sed etiam fidem conversionemque cordis si forte ad celebrandum mysterium baptismi in angustiis temporum sufficere non potest Neque enim latro ille pro nomine Christi crucifixus est sed pro meritis facinorum suorum nec quia credidit passus est sed dum patitur credit quantum it aque valeat etiam sine visibili Sacramento baptismi quod ait Apostolus Rom. 10.10 Corde creditur ad justitiam ore autem fit confessio ad salutem in illo latrone declaratum est sed tunc impletur invisibiliter cum mysterium baptismi non contemptus Religionis sed articulus necessitatis excludit Again and again considering I find that not onely suffering for the Name of Christ may supply what is wanting in Baptisme but also faith and conversion of the heart if peradventure streights of time will not permit the celebration of the Sacrament of Baptisme But to hold the Reader no longer in this controversy in avoiding the Popish necessity of Sacraments for a more distinct understanding of this necessity of Sacraments I shall lay down some rules SECT II. Rules for a right understanding of the necessity of Sacraments Rules for a right understanding of the necessity of Sacraments 1. Sacraments are standing Ordinances FIrst that Sacraments both of the Old and New Testament are standing Ordinances to be observed of the people of God not barely in the generation in which they were set up but in all successive generations so that there is an abiding and lasting necessity in them This is in that punctuall way set down in Scriptures respective to each Sacrament as though the Spirit of God would let us know that he did foresee a generation ready to arise to throw them off and live above them or else to vilifie them as unnecessary indifferent and arbitrary For circumcision see Gen. 17.12 13. He that is eight dayes old shall be circumcised among you every man-child in your generations he that is born in the house or bought with money of any stranger which is not of thy seed he that is born in thy house and he that is bought with thy money must needs be circumcised and my Covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting Covenant God layes there a necessity upon it a lasting necessity in all succeeding generations of that people to be observed and when Moses several generations afterwards did as we have heard omit it upon what reason we have nothing but conjecture We see Exod. 4.24 how much God was displeased at it And for the Passeover Exod. 12.13 we find a like lasting injunction This day shall be unto you for a memoriall and you shall keep it a feast unto the Lord thorowout your generations you shall keep it a feast by an Ordinance for ever repeated again ver 17. It was an Ordinance that no Jew in any generation might antiquate or put a period unto It must last as long as they remained a distinct generation unto God even till Christ in whose hands are times and seasons in whom there is neither Jew nor Greek should be the end of it As to New Testament-Sacraments the Scripture is as clear when Christ gave commission for discipling Nations and baptizing them for their encouragement in the work he promises his presence unto the end of the world The work is to continue as long as Christs presence in the work continues But Christs presence according to promise is to continue with them in discipling of Nations and baptizing them being discipled unto the end of the world I am not ignorant of the Critical observation that is made of the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saeculi by reason of the various acceptation of it in Scriptures endeavouring to have it to be understood of the end of that age in which those lived to whom Christ spake But neither the parallel use of the word by Matthew nor the context will bear that evasion For the parallel use of the phrase by Matthew four places may be instanced in three in one Chapter Matth. 13.39 The harvest is the end of the world vers 40. As therefore the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire so shall it be in the end of this world vers 49. So shall it be at the end of the world the Angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just Matth. 24.3 Tell us when shall these things be and what shall be the sign of the coming and of the end of the world In all places the phrase is the same and the words can be understood in none of them with that limitation And that the context will not bear it enough may be gathered from that which I have said Treatise of the Covenant pag. 117. For a more clear discovery of the words we know that there is a double period of ages or generations in Scripture One at Christs first coming when an end was put to Circumcision and the Passeover of this the Apostle speaks Heb. 9.26 But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself at the end of that world Christ dyed The other is at his second coming and this is the end of the world here mentioned and upon this account Dr. Reynolds in this Sermons upon Hos 14. interprets that of Christ concerning the sin against the Holy Ghost that it shall never be forgiven in this life nor in the life to come Matth. 12.32 of the age in which Christ lived and now near to an end and the age that should follow from his death till his second coming neither under the Old nor New Testament or Covenant can that sin find remission Till Christs second return a Ministery and Baptisme must still remain For the Lords Supper Scripture-testimony is as clear 1 Cor. 11.26 As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew forth the Lords death till he come If we can believe a coming of Christ for a temporal Reign before the time of his coming to the general Judgment I shall believe that may be called the consummation end or finishing of this generation and then a period may be put to these and other Ordinances But howsoever that will answer or fail mens expectations certain it is that it is the mind of Christ that they shall stand till the time that he doth come and then his mind will be further known The practice of the Church hath hitherto answered these testimonies All ages of the Church as we know held up Circumcision till Christs time and in Christs time it was in use as Christ testifies Joh. 7.22 and he submits to it in his own person Luk. 2. and so we may say of the Passeover notwithstanding some disuse the godly ever knew it to be in force or else as piety broke forth they had not still reassumed it And Christ dying as we have heard at the end of that world
