Sacraments or sit downe in this Chaire of honour because it wanteth the institution of Christ it wanteth an outward signe it hath no word to warrant it or promise of blessing for howsoeuer b Act 8 5 14 15 16 17. the Apostles by imposition of hands gaue the Holy-Ghost those miraculous gifts are now with-drawne from the Church of God Lastly they haue aduanced it aboue baptisme they administer it in a strange tongue hallow the greazy oyle to purifie soule and body True it is they alledge the example of the Apostles who vsed imposition of hands ouer those of Samaria Act. 8 14. But can they bestow the like miraculous guifts as the Apostles did vpon the Samaritans by laying on of their hands Indeed wheÌ„ Philip had catechised the Samaritans taught them the fundamentall points of Christian religion the Apostles came and prayed for them and laid their hands vpon them So likewise after that children haue in their owne persons made publike particular profession of their faith which others did professe for them in their name at baptisme We acknowledge that prayer may be made for them that strength of faith and increase of grace may bee giuen them by the Holy-Ghost to liue and dye in that faith wherof they haue made profession To which prayers we deny not but the ceremony of imposition of hands may bee added betokening the restraint of our desires to the parties whom we present to God and declaring thereby that wee pray for them that are before vs. But what is this to the cozenage and imposture of the Church of Rome that mock God and his people For the Apostles did not consecrate Oyle mixed with Balme nor annoint the Samaritans with such Oyle They did not crosse their fore-heads nor kisse their mouths nor clap their eares nor binde their faces with fillets nor forbid them to wash their heads neither vsed any such may-game as is now practised by the popish Bishops in their apish confirmation who haue it in greater estimation then the Sacrament of baptisme because they permit the administration of it to euery Priest yea to priuate persons yea to women yea euen to the Iewes and Infidels that are out of the Church whereas they reserue to the Bishops onely the power of Confirmation as if it had greater power to strengthen the soule against the Diuell Secondly c Penance is no sacrament their pennance instituted by bodily chastisements to make satisfaction for sin to God is no Sacrament of the new Testament nor any sacred thing being thus vnderstood For we acknowledge no other satisfaction d 1 Ioh 1 7. for sinne wherein God delighteth and the conscience of man resteth but only the death and obedience of Christ Besides true repentance hath been preached and practised from the beginning of the world after that sinne entred into the world Furthermore their pennance hath no visible signe as baptisme and the Supper of the Lord haue Thirdly e Matrimony is no Sacrament matrimony albeit it be a diuine ordinance honorable f Heb 13 4. among all estates yet can be no Sacrament of the Church of Christ because it was instituted before g Gen 2 18 the law it is ratified among the Infidels which are no members of the Church it hath no promise of grace and saluation ioyned to it and albeit it be honourable in all h 1. Cor 6 7.7 37. yet it is not necessary in all Lastly the Romaine Church esteemeth it as an vncleane thing a prophanation of holy orders a liuing in the flesh so that as with one hand they aduance it to a great dignity with the other hand they cast it downe with great disgrace and contempt as vnworthy of the high holy priest-hood Fourthly orders come in the next i Orders no sacrament place which are the officers and ministry of the Church but no Sacrament or Sacraments of the Church For then according to the number of orders wee should multiply the number of Sacraments Neither haue they any outward Element and visible signe Lastly we are come to extreame vnction which we suffer not to mask vnder the name of Sacraments but pull off the vizard therof because the church had the vse of anointing so long as it retained the miraculous gift of healing Besides it hath no worde of institution to warrant the continuall practise of it vntil the second comming of Christ Indeede the Apostles and Disciples were commaunded to annoint the sicke and so to heale them of their sicknes and if any man in our dayes haue this miraculous guifte of healing bestowed vpon him we like well that hee shoulde annoint the sicke and in the name of God vse the gifte bestowed vpon him But the Church of Rome annoint those whose case and condiâ—ion is without hope of amendement and recouery Thus a Medicine is turned into a Sacrament and a miracle is turned into a coniuring of Deuils