to us and not to him but only as he was our Surety and all this that we might receive the adoption of Sons who deserved not to be called Servants That he who was Heir of all things and made this great house the World should be so unfurnisht with houshold goods as to have no better Cradle than a Manger 3. In his life he humbled himself to the infirmities of our nature as hunger cold nakedness poverty c. to undergo with admirable patience the unkindnesses and forsakings of his friends the reproaches indignities and persecutions of his enemies yea and to be tempted by that great enemy of mankind the Devil 4. In his death that he should dye at all who is the Author of natural spiritual and eternal life and besides could he not if he would have translated himself from earth to heaven as Enoch was translated without dying at all but then that the King of Glory should dye the â—ost shameful death that of the Cross and in the basest company betwixt two Theeves 5 After death in having his body laid in the earth who had before made the heavens and laid the foundation of the earth And last of all that he should continue under the power of death the grave for three days who could if he would within less than three moments yea in less time than a moment have raised his body from the grave O incomprehensible humiliation and that which should fill us all with grateful and astonishing admiration at it that all this was for sinful man A. 28. Christs Exaltation consisteth in his rising again from the dead on the third day in ascending up into heaven and sitting at the right hand of God the Father and in coming to judg the world at the last day Artic. IV. Christ did truly rise again from death and took again his body with flesh bones and all things appertaining to the perfection of mans nature wherewith he ascended into heaven and there sitteth until he return to judg all men at the last day To. 2. Hom. xiv After this world Judg as well of the living as of the dead to give reward to the good and judgment to the evil Hom. xvij p. 3. By him hath Almighty God decreed to dissolve the world to call all before him to judg both the quick and the dead and finally by him shall he condemn the wicked to eternal fire in hell and give the good eternal life and set them assuredly in presence with him in heaven for ever more Expl. 28. Christ is here exalted 1 st In his resurrection and here 1. The glory of his power was exalted for he raised himself by his own Almighty power and thereby declared himself to be the Son of God 2. The glory of his truth for he raised himself as he had foretold within three days 3. The glory of his authority for he rose as a publick person and thereby declared himself Head of the Church 4. The glory of his mercy for he rose again for our justification for if he had not received a discharge from his Father and had he not been released from the prison of the grave it would have been an evidence against us that our debt was not paid 2 dly He was exalted by his ascension 1. If we consider the manner of it it was with glorious triumph over hell and death 2. His ascension was into heaven namely into the heaven of heavens that which is called Paradise and the third Heaven whether Enoch and Elias went 3. In his bounty and grace he ascended that he might give gifts to men 3 dly Exalted in his sitting c. for his Session at the right hand of the Father doth declare him to be supreme Head of the Church 4 thly In judging the world he will be exalted 1. In his authority 2. In his righteousness A. 29. We are made partakers of the Redemption purchased by Christ by the effectual application of it to us by his holy Spirit Artic. xvij They which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God viz. Election be called according to Gods purpose working in due season they through grace obey the calling be freely justified c. Expl. 29. In this A. is plainly laid before us the manner how and means whereby all that Christ has done and suffered for sinners as Mediator and all that he is now doing in heaven for them doth become effectual to the compleat redemption and eternal salvation of all true Christians sc. by the real and actual application of all this unto them For though Christ the great Physitian of value has made the healing Plaister of his Blood sufficiently broad enough both to cover and to cure all the wounds that sin hath made in all the men in the world yet the far greater part of the world do dye and perish of their wounds because they will not suffer this soveraign Plaister to be apply'd to them in the sound preaching of the Gospel neither will they abide to have their wounds searched in order to cure Now for the manner how and the means whereby this Plaister is apply'd I answer 1. It is outwardly by the Ministers of the Gospel unto all those that do believe as when they preach this Doctrine that whosoever believeth shall be saved 2. Inwardly by the Holy Spirit who does not only lay on the Plaister in a work of conviction but doth make it become effectually healing in a work of conversion and sanctification For the means see the next A. A. 30. The Spirit applieth to us the Redemption purchased by Christ by working faith in us and thereby uniting us to Christ in our Effectual Calling Homil. II. Of the Passion As it profiteth a man nothing to have Sâ—lve unless it be well-applied to the part infected so the death of Christ shall stand us in no force unless we apply it to our selves as God hath appointed Almighty God commonly worketh by means and in this thing he hath also ordained a certain mean whereby we may take fruit and profit to our Souls health Homil. xvi p. 2. The Holy Ghost is a Spiritual and Divine Substance the Third person in the Trinity distinct from the Father and the Son and yet proceeding from them both doth regenerate which the more it is hid from our understanding the more it ought to move all men to wonder at the secret and mighty working of Gods holy Spirit which is within us For it is the Holy Ghost and no other thing that doth quicken the minds of men stirring up good and godly motions in their hearts which are agreeable to the will and commandment of God such as otherwise of their crooked and perverse nature they should never have Who is the only worker of our sanctification and maketh us new in Christ. Expl. 30. Here we have the particular means or instrument which the Holy Spirit makes use of for the
e. they became mortal and subject unto death having in themselves nothing but everlasting damnation both of body and soul. O what a miserable and woful state was this that the sin of one man should destroy and condemn all men that nothing in all the world might be lookt for but only pangs of death and pains of Hell Expl. 19. Concerning this A. 't is observable in the general That mans losses by the sall do reach as far as the guilt of that first disobedience whereby he fell namely to all mankind yet more particularly 1 st Adam lost and we in him and with him communion with God and the loss of this is a treble loss 1. Of Gods sweet and gracious presence and company and that in a most immediate manner as one friend is personally present with another 2. Of converse with God for whilst God and man were together in Paradise and man continued innocent their society was not like that of the Quakers in their Silent-Meetings but there would have continued such familiarity betwixt them as is betwixt two loving friends they would have walked together and talked together for if God did use that familiarity with Moses Exod. 33.11 since the fall much more would he have continued it with Adam and his posterity if they had never fal'n 3. From this sweet company and converse would have sprung up in the heart a continual satisfaction and delight to the soul of man for man yet continuing like God he could not but love him and delight himself in this sweet intercourse 2 dly The sinful posterity of Adam till interested in Christ are actually under the wrath of God for God is angry with the wicked every day and actually under the curse because under the Law not under Grace 3 dly Man in this state is continually liable to have the curse executed upon him every moment and has no protection at all either against the miseries of this life or the pains of hell A. 20. God having out of his meer good pleasure from all eternity elected some to everlasting life did enter into a Covenant of Grace to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer Artic. xvij Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God whereby before the foundations of the world were laid he hath constantly decreed by his counsel secret to us to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind and to bring them to everlasting salvation as vessels made unto honour Homil. xij Behold the goodness and tender mercy of God he ordained a new Covenant and made a sure promise thereof namely that he would send a Messias or a Mediator into the world which should make intercession and put himself as a stay between both Parties to pacifie the wrath and indignation conceiv'd against sin and to deliver man out of the miserable curse and cursed misery whereinto he was fal'n head-long by disobeying the will and commandment of the only Lord and Maker Expl. 20. In which A. we have 1 st Gods eternal purpose and absolute decree whereby he hath singled out or chosen some of mankind upon whom he is resolved to bestow eternal life and that out of his meer free grace without any foresight of faith obedience perseverance or any other condition as a cause or motive inducing him to make this choice nay the decree it self is not founded in the merits of Christ but purely in the love of God though as for all the blessed effects of this decree as reconciliation pardon justification adoption sanctification salvation c. are actually received and enjoyed by the elect only upon the consideration of the merits righteousness and satisfaction of Christ. Yet more distinctly and for order sake we may conceive of these two things in Gods decree of Election 1. Gods most wise design to advance the glory of his free-grace in bringing many sons to glory 2. That God of his free grace had singled and culled out a certain distinct number of persons for the enjoyment of this glory Now this very act of Gods picking and culling out those particular persons whom he designed to save is that we call very properly Election Neither did this grace of God only appear in making this choice and then in leaving his chosen ones to get eternal life and heaven as they could but 2 dly He did also pitch upon an effectual means or contrive a way whereby his chosen people should effectually and infallibly obtain eternal life and this was by entring into a Covenant of Grace with Christ the second Adam and the Mediator of the new Covenant and in Christ with all believers that whosoever should believe on the Son of God he would give unto them eternal life and that they should never enter into condemnation Hence I infer 