first Religious Rite after Baptism and because of all the Five best deserving the name of a Sacrament A Rite which as our Church receives and enjoyns so the more sober sort of Protestants allow to have been an Institution of the Apostles and such as is of signal use to those who were baptiz'd in their Infancy by that examination which is to precede it and those solemn Prayers that do attend it But as the thing it self doth not appear to me to have been instituted by Christ which even by the Doctrine of the Trent Council (t) Ibid. is made a Character of a Sacrament so there is yet less appearance of its having any outward sign to which the blessings thereof may be supposed to have been annex'd which is of the very Essence of a Sacrament That which was at first administred by a bare Imposition of hands and afterwards by the addition of the Chrism coming at length to be perform'd by the sole ceremony of Unction as the practice of the Greek and Latine Church declares Of which variation what account can be given but that the Church it self did at first look upon the Rites of Confirmation as arbitrary and consequently not of the same nature with the signs of Baptism and the Lord's Supper For whatever additions or variations came afterwards to be made in these the Water of the one and the Bread and Wine in the other were ever preserved in them The next supposed Sacrament is that of Penance or rather because the form thereof is by themselves (u) Conc. Trid. Sess 14. c. 13. made to consist in Ego absolvo te c. the Sacrament of Absolution An Institution which we willingly acknowledge to be an Institution of Christ and which our Church moreover confesseth (w) Hom. of Com. Pray and Sacr. to have the promise of the forgiveness of sins But differs from a Sacrament in this that it hath not that promise annexed and tyed to the usual visible sign thereof even Imposition of hands For for the use of any such visible sign in it we find no Command and much less any declaration from Christ that it should not be available unless it were convey'd by it or made to depend upon the usage of it But it may be much more may be said for that which they call the Sacrament of Extreme Vnction because affirmed by the Council of Trent (x) Sess 14. can 1. to have been instituted by our Lord and published to the World by St. James And I no way doubt that when our Saviour sent forth his Disciples by two and two (y) Mark 6.7 c. he gave them power to anoint sick persons as well as to cast out unclean Spirits and it may be too commanded them for that time to make use of that particular ceremony toward the healing of them I as little doubt for the mention that is made of it in St. James (z) James 5.14 that the same ceremony of Unction was continued in the Church and perhaps prescrib'd by other Apostles as well as by him to the Governours of the Church But it doth not appear to me to have been intended by Christ for perpetual use and much less for those purposes for which it is alledged For if it were intended by Christ for perpetual use how came the same Christ to promise to those that believe that if they only laid hands * Mark 16.18 on the sick they should recover How came he to give his Apostles power to cure diseases by the use of that only ceremony as in the case of Publius †Act. 28.8 by taking infirm people by the hand * Act. 3.5 yea by their bare (a) Act. 9.34 word This being to give encouragement to the neglect of his own Commands if the ceremony of Unction were to be look'd upon as such Though granting that Ceremony to have been intended for perpetual use what appearance is there of its having been intended for the purposes of a Sacrament yea to procure in an especial manner the forgiveness of sins For all that St. Mark says concerning the Apostles anointing with Oyl is that they thereby healed (b) Mark 6.13 those they did so anoint Yea it is if not the only yet the principal thing St. James assures to those whom he enjoyn'd the use of it As it appears by his ushering it in as an application to be made to sick persons his promising that that Prayer which went along with it should save the sick and procure God's raising of them in fine by his exhorting men to confess their faults one to another that they might be healed For these things shew plainly that if the healing of sick persons was not the only thing intended yet it was at least the principal one But so the Church it self appears to have understood this ceremony as is evident among other things from that Prayer which did accompany it That as Cassander (c) Consult de Artic. Rel. c. ubi de Unctione infirm agit informs us being I anoint thee with the holy Oyl in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost imploring the mercy of that one Lord and our God that all the griefs and incommodities of thy body being driven away there may be recovered in thee vertue or strength and health that so being cured by the operation of this mysterie and this Vnction of the Sacred Oyl and our prayer through the vertue of the Sacred Trinity thou mayest deserve to receive thy antient yea more robust health through our Lord. Which though it do not so directly oppose the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Greeks because design'd against Corporal (d) See Ricdut Pres State of the Greek Church c. 12. as well as Spiritual evils yet doth perfectly overthrow the Extreme Vnction of the Papists as which is so far from designing the recovery of the sick person that it is not allow'd to be administred to any who seem not perfectly desperate One only passage there is in St. James which may seem to give this Ceremony of anointing a higher and a far better design even his affirming that that prayer which did accompany it should procure for the sick person also that if he had committed sins (e) James 5.15 they should be forgiven him But beside that St. James doth not attribute that forgiveness to the ceremony of Unction but to the prayer that attended or followed it The design of the Elders visitation of the Sick being no doubt to procure as well their Spiritual as Corporal health it is not unreasonable to think that that very Prayer which they made over them did not only aim at God's accompanying the former ceremony with the blessing for which it was intended but extend farther to the imploring for them all those spiritual blessings which they wanted and particularly perfect remission and forgiveness Which if it did as is but reasonable to believe that Oyl cannot
Disciples and requiring them to take and eat of it The words This is my body next taken into consideration and more particularly and minutely explain'd Where is shewn at large that by the word This must be meant This Bread and that there is nothing in the gender of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to hinder it That by body must be meant that body which Christ now carried about him and was shortly after to suffer in and that the sigurativeness of the proposition lies in the word is Vpon occasion whereof is also shewn that that word is oftentime figuratively taken that it ought to be so taken here and that accordingly it imports the Bread to be a sign and a memorial and a means of partaking of Christ's body This part of the Institution concluded with an explication of the words which is given or broken for you and a more ample one of Christ's commanding his Disciples to do this in remembrance of him Where the precept Do this is shewn to refer to what Christ had before done or enjoyned them to do And they enjoyn'd so to do to renew in themselves a grateful remembrance of Christ's death or prompt other Men to the like remembrance of it That part of the Institution which respects the Cup more succinctly handled and enquiry made among other things into the declaration which our Saviour makes concerning its being his Blood of the New Testament or the New Testament in it Where is shewn What that is which our Saviour affirms to be so what is meant by his Blood of the New Testament or The New Testament in it and how the Cup or rather the Wine of it was that Blood of his or the New Testament in it pag. 173. The Contents of the Fourth Part. Of the outward Part or Sign of the Lord's Supper BRead and Wine ordinarily the outward Part or Sign of the Lord's Supper and the Heresie of the Aquarii upon that account enquir'd into and censur'd The kind of Bread and Wine enjoin'd in the next place examin'd and a more particular Enquiry thereupon Whether the Wine ought to be mix'd with Water and what was the Ground of the Antients Practice in this Affair The same Elements consider'd again with respect to Christ's Body and Blood whether as to the Vsage that Body and Blood of his receiv'd when he was subjected unto Death or as to the Benefit that was intended and accru'd to us by them In the former of which Notions they become a Sign of Christ's Body and Blood by what is done to them before they come to be administred and by the separate administration of them In the latter by the use they are of to nourish and refresh us Of the Obligation the Faithful are under to receive the Sacrament in both kinds and a resolution of those Arguments that are commonly alleg'd to justifie the Romish Churches depriving them of the Cup. pag. 197. The Contents of the Fifth Part. Of the inward Part of the Lord's Supper or the thing signified by it THE inward Part of the Lord's Supper or the thing signified by it is either what is signified on the part of God and Christ or on the part of the Receiver of it The former of these brought under Consideration and shewn to be the Body and Blood of Christ not as they were at or before the Institution of this Sacrament or as they now are but as they were at the time of his Crucifixion as moreover then offered up unto God and offer'd up to him also as a propitiatory Sacrifice for the Sins of the World The Consequences of that Assertion briefly noted both as to the presence of that Body and Blood in the Sacrament and our perception of them The things signified on the part of the Receiver in the next place consider'd and these shewn to be First a thankful Remembrance of the Body and Blood of Christ consider'd as before described Secondly our Communion with those who partake with us of that Body and Blood Thirdly a Resolution to live and act as becomes those that are partakers of them The two latter of these more particularly insisted on and that Communion and Resolution not only shewn from the Scripture to be signified on the part of the Receiver but confirmed by the Doctrine and Practice of the Antient Church pag. 213. The Contents of the sixth Part. What farther relation the Sign of the Lord's Supper hath to the Body and Blood of Christ THE outward Part or Sign of this Sacrament consider'd with a more particular regard to the Body and Blood of Christ and Enquiry accordingly made what farther relation it beareth to it That it is a Means whereby we receive the same as well as a Sign thereof shewn from the Doctrine of our Church and that Doctrine confirm'd by Saint Paul's entitling it the Communion of Christ's Body and Blood and by his affirming Men to be made to drink into one Spirit by partaking of the Cup of it Enquiry next made what kind of Means this Sign of the Lord's Supper is how it conveys to us the Body and Blood of Christ and how we receive them by it To each of which Answer is made from the Doctrine of our Church and that Answer farther confirm'd by the Doctrine of the Scripture The sum of which is that this Sign of the Lord's Supper is so far forth a Mean spiritual and heavenly That it conveys the Body and Blood of Christ to us by prompting us to reflect as the Institution requires upon that Body and Blood of his and by prompting God who hath annex'd them to the due use of the Sign to bestow that Body and Blood upon us In fine that we receive them by the Sign thereof when we take occasion from thence to reflect upon that Body and Blood of Christ which it was intended to represent and particularly with Faith in them What Benefits we receive by Christ's Body and Blood in the next place enquir'd and as they are resolv'd by our Catechism to be the strengthening and refreshing of the Soul so Enquiry thereupon made what is meant by the strengthening and refreshing of the Soul what Evidence there is of Christ's Body and Blood being intended for it and how they effect it The Sign of the Lord's Supper a Pledge to assure us of Christ's Body and Blood as well as a Means whereby we receive them pag. 219. The Contents of the Seventh Part. Of Transubstantiation THE Doctrine of Transubstantiation briefly deduc'd from the Council of Trent and digested into four capital Assertions Whereof the first is that the whole substance of the Bread is chang'd into the substance of Christ's Body and the whole substance of the Wine into the substance of his Blood The grounds of this Assertion examin'd both as to the possibility and actual being of such a change What is alledgâ—d for the former of these from the substantial changes mention'd in the Scripture of no force in this
Blood by the separate administration of them when they are For as our Saviour's Body and Blood were parted by Death and accordingly requir'd to be consider'd the one as broken and mortifi'd the other as shed or poured out of it So our Saviour did not only appoint divers Symbols to represent them but administred them apart and by themselves and if there be any force in Do this in remembrance of me commanded them to be so administred afterwards By which means they become even by that separate administration a yet more perfect and lively Representation of Christ's Body and Blood as to the usage they receiv'd when he whose they were was subjected to Death for us But because the Body and Blood of Christ are consider'd in this Sacrament as to the Benefit that was intended and accru'd to us by them as well as to the usage they receiv'd For This is my Body which is given or broken for you say St. Luke and St. Paul and This is my Blood of the New Testament or the New Testament in it which is shed for you say all the Evangelists upon this Argument Therefore enquire we wherein the Elements of Bread and Wine are a sign of his Body and Blood as to that Benefit they were so intended and given for Which will soon appear if we consider what the proper use of those Elements is what we are requir'd to do with them and what is elsewhere said concerning that Body and Blood when consider'd with respect to our welfare and advantage These several things making it evident that they become a sign of Christ's Body and Blood by the use they are of to nourish and refresh us For as we cannot lightly think but that when our Saviour made choice of such things as those to represent the usefulness of his Body and Blood to us he made choice of them for that purpose with respect to their proper usefulness as which is both most notorious in them and most apt to affect the Mind of him to whom they are suggested So much less can we think otherwise of them when he moreover requires us to eat of the one and drink of the other which are the ways by which we are to receive that nourishment and refreshment which we have said them to be so useful for Otherwise any thing else might have been as proper for the purpose as Bread and Wine Or if God who may no doubt make use of what Methods he pleaseth thought good however to make choice of Bread and Wine to represent Christ's Body and Blood yet he might have contented himself to have enjoyn'd upon us the casting our Eyes upon them and not as we find he doth prompted us to eat and drink of them as that too in remembrance of him and them For what need would there be of eating and drinking those Elements in remembrance of his Body and Blood or indeed what aptness in so doing to call them to our own Minds or the Minds of others were it not that there were somewhat in them to represent the usefulness of Christs Body and Blood which was not to be drawn from them or so sensibly perceiv'd in them as by eating and drinking of them This I take to be a competent evidence of Bread and Wine 's becoming a sign by the use they are of to nourish and refresh us But I am yet more convinced of it by what is elsewhere said concerning Christ's Body and Blood when consider'd as they are here as to our Benefit and advantage Even that his Flesh or Body was food * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed and his Blood drink indeed (g) Joh. 6.55 and that accordingly except