Levit. 25.42 they are born unto God Ezek. 16.20 they are the children of God Ezek. 16.21 they are holy Rom. 11.16 1 Cor. 7.14 Either then we must carry it out to all the infants of the visible Church or else we cannot assure it to the infants of invisible members And therefore the Schoolemen afore mentioned justly ascribe as much to a faith informed as to that which is formed respective to the good of the issue of such believers 5. All that is spoken in Scripture of the blessedness of the seed of the righteous may as fairly be extended to them through the whole course of their lives as to the times of their infancy promises being not put with any such restraint as to have an end when their infancy is expired The most ample of promises which we find is in Esay 59.21 There it is promised that the Spirit shall not depart out of the mouth of thy seed or thy seeds seed but this rather belongs to them of years then of an infant-condition If it be said that many infants of the righteous persevere not but cast off the seed of grace received I answer the grace of perseverance is necessarily required to make blessed and blessedness is promised we know temporal blessings are made over by promise to the seed of such His seed shall be mighty upon earth wealth and riches shall be in his house Psal 112.2 3. Psal 37.25 26. I have been young and now am old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread He is ever merciful and lendeth and his seed is blessed The opposition that is found between the letter of promises of this nature and the event which the experience of every age observes hath wrought a great conflict in mens spirits how to reconcile them And this hath been the result of all that they are not to be understood without their due limits and several have been put I shall not stand to enter into the dispute onely I say experience doth as much oppose the literal meaning of true blessedness to all the seed of the righteous as of temporal prosperity one must therefore have its due limits as well as the other To wind up this whole discourse concerning Sacraments in that juncture of time God then had his Church in which there was salvation Henoch walked with God and yet without faith it was impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Noah was an heir of the righteousness of faith Heb. 11.7 a righteousness in which the Apostle desired to be found for salvation Phil. 3.8 yet in all that juncture of time there was no written Word in which the succeeding ages have everlasting life Joh. 5.39 God had other wayes of discovery of himself to his people for life So the Church might answerably be without Sacraments howsoever we judge salvation to be thereby either conveyed or sealed God that tyes us to Ordinances is himself free and in what way he pleases may communicate blisse and give assurance of it The likest conjecture that we can make of Gods ordering by providence that in this juncture of time from the fall to the time of Abrahams call there should be no Sacrament nor any such supposed remedy known to acquit infants from Orinal sin is â—o declare the freedom of God that as he pleases to ordaine Sacramental signes so he is not tyed to them or his hands bound up by them but as he saved without Sacraments before the floud and after to the time of Abraham and infants under the Law dying before the eighth day so he still saves in the want though not in the sinful neglect much lesse in the contempt of these Ordinances CHAP. IV. Of the definition of a Sacrament THe next consideration of Sacraments in mans fallen condition is from Abraham unto Christ in the time of the dispensation of the Old Covenant In which those known Sacraments Circumcision and the Passeover were of force and given in charge of God to his people and together with those Sacraments extraordinary or such as come near up to the nature of Sacraments The Cloud the Red-Sea Manna and the Rock Sacraments under the old new Covenant of one and the same nature 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4. But intending to speak of Sacraments in general and there being no essential difference between the Sacraments under the Old and New Covenant One and the same definition containing whatsoever is essential to a Sacrament in any of them as many wayes might be made manifest Their names are promiscuously used the cloud that Israel was under and the sea that they passed through is called by the name of Baptisme 1 Cor. 10.2 and so also is Circumcision Collos 2.11 12. The thing signified and benefit received is in every one the same The Apostle comparing those that did eat of Manna and drank of the Rock in the Wilderness with believers in Gospel-times that partake of the Lords Supper saith They all ate the same spiritual meat and did all drink the same spiritual drink for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ 1 Corrinthians 10.3 4. And we may say the same of those that did eat of the Passeover As Christ was that bread that Manna did typifie Joh. 6.49.50 so it was he that was held out and his death shewed forth in the Passeover 1 Cor. 5.7 I shall therefore wave this different consideration of them and make it my businesse to enquire what a Sacramen is and to make discovery of the generall nature of it which in case out of Scripture I can reach that will serve for a bottome on which all that I intend to speak may be grounded Bellarmine spends a whole Chap. in enquiry whether a Sacrament can properly be defined quoting severall Schoolmen for the negative That it cannot be defined because a Sacrament is not one of it self but an aggregatum one by accident or at least not ens reale no real being and those things that are but one accidentally or not really are below a definition He quotes others in the affirmative Some that it may be defined imperfectly others that it admits of a perfect definition After a distinction laid down very little to the purpose one member of the distinction being by his own confession not considerable by Divines he concludes that a Sacrament morally considered as it ought to be considered by Divines may be defined having a reall being and according to its own way of being it is one Morall Philosophers define saith he a Kingdome a City a Family though they be not one physically but by aggregation so do Divines define a Church a Councell or Sacrament which are one in being no other way Suarez agrees with him Disput 1a. de Sacramentis Sect. 4 ta which Whitaker praelect de Sacr. pag. 4. acknowledges to be true A Sacrament may be defined So that he observes it is agreed that they may be defined and I
