as we haue seene the truth of the doctrin let vs consider the vses therof First is the Minister of the substance of the Sacram. and a principall part of Christs institution Then he must consider it is his duty being authorised frō God by his Church to sanctifie the outward elements and administer the same to deliuer the outward signes offer thē to the receiuers His workes therefore are to put apart consecrate the signs to an holy vse to open declare the couenant of God to pray for his blessing promised vpon his owne ordinance to giue thanks for the blessed worke of our redemption to offer giue and deliuer aright the cretures so sanctified in baptisme to sprinkle with water wash the body to be baptized in the Lords supper to deliuer the bread to be eaten and the wine to bee drunke to the spirituall nourishment of the Church So then the Minister ought not to refuse to baptize such as are broght vnto him Shall the seruant refuse to doe the worke of his maister When Christ the maister shall say Goe and baptize shall he answere againe I will not when the Centurion saith to his seruant Goe he goeth when he saith Come he cometh If the Lord keeper of the Kings broad seale should proudly and presumptuously disdaine to set the seale to the Princes letters pattents were he not well worthy to bee displaced and remoued So if the Minister through enuy or hatred or any other sinister affection which ought not to be harbored in their breast shall refuse to put the seale to the Lords Couenant and hinder little children from comming to Christ he deserueth iustly to be displaced and to beare office no longer in the citty of God but to be remoued for his contempt q 1 King 2 35 as Salomon put downe Abiathar Vse 2 Secondly is it a necessary point of the Sacrament that it be ministred by a Minister Then it condemneth all those that put these seales into a wrong hand and all priuate persons that violently rush vpon this calling and take vpon them to meddle with the administration of the Sacraments with vnwashen hands seeing the dispensatiō of the word and Sacraments is so linked annexed and ioyned together by God that a deniall of licence to do the one is a deniall to do the other and contrariwise the licence to one is licence to the other Christ neuer gaue to priuate persons any such commandement hee neuer committed to them any such office hee neuer commended to their care these holy actions he neuer called thē to this honor he neuer laide vpon them this charge and therefore they haue no part nor fellowship in this businesse If notwithstanding these restrainings of authority from them they will run and rush forward where they should hang backeward their sinne lieth at the doore their punishment hastneth and their iudgement sleepeth not Lastly if the Minister be an outward part of the Sacrament Vse 3 we must beware and take heede wee ascribe not to the Minister that which is proper to Christ and so rob him of the honour due vnto his name The Minister may offer the signe hee cannot bestow the thing signified hee may baptize the bodye hee cannot cleanse the soule hee may deliuer the bread and wine hee cannot giue the body and blood of Christ Iohn may wash with water hee cannot giue the Spirite Man indeed pronounceth the word but God sealeth vp his grace in the heart man sprinkleth the bodye with water but God maketh cleane the soule by the blood of Christ man may take away the filth of the flesh but Christ must purge the conscience from dead works who is that blessed Lambe of God that r Iohn 1 29. taketh away the sins of the world For as Paul ſ 1 Cor. 3 6. planteth and Apollos watereth but God giueth the increase so the Minister offereth the element and outward signe but God giueth the heauenly grace It belongeth to the Minister to handle the externall part it belongeth as a peculiar dignity to Christ to bestow grace to giue faith regeneration t Mat. 3 11. and forgiuenesse of sinnes and to baptize with the Holy-Ghost This truth Iohn confesseth I baptize with water but one commeth after mee who is mightier then I he shall baptize you with the Holy-Ghost Where we see he maketh a flat opposition betweene himselfe and Christ betweene his baptisme and the baptisme of Christ As on the one side wee must take heede of the contempt of him that teacheth and ministreth the Sacraments because the contempt of the word Sacraments doth necessarily follow the contempt of his person so we must beware we attribute or giue not to him more thē his right lest the power of the word force of the Sacraments be attributed to his person whereby men rob God of his glory spoile themselues of the fruite of them both This was it wherein the n 1 Cor. 1 22. Corinthians offended when they said I am Pauls I am Apollos I am Cephas I am Christs Wherefore to keepe a golden meane betweene too much and too little we must doe as if a Prince should send vs some present by one of the meanest messengers of his house we would receiue him fauourably and entertaine him honourably for the guifts sake which he bringeth vnto vs but the guift it selfe we would receiue for the Kings sake from whom it was sent So it becommeth euery one of vs to doe God hath committed to his messengers and Ministers the word of reconciliation we must haue them in singular loue for their workes sake that labour among vs but the worde Sacraments we must receiue for the Lords sake from whō they come Thus much of the first outward part to wit the Minister CHAP. V. Of the second outward part of a Sacrament THe second outward part of a Sacrament a The word of institution a necessary part of the Sacrament is the word necessarily required to the substance of a Sacrament for b August in Ioh. 13. Tract 18. the word is added and ioyned to the element and there is made a Sacrament This sacramental word is the word of institution which God in each Sacrament hath after a speciall manner set downe consisting partly of a commandement by which Christ appointeth the administration of Sacraments and partly of a promise annexed wherby God ordaineth that the outward elements shal be instruments and seales of his graces as for example when Christ saith c Mat. 28 19. Goe teach all Nations and baptize them there is a commandement to warrant the vse practise of Baptisme the promise likewise is in the next words Into the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost So touching the other Sacrament of his supper when he saith d Mat. 26 26.27 Take ye eate ye drinke ye do this in remembrance of me loe there is the commandement
earth If this inward maister and teacher be wanting the Sacraments g The Sacraments profit not without the Spirit can work no more in our mindes then if the bright Sun should shine to the blinde eyes or a loud voice sound in deafe eares or fruitefull corne fall into the barren wildernes or a shower of raine fall vpon the hard stones Wherefore least the word of saluation should sound in our eares in vaine and Sacraments ioyned to the word should bee present before our eyes in vaine the Spirit worketh in vs whensoeuer we come vnto them aright he mollifieth the hardnesse of our hearts he frameth vs to new obedience and assureth vs that God offereth to vs his owne Sonne for our iustification and saluation For euen as the seede that falleth into a barren soile dyeth and rotteth yet if it be sowne in fruitfull ground wel tilled and manured it bringeth forth good increase with gaine and aduantage so likewise the word and the Sacraments if they hit vpon an hard necke and fall into a barren heart become vnprofitable and vnfruitefull but if the effectuall worke of the Spirite accompanieth the hearing of the one and receiuing of the other they are profitable auaileable and comfortable Thus much of the second part CHAP. X. Of the third inward part of baptisme THe third inward part of baptisme a The third inward part of baptisme is Christ Iesus is Christ represented and signified by the water For as the Apostle teacheth b Heb. 10 4. That the blood of buls and calues cannot take away sin so the water in baptisme cannot wash away sinnes It toucheth the body washeth it cleanseth and purgeth it but it can proceed no further Nay al the water in the riuers and in the Sea cannot scowre and make clean the conscience it is another water euen the Spirit that must do it Hence it is Ier. 2 22 that the Lord saith by his Prophet Ieremy chap. 2. Though thou wash thee with nitre and take thee much sope yet thine iniquity is marked before me saith the Lord. To this purpose speaketh Iob Iob. 9 30.31 chap. 9. If I wash my selfe with snow-water and make my hands neuer so cleane yet shalt thou plunge me in the Ditch and mine owne clothes shall abhorre me It is not therefore the outward water but the inward water that auaileth vs. For this c Act. 2 38. 10 â—8 19 5 cause the beleeuers are said to bee baptized in the name of Christ as Act. 2 38. Be baptized euery one of you in the name of Christ So chap. 19 5. They were baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus Not meaning heereby the forme and manner of baptizing but the fruit foundation and end of baptisme Likewise d 1 Pet. 3 21. the Apostle sheweth the same 1. Pet. 3 21. Baptisme answering to the figure of the Arke saueth vs by the resurrection of Iesus Christ There is no force in outward baptisme to saue the whole vertue and force floweth from the streame of Christs blood as the true materiall cause thereof wherein the power of inward baptisme doth consist The truth beeing euident that the pouring out of the blood of CHRIST is one of the inward partes of Baptisme let vs see the vses Vse 1 The vse of this part teacheth diuers points First that the outward washing with water is not the washing away of sins for theÌ„ whosoeuer were dipped in it should receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes repentance from dead workes and sanctification of the Spirit whether he beleeued or not e Acts 8.22 which is otherwise as we see Acts 8 22. Also they should not and could not be Christians and eternally saued which are not outwardly washed but departing this life without baptisme they should perish in the next world without redresse or redemptioÌ„ and so our condition were worse then the Iewes their condition in times past and the grace of God more restrained vnder the Gospell then it was vnder the law Moses offering more mercy then Christ himselfe So then the washing with water serueth to ratifie the shedding of Christs blood for the remission of our sinnes and the imputation of his righteousnesse to our iustification f 1 Ioh. 1 7. as 1. Ioh. 1 7. The blood of Iesus Christ his Sonne doth cleanse vs from all sinne So Reuel 1 5. He hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood and made vs Kings and Priestes vnto God euen his Father And Col. 1 14. the apostle saith In him we haue redemption by hâ—s blood that is forgiuenesse of sinnes Againe when we see with our bodily eyes the water Vse 2 poured vpon the body of the baptized wee must behold and consider with the eyes of faith the blotting out of all our sinnes as well originall as actuall as well after baptisme as before baptisme by the precious blood of Christ that we may assure our selues it is no idle action For we must not behold the Sacramentall rites as certaine dumbe gestures or stage-like shewes without substance and signification but we must make them serue to further our faith and edification or else we do horribly abuse them to the great dishonour of God and to the fearefull destruction of our owne soules Lastly it teacheth vs not to be led by the outward senses Vse 3 to measure the truth or to iudge of the substance of baptisme by the outward signe and visible parts but to haue our faith fixed on Christ crucified on the Crosse and signified in baptisme The Infidell seeing children solemnly baptized in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost will rashly and ignorantly coniecture nothing to be there but naked rites and bare water but the faithfull and true Christian doth behold the washing of the soule and cleansing of the heart by the dearest blood of Christ So in the Lords Supper to the vnbeleeuer appeareth nothing but Bread and Wine because we see with our eies wee receiue with our hands wee taste with our mouth no more but the beleeuer knoweth that together with these signes God the Father offereth the body and blood of his Sonne to be spiritually receiued and digested Euen as he that is vnlettered and vnlearned if he looke g Esa 29 11 12. vpon the face of a booke beholdeth onely blacke colours and spots vpon the Paper seeth certaine figures and characters of Letters differing each from other but cannot reade the writing or comprehend the meaning but he that hath learned his Letters and is able to reade them reapeth great profite and instruction thereby So is it in the Sacraments He that resteth in the outward signe deceiueth himselfe but hee that respecteth the thing signified receiueth the profit and aduantage The Crosse of Christ and preaching of the Gospel h 1 Cor. 1 23.24 are a stumbling blocke to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Graecians For the Infidell hearing that Christ was crucified