his Disciples ate that Flesh of his and drank his Blood (h) Joh. 6.53 they could have no life in them but if they did (i) Joh. 6.54 they should have eternal Life In fine that the flesh (k) Joh. 6.51 which he should give for the life of the World was in the nature of Bread to them and so represented by him throughout that whole Discourse For if Christ's Body and Blood be in the nature of Food and drink to us If they be so far such that we are requir'd to eat and drink of them and so also that we cannot promise our selves life without them That Bread and Wine which in the present Sacrament are appointed to signifie and represent them cannot be thought by any more proper way to be a Sign or Representation of them than by their usefulness as Bread and Drink to nourish and refresh our Bodies to maintain them in their present beings and fill them with joy and gladness 4. The fourth thing to be enquir'd as concerning the Bread and Wine of this Sacrament is what evidence there is of Christ's commanding us to receive them A question which one would think might soon be voided by the words of the Institution it self Take Eat This is my Body being the voice of our Saviour concerning the Bread and Drink ye all of it and This do ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me being the words of the same Jesus in St. Matthew and St. Paul concerning the Cup which one would think to be sufficient expresses of Christ's command concerning it But as nothing is enough to those who are prejudic'd against any Doctrine as it is apparent that the Church of Rome was against the use of the Cup when this business came to be debated in the Council of Trent So that Council did not only determine that whole and entire Christ is contained under either species and particularly under the species of Bread (l) Sess 13. cap. 3. but that the faithful are not oblig'd by any command of the Lord to receive both species (m) Sess 21. cap. 1. and that accordingly if any shall say that all and singular the faithful people of Christ are oblig'd to take both species either by vertue of any command from God or as of necessity to Salvation (n) ib. Can. 1. he ought to be anathematiz'd for it or rather hath already incurr'd it For which cause it will be necessary for us to shew that the faithful are obliged by the Command of Christ to receive the Cup and then answer the principal reasons that are brought against it And here in the first place I would gladly know whether there be or ever were any command from Christ for the receiving of the Cup whether by the Apostles at first or the Priest that consecrates now whatsoever become of simple Laymen or the Priests that do not officiate and are therefore so far forth reckoned in the number of the other The ground of which question is because the Council of Trent doth not say that there is no command from Christ for the faithful's receiving the Cup but that the faithful are not bound by any command of his to the taking of both species and again that if any shall say that all the faithful
those 46 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 47 †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Canons of the Apostles which do so far reprobate the Baptism of Hereticks as to require a reiteration of it For if the Hereticks there intended were such as are before described as is not unreasonable to believe even from the words of the Canons themselves there is no doubt their Baptism was and ought to be look'd upon as null because deviating from that Institution which gives validity to all But because it appears from a passage of S. Augustine (k) Caeterum quis nescit non esse Baptismum Christi si verba Evangelica quibus symbolum constut illic defuerint Sed facilius inveniuntur haeretici qui omnino non baptizant quam qui illis verbis non baptizant De Bapt. contra Donat. li. 6. c. 25. that whatever the antienter Hereticks did yet later ones or at least for the most part kept to the words of the Institution Therefore we must go on to enquire whether Hereticks may not however be presum'd to baptize into a false and counterfeit Faith even that which they themselves advance and consequently give such a Baptism as is null and void And to speak my mind freely though with submission to better judgments I conceive such Hereticks may be presum'd to do it who advance a Heresie that directly and manifestly contradicts the Faith of Baptism and particularly the Faith of the Holy Trinity Which I do in part upon the Authority of the Nicene Council (l) Can. 19. and in part also upon the Authority of Reason For though there be not the least presumption that the followers of Paulus Samosatenus made use of any other form of Baptism than the Catholicks did Though there be some presumption on the contrary that they made use of the very same form because though they deny'd a Trinity of Persons yet they asserted one and the same God to be rightly entitled by the names of Father Son and Holy Ghost Yet did the Nicene Council notwithstanding because of their direct and manifest denial of the Trinity and their affirming Christ to be a meer Man so far disallow their Baptism as to require the reiteration of it As indeed why should it not when those Paulianists did so directly and manifestly contradict the sense of that form whereby they pretended to proceed That direct and manifest contradiction of theirs proclaming to the World that though they baptiz'd in the same form of words with the Orthodox yet in a perfectly different sense and consequently departed alike from that Institution which was to give force to it I say not the same of the Baptism of the Arians where they made use of the same form of words which the Institution prescrib'd as it is certain that many * De Arianis qui propriâ sua lege utuntur ut baptizentur placuit Si ad Ecclesiam aliqui de hac haeresi venerint interrogent eos sidei nostrae sacerdotes symbolum Et si perviderint in Patre Filio Spiritu sancto eos baptizatos manus eis tantum imponatur ut accipiant spiritum sanctum c. Concil Arel c. 8. of them did Partly because the Church receiv'd those that had been so baptized by them without any new Baptism And partly because neither so directly and manifestly contradicting the Doctrine of the Trinity by their own nor varying from the prescribed form as some other of them did they may be reasonably presum'd to have left the form by them us'd to its proper sense whatever that was and to what he who prescrib'd it did intend it Which suppos'd what should hinder Christ from giving force to that Baptism which is so administred by them These as they do not at all vary from the Institution of Christ so in this particular even in the application of the Baptismal water to the Baptized parties acting not in their own or in their peoples names but in the name of Christ and who therefore may the rather be supposed to give force and vertue to it The result of the premises is this A Heretick is indeed oblig'd to baptize into the truly Christian Faith neither can any man otherwise promise force from that act of his But if he baptize into that faith as he may even whilst he continues such his Baptism is valid neither can any man doubt of a blessing from it who comes prepared for it and when he comes to know in what company he hath been engag'd renounceth that and their Heresie and both submits himself to the discipline of the Church and keeps to the communion of it PART X. Of the Baptism of those of riper Years The Contents To what and what kind of persons Baptism ought to be administred Which as to those of riper years is shewn to be unto all that come duly qualified for it What those qualifications are upon that account enquir'd into and Repentance and Faith shewn from the Sripture as well as from our own Catechism to be they That Repentance and Faith more particularly considered the definitions given of them by our Church explain'd and established The former whereof is effected by shewing what Repentance doth presuppose what it imports and to what it doth naturally dispose us The latter by shewing what those promises are which by the Catechism are made the object of our Faith or Belief what that Belief of them doth presuppose what is meant by a stedfast Belief of them and what evidence there is of that being the Faith or Belief requir'd to the receiving of Baptism III. BEing now to enquire Question What is required of persons to be haptized Answer Repentance whereby they forsake Sin and Faith whereby they stedfastly believe the promises made to them in that Sacrament according to the method before laid down to what and what kind of persons the Sacrament of Baptism ought to be administred for my more advantageous resolution thereof I will consider it first as to those of riper years and then as to Infants and Children That I give the precedency to those of riper years though such Baptisms as those are little known among us is because there is no doubt Baptism began with them and could not indeed have found any other entrance into the World The Baptism of Infants in the opinion of those who do most strongly assert it depending upon the Baptism of their Parents or of those who are in the place of them Of whom if some had not been baptiz'd in their riper years those Infants that claimed by them could not with reason have pretended to it Of those of riper years therefore I mean first to entreat and shew to what and what kind of persons among them the Sacrament of Baptism ought to be administred Now as it is clear from our Saviour's injunction * Matt. 28.19 of discipling and baptizing all Nations that none of what condition soever are to be excluded from
Relation so that the words Hoc est corpus meum c. neither now have nor when Christ himself used them had in them the power of producing it What the true foundation of this relation is or what that is which consecrates those Elements which are to put it on endeavour'd to be made out from some former Discourses And those Elements accordingly considered either as being to become a Sign of Christ's Body and Blood or as being to become also a Means of Communicating that Body and Blood to us and a Pledge to assure us thereof The former of these relations brought about by a declaration of those Purposes for which the Elements are intended whether in the words of the Institution or any other The latter by Thanksgiving and Prayer The usefulness of this Resolution to compromise the Quarrels that have arisen in this Argument upon occasion of what the Antients have said on the one hand for attributing the Power of Consecration to the Prayers and Thanksgivings of the Priest and on the other hand to the words of the Institution Those Quarrels being easily to be accommodated by attributing that Power to the Institution rather as applied than as delivered and as applied also by Prayer and Thanksgiving more than by the rehearsal of it pag. 261. The Contents of the Tenth Part. Of the right Administration of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper ENtrance made with enquiring How this Sacrament ought to be administred and therein again whether that Bread wherewith it is celebrated ought to be broken and whether he who administers this Sacrament is obliged by the words of the Institution or otherwise to make an offering unto God of Christ's Body and Blood as well as make a tender of the Sacrament thereof to Men. That the Bread of the Sacrament ought to be broken as that too for the better representation of the breaking of Christ's Body asserted against the Lutherans and their Arguments against it produc'd and answered Whether he who administers this Sacrament is obliged by the words of the Institution or otherwise to make an offering to God of Christ's Body and Blood in the next place enquir'd into and after a declaration of the Doctrine of the Council of Trent in this Affair consideration had of those grounds upon which the Fathers of that Council establish it The words Do this in remembrance of me more particularly animadverted upon and shewn not to denote such an Offering whether they be consider'd as referring to the several things before spoken of and particularly to what Christ himself had done or enjoyn'd the Apostles to do or as referring only to that Body and Blood which immediately precede them In which last Consideration of them is made appear that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may as well and more naturally signifie make That there is nothing in the present Argument to determine it to the notion of Sacrificing or if there were that it must import rather a Commemorative than Expiatory one What is alledg'd by the same Council from Christ's Melchizedekian Priesthood c. more briefly consider'd and answer'd And that Sacrifice which the Council advanceth shewn in the close to be inconsistent with it self contrary to the present state of our Lord and Saviour and more derogatory to that Sacrifice which Christ made of himself upon the Cross The whole concluded with enquiring To whom this Sacrament ought to be administred and particularly whether it either ought or may lawfully be administred to Infants Where the Arguments of Bishop Taylor for the lawfulness of Communicating Infants are produc'd and answered and particularly what he alledgeth from Infants being admitted to Baptism though they are no more qualified for it than they are for the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper pag. 267 The Contents of the Eleventh Part. How the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper ought to be receiv'd THE receit of this Sacrament suppos'd by the present Question and that therefore first established against the Doctrine of those who make the supposed Sacrifice thereof to be of use to them who partake not Sacramentally of it Enquiry next made How we ought to prepare our selves for it how to demean our selves at the celebration of it and in what Posture to receive it The preparation taken notice of by our Catechism the Examination of our selves whether we truly repent us of our sins stedfastly purposing to lead a new Life c. and the both necessity and means of that Examination accordingly declar'd The examination of our Repentance more particularly insisted upon and that shewn to be most advantageously made by enquiring how we have gain'd upon those sins which we profess to repent of and particularly upon our most prevailing ones which how they are to be discover'd is therefore enquir'd into and the marks whereby they are to be known assigned and explain'd A transition from thence to the examination of the stedfastness of our Purposes to lead a new Life of our Faith in God through Christ our remembrance of his Death and Charity Where the necessity of that Examination is evinced and the Means whereby we may come to know whether we have those Qualifications in us discover'd and declar'd How we ought to demean our selves at the celebration of this Sacrament in the next place enquir'd into and that shewn to be by intending that Service wherewith it is celebrated and suiting our Affections to the several parts of it The whole concluded with enquiring in what posture of Body this Sacrament ought to be receiv'd Where is shewn first that the Antients so far as we can judge by their Writings receiv'd in a posture of Adoration and particularly in the posture of standing Secondly that several of the Reformed Churches receive in that or the like posture and that those that do not do not condemn those that do Thirdly that there is nothing in the Example of Christ and his Disciples at the first Celebration of this Supper to oblige us to receive it sitting nor yet in what is alledg'd from the suitableness of that Posture to a Feast and consequently to the present one This as it is a Feast of a different nature from common ones and therefore not to receive Laws from them so the receit thereof intended to express the grateful resentment we have of the great Blessing of our Redemption and stir up other Men to the like resentment of it Neither of which can so advantageously be done as by receiving the Symbols of this Sacrament in such a posture of Body as shews the regard we have for him who is the Author of it pag. 289. ERRATA In the Text. PAge 158. line 36. r. they had p. 160. l. antep from of old p. 174. l. 26. a Transubstantiation ib. l. 34. too p. 190. l. 1. for hardly r. barely p. 202. l. 38. after Saviour add in S Matthew St. Mark and St. Paul p. 231. l. 45. r. opinion p. 234. l. 4. for Blood r. what ib. l.