1. That it is the free grace of God and not the free will of man that maketh one man to differ from another Paul from Iudas 2. That the praise and glory of this difference is to be ascribed not unto man but unto God Not unto us O Lord c. A. 21. The only Redeemer of Gods Elect is the Lord Jesus Christ who being the eternal Son of God became man and so was and continueth to be God and man in two distinct natures and one person for ever Artic. xviij They also are to be had accursed who presume to say that every man shall be saved by the Law or Sect which he professeth so that he be diligent to frame his life according to that Law and the light of Nature For the holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the name of Jesus Christ whereby men must be saved Hom. x. p. 2. Reprobates perish through their own default Christ Jesus as he is a rising up to none other than those who are Gods Children by Adoption so is his word yea the holy Scripture the power of God to salvation to them only that do believe it Expl. 21. There are three things to be noted in this A. 1. That the Redeemer of Gods Elect is God as well as Man 2. Man as well as God 3. Both God and Man in one person 1. He is God for he is the Son of God not by Creation as Adam was nor by natural generation as we are all the Children of Adam but by eternal generation so as that God the Father who begat him was not before him in time And he was God that his Godhead might keep his humane nature from sinking under infinite wrath when he suffered for our sins that he might have power to raise himself from the grave and rescue himself out of the jaws of death that the dignity of his person might render his sufferings obedience intercession and satisfaction of infinite value and efficacy for the procuring of eternal life for his people and that
he might be in a capacity to bestow his Spirit upon them and to conquer all their enemies for them 2. He must be Man as well as God that he might perform obedience suffer satisfie and intercede for us in our nature that he might be a merciful High-Priest and have a fellow-feeling of our infirmities 3. Both God and Man in one person that he might be a fit Mediator betwixt God and man to make up the difference betwixt them which sin had made For as sin is the only make-bate so Christ having taken our nature into union with the Godhead is the only person that is in a capacity to make peace betwixt an offended God and offending man and that he might perform in the great work of Redemption whatever was requirable of both natures jointly in one person or whatever he was to do as head of the Church A. 22. Christ the Son of God became man by taking to himself a true body and a reasonable soul being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Mary and born of her yet without sin Artic. xv Christ in the truth of our nature was made like unto us in all things sin only except from which he was clear void both in his flesh and in his spirit Artic II. The Son which is the Word of the Father begotten from everlasting of the Father the very and eternal God of one substance with the Father took mans nature in the womb of the Virgin Mary of her substance So that two whole and perfect natures that is to say the Godhead and Manhood were joined together in one person never to be divided whereof is one Christ very God and very man who truly suffered was crucified dead and buried to reconcile his Father to us and to be a Sacrifice not only for original guilt but also for actual sins of men Homil. xij As truly as God liveth so truly was Jesus Christ the true Messias and Saviour of the world even the same Jesus which was born of the Virgin Mary without all help of man only by the power and operation of the Holy Ghost Expl. 22. When it is here said that Christ the Son of God became man we are not to imagine that Christ did then lay down his Godhead or that he did cease to be God when he honoured mans nature so far as to take that upon him for though he then began to be what he was not before man yet he did not cease to be at his Incarnation what he was before namely God it being impossible altogether that the Godhead should admit of any change because of its infinite perfection for every change is either for the better or for the worse but the Godhead was infinitely as well as independently perfect and consequently without all variableness or shadow of changing so that all the change which was in Christ at his Incarnation it was in his humane nature only and that change was indeed for the better for it was for the highest advancement honour and perfection that our nature was capable of But Christ though the Son of God and therefore truly God became man 1. Not by being like unto man only in outward appearance and to the outward senses as a Phantasm an Apparition or a Ghost that doth appear in mans shape as those Hereticks of old call'd the Marcionites did fancy No he became man 2. By taking the real body of man or by taking flesh blood bones nerves sinews hands feet and all other integral parts of the very same kind with those of mans body His body was such that it did grow in stature from that of a child to that of a man and was subject to the touch or feeling 3. By taking a reasonable soul or a soul furnished with the very same powers and faculties that ours have for the kind as understanding will affections memory c. and was capable of the improvement of these as of growing in wisdom and knowledg according to his humane nature 4. By