and nailed vpon the Crosse is offended at him accounting it a foolish and weake meanes to saue mankinde that life should spring out of death glory come out of shame power proceed out of weakenesse and triumphant victory arise out of his contemptible sufferings but the faithfull soule acknowledgeth in this mystery of godlines the high hand and vnsearchable wisedome of God It may seeme ridiculous vnto some men i Gen. 17 10. that God should require circumcision of Abraham and of his houshold young olde bond and free maister and seruants to vncouer all their shames and to open the hidden parts of nature yet Abraham submitted himselfe to the ordinance of God Naaman the Syrian thought it a toyish precept and prescript when he was bidden to wash himselfe seauen times in Iordan hauing many Riuers in his owne country as good as that yet by k 2 Kings 5 11 12 14. obeying the Prophet he was cleansed of his leprosie The inhabitants of Iericho scorned Ioshua and the men of Israell when they saw them compasse their Citty strong walled l Iosh 6.20 and to blow with their Rammes hornes yet by this weake meanes the wall fell downe the enemies were destroyed the Citty was sacked and the people of GOD preuailed Christ seeing a blinde man and willing to heale him he spat on the ground m Ioh. 9 6. and made clay of spittle and annointed the eyes of the blinde with the clay and said vnto him Go wash in the poole of Siloam he obeyed he went he washed he returned seeing Thus doth God by simple base and weak things oftentimes confound the mighty strong and wise of the world that no flesh should reioyce in his presence and crosseth all the high conceits and proud imaginations of mans wil and wit Wherefore we must not follow our owne vnderstanding nor measure the matters of God by the crooked rule of our carnall reason Whosoeuer will yeeld obedience to God must deny himselfe and renounce his owne wisedom n 1 Cor. 3 18.19 and become a foole that he may be wise in God as 1. cor 3. Let no man deceiue himselfe if any man among you seeme to be wise in this world let him be a foole that he may be wise for the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God Thus we see that in the Sacraments we must vnderstand more then we see and beleeue more then we can behold Such as are without knowledge and faith comprehend no more of baptisme then the bodily eye directeth them vnto but the faithful conceiue the blood of Christ to be offered to purge the soule and conscience from all sinne o Gen. 2 10. as the riuer watered the garden of Eden CHAP. XI Of the fourth inward part of baptisme THe last inward part of baptisme is the soule a The soule clensed is the last inward part of baptisme cleansed most liuely represented by the bodye that is washed For as the outward receiuer giueth his body to be washed so the faithfull receiuer doth consecrate himselfe to God with ioy and forsake the flesh the world and the Diuell and feeleth the inward washing of the Spirit as Titus 3 5. According to his b Tit. 3 5. Eph. 2 26 27 mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost And the same apostle Eph. 5. Christ gaue himselfe for the Church that hee might sanctifie it and cleanse it by washing of water through the word that he might make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle Wherefore this outward washing of the body commanded by Christ signifieth vnto me that I am no lesse assuredly cleansed in his blood by the working of his Spirit from the spots of my soule that is from all my sins then I am outwardly washed by water whereby the staines of the body vse to be washed away and it bindeth vs that we ought euer afterward by our workes and deeds to declare newnes of life and fruites of repentance Vse 1 Let vs now come to the vses of this last part of baptisme Doth the washing of the body represent the clensing of the soule And doth the soking vp of the filthines of the flesh signifie the remouing of the remnants of rebellion Then we are all by nature vnwise vncleane vnrighteous vnregenerate vnholy disobedient disordered deceiuing and being deceiued we are the vessels of wrath the children of death the bond-slaues of Sathan the heires of damnation we haue our part and portion in the offence of Adam c Rom. 5 10. 7 23 24. as Rom. 5. By one man sin entred into the world and ch 7. I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading me captiue vnto the law of sin which is in my mēbers O wretched man that I am who shal deliuer me from the body of this death Hereunto also commeth that which the d Ioh 3 5 6 7. Euangelist setteth downe in the conference betweene Christ and Nicodemus Ioh. 3. That which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit maruell not that I said vnto thee ye must be borne againe For this cause are infants baptized because they are conceiued in sin borne in iniquity and cannot become spiritual but by a new birth wrought by the Spirit which is sealed vp by the water in baptisme Vse 2 Againe this serueth to strengthen our faith whē we behold the outward washing pouring out of the water and baptizing of the body it assureth the inward clensing of the soule by the blood of Christ offered to all and receiued of those that are elected to eternall saluation This then is the right and holy vse of baptisme Doest thou feele inwardly in thine heart that through the corruption of thy nature strength of concupiscence thou art moued tempted and prouoked to commit sin And doost thou feele thy selfe ready to yeeld to Sathan and so to fall from God into euill Begin to haue some holy meditation of that solemne vow which thou madest to God in baptisme when thou diddest consecrate and giue vp thy selfe wholy to his seruice and didst renounce obedience to the suggestions of Sathan to the allurements of the world and to the corruptions of the flesh For baptisme is the e Baptisme is a Christian mans ensigne to fight vnder it the battels of the Lord. Christian mans ensigne giuen of God to vs that we should fight as it were vnder it against al the enemies of our saluation ouercome It is the badge and banner of our Captaine that we shrouding our selues vnder his colours should not cowardly turne our backe in the skirmish but couragiously looke the enemy in the face nay tread him vnder our feete for euer For we must learne that when we are once baptized whereby wee put on the profession of Iesus Christ and receiue his cognizance we
THE NEVV COVENANT OR A Treatise of the Sacraments Whereby the last Testament of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ through the shedding of his Pure and Precious Blood is ratified and applyed vnto the Conscience of euery true Beleeuer Diuided into three Bookes 1. Of the Sacraments in Generall 2. Of Baptisme 3. Of the Lords Supper Verie Necessarie and Profitable for these Times wherein we may behold THE Truth it selfe plainly prooued Doctrine of the Reformed Churches clearely maintained Errors of the Church of Rome soundly conuinced Right maner of the Receiuing of thē comfortably declared And sundry doubts and difficult Questions decided By William Attersoll Minister of Gods word at Isfield in Sussex For by one Spirit we are all Baptized into one Body whether wee be Iewes or Grecians whether we be Bond or Free and haue beene all made to Drinke into one Spirit 1 Cor. 12 13. The second Edition Newly Corrected and Enlarged Printed at London by W. Iaggard and are to be solde by Nicholas Bourne at his Shop at the entrance of the Royall Exchange 1614. TO THE RIGHT worshipful Sir IOHN SHVRLEY Knight all health and happinesse from Christ Iesus our Sauiour Right Worshipfull THE former Edition of this Treatise touching the Sacraments some eight yeares since published was not onely by your selfe louingly receiued but by diuers godly Christians beyond my expectation fauourably and friendly accepted And being at length content to yeeld to a new Impression it hath fared with mee in perusing this worke as with him that goeth about to repaire an old house For albeit he purpose with himselfe to pull downe a little or to make a slender addition and alteration in the building yet when once he beginneth to stirre and meddle with the old frame one piece draweth downe another and the augmenting of one part I know not how in a pleasing manner procureth the adding and annexing of another In like manner when I determined to review and peruse this booke mine intent was no more then heere and there to insert a little as time reading conference and better iudgement haue giuen occasion to see farther but beeing entred into the matter and one change causing another the worke is risen to this volume like a flood that swelleth by the accesse and comming in of other waters that it may rather seeme to be the making of a new then the amending of an olde I haue endeuoured heere to set before the eyes of all that wil vouchsafe to reade these lines the nature and vse of the Sacraments which were instituted of almighty God to admonish vs by their mysticall signification both of his goodnes and of our weaknesse being as signes and seales to assure vs of Christ and of his righteousnesse and all his merits There are diuers sorts of signes mentioned in the holy Scriptures which may be fitly sorted into foure ranks Some are naturall Mat. 16 2 3 as the clouds be a signe of raine the rednes of the sky in the euening of faire weather the lowring of the sky in the morning of foule weather Some are ciuill as a sword carried before a Magistrate is a signe of his authority Rom. 13 4. as the Consuls of Rome had their roddes and axe born by their officers Some are miraculous as we see in Gedeons fleece Iudg. 6 36. Mat. 24 29 which was wet when the earth was dry and dry when the earth was wet such shall be in the Sunne and Moone and in the starres in the end of the world as the Lord declareth Other are religious signes which appertaine to piety and godlinesse and an heauenly life of which some are tokens of things past Exod. 16 33 Heb 9 4. Leuit. 8 7 as the reseruing of Manna some of things present as the garments of the Priests and Leuites and their often clensings and purifications Some be signes of things to come as the sacrifices and oblations But the Sacraments of the new Couenant and last Testament of CHRIST sealed by his precious blood which wee haue heere described serue as monuments and memorials of all these euen to note out vnto vs blessings past and present and to come For they signifie the death and passion of Christ which is already past likewise the promise of grace and forgiuenesse which are present to the mindes of all right receiuers Lastly holinesse of life mortification of sinne repentance from dead workes and the fruites of faith heereafter more and more to be perfected and performed as also the resurrection of the body and eternall life which are to bee accomplished in the world to come Especially I haue beene carefull a The corruptions of the Romane Church vnmasked to vnmaske the corruptions of the Church of Rome if I may call that vnmasking which is in it selfe so palpable and apparent that whosoeuer hath the sight of the eye may quickly espy them or the vse of reason may easily discouer them wherein wee haue the full consent of the former and purer Churches If we wil a little consider the truth of this point and compare the doctrine of the reformed Churches with the pollutions and prophanations of the Romish Synogogue we shal plainely perceiue that light and darknes are not more different and repugnant then these are the one to the other Indeed they oftentimes appeale to the sentence of the Fathers as if their faith were the ancient faith and their doctrine had the approbation of elder times howbeit all this foppery serueth but for a flourish to varnish their rotten postes with deceitfull colours forasmuch as they are content the Fathers shall be expositers of the Scriptures but it is with this caueat and condition that themselues will bee Interpreters of the Fathers Wherefore I will b 3 points discussed propound as it were in a Table 3. points to be handled First their contrarieties and oppositions standing against the truth Secondly their contentions and contradictions remaining among themselues Lastly I will answere their obiection that thinke the matter is not so cleere on our side as we pretend who contemne Transubstantiation and the reall presence and maintaine the spirituall eating against the carnall and Capernaiticall First touching their corruptions c Comparisō between the Lords supper the Masse and contrarieties they are so notable and notorious to all the world that they can no longer hide them and conceale them as we may gather by comparing the institution of Christ with the traditions and abhominations of Antichrist Christ deliuered his last Supper as he sate at the Table with his Disciples where they did all eate as at a banket but Antichrist hath turned and transformed this Supper into the abhominable Idoll of the Masse which hath no shew or appearance of any feast at all where the Priest plaieth this Pageant alone hee sitteth not at the Table but standeth at the Altar turneth away his face from the people beeing belike ashamed that they should see his fraud and