that strengthening and refreshing of the Soul which it is said to receive by the Body and Blood of Christ Enquire we in the next place what Evidence there is of their being intended for it Which will soon appear from their being intended by Christ as the Meat and Drink of the Soul and particularly as such Meat and Drink as Bread and Wine are to the Body For Meat and Drink being intended for the strengthening and refreshing of Men's Bodies and particularly such Meat and Drink as are the outward part of the present Sacrament If the Body and Blood of Christ were intended as such to the Soul they must be consequently intended for its strengthening and refreshing Now that the Body and Blood of Christ were intended as Meat and Drink to the Soul and particularly as such Meat and Drink as Bread and Wine are to the Body is evident for the former of these from several passages of the sixth of St. John's Gospel * See Part 3. where it is so declar'd in express terms and for the latter from our Saviour's making use of Bread and Wine to represent them and which is more calling upon us to eat and drink of them in remembrance of Christ's giving that Body and Blood of his for us This as it farther shews them to have been intended as our Spiritual Meat and Drink so to have been intended too in a Spiritual manner to be eaten and drunken by us and so made yet more subservient to our strengthening and refreshment 3. Now this the Body and Blood of Christ effect first and chiefly as the meritorious cause of that Grace by which that strengthening and refreshing is immediately produc'd Or secondly as stirring up the Minds of the Faithful to contemplate the meritoriousness thereof and in the strength of that to grapple with all Difficulties and bear up under all Troubles and Disquiets For beside that the Body and Blood of Christ as was before observ'd (m) Part 5. are to be consider'd in this Sacrament under the Notion of a propitiatory Sacrifice and which as such doth rather dispose God to grant us that strength and refreshment which we desire than actually collate them on us There is nothing more evident from the Scriptures than that it is the Spirit of God (n) Eph. 3.15 and his Graces by which we must be immediately strengthened with might in the inner Man and that it is by him (o) Acts 9.31 that we receive comfort and consolation For which cause our Saviour gives him the title of the Comforter and professeth to send him to supply his own place in that as well as in other particulars From whence as it will follow that it is to the Spirit of God and his Graces that we are immediately to ascribe that strength and refreshment which we expect So that we ought therefore to look upon Christ's Body and Blood as conferring to it not so much by any immediate influence thereof upon the Soul as by their disposing God to grant that Spirit by which both the one and the other are produc'd Upon which account we find St. Paul where he attributes the several Graces of a Christian to the immediate Influences of that Spirit affirming those that partake of this Cup to be made to drink into the same Spirit as that which is the immediate Author of them This I take to be in an especial manner that strengthning and refreshing which our Catechism and the Scripture prompts us to ascribe to the Body and Blood of Christ Neither can I think of any other than what the contemplation of the meritoriousness thereof may infuse into the Soul of him who seriously reflects upon it That I mean whereby the Soul becomes so confident of the Divine Assistance and Favour as neither to doubt of his enabling it to do what he requires nor despair of his delivering it from all its fears and troubles I will close this Discourse when I have added that as the Sign of this Sacrament hath the relation of a Means whereby God conveys and we receive the Body and Blood of Christ So it hath also the Relation of a Pledge to assure us thereof or as our Church elsewhere expresseth it (p) Art 19. a certain sure Witness of it A Relation which is not more generally acknowledg'd than easie to make out from the former one For what is ordained by Christ as a Mean for the conveying of his Body and Blood being as sure to have its effect if it be received as it ought to be He who so receives what Christ hath thus ordain'd will need no other Proof than that of his receiving that Body and Blood of Christ which it was so ordained to convey PART VII Of Transubstantiation The Contents The Doctrine of Transubstantiation briefly deduc'd from the Council of Trent and digested into four capital Assertions Whereof the first is that the whole substance of the Bread is chang'd into the substance of Christ's Body and the whole substance of the Wine into the substance of his Blood The grounds of this Assertion examin'd both as to the possibility and actual being of such a change What is alledg'd for the former of these from the substantial changes mention'd in the Scripture of no force in this particular because there is no appearance of the actual existing of those things into which the change was made at the instant the other were chang'd into them As little force shewn to be in the words This is my Body and This is my Blood to prove the actual change of the Sacramental Elements whether we consider the word This in the former words as denoting the Bread and Wine or The thing I now give you That supposed change farther impugned by such Scriptures as represent the Bread of the Eucharist as remaining after Consecration by the concurrent Testimony of Sense and the Doctrine of the Antient Fathers Enquiry next made into that Assertion which imports that the substances of the Sacramental Elements are so chang'd as to retain nothing of what they were before save only the Species thereof Where is shewn that if nothing of their respective Substances remain there must be an annihilation rather than a change and that there is as little ground for the remaining of the Species without them either from the nature of those Species the words of Consecration or the Testimony of Sense That the true Body and true Blood of Christ together with his Soul and Divinity are under the Species of the Sacramental Elements a third Capital Assertion in this Matter but hath as little ground in the words of Consecration as either of the former First because those words relate not to Christ's glorified Body and Blood which are the things affirmed to be contain'd under the Species of the Sacramental Elements but to Christ's Body as broken and to his Blood as shed at his Crucifixion Secondly because however they may import the being of that Body and Blood
that Body and Blood to us and a Pledge to assure us thereof If we consider the Sacramental Elements as being to become a Sign of Christ's crucified Body and Blood and accordingly to represent them both to our own Minds and those of others So it cannot but be thought necessary to declare whether by the words of the Institution or others for what purposes they are design'd and what they were intended to represent For those Elements (e) Expl. of the Sacr. in Gen. Part 2. being not so clear a representation of the things intended by them as by their own force to suggest them to the Minds of those for whom they were intended Being much less so clear a representation of them as to invite those to reflect upon them who are either slow of understanding or otherwise indisposed to contemplate them such as are the generality of Men It cannot but be thought necessary even upon that account to call in the assistance of such words as may declare to those that are concern'd for what ends and purposes they were appointed Otherwise Men may either look upon the whole of that Sacrament as a purely civil Action or if the Person that administreth it and other such like Circumstances prompt them to conceive of it as a religious one yet fancy to themselves such ends and purposes as are either different from or contrary to the due intendment of it And though it be true that in that Eucharist which our Saviour celebrated with his Disciples there appears no such declaration of the ends of Christ in it till he comes to admonish them to take what he gave as his Body and Blood which supposeth them to have been made so before Yet as it is clear from thence that he thought such a declaration to be necessary to manifest his ends in it so it is no way unlikely but rather highly probable that he interlaid that Thanksgiving and Prayer wherewith he is said to have bless'd the Elements of this Sacrament with a declaration of those ends for which they were designed by him It appearing not otherwise how that Thanksgiving and Prayer could have fitted the matter in hand or stirred up the Minds of his Disciples to intend it with that devotion which the importance thereof requir'd On the other side if we consider the Sacramental Elements as being to become a Means of communicating that Body and Blood to us and which is but consequent thereto a Pledge to assure us thereof So it is as little to be doubted but that it must be brought about by Thanksgiving to God on the one hand for giving him to die whose crucified Body and Blood this Sacrament was intended to convey and by Prayer to him on the other to make those Elements become the Communion of them The former because Thanksgiving appears to have been the Means by which our Saviour blessed them and moreover the principal design of this Sacrament toward God and which therefore unless we comply with we cannot reasonably hope for the Benefits of The latter because as hath been elsewhere shewn Prayer was a part of that Thanksgiving and because it is undoubtedly the general Means appointed by Christ for the obtaining of all Benefits whatsoever Which things how momentous soever I have thus lightly passed over because I have spoken to them sufficiently elsewhere and particularly where I intreated of the Institution of this Sacrament and of that Thanksgiving by which our Saviour is affirmed to have bless'd it That which in my opinion ought more especially to be considered is the usefulness of the former Resolution to compromise those Quarrels which have for some time been raised in this Argument For whilst some contend earnestly for Consecration by Thanksgiving and Prayer as they have reason enough to do upon the account of our Saviour's being affirmed to consecrate by it and of Justin Martyr Origen and several others representing the Elements of this Sacrament as becoming what they were intended by the force of those Thanksgivings and Prayers which were made over them And whilst others again contend as earnestly that they are made such by the words of the Institution and alledge with the same heat Irenaeus his affirming (f) Adv. haeres li. 5. cap. 2. the mixt Cup and broken Bread to become the Eucharist of Christ's Body and Blood by receiving the Word of God and St. Augustine's more celebrated saying that let the Word come to the Element and it becomes a Sacrament They say things which will be easily made to agree with each other if they who alledge them will but hear one another speak For it is the word of the Institution applied as that Institution directs which consecrates the Elements into those several relations which they assume And it is the same word of Institution declar'd which contributes more particularly to the making of those Elements become a Sign of Christ's Body and Blood But then as it is appli'd by Thanksgiving and Prayer because they are a part of its Commands as well as by a declaration of the whole So that Thanksgiving and Prayer contribute to those relations which do most ennoble them even those by which the Elements become the Communion of Christ's Body and Blood and a Pledge to assure us thereof Not by any force which is in the Letters and Syllables thereof as Aquinas makes Hoc est corpus meum and Hic est Calix sanguinis mei to do but by the force of that Institution which prescribes them and by their natural aptitude to dispose God to whom alone such great Effects are to be ascrib'd to give the Elements of this Sacrament those most excellent relations and efficacy PART X. Of the right Administration of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper The Contents Entrance made with enquiring How this Sacrament ought to be administred and therein again whether that Bread wherewith it is celebrated ought to be broken and whether he who administers this Sacrament is obliged by the words of the Institution or otherwise to make an offering unto God of Christ's Body and Blood as well as make a tender of the Sacrament thereof to Men. That the Bread of the Sacrament ought to be broken as that too for the better representation of the breaking of Christ's Body asserted against the Lutherans and their Arguments against it produc'd and answered Whether he who administers this Sacrament is obliged by the words of the Institution or otherwise to make an offering to God of Christ's Body and Blood in the next place enquir'd into and after a declaration of the Doctrine of the Council of Trent in this Affair consideration had of those grounds upon which the Fathers of that Council establish it The words Do this in remembrance of me more particularly animadverted upon and shewn not to denote such an Offering whether they be consider'd as referring to the several things before spoken of and particularly to what Christ himself had done or enjoyn'd the Apostles
