Crosse and of all his benefites Because Christ hath commaunded me and all the faithfull to eate of this breade broken and to to drinke of the cup distributed in remembrance of him with this promise g Mat. 26.27.28 Mar. 14.22.23.24 Luc. 22.16.20 1. Cor. 10.16.17 11.23.24.25 12.13 adioined First that his bodie was as certainly broken and offred for me on the Crosse and his bloud shed for me as I behold with my eies the bread of the Lord broken vnto me and the cup communicated to me and further that my soul is no lesse assuredly fed to euerlasting life with his bodie which was crucified for vs and his bloud which was shedde for vs than I receiue and tast by the mouth of my bodie the bread and wine the signes of the bodie and bloud of our Lord receiued at the hand of the Minister 76 What is it to eate the bodie of Christ crucified and to drinke his bloud that was shed It is not onely to imbrace by an assured confidence of minde the whole passion and death of Christ and thereby to h Ioh. 6.35.40.47.48.50.51.53.54 obtain forgiuenes of sins and euerlasting life but also by the holy Ghost who dwelleth both in Christ and vs so more and more to bee a Ioh. 6.56 vnited to his sacred bodie that though he be in b Act. 3.21 Act. 1.9 c. 1. Cor. 11.26 heauen and we in earth yet neuerthelesse are wee flesh of his flesh and bone of his c Eph. 5.29.30.32 1. Cor. 6.15.17.19 1. Ioh. 3.24 4.13 Ioh. 14 23. bones and as all the members of the bodie are by one soule so are wee also quickened and d Io. 6.56.57.58 Io. 15.1.2.3.4.5.6 Eph. 4.15.16 guided by one and the same spirite 77 Where hath Christ promised that he will as certainely giue his bodie and bloude so to bee eaten and dronken as they eate this breade broken and drinke this cup In the institution of his supper the wordes whereof are these e 1. Cor. 11.23 c. Mat. 26.26 c. Mar. 14.22 c. Luc. 22.19 c. Our Lord Iesus Christ in the night that he was betraied tooke bread And when he had giuen thankes he brake it and said Take eate this is my bodie which is broken for you this doe you in remembrance of me Likewise also he tooke the cup when he had supped and saide f Exod. 24.8 Heb. 9.20 This cup is the Newe Testament in my bloud g Exod. 13.9 this doe as often as yee shall drinke it in remembrance of me For as often as ye shal eat this bread and drinke this cup ye shewe the Lordes death till he come This promise is repeated by Saint Paul when he saith The cup of thankesgiuing wherewith we giue thankes is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ h 1. Cor. 10.16.17 For wee that are manie are one bread and one bodie because wee all are partakers of one bread 78 Are then the bread and wine made the verie bodie and bloud of Christ No verily But as the water of baptisme is i Math. 26.29 Mar. 14.24 not turned into the bloud of Christ but is only a sign and pledge of those thinges that are sealed to vs in Baptisme So neither is the bread of the Lords Supper the verie bodie of k 1. Cor. 10.16 c. 11.26 c Christ Although according to the manner of Sacramentes and that i Gen. 17.10 c. Exod. 26.27.43.48 13 9. Act. 7.8 Exo. 24.8 Le. 16.10 17.11 Isa 6.6.7 Tit. 3.5 Act. 22.16 1. Pet. 3.21 1. Cor. 10.1 forme of speaking of them which is vsuall vnto the holy Ghost the bread is called the body of Christ 79 Why then doth Christ call breade his bodie and the cup his bloud or the new Testament in his bloud and Paul also calleth bread and wine the Communion of the bodie and bloude of Christ Christ not without great consideration speaketh so to wit not onely for to teach vs that as the bread and wine sustaine the life of the body so also his crucified body and bloudshed are indeed the meat drinke of our soul whereby it is a Iohn 6.51.55.56 nourished to eternall life but much more that by this visible signe and pledge he may assure vs that wee are as verily partakers of his bodie and bloud through the working of the holy ghost as wee doe b 1. Cor. 10.16.17 perceiue by the mouth of our bodie these holie signes in remembraunce of him and further also that his suffering and obedience is so certainely ours as though we our selues had suffered punishments for our sinnes and had satisfied God 80 What difference is there betweene the Supper of the Lord and the Popish Masse The Supper of the Lord testifieth to vs that we haue perfect forgiuenesse of all our sinnes for that only Sacrifice of Christ which himself once fully c Heb. 7.27 9 12.26.28 10.10.12.14 Iohn 19.30 Mat. 26.28 Luc. 22.19.20 wrought on the Crosse Then also that we by the holie Ghost are graffed into d 1. Cor. 6.17 10.16 12.13 Christ who now according to his humane nature is onely in heauen at the right hand of his e Heb. 1.3 8.1 c. Father and there will be f Ioan. 4.21.22.23 20.17 Luc. 24.52 Act. 7.55.56 Col. 3.1 Phil. 3.10 1. Thes 1.9.10 worshipped of vs. But in the Masse it is denied that the quicke and the dead haue remission of sins for the onely passion of Christ except also Christ bee daily offered for them by their Sacrificers Further also it is taught that Christ is bodilie vnder the formes of breade and wine and therefore is to bee a In canone Missae item de consecrat distin 2. worshipped in them And so the verie foundation of the Masse is nothing else than an vtter denyall of that onelie Sacrifice and passion of Christ Iesus and an accursed Idolatrie 81 Who are to come vnto the Table of the Lord They onely who are trulie sorrowfull that they haue offended GOD by their sinnes and yet trust that those sinnes are pardoned them for Christes sake and what other infirmities they haue that those are couered by his passion and death who also desire more and more to go forward in faith and integritie of life But hypocrites and they who doe not truely repent do eate and b 1. Cor. 10.21 11.28 c. drinke damnation to themselues 82 Are they also to be admitted to this supper who in confession and life declare them-selues to bee Infidels and vngodlie No. For by that meanes the couenaunt of GOD is profaned and the wrath of GOD is c 1. Cor. 11.20.34 Is 1.11 c. 66.3 Ier. 7.21 c. Ps 50.16 c. stirred vp against the whole assemblie Wherefore the Church by the
posteritie Vnto other Nations but not vnto the Iewes it was free to be circumcised or not to be circumcised Wee must here obserue that they of the olde testament were of three sorts 1. Jsraelites which were of Abrahams posteritie and were necessarily bound by the Lawe to obserue circumcision the ceremonies 2. Proselytes who of the Gentiles were conuerted vnto the Iewes did more more for cōfirming of their faith submit thē selues vnto circumcision and the whole ceremonial lawe 3. Those of the gentiles who were conuerted vnto the Iewes but did not obserue the ceremonies For vnto the gentiles and Prosylites it was free to keepe or not to keepe circumcision and the ceremonies These latter were called also Religious men who embraced onely the doctrine and promises of god Obiect The males onelie were circumcised therefore the women were shut out from the couenant of grace Aunswere The women were comprehended in the circumcision of the males And God spared the weaker sex And it sufficed for them to come of godly progenitors 2 What are the ends of circumcision CIrcumcision was instituted 1. That it might bee a signe of the grace of God towardes Abrahams posteritie and that doubly First that God woulde receiue the beleeuers by the Messias who was to come Secondly that he would giue them the land of Canaan and graunt his church a certaine place there vntill the comming of the Messias 2. That it might be a bond to bind Abraham and his seede vnto thankefulnes or to faith and repentance and so to keepe the whole law 3. That it might bee a marke to distinguish the Iewes from other Nations and Sects 4. That it might bee a sacrament of initiating and receiuing them into the church 5. That it might bee an accusation and a signification of vncleannes For that rite did shewe that all men were subiect to sinnes and vnclean 6. That it might bee a signe which shoulde shewe and signifie that the meanes of their deliuerance through Christ which was to come shoulde not come elsewhence than from the bloud of Abraham 3 Why circumcision is abolished CIrcumcision is abolished 1. Because the thing signified is exhibited For among other things it signified that the Messias promised vnto the Fathers should come at length in his appointed time and should in our behalfe take our nature 2. Because circumcision was instituted for the seuering of the Iewes from all other Nations but now the church that difference being abolished is collected and gathered out of al Nations And now the sacrament of baptisme performerth the same vnto vs which circumcision did vnto them Moreouer as circumcision was a signe vnto them of their receiuing into the people of God So is baptisme vnto vs the first mark which seuereth the church from the wicked 4 Why Christ was circumcised CHrist was circumcised 1. That hee might signifie that hee was also a member of that circumcised people 2. That hee might shew that he receiued and tooke our sinnes on himselfe that he might satisfie for them 3. That he might testifie that he did entirelie and fullie fulfill the law in our behalfe 4. The circumcision of Christ was a part also of his humiliation and Ransome OF THE LORDS SVPPER THE chiefe questions 1 What the Supper of the Lord is 2 What are the ends thereof or wherefore it was instituted 3 What is differeth from Baptisme 4 What is the sense and meaning of the words of the institution 5 What is the difference betweene the Lords Supper and the Papists Masse 6 What is the right vse of the Supper 7 What the wicked receiue in the Supper 8 Who are to come and to be admitted vnto the Supper 1 WHAT THE SVPPER OF THE LORD IS FIrst we wil see by what names the Supper of the Lorde is called then wee wil in few woordes define what it is This action or ceremony or rite instituted by a Christ a little before his death is called A supper Why it is called a Supper from the first institution of it that is in respect of the originall or first beginning of this rite or in respect of the time wherein this ceremony was instituted which circumstance of time the church hath chaunged Jt is likewise called Synaxis that is Why a conuent a conuent in respect of the assembly and conuent of the church because some either few or many assemble and meete together in celebrating of the supper For in the first celebration the Disciples were present Take this and diuide it among you Wherefore it must needs be that there was some number there which also appeareth by the Apostle repeating the first institution 1. Cor. 11. where in the end he addeth When ye come together to eat tarry one for another And further that moe ought to come together to celebrate the supper this end of the supper doth euidently enough shew in that it was instituted to be a token and euen a bond of loue For we that are many are one bread and one bodie It is called also the Eucharist Why the Eucharist Why a sacrifice Why Missa because it is a rite and ceremony of thankesgiuing Last of all it is called also a sacrifice because it is the commemoration of christs propitiatory benefit And at length it was also called Missa frō the offering or from the dimissing of the rest who might not communicate after the sermō which went before the celebration was finished Now let vs come to define the Lords Supper The definition of the Lordes Supper THE Lords supper is a ceremonie or sacrament instituted and appointed of christ vnto the faithfull for a memorial of him whereby christ dooth certainly promise and seale vnto mee and all the faithfull first that his body was offered and broken on the crosse for mee and his bloode shed for me as truely as I see with my eies the bread of the Lord to be broken vnto me and his cup distributed and moreouer that hee doth as certainlie with his body crucified and his blood shed feed and nourish my soul vnto euerlasting life as my body is fed with the bread the cup of the lord receiued from the hand of the minister which are offered to me as certaine seales of the body blood of Christ It may be also more briefly defined on this wise The lords supper is a distributing receiuing of bread and wine commaunded of Christ vnto the faithfull that by these signes he might testifie that hee hath deliuered and yeelded his body vnto death and hath shedde his bloode for them and dooth giue them those thinges to eate and drinke that they might be vnto them the meate and drink of eternall life and that thereby also he might testifie that he would dwel in them for euer And againe that of the otherside hee might by the same signe bind them to mutuall dilection and loue seeing Christ spareth not to giue his body and bloode for vs. This
are receiued of vs namelie earthly externall and visible signs as are bread and wine and besides these also heauenlie internall and inuisible gifts as are the true bodie of Iesus Christ together with al his gifts and benefits and heauenlie treasures Thirdly that in the supper we are made partakers not onlie of the spirit of Christ and his satisfaction iustice vertue and operation but also of the verie substaunce and essence of his true-bodie and bloud which was giuen for vs to death on the crosse and which was shed for vs and are trulie fed with the selfe-same vnto eternal life and that this verie thing christ should teach vs and make knowen vnto vs by this visible receiuing of this bread and wine in his supper Fourthly That the bread and wine are not changed into the flesh and bloud of Christ but remaine true and natural bread and wine that also the bodie and bloud of christ are not shut vp into the bread and wine and therefore the bread and wine are called of christ his bodie and bloud in this sense for that his bodie and bloud are not onlie signified by these and set before our eies but also because as often as we eat and drink this bread and wine in the true and right vse Christ himselfe giueth vs his body and bloud indeed to be the meat and drink of eternal life Fiftly That without the right vse this receiuing of bread and wine is no sacrament neither anie thing but an emptie and vaine ceremonie and spectacle and such as men abuse to their own damnation Sixtly That there is no other true and lawful vse of the supper besides that which Christ himselfe hath instituted and commaunded to be kept namelie this that this bread and this wine be eaten and drunken in remembrance of him and to shew forth his death Seuenthly that Christ in his supper dooth not commaund and require a dissembled and hypocritical remembraunce of him and publishing of his death but such as embraceth his passion and death and all his benefites obtained by these for vs by a true and liuelie faith and with earnest and ardent thankefulnesse and applieth them vnto those which eate and drink as proper vnto them Eightly that Christ will dwell in beleeuers onelie and in them who not through contempt but through necessitie cannot come to the Lords supper yea in al beleeuers eueÌ„ from the beginning of the woorld to all eternitie euen as well and after the same manner as hee will dwell in them who came vnto the Lords Supper They disagree in these pointes FIRST that one part contendeth that these woordes of Christ This is my bodie must be vnderstood as the words sound which yet that part it selfe doth not but the other part that those words must be vnderstoode sacramentallie according to the declaration of Christ and Paul according to the most certaine and vnfallible rule and leuil of the articles of our christian faith SecoÌ„dly that one part wil haue the bodie bloud of christ to be essentiallie Jn or With the bread wine so to be eaten as that together with the bread the wine out of the haÌ„d of the minister it entereth by the mouth of the receiuers into their bodies but the other part wil haue the body of christ which in the first supper sate at the table by the disciples now to be coÌ„tinue not here on earth but aboue in the heauens aboue and without this visible world and heauen vntill hee descend thence againe to iudgement and yet that we notwithstanding here on earth as oft as wee eate this bread with a true faith are so fed with his bodie and made to drink of his bloud that not onlie through his Passion and bloudshed we are cleansed from our sinnes but are also in such sort coupled knit and incorporated into his true essential humane bodie by his spirit dwelling both in him and vs as that we are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones and are more neerly and firmlie knit and vnited with him than the members of our bodie are vnited with our head and so wee drawe and haue in him and from him euerlasting life Thirdly That one part will haue all whosoeuer come to the Lordes supper and eate and drinke that breade and wine whether they bee beleeuers or vnbeleeuers to eate and drinke corporallie and with their bodilie mouth the flesh and bloud of Christ beleeuers to life and saluation vnbeleeuers to damnation and death the other holdeth that vnbeleeuers abuse indeede the outwarde signs bread and wine to their own damnation but that the faithful onelie can eate and drinke by a true faith and the fore alleaged working of â—he holie Ghost the bodie and bloud of Christ vnto eternal life OF THE KEIES OF THE KINGDOME OF HEAVEN AND OF EXCOMMVNICATION SEEING it hath beene shewed in the treatise next going before who are to bee admitted by the church vnto the Lords Supper very commodiously and fitly shall this doctrine follow concerning the power of the keies wherein besides other things this chiefly is taught How they who are not to be admitted must bee restrained and excluded from the Sacraments least approching vnto them they prophane them The chiefe questions 1 What the power is of the keies giuen vnto the church 2 Vnto whom that power is committed 3 Why the power of the keies is necessarie 4 What that power of the keies committed vnto the church differeth from the ciuil power 5 What order ought to be obserued in exercising the power of the keies 1 WHAT THE POWER OF THE KEIES GIVEN VNTO THE CHVRCH IS THE power of the keies of the kingdome of heauen which CHRIST gaue vnto his church is the office or charge imposed on the church by Christ of denouncing by the preaching of the gospel and church-discipline Gods will and euen of declaring the grace of God and remission of sinnes vnto the penitent that is to them who liue in true faith and repentance but of denouncing vnto the wicked the wrath of God and exclusion or banishment from the kingdome of christ and of casting such out of the church as long as they shall shew themselues in doctrine and life estranged from christ and of receiuing them againe into the church when afterwardes they shall repent Hereby it appeareth that the chiefe and principall parts of this power of the keies giuen vnto the Saints are the preaching of the gospel or ministerie of the word and church-iudgement which is called also spirituall Discipline or iurisdiction And verily necessarilie is Ecclesiasticall Discipline ioined and linked with the ministerie of Gods word Of the ministerie of the word there is no doubt but all the Prophets Christ and the Apostles haue preached Of the iurisdiction of the church likewise it is not to be doubted in as much as Christ himselfe and the Apostle haue both by precepts and practise confirmed and established it Now in both is conteined that power