the substance Lastly this Author is so farre from saying that the bread is conuerted into the flesh of Christ that hee saith the contrary to wit that this bread is conuerted into our flesh and our blood and serueth for our life and the increasing of our bodies Thus we see that the ancient Fathers held the same faith that we hold and differ not in iudgement from the reformed Churches nor the reformed Churches from them as we shall shew God willing more at large in another place And thus I haue runne ouer these three poynts which I purposed and proposed to handle in the beginning all which are more at large to be seene in the Treatise following This I offer the second time to your Worships consideration as a witnesse of my loue and a testimony of the sauours I haue receiued My meaning was and yet is that it should first come vnto your view and from you for your sake to the vse of the Church of God euen of as many as can make any vse of these my simple labours I haue prosecuted these points at large but I cease from troubling you any further cōmending you to his good hand who t Ioh. 13 1 loueth them to the end whom once he loueth u Rom. 11 29 whose guifts and graces are without repentance and so wishing all good from the Almighty a Reuel 5 13. that sitteth vpon the Throne and from the Lambe which liueth for euermore both to your selfe to your good Lady to your hopefull Children and to your whole family I ende and rest Your worships euer in the Lord William Attersoll The Praeface to the Reader IT is wel said Aul. Gel. noct Attic lib. 18. cap. 6. that the very title of a book hath a certain pleasant allurement to draw men to the reading therof The argument of this Tretise is of the Sacraments a comfortable portion of the Scriptures a necessary part of the Catechisme There is no knowledge comparable to the knowledge of Gods word there is no parcel of Gods word more holsome and heauenly then the Sacraments There is no Sacrament more excellent and effectuall then the Supper of the Lord which is a medicine to them that are sicke a preseruatiue to them that are whole a cordiall to them that are weake and a precious treasure to them that are in wants being an instrument to conuay vnto vs the benefit of Christs Passion and the assurance of our owne saluation Neuerthelesse there is no ordinance of God more neglected of vs nor lesse regarded among vs. We cannot be ignorant that it was instituted by the Lord of life to giue vs life and in remembrance of his death to take from vs the feare of death and therefore in the words of institution he said to his Disciples This is my body which was giuen for you Math 26 26. this is my bloud which was shed for you to the end we might behold him liuely described before our eies I haue desired and endeuoured not only to teach this trueth to the most simple and to informe the consciences of those that are ignorant but also to bring to light such doubtful and difficult poynts as may any way trouble the vnlearned Here then the discreet Reader shal meet with fit matter both to satisfie sundry not well aduised among our selues and finde sufficient armour to ouerthrow the opē common aduersaries Touching the errours crept in among vs as it were into the bosome of the Church as well in practise as in iudgement I haue aymed especially at two things both to reforme some and to informe others To reforme such as thinks they are left at liberty to receiue when they list and whether they list and to informe such as call in question the lawfulnesse of kneeling at the Communion according to the order established and commanded the one sort erring in action the other being deceiued in opinion First for the better discouering and preuenting of their spirituall danger I haue laboured to set before the faces of all drowsie professors Against negligent commers to the Communion their slacknes and sluggishnes in comming to the Table of the Lord and answered such obiections as they vsually alledge in their own defence for asmuch as there is no sluggard but he is wise in his owne eyes Was Christ made man for vs subiect to our infirmities beaten with stripes crowned with thorns and pierced with nailes that we should despise the blessed Sacrament that resembleth and representeth all these vnto vs which is as a looking glasse wherein we may behold him crucified and hanging vppon the crosse Chrysost hom 60. ad pop An. 〈…〉 Hee is a shepheard that feedeth his Sheepe with his owne bloud and nourisheth them with his owne substance If an earthly Prince should call vs as his guesse to sit downe at his Table would any bee so foolish or so froward as to refuse to come Behold the King of Heauen and earth inuiteth vs to his heauenly banquet and therefore we ought not to stop our eares or to withdraw our selues to perdition True it is all men almost come thicke and threefold at Easter or else they should not think themselues to be good subiects then they offer themselues without difference and distinction howbeit at other times they make no cōscience of their ordinary absence almost continual negligence Such as come not at other times it is to be feared they come not in knowledge at that time For if they come at Easter in conscience of Gods comandement more then for feare of the Princes law and with a feeling of their own wants rather then for forme and fashion sake they would fit themselues for this woorke at all times of the yeare so often as the Sacrament is deliuered Indeede none ought to present themselues being vnprepared presume to handle the outward signes of the body and bloud of Christ comming in impiety impenitency Mat. 22 11. like to the guesse in the Gospell that came without his wedding garment notwithstanding when we haue made our selues ready wee must not abstaine and absent our selues from it at our owne pleasure for then we make our selues guilty of the body and bloud of Christ 1 Cor 11 27. and vnworthy of any mercy to be reaped and receiued Wee may not be weary in well doing Gal 6 9. but must bee forward in the religious exercises of our faith taking all oportunity to performe this commandement of comming often to his Table 1 Cor 11 26. This is one sinne among others that draweth downe heauy iudgements vpon vs and our soules 1 Cor 11 30. for this cause many are weake and sickely among vs and many sleep yea it prepareth the way for farther vengeance except we repent of our euill wayes and amend our former negligence by greater diligence It is not enough that we submit our selues to the hearing of the word vnlesse withall we ioyne
of this reason standeth vpon such feete as themselues haue shaped vnto it to wit that such gesture is necessary to be vsed at this Sacrament as is vsuall at a supper or a banket If then it be left free for vs to vse what gesture wee please sitting or lying or standing or walking or groueling or bending how can they hold with any colour kneeling to be vnlawfull at the CommunioÌ„ The 4. answer Lastly we cannot but confesse that kneeling in prayer is the fittest gesture to expresse the humility of our mindes and the maiesty of God and the excellency of the mysteries we do partake and our obedience to the Magistrate Tertul. de orat cap. 12. Tertullian that liued in the beginning of the second CeÌ„tury holdeth assidere irreuerens that it is an vnreuerent thing to sit at prayer But the Supper of the Lord is administred and receiued among vs with a notable effectuall prayer which the Minister pronounceth and the Communicant heareth Obiection If any obiect as many do obiect that by this reason the Minister ought to kneele that vttereth the prayer not the people that receiue the Supper I answere first they do but dally with vs Answere and deceiue themselues For they know the Minister cannot conueniently kneele as the manner of deliuering is vsed and obserued among vs which is not disliked or disprooued by any of them to wit by going to euery one apart vnto his seate and therfore CHRIST also sate at his thanksgiuing And heerein do the orders of the Churches differ among themselues in some places the Minister remoueth not and the people walke as with vs the Minister walketh and the people remoue not Now as in the preaching of the word the Minister that conceiueth the prayer standeth that he may be the better heard and vnderstood of the people whose voice he is to God they kneele ioyning with him so it is in the Lords Supper the Minister standeth because otherwise hee cannot passe from place to place nor dispatch that holy worke with any quicke expedition Secondly albeit the Minister onely do by liuely voice vtter the prayer yet it appeareth by the testimony of the ancient that the receiuer was also to ioyne with the Minister and to say Amen Euseb ecclesiast histor lib. 6. ca. 43. and in english 42. as we may read in the Ecclesiasticall history of Eusebius relating the Epistle of Cornelius Bishop of Rome touching Nouatus who being puffed vp with pride left those without hope of saluation that through infirmity of the flesh fell in time of persecutions And afterward in that history he reporteth that Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria wrote vnto Xystus Bishop of Rome touching a certaine man who hearing the interrogatories answeres vsed in baptisme came vnto him weeping and wailing falling prostrate before his feet he confessed plainely that the baptisme wherewithall he had beene baptized of the Hereticks had no agreement with that which was in vse in that Church and thereupon desired to bee baptized according to the same manner What answere the Bishop made and how he satisfied him Eusebius declareth in these words Ecclesi histor li. 7 ca. 9. after the Greeke but the 8. in english He prayed that hee might receiue this most sincere purification the which thing I durst not do but told him that the daily Communion many times ministred might suffice him when he had heard thanksgiuing sounded in the Church and he himselfe had sung thereunto Amen when he had beene present at the Lords Table and had stretched forth his hand to receiue that holy food had communicated and of a long time had beene partaker of the body and blood of our Lord Iesus Christ Albeit therefore the baptisme which he had receiued were full of sundry impieties and blasphemies and farre vnlike that vsed in the true Church and that hee were so sore perplexed in minde and troubled in conscience that he durst not presume to lift vp his eies to God because hee had beene baptized with such prophane wordes and ceremonies yet hee aduised him to comfort himselfe with his often partaking the holy