and the Vnct on which was woont to heale the body is turned into a foolish ceremony vnprofitable both to the bodie and to the soule and yet it will require a large halfe houres worke to can oâ—e oâ—â— extreme vnction A great deale of time very all â—â—stowed Wherefore sâ—â—ing the word of God teacheth the number of two Sacraments onely and the Church of Rome enstructeth her children inâ—o the number of seauen Sacraments neither moe nor lesse they must pardon vs if wee hearken rather to the Scriptures then to their Traditions rather to God then to man rather to the author of trueth then to the spirit of error Neuerthelesse though wee thus speake we like wel the things themselues being rightly vnderstood at the repentance of the penitent confirmation of the faithful that are weake and newe called the order of the Ministery of the Church the visitation and comfort of the sicke the lawfull estate of honourable Matrimony as godly and profitable and that not onely in the new Testament but also in the olde so that we would haue no man slander vs or mistake vs herein as though we refused those things which be of themselues godly and good but vvee like not and allow not the deuising of newe Sacraments in them for which we haue no warrant in the word of God Hitherto we haue spoken of the Sacraments in generall The sum of the 2. Booke of their parts of their vses and of the number now wee come to speake of them in particular first of Baptism which is as it were the doore or gate of the Church then of the Lordes Supper which is the foode and nourishment of the Church And howsoeuer Baptisme hath sundrie significations yet as it signifieth that washing with Water which serueth to seale and assure the Couenant of the New Testament What Bapt is it is the first Sacrament wherein by the outward washing of the body with water once in the name of the Father of the son and of the holy
Sacrament no man could be assured that at any time he receiued a Sacrament but must alwaies hang in suspense and doubt of the matter Let no man therfore refuse or abhorre the Lords ordinances for the euil demeanour of the Ministers as no man will reiect the guifte of a Prince albeit a wicked person should drawe the conueyance The third and last question remaineth which is whether the ignorance or vnabilitie of the Minister to preach Touching the bapt of ignorant ministers do disanull the sufficiency and efficacy of the Sacrament to the receiuer that beleeueth It were to bee wished that euery Congregation had his learned Pastor that so the occasion of this Question might be cut off but because wee cannot haue so flourishing a Church we must consider the matter as the case standeth with vs and know that his actions are not nullities For the Apostle requireth that the Minister should be vnreprooueable in life 1 Tim. 3.2 as well as apt to teach 1 Tim. 3. If then his euill life doe not disanull his worke why should his ignorance be a greater bar If then any reason thus Euery Ministery of the New-Testament is a preaching Ministery Therefore Sacraments are voide that are deliuered by no preachers Why may we not reason in like manner and as strongly Euery Ministerie of the New-Testament is an vnblameable ministery Therefore Sacraments are void that are deliuered by them that are not vnreprooueable Indeede euery good ministerie is a preaching ministery but not euerie ministery in generall and therefore it will not follow that the action of him that is no preacher is a nullityâ— But of these Questions wee haue spoken more at large elsewhere Thus farre of the parts â— Baptisme both the outward and the inward parts now wâ— come to the vses therof Å¿ Three vses of Baptisme which are principally three First to shewe the placing and planting into the body of Christ to râ—maine in him for euer This coniunction with Christ is not bodily or naturall but mysticall and maruellous in our eies for we are made one with Christ t 1 Cor. 6 17. by the same Spirit dwelling in Christ and in all the members of Christ So then the Saintes triumphing in heauen and all the beleeuers fighting vpon earth as soldiers in warefare haue one and the same spirite of Christ dwelling in them and therefore are one with him Secondly to assure vs of the remission of our sinnes that we may be able to stand in the presence of God u Gal. 3 17. hauing put on the garments of Christ as Iacob receiud the blessing clad in the garments of his elder brother This ouerthroweth the doctrine or rather doting of the Church of Rome which teacheth that baptisme abolisheth all sinnes going before it and leaueth nothing that hath the name or nature of sinne If this were a trueth of God not a dreame of men it is not onely decent but