our wisedome 2 Hee is called our Righteousnesse that is our Iustifier 2. Righteousnes For in him our righteousnesse is as in the subiect and is made ours by his merite and forcible operation For 1. hee suffered the punishment of our sinnes which is iustice and righteousnesse and the merit for-which we are reputed iust and righteous Furthermore he by his power maketh vs righteous in the sight of god by imputing vnto vs that his righteousnesse and by giuing vs faith whereby our selues also receiuing it may apply it vnto vs. 3 He is called our Sanctification 3 Sanctification 4. Redemption because he doth regenerate vs by his holy spirit 4 Redemption because hee finally deliuereth vs. For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we interpret Redemption dooth not onely signifie the price but also the effect thereof For abstractes are put for their concretes according to the vsuall maner of the Hebrewes 4 What manner of Mediator ours ought to bee IT is manifest by those thinges which are gone before that there is giuen vs a recouerie out of eternal paines wherunto we were adiudged by reason of our sin by a sufficient satisfaction perfourmed by some Mediator in our behalfe Now therefore it may bee well demaunded what manner of Mediatour is required to performe pay a recompence and ransome equiualent to our sins and of sufficient worthinesse to redeeme vs To this answere is made in the 15. question of the Catechisme That such a one is required who must bee True man that is Our Mediatour must bee true man and true God who must haue mans nature comming of mankind and sprung from Adam and stil retaining it not as that it should be created of nothing or made anie way than of our bloode 2. A man perfectlie iust 3. True God Nowe the Demonstrations and proofes concerning the person of the Mediatour are drawne from his office For because such is his office him-selfe also ought to bee such a one Hee must bee true man subiect vnto all our infirmities except sinne 1 He ought to be true man and that a seruaunt that is subiect to al infirmities Phil. 2.7 Isa 53.3 First because it was man that sinned As by one man sinne entered into the woorlde Secondly That he might suffer death For he ought to make satisfaction for vs by shedding his blood Hee coulde not haue suffered death except he had bin true man Thirdly That he might help and relieue our infirmities Fourthly That hee might bee our brother and our head and wee his members Heb. 2.14 For as much as the children were partakers of the flesh and bloode hee also himselfe likewise tooke part with them It was requisite therefore that our Mediatour shoulde bee true man and that borne of the same mankind which sinned not created of nothing 1. Because of Gods iustice which required that the selfesame nature which hadde sinned should pay for those sinnes because the same was to bee deliuered But our nature which sprang from Adam sinned Wherefore true man of the same nature with vs ought to pay for men that which was required at their handes Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Ezech. 18.20 The same soul that sinneth shall die 1. Cor. 15.21 By man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead Hereof the Apostle also saith Coloss 2.12 That wee are buried with him thorough Baptisme in whom wee are also raised vp together Augu. Lib. de vera relig And Augustine in his booke Of true Religion saith The same nature was to bee taken which was to bee deliuered 2. For our comfort which consisteth in this that wee may know our Mediatour to bee very man sprung of the same bloode of which our selues were and to be our brother For except hee were such a one wee should neuer bee able to resolue that he is the Messias and promised Sauiour vnto vs and that the benefite of redemption dooth certainely belong to our flesh and to vs men neither shoulde wee freely fly and betake vs vnto him in our temptations For of the seede of the woman it is saide Gen. 3.15 Gen. 12. 22.26 that hee shall break the head of the Serpent the Diuel and In Abrahams seede are all nations to bee blessed It was requisite therefore that our Mediatour shoulde bee borne of mankinde very man And furthermore I adde that it was requisite that he should be subiect to al our infirmities sinne onely excepted And that 1. For the truth of God who often by the Prophetes describeth our Mediatour to bee such a man as is poore weake contemptible And of Esaias especially is hee described to bee such a one 2. Isai 53.3 Heb. 2.11 For our comfort Hee that sanctifieth and they which are sanctified are al of one that is of the same humane nature Wherefore he is not ashamed to cal them brethren 2 It is requisite that hee bee a man perfectly iust Why our mediatour was to bee voide of sinne that hee might worthily bee our Sauiour that is that his passion might bee a ransome for the sinnes of others For had he bin a sinner or vniust he should not haue beene able to haue satisfied so much as for his owne sinnes and to haue auoided the wrath of God much lesse to merit gods fauour for others 2. Corinth 5.21 God hath made him to bee sinne for vs which knewe no sinne that we should be the righteousnesse of God in him Hebru 7.26 Such an High-Priest it became vs to haue which is holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners 1. Pet. 2.22 Who did no sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth 1. Pet. 3.18 Christ hath once suffered for sinnes the iust for the vniust that hee might bring vs to god Nowe foure manner of waies is Christ perfectly iust Christ said to be perfectly iust foure waies or hath perfectly fulfilled the Lawe 1. By his owne righteousnesse For Christ alone perfourmed perfect obedience such as the Lawe required For hee was conceiued by the holie ghost neither was there guile in him 2. By paying sufficient punishment for our sinnes It was necessary that this double fulfilling of the Law should be in Christ For except hee were iust for himselfe that is hadde perfect conformitie with the Lawe he could not haue fulfilled the Lawe for vs by making satisfaction for our sinnes or by suffering the punishment which the Law exacted of vs not of him And except his suffering of punishment had beene sufficient wee shoulde as yet remaine in our sinnes and death Furthermore that righteousnesse of Christ whereby himselfe did perfectlie keepe the Lawe is called the fulfilling of the Lawe by obedience and his suffering of punishment due for our sinnes is termed the fulfilling of the Lawe by punishment likewise obedience perfected and absolued in suffering punishment And the punishment verily vnto which we were bound he of his owne accord
crie with a loude voice vnder the aultar saying How long Lord holy and true doost not thou iudge and auenge our bloode on them that dwell on the earth Wherefore the soules liue 8. Luk. 16.22 Lazarus is said to bee carried into Abrahams bosome and out of the same place also it is apparent concerning the souls of the wicked For the rich glutton is also saide of the contrarie to bee caried downe to hell These testimonies therefore of Scripture teach and confirme most euidently that not onely in the bodie before death and after the resurrection of the bodie but also in the whole space and time comming betweene the soules are liue feele vnderstand out of the bodie though the manner of their operations bee to vs vnknowen Wherefore also this gift of immortalitie hath some similitude with God who alone as the onely fountaine and author of life hath immortalitie 1. Timot. 6. Man should haue liued immortallie if hee had not sinned But furdermore that man should haue lead a blessed life immortallie and for euer not in soule onely but also in bodie if hee had not purchased death and mortalitie vnto himselfe by sinne is first hereby proued because by sin death entered into the worlde as the wages of sinne Rom. 5. 6. Next because wee being freeed from sinne by christ are also freed from death And lastly because God him-selfe did withdraw from man being made by sinne subiect vnto death the signe or sacrament of immortalitie which was the fruite of the tree of life Gen. 3. Wherefore their obiections are nought worth who imagine the soules after death to sleepe or vanish away For Gen. 1. and 1. Cor. 15. Adam is saide to haue beene made a liuing soule not simplie as these will haue it like as other liuing creatures are termed in the same place liuing soules but as being made to the image and similitude of God which hee hath not in common with other creatures Gen. 2. When God saieth Jn the day that thou eatest of the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt die the death hee doth not threaten vnto man the destruction or extinguishing of his soule but eternal death that is Sundrie places of scripture alleaged against the immortality of the soule interpreted according to their right sense and meaning the horrible feeling and terrour of Gods wrath and iudgement and to liue forsaken and cast from God subiect to all miseries and tormentes an adioint of which death is the separation of the soule and body which at that time through the mercy of God that mankind might be saued was differred For so was Adam dead while yet hee liued in Paradise according to Gods denouncement euen assoone as he had eaten of the forbidden fruite So in eternal death liue all the damned and reprobate Whose fire shall not bee put out and their worme not dy So Ephes 2. they are said to be dead through sinne who liue in sinne without repentaunce And Ephes 5. Hee is willed to rise from the dead who is reclaimed from sinne to God And Rom. 7 5. Paul saith that he was dead through the knowledge of his sinne and the wrath of God Iob. 11. Act. 7. 1. Cor. 11. 1. Thess 4. The deade are saide to sleepe but this is by a * Synecdochâ— figure of speech translating that which is proper vnto the bodie to the whole man For that this belongeth to the bodie which is to bee recalled from death to life as it were from sleepe to wake againe manie places declare as Iob 7. Beholde now I sleepe in the dust For not the soule but the bodie onely sleepeth in the dust and graue The Preacher saith The condition of the children of men Eccle. 3 1â— and the condition of beastes are euen as one condition vnto them Therefore there is no immortality of the soul Ans It is a fallacie concluding that which is in some respect so to bee simplie so 1. Men die as beastes in that men must needes once die and depart out of this life because men are not here to continue for euer nor haue heere a setled place 2. Men die as beastes that is in the sense and iudgement of the wicked Blessednesse and the kingdome promised to the Godly is saide then first to fall vnto them at the last daie Mat. 24.25 Mar. 13. Dan. 12. But these places shewe not that the soules of the godly doe not presentlie when they depart from their bodies enioie celestial blessednesse and ioy but that at the last daie when their bodies are raised againe their felicitie and glorie shall bee consummated and made absolute For so we praie thy kingdome come when yet God now also raigneth in vs. Of that which is saide 1. Corint 15. If in this life onelie wee haue hope we are of all men most miserable they thus reason He that is blessed and happie before the resurrection is not without the resurrection most miserable But we without the resurrection should be of al men most miserable Therefore we are not before the resurrection blessed and happie But the Maior wee aunswere Hee is not miserable without the resurrection who cannot onely before it but without it also bee blessed But wee are in such wise blessed before it that notwithstanding without it following and ensuing wee cannot enioie that former blessednesse because God hath ioyned with so vnseparable a knot the beginning and proceeding and finishing or perfection of the Electes blessednesse that none can haue the beginning who must not come to the ende consummation thereof Wherefore either we must rise again or wee must want also that celestiall blessednesse before the resurrection Rom. 8.11 Jf the spirit of him that raised vp Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised vp Christ from the dead shal also quicken your mortal bodies Heb. 11.39 These all through faith are deade and receiued not the promise Therefore they receiued not their countrie We aunswere first Although they dying had not found their countrie yet would it not follow of these woordes that they are not at al or haue no sense after death For he that is not or hath no sense seeketh not his countrie Secondly The author of that Epistle doth not speak of the life after death which is lead in the celestial countrie 2. Cor. 5. but of this life in which the faithful walking their pilgrimage sought for the celestiall countrie not finding their countrie on earth Psalm 78.39 They are flesh a winde that passeth awaie and commeth not againe By these and the like speeches the breuitie of mans life and the frailtie and perishing of all humane affaires without God is described and bewailed For as here they are compared to a wind eftsoones vanishing awaie so Psalm 103. they are compared to dust grasse and flowers of the field Likewise Job 14. Hee shooteth forth as a flower and is cut downe and vanisheth as a shadowe Isaie 40.6 All flesh
cup is the new testament Or the couenant as both the * Berith greeke and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrue word admitteth Now it is called the new couenant that is renewed or to speake it in a woord fulfilled And this new couenant is our reconciliation with God the communion and participation of Christ and all his benefites by faith in the sacrifice of Christ now fulfilled finished without any obseruation of the ceremonies of the old Passeouer The supper is called the new couenaÌ„t because it is a signe and a seale of this couenant signing and sealing vnto vs our reconciliation with God and our coniunction with Christ which is wrought by faith Now in calling the supper the new couenant first he comprehendeth both the promise and the condition which is expressed in the promise namelie faith and repentance Whereof also it foloweth that the supper was for this cause also instituted that it might bee a bond to bind vs to lead a christian life Secondly hee maketh an opposition betweene the new couenant and that couenant which was the Passeouer together with the rites thereof For the supper signified Christ offered The Passeouer signified Christ who should bee offered There is notwithstanding no small similitude and agreeing of both For both signifie our reconciliation with God and coniunction with Christ Jâ— my bloud which is shed for you for remission of sinnes The shedding of Christs bloud is the merite for which beeing apprehended of vs by faith we receiue remission of sinnes For as often as yee shall eate The supper therefore is often to be iterated and celebrated 1. Because of the woordes of the institution 2. In respect of the ende and purpose of the institution because it must bee done in remembranuce of Christ Shewe the Lordes death That is beleeue that Christ died and that for you and then professe it also publiquely before all Till hee come Therefore it must bee obserued vnto the worlds end neither is any other externall forme to be looked for vntill the day of iudgement The words of the institution which haue beene hitherto expounded may be made more plaine and cleare by these wordes of the Apostle The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the bloude of Christ The bread which wee breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ The cup of blessing that is the cup of thankesgiuing which is receiued namely to this end that wee may yeeld thankes to Christ for his death and passion The communion of the bodie likewise the communion of the bloud is to be made through faith partaker of Christ and all his benefites the same spirit being in vs which is in Christ and woorking the same in vs which he worketh in Christ Bread and wine is the communion that is it is the signe of our communion with Christ Now our communion as the Apostle briefly declareth consisteth in this that wee who are manie are one bodie Whence it is most easie to collect that this communion is not a corporall eating For it is wrought onely by faith and the holy Ghost Christ is the heade and wee the members and all wee who are members haue also a communion of all Christs benefites Therefore the heade is common the benefites common and so the members also common among themselues wherefore their loue and dilection is common and mutual We vnderstand nowe what is the true meaning of the words of the institution especiallie of those about which is greatest coÌ„trouersy which are these This is my body that is to repeat in few wordes the true sense of them This bread broken of me and giuen to you is a signe of my bodie for your sakes rent and deliuered vnto death and a certaine seale of your coniunction with me so that he who beleeueth and