Communion in asmuch as he had stretched forth his hand to receiue it and had answered Amen at the taking of it I will adde one testimony more out of Cyrill Cyril catech pa. 2â—5 gra Id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is bending the hand receiue the body of Christ saying Amen And more expressely a little after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is After thou hast been partaker of the body of Christ draw near also to the Cup of his bloud to wit in the form of wine prostrating thy selfe and worshipping God saying Amen De Sacram lib. 4. cap. 6. Obseruations out of Cyrils testimony whiles thou beÌ„dest thy hand to take it c. The lâ—ke might bee saide out of Ambrose that as the minister did pray for them so they also were not idle but prayed for themselues These Testimonies are very full to note out the vsuall custom of these times out of which I obserue these 4. particulars first that the bread was not woÌ„t to be put popt into their mouths but the people tooke it in their handes and so likewise of the cup. Secondly that they receiued the cup of the Lord as well as the bread and were not vsed to haue dry Communions as the Church of Rome diateth her Disciples Thirdly that the people dâ—d consent to the prayer of the minister did say Amen Lastly that they vsed to bow down worship God with all reuerence to whom they prayed in the action of receiuing answering Amen The two former points serue to conuince the practise of the Papists that thrust the bread into the mouths of the coÌ„municants and depriue them vtterly of the cup and the two latter such of our brethren among vâ— as vrge the necessity of sitting and condemne the gesture of kneeling as an impiety for asmuch as wee see the people in those tâ—mes did both bow their haÌ„ds to take it Application of the former testimonies prostrate their bodâ—es to receiue it with prayer And I would gladly be informed and resolued by these when the minister prayeth that the body of Christ may bee an effectuall instrument sanctified of God for the preseruation of their bodies soules whether they do not in their hearts and soules ioyne with him earnestly crauing and desiring this blessing If they do not it argueth against themselues little reuerence in receiuing and smal conscience in comming to this Sacrament to be no more moued then stones and to sit as senceles as their seats when prayer is made not to coÌ„sent vnto it wherof notwithstanding I do not nor dare not eâ—ther to accuse them or to suspect them If they do is it not fitter or at least as fit to pray kneeling as sitting For if it be
hearer so is it in the Sacraments they haue their efficacy and operation howsoeuer the heart of the Minister be disposed And as Isaac intended not to blesse Iacob but Esau m Gen. 27 1 4 33. yet it hindered not the purpose and determination of God so the corrupt intent the wandering imagination and rouing conceite of the Minister cannot hinder the blessing of God in the Sacraments being his owne ordinances For the force of the Sacrament dependeth no more vpon the intention of the giuer then it doth vpon the intention of the receiuer Againe if the right receiuing of the Sacrament depend vpon the intent of the Minister what assurance can any man haue that he hath euer receiued or shall euer receiue a Sacrament What perswasion can we haue in our hearts that wee were euer baptized What knowledge that we were euer partakers of the body and blood of Christ in the Supper of the Lord Doth not this leaue vs vncertaine and vnsetled without comfort without fruite without benefit by comming to the Sacraments and setteth the poore distressed consciences of men vpon the rack Alas wee cannot know the heart n 1 Cor. 2 11. and vnderstand the intents thereof For what man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirite of man which is within him Furthermore were not this hard dealing and extreame cruelty in God to hang the saluation of men vpon the pleasure of the Minister wherby our faith and saluation shall alwaies be doubtful and should it not be vniust in God to make the euill of the Minister to hurt the receiuer Besides shal it rest in the power of the Priest if this be a power whē the people of God are * Mat. 18. gathered together in the name of Christ and long earnestly to bee satisfied with his grace to send them away empty and so to frustrate their assembly because his heart is straying and his wits a wool-gathering And if his intention be a matter of so great importance what priuiledge hath the receiuer that cometh with faith aboue him that commeth without feeling Or what shall become of their owne doctrine Ex opere operato Ex opere operantis that the Sacrament profiteth and is auaileable being barely done performed if it depend vpon the working and operation of the Sacrificer To draw to an end of this question o Bellar. lib. 1. de sacra c. 28. our aduersaries themselues confesse that the Church cannot iudge of things that are inward whereupon wee frame this reason If the Church cannot iudge of things inward then it cannot iudge of the intent of the Minister but they confesse it cannot iudge of inward things therefore not of the intent of the Minister consequently althogh they be present at the action they remaine doubtfull of consecration Wherefore Bellarmine foreseeing the inconuenience and absurdity of this vnreasonable vncomfortable assertion confesseth that if one of their Masse-Priests in his ministration p Bellar. lib. 1. de sacra ca. 27. intend to doe as the Church of Geneua doth it sufficeth to make a Sacrament effectuall and of force This is the confession of a knowne and sworne enemy Wherby we see that howsoeuer they say we haue no Ministers no ordination no consecratiō no Church that our Sacraments are no better then the feasts of Ceres and Bacchus and lay many false accusations to our charge that the Supper of the Lord with vs is no Sacrament but a bare signe without grace without effect without vertue yet they are constrained to confesse and yeeld thus farre that if a Masse-munger purpose to do as the reformed Churches do his doing is effectuall and the Sacrament is good The effect of this point is this that if we desire to be comforted assured of Gods fauour whē we come to his Supper we must not hang the profit of his ordinances vpon the weak vnstable foundation of Popish intentions And if there were no other point in controuersie betweene the Church of Rome and vs then this which now we haue in hand it were sufficient to make vs abhorre and abiure the Popish religion in which they that liue cannot assure thēselues whether euer they were baptized or receiued the Lords Supper or were married or absolued of their sinnes whether they haue any Sacraments any Priests or any Popes forasmuch as all these hang vpon the slender thred of the Priests intention The Apostle saith Rom. 14.23 Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne But they cannot directly proue or know whether the Priest going about his businesse intended to baptize thē or to deliuer the Eucharist vnto them or to marry them because they know not his heart and therefore in their adoration and worshipping of the Sacrament they may be Idolators and cannot secure themselues from feare of committing Idolatry For if the substance of bread wine remaine in their nature it followeth by necessarie consequence that they fal downe to a piece of bread and commit greeuous Idolatry in the grossest kinde whereof the Gentiles would be ashamed The like might bee saide of their Sacrament of Orders It is not to be proued or knowne that hee which ordered the Pope had an intention to giue him Orders They say it is an high point of faith to beleeue that the Bishop of Rome is the successor of Peter the Vicar of Christ and the head of the Church yet if the Priest that baptized the Pope had no intention to baptize him then is he no member of the Church much lesse the head of it and if he that ordained him had no intention to ordaine him then is he no Priest much lesse the high Priest and therefore they must rest altogether doubtfull and vncertaine whether Clement or Paul or any other sitting in the Popes Chaire and sea of Rome be true Pope and thereupon cannot assure themselues whether the Decretals which passe vnder the name of Popes were indeed their Decretals whose names they carry Popish shifts to iustifie the Priests intention True it is notwithstanding the grossenesse of this assertion they haue inuented sundry shifts to couer their owne shame and nakednesse but they are as figge-leaues which are easily pulled away Among the rest two are most principall which do not suffice to heale the wound but serue rather to make it wider First of all when they are vrged and pressed that the Priests purpose and intention maketh the people alwaies in doubt and leaueth them in a maze and mammering what they doe so that they oftentimes adore an vnconsecrated Host and call that God which is no God but a bare bit of bread Pope Adrian wil haue the Host adored with condition with a secret reseruation to himselfe I adore thee if thou be Christ. And therefore Thomas of Salisbury forbiddeth a man precisely to beleeue that it is the body of the Lord. Thus though they fall downe with great deuotion at the eleuation of their God
is the vppermost is limbus patrum where the Fathers liued before Christ Heere is deepe diuinity of no small fooles heere are the great keyes of the popish religion howbeit because they are vttered without warrant they may be laughed at without danger and reiected without reproofe Lastly our religion and doctrine of the Sacraments that we professe cannot be vpbraided with strangenesse and nouelty we teach we receiue wee practise no more then was beleeued and receiued from the beginning The forme of our Church seruice is in substance the same which the Iewes vsed in their Synagogues for they read a Lecture out of the law and Prophets Acts 13 15. Acts 15 21. They preached the word they prayed they sung Psalmes and administred the Sacraments So in the primitiue Church they had all these they began with confession of sinnes they had the vse of baptisme and the Lords Supper in a knowne tongue as also the manner is among vs. It is the popish religion that sauoureth of nouelty and is defiled altogether in the marrow and pith of it with newfanglednesse some part of it being taken from the Pagans and some borrowed from the Iewes and some deuised by themselues to please and allure all sortes as the Alchoran of the Turkes was patched and pieced together partly from one sect and partly from another to try if by all meanes they might draw many Disciples after them and so make them twofolde more the children of hell then themselues Vse 4 Lastly haue we Christ deliuered vnto vs in the Sacraments Then let vs imbrace and lay hold vpon him and let vs feed vpon him forasmuch as wee haue all things necessary for vs giueÌ„ vnto vs by the riches of gods grace For he that findeth him wanteth nothing Hee hath wholesome meate to eate he hath a precious garment to put on he hath the posts of his house sprinkled with the blood of the Lambe that the Angel of the Lord cannot destroy him The heauenly blessings of God contained in his word in his Sacraments and in the exercises of our religion are most plentifull and excellent feasts spiritual nourishment to his seruants The Prophet speaking of the soules prouision which the great shepheard of the folde maketh for the sheepe of his pasture saith Psal 23. Thou preparest a Table before me in the presence of mine enemies thou annointest my head with oyle my cup runneth ouer Psal 36 8.9 And in another place They shall bee abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of th ne house and thou shalt make them drinke of the riâ—er of thy pleasures Salomon in the book of the Prouerbs dâ—scribeth this feast at large and setteth downe the Maister of the feast the place of the feast the cookes and dressers of the feast the abundance of the prouision and the inuiting of the guests Prou. 9 1.2 3. Psal 9 1 2 3. Wisedome hath builded her house she hath hewen out her seauen pillars she hath killed her beasts she hath mingled her wine she hath also furnished her Table she hath sent forth her maidens she cryeth vpon the high places of the Citty c. These heauenly blessings