being conceived of the Holy Ghost i. e. in a manner supernatural or above nature and not in an ordinary way of natural generation but by the immediate and omnipotent operation of the Spirit the third person in the Trinity who did in a way altogether unexpressible by man and without the help of man frame the body of the holy Child Jesus in the Virgin Maries womb wherein this blessed Babe continued the space of Nine Months as other children do in their mothers womb and then was born into the world in fulness of time as they are but yet without sin as they are not A. 23. Christ as our Redeemer executeth the offices of a Prophet of a Priest and of a King both in his estate of Humiliation and Exaltation Expl. 23. By this word Redeemer we are to understand the same with Mediator and by both the second Person in the Trinity as he was upon Covenant and Contract made with the Father to mediate peace betwixt God and man and to manage the whole work of Redemption in order to the justification sanctification and salvation of the Elect and that not only whilst he was here upon earth to be our King Priest and Prophet but now that he is in heaven he ever lives to make intercession for us and doth still guide and teach and govern his Church by his Word and Spirit A. 24. Christ executeth the office of a Prophet in revealing to us by his Word and Spirit the Will of God for our Salvation Hom. xvij By this our heavenly Mediator do we know the favour and mercy of God the Father by him know we his will and pleasure towards us for he is the brightness of his Fathers glory and a very clear image and pattern of his substance It is he whom the Father in heaven delighteth to have for his beloved Son authorized to be our Teacher whom he charged us to hear saying Hear him Expl. 24. When Christ is here called a Prophet we are not to restrain this part of his Office only to his foretelling all such things as should befall his Church or the enemies thereof though this he has done in Prophetical Scriptures so far as he thought necessary for the good of his Church But he is principally called a Prophet and that Prophet because of that power commission and ability which he has and doth exercise in revealing and declaring both outwardly by his Word and inwardly by his Spirit the whole mind and will of God which was necessary to be known by man in order to salvation And for this reason he is called in Scripture the Word and the Word was made flesh and his name is the Word of God because that as a man does make known what his mind and will is by his words either written or spoken so God the Father doth make known unto man by Christ what
he would have men to believe and do in order to salvation and that either mediately by committing the word of Christ unto writings as in the Scripture or immediately by the Spirit of Truth as he did communicate and speak his mind to Moses the Prophets and Apostles A. 25. Christ executeth the office of a Priest in his once offering up of himself a Sacrifice to satisfie Divine Justice and to reconcile us to God and in making continual intercession for us Homil. xx p. 1. We having nothing of our selves to present us to God have need of a Mediator for to bring and reconcile us unto him who for our sins is angry with us The same is Jesus Christ to pacifie his wrath For he alone did with the Sacrifice of his Body and Blood make satisfaction unto the Justice of God for our sins To. 1. Hom. III. p. 2. We must trust only in Gods mercy and that Sacrifice which our High-Priest and Saviour Christ Jesus the Son of God once offered for us upon the Cross to obtain thereby Gods grace and remission as well of our original sin as of all a â—â—â—al sin if we truly repent and turn unfeignedly unto him To. 11. Hom. xi Reconciled to Gods favour we are taught to know what Christ by his intercession and mediation obtaineth for us of his Father when we be obedient to his will yea attributeth that unto us and to our doings that he by his Spirit worketh in us and through his grace procureth for us Expl. 25. In this A. we have both the parts of Christs Priestly Office as 1 st Satisfaction and this twofold 1. To the whole Law in fulfilling all righteousness in the perfect performance of what the Law required from him 2. To the Iustice of God in undergoing the Curse of the Law for the Elect and this he did by his sufferings but especially when his Soul was made an offering for sin or when he was sacrificed for sinners In which Offering he was 1. The Priest for he offered up himself or he laid down his life of himself and he was the Priest as God-man 2. He was the Altar principally according to his Divine nature because the Altar was to sanctifie the gift offered and therefore was to be more excellent than the Sacrifice it self 3. He was also the Sacrifice for he offered the Sacrifice of himself i. e. according to the humane nature properly and this therefore is called the Sacrifice of his Body and of his Blood and all this that there might be some kind of compensation made or satisfaction given to God for that wrong which we had done to him 2 dly We have the intercession of Christ which is the other part of Christs Priestly Office whereby Christ doth present himself continually before the Father pleading his blood and merit for the satisfaction that he has made to Divine Justice and for the reconciliation of God to the sinner And his intercession is rather by way of plea at the Bar of Justice than by way of prayer and supplication at a Throne of