greatly to be desired to haue baptisme deferred vntill olde age nay vnto the houre of death that fo we may depart hence in peace with greater assurance of Gods fauour in the pardon of our sinnes Thirdly a Marke 1 1. to slay the olde man and to kill our naturall corruption by the power of the death and buriall of Christ besides to raise vs vp againe to holinesse and newnesse of life by his resurrection Hence it is that the Euangelists call it the Sacrament of Repentance admonishing euerie one of vs to expresse the strength power of baptisme as the Prophets oftentimes exhort the Iewes to b Deut 10 15. circumcise the foreskin of their harts and to harden their neckes no more So wee ought not to content our selues to be baptized in bodie but must labour to be baptized in soule by a daily proceeding in regeneration by bringing foorth the fruites of sanctification and applying Christ Iesus to our full iustification Thus much of baptisme the honourable badge of our profession and dedication to Christ that dyed vppon the Crosse what it is what are the parts and vses thereof Now wee come to d The sum of the 3. Booke the Sacrament of the bodie and bloode of Christ which is called by diuers and sundrie names in the New Testament Sometimes it is called the f 1 Cor. 10 16 Communion teaching that wee are one bodye coupled togethet in Christ shewing that it is to bee receyued of manie together and admonishing vs of vnitie and concord among our selues Sometimes it is g 1 Cor. 11 20 called the Lordes Supper hence wee see who is the authour of it no Man no Angell but the Lord Iesus leauing it for a fare-well token of his Loue towards vs. Wee must also come with an earnest desire hungring after Christ that we may be satisfied with his righteousnesse Sometimes it is called the h Actes 2 42. breaking of bread this sheweth that the substance of breade remaineth after the words of consecration that figuratiue speeches are vsed in the Sacrament and that this externall rite of breaking the bread vsed by Christ practised by the Apostles obserued by the pastors of the Church ought not to bee omitted and ouer-passed Sometimes it is called the i 1 Cor 10 21 Table of the Lord this teacheth that Christ and his Apostles at the celebration of it vsed a table not an Altar that it is a Sacrament not a Sacrifice and that we ought to draw nere vnto it with all regard and reuerence Lastlie it is called the New testament or Will of Christ This title teacheth that there is a double Couenant betweene GOD and man the one old the other new the one of the law the other of the Gospell the first of workes the second of grace Againe it serueth to condemne the cursed sacriledge of the Church of Rome which addeth and detracteth altereth and mingleth it with the leauen of her owne inuentions This is a great comfort to all Gods children to consider that all faithfull Christians are the heires of Christ to whoÌ„ he hath promised saluation of their soules and forgiuenes of their sinnes As we haue seene the seuerall names of this Sacrament which shew the nature thereof vnto vs so now we will set downe k What the Lords Supper is what the Lords Supper is The Supper of the Lord is the second Sacrament wherein by visible receiuing of bread and wine is represented our spirituall communion with the body and blood of Christ Heere God is present and sitteth as president at this Table he offereth vnto vs his owne Son for our iustification and therefore this Supper must be reuerently regarded and diligently frequented of vs. In this Sacrament l In the lords Supper consider hiâ— parts and his vses we are in like manner to consider the parts and the vses thereof The parts are partly outward and partly inward For it fareth no otherwise with the Sacrament then it doth with man considered in his
iustification Secondly the Holy-Ghost who assureth vs of the truth of Gods promises This sheweth that he is true i Reuel 1 4. God equall with the Father and the Son proceeding from the Father and the Son This confuteth such as suppose no partaking of the body and blood of Christ except he bee giuen vs in a carnal and fleshy manner wheras the Spirit worketh faith in our hearts k Heb. 11.1 which is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene The third inward part of the Lords Supper l Luk. 22 19 is the body blood of Christ deliuered for vs vnto death This conuinceth such of a spirit of error who make vnbeleeuers and reprobates partakers of Christs body and blood thus his body should be prophaned m Ioh 6 5 and his sauing graces separated from his person But euen as where Sathan dwelleth possesseth the heart there alwaies raigne the works of darknes and damnation so the gifts of Christ accompanying saluation are inseparably ioyned with the person of Christ This also condemneth the reall presence and carnall eating of Christ which forgeth many Christs and reuiueth the heresie of Eutiches it crosseth sundry Articles of the Christian faith and maketh faithfull men like the vnfaithfull Barbarians that deuoured mans flesh and drunke his blood True it is Christ is truely present in the Sacrament howbeit not carnally and corporally but spiritually and mystically He hath giuen himselfe to be the food of our soules let vs hunger and thirst after him and lay hold on him to our saluation for n â— Ioh. 5 12. he that hath the Sonne hath life he that hath not the Son of God hath not life The last inward part is the faithfull receiuer who stretcheth forth the hand of faith so layeth hold on Christ and al his sauing graces For no maÌ„ can communicate with his body but the same is made partaker of his benefits Let vs all prepare the true and liuely faith o Tit. 1.1 of Gods elect and assure our selues that hypocrites and vnbeleeuers cannot possibly be partakers of the body and blood of Christ These are the foure inward parts also of the Lords Supper The similitude and relation p The proportion betwixt the outward and inward parts of the Supper of the outward and inward parts one to another standeth in this manner euen as the Minister by the words of institution offereth and giueth bread and wine to the Communicants to feed thereupon bodily so the Father by the Spirit offereth and exhibiteth the body and blood of Christ Iesus to the soules of the faithful to feed vpon them spiritually Thus much of all the parts of the Lords Suppeer now follow the vses to be vnfolded The q The vses of the lâ—d supper are three vses and profit which we reape by the Lords Supper are specially three First to shew forth with praise and thanksgiuing the death and the sufferings of Christ who his owne selfe bare our sins in his body on the tree by whose stripes r 1 Pet. 2 24 we are healed so that we haue the chiefe cause in our selues which did crucifie Christ Secondly to teach our communion with Christ being made flesh Å¿ Eâ—h 5 30. of his flesh and bone of his bones Hence we learne that al the godly and beleeuers are made partakers of Chrst and his graces This is matter of great comfort in our manifold trials and tentations that we are ioyned to Christ as members to the head t Rom. 8. â—3 and therefore neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things preseÌ„t nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to separate vs from the loue of GOD which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. But on the other side the vngodly and vnbeleeuers haue no part or portion in Christ and his graces they are as branches u Ioh. 15 6. cut off which wither and men gather them to cast them into the fire and to burne them Thirdly to declare and testifie our Communion fellowship and a 1 Cor. 10 17 agreement with our brethreÌ„ meeting together at the same Table and partaking together of the same Supper Wherefore seeing we haue not onely an vnion with Christ but a Communion among our selues we are the seruants of the Church to serue one another in all duties of loue to instruct them that are ignorant to raise them that are fallen and to binde vp the broken hearted to reconcile our selues one toward another and to keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Hitherto we haue handled the doctrine of the Lords Supper declaring what it is what are the parts and vses thereof the preparation to this worke followeth b 1 Cor. 11.28 consisting in the examination of our selues and trying our owne hearts by the touchstone of the law of God This duty is very necessary to be performed of vs c Ier. 17 9. for the heart of man is deceitful aboue al things and the secret corners of it past finding out We haue to deale with God in this businesse Great is the profit which we reape and receiue if we come rightly and reuerently prepared Great is the punishment procured by want of this tryall and examination And the d Hag. 2 14 Sacrament it selfe is defiled by vnworthy receiuing This preparation principally standeth in these foure points in the e Ioh. 17 3. knowledge of God and of ourseluess especially of the whole doctrine of the Sacraments in a f 2 Cor. 13 5 liuely faith in Christ seeing euery one receiueth so much as he beleeueth he receiueth in repentance g Psal 26 6. from dead workes and lastly in h Mat. 5 23. reconciliation toward our brethren hauing peace i Rom. 12.18 with all men and loue toward our enemies Thus I haue opened plainely yet truely the doctrine of the Sacraments deliuered in the Scriptures and taught in the reformed Churches I haue