which are the soules diet do as truely and fully satisfie and sustaine the life the health the strength and good estate of the soule as all outward prouision doth nourish and maintaine the body therfore the Prophet cryeth Ho euery one that thirsteth Esay 55 5. come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eate yea come buy wine and milke without mony and without price So doth Wisedome call the simple-hearted Prou. 9 5. Come eate of my bread and drinke of the wine which I haue mingled Seeing then we haue so many kinde callings let vs not refuse to come least thereby we refuse Christ himselfe who is both the maister and matter of the feast the feeder and the food the nourisher and the nourishment Let vs not be like to that vngodly and vngracious sonne who being called of his father to worke in his vineyard answered readily but answered hypocritically Mat. 21 30. I will Sir but went not If our hearts be toward God as his is toward vs let vs sit with him at the Table and eate in his presence If we open the doore to him he will come in to vs and we shall suppe with him and he with vs Reue. 3.20 Hence it is that Christ proclaimeth Ioh. 6.51 If any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer If wee come to his Table and receiue not this bread of life we were better not come at all These things beeing thus made plaine and manifest let vs remember that excellent exhortation of the Apostle 1. Corinthians Chapter 5. stirring vp the Corinthians vpon this consideration to bee carefull solemnly to keepe this feast that seeing Christ our Paschall Lambe is slaine and crucified for vs and for our saluation wee should become a new lumpe wee should purge out the leauen of maliciousnesse and euery one follow after newnesse of life The Passeouer was an institution of God to the Israelites that they should kill and eate a Lambe without spot to bee a type and figure of that true Lambe and that with the blood thereof the postes of their doores should be sprinckled to the ende that the destroyer might passe ouer their houses wheÌ„ he slew the Egyptians Now these types are our examples and were written to admonish vs vpon whome the ends of the world are come The Lambe figured out Christ the sprinkling of their postes with the blood of the Lambe figured out the sprinkling of our conscieÌ„ces with the blood of Christ the passing ouer of them represented the merite of his death through which God passeth ouer our sinnes and doth not impute them vnto vs the feast of the Passeouer noteth out the spirituall ioy that wee are to receiue for our deliuerance from Sathan and eternall death the keeping of the feast without leauen signifieth the casting out of the remnants of infidelity and the infection of sinne and stirreth vs vp to leade an holye vncorrupt and vnblameable life in token of thankfulnesse to him that hath deliuered vs from so great wrath and vengeance to come and saued vs from death and damnation Hence it is that the Apostle saith 1. Corinthians Chapter 5. verse 7 8. Purge out therfore the olde leauen that ye may bee a new lumpe as yee are vnleauened for Christ our Passeouer is sacrificed for vs Therfore let vs keep the feast not with old leauen neither with the leauen of malice wickednes but with the vnleauened bread of sincerity and truth Then indeede wee acknowledge Christ to be ptesent with vs in the Sacraments and confesse that we are made partakers of him his graces when we learne to dye to sinne and to renounce all our euill waies and seeke to be vnited vnto him We cannot be partakers of his holinesse except we forsake
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
death hath that effectuall working in cleansing our soules from the corruption and filthinesse of sinne which naturall water hath in washing our bodies By the merit of his death we haue full forgiuenes of all our sinnes not onely originall but actuall not onely past but present and to come whose blood is neuer drawne dry but is euer fresh and ful of efficacy Therfore the words deliuered by the minister in baptisme at the commandement of Christ namely e Mat. 28 19. I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy-Ghost should be alwayes in our eares euen vntill the last gaspe and by them we ought to bee assured of the full forgiuenes of our offences against God For the blood of christ by which we are once washed can neuer bee drawne dry but is euer fresh full of force and strength to the continual clensing of our filthines and iniquities so that they neuer come into the sight of God neither are imputed vnto vs. Wherefore it is like vnto a sealed charter wherby is confirmed that all our sins are blotted out We are all taught by our baptism that none of the enemies of our saluation shal be able to lay any sin to our charge Art thou tempted to thinke that Christs blood was not shed for thee That thy transgressions are not pardoned That thou shalt bee brought to iudgement for them Doth Sathan tempt thy tender conscience with theÌ„ Thou maist as well doubt that thou wast not baptized and washed with water as doubt thy sinnes are not blotted out thou maist as well surmize thou perishedst in the water as suppose thou shalt perish in thy wickednes the floods wherof howsoeuer they go ouer thy head yet shall not be able to preuaile against thee fully and ouercome thee finally This serueth to conuince diuers hereticks that are altogether ignorant of the right vse of Baptisme The Messalâ—ans beleeued that baptisme was onely auaileable to take away former sinnes De diuin decre ca. de bapt But Theodoret teacheth that baptisme is the earnest of future graces not as a razor to cut away onely the sins that went before The Papists suppose no sinne forgiuen by baptisme in infants but one sin only which is originall In those that are baptized being of age whereof there is small or rare vse in these daies they inlarge and extend it thus farre as that it taketh away both originall and actuall sinnes before baptisme onely wherein although they would seeme to open the Lords hand very wide toward vs yet they are indeed notable Church-robbers who to maintaine their bellies their lusts do vtterly spoile vs not of a piece but of our whole saluation in Iesus Christ whilest they send vs to our owne satisfactions by prayers fastings whippings and such like Note therefore that our Sauiour saith He that beleeueth and is baptized Mar. 16 16. Tit. 3 5. 1 Pet. 3 21. shall be saued Saint Paul saith Tit. 3 5 that baptisme hath saued vs and Peter affirmeth that it doth saue vs 1 Pet. 3 21. Where the saluation that we haue through faith in baptisme being applied to the time past present and to come that is to all times it is euident that baptisme doth as well seale vp vnto vs the remission of the sinnes that wee commit at the last houre of death as the in-borne sinne wherein we were first conceiued in our mothers wombe This Saint Austine saw and therefore teacheth Aust de nuptijs concup lib. 1. cap. 33. that by the lauer of regeneration and word of sanctification all the euils of regenerate men are cleansed not onely sinnes past but such as are committed afterward by ignorance or infirmity so that great is the pardon of baptisme This then ouerthroweth the false d Concil Trid. sess 5. doctrine of the false Church of Rome the Mother of abhominations which teacheth that by the grace of Christ receiued in baptisme all our sinnes going before it are razed and blotted out and leaueth nothing in the party baptized e Bellar. lib. 1. de bapt cap. 13. that hath the name and nature of sin But albeit our sinnes be freely and fully forgiuen for Christs sake pardoned and not imputed couered and remembred no more yet the staine blot and remnants of sinne remaine though not raigne in our flesh so long as we liue in this world which in the end of our dayes together with the mortality and corruption of our bodies shall be taken away and abolished Indeed the Scripture teacheth that Christs blood cleanseth washeth g Iob. 1.29 Psal 32.1 and taketh away sin Ioh. 1. Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sin of the world but this is not by an actual purging of vs from all corruption but in freely acquiting and truely discharging vs from the guilt offence and punishment before God as Psal 32 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sins are lightened blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sin Therefore though they be forgiuen yet they remaine g 1 Ioh. 1 8. as appeareth Iohn 1 29. If we say we haue no sin we deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs. And Salomon in his worthy prayer saith If any sin against thee 1 Kings 8 46. Rom 7 23. Eph. 4 23. Col. 3 3. Esay 64 6. for there is no man that sinneth not So the Apostle teacheth and toucheth this truth by his owne experience Rom. 7. I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading me captiue vnto the law of sin which is in my members We are all as a filthy cloth the flesh rebelleth against the Spirit and in nothing we can do the things we would so that if God enter into iudgement with vs wee cannot stand in his sight And if originall sinne were extinguished and vtterly abolished in baptisme then they which are baptized should sin no more but we see they sin againe after their baptisme To conclude baptisme is auaileable not onely for sins before but it is a seale for confirmation of faith touching the remission of those sins that are committed after baptisme as well as done before as our blessed Sauiour teacheth Marke 16 16. Hee that shall beleeue and bee baptized shall be saued but he that will not beleeue shall be damned Faith then beleeueth the forgiuenes of all sinnes past and to come inasmuch as the blood of Christ cleanseth froÌ„ all sins And the apostle accordeth heereunto Titus 3 5 7. According to his mercy hee saued vs by the washing of the newe birth and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost that we being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of euerlasting life Where we see that the promise of iustification is generall against all sinnes Thus much of the second vse CHAP. XIIII Of the third vse of Baptisme THe third vse of baptisme is to kill and bury
before the word of the Lord what wisedome can there be in vs or how can we be assured to please God Thus we haue run ouer and answered the foolish and friuolous obiections that carnall minded men alledge in defence of their negligent comming to the Communion of the body and blood of Christ Christ himselfe is ready to entertaine vs as his friends to inuite vs as his guests to command vs as his seruants to come to his Table let vs then make conscience of this duty and not bring this curse vpon our selues to exclude our selues from his Sacrament and from his presence Excommunication is the greatest and highest censure of the Church which as a sharpe sword cutteth off offenders from the Church casteth them out from the communion of the faith-ful and putteth out from among them but these careles persons that regard not to be present at the partaking of this Supper do banish themselues from the Citty and excommunicate themselues from the Church of God They doe willingly and wilfully cast out themselues and cut themselues off from the society of his people To conclude this point let all such slothfull and sluggish persons take heed they do not exclude themselues from this comfortable Sacrament vnder what pretence soeuer it be least they bee in the number of those that draw backe vnto perdition of whoÌ„ the Lord pronounceth My soule shall haue no pleasure in him These things being thus rightly waighed and considered let vs make conscience of this duty and come chearefully and comfortably to this Table No man commeth vnto it but he departeth better away if he come as he ought to do He is filled with good things if he haue an hand to receiue them No man shall repent of comming vnto it if he repent of his sins before he come And when we come often yet we should be sorry that we come not more often It is Christs commandement let vs obey it it is his will let vs do it it is his counsell let vs follow it and his commandement his will his counsel is not cumbersome or burdensome vnto vs. If he should require at our hands something that were hard or heauy to flesh and blood ought we not with chearefulnes to vnder-goe it seeing he hath made vs and not we our selues seeing he hath redeemed vs and not we our selues and seeing he hath sanctified vs and not we our selues so that all that is in vs is the Lords Howbeit that which he willeth vs to do is not hard but easie it is not a burden grieuous to be borne to resort often to his Supper but light and pleasing to them that are spiritually minded It was well said of Naamans seruants to their Maister when he turned away in a rage from the Prophet My father if the Prophet had bid thee do some great thing wouldst thou not haue done it How much rather then when hee saith to thee Wash and be cleane 2. King 5 12. 