we derive our being from Parents not onely in our essentials and integrals but in a great measure in our temperature of body and mind Who sees not vertues and defects of body and mind to be hereditary and that from either sex Children do patrizare follow their Parents inclination without any imitation now the heavens were not in the same posture Mars Jupiter c. were not in the same ascendent in their birth as in ours A begger is delivered under the same posture of the heavens with a Noble-woman shall the children of both be of the same trade and way Secondly If the Stars and their influences were universal causes of what is done in and shall befall our persons yet these men profess acquaintance onely with some few and those almost onely the Planets The Stars of an unfixt motion Those innumerable Stars which we call fixt and have been said to be in the eighth which we call the starry sphere are not observed nor known in their various postures what some may incline to others will thwart and destroy For a third rule Natural signs when causes unlesse an extraordiâ—a y power inteâ—vâ—ne wâ—rk unâ—voydably those signs which fairly may be looked upon as causes in nature have their effects and produce the thing signified unavoydable irresistible so that is a labour in vain to use any wayes a tempting of God to make any addresses to him for prevention who ever prayed that the day and night should not be of an equal length at such a day in the Spring and Autumne which are known to us by the name of the aequinoctial or that the Sun shall not be eclipsed at such a time when it is known that the body of the Moon will interpose it self in that season If the heavens are alike causes of mans vicious wayes of the ruine and bane of Nations endeavours for prevention will be equally vain whether it be by prayer or repentance He that cannot make the Sun to stand still or to return backwards by prayer let him not think to stand in the gap for a land or turn away Gods fiery indignation seeing the course of nature appointed of God brings it about above resistance I have heard of some Rabbins that pray every night that the Sun may rise again and the earth enjoy a new morning as though it were no otherwise in nature by the God of nature ordered and setled but it lay in them to hinder it but Christians have learned better then to think by their prayers to impose a new course on the way of nature And knowing that prayer and repentance are wayes appointed of God and by experience succesfull for reversal of judgements and prevention of National desolations they know that Stars in a way of nature cannot effect it nor yet the sons or disciples of nature foresee or foretell it Secondly There are prodigious signes 2. Prodigious signe such that are either miraculous exceeding all power of nature or else wounds and monsters in nature And I know not the reason why Chamier lib. 1. Cap. 11. de Sacramentis in genere should exclude them from the number of signes certainly the return of the Sun in Hezekiahs time was to him a sign of his recovery from sicknesse and of his deliverance from the Assyrian Isay 3 S. 4 5 6 7 8. Thus saith the Lord the God of David thy father I have heard thy prayer I have seen thy tears behold I will adde unto thy daies fifteen yeares And I will deliver thee and this City out of the hand of the king of Assyria and I will defend this City And this shall be a sign unto thee from the Lord that the Lord will do this thing that he hath spoken Behold I will bring again the shadow of the degrees which is gone down in the sun-dyal of Ahaz ten degrees backward The like may be said of Gideons fleece that had dew on it when all the earth was dry besides and again the fleece dry when upon all the ground else it was dew This was to signifie that the Lord would deliver Israel by his hand Those eclipses of the lights of heaven to the Egyptians when there was light in Goshen to the Israelites Exod. 10.21 22. and at Christs death when from the sixth houre there was darknesse over all the earth unto the ninth houre Matth. 27.45 was no other I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth blood and fire and pillars of smoke the Sun shall be turned into darknesse and the Moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord Joel 2.30 31. There shall be signs in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Stars and upon the earth distresse of Nations and perplexity the sea and the waves roaring mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming upon the earth for the powers of heaven shall be shaken which Zanchius understands of those Comets which as wonders in nature in severall ages have appeared He that pleases may consult the Author himself treating de Cometarum prognosticis lib. 3. de operibus Dei Cap. 2. Thes 12. Signes by Instition Thirdly There are signes by institution not so in nature or by way of prodigy but as they are designed to signify These are 1. Of man some by imposition man putting at pleasure such a signification upon them words in this sense are signes no other reason of primitive names of things can be given but his pleasure that gave them Some by custome as an Ivy bush is a sign of wine Sometimes by covenant or agreement so the arrowes that Jonathan shot with the words that he agreed to utter were a sign to David that there was peace or that there was harm intended to him 1 Sam. 20.20 c. So the Scarlet thred was a sign between Rahab and the spies Joshua 2.18 A Souldiers Colours or the word that is given on his guard or in fight is such a sign 2. There are signes by institution from God such was the rainebowe It may be a naturall sign of showers but it is by institution that it signifies that there shall not be any more a flood to destroy the earth Gen. 9.11 These instituted signes whether of God or man admit of other distinctions which will be touched upon in the next place in opening the nature and shewing the properties of Sacramentall signes There are signes of a fourth sort which might have been spoken to namely those that are Diabolicall or superstitious But I shall not trouble my self or the Reader with them SECT II. The properties of Sacramental signes FIrst Sacramental signes are externall and sensible Sacramentall signes are 1. Exteâ—nal and sâ—nsible such that do not immediately but by the help of the senses affect the understanding There are indeed such signes that immediately offer themselves to the mind which some call mentall or intellectuall Signes These are either notions framed in