disclosed some part of the mystery of Iniquity and discouered and laid open the skirts of that great Idoll of the Masse the reproach of Christians the scorne of the Gentiles the offence of the weake and the occasion of ruine to many that stumble thereat to their own confusion The Lord God high possessor of heauen and earth and preseruer of his people that call vpon him put it into the hart of al Christian Princes and Rulers of the earth to pull downe this abhominable Idoll that hath aduanced it selfe against the kingdome of Christ and to deface this filthy monster that hath deceiued many who trusted in it The same Lord vouchsafe to reueale his truth to the ignorant to establish them that are weake and to confound all obstinate enemies to his truth to their Prince and to their Country for Iesus Christs sake Amen Amen FINIS A Table of the principall
our owne vnrighteousnesse And heereby wee may examine our selues whether Christ be in vs or not for then the body is dead because of sinne but the spirite is aliue through righteousnesse This is that which the Apostle teacheth 2. Cor. 5 17. If any man be in Christ let him be a new creature old things are passed away behold al things are become new So the Prophets prophesying of the kingdome of Christ do foretell of a new heauen and new earth Esay 65 17. signifying thereby that all such as belong to Christ and haue him dwelling in them by faith must bee renewed and regenerated by water and the Holy Ghost He is not as a dead body that hath no working but hee worketh wheresoeuer he commeth and dwelleth and altereth al those that are truely partakers of him not in substance but in qualitie giuing them new mindes new wils new affections and a new conuersation Happy are they that finde this change in them for they shall bee saued in that great day of the Lord the day of account when the mouth of iniquity shall be stopped and all the vngodly put to silence Thus much of the third inward part of a Sacrament CHAP. XII Of the fourth inward part of a Sacrament THe a The last inward part of a Sacrament is the faithful receiuer last inward part of a Sacrament is the faithfull receiuer desiring apprehending receiuing hungring and thirsting after Christ There is required a faithfull receiuer if wee would receiue Iesus Christ faith must of necessity goe before without this there is no iustification without this there is no saluation as Rom. 14. Whatsoeuer b Rom. 14 23 Heb. 11 6. is not of faith is sinne And Heb. 11. Without faith it is vnpossible to please God Iudas executed the function of an Apostle hee was partaker of the Passeouer yet he ceased not to remaine an hypocrite a diuell and the childe of perdition c Iohn 17 12. that the Scripture might be fulfilled Neither was he bettered or sanctified by that Sacrament or by the vse thereof Ananias and Sapphira his wife d Acts 5 4 9. being in the number of Disciples were no doubt baptised of the Apostles had also receiued ofttimes the Lords Supper yet they continued in their wickednesse lying and hypocrisie the Sacrament did not take away their wickednes nor giue them a iustifying and sauing faith e Acts 15 9. which purifieth the heart by repentance and worketh new obedience in the soule The like we haue said of Simon the sorcerer f Acts 8 23. who albeit he were baptised yet remained in the gall of bitternes and in the bond of iniquity Wherefore the Apostle teacheth that the word profited not g Heb. 4 2. because it was not mingled with faith in those that heard it If the signes be receiued without faith they hurt not that Gods guifts and ordinances hurt of themselues but not being receiued aright they hurt through our sinne and default As the word not receiued by faith is an empty sound without force so the Sacrament is an vnprofitable and a naked shew without substance Wherefore the Sacraments in regard of the vnbeleeuers and vngodly are no Sacraments to them because to them they are not seales of the righteousnesse of faith True it is they remaine Sacraments in respect of God who offereth his owne Sonne but they loose their strength and force toward the vnfaithfull that do abuse and contemne them h Rom. 2 25. as the Apostle expresly teacheth Circumcision verily is profitable if thou keepe the law but if thou bee a transgressor of the law thy circumcision is become vncircumcision The same Apostle speaking of such i 1 Cor. 11 20. as vsed the Lords supper without true godlines and due preparation saith This is not to eate the Lords Supper denying that to be which was not done as it ought to be Wherefore seeing the right vse of the Sacrament is Vse 1 when such as are truely conuerted vse them aright we learne diuers instructions that flowe and follow