eateth this bread doth truelie and reallie after a sort eat my bodie This our iudgement and interpretation or Christs rather is most true and vnto the truth of the Gospell most agreeable Here especially resistâ—unce is made and the greatest controuersie is about the word or vnderstanding of the word For our aduersaries vnderstand those wordes so as tâ—ey maintaine thereof to folow that Christes bodie is present and eaten corporallie But in the meane season they consider not that those wordes are sacramentallie to bee taken or that the speech is sacramental and therefore is not to be taken as proper and simple as it shoulde bee if thence were gathered that the bread is changed into Christs bodie Now to the signe here is attributed the name of the thing signified both for the coniunction which the thing signified hath in the right vse of the supper with the signe and also for the proportion which the signe hath with the thing signified Come wee now to those arguments whereby wee may confirme our interpretation and opinion to bee true The arguments which wee will vse are of three sorts such as are wont to bee also in like controuersies 1. Some are taken from the nature of the thing or subiect that is by vnderstanding the speech as the thing it selfe doth beare and suffer 2. Some are drawen from an analogie of the articles of our faith or from a conference of places or parts of christian doctrine for the holy spirite is the spirite of truth 3. Some are taken from other like places of scripture where the same thing is deliuered in such words as are manifest and whereof there is no controuersie The first sort of Arguments which are taken from the nature of the sacraments THE verie manner and forme of speaking yeeldeth vs a firme and strong argument Breade is the bodie of Christ but bread is not in it owne proper substance his bodie for by reason hereof haue they inuented consubstantiation therefore it is a figuratiue speeche euen such a one as is vsual vnto sacraments and is declared in the institution 2 Sacraments confirme exhibit promise seale no other thing than the woorde doth In the woorde is promised no corporal eating Therefore neither is anie such thing confirmed by the sacrament 3 In all sacraments when the names or properties of the things are attributed vnto the signes there is not signified the corporal presence of the thing but first a similitude of the things with their signes then a coniunction and vnion of the things with their signes in the right vse but in this sacrament Christ attributeth the name of the thing which is his bodie to the signe therefore there is not thereby signified a corporal presence of his bodie 4 The communion of Christ which is promised in his woorde and sacraments is not corporal but the communion of Christ which is giuen in the supper is the same with that which is giuen in the word and in all sacraments therefore the communion of Christ in the supper is spiritual 5 There is one and the same signification of all the Sacraments of the old and new testament
so to make God such a one as hath entered a couenaunt and is in league with hypocrites and wicked men Now the couenaunt of God is two waies prophaned namelie as well by communicating and imparting the signes of the couenaunt to them vnto whom God promiseth nothing as by receiuing and vsing the signes without faith and repentance For not onely they prophane the couenant who being as yet impenitent take the signes of the couenant vnto them but they also who wittingly and willingly giue the signs vnto those whom god hath shut from his couenant They make therefore God a felowe friend of the wicked the son of the diuell the son of God whosoeuer reach the signes vnto the wicked Obiect Hee that giueth to him that abuseth it sinneth The church giueth the supper vnto hypocrits which abuse it Therefore the church sinneth Ans He that giueth the supper to one which abuseth it sinneth if he wittingly willingly doth it otherwise he sinneth not but they who abuse the supper purchase damnation to theÌ„selues But the godly are not made partakers of that prophanation of the couenant prophaned by the wicked if they knowe not the wicked approching vnto the supper neither doe willingly admit the wicked Reply If they sinne who giue the supper wittinglie to him that abuseth it then dooth the Minister also sinne if he distribute it vnto such a one where yet there is no sentence passed of excommunication Aunswere True if hee doe it willingly but if the church proceed not against such a man and the minister notwithstanding be instant vpon the Church and doe his duetie he is blamelesse and the sinne shall lie on others euen on the Church 2. They are not to bee admitted to the supper who professe not faith and repentaunce both in life and confession because if such should be admitted the church should stir vp the anger of God against her selfe as of whom wittinglie and willinglie this shoulde bee committed Nowe that by this meanes the wrath of God is stirrâ—d vp against the church the Apostle sufficiently witnesseth saying For this cause manie are weake and sicke among you and manie sleepe For if wee woulde iudge our selues we should not bee iudged God therefore is angrie with the consenters so punisheth them because he punisheth the wicked whom they coÌ„senting thereto admitted for by both the supper of the Lorde is alike prophaned 3. Christ hath coÌ„manded that the wicked be not admitted And if any denie that any such coÌ„mandment is extant yet the substance tenor of the commandement shal be easily prooued For christ instituted his supper for his disciples to theÌ„ alone he said I haue earnestlie desired to eate this Passeouer with you Take this and part it among you This is my bodie which is giuen for you This cup is the new testament in my bloud which is shed for you Wherefore the supper was instituted for Christes disciples onely all others for whom Christ died not are excluded But yet for all this those hypocrites are to bee admitted together with the godly vnto the supper who are not as yet manifested because they professe in confession and outward actions faith and repentance But none ought to approch thither but true beleeuers For these onely excepted all others yea euen those hypocrites which are not as yet manifested eate and drinke vnto themselues damnation and prophane the Lords sacred Supper Obiection They then who auoide the prophaning of the Lords Supper doe well but they who refraine from the Lordes supper in respect of some hatred they beare to others or for some other sinnes auoide the prophaning of the supper Therefore they doe well Answere They who auoid the prophaning of the supper doe well if they auoid it in such sort as they ought namely by repenting themselues of those sinnes which haue been the causes of their refraining CERTAINE CONCLVSIONS OF THE SVPPER 1 THE other sacrament of the new testament is called the supper of the Lord not as if it were necessarie that the church should celebrate it in the Euening or vsuall time of supper but because it was instituted of Christ in that supper which he last had with his Disciples before his death It is called the table of the Lord because Christ dooth feede vs in it It is called the sacrament of the bodie and bloud of christ because these are communicated and imparted vnto vs in it It is called the Eucharist because in it are giuen solemne thankes vnto Christ for his death and benefites It is called Synaxis or the conuent because it ought to be celebrated in the conuents and assemblies of the church It is called also of the auncient a sacrifice because it is a representation of the propitiatory sacrifice accomplished by Christ on the crosse and a thankes-giuing or Eucharistical sacrifice for the same There is a third reason also why they called it a sacrifice because the ancient were wont themselues to confer bread vnto it therefore were they said to offer that is to conferre and giue in seuerall bread to that vse 2 The supper of the lord is a sacrament of the new testament wherein according to the commandement of Christ bread and wine is distributed and receiued in the assemblie of the faithfull in remembraunce of christ which is that christ might testifie vnto vs that hee feedeth vs with his body and bloud deliuered and shed for vs vnto eternal life and that we also might for these his benefites giue solemne thankes vnto him 3 The first and principal end and vse of the Lords supper is that Christ might therein testifie vnto vs that hee died for vs and dooth feede vs with his bloude and body vnto euerlasting life that so by this testification hee might cherish and encrease in vs our faith and so consequently this spirituall foode and nourishment The second end is thankes-giuing for these benefites of Christ and our publique and solemne profession of them and our duty towards christ The third is the distinguishing of the church from other sectes The fourth That it might be a bond of mutual loue and dilection The fift That it might be a bond of our assemblies and meetinges 4 That first ende and vse which is the confirmation of our faith in Christ the supper of the Lord hereof hath because Christ himselfe giueth this bread and drink by the hands of his ministers to be a memorial of him that is to admonish and put vs in remembraunce by this signe as by his visible word that he died for vs and is the foode of eternall life vnto vs while hee maketh vs his members both because he hath annexed a promise to this rite that hee wil feede those who eate this bread in remembraunce of him with his owne bodie and bloud when he saith This my body and also because the holy ghost doth by this visible testimony moue our minds and harts more firmely to beleeue the promise of the
following it But God suffereth them for a while to haue their swinge and to florish that by the scandal of the crosse the faith and patience of the godly may be more exercised and tried vnto the wicked there may be left a time of repentance and when they abuse the long-suffering of God that then at length so much the iuster and heauier plague may light on them And therefore the holy Scripture in so many places as in the Psalmes 37.52.57.58 often elsewhere comforteth the godly against this kind of tentation foretelling vnto them defence and deliuery but destructiō Obiection 2 vnto their enemies Not all Neither is thereby the force of this proofe weakned because that all the persecutours of the Church are not in Tragicall manner taken out of this life For whiles God doth take vengeance on most of them in this life he doth sufficiently shew what he would haue to be thought of the rest verily that they are his enemies whom without they repent he will plūge into aeternal plagues the beginning and feeling of the which is desperation in which all the enemies of Christian Religion end their daies yea they who are not oppressed with any other calamities of this life To conclude that it may be manifest Not for this cause Answere Yea for this cause that they are Obiection 3 not onely for other transgressions so punished of God God doth so often denounce in his worde that such shal bee the ends of his enemies and that for this very cause because they go about to extinguish the people and true worship of God Yea furthermore they are not a few frō whom while they lie in torments their cōscience wresteth out this confession that they haue drawen these miseries vpon themselues by persecuting the godly as from Antiochus Epiphanes Iulian the Apostata And since that al the aduersaries of the Church in their calamites and death are destitute of comfort it is manifest that they suffer as the enemies of God and therefore are far from true Religion Now that which the wicked alone doe there is no doubt but that is in the number of their Sinnes for which they suffer punishment Wherefore the ouerthrowes of the enemies of the Church are no obscure Testimony of the wrath of God against them euen as God himself saith of Pharao To this same purpose haue I stirred thee vp Exod. 9. Rom. 9. that I might shew my power in thee and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth 10 The consent of true doctrine 10 The consent of the parts of doctrine 11 The confession and constancy of Martyrs and the iarring of others euen about the chiefe pointes 11 The testimonies and confessions of Martyrs who sealing with their blood this Doctrine doe shewe euen in the middest of death that they indeede doe so thinke as they taught and that they drawe that comfort out of it which they did preach vnto others And hence also it appeareth Obiection 1 that the certainty of this holy doctrine dependeth not on mens record Doth the certaintie of doctrine depēd of men though the constancy of Martyrs and other godly men giue comfort vnto vs. For albeit the Testimony of the Saintes too doth concur as a lesse principal proofe vnto our confirmation yet in their examples is seene a far other euē the testimony of God himself who strengthneth and comforteth them so that they are ready to sustaine any thing for his name sake Neither ought that to mooue vs a whit if other sectes also tel vs of their Martyrs For first Obiection 2 they are far behind that number of Martyrs Others are Martyrs also which the Church hath Answere They differ Againe there is not that alacritie and cheerfulnes found in them in suffering punishmentes which is in most of the martyrs of Christ so that it may easily appeare that they neuer feele that security of conscience and ioie of hart in God which the Godly feele And thirdly which is chiefely to bee considered the defenders of wicked doctrine suffer as being cōuicted of their errors But the godly no falshood being shewed in their confession are Tyrannically by their persecutors drawen vnto punishment whereas the persecutors themselues are conuicted of their impiety and iniurie euen as the Lord promiseth I wil giue you a mouth and wisedome where-against al your aduersaries shal not bee able to speak or resist Wherefore albeit sometimes some men suffer for their doctrine the certainty whereof they are not able to confirme neither to themselues nor to others yet doe they it not fenced by any diuine strength and comfort but being blinded by their owne stubburnes or pride and the illusions of the Diuel they run headlong to destruction contrariwise it is saied of the godlies Martyrdome Philip. 1. It is giuē vnto you for Christ not onely to beleeue in him but to suffer for his sake 12 The godlines and holines of those of whom the sacred Scriptures haue been written and who truely embrace this doctrine 13 Their plaine dealing in detecting of vices 14 The Testimonie of the holy Ghost 13 Their ingenuitie and plaine dealing in opening faults committed either by them or theirs whom the holy ghost hath vsed in committing this doctrine to writing 14 The testimonie of the holy Ghost which crieth in the hartes of the godly Abba father This testimonie doth not onely prooue which all the former also do but it perswadeth too For faith is nothing els then a firme assent by which wee agree vnto all the woord of God deliuered vnto vs and a confidence by which euery one of vs do know resolue that God according vnto the tenor of this Scripture is mercifull good vnto vs. Which confidence there followeth ioyfulnes resting in God and calling on him with an assured hope of obtaining those good things which according to the prescript of his woord wee begge of him Nowe that both of these that is both this assent or assurance of our doctrine and the liuely consolation which thence springeth neither do rest vpon the testimony of mē nor of any creature but is inflamed and strengthned by no other doctrine then of the Prophets and Apostles read heard and meditated of by them this euery one of the godly through a liuely and certain feeling of their hearts haue experience of This spirit therefore God adioyneth as a witnes vnto his woord Esai 19. This is my couenant with them saith the Lord my spirite that is vpon thee and my woordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out out of the mouth of thy seed saith the Lord from hencefoorth euen for euer This spirite also Christ promiseth as the chiefe witnesse of his doctrine vnto his Disciples Iohn cap. 15. When the comforter shall come hee shall beare witnes of mee And cap. 16. When he is come which is the spirit of truth hee will lead