to do the duty that we owe. What the name of Christian or servant or people of God speaks the same these signs call for As the Altar set up Josh 22.24 did witness that those two Tribes and a half did belong with the other Tribes to the God of Israel so these Sacramental signes witness the same thing likewise 8. Remembrancing Eighthly They ace remonstrative and remembrancing signes sometimes of mercy conferred The Passeover was a sign of Israels freedom out of the land of Egypt Exod. 12.26 27. The Lords Supper shewes forth the Lords death untill he come 1 Cor. 11.26 being appointed to be done in remembrance of Christ Matth. 26.26 Mar. 14 20. Luk. 22.29 1 Cor. 11.24 of Christ dying giving his body and blood for us As those twelve stones taken out of Jordan by twelve men out of every Tribe a man were for a sign in ages following a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever that the waters of Jordan were cut off before the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord when it passed over Jordan Josh 4.6 7. So these Sacramental signs are memorials of the mercy mentioned They are alwayes memorials of the Covenant that we have entred the duty in which we stand engaged The Apostle having shewed that Baptisme doth signifie a death to sin and a life in righteousness Rom. 6.4 presently thence gives warning he that is dead is free from sin vers 6. Ninethly I might shew that they are ratifying and confirming signes but this is distinctly mentioned 9 Ratifying They are seals as well as signes which remaines to be handled SECT III. Corollaries from the former Doctrine SEveral consectaries follow from this observation which containes one part of the definition of a Sacrament First The sign and thing signified are analogically one That the sign and the thing signified in every Sacrament are one not properly and really one but in that manner one as all those things that remain distinct in nature one from other yet bear proportion and resemblance one with other are one One as Christ and a door Christ and a vine are one They are so one that one may be said to be the other when yet one distinct thing from other cannot be said to be the other in a sense that is proper my hand is not my writing my writing is not my hand but my hand is that which writes and writing is written with my hand and so my writing is usually called my hand and these speeches are in all mouthes vulgar common and are so far from being hard to understand that indeed they help the understanding A woman shewes a written peece of parchment and sayes Here is my Dower or Joynture when Dower or Joynture is in Lands not in Papers Every one knows that this speech means that it is that which vests her in it we shew a paper and say This is my will not meaning that faculty of the soul it self but a manifestation of what our desire is should be done with our estate after our decease such a man lives on my trencher that is on the meat which is laid on the trencher at my table so that men should blesse God for that he condescends to speak in such perspicuity and not complain in such speeches of difficulty Upon account of this oneness between the sign and the thing signified sometimes the sign is said to be the thing signified as that Bread is the body of Christ and the Cup the blood of Christ Matth. 26.26 27 So that that of Austin is famous that Christ said This is my body when he gave the sign of his body Circumcision is called the Covenant Gen. 17.9 10 11. Ast. 7.8 The Lambe is called the Passeover Exod. 12.11 21. Matth. 26.28 And the trees before spoken to are called the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil see Ezek. 5.5 1 Cor. 10.4 In all of these places the signe hath the name of the thing signified by reason of Analogy and representation and all by institution sometimes on the other hand the thing signified is called by the name of and is said to be the sign as 1 Cor. 5.7 Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us so Joh. 6.55 My flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed fitly resembled by meat and drink Joh. 15.1 I am the true vine fitly resembled by a vine see Joh. 10.10 11. Sometimes the effect which the thing signified doth produce is called by the name of the sign so in that speech of Ananias related by Paul Act. 22.16 Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins calling on the Name of the Lord when it was not the water that he was then to use but the blood of Christ that could take away sin 1 Joh. 1.7 so Baptisme saves 1 Pet. 3.21 when as the Apostle there as may be further shewen explains his own meaning so the putting off the sins of the flesh is called by the name of Circumcision and of Baptisme Colos 2.11 12. Sometimes that which is the proper work of the sign is attributed to the thing signified Deut. 10.16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart and be not stiffe necked These and such like speeches as these would be familiar with us and we should be able to give an account of them in case we understood Sacramental relations and other resemblances frequent in Scriptures Secondly Then it further followes There is no such things as transubstantiation that there can be no such thing as transubstantiation The sign and the thing signified remain distinct and cannot properly be the same in any Sacraments Of all Scripture-Sacraments and all those additional forged Sacraments of the Church of Rome one onely is by them thus honoured The Paschal Lambe was not turned into the body of Christ nor is water turned into the blood of Christ in Baptisme Nor do any other of their supposed signes lose their nature onely in the Lords Supper bread is not bread though it be still called bread but flesh wine is not wine though called the fruit of the vine but blood we see bread we taste bread we handle bread and yet we must not give credit either to our eyes ears taste or touch but we must believe it is no bread It hath the natural properties of bread and wine it gives natural nourishment as bread and wine the bread if eaten in excesse and the wine drunken will cause surfeit and intoxicate as bread and wine As the natural force so the natural defects of bread and wine still remain after consecration The bread breeds wormes and the wine turnes to vineger yet we must believe that God by miracle hath taken away bread and wine given blood and flesh turned bread into flesh wine into blood and yet still by miracles keeps up the natural shape properties and defects of these outward Elements When God in Scripture wrought miracles the miracles were seen and