2 Kings 5 12. So if Christ our Lord and Maister should command vs to do greater things then these and such as were costly to vs ought we not to do them How much more then when he saith vnto vs Mat. 11. Mat 11 30. My yoke is easie my burden is light and my commandements are not greeuous 1 Iohn 5.3 1 Ioh. 5 3. How much more when he saith Eate O my friends drinke and make you merry O my beloued Cant. 5 1 Cant. 5 1. Surely he will do very little for a man who being solemnly bidden and friendly inuited to a feast by his neighbour wil not go to his Table but scornfully refuse and churlishly reiect both the feast and him that called him We cannot thinke he wil do any great thing for vs neither can we make any great account of his fauor and friendship that will not come to supper vnto vs being kindly and curteously intreated In like manner what can we assure our hearts that we will do for Christ that wil not feast with Christ It is well said of Cyprian How will that man drinke the cup of Martyrdome for Christ that will not drinke the cup of saluation with Christ How will he suffer death for him that will not reioyce with him nor eate and drinke in his presence Remember therefore that the partaking of this Sacrament is to our great benefit he that eateth of this bread shall not hunger againe he that drinketh of his blood shall neuer thirst againe Remember that he which findeth good by any thing that he doth needeth no great inuiting much lesse compelling and enforcing He needeth no law to inforce him the loue of it will sufficiently allure him It is enough to compell such as feele no benefit by it and haue no regard of it But such as loue his last Supper and haue felt the benefit of it and haue tasted the sweetnesse of this feast need no compelling nor deuising of excuses to iustifie their absence Remember that God will not alwayes beare with our contempt nor put vp the wrong that is offered vnto him He is indeed very patient and a God of much long suffering he is content to warne vs oftentimes and to with-hold his hand from punishing of vs but if we abuse his patience we prouoke him to plague vs with diuers iudgements If he send out his messengers and we refuse to come at the first call he may forbeare vs or at the second cal he may peraduenture bear it at our hands in hope of repentance but if we harden our hearts and stop our eares when he calleth he hath passed sentence vpon vs already we shall not eate of his Supper For when this feast is kept in his Church Christ himselfe commeth among them and surueyeth his guests he looketh for vs to meete vs at his Table if he see our places often empty be sure he will misse vs and aske for vs and not alwayes suffer it euen as Saul did beare with Dauids absence the first day of the feast and spake not any thing 1 Sam. 20 â—â— 27. but when his roome was empty the second day he held his peace no longer and Ionathans excuse serued not God may beare with our dulnesse and negligence for a while but if we be absent from day to day and can alledge no iust excuse for our absence we may be well assured he will not take it at our hands For as a fearefull iudgement hangeth ouer his head that commeth vnprepared and eateth vnworthily so is he guilty of iudgement that refuseth to come at all It is not enough to say we come not vnworthily for as wel negligence in not comming is a sinne as want of reuerence in our comming We cannot be excused by pleading for our selues I thanke God I am not as many others I come not vnfitted and vnprepared to the Lords Table I presse not in among his guests I do not come ignorantly and vnworthily without knowledge without faith without
be the food of life Psal 81 16. Thirdly as this naturall life is sustained by bread so through Iesus Christ the bread of life our soules are nourished to a spirituall and eternall life Fourthly Psal 104 15. as the heart of man is strengthened and fortified by bread so the merit of Christs body doth sustaine support the soule to eternall life Gen. 18.5 Fiftly as bread slaketh the hunger of the body so the force and efficacy of Christs body doth asswage and alay the hunger of the soule Sixtly as bread profiteth such as are hungry Esay 58 7. Prou. 27 7. but doth no good to them that are already filled and glutted so the merit of Christs body bringeth a benefit to them onely that hunger after righteousnesse but as for such as are proud and puffed vp with a conceit of their owne righteousnes it yeeldeth no profit at all vnto them 1 Cor. 10 17. Seauenthly as the bread distributed and diuided among many is a signe of vnity and concord so the body of Christ offered vp for many vpon the Crosse is a pledge vnto vs of his loue toward vs and of the loue that ought to bee among our selues 1 Cor. 10 16 17. Lastly as one loafe is made of many graines so we that are many are become one mysticall body of Christ which are partakers of one bread Thus we haue seene a similitude and likenesse betweene the properties and effects of bread and of the body of Christ Reasons why Christ made choice of wine now let vs see wherefore Christ vsed wine and commanded it to be vsed after his owne example why he preferred it before all other things and what is the resemblance betweene it and the blood of Christ First of all as wine is the sweetest liquor proceeding from the Vine Iudg. 9 13. so the blood of Christ is the most pleasant drinke of the soule that was shed for vs and flowed out of his side who is the true Vine Ioh. 15 1.7 Secondly Prou 9 5. as wine doth quench the thirst of the body so the merit of Christs blood doth take away the thirst of the soule that it shall neuer thirst againe Ioh. 4. Thirdly as wine doth cheere vp the heart of man Psal 104 16. so the promises of Christ do cheere and refresh the soule Fourthly Prou. 31 6. as wine doth warme the body and make it more apt and fit to do businesse so the blood of Christ receiued by faith doth stirre vp and inflame the soule to all good motions and maketh vs more prompt and ready to euery good worke Fiftly as wine taketh away fearefulnes Prou. 23 32. and causeth men to be more bold and secure so doth the blood of Christ applyed to the conscience by faith assure vs of Gods fauour ease vs of the curse of the law and make vs constant in the confession of Christ Lastly Prou. 21 29 30. as wine putteth away the palenesse of the face and maketh the countenance shine so the blood of Christ turneth the colour of the soule into a comely hue which before was pale and wan through feare of death that is it quieteth the conscience Rom. 5 1. appeaseth the wrath of God and maketh vs gracious before him so that we appeare righteous and acceptable in his sight This being the plaine and euident truth let vs see the vses first such as concerne both the signes ioyntly and in generall then such as belong to each of them in seuerall and in particular To begin we learne from hence to acknowledge a difference betweene baptisme and the Lords supper in baptisme we haue one signe as the materiall part in the Supper we haue two signes e Why we haue two signes in the Lorâ—s Supper aâ—d only one in baptisme partly to note out our whole full and perfect nourishment in Christ hauing whatsoeuer is requisite for our saluation and partly to shew a fuller remembrance of his death for the wine which is a figure of his blood doth as it were present it and represent it before our eyes So then albeit the same participation of Christ and the same washing away of sins by his blood are sealed vp in baptisme and in the Supper yet the manner of sealing them in each is diuers Againe baptisme is a signe of our entrance into Gods Couenant the Supper is a sign of our abiding and continuing in that couenant Touching baptâ—sme it is sufficient for infants if they bee borne in the Church in the Supper the condition of examining our selues and remembring the Lords death is required They differ also in often celebration of them baptisme is to bee receiued but once onely in all our life because the promise once made is alwayes firme and forcible to such as beleeue and repent but the Supper is oftentimes to be receiued because an often renewing of that Couenant and calling it to our remembrance is necessary to increase and strengthen faith They differ also in the order which is to be obserued in the vse of them for baptisme is to be giuen before the Supper and the Supper may not be giuen to any except to such as are knowne to haue beene first baptized or are at least reputed so to be As first a Child is borne before he be fed so must Baptisme go before whereby our new birth is sealed then the Supper must follow after whereby our daily nourishment is declared and confirmed Lastly they differ in the signes there is onely one signe in baptisme which is the water but there are two signes in the Lords Supper to wit the bread and wine The second generall vse is that if Christ tooke gaue and deliuered the substance of the bread and wine then they must needs retaine their former nature their proper substance as well as their qualities as sight taste smell bignesse whitenes sweetnes rednes roundnes and such like properties But the Papists turne all things g Against the bare shewes of bread and wine and accidents without subiect vpside downe matter into forme substance into accidents creatures into shewes and subiects into things adioyned they bring in new shifts and fables against all diuinity philosophy reason sence and experience setting vp their owne inuentions and building Castles in the ayre Let them prooue the annihilation and remouing of the substance of bread wine away and the h Arist phis lib. 1. cap. 3. consisting of accidents without subiect which they are neuer able to do For as the water in baptisme remaineth in his nature and substance so do the bread and wine in the Lords Supper And albeit in both the Sacraments the signes be changed to a speciall vse yet are they not corrupted into shewes and turned into shadowes The heauens i Psal 102 26. shall be changed at the end of the world yet hence it followeth not that they shall be cleane abolished and consumed to nothing
