vnto him Pigions turtle Doues If their abilitie serued not for these they offred a little meale The outwarde signes in the Sacraments are very meane and base things if wee looke on them with the eyes of our fleshe but they are most precious and singuler Iewelles if wee looke on them with the eyes of our fayth and do esteeme them according to the Lordes institution 10 The Sacramentes are not naked and bare signes In Baptisme the efficacie of Gods spirite is present to washe and regenerate those which appertayne vnto God The Lordes Supper is a spirituall banquet 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 3.4.16 wherein Gods children are truely and in deede fedde with the body and blood of Christ The apostle calleth the Sacrament spirituall meate and spirituall drinke and a litle after in the same chapter hee calleth the cuppe of blessing which we blesse the communion of the blood of Christe and the bread which we break the communion of the body of Christ The Sacraments are not bare signes because we haue the Lords institution they are seales of righteousnes and tokens of grace they are sure warrantes of Gods promises whereby God bindeth himselfe vnto vs and wee likewise stande bounde to his Maiestie so that God is our God and we are his people 11 The Sacramentes must haue the worde of God annexed to them For the worde of institution is the life of the Sacrament The Sacraments are seales of Gods word Rom. chap. 4. verse 11. Therefore where the word of intution is not there is no place left to the Sacraments There is no vse of that seale and in deede it deserues not the name of a seale whiche is put to an vnwritten either paper or parchment Take away the word of institution and what is the water of Baptisme but water Aug. Tract 80. in Iohan. The woorde of institution is added to the element it becomes a Sacrament 12 Gods Churche hath neede of Sacraments so long as it is in the worlde The fayth of Gods children is true that is to say not counterfaite but their faith is not perfit in this life The Sacraments are pillers of our faith Saint Paul hath these wordes as often as ye shall eate this bread and drink this cup 1. Cor cha 11 verse 26. ye shewe the Lordes death till he come whereby it is manifest that vntill Christes seconde comming wee haue both neede and vse of the Sacraments whereof wee shall haue neither vse nor neede in the life to come 13 The Sacramentes are higly to be esteemed The Sacramentes are pillers of our fayth they are glasses wherein we may beholde the riches of Gods grace which he reacheth vnto vs they are the Lordes couenauntes therefore they contayne promises whereby our consciences are lifted vp to the hope of eternall life Gods childrē receiue great benefit by baptisme Galath chap. 3. ver 27. 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 16. for all that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ by the Lords supper bicause the bread which we breake is the cōmunion of the bodie of Christ and the cup of blessing is the communion of the bloud of Christ If the Sacramentes are highly to be esteemed what shall we thinke of Pope Iohn the 23. for baptizing and beeing godfather to the great bell of Laterane in Rome of the popish sort for giuing out that we haue nothing but bare bread bare wyne in the holy communion The Sacramentes are highly to bee accounted of and honoured as holy mysteries but they must not bee honoured with diuine honour 14 The contempt of the Sacraments is very daungerous The contempt of Circumcisiō which was one of Gods sacraments was greeuously punished Gen. chap. 17 ver 14. Exod. chap. 4. ver 25. The Angell woulde haue killed Moses because his sonne was not circumcised Negligence in keeping the passeouer Nomb. chap. 9. ver 13. was greeuously punished It is a common a very soūd speech that not the want but the contēpt of haptisme bringeth condemnation The Messalian heretikes did condēne both externall signes Sacraments Obiection The Israelites were not circūcised in the wildernes by the space of 40. yeeres Iosue chap. 5. ver 7. Answere God commaunded the Israelites to goe on continually in their iourney If they had beene circumcised they had not bin able by reason of the sorenes of their bodies Iosue chap. 5. ver 8. to do as God commanded them so that Gods latter commaundement was a dispensation to thē for the omitting and deferring of circumcision Obiection The Apostles would not presse the Gentiles to be circumcised Acts. chap. 15 ver 24.28 Answere Circumcision after Christes ascensiō was not a necessary Sacrament but a thing indifferent that is to say which might for a time eyther be vsed or omitted If it had been a necessary sacramēt in the Primitiue Church Titus should haue beene circumcised Gala. chap. 2. ver 3. as Timothie was Besides circumcision after Christes ascension might not be thrust vppon the Gentiles Acts. chap. 16. ver 3. because Moses must giue place to Christ Iesus 15 The Sacraments during the time of the action of Baptisme