in fine from Christ's telling S. Peter when he ask'd the washing of his Hands and Head as well as Feet that he who had been washed needeth not save to wash his feet An answer to the supposed silence of the Scripture concerning so early a Baptism and that shewn to be neither a perfect silence nor an unaccountable one p. 9. The Contents of the Third Part. Of the outward visible Sign of Baptism THe outward visible Sign of the Christian Baptism shewn to be the Element of Water and enquiry thereupon made wherein it was intended as a Sign Which is shewn in the general to be as to the cleansing quality thereof more particularly as to the use it was put to toward new born Infants and that application of it which was first in use even by an immersion or plunging the Party baptized in it Occasion taken from thence to enquire farther how it ought to be applyed more especially whether by an immersion or by that or an aspersion or effusion Evidence made of an immersion being the only legitimate Rite of Baptism save where necessity doth otherwise require And enquiry thereupon made whether necessity may justifie the Application of it by an Aspersion or Effusion and if it may whether the case of Infants be to be look'd upon as such a necessity What is to be thought of those additions which were antiently made or continue as yet in being in the outward solemnities of Baptism Where the sign of the Cross in Baptism is more particularly considered and answer made to those Exceptions that are made against it as a Ceremony as an addition of Men to the Institution of Christ and as a supposed Relique of Popery or giving too much countenance to the Papists abuses of it p. 17. A Digression concerning Original Sign by way of Preparation to the following Discourses The Contents OF the ground of the present Digression concerning Original Sin and enquiry thereupon made what Original Sin is Which is shewn in the General to be such a corruption of the Nature of every Man that is naturally engendered of the off-spring of Adam whereby it becomes averse from every thing that is good and inclinable to every thing that is evil The nature of that corruption more particularly enquir'd into and shewn by probable Arguments to be no other than a Privation of a Supernatural Grace That there is such a thing as we have before described evidenced at large from the Scripture and that evidence farther strengthned by the experience we have of its effects and the acknowledgments of the wiser Heathen Enquiry next made from whence it had its beginning which is shewn to have been not from any evil Spirit or Daemon the pravity of matter or the evil habits the Soul contracted in a praeexistent state but from the pravity of our first Parents This last at large confirm'd out of the Doctrine of the Scripture and followed by some light reflections upon the means by which it is conveyed A more just account from the Scripture of its being truly and properly a sin partly from its having the title of a sin but more especially from its being represented as such upon the account of our Obligation to the contrary A consideration of those Objections which are commonly made against the Doctrine of Original Sin Which are shewn either not to be of that force whereof they are esteem'd or however not to be a sufficient bar to what the Scripture hath declar'd concerning it p. 33. The Contents of the Fourth Part. Of the things signified by Baptism on the part of God or its inward and spiritual Grace THE things signified by Baptism are either more general or particular More general as that Covenant of Grace which paseth between God and Man and that body of Men which enter into Covenant with him More particular what the same God doth by vertue of that Covenant oblige himself to bestow upon the Baptized and what those Baptized ones do on their part undertake to perform These latter ones proposed to be considered and entrance made with the consideration of what God obligeth himself to bestow upon the Baptized called by the Church An inward and spiritual Grace Which inward and spiritual Grace is shewn to be of two sorts to wit such as tend more immediately to our spiritual and eternal welfare or such as only qualifie us for those Graces that do so To the former sort are reckon'd that inward and spiritual Grace which tends to free us from the guilt of sin called by the Church forgiveness of sin That which tends to free us from the pollution of sin called by our Catechism A death unto it And that which tends to introduce the contrary purity and hath the name of a New birth unto righteousness To the latter sort is reckoned our union to that Body of which Christ Jesus is the Head and by means whereof he dispenseth the former Graces to us Each of these resum'd and considered in their order and shewn to be what they are usually stil'd the inward and spiritual Graces of Baptism or the things signified by the outward visible Sign thereof p. 65 The Contents of the Fifth Part. Of Forgiveness of sin by Baptism OF the relation of the sign of Baptism to its inward and spiritual Grace and particularly to Forgiveness of sin Which is either that of a means fitted by God to convey it or of a pledge to assure the Baptized person of it The former of these relations more particularly considered as that too with respect to Forgiveness of Sin in the general or the Forgiveness of all Sin whatsoever and Original Sin in particular As to the former whereof is alledged first the Scriptures calling upon Men to be Baptiz'd for the remission or forgiveness of sin Secondly the Church's making that Forgiveness a part of her Belief and Doctrine Thirdly the agreeing opinions or practices of those who were either unsound members of it or Separatists from it And Fourthly the Calumnies of its enemies The like evidence made of the latter from the Scripture's proposing Baptism and its Forgiveness as a remedy against the greatest guilts and in special against that wrath which we are Children of by Nature From the premises is shewn that the sign of Baptism is a pledge to assure the Baptized of Forgiveness as well as a means fitted by God for the conveying of it p. 71 The Contents of the sixth Part. Of Mortification of sin and Regeneration by Baptism OF the relation of the sign of Baptism to such inward and spiritual Graces as tend to free us from the pollution of sin or introduce the contrary purity And that relation shewn to be no less than that of a means whereby they are convey'd This evidenced as to the former even our death unto sin which is also explain'd from such Texts of Scripture as make mention of our being baptiz'd into it and buried by Baptism in it or from such as describe us as
cleansed by the washing of it The like evidenc'd from the same Scripture concerning the latter even our new birth unto righteousness As that again farther clear'd as to this particular by the consentient Doctrine and practice of the Church by the opinion the Jews had of that Baptism which was a Type and exemplar of ours and the expressions of the Heathen concerning it The Doctrine of the Church more largely insisted upon and exemplified from Justin Martyr Tertullian and S. Cyprian p. 77 The Contents of the Seventh Part. Of our Union to the Church by Baptism OF the relation of the sign of Baptism to our Vnion to the Church and that relation shewn to be no less than that of a means whereby that Vnion is made This evidenc'd in the first place from the declarations of the Scripture more particularly from its affirming all Christians to be baptiz'd into that Body as those who were first baptiz'd after the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles to have been thereby added to their company and made partakers with the rest in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship in breaking of Bread and in Prayers The like evidence of the same Union to the Church by Baptism from the declarations of the Church it self and the consequences of that Vnion shewn to be such as to make that also to be accounted one of the inward and spiritual Graces of that Baptism by which it is made p. 85 The Contents of the Eighth Part. Of the Profession that is made by the Baptized Person THE things signified by Baptism on the part of the baptized brought under consideration and shewn from several former discourses which are also pointed to to be an Abrenunciation of sin a present belief of the Doctrine of Christianity and particularly of the Trinity and a resolution for the time to come to continue in that belief and act agreeably to its Laws Our resolution of acting agreeably to the Laws of Christianity more particularly consider'd and the Profession thereof shewn by several Arguments to be the intendment of the Christian Baptism What the measure of that conformity is which we profess to pay to the Laws of Christianity and what are the consequences of the Violation of that Profession p. 89 The Contents of the Ninth Part. Of the right Administration of Baptism AFter a short account of the Foundation of the Baptismal relation and reference made to those places from which a larger one may be fetch'd Enquiry is made touching the right Administration of Baptism as therein again First Whether Baptism ought expresly to be made in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Secondly whether Schismaticks and Hereticks are valid Administratours of it Thirdly to what and what kind of persons it ought to be administred Fourthly Whether it may be repeated The two first of these spoken to here and first Whether Baptism ought to be expresly administred in the form propos'd Which is not only shewn to be under obligation from the express words of the Institution but answer made to those Texts which seem to intimate it to be enough to baptize in the name of the Lord Jesus only The Baptism of Schismaticks and Hereticks more largely shewn to be valid unless where they baptize into a counterfeit Faith and the several objections against it answer'd p. 95 The Contents of the Tenth Part. Of the Baptism of those of riper Years TO what and what kind of persons Baptism ought to be administred Which as to those of riper years is shewn to be unto all that come duly qualified for it What those qualifications are upon that account enquir'd into and Repentance and Faith shewn from the Scripture as well as from our own Catechism to be they That Repentance and Faith more particularly considered the definitions given of them by our Church explain'd and established The former whereof is effected by shewing what Repentance doth presuppose what it imports and to what it doth naturally dispose us The latter by shewing what those promises are which by the Catechism are made the object of our Faith or Belief what that Belief of them doth presuppose what is meant by a stedfast Belief of them and what evidence there is of that being the Faith or Belief requir'd to the receiving of Baptism p. 103 The Contents of the Eleventh Part. Of the Baptism of Infants WHat ground Infant-Baptism hath in Scripture and particularly in what it suggests concerning Christ's commanding his Disciples to suffer little Children to come unto him S. Paul's giving the Children of the faithful the title of Holy and the Circumcision of Infants The concurrence of Antiquity therein with the Doctrine of the Scripture and that concurrence fartherstrengthned by the Pelagians so freely admitting of what was urg'd against them from thence A brief account of that remission and regeneration which Infants acquire by Baptism and a more large consideration of the Objections that are made against it More particularly of what is urg'd against the Regeneration of Infants in Baptism or their ability to answer what is prerequir'd to it on the part of persons to be baptiz'd or is to be performed by them in the reception of it Where the Regeneration of Infants is more largely considered and what is promis'd for them by others shewn to be both reasonable and sufficient p. 111 The Contents of the Twelfth Part. Whether Baptism may be repeated WHat the true state of the present question is and that it is not founded in any suppos'd illegitimateness of the former Baptism but upon supposition of the baptized persons either not having before had or forfeited the regeneration of it or fallen off from that Religion to which it doth belong Whereupon enquiry is made whether if such persons repent and return they ought to be baptiz'd anew or received into the Church without What there is to perswade the repeating of Baptism and what the Church hath alledg'd against it The Churches arguments from Eph. 4.4 and John 13.10 proposed but wav'd The Churches opinion more firmly established in the no direction there is in Scripture for re-baptization in those cases but rather the contrary and in the no necessity there is of it The Arguments for rebaptization answer'd p. 131 ERRATA In the Text. PAg. 22. l. 1. after do add not p. 47. l. 46. after of add that p. 81. l. 3. corruption p. 109. l. 32. for boyl r. boglt In the Margent Pag. 3. l. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. l. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 23. l. 44. for Sacramentum r. incrementa p. 83. l. pmult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OF THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM PART I. Of the Rite of Baptism among the HEATHEN and the JEWS The Contents The Heathen themselves not without the knowledge of another World and of the insufficiency of natural Religion to bring them to the happiness thereof Occasion taken by them from thence to enquire after other ways of obtaining it and by the
to their Youth that it should not be derived to them from their Conception and Birth The Ages preceding that being not in a capacity to produce in themselves such an evil principle and therefore to be suppos'd to have had it transmitted to them together with their Nature and so also by the same means and from the same time in which that their Nature was And indeed as even the tenderest age falls under death and not unreasonably therefore concluded to be some way or other under sin if as S. Paul †Rom. 5.12 speaks death enter'd by it and so pass'd upon all Men for that all have sinned So there want not some places of Scripture which do yet more directly evince that the first beginnings of our Nature are tainted with that of which we speak Of this sort I reckon that of Job (a) Job 14.4 which is so commonly apply'd to this affair even his demanding of God with reference to himself (b) Job 1 c. and all other Men who could bring a clean thing out of an unclean and thereby therefore intimating that it was not to be done For as it is manifest from his alledging that the better to countenance his own expostulation concerning God's bringing him into judgment tha by the unavoidable uncleanness there intimated must be meant a sinful one as which alone could either dispose him to such actions as could be a proper matter for judgment or be alledged in bar to a severe one So it is alike manifest from Job's asking who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean that Men are not only so unclean in their Nature but that they become so by those evil principles out of which they are brought and so also from the time that they were separated from them Of the same Nature is that of our Saviour where he asserts the necessity of Men's being born again of water and the Spirit upon the account of their being before but flesh (c) Joh. 3.6 because born of flesh For as we cannot well understand our Saviour of any other flesh than flesh corrupted or rather of the whole Nature that is so Partly because of the opposition that is there made (d) Ibid. between a fleshly and spiritual temper and partly because that is the most usual notion of it in the New (e) Rom. 7.18 25. Gal. 5.19 24. Testament So neither therefore but conclude all Men to become such flesh by those fleshly persons from whom they are born and so also from the time that they receive their being from them But of all the Texts of Scripture which are commonly alledged in this affair even the earliness of that evil principle wherewith we have said all Men to be imbued there is certainly none of greater force than the profession that David makes (f) Psal 51.5 that he was shapen or born in iniquity and conceiv'd by his Mother in sin That if it entreat of the Corruption of humane Nature making it as early as the first beginnings of it because speaking as manifestly of its Conception (g) Ham. Annot. in locum and Birth And indeed as we have no reason to believe from any thing the Scripture hath said concerning David or his Parents that what he spake of his own formation was to be understood of that alone so we have much less reason to believe that he intended any other thing by the sin and iniquity thereof than that Original Corruption whereof we speak For beside that the letter of the Text is most agreeable to that notion and not therefore without manifest reason to be diverted to another Beside that that sense is put upon it by the most eminent Fathers (h) Voss Pelag. Hist l. 2. Part. 1. Thes 1. of the Church and the Doctrine contained in it confirm'd by the concordant (i) Ibid. Thes 6. testimonies of them all Beside that that sense hath the suffrage of one of the most learned (k) Ham. ubi supra of the Jewish Writers as the thing it self the consentient belief of all the rest Aben Ezra resolving the meaning of the Psalmist to be that in the hour of his Nativity the evil figment was planted in his heart even that Concupiscence as he afterward interprets himself by