not of it owne nature but because of the corruption of men it killeth that is it terrifieth mens mindes with the iudgement of God and doth stir vp a murmuring and hatred against God as wee are plainly taught by the Apostle Rom. cap. 7. The Law is holie and the commaundement is holy and iust and good Was that then which is good made death vnto me God forbid But sinne that it might appeare sinne wrought death in me by that which is good that sinne might be out of measure sinful by the commaundement For we know that the Law is spiritual but I am carnal sold vnder sinne But the proper effect of the Scripture is to quicken men that is to lighten them with the true knowledge of God and to mooue them to the loue of God As it is said 2. Cor. 2. We are vnto God the sweete sauour of Christ in them that are saued and in them which perish c. Secondly albeit the letter that is 2 It killeth as it is without the Spirit the doctrine without that spiritual motion killeth yet the operation of the holy ghost accompaning it when now it is not the letter but the spirite and power of God to saluation vnto euery one that beleeueth it doth not kil but quicken as it is said Psal 119. Thy word quickneth me Wherefore that the letter kil vs not we must not cast awaie the Scripture but the stubburnes of our harts and desire of God that he would let his doctrine bee in vs and others not the letter but the spirit that is that he would forcibly moue our harts by it turn them to him The spirit quickneth agreeing with the word Thirdly that it is added that the spirit quickneth that calleth vs not awaie from the Scripture to other opinions or reuelations For that spirit quickneth which dissenteth not from the Scripture but teacheth and mindeth the same which he hath vttered in the scripture But that spirit which leadeth men awaie from the Scripture it quickneth not but may bee said much more truely to kill then the letter that is not by an accident or external cause but of it owne nature For the spirit of Antichrist is a liar and a murderer and therefore be it accursed vnto vs. 4 The Apostle misconstrued by them Fourthlie they who by the letter vnderstand either the characters of letters or the proper and literall sense whether it be of the whole Scripture or of those speeches which are allegorically and figuratiuely spoken and by the spirite the interpretation of those speeches it is manifest that they swarue farre from the minde of Paul both by those thinges which haue beene spoken concerning the meaning of Paul and also because not onely euerie sentence of Scripture whether it be proper or figuratiue but also euerie interpretation of it is and remaineth the killing letter except the quickning force of the holie Ghost come vnto it Wherefore since that neither for interpretation nor reuelation nor authoritie nor any other pretence it is lawful leauing the Scripture of the Prophets and Apostles to depart to whatsoeuer decrees of religion which are not confirmed by the Testimonie of the Scripture let vs hear it as an oracle sounding from heauen bringing to the reading thereof not minds forestalled neither with opinions conceiued either of our owne brains or elswhere neither with affections neither with preiudices but the loue of God a desire of knowing the truth So shall it come to passe that both wee shall know the true meaning of the Scripture and by it godlines and sure and sound comfort shall bee kindled in vs and get increase OF THE TRVE COMFORT of the Godlie THE scope and ende of this doctrine is that wee may haue sure comfort both in our life at our death And that wee may haue this wee are especiallie to learne the doctrine of Christianitie Now the summe of this comfort doth consist in this that wee are the members of Christ that is that we are engraffed into Christ by faith that he is carefull of vs and that by him wee are loued of God reconciled to God and conioyned with him This comfort the diuel goeth about to take from vs after this maner 1. Thou art a sinner therefore thou art not acceptable in the sight of God Answere But Christ hath made satisfaction for me with his precious blood 2. But thou must die the death Answere But Christ hath deliuered me from the power of death and I know that by Christ I shall scape out of the hands of death 3. But how if thou leese the grace of Christ For thou maist fall and perish because it is a long way to heauen Answere Christ hath not onely merited his benefites for mee but also bestoweth them on me and preserueth them in mee and giueth mee perseuerance that I may not fall from grace 4. But what if these thinges appertaine not vnto thee and how knowest thou that thou art Christes Answere 1. Because I haue the testimonie of the holie Ghost within me 2. Because the generall promise appertaineth to all the faithful If I haue faith therefore that promise appertaineth vnto me But I know I haue faith by the effectes of faith 1. Because I haue a will to obey and beleeue God albeit I am but weake 2. Because I haue good woorkes which are signes of true faith Therefore I haue true faith and by a consequent Christ and his benefites appertaine vnto mee This comfort is necessarie 1. For our saluation that we despaire not 2. For the woorshipping of God For that wee may woorship God wee must come out of sinne and death not rush into desperation but bee susteined with a sure comfort vnto the ende This comfort though other sectes promise yet can they not make performance thereof because their conscience and experience oftentimes goeth against them The doctrine of the Church alone maketh performance of it so that mens consciences are at rest because this alone sheweth the fountaine of all miseries vnto which mankind is subiect and this also alone prescribeth the waie of escaping them The partet of this comfort are 1. Our reconcilement to God by Christ to which Christ alone we belong and therefore wee are not at our own libertie so that wee may freelie sin neither lieth our saluation in our handes or power For if it were so we should leese it euery moment 2. The maner of our reconcilement euen by the blood of Christ 3. Our deliuerie from miseries 4. The preseruation and maintenance of our reconcilement and deliuerie Mat. 10.30 so that not so much as an haire may fal from our head without the will of our heauenly father Obiection But the godly are daily slaine Aunswere These things do not hurt but helpe forward our saluation Rom. 8.28 All thinges worke together for the best vnto them that loue God 5. The testimonie of the holie Ghost woorking true comfort in our hartes
the euerlasting anger of God neither can they doe any thing pleasing and acceptable to God except remission be graunted for the Sonne of God the Mediatour and a renewing of their nature by the holy Ghost A more briefe definition of the nature of Original sinne is this Original sinne is a wanting of that original righteousnes which ought to be in vs. Now original righteousnes is a conformitie and perfect obedience as wel inward as outward according to the whole Law of God because man at first pleased God by that conformitie The formal cause of sinne as it hath respect to punishment The formal cause of sin is the guilt Now the guilt is to be obnoxious to punishment and to be ordained to euerlasting torments and to bee worthie of these because of the offending of God That the cause of this guilt was the fall of Adam is proued 1. By testimonies of Scripture As by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne Rom. 5.12 and so death went oueral men By one mans disobedience many were made sinners 2. It appeareth also by this antithesis or contrarietie As deliuerie from sinne is not to bee guiltie because of the satisfaction of Christ so of the contrarie Originall sinne is the guilt which for the fal of our first Parents was deriued vnto al their posteritie That the priuation or want of the knowledge of God is sinne The priuation of the knowledge of God is sinne is proued by this argument Whatsoeuer is contrarie to the Law is sinne The priuation of the knowledge of God is contrary to the Law Therefore it is sinne Now that priuation of the knowledge of God is contrarie to the Law the reason for it is 1. Because the Law of God requireth in men gifts and faculties opposite to these defectes and inclinations For Accursed be euery one that abideth not in al. But there is commanded in the Law the true knowledge of God a correspondence of al the powers in mans nature with the wil of God when he saith I am the Lord thy God Thou shalt haue none other Gods before me Likewise Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with al thy hart Whosoeuer therfore do roue and swarue in opinions concerning God not acknowledging him accordingly as he is manifested in the Scriptures and they whose harts do not so turn with the loue of god that nothing may withdraw them from him these as much as lieth in them are fallen from aeternall life and are subiect vnto the curse 2. To this belongeth all the sayinges of the Scripture which tax our ignorance of God Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures The gospell is said to bee hid to those which perish Ignorance of the Gospel is sinne That a corrupt inclination to disobey the Lawe of God is sinne A corrupt inclination is sinne is proued 1 By the tenth and last commandement Thou shalt not couet For the Law requireth inward outward obedience and that we haue an inclination to loue God That corrupt inclination therefore is a defect sin Sin is the transgression of the Law 2. By other testimonies of Scripture The frame or imaginatiō of mans hart is euil Gen. 8.21 euen from his youth We were by nature the children of wrath 3. By death other punishment which followed The wages of sin is death Inclinations therefore to wil or doe il are sinne 1 Obiection That which is not voluntarie neither can be auoided is not sinne Inclinations are not voluntarie Therefore they are not sinne Answere It is true in ciuil matters that that which is not voluntarie is not sinne but not in spirituall matters For the Scripture teacheth both that the wisedome of the flesh cannot be subiect to the Law of god and that al who are not subiect vnto the Law are subiect to the wrath of God Wherefore the iustice of God requireth that euerie creature who is endewed with reason be condemned and punished of God whensoeuer he is disobedient vnto his Lawe whether willing or vnwilling whether he bee corrupted by his owne fault or by the fault of his auncestors For so great and so inuiolable is the maiestie of God so great euil is there in sinne that the defection of one man from God is sufficient to prouoke the anger of God toward al his posteritie 2 Obiection Punishments are not sinnes These inclinations and defects are punishments of the first fal therefore they are not sinnes Aunswere It is true that punishmentes are not sinnes if we respect the course of ciuil iustice but not so if we respect Gods iustice For God oftentimes punisheth sinnes with sinnes Which is speciallie shewed Rom. 1. and 2. Thessa 2. For God hath power of depriuing his creatures of his spirit which power his creatures haue not 3 Obiection Priuation is sinne God inflicteth it creating in vs a soule not adorned with those gifts which he would haue had bestowed vpon vs if Adam had not transgressed Therefore God is the autor of sinne That is priuation being an accident and hauing a diuers nature according to the diuers respect as it is of God inflicted and as it is by vs receiued in the obiection deceitfully this diuersity is dissembled Aunswere It is a fallacie of the Accident For as God inflicteth it it is Gods iustice but as it is drawen on vs by the fault of our Parents and our selues also do willinglie receiue it it is sin Replie But God should not haue punished this fault with such a punishment seeing hee did know that so great euil would ensue Aunswere Let God execute his iustice and let the world perish Therefore he should doe it because it was iust 4 Obiection The desires of things that are obiect vnto them are natural therefore they are not sinnes Aunswere True ordinate desires of their proper obiects which God hath ordained for them but not inordinate and such a◠are against the Lawe For to desire of it selfe is not sinne But the desire is of it selfe good But a desire against the Law is sinne 5 Obiection Nature is good Therefore there is no Original sin Aunswere 1. True it is that Nature is good if you consider it before the corruption All thinges were verie good which God made 2. Euen now also Nature is good in respect of the substance and being of it and as it was made of God but not in respect of the qualitie of it and as it is corrupted That these euils are not onelie drawen by imitation but also are borne with vs whiles our corrupt nature is propagated from our first Parents vnto al their posterities these testimonies doe manifestlie shew Iob. 24. Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthines Iohn 1. Which are borne not of blood nor of the wil of the flesh nor of the wil of man but of God Rom. 5. By one man sinne entered into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men for
hand than the other 3 Obiection It is said Mat. 12. Euerie sinne and blasphemie shal be forgiuen vnto men but the blasphemie against the holy Ghost shal not be for-giuen to men neither in this worlde nor in the world to come Hence they will gather That some sinnes are for-giuen in this woorlde some in the worlde to come that is in purgatory and some are neuer for-giuen of which these be mortall but the others veniall in their owne nature But first neither heere neither else-where doth Christ teach that some sinnes are forgiuen in the worlde to come Sins are remitted in this world onely For that all other sins are forgiuen not in the woorld to come but in this woorlde both Christ signifieth in this place and the Scripture elsewhere teacheth because it is certaine that sinnes are not remitted but only to those who repent No sinne which may not be remitted except the sin against the holy Ghost But he denieth that the sinne against the holy Ghost is remitted either in this world or in the worlde to come that hee might more significantly expresse the deniall of pardon to it Secondly Whether they say for-giuenesse to bee in this woorld or in the woorlde to come yet this standeth immoueable that it commeth not of the nature or corruption of the sinne but of free mercy for Christs sake And if euery sinne be so grieuous that it could not be purged but by the blood of the Sonne of God then doubtles they do great despite contumelie vnto that blood who so extenuate any sin as to deny that it deserueth eternall punishment vnto which the death of the Sonne of God is equiualent Farther euen by their owne confession There are manie mortal sins which notwithstanding are forgiuen in this life Wherefore either they must make all these to be euen in their own nature venial or they wil neuer proue out of this place that the smalnes of the sin is the cause of forgiuenes 4 Obiection It is said Rom. 1. The wrath of God is reueiled from heauen against al vngodlinesse And 1. Cor. 6. Know yee not that the vnrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of God Out of these and the like places they gather that seeing they are mortal sinnes which shut men out of the kingdome of God and all sinnes do not so therefore there are some sinnes which in their own nature are not mortall But they conclude more than followeth by force of reason For that some sinnes are venial there is no doubt but that commeth by grace remitting those sinnes which without remission would shut men doubtlesse from the kingdome of God 5 Obiection It is said 1. Cor. 3. If anie mans worke burn Al sinnes shut men out of the kingdom of gods were they not remitted by the grace of God he shal loose but he shall be safe himselfe neuerthelesse yet as it were by fire Therefore say they some sinnes cast men into fire that is into some punishment but not eternall This also we grant not in respect of the nature of sin but in respect of pardō which befalleth to those who hold the foundatiō which is christ For to build on the foundation wood stubble that is to parch the word of god with vnnecessary questiōs humane opinions traditions which oftē are occasions of schisms in the Church often of Idolatry and errours it is not so light a sinne as they deeme it who do it but deserueth eternall malediction except remission be made for the Sonne of God as it is declared in the Reuelation Chapt. 22. 6 Obiection It is said Heb. 5. A high priest taken frō among men is bound to offer for sins as wel for his own part as for the peoples This place sheweth that the sinnes of the priest are not venial by themselues or of their own nature but for the sacrifice of Christ which was signified by the typicall sacrifices therfore it quite clean ouerthroweth the opinion of our aduersaries For if al sins euen of a righteous Priest are in the sight of God so great that they cānot be purged but by the death of the Son of God it necessarily foloweth that they of their own nature deserued euerlasting death 7 Obiection It is said Iam. 1. When lust hath conceiued it bringeth forth sin sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Here say they Iames saith that there is one sin finished when as the wil vpon deliberation consenteth to euil lust Actual sinne is an effect of Originall sinne a cause of death which though purchased by Originall yet is aggrauated by Actuall another not finished when a man sinneth without deliberation to sin finished he ascribeth that it bringeth foorth death We answere that the consequence of this is not of force because that a property which belongeth to diuerse kindes when it is ascribed to one kind it foloweth not thereof that it is to be remooued frō the other For S. Iames distinguisheth the kindes or degrees of sins Original Actual saith that death foloweth after Actual not as if death did not follow after Original but because that Actual is a middle between Originall sin death as a cause of this an effect of that and doth aggrauate death or punishmēt which already was purchased by originall sinne Neither doth he chiefly speak of the degrees of punishmentes but of the cause and originall of them to be sought in the corruption of our own nature 8 Obiect It is said Iam. 3. In manie things we sin al. Hence our aduersaries wil proue that the sins of the iust are venial because they fal either into few sins or into no mortall sins To this as also to most of that which hath gone before we answer that the sins of the iust who by faith retein or receiue righteousnes are venial not of their own nature but by grace Gods iustice is not at variance with his mercie though it iudge the least sinne worthy of eternall death 9 Obiection God is not cruell but mercifull neither light in his loue but constant Wherefore he doth not for euerie light sin iudge a man worthie of eternall punishments But they imagine that the iudgement of God concerning sin is at variance with his mercy which are not at variance but do very well agree For God is in such wise merciful as he is also iust Now the iustice of God requireth that he iudge all euen the least offence and contempt of his maiesty worthy of eternall damnation This iudgement against euery sin the mercy constancy of Gods loue doth not take away but for the shewing and declaring thereof it is sufficient that he reioiceth not at the destruction of them that perrish that for testimony thereof he inuiteth all to repentance forgiueth them who repent their sinnes which by thēselues were worthy of euerlasting death that is he punisheth them causeth satisfaction for them not in