Grace and therefore it is that he is called our Advocate A. 26. Christ executeth the office of a King in subduing us to himself in ruling and defending us and in restraining and conquering all his and our Enemies To. 2. Homil. xiv He sitteth on the right hand of his heavenly Father having the rule of heaven and earth reigning as the Prophet saith Psal. 17. from Sea to Sea he hath overcome the Devil Death and Hell and hath victoriously gotten the better hand of them all to make us free and safe from them Homil. xvij p. 3. To this our Saviour and Mediator hath God the Father given the power of heaven and earth and the whole jurisdiction and authority to distribute his gifts committed to him and thereupon to execute his authority committed after that he had brought sin and the Devil to captivity to be no more hurtful to his members he ascended up into heaven again and from thence sent liberal gifts to his well-beloved Servants and hath still the power to the worlds end to distribute his Fathers gifts continually in his Church to the establishment and comfort thereof Expl. 26. Yet more fully Christ doth execute his Kingly Office 1 st By his authority in setting up a government in his Church which in the outward form or administration thereof is to be managed by such Officers and according to such Laws Ordinances and Censures as he hath appointed in his word 2 dly By his Power as 1. That of his Almightiness whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself and to make his very enemies his foot-stool 2. Of his Grace whereby he doth subdue the hearts of his chosen people to himself and makes them a willing people in the day of his power 3. Of his Spirit whereby he doth sanctifie his people and fit them for heaven as also support guide and comfort them under all the afflictions they meet with on earth 4. By his Iustice in punishing his and his Churches adversaries A. 27. Christs Humiliation consisted in his being born and that in a low condition made under the Law undergoing the miseries of this life the wrath of God and the cursed death of the the Cross in being buried and continuing under the power of death for a time Hom. III. p. 3. Hath given his own natural Son ' being God eternal immortal and equal unto himself in power and glory to be incarnated and take our mortal nature upon him with the infirmities of the same and in the same nature to suffer most painful and shameful death for our offences to the intent to justifie us and restore us to life everlasting Hom. xij He did hunger and thirst eat and drink sleep and wake preach his Gospel weep and sorrow for Ierusalem pay tribute for himself and Peter suffer death Expl. 27. In the general Christs Humiliation doth consist in all that which did befall him from the first moment of his conception in the Virgins womb to the very time of his resurrection from the grave 1. He was humbled in his conception that he who was God equal with the Father should according to his humane nature have a body framed for him in the womb of a Virgin and should continue â—â—ose Prisoner there for the space of about nine months whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain 2. Humbled in his birth in that he was born of a woman and that not an Empress or Princess but a woman of a mean rank and low estate though a Virgin that he who was the Son of God and the Father of eternity or himself the everlasting Father should in fulness of time be born in the form of a servant made under the Law not only in a state of subjection to the commands of it but also liable to the curse of it which was due only
gage or pledg of thy salvation Rising with him by our faith we shall have our bodies likewise raised again from death to have them glorified in immortality and joined to his glorious body having in the mean while his holy Spirit in our hearts as a seal and pledg of our everlasting inheritance Expl. 38. At the resurrection of a Believer 1. There is a re-union of a soul which is free from corruption or sin to a glorified body that is incorruptible 2. These two parts being thus re-united in the very same individual person to whom they did belong before death will be actually capable at the resurrection of all that eternal bliss which Christ hath purchased and prepared for them 3. Then Christ will openly acknowledg own and approve every true Christian to be a part of his body mystical and that before his Father and all the holy Angels 4. The Believer then shall receive his general discharge and acquitment in a most solemn publick and triumphant manner from all manner of guilt whatsoever so as that none shall be able to lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect For though a Believer does receive his private discharge from all his sins at his death and as it were under the privy Seal yet his discharge is ratified confirmed and as it were enter'd into the publick Records at the day of Judgment CHAP. II. Of things to be done in the Ten Commandments with a short Explanation of 46 A. from 38 to 85. A. 39. THE duty which God requireth of man is obedience to his revealed Will. To. 1. Hom. V. The good works God hath commanded his people to walk in are such as he hath commanded in the holy Scripture and not such works as men have studied out of their own brain of a blind zeal and devotion without the word of God And by mistaking the nature of good works man hath most highly displeased God and hath gone from his Will and Commandments To. 2. Hom. X. p. 3. Mark diligently what his