the day that he was to dye he held a passeover In New Testament-times not onely through the Apostles times but to this time Baptisme and the Lords Supper have continued Reasons may also enforce this as to Sacraments in general so to Baptisme and the Lords Supper in particular 1. The Covenant is to be kept for ever there is no dispensation at any time for the breach of it The seals then which by Divine institution are appointed as appendants to it must be continued As reason it self may speak enough for the validity of this consequence so the Text of Scripture likewise confirms it Gen. 17.7 13. compared I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and unto thy seed after thee He that is born in thy house and he that is bought with thy money must needs be circumcised and my Covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting Covenant 2. We have as much need as ever this generation as any other generation to have our weaknesses supported our faith strengthened there is not any benefit ever gained by a Sacrament but as primitive times did so we may reap spiritual advantage by it For reasons for the perpetuity of Baptisme Mr. Baxter pag. 341 342. of his Treatise of Infants Church-membership and Baptisme hath furnished the Reader with plenty of ten that he urges I judg nine at least to be unquestionable to which I shall adde onely one and that is such a one that with weaknesse enough hath been brought by some for warranty of the disuse of it If the gift of the Spirit be lasting and continuing in the Church then the use of Baptisme is lasting and continuing likewise But the gift of the Spirit is lasting and continuing Ergo. The assumption that the Spirit is a lasting gift I suppose none will question The major Proposition is grounded on the Apostles words Act. 10.47 Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we When others do reason from the having of the Spirit to the needlenesse of Baptisme the Apostle disputes in the direct opposite manner where the Spirit is there Baptisme is not to be denyed For the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we may likewise evince the constant standing necessity of it 1. The death of Christ is to be shewed forth constantly and every way preached This is a shewing forth of the death of Christ a means of declaring of him crucified 1 Cor. 11.26 2. The memorial of Christ is to be preserved and endeared This is for his memorial done in remembrance of him Matth 26. Luke 22. 1 Cor. 11. If the deliverance from Egypt must be kept as a memorial for ever in that Ordinance of the Passeover then much more the remembrance of Christ in his Supper 3. Every way of Communion with Christ is to be preserved and upheld This is a way of Communion with Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 4. Union with the Members of Christ is to be studied This is the way of our union with the Members of Christ and therefore this is to be continued I shall not enlarge much for refutation of Objections of those that in our times are contrarily minded seeing I have read little of any thing that they have to say a noise is abroad of such with whom I have had small converse that cry down rebaptisme by the denyal of Baptisme as Lucian made it his businesse to confute Polytheisme by bringing in of Atheisme made himself merry with the Pagans rabble of gods by believing no God Opposition of errour ordinarily leads men into opposite errors but a better way may be found for the overthrow of a double Baptisme then by the nullifying of all baptisme One God asserted by the Apostle will overthrow Atheisme and Polytheisme and one Baptisme asserted by him in the same place will overthrow Anabaptisme But these are not the first founders of this opinion Austin speaking of the Manichees Heres 46. saith e Baptismum in aqua nihil cuiquam perhibent salutis adferre nec quenquam eorum baptizandum putant That they hold that Baptism with water not at all usefull for salvation neither do they think it meet to baptize any that they deceive and speaking of other Hereticks Heres 49. Seleuciani and Hermiani he saith f Baptismum in aquâ non accipiunt They do not hold any baptisme with water And Philastrius who as Bellarmine witnesses de Scriptor Ecclesiasticis pag. 93. wrote before Austin of Heresies and is quoted by Austin saith g Seleucus Hermius haeretici animas hominum de igne Spiritu esse existimantes isti baptismo non utuntur propter verbum hoc quod dixit Johannes Baptista ipse vos baptizabit in Spiritu igne Seleucus and Hermius the hereticks hold that the soul consists of fire and the Spirit These use not Baptisme by reason of John Baptists words He shall baptize you with the Spirit and fire Socinus in this last age hath revived this opinion and saith h Baptismum aquae habere praeceptum Christi aut saltem non perpetuum universale That Baptisme with water hath no command from Christ or at least no perpetual and universal command The Reader if he please may see the Scriptures by him wrested and Reasons by him brought Refert Vossius vindicated and answered by Vossius de necessitate Baptismi pag 381. to pag. 388. Rule 2 Secondly There appears a greater degree of necessity of the initiatory leading Sacrament Initiatory Sacraments are of greater necessity then those that follow which serves for our first admission whether in the dayes of the Old or New Testament into the Church of God then of the other that succeeds for our further strength and growth Both of them are necessary neither of them are arbitrary but in case we may enter comparison the greater weight lyes on the former as may several wayes appear unto us Arguments evincing this necessity First There was a leading Sacrament for initiation many years in the Church before any was ordained to follow after it Circumcision was given in charge 400 years before the Passeover that of Circumcision was not long after Abrahams call and the promise of the land of Canaan being before Isaac's birth which was onely 25 years distant from his first removal out of Haran for Canaan as appears Gen. 12.4 21.5 compared The Passeover was given in charge upon Israels departure out of Egypt Exod. 12. one year before the Law was given which was 430 yeares after the promise to Abraham Gal. 3.17 All this time the seed of Abraham entred into the Church by Circumcision and enjoyed no other Sacrament properly so called Secondly Gods displeasure never shewed it self so high upon the neglect of the Passeover as upon the neglect of Circumcision though the penalty threatned