that the Maior is false in respect of him who for his wisedome knoweth means to mitigate punishmēts or to exercise mercy as that notwithstanding his iustice may remaine inuiolated and himselfe bee satisfied So god doth execute extreame and exquisite iustice in punishing our sinnes shewing neuerthelesse exceeding and maruelous equabilitie and lenity while hee punisheth them in his Sonne and not in vs. And therefore one degree of mercie denied doth not straight enforce the deniall of others God punisheth sinne in the reprobate with eternal punishments yet is he merciful while he is not delighted with the death of him that dieth but doth by differring and mitigating the punishment and by bestowing benefites inuite all men to repentance When a Iudge putteth a robber to death he executeth extreame iustice yet may he be mercifull withall if hee reioice not at the destruction of the man but had rather hee were saued if so the lawe permitted Temporal afflictions belong both to the wicked and the godly Temporall afflictions belong to both both vnto the godly and to the reprobate These are either punishments or the Crosse The punishment is either destruction or torment inflicted by order of iustice on the person giltie of sinne And this is proper vnto the reprobate because it is inflicted on them to this ende that Gods iustice may bee satisfied For the law bindeth all men either to obedience or to punishment In the wicked they are punishmentes in the godly the crosse Obiection But the euils which the wicked suffer in this life are lighter than that they shoulde satisfie Gods iustice Answere They are a part of their punishment though not their whole punishment Nowe as euerie part of the Aire is called Aire so euerie part of punishment is punishment The degrees therefore of the punishment and paines which the wicked suffer are to bee obserued The first degree is in this life For when the conscience of their misdeedes and wickednesse doth gnawe vexe and terrifie them then beginneth their hellish and infernall worme The second degree is in temporall death When they departing out of this life without comfort come into the place of torment and vexations Luke 16. The third degree is at the day of iudgement when againe to euerie of their bodies raised from the dead their soules shal bee reunited For then at length shall the paines of hell bee consummated and shall fall in troupes together on both bodie and soule The Crosse is the affliction of the godly The Crosse of the godly is of foure sortes For this is not properly a punishment because it is not inflicted that thereby Gods iustice shoulde bee satisfied for their sinnes Nowe the Crosse is of foure sortes which are drawen from the endes for which it is laid on the godly First the Chastisementes 1. Chastisements which GOD layeth on the godly for the remnaunts of sinne in them and oftentimes also for some peculiar sinnes committed by them that they may bee admonished of their vncleannesse and stirred to repentaunce and the studie of godlinesse and good workes least persisting in their sinnes they bee condemned For they are not according to iustice inflicted to bee any satisfaction or recompence for their sinnes but according to mercie for their amendment and saluation For by these chastisementes they are admonished of the anger of GOD against sinnes and of eternall punishment which GOD will inflict on them if they repent not Secondly 2. Tryals The proofes and tryals of their faith hope inuocation feare of GOD and patience that the elect may goe forwarde in these vertues and the same also bee made knowen to others Such was the affliction of Iob. Thirdly Martyrdomes 3. Martyrdomes which are testifications concerning their doctrine For when the godly are for the confession of true doctrine pressed with calamities or slaine these afflictions are no punishmentes of certaine transgressions but martyrdomes whereby they testifie and witnesse the doctrine of the gospell which they professe to bee true and doubt not to seale this with their bloud and whereby also they witnesse that they in exceeding tormentes and death feele and haue experience of that comfort which they did promise out of that doctrine in their teaching vnto others They witnesse also and testifie that there remaineth another life and an other iudgement after this life Fourthly lastly the Crosse is their Raunsome euen the obedience of Christ alone 4. Raunsome which is a satisfaction for our sinnes consisting of his whole humiliation from the very first point of his Conception in the wombe to his last agonie on the Crosse A briefe type or table of mans afflictions Afflictions are some Temporal In the wicked as punishmentes properly in speciall so called In the godly as the Crosse and that is 1 Chastisements 2 Trials 3 Martyrdome 4 Raunsome Eternal as the hellish torments of the damned 2 What are the causes of afflictions The impellent cause sinne SInne is the impellent cause because it is an euill merite and deserueth euill of punishmentes in the wicked and also of the Crosse in the godlie yet after a diuers maner and in diuers respects It is a cause of punishment in the wicked that sinne may bee recompensed with iust punishment In the godly the cause of the Crosse is not to satisfie Gods iustice but that sinne may be knowen and so relinquished and put off The impellent cause then of punishmentes in the wicked is their sin to be punished or recompensed The chiefe efficient Gods iustice The principall efficient cause is the iustice of god inflicting punishmēt for sin Instrumentall causes thereof are diuers Instrumental causes all creatures Angels and men both good and bad and all other creatures which are all armed against sinners and fight vnder GODS banner The finall cause is that the iustice of GOD may bee satisfied The causes of the crosse of the godly The causes of the crosse of the godlie are 1 The acknowledgeing and purging out of sin God doth not giue the bridle vnto the godly but by fatherly chastisementes restraineth recalleth and amendeth them 1. The acknowledging and relinquishing of sinne 1. Corin. 11.32 When wee are iudged wee are iudged of the Lord. Psalm 119.71 It is good for mee O Lord that thou hast humbled mee But hee giueth the raines to the wicked that they may gallop to destruction he endoweth them with the commodities of this life and suffereth them to enioy a short ioy thereby to shewe his loue towardes his creatures and to conuince them of vnthankfulnes and to take away al excuse from them 2. The hatred of the Diuell and the wicked 2. The hatred of the Diuel and wicked men Iohn 15.19 If ye were of the world the world would loue you The Diuel especially lieth in wait ambush against the church and assaulteth it both by tyrants and by heretiques to pul many from God 1. Pet. 5 8.
paied for vs and imputeth it vnto vs that it maie no more bee necessary for vs to bee subiect vnto euerlasting damnation But his obedience or purity of life that is perfect loue of God and our neighbour hee perfourmed for himselfe not for vs neither dooth hee impute it vnto vs. 1. Because himselfe is bound by nature to perfourme it in that he is man For euery reasonable creature in that he is a creature oweth perfect conformity and correspondence to the Lawe and his creatour 2. If Christ had perfourmed his obedience vnto the Lawe for vs wee surelie should bee no longer bound vnto it as neither is it necessarie that wee should susteine euerlasting punishment for our sinnes because they were once punished in Christ 3. The Lawe and iustice of God doth not exact both together that is both obedience and punishment but the one of them onely that is either obedience or punishment The third way that Christ dooth fulfill the Law is by fulfilling of it in vs by his spirite when as he regenerateth vs by it and maketh vs able that euen in this life we may beginne both inwarde and outwarde obedience which the Law requireth of them who are reconciled to GOD and may perfourme that wholy and fully in the life to come Fourthly hee fulfilleth the Lawe by teaching it and by purging it of errors and corruptions and by restoring the true vnderstanding of the Scripture or sacred doctrine For as it appeareth by the Euangelist S. Matthew the Scribes and Pharisies had so corrupted the spirituall meaning of the Lawe wholly restraining it to bodily actions that Christ was enforced thereby to giue the right sense of manie places thereof and so by the light of the trueth to scatter the mist of their corruptions Our Mediatour was to bee true God 3 It was requisite that hee should bee God not an imaginary GOD and onely adorned with excellent giftes aboue all the Angels and Sainctes but very god by nature and that chiefly for these causes which here followe The first is that hee might bee able to sustaine the infinite wrath of GOD or greeuousnesse of punishment which shoulde bee temporall and yet equiualent to eternal paines Nowe a mere creature by reason of his infirmity woulde haue beene brought to nothing or beeing oppressed by the weight of so great a punishment would haue remained for euer subiect vnto the wrath of GOD. That there might therefore be a proportion betwixt the punishment of our Mediatour and all the sinnes of all men which was altogether required by the infinite iustice of God it was behoouefull that that person shoulde bee of infinit strength and so to bee GOD who should suffer without falling into despaire or beeing brought vnto nothing a punishment finite in time but in greatnesse and worthinesse or valewe infinite Nowe necessarilie was that punishment finite in respect of time Because that our Mediatour might accomplish the benefite of our Redemption and nowe when it was perfectly merited apply it or bestowe it vpon vs by his forcible working that is might effectually saue vs it was necessary that hee shoulde by his power overcome death and first depell it and shake it off from himselfe These thinges coulde not haue beene doone by a meere man who of what strength soeuer hee bee cannot by his owne force or power wrastle out of the handes of Death Wherefore it was requisite that the Mediatour shoulde bee God Obiection No mere man able to perform the punishment due for sinne But a meere man was able by his obedience perfectlie to fulfill the Lawe Aunswere If wee graunt this yet that obedience coulde not haue beene a price for anothers debt because himselfe shoulde haue beene bound to perfourme it as beeing man It was required therefore that our Mediatour shoulde pay a sufficient punishment for vs which hee shoulde not haue been able to beare and ouercome Wicked men Diuels satisfie in neuer satisfiing except hee had beene withall true GOD. For not the Diuels themselues are able to sustaine the waight of Gods wrath much lesse shoulde wee men bee able to doe it Reply But all the Diuels and wicked men are constrained to beare sustaine the wrath of God Therefore creatures doe beare and sustaine it Aunswere They indeed beare the immeasurable wrath of God and sustaine sufficient punishment but so that the wrath of God is neuer satisfied by them and so they neuer recouer out of punishment For their punishment is extended to all eternitie The wicked die neuer dying But the Sonne of God did so beare the burden of Gods wrath that after he had satisfied for our sinnes hee did shake off that burden and draue it away both from himselfe and from vs. Why Christes punishment being but temporal was yet equiualent to eternal For his temporarie punishment was equiualent to eternall 1 In respect of the worthinesse of the person for the Sonne of God did suffer Acts. 20.28 God hath purchased the Church with his own blood Rom. 8.3 God hath sent his Sonne 2. For the grieuousnesse of the punishment because hee sustained the torments and the feeling or sense of the wrath of God and the horrors of death for the whole world He descended into hell Psal 18.5 The sorrowes of hel haue compassed me about Deutr. 4.24 God is a consuming fire Isay 53.10 He hath laid the iniquity of al of vs vpon him hee would breake him c. And hence is it also vnderstood why christ did so greatly tremble at death whereas many Martyrs haue without feare or trembling offered their throate to the persecutors But it was necessarie that it should be a finite punishment because otherwise there had beene no satisfaction if it had beene intended for euer The second cause is that his punishment might be a sufficient and full woorthy merit and ransome for the purging of the sinnes euen of the whole world and for the repairing of that righteousnesse and glorie which they had lost The worthines of this price must be infinit therfore so must the person also be himselfe which paieth such a price For that the creator suffered for the sinnes of the woorlde is by infinite more than the death of al the creatures and the conformitie or correspondence of all the Angels and holy men with God Wherefore the Apostles when they speake of Christs passion euer almost make mention of his Godhead Acts. 20.28 God hath purchased the Church with his blood 1. Iohn 1.7 The blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne Ioh. 1.29 Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sins of the world Yea God himselfe in Paradise ioyneth these two Gen. 3.15 The seede of the woman shal breake thine head and thou shalt bruse his heele Wherefore not only the woorthinesse of the person himselfe doth declare the worthinesse of this price but also the multitude and greatnesse of sinnes which are committed from the beginning of the world
as long as hee that made it is aliue Christ hath purchased our reconcilement with God for vs with his bloud and hath left it vnto vs euen as Parents at their decease deliuer their goodes vnto their children Obiection The Testament is ratified by the death of the Testator which is good who cannot die Therefore this reconcilement is not ratified or at least wise it may not be called a Testament Aunswere The Minor is to bee denied Because God is saide to haue redeemed the church with his bloud Therefore hee died but he died according to his humanitie Or which commeth to the same Christ is the Testator as hee is both God man but died according to his humanity only Wherefore this reconciliation or Couenaunt may be called a Testament Replie But Christ is the intercessor The same is called an intercession in respect of Christ who by intercession worketh it and a reconciliation in respect of vs who are reconciled and god the Testator Therefore the reconciliation is not of force Aunswere They differ in persons and offices The person of Christ differeth from the person of the father and the holy Ghost in office not in efficacie and power and in respect of him it is an intercession in respect of vs a reconciliation or receiuing into fauour 2 How a Couenaunt may be made betweene god and men THat Couenaunt could not be made without a Mediatour For without Satisfaction and the death of the Mediatour there could not be wrought a reconcilement or anie receiuing into fauour For wee were the enimies of God neither was there an entrance open for vs to god before he was pacified by the merit of our Mediatour Againe Without the Mediatour regenerating vs we should not haue beene able to stand to the conditions and so had the Couenaunt beene made of no force as it hath beene shewed more at large before in the place of the Mediatour in the second question 3 Whether there be but one Couenaunt THere is but one Couenaunt in substaunce and matter There is but one couenaunt in substance two in circumstances two in circumstaunces or administration There is but one in substaunce 1. Because there is but one god one Mediatour of those parties god and men one meane of reconcilement one faith one way of the saluation of all who are saued and haue been saued euen from the beginning of the world vnto the ende Hebr. 13.8 Iesus Christ yesterday and to day the same is also for euer Roman 9.5 Who is ouer all Col. 1.18 And he is the head of the bodie of the church Ephes 2.21 In whom all the building coupled together groweth vnto an holie temple in the Lord. Actes 4.12 Among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued Mat. 11.27 No man knoweth the father but the sonne and he to whom the sonne will reueal him No man commeth to the father but by me Iohn 14.6 I am the way the truth and the life Luc. 10.24 Manie Kings and Prophets haue desired to see that which ye see Iohn 8.56 Abraham reioiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad All therefore as wel vnder the law as vnder the Gospel who were to be saued had respect to the onely mediatour Christ by whom alone they were reconciled to God and saued and therefore there is but one Couenaunt 2. Because the principall conditions whereby we are bound vnto God and God to vs and which are called the substaunce of the Couenaunt are both before and after Christ all the same For in both both in the olde and new Couenaunt or Testament God promiseth remission of sins to beleeuers and repentant sinners In both men are bound to beleeue and repent that is the grounde and foundation of doctrine in both is the same to wit the law and the promise of grace proposed in Christ Nowe the Couenaunt is also of two sortes or there are two Couenants as concerning the circumstances those conditions which are lesse principal which are the formes of administration seruing for the principal conditions that the faithfull may attaine vnto them by the helpe of these A rule here may be obserued The diuersitie of Couenaunts is knowen by the diuersitie of their conditions In all Couenaunts their conditions are euer to be considered which if they be the same then are the Couenaunts also the same if diuers then the Couenaunts also diuers if partly the same and partly diuers then the Couenaunts also are in part the same and in part diuers as in this Couenaunt 1 In what the old and new Couenaunt agree and in what they differ 1. The same autor of both couenaunts 2. The same parties in both reconciled 3. The same mediatour of both THe new Couenaunt agreeth with the old in respect of God in these 1. The same is the Author of both Couenaunts 2. The same parties are ioined in both Couenaunts to wit God and man 3. The same is the mediatour of both Moses in deede is called also the Mediatour of the old Testament but as a type For Christ was also in the old Testament the Mediatour but had adioined vnto him Moses as a type but nowe he is Mediatour without that typicall Mediatour For he is manifested in the flesh is no more couered with types 4 The promise of grace is in both the same to wit remission of sinnes the giuing of the holy Ghost or regeneration 4. The same promise of grace in both life or glorie euerlasting to bee giuen freely by and for Christ the Mediatour to those onely who beleeue For God promiseth grace and mercie to all who beleeue in the Mediatour Gen. 22. In thy seede shall all nations be blessed Gen. 3. Hee shall breake the serpents head Gen. 17. I will bee thy god and the god of thy seede This is the same with the promise which is made to the faithful of the new Couenaunt Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life Now here wee speake not in particular of the circumstances of grace but in generall of grace it selfe which was promised Both Couenaunts haue the same corporal promises also but that only in generall Now in respect of men the new agreeth with the old that in both men are bound to faith and new obedience Gen. 17. Walke before me and be thou vpright I will be thy god and the god of thy seede But the Lord cannot be our god except by a true faith we applie the merite of Christ vnto vs for which alone he will receiue vs into fauour and except wee bring forth the fruites of true repentance The new and old Couenaunt therefore agree as concerning the principal conditions of the Couenaunt both in respect of god and in respect of man But they differ in respect of god in these 1. How the old and new Couenaunt differ in respect of God In the promises of corporall benefites For these