and of the Lordes Supper are Sacramentes but after the action is ended they are no Sacramentes The elements in the sacrament during the time of the action which they serue for are true signes and pledges of the things signified by thē for in baptisme Christes bloud is propounded to vs as a lauer with which bloud we being washed are more and more graft into Christ buried together with Christ In the Lords supper Christes body and bloud is giuen to vs 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 16. and that by distinct and seueral signes I meane the bread the wine as our true meate and true drinke vnto life euerlasting When the action of baptisme the Lords supper is ended the water in the font is no Sacrament but simple and common water and the bread and wine in the Lordes supper are not the Sacrament of Christes body bloud but commō bread and commō wine Therefore their fault is great which after the action of the Sacrament is ended eyther reserue any part of the elementes for Sacramentes or doe thinke that a mowse dogge or such like tasting or eating of the bread after the Lords supper is ended doe receiue the Sacrament whereas it is a certaine truth that if eyther mowse or dogge shoulde eate of the bread in the Lordes Supper during the time of the holy action they neyther doe receiue nor can be saide to receiue the Sacrament at any hande For seeing the Sacraments are seales of Gods promises touching eternall life it is certayne that no such seale is or can be giuen vnto or receiued by thē to whom Gods promise of eternal life in no wise doth appertayne 16 What good we receiue by the Sacramentes We are put in mynde by the Sacraments of Christes
thēselues to the Lords Supper but after dewe examination of themselues 6 The godly are not defiled if they receiue the holy cōmunion at such time as wicked men do present them selues and are admitted to the Lords table 7 The Lordes Supper must be commō to all the godly not priuate to the minister alone 8 Gods people must not be barred from the cup in the Lordes Supper 9 What consecration is 10 The substance of bread and wine remayne in the Lords Supper after the wordes of consecration 11 The wicked do not eate Christes body in the Sacrament 12 Christes body is not euery where 13 The bread and wine in the Lordes Supper must not bee reserued for any superstitious vse 14 Howe gods children must be haue themselues at and after the receyuing of the holy Supper ⧠A Treatise of the Lords Supper 1 What the Lordes Supper is The Lordes Supper is a holy action wherein according to Christes institution the Sacrament of his bodye and blood by a misticall breaking of breade and blessing of the cuppe is distributed by the minister and receyued by the godly assēblie wherein the remembrance of Christes sacrifice on the alter of the crosse is celebrated with perfourmance of most humble thankes to his Maiestie and of Christian charitie amongst our selues 2 Why two elements that is to say bread and wine are vsed in the Lordes Supper and but one element that is to say water in the Sacrament of Baptisme Christ in baptisme is propounded vnto vs as a lauer therefore only water is sufficient But in the Lords Supper because Christ as heauenly foodé is giuen vnto vs and that this life of ours hath neede as well of drinke as meate it pleased our Sauiour Christ to vse in this holy supper both wine and bread that we may be well assured that our whole life is to bee sought by vs in Iesus Christ alone The Passeouer consisted of two elements meate and drinke Exod. cha 12 verse 8. The lambe with the vnleauened breade was the meate the cup of the Testament wherin there was remembrāce of the blood whiche was clapt vppon the Israelites doore postes for assurance of their deliueraunce our of Egypt was the drinke in the Passeouer The Lordes supper consisteth of two partes meat drinke Christes body offred for vs on the crosse is the meate Christes blood shedde on the crosse for our sinnes is the drynke Our Sauiour Christ instituting a Sacrament of this meate and drinke Matth. chap. 26. vs. 26. 27 vseth bread and wine for the externall signes in this Sacrament 8 Why Christ did celebrate the supper at night The Passeouer by Moses law was to be eaten at night Exod. cha 12 verse 8. Iosu chap. 5. vers 10. Christ did first eate the Paschall lambe and did presently after institute the Sacramente of the Supper in the place of the Passeouer Wee are not tyed to the euentide for the celebration of the Lords Supper because Christe did so for wee are not bounde to eate any Passeouer immediatly before the Lords supper as Christ was by the lawe of Moses and in the forenoone whilest we are fasting wee are more earnestly and reuerently addicted to the partaking of the word and Sacrament He that thinkes that the Lordes Supper must of force be ministred at night because Iesus Christ did so will I feare bee mooued by a little perswasion to deferre baptisme vntill the age of thirtie yeeres Euseb lib. 1. cap. 10. because