former bookes CHAP. X. Of the third inward part of the Lords Supper THe third inward part is a The third inward part of the Lords Supper is the body blood of Christ the body and blood of Christ that is the body of our Lord deliuered vnto death for vs and his blood shed for the remission of sinnes and consequently whole Christ This is the chiefest part of this Sacrament For the body and blood of Christ signified by the bread and wine are thus made and separated to bee the liuely meat of our soules and haue that force and efficacy of feeding in our soules which bread and wine haue in our bodies This is the cause why b Ioh. 6 48 50 Christ often calleth himselfe the bread of life Ioh. 6. I am that bread of life this is that bread of life which commeth downe from heauen that hee which eateth of it should not dye I am that liuing bread if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer Thus euery receiuer is giuen to vnderstand that as God doth blesse the bread and wine in his Supper to preserue strengthen and comfort the body of the receiuer So Christ apprehended and receiued by faith doth nourish vs and preserueth body and soule vnto eternall life He dyed in the flesh that he might quicken vs and he poured out his blood that hee might clense vs from our sinnes Wherefore c How the sacramentall rites do serue to strengthen our faith whensoeuer as the Lords guests we see the bread on the Lords Table we must set our mindes on the body of Christ when we behold the cup of the Lord we must thinke vpon the blood of Christ when we looke vpon the bread broken and the wine poured out we must consider how the body of Christ was pierced punished crushed crucified torne tormented and his blood poured out for our sakes when we feele that by bread our bodies are nourished strengthened and by the wine our vitall spirits are comforted refreshed we beleeue that by the body of Christ deliuered to death for vs we are fed to euerlesting life and that by his blood poured out vpon the Crosse our consciences are sanctified and we feele his quickening power which doth confirme vs in our communion with him Thus is this part of the Supper spiritually to bee applyed thus are the bread and wine made a Sacrament to vs not bare signes thus the memoriall of Christs death is repeated which albeit it were once finished on the Crosse and now his passion is past long ago yet to the faithfull in regard of the force it is still fresh and alwaies present Now it is not without cause and good consideration that Christ would haue the bread first deliuered as a signe of his body then afterward the wine as a signe of his blood seuerally and apart administred because his body and blood are not represented to vs as his humanity now dwelleth glorious in the heaueÌ„s but as he was offered vp a sacrifice on the crosse his blood being shed out of his body For to the ende it may be nourishment to vs it must bee crucified For as corne of it selfe is not fit food for vs vnlesse it be threshed winnowed ground and baked for vs so is it touching Christ he must suffer be crucified and dye that wee may liue by him and raigne with him This is the truth which in this point is to be considered Vse 1 Now let vs lay open the vses which of vs are to be learned Is Christ the inward part of the Lords Supper represented by the bread and wine offered to all but receiued only of such as are faithfull then his body is not inclosed in the bread or in the accidents of bread nor his blood included in the wine or vnder the shewes of wine d Against the real presence he is not personally locally carnally corporally naturally really substantially and sensually present in the Sacrament The question is not e The true state of the question set downe whether the words of Christ be true for they are knowne confessed and beleeued so that as he is the truth so all his words are words of truth neither is the question whether the Sacrament be a bare signe or bare figure we say Christ is truely represented sealed and exhibited neither is the question whether God be omnipotent almighty this is a part of our faith an Article of christian beleefe neither is the question simply of the presence of Christ whether he be truely and vndoubtedly present in the Sacrament of his last Supper we acknowledge and receiue as much For Christ is present among vs sundry waies by his Spirit by his grace by his diuinity by faith dwelling in our hearts he is present in his word he is present in the ministry of baptisme he is present in the Sacrament of his body we onely deny that grosse and fleshly presence which many go about to fasten vpon vs. But the whole question is of the meaning and vnderstanding of the words of institution and of the manner of his presence We confesse teach the people committed vnto vs that Christs f Confess Gal. lic art â—7 Confess Anglic. art 12. Cal instit lib. 4. cap. 17. body and blood are truely verily and indeed giuen vnto vs that we truely eate and drinke them that we are releeued and liue by them that we are made bone of his bone that Christ dwelleth in vs and we in him yet we say not that the substance of bread and wine is abolished or that Christs body descendeth from heauen or is grosly corporally present in the Sacrament we are taught to lift vp our hearts to heauen g Col. 3 1 2 3 where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God the Father and there to seed vpon him But heere is the state of the question and controuersie betweene vs. The Church of Rome teacheth that after h Con. Trid. sess 13. cap. 1. the words of consecration the bread and wine are abolished and the body and blood of Christ come in place so that they make them corporally present not onely in the Sacrament to be eaten with the mouth but in the pixe in the Masse and in their solemne processions where is neither eating nor drinking Yea Berengarius in his recantation was taught to say and forced to subscribe that i De con dist 2. ego Bereng Christ is in the Sacrament sensibly or sensually is touched with the fingers diuided broken rent with the teeth and not onely the accidents Moreouer they make it to be eateÌ„ not only of euill men but of beasts and to fill vp the measure of blasphemy to be cast out into the draught as some of them haue taught and affirmed Thus then the difference standeth betweene vs they hold that Christs body and blood are carnally eaten of wicked men without faith of brute beasts without reason
together and therefore through their vaine confidence c 1 Sam 4 10 c they were destroyed the Arke was taken the two sonnes of Ely were slaine and the whole hoast was discomfited Thus is it with the Sacrament and with such as come without faith to the Sacrament The Sacrament indeed is holy the sacramentall rites are holy the bread and wine are holy but let them be receiued of persons that are prophane and vnholy they make the Sacraments to themselues vnholy so far are they from conferring grace and holinesse to all receiuers of theÌ„ For can the Sacraments make him holy that is vnholy Or a godly man that is vngodly Or make him to feare an oth that is a blasphemer They cannot nay to such the Sacraments become vnholy and the receiuers grow more vnholy as Iudas did after the partaking of the Passeouer Wherefore God as a iust Iudge would driue Adam out of the garden of Eden least puttâ—ng forth his hand to the tree of life hee should d Gen. 3 22. take and receiue it vnworthily thereby e Mercer in 3. cap. Gen. Aralis Franc. Iun. in Gen. prophaning the Sacrament and so eate to himselfe iudgement The sacrifices were holy ordinances of God yet when men that liued vngodly came vnto them they turned to bee sinne to them so is it with all those that come without faith feeling to the Supper of the Lord let vs not therfore be faithlesse but faithfull Lastly if the faithfull onely receiue with profite then Vse 4 such as are hypocrites and wicked liuers cannot bee partakers of the body and blood of Christ no more then God and Sathan can be ioyned together True it is such may receiue the bare signes but they receiue them to their condemnation because f Wicked meÌ„ do not recâ—iue Christ through want of faith repentance they offend God repell Christ from them and all his benefits and draw vnto themselues temporall and eternall punishments For no man can eate Christ and withall eat his owne damnation Againe whosoeuer eateth the flesh of Christ and drinketh his blood shall liue for euer and hath Christ dwelling in him to saluation for Christ can neuer be separated from his sauing graces but the vngodly shall not liue for euer by Christ with God For Christ is not eaten with the teeth or mouth as in the Gospell he directly determineth Ioh. 6. Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life my flesh is meat indeed my blood is drinke indeed g Ioh. 6 14. he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him But Infidels and wicked persons haue not eternall life neither abide in Christ therfore by the doctrine of Christ our Sauiour h Aâ—g tract in 〈◊〉 25. they neither eate his flesh nor drinke his blood We must open the eyes of our faith to behold him and the mouth of our soule to receiue him for by faith onely we are made partakers of him which the vngodly want hee that i Ioh. 4 14. drinketh of the blood of Christ shall neuer be more athirst Thirdly we know that Sathan the Prince of darknesse ruleth in all the hearts of the children of disobedience and sitteth in their Consciences 2 Cor. 14 4. as the God of this world and filleth them full of iniquity as we see in the example of Iudas Now if these receiue the body of Christ then Christ and the diuell should dwell in one subiect together and be ioynt possessors of one and the same house Luk. 11 21. but this cannot be these cannot be at one these can neuer be friends reconciled there is no m 2 Cor. â— 14 fellowship betweene righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse there is no communion betweene light and darknesse there is no concord betweene Christ and Bel all Fourthly the Apostle teacheth that where Christ is n Rom. 8 9. he worketh mortification and dying to sinne Rom. 8. If any haue not the spirit of Christ the same is not his and if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life for righteousnesse sake But the wicked are not dead to sin they are dead in their sins and trespasses and they haue sinne not only remaining but raigning in them therefore Christ cannot be in them Fiftly where Christ is there are all things necessary to saluation and to whom God giueth his Sonne o Rom 8 31. to him he giueth iustification sanctification redemption repentance remission of sinnes and eternall life as Rom. 8. If God be on our side who shall be against vs Who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how should he not with him giue vs all things also But the wicked haue not these guifts accompaning saluation they are not iustified they are not sanctified they are not regenerated therefore they cannot haue Christ from whom these flow Sixtly we are charged to try and p 2 Cor. 13 5. proue our owne hearts whether Christ be in vs or not that thereby we may discerne of our estate and standing in the faith 2 Cor. 13. Proue your selues whether ye are in faith examine your selues know ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates To what purpose serueth this tryall and examination if Christ may be in vs and yet we remaine reiected Wherefore Christ cannot bee in vs if we be not approued but refused of God Seuenthly if such as eate the bread of the Lord vnworthily do withall eate the body of Christ it will follow froÌ„ hence that to eate is no longer to eate but to reiect and refuse For these two take ye and eate ye are ioyned together by Christ himselfe so that the eating it selfe is a kinde of receiuing As then he that refuseth the bread cannot bee said to eate the bread so they which reiect the bodye of Christ cannot eate the body of Christ for if they did eate it they would also take it and receiue it Lastly the Apostle chargeth the Church of the Corinthians not to eate things sacrificed to Idols in q 1 Cor. 10 20. the Idols temple because they cannot be partakers of Christ and the diuell nor drink of the cup of Christ and of the cup of diuels 1 Cor 10 20. These things which the Gentiles sacrâ—fice they sacrifice them to diuels and not vnto God and I would not that ye should haue fellowship with the diuels ye cannot b e partakers of the Lords Table and of the table of diuels Where he sheweth that a man may come poluted with Idoll sacrifices to the Lords Supper but then he cannot be partaker of Christ indeed and in truth Thus we see the doctrine of the Church of Rome striken to the ground which hold it as a principle of their faith and teach it to others that wicked men do receiue eate r Bel. de Sacra Euch. li
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