Heb. 2.16 made of the seede of Dauid Rom. 1.3 Borne of the Iewes concerning the flesh Rom. 9.5 euery where the son of Abraham of Dauid and the son of man And also Luk. 3. his petigree stock concerning the fleshe is deduced vnto Adam Therefore hee was begotten of the substance of his mother Mary and issued from the same seede of Adam from which we did Luk. 24.39 Christ prooueth himselfe to be a true man and not a spirite by this that a spirite hath not fleshe and bones as hee hath and reteineth euen after his resurrection Apollinaris the hereticke saide that Christes bodie indeede was a true bodie but insteede of a soule he had the Woorde onlie But this man is easilie refuted because Christ should not then haue bin like vnto his brethren in al thinges except sinne And Christ himselfe doth plainly confesse My soule is verie heauy euen vnto the death Mat. 26.38 And Luk 2.52 he is said to haue encreased in wisedome and stature and in fauour with God and men And Iohn 10.18 To laie downe his soule and to take it againe But to encrease in wisedome and to bee heauy and sad doe neither agree vnto a bodie which is reasonlesse neither vnto the god-head which is not obnoxious to changes and passions Hither belongeth also that Luk. 23.46 Father into thine handes I commend my spirit And when hee thus had said He gaue vp the Ghost This cannot bee saide of christs godhead For that being immense infinit is euery where nether doth a remouing from one place to another agree vnto it it is not laid downe and taken vp again that is it neuer departed or was seuered from the body but remaineth alwaies vnited vnto it Wherefore there must needs be in Christ besides his body his Godhead a true humane soule which did truely suffer and abide in Christ these chaunges and the like Secondly it is confirmed by diuine promises and prophecies For the Messias in the old Testament was promised to be such a one as should be the seede of the woman of Abraham Isaac Iacob c. But this Iesus the Sonne of the Virgine Mary is that promised Messias Therefore he must needs bee true man issuing of the bloode and posterity of the woman and the Fathers and therefore to haue been indeede begotten of the substance of Marie and to haue taken true flesh Thirdly The office of the Mediatour confirmeth the same The sinne of men in respect of gods truth and iustice could not bee punished in any other nature than in a humane nature which shoulde bee of the same kind with ours But in the Mediatour which is Jesus Christ alone our sinnes were to bee punished Therefore he must needes bee true man who hath humane flesh not created of nothing or borne else-whence but sprong from the bloud of Adam as well as ours Moreouer Jt was necessarie for Christ not onelie to take but also to retaine our nature for euer Because GOD hath decreed to bestowe and dooth bestowe the benefites which Christ by his death hath purchased for vs by this man CHRIST vpon them onely who are and remain engraffed into his masse and flesh as members into their head or braunches into their vine 1. Cor. 15.21 For since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead Iohn 15.6 Jf a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a braunch and withereth Lastly Jt behoued Christ to be made and to continue our brother for euer that as he is flesh of our flesh so we also of the otherside might be flesh bones of his flesh and bones by the same spirite dwelling in vs. Eph. 5.30 We are members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones Iohn 5.56 Eph. 4.12.16 Rom. 8.11 c. Wherefore except Christ had indeede taken our nature without which hee cannot be our brother we shoulde loose that comfort euer needefull and necessarie for vs which consisteth in the Brotherhood onely of Christ with vs I am of his flesh and of his bones 1 Obiection The flesh of Adam that is humane flesh issuing from Adam by generation vnto his posteritie is sinnefull The flesh of Christ is not sinnefull therefore the flesh of Christ is not the flesh of Adam Aunswere The Maior proposition hath a fallacie of the accident For it is not necessarie that of whatsoeuer the accident of a thing is denied of the same the thing also or subiect of the accident shoulde bee denied because an accident dooth so cleaue to the thing wherein it is as it may bee separated from it Sinne is not of the essence and nature of humane flesh for that was created pure of God but sinne came otherwise by the defection falling of our first parents from god Seeing then the flesh of Adam is sinfull only by an accident it foloweth that the flesh of Christ is onely in respect of that accident not the flesh of Adam but is as touching the substaunce the same flesh with the flesh of Adam Wherefore they deale like Sophisters who denie the flesh of CHRIST for that it is voide of sinne to bee the same in substaunce or Essence or kinde with the flesh of Adam For hee that coulde in the beginning create humane flesh pure of nothing is able also by his omnipotent power and speciall working so to forme it of the substaunce of the Virgin being a sinner as withall to let and stop any issuing of sinne thereunto that is to make it pure and holy There is no new or strange thing therefore if the omnipotent Lord hath tooke humane substance without the accident sinne into the vnity of his person Wherefore this their Argument shal be rather thus inuerted The flesh of Adam is true flesh Christs flesh is the flesh of Adam therefore Christs flesh is true flesh and by a consequent Christ is true man as also the office of the Mediatour did require that he should both bee and continue true man For seeing true men had sinned he was to be true man that shoulde make satisfaction Because it must bee one and the same Mediatour who must alwaies make intercession vnto the father for vs and hee must euer continue such that is true and very man 2 Obiection That which is conceiued and begotten of another is of the same substance with him The flesh of Christ was conceiued of the holie Ghost Therefore the flesh of Christ is no creature but came downe from heauen issuing from the substaunce of God Aunswere There is a fallacie in the diuers vnderstanding of the particle OF For that in the Maior signifieth the matter or material cause in the Minor the efficient cause onely that is That which is conceiued or begotten of another transfusing or passing his substance or part of his substaunce into the thing begotten this is of the same essence with him who begot it CHRISTS fleshe was conceiued by the Holy GHOST not that hee transfused or
presently For so had hee perished for euer Wherefore the Sonne offered a mitigation and lenifieng raised him vp to a new life that stil notwithstanding he should remaine subiect to the corporal death which yet should not be deadlie and pernicious vnto him 3 In respect of the promise made to the fathers both by words as in Isa 53.7 He is brought as a sheepe to the slaughter and as a sheepe before the shearer is dum so openeth he not his mouth by sacrifices wherby god promised that christ should dy dy such a death as should be an equiualēt price for the sins of the whole world This could not be the work of any meere creature but of the son of god only and therefore it was requisite necessarie that the Sonne of God should suffer so grieuous a death for vs. Obiection Then they doe not satisfie gods iustice who are punished because their punishment is endlesse and eternall Answere They satisfie by eternal punishment Replie So then might we also be deliuered from the curse by our selues Aunswere So then shall wee neuer bee deliuered but shall susteine punishment eternall which is without ende Out of this which hath beene saide we may draw this doctrine 1 That sinne is most of all to bee eschued of vs which could not bee expiated but by the death of the sonne of god 2. That wee ought to bee thankefull to the sonne of god for this his so great a benefit of vnspeakable grace fauour bestowed vpon vs. 3. That all our sinnes how many how great and how-greeuous soeuer they be are expiated and done awaie by the death alone of Christ 3 The fruit of Christs death THE fruite cōmoditie of Christs death is the whole work of our redemption 1. Iustification or remission of sinnes because the iustice of God requireth that God should not punish a sinner twise but hee hath punished our sinnes in Christ Therefore hee will not punish againe the same in vs. 1. Iohn 1.7 The bloud of Iesus Christ purgeth vs from all sin as well originall as actuall as well of fact or doing what we should not as of omission or not dooing what we should The cause of this effect is the death of Christ 2. The gift of the Holy ghost through his working regeneration a new life because Christ by his death hath not onely obtained for vs pardon for our sinne and reconciliation with god but also the gift of the holy Ghost that by his working and vertue the old man might bee crucified with Christ that is that by the Holy Ghost through the efficacie of Christs merite our engraffing into him our corrupt and as yet not regenerated nature might bee abolished in vs and that of the contrarie righteousnesse might be begunne in vs the image of God destroied by the Diuel in vs might bee restored and wee by the same spirit moued to shew yeelde all thankefulnes for so great a benefite 1. Cor. 1.30 Christ is made vnto vs righteousnesse wisedom sanctification and redemption Col. 2.10 Ye are compleat in him The death of christ is the impellēt or motiue cause in effectuating our regeneration in two respectes 1. In respect of god because for the death of christ god pardoneth vs our sinne and giueth vs the holie ghost Galat 4.6 Because yee are Sonnes god hath sent forth the spirite of his Son into your harts which crieth Abba Father 2. In respect of vs also it is an impellent cause because they who apprehend Christs merit by a true faith and apply his death vnto themselues for them it is vnpossible to be vnthankfull For all after they are once iustified prepare and addresse themselues to do those things which are grateful vnto God for regeneration or the desire and endeuour of obeying God cannot bee separated from the applying of his death vnto vs nor the benefite of regeneration from the benefite of iustification All who are iustified are also regenerated and sanctified And all who are regenerated are also iustified Obiection 1. Pet. 1.3 The Apostle attributeth our regeneration to Christes resurrection why then is regeneration here attributed to his death Aunswere It is attributed vnto Christes death as touching his merite for hee merited regeneration for vs by dieng And it is attributed to Christes resurrection in respect of the applieng of it for by rising from the dead he applieth vnto vs regeneration and giueth vs the Holie Ghost 3. Eternal life is also the fruit of Christs death Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the woorld that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life 1. Iohn 5.11 GOD hath giuen vnto vs eternall life and this life is in his Sonne Obiection Jf Christ died for vs why then die we too For hee should not die for whom another hath alreadie died otherwise the satisfaction would seeme double Aunswere He for whom another hath died should not dy as thereby to satisfie that is so that his death should be any merite or satisfaction but there are other causes why we must die For wee die not to satisfie the iustice of God but by death as a meane to receiue those giftes which Christ by his death hath merited for vs. For this our temporal death is 1. An admonition of the greatnesse of sinne 2. A purging and cleansing of vs. For by death are purged out the reliques and remaines of sinnes in vs. 3. A translating into eternal life For by corporal death is the passage of the faithfull made into eternall life Reply If the cause be taken away the effect is takē away but the cause of death in vs which is sin is taken awaie by Christ therefore the effect also which is death it selfe ought to be taken awaie Ans Where al cause is taken awaie the effect also is taken awaie but in vs all cause of death is not taken awaie as concerning the purging out of sinne albeit it bee taken awaie as touching the remission of sinne Or we maie aunswere vnto the Minor proposition That sinne is indeede taken awaie as touching the guilt but it is not taken away as touching the matter of sinne which as yet remaineth AND BVRIED THE causes of Christes buriall are 1 That we might knowe that hee was dead indeed For the liuing are not buried but the dead only And hither belong some parts of the storie penned by the Euangelists as that christ was pearced with a launce that he was taken downe from the Crosse that he was annointed wrapt in linnen clothes For as by the touching feeling of him by his eating appearing after his resurrection we gather that he did indeed rise again so of the other we collect that he was indeede dead 2 That the last part of his humiliation whereby hee did debase himselfe for our sakes might bee accomplished That was his burial in which his body was as well cast into the earth as any other
signifie Christ which hereafter shoulde bee exhibited the newe Christ who alreadie was exhibited is apparant by the interpretation deliuered of them in holy writ whereof wee spake in the definition Now they differ in clearenes because in the newe Testament the ceremonies are purer signifiyng things complete and perfect In the old were moe rites shadowing thinges to come all the circumstances whereof were not as yet declared The confirmation of the 15. conclusion What the Ministers doe in Gods name in the administration of the sacraments also that God by the sacramentes signifieth that is teacheth offereth promiseth vs the communion of Christ was declared in the second confirmation Hereof followeth the next which is that the holie ghost dooth mooue our heartes by them to beleeue For seeing the sacraments are a visible promise they haue the same authoritie of confirming faith in vs which the promise it selfe hath which was made vnto vs. Of this followeth the third For that which serueth for the kindling or raising of faith in vs the same also serueth for the receiuing of the cōmunion of Christ his benefits And because we attaine vnto this by faith Therefore it is said The bread is the communion of the bodie of Christ Baptisme doth saue vs. Neither yet doth the holy Ghost alwaies confirme and establish faith by them as the examples of Simon Magus and of infinite others doe shewe That the vse of them hurteth without faith hath beene prooued in the second Conclusion The confirmation of the 16. conclusion The sacraments without the word going before doe neither teach nor confirme our faith because the meaning and signification of them is not vnderstood except it be declared by the woorde neither can the signe confirme anie thing except the thing bee first promised An example hereof are the Iewes who obserued and nowe doe obserue the ceremonies but adioine thereto the not vnderstoode promise of the grace and benefites of Christ Without the Word those who are of vnderstanding are not saued either by doctrine as by ordinarie means or by an internal and extraordinarie knowledge Joh. 3.18 Hee that beleeueth not in the sonne is alreadie condemned Rom. 3.17 Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the woorde of god But they may bee saued without the sacramentes because although by some necessitie they bee depriued of these yet they may beleeue as the theefe did on the Crosse Or if they be infants according to the condition of their age they are sanctified as Iohn in the wombe and many infants also in the wombe who died before the day of circumcision The Woord also is to bee preached vnto the wicked because it is appointed to conuert them But the sacraments are to bee administred vnto them who are acknowledged for members of the church because they are instituted for the vse of the church onely Act. 8.37 Thou maiest be baptized if thou beleeuest The confirmation of the eighteenth conclusion The confirmation thereof is manifest by the Passeouer and other sacrifices as also by the sabboth which all were commaunded by God that the godly might celebrate and worship God and shew themselues gratefull vnto him and might withall take the signes and tokens of those benefits of God which they receiued by the Messias So Baptisme is a confession of christianity and a signe whereby Christ testifieth that wee are washed by his bloode The supper of the Lord is a thankesgiuing for the death of Christ and an aduertisement that we are quickened reuiued by his death are made his members shall remaine continue with him for euer OF