which he was drawn into sin Beside all these I say it is no less agreeable to the scope of the whole Psalm and particularly to the care he takes in the Verse before to condemn himself for his offences and so justifie the severity of God if he should think good to take vengeance of them For what could be more sutable to that than to lay open together with his actual sins that polluted Fountain from whence they came and so shew himself to be vile upon more accounts than one and God to have as many reasons to chastise him And I shall only add that as that sense cannot therefore be fairly refus'd because conformable to the design of the Psalmist as well as to the letter of the Text it self and to the interpretation of the Antients as well as either So they seem to me to add no small confirmation to it who can find no other means to elude it than by making the words of the same sence with that hyperbolical expression of the same Author where he affirms (l) Psal 58.3 that the wicked are estranged from the Womb and that as soon as they are born they go astray speaking lies For as it cannot be deny'd that there is a very wide difference between Men's being conceived and born in sin and their going astray from their Mother's Womb and their own birth This latter expression importing that iniquity which follows after it whereas the former denotes the condition of the Conception and Birth it self So it is evident from what the Psalmist adds in the place alledged concerning the wicked's speaking lies that he there entreats of actual sins which as no Man denies to require a more mature Age for the perpetration of so make it necessary to allow an Hyperbole in it Whereas the place we insist upon hath not the least umbrage of actual sins and is therefore under no necessity of being interpreted conformably to it But because it can hardly be imagin'd but if there be such a thing as Original sin it will produce sutable effects in those in whom it is And because it can as little be thought but that those effects will lye open to the observation of all that shall take the pains to reflect upon them Therefore enquire we in the next place whether that Original Sin whereof we speak doth not discover it self by sutable effects and so add yet farther strength to what the Scripture hath affirm'd concerning it A thing not to be doubted of if we reflect upon the behaviour of Children as soon as they come to have any use of reason For do not some of those as the Psalmist speaks (m) Ibid. go
a sign of our new birth because by the former Texts as manifestly relating to it But so we shall be yet more fully perswaded if it carry in it a representation of that new birth to which it doth relate Which that it doth will need no other proof than its being an apt representation of that spiritual purity which the Soul puts on at its first conversion and wherein indeed its new birth (q) Eph. 4.24 consists For so it is in part by that cleansing quality which is natural to it and which induceth a purity in those bodies to which it is applied But especially by the use that was formerly made of it toward the washing of new-born Infants from those impurities which they contracted from the Womb This last serving to set forth the first beginnings of our spiritual purity as well as the former doth that purity it self And I shall only add that as a resurrection from the Dead is also a kind of new Birth and accordingly so represented by the Scriptures themselves witness their entituling our Saviour upon the account of his Resurrection the first-begotten (r) Col. 1.18 from the dead yea making that Resurrection of his to be a completion (Å¿) Acts 13.33 of that signal prediction of God (t) Psal 2.7 Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee So the same Scriptures do not only represent our new birth unto Righteousness under the notion of a Resurrection but sufficiently intimate that whether Birth or Resurrection to be a Grace signified by it Because not only admonishing us to look upon our selves as alive unto God by Baptism (u) Rom. 6.11 as well as dead unto sin in it but as risen (w) Col. 2 12. with Christ therein through the faith of the operation of him who raised him from the dead For how come Men by reason of their being alive unto God through Baptism to be affirmed to have risen with Christ in it but upon the account of that Baptism of theirs being a representation of that new life or birth which we have by the means of it as well as of the Resurrection of our Saviour I will conclude what I have to say concerning the inward and Spiritual Grace of Baptism when I have taken notice of that which though it do not immediately tend to our spiritual and eternal welfare yet qualifies us for those Graces that do Even our union to that Body of which Christ Jesus is the Head and by means of which he dispenseth the other graces to us For that that is also signified by the outward visible sign of Baptism will appear if we consider that visible sign as having a relation to it and then as having the relation of a sign Of the former whereof as S. Paul will not suffer us to doubt because affirming all (x) 1 Cor. 12.13 whether Jews or Gentiles to be baptiz'd into that body So there will be as little doubt of the other from the general design of its institution and from what S. Paul intimates in the former place concerning it That expression of being baptized into the body of Christ importing our being receiv'd by Baptism within it as the body of the Baptized is within those waters wherein he is immersed Which will consequently make that Rite a true and proper sign of Our Union to Christ's Body and that union therefore a thing signified by it Such are the things which are by Baptism signified on the part of God and Christ or that I may speak in the language of our Church the inward and spiritual Graces thereof It remains that I also shew the things signified by it on the part of the Baptized even an Abrenunciation of their former sins and a resolution to believe and act as Christianity obligeth them to do But because both the one and the other of these will be more clearly understood if they be handled apart and whatsoever is to be known concerning each of them laid as near together as may be Therefore having begun to entreat of the inward and spiritual Grace of Baptism I will continue my Discourse concerning it and accordingly go on to enquire what farther relation the outward visible sign of Baptism hath to its inward and Spiritual Grace or Graces and first of all to Forgiveness of sin PART V. Of Forgiveness of sin by Baptism The Contents Of the relation of the sign of Baptism to its inward and spiritual Grace and particularly to Forgiveness of sin Which is either that of a means fitted by God to convey it or of a pledge to assure the Baptized person of it The former of these relations more particularly considered as that too with respect to Forgiveness of Sin in the general or the Forgiveness of all Sin whatsoever and Original Sin in particular As to the former whereof is alledged first the Scriptures calling upon Men to be Baptiz'd for the remission or forgiveness of sin Secondly the Church's making that Forgiveness a part of her Belief and Doctrine Thirdly the agreeing opinions or practices of those who were either unsound members of it or Separatists from it And Fourthly the Calumnies of its enemies The like evidence made of the latter from the Scripture's proposing Baptism and its Forgiveness as a remedy against the greatest guilts and in special against that wrath which we are Children of by Nature From the premises is shewn that the sign of Baptism is a pledge to assure the Baptized of Forgiveness as well as a means fitted by God for the conveying of it NOW as the outward visible sign of Baptism hath beside that of a sign the relation of a means fitted by God to convey the inward and spiritual Grace and of a pledge to assure the Baptized person of it So being now to entreat of its relation to that of the Forgiveness of sins we must therefore consider it under each of them and first as a means fitted by God for the conveying of it In the handling whereof I will proceed in this method First I will shew that it hath indeed such a relation to Forgiveness in the general Secondly that it hath such a relation to the Forgiveness of all sins whatsoever and particularly of Original That the outward visible sign of Baptism hath such a relation to Forgiveness in the general will appear from the ensuing Topicks I. From the plain and undoubted Doctrine of the Scripture II. From the consentient Doctrine and Belief of the Church III. From the whether practices or opinions of the unsound members of it or Separatists from it IV. From the Calumnies of the open Enemies thereof I. What the Doctrine of the Scripture is in this affair cannot be unknown to any who have reflected upon what S. Peter said to those Jews who demanded of him and his fellow Apostles what they should do to avert the guilt they had contracted and what Ananias said to Paul who was remitted to him upon the same account
For to the former S. Peter made answer among other things that they should be baptiz'd * Acts 2.38 for the remission of sins Which shews what Baptism was intended for and what therefore if they were duly qualified they might certainly expect from it To the latter Ananias that he should arise and be baptized †Acts 22 16. and wash away his sins Which effect as it cannot be thought-to referr to any thing but the preceding Baptism and therefore neither but make that Baptism the proper means of accomplishing it So can much less be thought to exclude or rather not principally to intend the washing away the guilt of them Partly because as was before observ'd that is the most usual sense of washing away sins and partly because most agreeable to the disconsolate condition Paul was then in as well as to the foregoing declaration of S. Peter II. To the Doctrine of the Scripture subjoyn we the consentient Doctrine and belief of the Church as which though it cannot add to the Authority of the other yet will no doubt conferr much to the clearing of its sense and of that Doctrine which we have deduced from it Now what evidence there is of such a consent will need no other proof than the Doctrine of her Creed * Creed in the Communion-serv and the use she made of the simple Baptism of Infants to establish against the Pelagians the being of that Original Sin they call'd in question For how otherwise could the Church call upon Men to declare that they believ'd one Baptism for the remission of sins Yea though she thought it otherwise necessary to inculcate Baptism as well as remission and the single administration of it as well as either For beside that both the one and the other might have been declar'd by themselves as well as in the tenour wherein they are now exhibited Had it not been a thing otherwise certain that remission of sins was an effect of Baptism to have subjoyn'd it to Baptism as it is now would have been a means to render it uncertain and consequently all the hopes of a Christian together with it Again if there had been any the least doubt in the Church concerning this relation of Baptism I mean as a means to convey remission of sins to the Baptized party How could she have made use of the simple Baptism (a) Voss Hist Velag li. 2. Part. 2. Antithes 4. of Infants to establish against the Pelagians the being of that Original sin which they call'd in question For that Argument of hers proceeding upon the supposition of remission of sins by Baptism as that again upon the supposition of something to be remitted in the party baptized which in Infants could be no other than that Original Sin which she asserted If Baptism had not been certainly intended for the remission of sins that argument of hers had been of no force yea rather weakned than any way strengthened that Original Sin which she maintain'd Especially when it was a like certain and accordingly reply'd by the Pelagians (b) Voss ibid. Thes 4. that Baptism had other uses and for which it might be suppos'd to have been conferr'd upon Infants though they had nothing at all of sinful in them III. But beside the suffrage of the Church of God which both publish'd this Doctrine in her Creed and argued others from it It is farther to be observ'd that those who were none of the soundest members of it nor indeed as yet perfect ones confirm'd it by their opinions and practices as they also did in some measure who yet separated from it in this affair Witness for the former their deferring their Baptism to their death beds Whether as the Fathers (c) Tertul. de Poenitent c. 8. sometime charg'd them that they might sin so much the more securely in the mean time or as I rather think for the most part because they were not well assur'd of the like efficacious means for the forgiveness of them For which soever of these two were the occasion of that delay manifest it is even from thence that they had a high opinion of the forgiveness of sin by Baptism but much more from the hazard they ran of going out of the World without it and the contrariety of that their delay to the practice of the first Christians (d) Acts 2.41 as well as to the sentiments (e) Cod. Eccl. Vniv can 57. of their own times concerning it It being not to be thought that Men of ordinary prudence would run upon so great an irregularity as well as danger unless they also believ'd that if they hapned to obtain Baptism they should obtain together with it so plentiful a forgiveness as would make ample amends for the other And though we cannot so reasonably expect the like evidence from Hereticks and much less from those whose business was in a great measure to depretiate the value of Baptism as it is certain the Pelagians was Yet as even they as was before (f) Expl. of Bapt. Part 4. observ'd allow'd the Baptizing of Infants into the same rule of Faith with those of riper years and consequently into remission of sins So they denyed not as to Men of riper years (g) Voss Hist Pelag. li. 2. Part. 2. Thes 4. that Baptism was efficacious toward it and that as they were baptiz'd into the belief of remission of sins so they receiv'd that remission by it IV. In fine so notorious as well as prevalent was the Doctrine of forgiveness of sin by Baptism that the adversaries of the Church and of Christianity took occasion from thence to calumniate them for it and made that Doctrine of theirs one of their greatest crimes Of which to omit others we have a remarkable proof in Julian (h) Orat. cui tit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 53. who makes Constantius or rather Christianity in him thus to bespeak the World Whosoever is a corrupter of Women or a Murtherer or impure or abominable let him come with confidence For having wash'd him with this water I will make him presently clean And though he be afterward guilty of the like crimes yet I will take care to cleanse him from them if he will but smite his breast and knock his head The former part whereof is a manifest allusion to Baptism and its effects the latter to the penitential discipline of the Church And it ought the rather to be taken notice of because as it bears witness to that forgiveness of sin by Baptism which hath been hitherto our design to advance so it will contribute in part toward the proving what comes next in order even That the outward visible sign of Baptism hath that relation whereof we speak to the forgiveness of all sins whatsoever and particularly of Original Sin There being little doubt as to the formerof these if as Christianity is there made to speak adultery and murther were wash'd away by the waters of it