haue life in you which must be vnderstood of such as are of yeares and growne in age And thus Innocentius the third in the b Decret Gregor lib. 3. tit 42 c. 3. decrees expoundeth it so doth Peter Lumbard c Lumb sent lib. 4. dist 4. maister of the Sentences So then if they will be tryed eyther by their owne Pope which is their holy father or by Peter Lumbard which is their grand-maister this place cannot be inforced against infants that dye before they be baptized but must be reâ—erred to men of greater yeares We reason not thus farre to iustifie and allow the sluggishnesse and neglect of carelesse parents vnder colour and pretence of this that the saluation of the child dependeth not vpon the participation of the Sacrament but to shew that if it cannot be obtained as it ought to be desired or if by godlesse parents it be deferred and neglected yet saluation is not tyed and glued to the outward water The neglect of the Sacrament is a notable marke of a despiser and therefore the Pharisies are saide to haue reiected the counsell of God against themselues beeing not baptized of him Luke 7 30. It is strange to consider what childish excuses and pretences parents vse to iustifie their negligeÌ„ce in performing this good duty to their Children For baptisme is necessary in respect of God that hath commanded it in respect of the Church the lawfull vse of it being a note of the true Church and in respect of the promise annexed vnto it Neuerthelesse it is not simply necessary to saluation as though without the washing of water one could not be a member of Christ True it is to euery one that beleeueth baptisme must necessarily be either actually receiued or earnestly desired receiued if it may be had desired if it cannot be had For as the true desire of grace is grace indeed in Gods acceptance so the desire of baptisme is accepted of God as baptisme And therefore simply the want of it without neglect cannot bring danger of daÌ„nation Away then with the doctrine of the Church of Rome touching the absolute necessity of baptisme and touching Children that dye without it a beastly and bloody d Let none obiect the opinion of Augustine for he thought it necessary to saluation that children shold receiue the Lords Supper as well as baptisme De peccâ—tor meâ—t lib. 1. cap. 24. doctrine ioyned with rigor and cruelty full of terror and feare vncharitable in it selfe presumptuous by entring into Gods secret iudgements impious by binding him to second causes and ordinary meanes iniurious to thousands of poore infants discomfortable to all good parents and blasphemous against the bottomelesse mercy of a gracious God who hath saide e Gen. 17 7. I will bee thy God and the God of thy seede where he maketh a couenant of saluation with vs and our children not adding any condition of baptisme if it cannot be had as it ought to be If it cannot be had by the infant the Spirit of God doth worke the effectuall knitting of them to the body of Christ by a secret working as pleaseth him in stead of ordinary meanes For when our Sauiour had said Mar. 16. He that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued he doth not adde contrariwise he that is not baptized shall be damned f Maâ— 16 16. but annexeth onely Hee that beleeueth not shall be condemned Thus we haue shewed the malice and madnesse of Sathan against poore infants and how he hath vsed proud and pestilent instruments to effect his purpose partly the Anabaptistes who deny baptisme to their bodies and partly the Papists who deny saluation to their soules for want of baptisme CHAP. VI. Of the fourth outward part of Baptisme THe last outward part of baptisme is a The last outward part of baptisme is the body washed the body that is washed For wee haue shewed before that the Sacraments without their vse are no Sacraments And albeit the worde ioyned to the signe make a Sacrament yet this presupposeth a Minister to administer it and a receiuer to take it and then the rule is most certainely to bee admitted Now whether the whole body should be washed or a part of the body whether it should be washed once or oftner whether it should be dipped or sprinkled we are neither curiously to enquire nor seriously to contend nor rashly to determine but rest in practise of the Church and in the custome of the country as in a thing in it owne nature indifferent The dipping and plunging into the water vsed by Iohn Baptist and the Apostles in Iudea and such hot regions are not a necessary rule to be drawne into imitation especially in these colde quarters and countries For the word doth not onely signifie to diue to put and plunge into the water but to dip to sprinkle and to wash This sprinkling doth very fitly answere to the signification of water For the apostle Peter teacheth that we are elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through the sanctification of the Spirit vnto obedience sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ as 1. Epistle of Peter chap. 1. 1 Pet. 1.2 verse 2. which is signified by outward baptisme and was shaddowed by sprinkling of blood vnder the law Neyther may we imagine that the efficacy of baptisme dependeth vpon the quantity of water that is vsed and imployed no more then the force and vertue of the Lords Supper dependeth vpon the quantity of the bread and wine which wee receiue They then are much deceiued that would bring in an absolute necessity of dipping Children into the water as if without it they were not lawfully baptized For as we noted before the word importeth euen simply any washing of what sort soeuer as Marke 7. It is said of the Pharisies that comming from the market they eate not except they wash 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this outward washing of the bodye from filth representeth the inward clensing of the soule from sinne Heereunto the Apostle alludeth when he affirmeth that we are saued according to the mercy of God our Sauiour by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost Tit. 3.5 Eph. 5 25 26. Titus 3 verse 5. And else-where he saith Ehesians 5. verses 25 26 Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it that hee might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word So then the ceremony vsed among vs to sprinkle water vpon the face of the child cannot be reproued or condemned but standeth with the ordinance of God as well as dipping in the water and therefore the Apostle saith to the Hebrewes Chap. 10.22 Let vs draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith Heb. 10 22. hauing our hearts sprinkled from an euill conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Hence it is that Cyprian writing of this argument in his Epistles teacheth
Cyprian lib. 4. epist 7. that such as are sprinkled with water being sicke are no lesse truely baptized then such as are otherwise washed But let vs see who they are that haue right and interest in baptisme and who are capable of this Sacrament For not euery one without respect without difference without distinction is to bee admitted to this priuiledge because they are not fitte receiuers thereof If a Minister should take the outward element and vse the word of institution baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost yet it can bee no Sacrament vnlesse the deliuerer haue authority to administer it and the party baptized haue warrant to receiue it If hee should baptize a stone or an Image or a bruit beast without reason and vnderstanding these are no fit receiuers heere is an apparant and flat nullity whereby appeareth farther the truth of the former rule that besides the ioyning of the word to the outward signe there is necessarily required a fitted person to be partaker of the Sacrament as is more at large expressed Booke 3. Chap. 3. To proceede b Who are in the couenant wee must know that the receiuers are such as are within the couenant and such as professe the truth whether in truth or not wee leaue to GOD that searcheth the hearts and reines c Rom. 14 4. let vs not iudge another mans seruant he standeth or falleth to his owne maister Againe such as are borne in the couenant are of two sorts First men and women of yeares Secondly infants that are the seede of the faithfull For the faithfull do beleeue for themselues and for others as in bargaines they couenaâ—â— and contract for themselues and their heires after them for euer Although children cannot be saide to be saued by their fathers faith no more then to liue by the fathers soule inasmuch as the Prophet d Hab. 2 4. Rom. 1 17. Gal. 3 11. Heb. 10 38. teacheth That the iust shall liue by his owne faith yet the faith of the parents maketh their children to be counted in the couenant who by reason of their age cannot yet actually beleeue as they that want all knowledge and vnderstanding e Ionah 4 11. not discerning the right hand from the left Euery man liueth this temporall life by his owne soule so euery man liueth the eternall life by his owne faith True it is baptisme is a common seale But as all haue not interest to the pasture herbage and priuiledges of a Commons but onely such as are tenants according to the custome of the manor so all haue not title to baptisme being a Sacrament of the Church but onely such as are the Lords people according to the tenour of the couenant Touching the first sort of such as are to be baptized they are men women of riper yeares who adioyne themselues to the Church testifie their repentance hold the foundation of religion f Acts 8.36 and confesse their faith as Acts 8. If thou beleeuest thou maiest bee baptized The second sort are infants within the couenant g 1 Cor. 7 14. which haue both their parents or one at the least faithfull as 1 Cor. 7 14. The vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified to the wife and the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified to the husband else were your children vncleane but now they are holy Where the Apostle sheweth that albeit a beleeuer bee vnequally yoaked and matched with an vnbeleeuer yet he is not to be forsaken nor the marriage bed to be accounted polluted inasmuch as their children are sanctified to God and the Church as well as if they were borne of both parents faithfull For so the children of the Israelites being of the posterity of Abraham are included in the couenant of God We are not curiously to enquire into the secret counsell and election of God we must h We must hope well of the seed of the faithfull and thereâ—ore we baptize them hold all the seed of the faithfull holy vntill they cut off themselues and in processe of time openly declare themselues to be strangers from the promises of saluation Againe the same Apostle i Rom. 11 16 Gen. 17 7. saith Rom. 〈◊〉 If the first fruites be holy so is the whole lumpe if the roote bee holy so are the branches So likewise God testifieth Gen. 17. I will establ sh my couenant betweene me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an euerlasting couenant to be a God to thee and to thy seede after thee Such onely were circumcised as were within the couenant Notwithstanding they which were borne of vnbeleeuing parents and were strangers from the common-wealth of Israel and aliants from the promises of saluation if they acknowledged the errors in which they liued and sought forgiuenes of their former sins were accounted the childreÌ„ of faithfull Abraham were admitted into the Church and receiued circumcision as the apostles said to the Iailer k Act. 16 30.31 humbled vnder the mighty hand of God and desiring to be instructed in the way of saluation Beleeue in the Lord IESVS CHRIST and thou shalt be saued and thy whole houshold So the Euangelist testifieth the like of Zacheus when he had once receiued CHRIST into his house nay which is more into his heart l Luk. 19 9. then Iesus saide vnto him This day is saluation come vnto this house forasmuch as he is also become the sonne of Abraham Thus when the Sunne of righteousnesse shineth vpon the head and maister of the family the beames thereof by a gracious influence begin to comfort and conserue m Act. 16 14 3 15. 1 Cor. 1 16. Ioh. 4 53. 2 Ioh verse 1. al the rest in the house like the precious oyntment vpon the head of Aaron that ranne downe vpon the beard and descended vpon the borders of his garments or like the dew that falleth from heauen vpon Hermon and the Mountaines of Sion n Psal 133.2 which goeth downe into the vallies and maketh all the plaine country fertill The knowledge of this point offereth diuers profitable Vse 1 vses to our consideration and consolation First it is the duty of all those that are within the couenant to giue their bodies to be washed and to receiue that washing in the face and presence of the Congregation Let such as are of yeares desire and craue this Sacrament let them claime this priuiledge o Act. 8 36. 22 16. let them demand to bee baptized according to the example of the Eunuch Acts 8. So soone as he was instructed in the faith of Christ by the preaching of Philip as he came to a certaine water he said of his owne accord See heere is water what doth let me to be baptized So to the same purpose Act. 22. Ananias stirreth vp Paul to this duty saying Why tariest thou Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sinnes Secondly this condemneth sundry corruptions and