Will is you should do and with all your endeavour apply your selves to follow the same Expl. 39. By obedience to the revealed Will of God we are in the general to understand the conformity of our wills affections words and actions to the preceptive or commanding Will of God for all this is comprehended in that one Scripture Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of man It is the will of Gods command which doth declare and require what is our duty but as for the secret will of Gods eternal purpose though it be a rule to himself whereby he acts yet it neither is nor can be the rule of our actions because not known to us nor indeed curiously to be enquired after nor is it barely the revelation of Gods will that makes it our duty to observe it but the revelation of it to this very end and purpose that man do willingly conform to it A. 40. The Rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience was the Moral Law To. 2. Hom. X. Let us esteem the holy Table of Gods Word appointed by him to instruct us in all necessary works so that we may be perfect before him in the whole course of our life To. 1. Hom. 1. p. 3. Such hath been the corrupt inclination of man ever superstitiously given to make new honouring of God of his own head and then to have more affection and devotion to keep that than to search out Gods holy Commandments and to keep them Which we should know to separate or sever Gods Commandments from the commandments of men In keeping the Commandments of God standeth the pure principal right honour of God and which wrought in faith God hath ordained to be the right trade and pathway to heaven Expl. 40. When it is here said that the Moral Law was at first i. e. in a state of innocency revealed to man i. e. to our first Parents in Paradise we are not to understand that this revelation was visible to the eye as afterwards the writing of it was in two Tables of Stone nor to be heard by the ear as when it was first given by God in Mount Sinai But it was at first revealed inwardly i. e. it was imprinted in the hearts and minds of our first Parents except that positive prohibition of eating the forbidden fruit yet being in a great part blotted out was afterwards written in two Tables of Stone A. 41. The Moral Law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments Ham. V. Christ rehearsing the Commandments declared that the Laws of God be the very way that doth lead to everlasting life and not the Traditions and Laws of men So that the works of the Moral Commandments of God be the very true works of Faith which lead to the blessed life to come To. 2. Hom. II. Containing the immutable Law and Ordinances of God in no age or time to be altered nor of any persons of any Nation of any age to be disobey'd Expl. 41. By a Law in the general we are to understand the Will of the Lawgiver requiring duty But here by the Moral Law we are to understand 1. More generally the revealed Will of God of what man is to believe and do in order to salvation 2. More particularly the Decalogue which is the sum of all Moral Laws which are scattered up and down in the Scripture And this Decalogue or Ten Words or Ten Commandments may be called Moral 1. Because of the universality of it for the Decalogue doth oblige all mankind it being that very Law for substance which was written in very legible Characters in the heart of Adam and is not quite blotted out of the minds of the veryest Gentiles in the world 2. It doth oblige at all times 3. The whole man for it requires as well the internal obedience of the soul and all its powers and faculties as outward obedience of the body A. 42. The sum of the Ten Commandments is to love the Lord our God with all our heart with all our soul with all our strength and with all our mind and our neighbour as our selves Hom. 5. p. 3. Mark diligently what Gods will is that you should do and with all your endeavour apply your selves to follow the same 〈◊〉 You must have assured faith in God and give your selves wholly unto him love him in prosperity and adversity and dread to offend him ever more Then for his sake love all men Cast in your mind how you may do good unto all men to your power and hurt no man Expl. 42. The sum of these Ten Commandments or Ten Words we may take in one Word and 't is Love for Love is the fulfilling of the Law and this Love is threefold 1. To God and this must be in the highest degree or more than we are to love either our selves or neighbours yea this later love in
to Water Cream Salt Oyl and Spittle c. Nor diminishing from the other As they do when they deprive the people of the Cup. 2 They differ in their order for Baptism is the first Sacrament of the Gospel because it is to be administred when a Christian or the Infant of one or both believing Parents is solemnly to be admitted a member of Christ's visible Church but the Lord's Supper is to follow this 3 In frequency Baptism is to be administred but once because a man can be born but once spiritually as well as naturally and this Sacrament is a seal of this spiritual birth when the inward Baptism of the Holy Ghost is accompanied with the outward of Water which by the way being both inward and outward may be called the Doctrine of Baptisms but the Supper being to represent and exhibit Christ as spiritual nourishment to the soul may and must be often because we often stand in need of it 4 In the form of administration Baptism being in the Name of Father Son and Holy Ghost because we are to be baptized into all the