eat of this bread or drink of this cup he must upon that account take care that they be so farre knowing as to do it If he must administer it for edification he should see so farre as he is able to discern whether they be in a capacity to be edified by it If this knowledg be wanting then by their own confession they are unmeet in case they be of knowledg it is easily signified and made known especially fundamental necessary principles being alone demanded Secondly Among other graces wilt not thou in this self-examination look for that grace of humility that of hungring after Christ Jesus evidenced in the love of his Ordinances If thou art wholly wanting in the grace of humility thou standest unfit for this Table God resists the proud The soul that is lift up is not right If once this be obtained then thou wilt as to thy guidance in heaven-way not be too high to obey those that are over thee in the Lord. Those speeches that we have heard of scorn and comparisons entred never came from an humble heart If thou wantest an hungring fervent affection after Christ Jesus thou then art not meet for this Table as being without a spiritual appetite If thou hast attained to it no such barres will be pleaded or spoken of to hold thee from it Hunger will break stone-walls iron-bars This is a hard weapon that will break through all obstacles For the manner some say The association of Elders in the work no warranty for absence If this were done by the Minister alone they could easily bear but others associated they do not like Ruling Lay-Elders they suppose are not of Gods institution To this I say First What do they say to all the Reformed Churches almost in the World that have that way of Discipline if thou wert a member of the Church there wouldest thou upon this account separate and leave Church-Communion Secondly What sayest thou of our Government in this Church when Bishops were in power who acted then in Government but Chancellors and Officials who were for the most part lay-persons If such could rule over a whole County perhaps three or four Counties three or four may then with the Minister have inspection into one Parish The 26 Canon required Ministers to keep back notorious offenders from the Sacrament and Canon 27. provided that he should give his reason upon complaint to the Ordinary and obey his direction This Ordinary was for the most part a Lay-person and he was set over both the Ministers and Communicants of many Congregations Thirdly In case any judge that according to Gospel-order no others should joyn with the Minister but that he should act alone in admission what prejudice is this to the Sacrament when he that is confessedly called to the work acts alone in the administration of it And in case a Minister see it expedient to crave assistance in so weighty a businesse especially where he is cast upon a large Congregation for his further information and advice where then is the evill When Ministers this way go alone then it is auricular confession shrift and whatsoever prophanenesse can devise then partiality is objected that out of spleen they put men from this Ordinance when to avoid these even by consent help is chosen that on the other hand it is such a grievance The mixture of such that are supposed unworthy no warrantly for absence that it is thought a sufficient reason of mens absence These that we have hitherto seen are extreams on the one hand There are those of an opposite party that have their Objections likewise and would come as they say to this Table in case they could meet with suitable guests there and those onely that become such a Feast such that are holy and no other but looking for others there whom God never called they resolve upon that account to keep absent I answer 1. Let these take heed lest they take too much upon them in passing sentence upon all that come to joyn in this duty and think better upon it whether that or somewhat else ought not to be there their businesse 2. Whether they go not higher then the Word of God will bear them out in the principles that they lay for the qualification of such a one that is admittible to this Supper and take heed that their great ambition be not to find out a Church in that purity and glory that Christ hath altogether denyed to be enjoyed on earth 3. Where it is that they can have hopes to go to joyn where all give evidences of regeneration and no other are received These betake themselves all their dayes to the Society of Seekers As those under the famine of the Word threatened by the Prophet shall wander from Sea to Sea and from the North even to the East and shall run to and fro seeking the Word of the Lord So may these seeking a Church of their own fancying but shall find none But for more full satisfaction let these take these following Arguments into consideration Arguments evincing the lawfulnesse of communicating in mixt Congregations First There is never an approved example in all the Scripture of any one man that did separate or withdraw himself from an Ordinance which God hath enjoyned upon the account of the impurity or defilement either of him that did administer or of those that were to joyn in it It is true that it is said 1 Sam. 2.17 as the aggravation of the sin of Hophni and Phinehas the sons of Eli that men then and as appears for their sakes abhorred the offering of the Lord and therefore in all probability absented themselves from it but Elkanah and Hannah did not so as appears Chap. 1.3 7. and Mr. Hildersam Lect. 29 on John pag. 129. observes from Chap. 2.24 that it was their sin that made any such separation Secondly There are many approved Examples of the people of God to the contrary how much do we read in the Prophets of the peoples wickednesse and corruptions in the State Civill and Ecclesiastical yet which of them for that cause did make separation We see what company did resort to the house of God in Jeremy's time Jer. 7.9 10. and yet we see Jeremy ready when he had liberty to resort to it Jer. 36.5 Much was out of frame and little in due order in Christs time yet as he acknowledged that even then salvation was of the Jewes Joh. 4.22 they had then saving Ordinances among them so he held Communion with them as he religiously observed other Feasts so some have observed as we have heard that he kept four Passeovers after he appeared in publick for the work of mans Redemption Thirdly One mans sin must not keep another from a necessary enjoyned duty if one man will make himself by his prophane addresses guilty of Christs death another must not therefore forbear to shew forth his death This is such a duty and the sin of