from hence First that the reprobate though God offer the whole Sacrament to them doe receiue the signes alone without the things signified they haue the bare title without the thing the vanishing shadow without the body the outward letter without the Spirite the empty boxe without the oyntment and the creature without the Creator They are washed with the element of water but not with the grace of regeneration They eate the bread and drinke the wine but they are not partakers of the bodye and blood of Christ Iesus to saluation They eate k Panem domini non panâ—m dominum â—ugust hom in Ioh. 65. the bread of the Lord but they eate not the bread the Lord because the signe without the right and holy vse thereof is not an auaileable Sacrament to the receiuer of it Wee see therefore the wicked partake not Christ although they partake the signes of Christ l Ioh. 20 6 7. as they that found his cloathes but missed his body Secondly we see heereby that the elect ordained to Vse 2 eternall life but not yet called and conuerted to the Lord and to the obedience of his wil though they come often to the Sacraments yet do in like manner receiue the bare signes without the things signified because as yet they want faith and repentance What then Doe they nothing differ from the reprobates In this they differ not for the present time from the Reprobate Notwithstanding that receiuing of the Sacrament which for the time present was vnfruitefull and vnprofitable shall after in them haue his good effect as the Corne that lyeth long couered in the earth at the length doth come vp and flourish For the Sacrament receiued before a mans conuersion is afterward to the beleeuer and penitent sinner ratified and so becommeth profitable wherby the vse of the Sacrament which before was vtterly voide and vnlawfull doth then become lawfull comfortable as we see in the word heard without fruite and faith by an vnbeleeuer is made a word of saluation afterward when he is conuerted Vse 3 Lastly the elect already conuerted and sanctified by the Spirite of God do to their profite comfort and saluation receiue both the signe and the thing signified together yet so as that for their vnworthy receiuing therof which hapneth through their manifolde infirmities and often relapses into sinne they are subiect to temporal punishments for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus Heereunto cometh that saying 1 Cor. 11.30 For this cause many are sicke and weake among you and many sleepe for if wee would iudge our selues wee should not bee iudged of the Lord. Where the Apostle teacheth that God brought a iudgement vpon his owne house and punished this Church with weaknesse sicknesse and death it selfe for their vnreuerent vnworthy and disordered receiuing of the Lords Supper
Although many among them no doubt were elected and all of them professed the Gospell of the kingdome yet God visited their want of preparation and reuerence with diuers diseases and great mortality n Leuit. 26 14 25 21. Deut. 28 15 16 20 21. according to the threatning annexed to the lawe If ye will not obey me nor do all these commandements if yee shall despise mine ordinances or your soule abhorre my lawes then will I do this vnto you I will appoint ouer you fearefulnes a consumption and the burning ague to consume the eyes and to make the heart heauy And if ye walke stubbornely against me and will not obey mee I will then bring seauen times mee plagues vpon you according to your sinnes Wherefore whē we haue receiued grace to beleeue and haue tasted the first fruites of the Spirit to the comfort of our soules we must not be puffed vp in our knowledge we must not grow secure but stir vp the guifts of God in vs when they begin to waxe faint Let vs seeke to preuent his iudgements before they come which wee may do by iudging our selues by making inquiry into our owne waies and by searching the reines of our hearts with purpose to condemne all ignorance error security and vngodlinesse and as it were to take punishment of our selues then this would follow thereupon wee should not be iudged and punished of the Lord. This then is the remedy to auoide the sinne of vnworthy receiuing A man thus visited with sicknesse weaknesse and diuers kinds of diseases and smitten with the stroke of Gods owne hand cannot possibly be restored by any creature in heauen or earth and yet behold the Lord hath not left vs without meanes to remooue them and take them away to wit by taking away the cause that wee may remoue the effects The cause of these puninshments is taken away by iudging our selues Now a man in iudging of himselfe o What we are to do in iudging our selues must performe foure things First he must examine