But so that Christianity it self taught as well as was affirmed by this its adversary to do is not only evident from what hath been elsewhere said (i) Expl. of the Creed Art The forgiveness of sins concerning its tendering forgiveness of sins indefinitely and particularly in the laver of Baptism but from the quality of those criminals whom it invited to forgiveness by it For thus we find it to have done those Jews (k) Acts 2.38 whom it before charg'd (l) Acts 2.23 with the murther of our Lord and him in particular (m) Acts 22.16 who elsewhere (n) 1 Tim. 1.13 confesseth himself to have been a blasphemer a persecuter and injurious yea was intent upon that execrable employment at the time he was first invited to forgiveness But therefore as I cannot either conceive or allow of any other abatement in this forgiveness than that which is to be made upon account of the sin against the Holy Ghost and which what it is hath been elsewhere (o) Expl. of the Creed Art The forgiveness c. declar'd So I shall need only to take notice of the reference it hath to that Original Sin which is the unhappy parent of all the rest Not that there can be any great doubt as to the pardon of that where it appears that the most heinous actual sins are pardoned but because Baptism hath been thought by our Church (p) See the Office of Bapt. and the Catechism to have a more peculiar reference to it and because if it can be prov'd to have such a reference to its forgiveness it will be of signal use to shew the necessity of baptizing Infants in whom that sin doth alike predominate Now though it be hard to find any one Text of Scripture where that forgiveness whereof we speak is expresly attributed to Baptism Yet will it not be difficult to deduce it from that (q) Eph. 2.1 c. which I have before shewn to entreat of our becoming the children of wrath by nature as well as by the wickedness of our conversations For opposing to the corruption or rather deadness which accrues by both the quickning we have together with Christ and which quickning he elsewhere (r) Col. 2.12 as expresly affirms to be accomplished in us by Baptism Affirming moreover that quickning to bring salvation (Å¿) Eph. 2 5-8 and peace (t) Eph. 2 14-17 and reconciliation (u) Eph. 2.16 for so he discourseth of it in the following Verses of that Chapter he must consequently make that quickning and the means of it to tend to the forgiveness of both and particularly of natural corruption Because as that quickning is by him oppos'd to both so it must in this particular be look'd upon as more peculiarly opposed to the latter because that is more peculiarly affirm'd to make Men the Children of wrath and vengeance Such evidence there is of the outward visible sign of Baptism being a means fitted by God to convey that forgiveness whereof we speak And we shall need no other proof than that of its being also a pledge to assure the baptized person of it For since God cannot be suppos'd to fit any thing for an end which he doth not on his part intend to accomplish by it He who knows himself to partake of that which is fitted by God to convey forgiveness of sin may know alike and be assur'd as to the part of God of his receiving that forgiveness as well as the outward means of its conveyance For which cause in my Discourse of its other inward and spiritual Graces I shall take notice only of that outward and visible sign as a means fitted by God to convey them because its being also a pledge may be easily deduced from it PART VI. Of Mortification of sin and Regeneration by Baptism The Contents Of the relation of the sign of Baptism to such inward and spiritual Graces as tend to free us from the pollution of sin or introduce the contrary purity And that relation shewn to be no less than that of a means whereby they are convey'd This evidenced as to the former even our death unto sin which is also explain'd from such Texts of Scripture as make mention of our being baptiz'd into it and buried by Baptism in it or from such as describe us as cleansed by the washing of it The like evidenc'd from the same Scripture concerning the latter even our new birth unto righteousness As that again farther clear'd as to this particular by the consentient Doctrine and practice of the Church by the opinion the Jews had of that Baptism which was a Type and exemplar of ours and the expressions of the Heathen concerning it The Doctrine of the Church more largely insisted upon and exemplified from Justin Martyr Tertullian and S. Cyprian I Have considered the sign of Baptism hitherto in its relation to Forgiveness that Grace which tends to free men from their guilt and is for that purpose convey'd by Baptism to us I come now to consider it in its relation to those which either tend to free them from the pollution of sin best known by the name of a Death unto it or to introduce the contrary righteousness and is call'd a new birth unto it Where again I shall shew in each of them that as the outward work of Baptism hath the relation of a sign unto them so it hath equally the relation of a means fitted by God to convey them and where it is duly receiv'd doth not fail to introduce them To begin as is but meet with that which hath the name of a Death unto sin because sin must be first subdu'd before the contrary quality can be introduc'd Where first I will enquire what we are to understand by it and then what evidence there is of the sign of Baptism's being fitted to convey it For the better understanding the former whereof we are to know that as Men by the corruption of their nature are inclined unto sin and yet more by the irregularity of their conversations so those inclinations are to the persons in whom they are as a principle of life to a living Creature and accordingly do both dispose them to act sutably thereto and make them brisk and vigorous in it Now as it cannot well be expected that where such inclinations prevail Men should pursue those things which piety and vertue prompt them to so it was the business of Philosophy first and afterwards of Religion if not wholly to destroy those inclinations yet at least to subdue them in such sort that they should be in a manner dead and the persons in whom they were so far forth dead also They neither finding in themselves the like inclinations to actual sin nor hurried on by them when they did How little able Philosophy was to contribute to so blessed an effect is not my business to shew nor indeed will there be any need of it after what I have
I have the more willingly taken notice of it because it comes so near even in its expression to what our Catechism hath represented as the inward and spiritual Grace thereof There being no great difference between a death of crimes and life of vertues which is the expression of that Father and a death unto sin and a new birth unto righteousness which is the other's And I shall only add that as the Doctrine of the Church must therefore be thought to bear sufficient testimony to Baptism's being a means of our regeneration So its practice is in this particular answerable to its Doctrine and though in another way proclaims the same thing Witness what hath been elsewhere observ'd concerning its giving Milk and Hony (t) See Part 3. to the new Baptized person as to an Infant new-born its requiring him presently after Baptism to say (u) Expl. of the Lord's Prayer in the words Our Fa heâ— De vitâ B. Martini c. 1. Necdum tamen regeneratus in Christo agebat quendam bonis operibus Baptismatis candidaâ—um Our Father c. as a testimony of his Son-ship by it And in fine its making use of the word regenerated to signifie Baptized As is evident for the Greek Writers from what was but now quoted out of Justin Martyr and from Sulpitâ—us Severus among the Latins Which things put together make it yet more clear that whatever it may be now accounted yet the Church of God ever look'd upon the Sacrament of Baptism as a mean of our internal regeneration And indeed as it is hard to believe that it ought to be otherwise esteem'd considering what hath been alledg'd either from Scripture or the declarations of the Church So it will appear to be yet harder if we consider the opinion of the Jews concerning that which may seem to have been both it's Type and exemplar For as I have made it appear before (w) Part 1. that even they were not without their Baptism and such a one as was moreover intended for the same general ends for which both their Circumcision was and our Baptism is So I have made it appear also (x) Ibid. that the persons so baptiz'd among them were accounted as persons new-born yea so far that after that time they were not to own any of their former relations In fine that that new birth was look'd upon as so singular that it gave occasion to their Cabalistical Doctors to teach that the old soul of the Baptized Proselyte vanished and a new one succeeded in its place For if this was the condition of that Type of Christian Baptism how much more of the Antitype thereof Especially when it is farther probable as hath been also (y) Part 2. noted from the discourse of our Saviour to Nicodemus that he both alluded in it to that Baptism of theirs and intimated the conformity of his own Baptism to it in that particular And though after so full an evidence of this relation of Baptism to regeneration it may seem hardly worth our while to alledge the expressions of the Heathen concerning it Yet I cannot forbear for the conformity thereof to the present argument to take notice of one remarkable one of Lucian (z) Lucian Philopatr p. 999. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who brings in one Triepho thus discoursing after his scoffing manner But when saith he that Galilean lighted upon me who had a bald Pate a great Nose who ascended up to the third Heaven and there learn'd the most excellent things meaning as is suppos'd S. Paul he renewed us by water made us to tread in the footsteps of the blessed and deliver'd us from the Regions of the ungodly In which passage under the title of renewing men by water he personates the Christian Doctrine concerning their being regenerated or renewed by Baptism and accordingly makes it the subject of his reproach PART VII Of our Vnion to the Church by Baptism The Contents Of the relation of the sign of Baptism to our Vnion to the Church and that relation shewn to be no less than that of a means whereby that Vnion is made This evidenc'd in the first place from the declarations of the Scripture more particularly from its affirming all Christians to be baptiz'd into that Body as those who were first baptiz'd after the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles to have been thereby added to their company and made partakers with the rest in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship in breaking of Bread and in Prayers The like evidence of the same Union to the Church by Baptism from the declarations of the Church it self and the consequences of that Vnion shewn to be such as to make that also to be accounted one of the inward and spiritual Graces of that Baptism by which it is made HAving thus given an account of such inward and spiritual Graces of Baptism as tend more immediately to our spiritual and eternal welfare It remains that I say somewhat of that which though of no such immediate tendency yet is not without all because qualifying us for the reception of the other That Vnion I mean which we thereby obtain to Christ's mystical body the Church and by which we who were before Aliens from it as well as from God and Christ become members of the Church and partakers of the several priviledges thereof Which Vnion if any Man scruple to reckon among the inward and spiritual Graces of Baptism properly so call'd I will not contend with him about it Provided he also allow of it as a thing signified by it on the part of God and Christ and as moreover a Grace and favour to the person on whom it is bestow'd For as that is all I ask at present concerning the Union now in question So what I farther mean by it's being an inward and spiritual Grace shall be clear'd in the process of this Discourse and receive that establishment which it requires In order whereunto I will shew the outward and visible sign of Baptism to be a means whereby that Union is made and then point out the consequences of that Union That the outward visible sign of Baptism is in the nature of a means whereby we are united to the Church will appear if we reflect upon what the Scripture hath said concerning it or the agreeing declarations of the Church it self For what else to begin with the former can S. Paul * 1 Cor. 12.13 be thought to mean where he affirms all whether Jews or Gentiles or of what ever other outward differences to have been baptiz'd by one spirit into one body For as it is plain from the foregoing †1 Cor. 12.12 verse or verses that S. Paul entreats of Christ's Body the Church and consequently that the baptizing here spoken of must be meant of our Baptizing into it So it is alike plain from what it was designed to prove as well as from the natural force of the expression that it was