these words I know you had not leisure to write them in vain and meerly to fill paper 1. I may fear there was a worse end in the reply then barely to fill paper In contentions of this nature it is easie for great wits voluble tongues and nimble pens to be more then vain And here is scarce fair declaring to cut off my words before any full period and so render them to the Reader That my meaning cannot be seen till he have gone over three or four Sections interlaced with needlesse triflings 2. If Mr. Baxter know as he sayes that I will not own such an argumentation as he there frames without so much as colour of sense in it which were vain to repeat what was his end but meerly to fill up paper or somewhat worse in framing of it A Reader of half Mr. Baxters wit if he look on my words as they lye in my Treatise and not as mangled by his divisions may easily see another way of argumentation and such that carries sense and I leave to the Reader whether or no it carries strength And for his satisfaction Tht Authors argument against the sole-sufficiency of Covenant grace as instrument in justification I thus put it into forme That which often failes of obtaining the end for which it is employed and never can attain to it without the concurrence of some other with it is no sole instrument in any work But the Gospel or Covenant-grant often failes of attaining that end of justification when it is to that end published and imployed and never can obtain it without the concurrence of somewhat further to be joyned with it Ergo it is no sole instrument in the work Mr. Br. signifies that it may still be the same thing and have the same aptitude to produce the effect even when it is not applyed I answer then Mr. Kendall hath well told him it is an instrument aptitudinaliter and is no instrument in actual being but when the end is obtained and then it is no sole instrument being not sole in producing the effect Mr. Baxter takes it for granted that it alwayes hath its effect when it is employed and I took it for granted that it is often employed and the effect not produced but I did not then think that Mr. Baxter had meant an application to convey right where right is already in possession I added When the Minister is a Minister of condemnation and the savour of death to death there the Gospel becomes an instrument of condemnation and death and so comes short of justification To this is replyed 1. So it is if there be no Minister where it is known any way 2. I speak of Gods grant or promise in the Gospel you speak of his commination 3. If the threat be the proper instrument of condemnation à pari the promise or gift is the proper instrument of justification I grant his first and he threapes kindnesse with me in the two last he will have me to speak of the threat onely when I speak as well as he of Gods grant or promise Gospel promises are a savour of death to many This is a savour of death unto death unto many It is as great an evil to sleight a Promise as to disobey a Command or neglect a threatning his third therefore migt well have been spared but that I intend not to trifle away time I could easily shew him if I had spoke of threat a great disparity I added which should not have come in thus dismembred The efficacy that is in the Gospel for justification it receives by their faith to whom it is tendred To this is replyed Darkly but dangerously spoken and reasons given For it is possible you may mean that it receives it by faith as by a condition sine qua homo non est subjuctum proxime capax and so I grant the sense There is no possiblity that I should mean so having sufficiently as he after observes declared my self to the contrary if I understand his sine qua non frequently found in his writings which men eminently learned professe they do not It followes Dangerously for the words would seem to any impartial Reader to import more viz. That the Gospel receives its efficacy from faith or by faith as the instrument which conveyeth that efficacy to the Gospel It is my meaning that the word is inefficacious without faith and that faith renders it efficacious not by infusion of any new power into it but raising up the soul with strength to answer it which is not barely said but proved But my bare speech must first be censured and then my proof in a disjunct way at pleasure as we shall see dealt with A reason is rendred why for the truths sake and my own these words have never been seen For if faith give the Gospel its efficacy 1. It cannot be as a concause instrumental coordinate but as a superiour more principal cause to the subordinate By Mr. Baxters leave I do believe that concauses instrumental may receive efficacy one from another The thred hath efficacy from a needle and is a concause instrumental to sow up a rent or to make a seam or hem The line gives efficacy to the anglers hook to take a fish I believe he hath seen a knife touched with a Loadstone fetch up a needle from the bottome of a vessel of water Here the hand is the principall agent or the man using his hand The knife is the instrument yet such an instrument as receives efficacy from the spirits of the Loadstone as a concause instrumental The Gospel works no more without faith then a knife in this thing can work without a Loadstone It followes 2. If it were the former that is meant yet it were intolerable For which reasons are given but how these hang together I know not His former now spoken to was brought in as the first in order to disprove what I had said taking my words in the second sense which he gives of them and this which is in order the second is to shew by three reasons that in case they be taken in the first sense which he himself professedly grants yet it were intolerable seeing therefore that I take it not in that sense and if I did he grants the sense there is no cause that I should trouble my self with his Reasons I added in way of proof Heb. 4.2 Unto us was the Gospel preached c. 1 Thess 2.12 13. To which is replyed But where 's your conclusion or any shew of advantage to your cause I must speak nothing it seems but syllogismes in form and he that cannot here make up a syllogisme and find out a formall conclusion is a very Infant in Logick In the first Text the Apostle as he sayes speaks of the Words profiting in the reall change of the soul and our question is of the relative Heb. 4.2 Vindicated And what shew of proof is there that it is