Christ before that time was not partaker of that holy Sacrament 4 The essentiall partes of the Lords Supper are not to be omitted but the accidentall may The essentiall ceremonies of the Lordes supper are these that the minister after a reuerent deliuery of the words of Christes institution and inuocation of the name of God breaketh the bread when it is broken distributeth it to the communicants in order afterwards likewise the cup. They whiche present them selues to the Lordes table are commaunded to take and eate the bread and to drinke of the cuppe shewing the Lordes death that is to say professing their fayth in Christ Iesus with a solemne remembrance of his passion humble thankesgiuing to his Maiestie for that inestimable benefit These essentiall ceremonies may not bee eyther altered or omitted The accidentall ceremonies of the Lordes Supper are that it was ministred at night to the disciples whilest they did sitte at table These accidentall ceremonies may bee altred by the Churches ordre 5 None may presume to present themselues to the Lordes Supper but after due examination of themselues None might eate the Passeouer before he was prepared 2. Chro. cha 35. ver 6. The Passeouer was the same to the Israelites that the holie supper is to vs but because our sacrament is more excellent then theirs great care must be had in preparing our selues Saynt Paule commaundeth a man to examine himselfe 1. Cor. chap. 11. ver 28. before the pertaking of the holy Supper This examination consists in faith and repentance faith containeth the truth of our beleef repentaunce concerneth the amendement of our life Weakenes of faith ought not to withdraw vs from the holy communion seeing it is instituted for the strengthening of our faith Vncleannes of life which is priuate and not openly knowen neyther may nor doth barre any frō the Lordes supper but such as meane not to amend 6 The godly are not defiled if they receiue the holy communion at such time as wicked men doe present themselues and are admitted to the Lordes table He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh iudgement to himselfe 1. Cor. chap. 21. ver 29. S. Paule saieth to himselfe not to others The Apostle willeth a man to examine himselfe 1. Cor. chap. 21. ver 28. before he presēt himselfe to the Lords supper Hee requireth not any cōmunicant to examine the rest of that church which no doubt he would haue required if a godly mā were defiled by the vnworthines of any lewd cōmunicāt Obiection It is not lawfull for vs to eate our owne bread with a wicked man therefore it is not lawfull to eate the Lordes bread with him 1. Cor. chap. 5 ver 11. Answere It is in our power to practise the former but it is not in our power to abstayne from the Lords supper though east mē be at that time partakers with vs. It is a great sinne for a knowē wicked mā either to minister the Lords supper or to presēt himself to the holy cōmuniō such boldnes must be seuerely punished by thē in whose handes it is to redresse it But if this grosse sinne be practised no medicine vsed to cure it the godly must cōtent thēselues with grief for these enormities and remēber that the sacrament sealeth vp Gods sweete promises to thē which the wicked sorte at no hand are partakers of 7 The Lords supper must bee common to al the godly not
Rome translateth it therefore Matrunonie is a Sacrament Answeare If by this word Mistery we vnderstād a Sacramēt 2. Thes chap. 2. ver 7. Ephe chap. 5. ver 32. iniquity shal be a Sacramēt for the Apostle makes mentiō of the Mystery of iniquitie Besides this Mystery pertayneth not to the carnall mariage of man and wife but to the spirituall mariage of Christ and the Church S. Paules wordes doe warrant this this is saith he a great secret but I speake concerning Christ and the Church Obiection for Matrimonie Mariage is a signe of a holy thing therefore it is a Sacrament Answere The argument folowes not for if to bee a signe of a holie thing bee sufficient to make a Sacrament I confesse mariage is a Sacrament because it resembles the coniunction of Christe and his Churche but by this meanes we are like to haue more then seuen sacramentes for then Christes washing of his disciples feete his imbracing of young children in his arme and almost all his actions because they are signes of holy thinges must goe for Sacramentes Obiection for extreeme vnction Is any man sicke among you let him call for the Elders of the Church Iam. chap. 5. verse 14.15 and let thē pray for him anoint him with oyle in the name of the Lorde and the prayer of fayth shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp c. The Apostle setteth downe a commaundement in these wordes let him call for the Elders of the Church and the element in these words anoint him with oyle and a promise aunexed to the element in these wordes and the Lord shall rayse him vp therefore extreeme vnction is a Sacrament Answere I graunt there is a comaundement an element and a promise but because that commaundement