three persons in the Godhead but the Supper in these words take eat this is my body c. 5 In Baptism is sealed to us and represented our dying unto sin and living unto righteousness especially in those of years-that are baptized but in the other Sacrament Christ dying for our sin is represented and confirmed to us 6 Baptism doth seal us a title to all visible Church priviledges and ordinances of the Gospel and the Lord's Supper doth suppose this title both to these and all the benefits and advantages of the Covenant of Grace 7 In Baptism we solemnly engage to be the Lords and to be entirely his and in the Supper we renew this engagement and not only our renewal of our vow but our Baptismal vow should be frequently and seriously considered especially in a time of Temptation and Apostacy A. 95. Baptism is not to be administred to any out of the visible Church till they profess their faith in Christ and obedience to him but the Infants of such as are members of the visible Church are to be baptized Engl. Artic. XXII The Baptism of young Children is in any wise to be retained in the Church as most agreeable with the institution of Christ. Expl. 95. 'T is here observeable that Baptism is not to be administred 1 st to Infidels or unbelievers whilst such as Jews Turks and Pagans for those are not to be solemnly admitted into the visible Church who have no precedent right by virtue of the Covenant of Grace to such admission but 2 dly 'T is to be administred to these two sorts of persons 1 Those who have not yet been baptized and do make a credible profession of their faith in Christ and obedience to his Gospel which was required of converted Gentiles in order to their Baptism and will be of converted Jews when they are to be re-ingrafted into the true olive yet is this no plea for the practice of Anabaptists who defer the Baptism of their Children till they can make a profession of their faith where one or both the Parents is a visible member of the Church For 2 Infants of visible professors are to be look'd upon as members of the Church visible and there are to enjoy this Church priviledge else such Infants would be in a worse condition now than formerly A. 96. The Lords Supper is a Sacrament wherein by giving and receiving Bread and Wine according to Gods appointment his death is shewed forth and the worthy receivers are not after a corporal and carnal manner but by faith made partakers of his body and blood with all his benefits to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace Artic. XXVIII It is a Sacrament of our Redemption by Christs death Insomuch that to such as rightly worthily and with faith receive the same the bread which we break is partaking of the body of Christ and likewise the Cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ. Transubstantiation or the change of the substance of Bread and Wine in the Supper of the Lord cannot be prov'd by holy Writ but it is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament and hath given occasion to many superstitions Expl. 96. When 't is here said the Lord's Supper is a Sacrament we are to understand no more by a Sacrament then that 't is a seal of the righteousness of faith so that those persons who do run to the righteousness of works or or of the Law in order to justification they run out of the tenour of the Covenant of Grace in which only the righteousnâ—ss of faith is sealed to the believer More particularly in this great Gospel-ordinance of the N. T. We have 1 the Sacramental signs Bread and Wine not Bread only or Wine only but both hereby noting that we have in Christ whatever is needful whether for support or comfort to life everlasting 2 The thing outwardly represented by these two elements sc. Christ's body and blood by the Bread his body so that the Papists who stick so close to the letter might with as much shew of reason conclude that Christ's body was turned into Bread as that the Bread was turned into his body And by the Bread broken is signified his body being wounded and broken and by the Wine his blood and by the pouring forth of the Wine the shedding forth of his blood without which no remission 3 The Sacramental actions sc. giving and receiving whereby is noted not only that he gave himself for sinners but that he gives himself to believers and that as by the bodily hand they receive the Bread and Wine so by a hand of saith they receive and accept of Christ as he offereth himself in the Gospel 4 The spiritual signification of the whole sc. the righteousness of Christ and all the benefits of his Mediatory undertaking made over and sealed to them in the Covenant of Grace who do by faith apply these to themselves so that every worthy Communicant may say Christ dyed for me c. 5 The authoritative design of all this to this very end and purpose by Christ himself who alone can appoint Gospel Sacraments because he alone can bestow that Grace of which Sacraments are but the Conduit pipes 6 That worthy Receivers are partakers of Christ's body and blood not in a gross and corporal but in a spiritual manner for if the Bread were the real body or flesh of Christ which we eat in this Sacrament then it would be no Sacrament at all because the sign and thing signified would be really the same 7 The advantages hereof are the pardon of sin sealed assurance of God's love spiritual joy comfort refreshment nourishment and growth in Grace A. 97. It is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lords Supper that they examine themselves of