set to denote also our being united to it thereby For as we cannot impose a more natural sense upon Baptized into that body than our being receiv'd by Baptism into it as the Baptized person is within the water and consequently some way united to it So much less if we consider what it was intended to prove even * 1 Cor. 12.12 that Christians how many soever are but that one body For how doth their being baptiz'd into it prove them to be that one Body but that that visible sign by which they are so unites them to one another and to the whole A meer sign of Union though it may shew what the partakers thereof ought to be yet being no just proof of what they are and much less as S. Paul seems to argue that they are so by the means of it And indeed as it will therefore be hard to make the sign here spoken of to be any thing less than a means of our Union to the Church So especially if we consider what is elsewhere said concerning those who first after the descent of the Holy Ghost were baptized in the name of Christ S. Luke not only affirming of those new baptiz'd ones that they were added to (a) Acts 2.41 the Apostles and their other company which he afterwards expresseth (b) Acts 2.47 by added to the Church but that they were partakers (c) Acts 2.42 with the rest in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in Prayers For this shews their having an interest in all the priviledges of that Body and therefore much more their being united to it But so it appears that the Antient Church esteemed of it whose determination is of the more force because it is only about the supposed means of Union to its own Body Justin Martyr after he had spoken of the baptizing of such as offer'd themselves to the Christian Church which he himself expresseth when so baptiz'd by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or conjoyned with themselves affirming that they were immediately brought where the brethren were assembled there to partake with them of the common Prayers that were then offer'd up of the kiss of peace and of the Lord's Supper Which last particular I have the more confidently represented the new baptized persons as then admitted to because the same Father doth not only make no distinction between them and the other brethren in it though he subjoyns the business of the Eucharist to the former Prayers and kiss of peace but affirms the same Eucharist presently after to be lawful to none to partake of but those that believ'd their Doctrine receiv'd the laver of regeneration and liv'd as Christ delivered For as he intimates there by the admission of those that believ'd and were baptiz'd if they were also such as liv'd as Christ deliver'd which the new baptized were in reason to be accounted till they had given proof to the contrary So there is reason to believe from the use of Excommunication in the Church that that addition of living as Christ deliver'd was not made to bar the new baptized from it till they gave farther proof of such a life but to intimate the exclusion of those who after they had been admitted to it liv'd otherwise than Christianity prescrib'd So making the persons excluded the unbaptiz'd or ill living Christians and consequently the contrary thereto admitted I deny not indeed that the Rite of Confirmation did very antiently come between the receiving of Baptism and the Eucharist I deny not farther because of what was before (d) Expl. of the Sacrament in general Part 4. quoted from Justin Martyr concerning the particular Prayer that was made for the new baptized person that the substance thereof was then in use even prayer for grace for him to live as he had but now profess'd But as the design of Confirmation appears to have been to procure for the new baptiz'd a more plentiful effusion of God's Graces which is no intimation at all of his having been before no perfect Christian or not perfectly united to the Church so Baptism may for all that be look'd upon as the means of our Union to the Church which is all that I have taken upon me to assert For the farther evidencing whereof I will in the next place alledge a passage of Tertullian (e) De Bapt c. 6. which will though not so directly prove the same thing That I mean where he saith that when the profession of our faith and sponsion of our salvation are pledged under the three witnesses before spoken of there is necessarily added thereto the mention of the Church because where those three are even the Father Son and Holy Ghost there is also the Church which is the body of the Three For as it is evident from thence that Men were even from his time baptiz'd expresly into the belief of the Church as well as into the belief of the Trinity So it will not be difficult to inferr that they were also baptiz'd into the unity thereof and made members of the Church by it Because as he affirms the Trinity to become Sponsors of our Salvation in Baptism as well as either Witnesses or objects of our Profession So he affirms those Sponsors to be as it were embodyed in the Church and consequently to exert their saving influences within it which supposeth Men's being united to it by Baptism in order to their partaking of the salutariness of the other And indeed though in that form which our Saviour prescrib'd (f) Matt. 28.19 for Baptism there is mention only of baptizing in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost yet inasmuch as he prescrib'd that very form for the making of Disciples (g) Ibid. by he must consequently be suppos'd to propose it for the aggregating them to that body which he had already begun to frame and making them alike members of it There being therefore no doubt to be made of the outward visible sign of Baptism being a means of our Vnion to Christ's mystical body the Church it may not be amiss if it were only to manifest the great advantages thereof as to that particular to shew the consequences of that Vnion Which we shall find in the general to be a right to all those priviledges which Christ hath purchas'd for it More particularly to the partaking of its Sacred Offices and in and through the means of them of those inward and spiritual Graces which those Sacred Offices were intended to procure or convey For every member of a Society being by that membership of his entituled to all the priviledges that belong to it as such He who becomes a member of Christ's Body the Church as every Man who is united to it by Baptism doth must in his proportion be entituled to all those priviledges which Christ hath purchas'd for it and particularly to the priviledge of partaking of its sacred Offices and in and by the means of
By GABRIEL TOWERSON D. D. IMPRIMATUR Liber cui Titulus Of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper c. By Dr. Gabriel Towerson H. Maurice RRmo in Christo P. D. Wilhelmo Archiep. Cant. Ã Sacris Octob. 24. 1687. LONDON Printed for Richard Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in S. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXXVIII TO THE Right Reverend FATHER in GOD FRANCIS Lord Bishop of ELY My Lord I Am now at an end of a long and laborious Work begun and carried on in the more prosperous times of our Church but finished with no less Zeal for that Religion which she professeth and with an equal if not greater regard to Your Lordship who to your own immortal Honour and the satisfaction of all good Men have so firmly adhered to it The Argument that is now before me hath I doubt not been handled by much better Pens and if I may judge by those few Treatises which I have seen in a way worthy of the Age we live in and of that Religion which we have the honour to profess But whether any one Man hath spoken to the several parts thereof which is my proper Business is more than I my self have observed or receiv'd any intimation of from other Men. However I have been so fearful of transcribing the Conceptions of others that I have avoided to look into many things which I my self might have profited by As conceiving that a Man 's own natural thoughts how slight soever may be more useful and acceptable than a repetition of far better ones of other Men. If whilst I too eagerly pursue my own thoughts I sometime happen to stumble they who consider the honesty of my Design will I hope be more ready to pity and pardon than any way insult over my Infirmities Which hopes I am the more confirmed in because I have all along had the Scripture in my Eye and particularly those parts thereof which give an account of the Institution of this Sacrament and by which if by any thing we must attain a due understanding of it If what I have offer'd upon this and the other parts of our Churches Catechism may be so useful to its Members as to furnish them with a General Idea of the Doctrines it contains and sufficient Arguments to confirm them I shall think my Pains to have been as profitably bestow'd as a Man of my Circumstances was capable of employing them That which in my poor Opinion hath been the great Bane of the Church of England being the necessity the Members thereof have been under of laying the foundation of their Knowledge in foreign Systemes which have not only much alienated their Affections from the Religion profess'd among us but so prejudic'd their Minds against it as to make them proof against the greatest Convictions which the best of our Writers have been able to offer to them Which therefore if these my Labours may serve in any measure to prevent I have as much as I desire But however shall rest satisfi'd in this that I have done the best service I could to the Church of England and have therefore little left me to do save to pray for the Prosperity thereof which is and shall be the daily employment of Your Lordship's Most Obliged Most Obedient and Most Humble Servant GABRIEL TOWERSON Wellwyn March 6. 1687. THE CONTENTS OF THE EXPLICATION OF THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD'S SUPPER The Contents of the First Part. Of the general Grounds of our Saviour's instituting another Sacrament after Baptism and of his choice of that of the Lord's Supper in particular ENquiry first made into the ground of our Saviour's instituting another Sacrament after Baptism And that shewn to be the Sacrament of Baptism's leaving place for the entring in of new and gross Errours and which being not so consistent with the Vow thereof made it so much the more difficult to believe that there was any remedy to be had from the Graces of that Sacrament because forfeited by the violation of its Vow The want of an undoubted remedy from thence the occasion of providing a new and because the former was apparent to our Senses of a like outward and visible one The ground of our Saviour's choice of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in particular shewn at large to have been a like usance among the Jews in their more solemn Festivals Pag. 157. The Contents of the Second Part. Of the Names antiently given to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper with the Reasons of the Imposition of them THE Lord's Supper antiently one of the Names of this Sacrament and Evidence made from 1 Cor. 11.20 that S. Paul gave that Name to it and not to those Agapae or Love-feasts that accompanied it The reason of that Name it's being a Feast though a spiritual one instituted at Supper-time and instituted by our Lord. The Eucharist another Name of it and of like Antiquity with the former which it receiv'd from those Thanksgivings which were antiently made over it whether for the Fruits of the Earth or the Blessing of our Redemption Breaking of Bread a third Name of the same Sacrament One Species thereof and one noted Circumstance about it being by an usual Hebraism set to denote the whole Enquiry next made into such Names or Titles of it as are most insisted on by the Romanists such as that of The Body of Christ an Oblation or Sacrifice and the Mass The first whereof this Sacrament is shewn to have had from the intimate relation there is between it and the Body of Christ which it conveys The second from its containing in it a Thanksgiving for or Commemoration of Christ's Sacrifice of himself upon the Cross The third from that solemn dismission which was given to those that attended at it after that Service was finished pag. 163. The Contents of the Third Part. Of the Institution of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper THE Story of the Institution first set down out of the Evangelists and St. Paul and animadverted upon in the several parts of it Where after an account of the time of it the consequents whereof are also declar'd entrance is made with the consideration of the Bread and both the quality of that Bread and Christ's taking it explain'd This followed by a more ample declaration of Christ's blessing it and that Blessing both shewn to have the Bread for its object and to consist in making it useful for the purposes of a Sacrament or rather in Christ's addressing himself to his Father to make it such That address of his thereupon carefully enquir'd into and because it appears from St. Luke and St. Paul to have been by Thanksgiving enquiry also made what benefits he so gave thanks for what use that Thanksgiving was of toward the procuring of the blessing desir'd and whether it did not also contain some express request to God for the granting of it Of Christ's breaking the Bread its signification and momentousness as also of his giving it to his
Presbyters of those very Churches that differ'd from them about the observation of Easter And the like was done by other Churches as appears by the fourteenth Canon of the Council of Laodicea till it was forbidden by that Council because of the inconveniences thereof The third thing signified on our part by the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is a Resolution to live and act as becomes those that are partakers of Christ's Body and Blood For the evidencing whereof we are to know that as this Sacrament hath been shewn to be a Sign of the New Covenant (f) Expl. of the Sacraments in Gen. Part 2. which as such implies a Profession of something to be done on the part of God So the taking of this Sacrament must consequently imply our Covenanting to perform whatsoever that New Covenant obligeth us unto Which what it is will need no other Proof than what I have shewn in another place (g) Expl. of the Prelimin Quest and Answ c. to be the importance of that Sacrament whereby we enter into it For if that Sacrament import the Profession of a good Conscience toward God That new Covenant of which it is a Sacrament must consequently have the same good Conscience for the Object of it and therefore also make the like Profession of it to be the Duty of that Man who takes this other Sacrament thereof And though it be true that this part of the signification of the Lord's Supper is not so clearly express'd in the Stories of the Institution of it Yet as they give us to understand that we ought to take the Elements thereof in remembrance of Christs giving his Body and Blood for us so they do consequently imply our taking them also with a Resolution to live and act as becomes those that are partakers of them That Remembrance as it can be no other than a thankful one because the remembrance of such Benefits as do above all others require such a Remembrance of us so connoting as such a readiness to walk well-pleasing unto him by whom those Benefits are bestow'd Agreeable hereto is the both Language and Practice of the Antient Christians as appears by that account which I have before given of them (h) Expl. of the Sacr. in Gen. Part 1. They not only giving this Institution as well as Baptism the Name of a Sacrament in consideration of that Obligation they supposed it to lay upon the Persons that took it but obliging themselves by this Sacrament not as too many have since learn'd to do to the perpetrating of any notorious wickedness but to avoid all Thefts and Robberies and Adulteries the falsifying of their Trusts or the denying of any thing that was committed to their Custody when they were call'd upon by the true Owner to restore it For that those words of Pliny are to be understood of this Sacrament is not only evident from its being represented as a constant Attendant of the Christians publick Assemblies and particularly of their Assemblies before day which the Eucharist is known to have been (i) Tert. de Cor. Mil. c. 3. but from the no mention there is in Ecclesiastical Story of any other Sacrament in them PART VI. What farther relation the Sign of the Lord's Supper hath to the Body and Blood of Christ The Contents The outward Part or Sign of this Sacrament consider'd with a more particular regard to the Body and Blood of Christ and Enquiry accordingly made what farther relation it beareth to it That it is a Means whereby we receive the same as well as a Sign thereof shewn from the Doctrine of our Church and that Doctrine confirm'd by Saint Paul's entitling it the Communion of Christ's Body and Blood and by his affirming Men to be made to drink into one Spirit by partaking of the Cup of it Enquiry next made what kind of Means this Sign of the Lord's Supper is how it conveys to us the Body and Blood of Christ and how we receive them by it To each of which Answer is made from the Doctrine of our Church and that Answer farther confirm'd by the Doctrine of the Scripture The sum of which is that this Sign of the Lord's Supper is so far forth a Mean spiritual and heavenly That it conveys the Body and Blood of Christ to us by prompting us to reflect as the Institution requires upon that body and Blood of his and by prompting God who hath annex'd them to the due use of the Sign to bestow that Body and Blood upon us In fine that we receive them by the Sign thereof when we take occasion from thence to reflect upon that Body and Blood of Christ which it was intended to represent and particularly with Faith in them What Benefits we receive by Christ's Body and Blood in the next place enquir'd and as they are resolv'd by our Catechism to be the strengthening and refreshing of the Soul so Enquiry thereupon made what is meant by the strengthening and refreshing of the Soul what Evidence there is of Christ's Body and Blood being intended for it and how they effect it The Sign of the Lord's Supper a Pledge to assure us of Christ's Body and Blood as well as a Means whereby we receive them III. WHat the outward Part or Sign of the Lord's Supper is and what the inward Part or thing signified by it enough hath been said to shew neither shall I need to resume the Consideration of them That which will more concern me to intend is What farther relation beside that of a Sign that outward Part or Sign of the Lord's Supper hath to the inward part or thing signified and particularly to the Body and Blood of Christ Where first I will declare and confirm the Doctrine of our own Church concerning it and then enquire into the truth of those Relations which the Church of Rome hath advanced on the one hand and the Lutheran Churches on the other Now as our Church hath defin'd a Sacrament to be such an outward and visible Sign of an inward and Spiritual Grace as is also ordain'd as a means whereby we receive the same and must therefore be suppos'd to have the same opinion of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper So it hath said enough both in its Catechism and elsewhere concerning that Sacrament to shew this to have been its opinion of it For it gives us to understand * Catechism that the Faithful for whom to be sure this Sacrament was principally ordain'd do verily and indeed receive the thing signified even the Body and Blood of Christ as well as the Signs of them and that they do verily and indeed receive that Body and Blood in the Lord's Supper which one would think were a competent Evidence of that 's being a Means whereby we receive them It consequently thereto teacheth us to pray †Pray of Cons in the Commun Service which one would think to be of equal force as to this Particular that we