is not giuen to vs nor that promise belongs to vs annointing with oyle which was vsed in the Primitiue Church must not in that case be vsed of vs and therefore neyther is nor must bee accounted a Sacrament for vs. Circumcision had the worde of institution and a sensible outward element but because che commaundement and promise was giuen to the Israelites and not to vs it was a Sacrament to them but is not so to vs. Secondly the Apostle Iames speaketh of an extraordinary gift of healing by anoynting with oyle as the Euangelist Marke reporteth Mark chap. 6. verse 13. whiche extraordinarie gift of healing being ceased many yeeres past what extreeme folly is it to retayne annoynting with oyle which was a signe of that gift Thirdly the annointing with oyle vsed in the Primitiue Churche is very vnlike the extreme vnctiō of the Popish Church Saint Iames woulde haue all sicke folkes to be anointed his woordes are playne is any sicke c. The Papistes do anoynt them onely which are at deathes dore Saint Iames promiseth recouerie of health to the sicke which were anointed in the Prinitiue Church which promise was accordingly perfourmed his woordes are manifest and the Lorde shall rayse him vp the Papists may promise recouerie to them whō they anoint but they are not in case to performe it for they haue not the gift of healing If they woulde answere they haue it they might bee iustly conuinced of great both vanitie and crueltie vanitie for vaunting of that which all the worlde sees they haue not crueltie for not curing those sicke men and women whom they see to die presently after their anointing Lastly the anointing in S. Iames time and curing of the sick extraordinarily by that meanes and godly praiers did make greatly for the confirmatiō and increase of religion at the first planting of the Gospell Acts. chap. 5. vers 15. Act. chap. 19 verse 12. as Peters shadowe and Paules Napkinnes did The extreme vnction of the Papistes neyther cures sicke men nor increases religion but nourishes superstition and prooues gaynefull to the popish priestes 3 It is not in any mās power to make a Sacrament The Israelites had two Sacraments Gene. cha 17 vers 10.11 Exod. cha 12 verse 3. Mat. cha 21 verse 25. Circumcision and the passeouer God himself was the authour of them both Christ asking the Pharises whether Iohns Baptisme were from heauen doeth giue vs very clearely to vnderstande that it was not to be allowed for a sacrament vnles it had bin commanded of almightie God The Apostle remembring that by one spirite we are all baptised into one body 1. Cor. cha 12 verse 13. doth manifestly teach vs that the Sacramentes are not the worke of any man but of the spirit of God Saint Paule doth not take vpon him to institute the Lordes Supper in the Church of Corinthe 1. Cor. cha 11 verse 23. but for the reformation of such abuses as had crept into that holy Sacrament deliuers that to them which he receiued of the Lorde The name of the Lordes Supper doeth teach vs that Iesus Christe was the authour of it A Sacrament can neuer be without promise of saluation all men of the worlde can not of them selues promise any thing to vs of our saluation Therfore they neither can nor ought of them selues to institute or erect any Sacrament 4 Whether the sacraments of the old and newe Testamēt are all one and how they differ Circumcision was to the Israelites a Sacrament of regeneration Baptisme is so to vs. By Circumcision the Israelites were incorporated into gods visible Church so are we by Baptisme Circumcision was to them a signe of Gods couenant so is Baptisme to vs. The Paschall Lambe was to the Israelites a sacrament of that immaculate Lambe Christe Iesus by whose blood their redemption shoulde bée wrought the bread and wine in the Lords Supper is a Sacrament to vs of Christes body and blood which is giuen and shed for vs. The Israelites did eate the same spirituall meate whiche wee doe 1. Cor. chap. 10. verse 2. because there was one and the selfe same substance of their Sacraments and ours that is to say the partaking of Iesus Christ vnto life euerlasting The Sacramentes of the Israelites touching the external signes do differ from ours but theirs ours are a like if we consider the thinges signified by them For in their Sacramentes was expressed the death of Christ which was then to come in ours is expressed the death of Christ already past The new Sacraments instituted of Christ are plainer and clearer then the Sacramentes vnder the Lawe as the Gospell is playner and clearer then the Lawe but the thinges signified in and by their sacramentes and ours are not contayned more in our Sacramentes then in theirs 5 The Sacramentes must not bee administred at all aduenture to euerie one The Passeouer was one of the Sacraments amongest the Israelites Exod chap. 12. vers 48. It was not lawefull for any that was vncircumcised to eate of it It is not lawfull to giue the precious treasure of Gods worde to them which do contemne it Mat. chap. 7. verse