BAPTISME THE principall questions are 1 What Baptisme is 2 What are the ends of Baptisme or for what it was instituted 3 What is the sense and meaning of the words of the institution thereof 4 What are the formes and kindes of speaking of Baptisme 5 Who are to be baptized 6 The lawful and right vse of Baptisme 7 In place whereof Baptisme did succeede 8 Howe Baptisme agreeth with circumcision and in what is differeth from it WHAT BAPTISME IS BAptisme is an externall washing instituted by the sonne of God with the pronouncing of these words I baptize thee in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost to bee a testimonie that he who is so washed or dipped is reconciled through Christ by faith and is sanctified by the spirite vnto eternall life Goe saith Christ and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the son the holy ghost It may also be fitly defined on this wise Baptisme is a ceremony instituted by Christ in the new testament whereby wee are washed with water in the name of the Father the sonne and the holy ghost to signify that we are receiued into fauor for the bloode of Christ shed for vs and are regenerated by his spirite and also to bind vs that hereafter we endeuour in our actions and deedes truly to testifie newnesse of life We are said to be receiued into fauour for the blood of Christ shed for vs to wit on the crosse that is for christs whole humiliation applied vnto vs by faith Baptism no bare signe onely Obiection Baptisme is said to be an external washing of water therefore baptisme is a bare signe onelie Aunswere This is a fallacy of diuisiō diuiding those things which are to be ioined Because when wee say that Baptisme is an externall signe we ioine with the signe the thing signified Moreouer there is no particle added which excludeth the thing And Baptisme is in it owne nature a bare signe but the promise commeth thereto and is ioined with this signe The differences betweene Baptisme and the washings of the olde Testament 2 Obiection There were washinges also in the oulde testament Baptisme is a washing Baptisme therefore is a sacrament of the old testament Aunswere The washings in the oulde testament were not a signe of the receiuing into the church as is Baptisme They signified Christ to come They did bind the Iewes only Baptisme extendeth and belongeth to al nations or to the whole church They were also instituted to wash away a ceremoniall vncleannesse Baptisme to wash away a morall vncleannesse and hence is it that Baptisme is called in the scripture a lauour or washing to wit in respect of that washing of the morall vncleannesse that is in respect of that inward or spiritual washing wherby we are washed or cleansed from our sinnes Nowe this washing is of two sortes The washing of Baptisme is of two sorts 1 The washing of bloud 2 The washing of the spirite 1. The washing of blood when we are washed by the bloode of Christ which is the remission of sinnes for the bloudshed of christ 2. The washing of the spirit when we are washed by Christs spirite which is our renewing by the holy Ghost that is the chaunging of euill inclinations into good which is wrought by the vertue of the holy Ghost in our
the signe of his renewing or regeneration is baptisme Afterwards when he is once renewed and borne again he must be fostered and nourished by the bodie and bloude of Christ the signe of which nourishing is the supper Now it is one and the same Christ who both regenerateth and nourisheth vs to eternal life And albeit it is the same participation of christ namely both the Washing away of sins by the bloud of christ The same thing is sealed in Baptisme and the Supper but the manner of â—eâ—ling is diuers which is represented in Baptisme and the Eating and drinking of the body and bloud of Christ which is confirmed vnto vs in the Supper yet notwithstanding that signification of our new birth is sealed by the dipping of our bodie into the water of Baptisme and this of our maintenance and preseruation is dâ—painted and sealed by the eating and drinking of bread and wine in the Supper And therefore the thing signified of the sacramentes is not diuerse because it is the same to bee washed with the bloud of christ and to drinke the bloud of Christ But the manner of sealing one and the sâ—me thing is diuerse 3 In baptisme is required confession of faith and repentance in the Elder sort in Jnfants it is sufficient if they be borne in the church seing they that are born in the Church are therefore reputed for regenerate or members of the church because they haue an inclination to faith repentance But in the supper is added a further cond tiâ—n of examining himselfe and of remembring the Lords death Doe this in remembraunce of mee Let a man examine himselfe Baptisme therefore is due vnto the whole Church vnto infants who are the children of faithfull Parents no lesse than the elder sort enrolling themselues and giuing their names to Christ The supper is graunted to such onely as are beleeuers and repentaunt 4. Baptisme must goe before and the supper follow Whereupon in the auncient church after the Sermno wâ—re dimissed such as were excommunicated likewise those that were possessed or troubled with an euill spirite and the Catechumens that is such as old not as yet vnderstand the gâ—ounds and principles of râ—ligion or were not as yet baptised So of old they who were not yet circumcised did not obserue the sacrifices or ceremonies Nowe if they who were baptised before they haue made confâ—ssion of their faith and repentaunce are not as yet to bee admitted vnto the supper much lesse are they who being baptised liue after the manner of swine and dogges 5. Baptisme is not to bee reiâ—erated but once onely to bee receiued in our life time The supper is often to be receiued of vs Because baptisme is a signe of our receiuing into the church and couenaunt and the couenaunt once made is not againe vndoone or made voide to those that repent but remaineth ratified and firme for euer The supper is a confirmation of our faith concerning the eternall continuance of the couenant which confirmation is necessary and therefore the supper is often to be iterated Hereof it is that the Apostle saith of the supper As often as ye shall eat this bread and drinke this cup yee shew the Lords death til he come But of baptisme he saith That al wee which haue beene baptized into christ haue beene baptized into his death And Christ Hee that shal beleeue and shal be baptised shal be saued And seeing also the supper was therefore to be instituted that in it shoulde be made a publique remembrance recounting shewing of Christs death it is often to be celebrated 6 What is the sense or meaning of the words of the institution of our Lordes supper HEre are both those very odious questions conteined concerning the sense of Christes woords in his supper The Transubstaâ—â—â—â— and Consubstantiaries relie not on the simple meaning of Christes words The Transubstantiaries together with the Consubstantiaries doe bost and glorie that they vnderstand the woords of Christ simply and aright But neither perfourme that which they brag and boast of For that is the true simplicity and propriety of the woord whereunto for the iust vnderstanding and interpretations thereof nothing is to bee added neither ought to be taken from it neither any thing altered For as many as hold that the body of Christ is With Jn or Vnder the breade they adde vnto the woordes of Christ and depart from true simplicity For if that which Christ said is simply to be reteined that is not to be admitted which he said not as is The bread is both bread and the body of Christ but simply this only The bread is the body of christ He said not My body is with or in or vnder the bread or the bread is both bread and my body together neither added he as these ad of their owne really substantially corporally but he vttered these bare words of the bread This is my body Neither haue the Traunsubstantiaries their opinion drawen from the woordes of Christ simply vnderstoode namely that of the bread is made the body of Christ or the bread is chaunged into the bodie of Christ For this is their owne forgery and inuention For Christ said not That the bread was now made or was a making or should be made but simply said The bread is his body where no chaunge coulde come betweene so that the words of christ be simply vnderstood Therefore falsely doe they persuade the people that they simply rest on the propriety of christes woords when as manifoldly and most farre they swarue and depart from it Wherefore the true sense and meaning of the woordes is diligently to be considered The holy Euangelistes Matthew Marke and Luke doe most specially of al others describe the institution of the Lords supper and besides them the Apostle also declareth it no lesse plainly and luculenâ—ly who thus speaketh 1. Corint 11. vers 23.24.25.26 I haue receiued of the Lord that which J also haue deliuered vnto you that the Lord Iesus in the night that he was betraied tooke bread And when he had giuen thanks he brake it and said Take eate this is my body which is broken for you this doe yee in remembraunce of me After the same maner also he took the cup when he had supped saying This cup is the new testament in my bloud this doe as oft as yee drinke it in râ—membrance of me For as often as ye shal eate this bread drink this cup ye shew the Lords death til he come These words of the Apostle we wil briefly expound and then we will demonstrate them by true and firme arguments In the night that he was betraied This circumstance is specified by the Apostle to giue vs to vnderstande that Christ would at the last supper of the Passeouer institute this his supper to shew 1. That now an end was made of al the old sacrifices he did substitute a new sacrament which should sâ—cceed should be
gospel 5 There is then in the Lords supper a double meat and drink one externall visible terrene namely bread and wine and another internall There is also a double eating and receiuing an external and signifieng which is the corporall receiuing of the bread and wine that is which is perfourmed by the handes mouth and senses of the bodie and an internal inuisible and signified which is the fruition of Christes death and a spirituall engraffing into Christes bodie that is which is not perfourmed by the handes and mouth of the bodie but by the spirite and faith Lastly there is a double administer and dispenser of this meat and drinke an externall of the externall which is the minister of the church deliuering vs by his hand bread and wine and an internal of the internal meate which is Christ himselfe feeding vs by his body and bloud 6 Not the body and bloud of Christ but the bread and wine are the signes which serue for confirmation of our faith for the bodie and bloud of Christ are receiued that we may liue for euer But the bread and wine are receiued that wee maie bee confirmed and assured of that heauenlie foode and dailie more and more enioie it 7 Neither is the bread changed into the bodie of Christ nor the wine into the bloud of Christ neither doth the bodie and bloud of Christ succeed in their place they beeing abolished neither is Christs body substantially present in the bread or vnder the bread or where the bread is but in the right vse of the Lords supper the holy Ghost vseth this Symbole as an instrument to stirre vp faith in vs by which he more and more dwelleth in vs engraffeth vs into Christ and maketh vs thorough him to bee iust and righteous and to draw eternal life from him 8 Now when Christ saith This that is this bread is my body and This cup is my bloud the speech is sacramental or metonymical because the name of the thing signified is attributed to the sign it selfe that is it is meant that the bread is the sacrament or signe of his bodie and doth represent him and dooth testifie that Christes bodie is offered for vs on the crosse and is giuen vnto vs to be the foode of eternal life and therefore is the instrument of the holie Ghost to maintaine and encrease this food in vs as Saint Paul saith 1. Corinth 10. The bread is the communion of the bodie of Christ that is it is that thing by which wee are made partakers of christs bodie And elsewhere hee saith We haue been al made to drink into one spirit The same is the meaning also when it is said that the bread is called christes bodie for a similitude which the thing signified hath with the signe namely in that christes body nourisheth the spirituall life as breade dooth the corporall life and for that assured and certaine ioint receiuing of the thing and the signe in the right vse of the sacrament And this is the sacramental vnion of the bread which is shewed by a sacramental kinde of speaking but no such locall coniunction which is by some imagined 9 As therefore the body of christ signifieth both his proper and natural bodie and his sacramental bodie which is the bread of the Eucharist so the eating of Christes body is of two sorts one sacramental of the signe to wit the externall and corporall receiuing of the bread and wine the other reall or spirituall which is the receiuing of christs very body it selfe And to belâ—eue in christ dwelling in vs by faith is by the vertue operatioÌ„ of the holy ghost to be engraffed into his bodie as members to the head branches into the vine and so to bee made partakers of the frutie of the deâ—th and life of christ Whence it is apparant that they are falsly accused who thus teach as if they made either the bare signes onely to be in the Lords Supper or a partâ—cipation of christes death onelie or of his benefits or of the holy Ghost excluding the true reall spirituall communion of the very body of Christ it selfe 10 Now the right vse of the Supper is when the faithfull obserue this rite instituted by Christ in remembraunce of Christ that is to the stirring and raising vp of their faith and thankefulnesse 11 As in this right vse the bodie of Christ is sacramentallie eaten so also without this vse as by vnbeleeuers and hypocrites it is eaten sacramentally indeede but not reallie that is the sacramental Symboles or signes bread and wine are receiued but not the thinges themselues of the sacrament to wit the bodie and bloud of Christ 12 This doctrine of the supper of the Lord is grounded vpon verie manie and those most sound and firme reasons All those places of Scripture confirme it which speake of the Lords supper and Christ calling not anie inuisible thing in the bread but the verie visible and broken bread it selfe his bodie deliuered or broken for vs which whereas it cannot bee meant properlie himselfe addeth an exposition that that bread is truely receiued in remembraunce of him which is as if he had said That the bread is a sacrament of his bodie So likewise he saith the supper is the new testament which is spirituall one and euerlasting And Paul saith it is the communion of the bodie and bloud of Christ because al the faithful are one bodie in christ who cannot stand together with the communion of Diuels Likewise he maketh one and the same engraffing into christes bodie by one spirit to bee both in Baptisme and in the Lords Supper Moreouer the whole doctrine and nature of sacramentes confirme the same all which represent vnto the eies the same spirituall communion of christ to bee receiued by faith which the word or promise of the Gospel declareth vnto the eares Therefore they are called by the names of the thinges signified and in their right vse haue the receiuing of the thinges adioined vnto them The Articles also of our faith confirme it which teach that christs bodie is a true humane bodie not present at once in manie places as being now receiued into heauen and there to remain vntil the Lorde returne to iudgement and further that the communion of Saintes with christ is wrought by the holie Ghost not by anie entraunce of christs bodie into the bodies of men Wherefore this sentence and doctrine is of all the purer antiquitie of the church with most great and manifest consent held and professed 13 The Supper of the Lord differeth from Baptisme 1. Jn the Rite and manner of signifieng because the dipping into the water or washing signifieth a remission and purging out of sinne by the bloud and spirit of Christ and our societie fellowship with christ in his afflictions and glorification But the distributing of the bread and wine signifieth the death of Christ to bee imputed to vs vnto remission of sinnes and our selues engraffed into Christ