worthily be rank'd in the first place amongst those that you thus honour As soon as he enters upon the dispute of justifying faith in answer to Bellarmines first question What that faith is that is required to justification he sayes in the name of Protestants (a) Hoc ipsum vel imperitè vel sophistice in quaestionem vocatur Nam 1. Multa ad justificationem requiruntur quae non justificant 2. Non tam quaeritur quae aut quid fides quae justificat quam quae sit ratio quâ propriè dicitur justificare This is either unskilfully or sophistically put to the question giving in his reasons 1. Saith he There are many things required to justification which do not justifie 2. It is not so much enquir'd into what that faith is which do's justifie as in what notion it is that it is said to justifie And giving answer to farther words of Bellarmine he saith in the same page that (b) Observandum est nos non restringere fidem illam quae justificat sed tantum quà justificat ad promissionem misericordiae Arguments evincing that faith in the blood of Christ only justifies Protestants do not restrain the faith which justifies but faith as it justifies to the promise of mercy Much more may be seen in this Author in his next Chapter Sect. 1. Sect. 8. which I leave to the Reader to consult at pleasure And together with it that which may be seen largely in Chemnitius enquiring into the proper object of justifying faith in his Examen Concil Trident mihi pag. 159. under this head Quid verè propriè sit fides justificans quo sensu scriptura velit intelligi quando pronunciat impium fide justificari I shall here take the boldness to give in my arguments to make good that faith in Christ quà Lord doth not justifie 1. That which the types under the Law appointed for attonement and expiation lead us unto in Christ our faith must eye for attonement expiation and reconciliation This cannot be denied These Levitical types lead us doubtless to a right object being School-masters to lead us unto Christ and shaddows whereof he is the substance As also to that office in him who is the object of faith that serves for this work But these types lead us unto Christ in his Priestly office for the most part as Sacrificing sometimes as interceding John 1.29 2 Cor. 5.21 1 Pet. 1.18 A great part of the Epistle to the Hebrews is a proof of it 2. That which the Sacraments under the Gospel setting forth Christ for pardon of sin lead us unto That our faith must eye for Reconciliation Pardon and Justification This is clear Christ in his own instituted ordinances will not misguide us But these lead us to Christ suffering dying for the pardon of sin Mat. 26.28 This is my blood in the new Testament shed for you and for many for the remission of sins Here is a confirmation of both these arguments in one The types of the Law and the Sacrament of the Lords Supper lead both of them to his blood for this reason of attonement and forgiveness There was an old Testament enjoyn'd of God in which the people in convenant were sprinkled with blood Exod. 24.1 c. commented upon by the Apostle Heb. 9.20 c. That blood and this cup lead to Christs blood for forgiveness and in them the death of Christ is remembred A broken bleeding dying Christ in the Lords Supper is received 3. As the Spirit of God guides faith so it must go to Christ for propitiation and attonement This needs no proof The Holy Ghost is the best leader But the Holy Ghost guides our faith to go to the blood of Christ for attonement whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood Ro. 3.25 It is blood is our propitiatory or mercy seat We are justified by his blood Rom. 5.9 And faith is our way of interest and thither the Spirit of God by the Apostle leads our faith as we see in the words mentioned I am checkt indeed by you because I say through faith in his blood not faith in his command quo jure nescio say you My reason or warranty is because I durst not adde to the Apostles directory when he leads us one way I dare look no other If he had intended to have led us to Christ as a propitiation without further direction under what notion our faith should have look'd upon him It had been enough to have said that he is our propitiation but distinctly pointing out his blood and faith in his blood I think I have warrant sufficient to lead souls hither and only hither especially seeing I find him still in the same language Rom. 5.8 9. God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of our sins Ephes 1.7 The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1.7 For as much as ye know that we were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ as a Lamb without blemish You demand Will you exclude his obedience resurrection intercession To which I only say I marvail at the question If I exclude these I shall exclude his blood His shedding of blood was in obedience John 10.18 Phil. 2.8 His resurrection was his freedom from the bonds of death and an evidence of our discharge by blood His intercession is founded on his blood He intercedes not as we by bare petition but merit He presents his blood as our high Priest in the holy of holies You tell me further that the thing I had to prove was not the exclusion of faith in his commands but of faith in Christ as Lord and teacher I can no more distinguish Lord and command then I can blood and sacrifice it being the office of a Lord to rule as of blood to make attonement You yet tell me It was fittest for Paul to say by faith in his blood because he intends to connote both what we are justified by ex parte Christi and what we are justified by ex parte nostri but the former principally To this I say If this were fittest for Paul then it is unfit for any to come in with animadversions and tell us of any other thing either ex parte Christi or ex parte nostri for justification I pray you rest here and we are well agreed Here is Christs Priestly office on his part alone and I am resolved to look no further 4. Our faith must look upon Christ so as to obtain righteousness by him by vertue of which we may appear before God as righteous But it is by his obedience as a Servant that we obtain righteousness and stand before the Lord as righteous Rom. 15.19 By the obedience of