receiving God's Creatures of Bread and Wine according to his Son and our Saviour Jesus Christ's holy Institution may be partakers of his most blessed Body and Blood In fine it gives us to understand * Art of Rel. 28. which is yet more express that to such as rightly worthily and with a true Faith receive the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper the Bread which we break is the partaking of the Body of Christ and likewise the Cup of Blessing a partaking of the Blood of Christ For what more could have been said unless it had made use of that particular Expression which yet it doth use where it declares the general nature of a Sacrament what more I say could have been said to shew that this Sacrament is no naked or ineffectual Sign of the Body and Blood of Christ but such a Sign as is also ordained as a Means whereby we receive the same and so sure and certain a one that if we rightly and worthily receive that Sign we do as verily receive the Body and Blood of Christ as we do the Sacrament thereof How well the Scripture agrees with the Doctrine of our Church in this Particular will not be difficult to shew whether we do consider its making use of the most emphatical Phrase which our Church doth concerning this Sacrament or the Effects which it attributeth to it For it is St. Paul (a) 1 Cor. 10.16 as well as our Church that affirms that the Bread which we break is the Communion of the Body of Christ and that the Cup which we bless is the Communion of his Blood Words which considering the place they have in that Chapter from whence they are borrowed cannot admit of a lower sense than that the elements of this Sacrament are at least a Means of that Communion because alledged by him as a proof or at least as an illustration of their really having fellowship with Devils that partook of the Sacrifices that were offer'd to them For if the Bread and Wine of the Sacrament were not a Means as well as a sign of the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ Neither could the Gentiles Sacrifices be a Means of their or other Men's Communion with those Devils to whom they were offer'd and therefore neither charge them with any real fellowship with Devils but only with a sign or semblance of it Which how it agrees with St. Paul's charging the partakers of those Sacrifices with having fellowship with Devils as that too upon the account of the Gentiles Sacrificing to Devils and not to God I shall leave all sober Men to judge Such evidence there is from that one place of St. Paul concerning the Lords Supper being a Means as well as a Sign whereby we come to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ And we shall find it no less confirm'd by an effect which the Scripture attributes to one of its Symbols and which is in that place by an usual Synecdoche set to denote the whole Sacrament That I mean where St. Paul affirms (b) 1 Cor. 12.13 that we have been all made to drink into one Spirit For as the foregoing mention of Baptism makes it reasonable to believe that these words ought to be understood of the Cup or Wine of the Lord's Supper So we cannot without great violence to the words understand less by being made to drink into one Spirit than our partaking by Means of that Cup of the Blood of Christ and the Benefits thereof of which the Spirit of God is no doubt one of the principal ones To be made to drink into that Blood or the Spirit of God importing somewhat more even in common understanding than to receive a naked sign of them And though I know that some of the Reformed Churches and particularly those of Zuinglius and Oecolampadius's institution have been charg'd with meaner thoughts concerning the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper Yet whosoever shall take the pains to peruse what our Cosins (c) Hist Transubstant Papal cap. 2. hath collected upon this Argument and particularly what he quotes from Bucer (d) ibid. will find that they always thought or at least now do that Christ's true Body and Blood are truly exhibited given and taken together with the visible signs of Bread and Wine as well as signified by them But because the question is not so much at present concerning this Sacrament's being a Means whereby we receive the Body and Blood of Christ as what kind of Means it is how it conveys to us the Body and Blood of Christ and how we receive them by it Therefore enquire we so far as we may what our Church delivers in these particulars and what evidence there is from the Scripture of our Churches Orthodoxy therein Now though we may not perhaps find in any Monument of our Church a distinct and particular Answer to the questions before propos'd Yet we may find that in the eight and twentieth Article of our Church which may serve for a general Answer to them all and for a particular answer too to the last of them The Doctrine thereof being that the Body of Christ and the same mutatis mutandis must be said of his Blood is given taken and eaten in the Supper after an heavenly and spiritual manner only and again that the mean whereby the Body of Christ is receiv'd and taken in the Supper is Faith For if the Body and Blood of Christ be given taken and eaten or drunken in the Supper after a heavenly and spiritual manner only that Supper must so far forth be a means purely heavenly and Spiritual the conveyance thereof of the same heavenly and spiritual nature and the reception of it also And if again the Mean whereby the Body and Blood of Christ are receiv'd and taken in the Supper is Faith then do we in the opinion of our Church receive them by Faith which will serve for a particular answer to the last of the questions propos'd To all which if we add our Churches teaching us to pray to God even in the prayer of Consecration that we receiving the Creatures of Bread and Wine according to our Saviour Jesus Christ's Holy Institution may be partakers of his most blessed Body and Blood so we shall be able to make out a more particular answer to the questions propos'd and such as we shall find reason enough to allow For it appears from the premisses and particularly from the prayer of Consecration that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is such a spiritual Mean as depends for the force of it not upon any vertue that is infus'd into it and much less upon any natural union there is between that and the Body and Blood of Christ but upon our receiving it on the one hand according to our Saviours Holy Institution and God's bestowing on the other hand Christ's Body and Blood upon such a reception of it It appears therefore that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper
them It will not be difficult to make answer that that notion can have no place where St. Paul makes it his business as he doth where he recites the Institution to awe Men into a reverential receit of this Holy Sacrament To think that St. Paul would so often call that Bread which was a thing infinitely above it when his Design was to awe Men into a reverential receit of it being to think he either knew not how to suit his Expressions to it or that he basely and invidiously betray'd it I will conclude what I have to say against the substantial change of the Sacramental Elements when I have shewn from the Antients that such a change was unknown to them Which I shall endeavour to evince first from what they say concerning their continuing in the same nature in which they were before and then from what they say concerning their being Types and Symbols and Images of that Body and Blood into which the Romanists affirm them to be transubstantiated That the Antients represented the Sacramental Elements as continuing in the same nature in which they were before will appear first from what I have elsewhere said (n) Part 1. concerning their representing our Eucharist as an Eucharist for the things of this World and particularly for the Fruits of the Earth as well as for the Body and Blood of Christ and professing to eat of the Bread of it even when become the Body of Christ by Prayer as a Testimony of their Thankfulness for the other For how is that an Eucharist for the things of this World and particularly for the Fruits of the Earth which is now all Heavenly neither hath any thing of an earthly sustenance remaining Or how we said to eat of the Bread of it in token of such a Thankfulness if there be nothing at all in it of what we profess to give thanks for All other Offerings beside this having some affinity with that which they pretend to be Offerings of Thanks for Neither will it avail to say which is all that can be said that our Eucharist may become such even for earthly Boons by the remaining species thereof For beside that the Antients make no mention of any such separate species and we therefore not to interpret what they say of Bread and other such substantial things concerning the bare species thereof It is plain from what was before quoted out of Irenaeus that that which was tender'd unto God in this Eucharistical offering was the creatures of Bread and Wine and from Origen that the Eucharistical Offering consisted in eating of what was tendered to him as well as in the tendry it self So that if they were the Creatures of God that were tender'd to him and not only the species thereof they were the same Creatures and not only the species thereof that were in their opinion eaten and drunken by them and consequently by which they gave thanks to God for the Fruits of the Earth as well as for the great Blessing of our Redemption But of all the things that are said by the Antients to shew their belief of the Sacramental Elements continuing in the same nature in which they were before nothing certainly is of more force than the use they make of that relation which is between them and Christ's Body and Blood to shew against the Apollinarians and Eutychians that the divine and humane nature however united in the person of Jesus Christ yet are not so made one as to be confounded and mixed together as the Apollinarians taught his divine nature and flesh to be or the humane nature to be swallowed up into the divine as the Eutychians did For to confute each of these and to shew the distinction there is between the two natures of Christ the Antients alledged the near relation there is between the Sacramental Elements and Christ's Body and Blood but which how near soever doth not confound or destroy the truth of their respective natures but preserves both the one and the other of them entire For thus St. Chrysostome in his Epistle to Caesarius lately published (o) Appendix to the Def. of an Exposit of the Doctrine of the Church of England against de Meaux against the Doctrine of the Apollinarians As before the Bread is sanctified we name it Bread but the divine Grace sanctifying it through the mediation of the Priest it is freed from the title of Bread and thought worthy of the title of the Body of the Lord although the nature of Bread remaineth in it and it is not said to be two Bodies but one Body of the Lord So also here the divine nature being placed in the Body they both together make up one Son and one person but without confusion as well as division not in one nature but in two perfect ones So that as surely as the two natures of Christ continue distinct and unconfounded so the Sacramental Elements and the thing signified by them do because made use of to illustrate the distinction of the other To the same purpose though more clearly and fully doth Theodoret discourse in his Dialogues against the Eutychians For taking notice in one place (p) Dial. 1. c. 8. of our Saviour's calling Bread by the name of his Body and in like manner his Flesh by the name of Meat he proceeds to give this reason of that change of names To wit That he intended thereby to prompt those that partake of the divine Mysteries not to attend to the nature of the things that are seen but by that change of names to give belief to that change which is made by grace For he that called his natural Body Meat and Bread and again nam'd himself a Vine the very same person honour'd the Symbols that are seen with the title of his Body and Blood not changing their nature but adding grace to nature And again (q) Dial. 2. c. 24. after he had acknowledg'd to the Eutychian that the gift that was offer'd was call'd by its proper name before the invocation of the Priest but the Body and Blood of Christ after the sanctification of it and the Eutychians replying thereupon that as the Symbols of the Lord's Body and Blood are one thing before the invocation of the Priest but after that invocation they are chang'd and become other things so the Lord's Body after its assumption is chang'd into the divine essence He hath these very emphatical words You are caught saith he in those nets which you your self have weav'd For neither do the mystical Symbols after their sanctification go out of their own nature For they abide in their former essence and figure and fashion and are visible and palpable as they were before But they are understood to be Blood they have been made to wit Symbols of Christ's Body and what and believ'd and reverenc'd as being what they are believ'd In like manner the natural Body of Christ which is the Archetype thereof hath its former