himselfe of his sinnes Secondly hee must confesse them himselfe to be guilty as the poore prisoner that standeth at the barre No denying of the fact no defending of the fault no hiding of the offence no iustifying of our person can procure our pardon the way to haue forgiuenesse is to acknowledge our owne wickednesse Thirdly he must condemne himselfe and giue sentence against himself without partiality Fourthly he must pleade pardon for the remission of his sinnes and neuer rest vntill he giue him peace of conscience restore him to the ioy of his saluation CHAP. XIII Of the first vse of a Sacrament HItherto of the parts of a Sacrament both outward and inward now we come to the vses thereof For vnlesse we know the vse vnderstand the end why they were ordained it shall not profite vs to know the parts Euery thing must be referred to his right vses and proper ends so must the Sacraments be The ends are especially a Three chief vses of the sacraments these three First to strengthen faith Secondly to seale the couenant betweene God and vs. Thirdly to be a badge of our profession Touching the first ende the Sacraments serue for the better confirmation of our faith as appeareth 1. Pet. 3. where the Apostle hauing set downe the drowning of the world and the preseruing of Noah by the Arke he saith our baptisme b 1 Pet. 3 21. directly answereth that type which is a taking to witnesse of a good conscience and sauing vs by the resurrection of Christ So then by faith confirmed in Baptisme we haue an infallible assurance in the death of Christ of our saluation Many indeede come to the Sacraments are present at baptisme are partakers of the Lords Supper that feele no strength of faith no increase of Gods graces no spirituall growth in the body of Christ so that they worke not saluation in them but further their condemnation For the Sacraments as we haue shewed giue not grace but more firmely surely and comfortably confirme faith they apply and seale vp Christ crucified The Sacraments cannot giue faith to the faithlesse neyther were they instituted to the end men should beleeue but because they doe beleeue as meat was not giuen that men should learne to eate but that they eating might be nourished Faith indeed receiueth them c August de ciuit dei lib. 25. cap. 25. and then they serue to nourish it And they confirme not faith by any inherent power included in them but the holye Spirite applyeth Christ to vs and frameth this comfortable conclusion in our hearts All such as are conuerted and doe rightly vse the Sacraments shall receiue Christ all his sauing graces But I am conuerted and doe rightly vse the Sacraments Therefore I shall receiue Christ and his graces Thus doth the Comforter comfort all those that come rightly and religiously to the Lords Table Now if wee would enquire and search after the reasons of this first end we should finde that one cause why they confirme faith is because God is true in his promises he confirmeth and maketh good that which is gone out of his mouth All the d 2 Cor. 1 20. promises of God in Christ Iesus are yea and are in him Amen vnto the glory of God through vs. For as Princes seales confirme their charters assure their grants and make certaine their pardons so do Gods Sacraments witnesse to our hearts and consciences that his words and promises are true and are established to continue for euer For as he declareth his mercies by his word so hee sealeth and assureth them by his Sacraments Againe this appeareth by the example of Abraham who first beleeued the promise and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse being yet vncircumcised and afterward receiued the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnes of faith as the Apostle e Rom. 4 9 10 11. teacheth We say that faith was imputed vnto Abraham for righteousnesse How was it then imputed when he was circumcised or vncircumcised Not when hee was circumcised but when he was vncircumcised c. Where he sheweth that Abraham was iustified in vncircumcision but yet was afterward circumcised that the guift of righteousnes might be confirmed in him The f Acts 8 36. Eunuch likewise beleeued before he receiued baptisme therfore it sealed vp the increase of his faith of Gods graces And Acts 2. They that gladly receiued the words of Peter g Acts 2.41 10 44 47 48. and 22 16. were baptized And as Peter preached to Cornelius and others of the Gentiles The Holy Ghost fell on them all which heard the word and he said Can any forbid water that these should not be baptized which haue receiued the Holy Ghost as well as we So he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Wherefore when the Minister washeth with water it representeth our burial with