not hurting the safetie of men THESE are of three sortes For we are said not to hurt three waies to wit either being not hurt or prouoked or being prouoked or both waies In the first maner of not hurting consisteth Particular iustice hurting no man This particular iustice not hurting anie man is a vertue shunning all harmings which are done either by violence or by deceit or by neglect of our owne and others safetie and so neither by indeuour nor by neglect hurting the life or bodie of any of whome wee are not hurt except God commaund it This is expressed in the woordes Thou shalt doe no murther In the second manner of not hurting consist Mildnes Equabilitie For vnto these vertues is it proper not to hurt albeit we be prouoked Mildnes or placabilitie or easinesse in forgiuing is a vertue moderatresse and gouernesse of anger which shunneth al iust anger so that a mild man wil neither be angry for no cause neither vpō a light cause where there is cause of iust anger he doth then also so moderat that iust anger as that he is not angry beyond measure or passeth the bounds and limits by God prescribed that is he doth not wish the destruction of the person that hurt him nether burneth with a desire of reuenge but pardoneth offences and also grieuous iniuries and is displeased only at the reproch of Gods name or for vniustice or for the hurt of his neighbour admitting not into his mind the desire of reuenging any iniury be it neuer so great and wishing also from his heart the safety and good estate of his enemies and such as haue ill deserued of him and endeuouring to maintain the same according to his ability and their necessity Matt. 5.5 Blessed are the meeke for thy shal inherit the earth Equabilitie or equity is a vertue of neere affinitie with mildenesse which is a moderatresse of strict iustice which equalleth punishments with the faults vpon good and reasonable cause as when in respect of the publique safety or priuate safetie of them which transgresse or for the auoiding of offence or for anie other good cause we yeeld somwhat of our right in punishing offences or in pursuing iniuries Gal. 6. Brethren if a man bee fallen by occasion into anie fault yee which are spiritual restore such a one with the spirite of meeknes considering thy selfe least thou also be tempted In the third maner of not hurting consisteth peaceablenesse which is a vertue shunning al offences and occasions of enmities and discords and endeuouring to take them away if any doe arise Briefly Jt is a studie of peace and concord that is a diligence both in auoiding causes and occasions of offences discords contentions and hatreds and also in reconciling those which are offended either with vs or with others and lastly in reteining and keeping of peace for the reteining whereof not to refuse troubles the dissembling and forbearing of iniuries whereby we haue bin harmed so as it bee without the reproch of Gods name and any grieuous impairing either of our owne or others safety The vertues helping and furthering mens safety GOD wil not onely that we hurt no man but also that we help both our selues and others according to our power And wee are saide to helpe two waies 1. By repelling euils daungers and iniuries 2. By doing good or by benefiting our selues or others Of Helping vertues then there are two sortes namelie vertues repelling euils and vertues benefiting and doing good The vertues repelling euils which namely are exercised in driuing away euils and iniuries are these Commutatiue iustice in punishmentes fortitude and indignation Commutatiue iustice in punishmentes is a vertue obseruing equality of offences and punishmentes inflicting either equall punishmentes vnto the faultes or lesser beeing induced thereto vpon good cause according to the respect and consideration to be had of circumstaunces in ciuil iudgement for the mainteinaunce of Gods glory and for the preseruation of mens society For when God forbiddeth the society of men to be harmed or impaired and wil haue the Magistrate to be the maintainer of discipline according to the whole decalogue he wil also haue them with iust punishmentes restrained that make any grieuous breach of this order Wherefore a Magistrate may offend not onely in cruelty or vniust seuerity but also in lenity or remisnes and in licencing men to hurt iniury others 1. King 20.42 Because thou hast let go out of thine hands a man whom I appointed to dy thy life shal goe for his life and thy people for his people Leuit. 24.17 He that killeth anie man he shal be put to death Num. 35.31 Ye shal take no recompence for the life of the murtherer which is worthy to die but he shal be put to death Exod. 21.23 Life for life eie for eie tooth for tooth Deut. 24.16 The fathers shall not bee put to death for the children nor the children put to death for the fathers but euerie man shal be put to death for his owne sinne Deut. 19. Thou shalt make citties of refuge that innocent bloud be not shed within thy land Here therefore is commaunded for the defence and safegard of mens safety seuere iustice which remitteth not punishment without good cause and obserueth equality of the offence punishment Whereof it is manifest that this commaundement doth not take away but ordaine and establish the office of the Magistrate in punishing transgressours For when God commaundeth a man to be slaine not men now but God himselfe putteth him to death by them vnto whō he giueth this in charge And that the licentiousnesse of doing violence or outrage might not grow strong and encrease he would haue transgressours to bee curbed and kept short by punishmentes Wherefore the reuenge due to Magistrates is comprehended in that saying Roman 13.19 Vengeaunce is mine J wil repaie saith the Lord. And hereby is aunswere made vnto this obiection It is said here Thou shalt doe no murther Therefore we must not at al put anie man to death by consequent this iustice doth not appertain to this commandement as which cannot be kept except manie be put to death Vnto which wee aunswere 1. We must therfore put some to death least the society of men be destroied by theeues and robbers 2. Jt is said Thou shalt doe no murther that is not according to thy owne pleasure and lust For God punisheth when the Magistrate punisheth Fortitude is a vertue which aduentureth dangers according to the rule of wel informed reason that is such daungers as right and ruled reason willeth to aduenture that for the glory of God the safety of his Church the defence and preseruation either of our selues or ours or others against grieuous iniuries Nowe this Fortitude of Gods Saintes ariseth from faith and hope and the loue of God their neighbor But that heroical fortitude which is a special gift of god as in Iosua Sampson Gideon Dauid is to be
that the whole nature of of man that is his mind wil and hart and all his faculties are so depraued that without renewing they can bring foorth none but vitious actions and such as displease God according to those sayinges Rom. 7. For wee know that the law is spirituall but I am carnal sold vnder sinne Again For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing And Rom. 8. So then they that are in the flesh can not please God Matt. 7. A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit And truly the reason why it must needs be so is not obscure For whatsoeuer is not exactlie agreeable to the rule of the Lawe that cannot please God but deserueth malediction the wrath of God euerlasting as it is said Accursed be euery one that abideth not in all which are writtē in the book of the Law And S. Iam. ca. 2. Whosoeuer shall keep the whole Law yet faileth in one point he is guiltie of al. But no action of men since the fal hath beene wholy agreeable vnto the Lawe wherefore no action of theirs can please God The minor is hereof manifest because the Law in euerie action requireth the knowledge of the true God agreeing with his wil reuealed in the Scripture this end as principal that the true God by that obediēce of the reasonable creature may be honored and furthermore requireth such a desire of obeying god such a loue of god as for a man rather to leese al then to depart euen in the least matter from the wil of god and that there be none no not the least affection or desire or inclination that may cal him from that exceeding and most ardent loue of god and from obedience towards his Law 1. Cor. 10. Doe al things to the glorie of God Deut 6. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with al thy hart and with al thy minde and with al thy strength But they who are not regenerat in all their actions they doe not so much as acknowledge the true god much lesse doe they refer al to his honor or loue him aboue al things but are turned away from him and are his enemie◠Rom. 5. When wee were enemies wee were reconciled to god And cap. 8. The wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against god Wherefore no action of theirs whatsoeuer it appeareth to the shewe agreeth with the rule of the Law of God As it is said Rom. 14. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne The doctrine of Original sin profitable to be held in the Church This doctrine concerning Original sinne is to bee held in the Church 1. That the knowledge of sinne be perfect 2. Because god will haue our corruption to bee knowen to bee so great as wee can not so much as begin our obedience by our selues without his grace and his holie spirit 3. That wee may know what sinnes are in the godlie and what be the differences of the sinnes which are in the regenerat and in the reprobate What Actual sinne is Actuall sinne is euery inward and outward Action which is repugnant to the Law of god as well in the minde as in outward actions and the omitting of those thinges which the law commaundeth as to will to thinke to follow to doe euil not to will to flie to omitte to doe good Likewise motions and passions contrarie to the Law Hither belongeth that diuision into sinnes of fact and sins of omission The second diuision of Sinne. Raigning sin THere is Raigning sinne and sinne Not-raigning This diuision is taken out of the Apostle Rom. 6. Let not sin raigne in your mortall bodie Sinne Raigning is all sinne which is not repented of and which is not resisted by the grace of the holie Spirit and for which not onely according to the order of gods iustice but also for the thing it selfe hee is guiltie of eternal punishmentes who hath it And it is called Raigning 1. Because it is pampered 2. Because it hath rule ouer a man and maketh him guiltie of eternal dānation Al sins in the wicked are raigning sins Such are all sinnes in the wicked who beleeue not the Sonne and are without faith and repentance That is also in the elect before their conuersion although it be remitted according to the secret purpose of God yet they do not as yet know it In the elect also before their conuersion 1 Iohn 3.8 But after they are conuerted they striue against it that it may not beare rule ouer them It is called also Mortal in which who perseuereth dieth in it perisheth He that committeth sin that is he that of purpose with delite sinneth is of the diuel Where he speaketh of Raigning sin Sin raigning is all sin in the regenerate before their conuersion in the not regenerat continually whether they be defectes o◠inclinations or errors or Actuall sinne Sinne not Raigning is that which is repented of which is resisted by the grace of the holy Spirit Sinne not Raigning and whereof we obtaine remission And this sin is in the godly If wee say we haue no sin we deceaue our selues and there is no truth in vs. This saith Iohn Of sinne Not-raigning It is no more I that doe it Rom. 7. but the sinne that dwelleth in mee Sinne Not-raigning is called also Veniall Why not raigning sin is called venial not for that it deserueth remission or that it is not woorthie of punishment but because remission followeth such sinne Neuerthelesse I had rather vse the names of Raigning and Not-raigning sinne 1. Because the names of Mortall and Veniall sinne are obscure and doubtful For all sinnes are mortal And Iohn also calleth Mortal sinne or sin to death the sinne against the holie ghost 2. Because of the errors of the Papists who saie that they are called venial sinnes which are light and deserue not aeternal paines whereas yet it is said Accursed be euery one who abideth not in all 3. Because the Scripture vseth not these terms especially the name of Venial sinne 1 Obiection But the elect fal not from grace Answere Finally they doe not But they who sinne mortallie and doe not repent perish This falleth not to the elect that they should fal finally but before the end they fall easily and often 2 Obiection The wil of God is vnchangeable But he will the saluation of the elect and remission of their sinnes Aunswere I grant that it is true concerning the purpose and counsaile of God but not concerning our affiance which we haue of the remission of sinnes For our comfort standeth not togither with errors which are contrarie to the foundation and with sinnes committed against our consciences For then are we said to haue remission of our sins when we apply these benefits to our selues Eph. 2.13 Now in Christ Iesus yee which once were farre off are made neere by the blood of Christ And Osc 2.23 I wil saie to
them which were not my people thou art my people And they shal say thou art my God 3 Obiection He that is borne of God sinneth not Therefore the regenerat sin not Aunswere 1. He sinneth not to death The elect may sinne against their conscience yet not to death For the elect doe not wholy forsake God albeit they sinne against their conscieÌ„ce but they retain stil some beginnings of true godlines by which as by sparcles they are stirred againe to repentance as Dauid Peter Manasses 2. He sinneth not as hee is regenerated but hee sinneth as long as hee abideth in this life sinne not raigning in him and yet some times raigning too as he is not regenerated by the spirit of God Regeneration but bâ—gun in this life but is as yet carnall For regeneration or the renuing of vs to the image of God is not perfected in an instant but is begun onely in this life and in the life to come is at length finished 1. Ep. c. 1 For so doth Iohn himselfe pronounce of himself and all the Saintes in this life If wee say that wee haue no sin wee deceaue our selues and truth is not in vs. If wee acknowledge our sinnes hee is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes This is therefore the meaning of Iohn that the regenerate indeed do sinne but yet not so that they make much of their sinne or doe so at any time yeeld and assent to euil desires that they cast away all loue of godlines and repent not For alwaies in the regenerat there remaineth some remnant of a regenerat nature which causeth either a strife against sinne or else true repentance that is it suffereth them not to sinne to death or euerlasting destruction or wholly to forsake God And this consolatioÌ„ so long they enioy as they know themselues to be regenerated that is as they keepe faith and a good conscience 4 Obiection It is said 1. Iohn cap. 3. His seed remaineth in him neither can hee sin because he is borne of God And. 1. Pet. 1. Being borne anew not of mortal seede but of immortal by the word of God who liueth and endureth for euer If therefore the seede of Gods woord neuer dieth in them that are borne anewe they euer remaine regenerate The regenerate in this life may and doe oftentimes leese the grace of God in part but not in whole euer retaine grace neither euer fal into Raigning sinne Answere The regenerat may leese and doe often leese grace and the holy spirit as concerning some giftes somtimes more somtimes fewer although they leese it not if we respect al the gifts For there abideth in theÌ„ some beginning or print of true faith conuersioÌ„ which although when they yeeld to euil inclinations or desires it is so oppressed darkned that it neither can be known of others neither confirme them of the grace of God and their owne saluation for the present yet it suffereth them not wholy to forsake God and the knowen truth and to cast awaie their purpose of embracing by faith the merit of the son of God So Dauid praieth Psa 51. Create in me a cleane hart O God and renew a right spirit within me Againe Restore to me the ioie of thy saluation He had lost therefore cleannes of hart rightnes and newnes of spirite and the ioy of saluation which he beggeth of God to be restored vnto him and yet did he not wholy want them for otherwise hee would not haue asked neither would hee haue looked for from God this renewing and restoring The seed of God that is the woord of God working true faith and conuersion in the elect abideth dieth not in the regenerate as concerning their conuersion and small perseuerance how-euer they fall often grieuously before their end 1. Ioh. 2.19 If they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs. 5 Obiection A good tree cannot bring forth euill fruite Man in this life is not simply good and therefore his woorks are not alwaies good Aunswer It cannot as it is good For if it be simply good all the fruit thereof is good which shall so come to passe in the life to come But if it be partly good and partly euill such is the fruite also which we haue triall and experience of in this life Heretofore it hath beene said Al sinnes mortal in their own nature but pardonable by the grace of God That all sinnes are in their owne nature mortall Against this sentence some oppose that which is said Psal 32.5 I wil confesse my wickednesse vnto the Lorde and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinnes And Prouer. 24.16 A iust man falleth seuen times riseth againe Whence they gather that there are some sinnes the committers whereof continue still iust and therefore deserue not eternall death But they reason amisse from that which befalleth to sinne but by an accident to that which is by it selfe in sinne For it is true indeede that there are many sinnes for which the Saints doe not leese holinesse and righteousnes neither become obnoxious to the wrath of God But this commeth to passe not by the smalnesse or nature of the sinne whatsoeuer it be but by the grace of God who doth not impute neither will punish with eternall death those sinnes which yet in their owne nature deserued it This doth the Prophet most euidently shewe in the same Psal when he saith Blessed is he whose wickednesse is forgiuen And Psal 143. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy fight shall none that liueth be iustified 2 Obiection It is said Matth. 5.22 Whosoeuer is angrie with his brother vnaduisedlie shal be culpable of iudgement And whosoeuer saith vnto his brother Racha shall be woorthie to be punished by the Counsell And whosoeuer shall saie Foole shall be woorthie to be punished with hell-fire Whence they conclude seeing Christ himselfe maketh degrees of punishments and sinnes so that of these former he threatneth hel-fire but vnto the third onlie therefore there are some sinnes smaller than those who deserue eternall punishment But the Aunswere vnto this is manifest out of the woordes themselues which is that Christ doth not speake of ciuill iudgementes and punishments when he mentioneth Iudgement and a Counsel For he doth not here speake of the ciuill order but disputeth against the corruptions of the Pharisies concerning the true meaning of Gods Lawe and concerning the iudgement of God against both inward outward sinnes For neither can nor ought to be punished by the magistrate with corporal punishmeÌ„t either such gestures as signify some bitternesse or contempt or bad affections if they haue not accompanieng them an endeuor to do any man iniury Now whereas in the third place he nameth hel-fire he doth not exempt the other two kinds of sin from eternall punishments but signifieth that the third shal receiue a sharper punishment at Gods