as rotten sheep from the flock m 1 Co. 5 7. that the rest may bee preserued in sound doctrine and in innocency of life and conuersation Vse 3 Moreouer if onely the faithfull receiue Christ let euery one prepare a true and liuely faith in his heart It is not enough to haue the bodily hand to receiue the mouth to taste and stomacke to digest but we must bring with vs the hand of faith For this holy Supper albeit by Gods ordinance it be a spirituall thing yet through the vnworthinesse of the receiuers it becommeth a meere corporall and earthly thing The passeouer was a liuely figure of Christ o Reuel â—3 8 representing the lambe slaine from the beginning of the world but such as did eate thereof vnworthily it was to them an instrument of destruction and as the messenger of death Iudas was one of the twelue and did eat the Paschall lambe with the rest but he did not eate Christ with the rest he did receiue damnation to himselfe p Ioh 13.2 Sathan entring into him and procuring the confusion of soule and body It seemeth he receiued not the Supper of the Lord q Ioh. 13 30. forasmuch as the Euangelist noteth that as soone as he had receiued the sop he weÌ„t immediately out Wherfore r Luk 22 21. that which Luke affirms ch 22. Behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me at the Table albeit it be set downe after the supper yet was vttred before supper acording to the vsual manner of the Scripture which traÌ„sporteth things done before to that which is afterward as appeareth plainely in the words following And therefore it is a sure and certaine rule that all things are not set downe in the old and new Testament in order as they were done but oftentimes that is set downe after which was done before and before which was done after Besides after that the Supper was ended and a Psalme sung Mat. 26 30. Christ went out into the mount of Oliues now if Iudas had staied till the Supper had bin ended he could not haue made such preparation at a suddaine to get together those that should take Iesus for there came with him a great multiude with swords and staues from the chiefe Priests and Elders of the people The councell and conuocation of the chiefe Priests and the Scribes and the Pharisies and the Elders and their sitting in iudgment determining what to do required some time and before Iudas could receiue a band of men from them it must take vp more time to omit the time spent in departing froÌ„ Christ and in returning vnto Christ againe which could not be done speedily and therefore no doubt he was gone before As then Christ bad him do quickly that which he did so he stayed not but was glad he was gone from his sight and company Thirdly it cannot be but the guiltinesse of the conscience of Iudas did accuse him and sting him who had beene with the high Priests and couenanted with them to betray his Maister especially seeing Christ our Sauiour was euermore speaking of it and putting his Disciples in minde that one of them should betray him Ioh. 8 7 â— It is noted touching the Scribes and Pharisies that when Christ willed him that was without sinne to cast the first stone at her that was taken in adultery They being conuicted by their owne conscience went out one by one beginning at the eldest euen vnto the last So likewise he feeling an hell and horror in his conscience and knowing that notwithstanding his secret plotting his diuelish dealing was detected and his prophane heart espied could not abide to haue his sore touched but no doubt made all hast to be gone out of the sight presence of his Maister Lastly this was done by the speciall prouidence and appointment of God who would shew thereby that wicked men and hypocrites which lead a life vnworthy the profession of the Gospell are not to be admitted to the Lords Supper And this is the iudgement of sundry writers Å¿ Hil in Mat c. 30 lib. 8. de Trinitate Clem Rom. con lib. 2. cap. 61. both old and new But inasmuch as he was present at the Passeouer which was a figure of the passion of Christ God by this ore fearefull example teacheth that he neuer suffereth the abuse of his Sacraments to goe vnpunished The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 11. He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne iudgement t Zanch. de redemp lib. 1. cap. 19. and â—6 Beza in Ioh. 13. Tractat. de excem for this cause many are sicke and weake among you and many sleepe Vngodly persons that lye and liue in sinne together with all impenitent persons attribute too much to the outward signe rest therin as in the comfort of their soules Adam thoght after his fal if he could reach out his hand take the fruite of the tree of life and eate thereof Gen. 3 22. he should liue for euer For these words vsed in that place Least he put forth his hand to the tree of life and eate and liue for euer do respect the purpose and intent of the man not the euent and issue of the matter inasmuch as the eating of that fruite all the daies of his life could not giue grace or restore him to that life hee had lost and to that high estate from whence he was fallen Now as he imagined if he could but taste of the tree of life againe it should go well with him so his posterity in all ages dreame of a secret power inherent in the Sacraments whereas by taking the same vnworthily and by iudging of them corruptly sinne is increased God is offended and the punishment is doubled The Arke was a testimony of Gods presence a witnesse of his loue and league with man and an assured signe that God would make his dwelling place among them that he would abide with them that he would walke before them that he would be their gratious God and that they should be his people but the Priests Elders and people attributed ouermuch vnto it and farre greater things then they ought they said a 1 Sam. 4 3. Wherefore hath the Lord smitten vs this day before the Philistims Let vs bring the Arke of the couenant of the Lord out of shiloth vnto vs that when it commeth among vs it may saue vs out of the hands of our enemies Euen as the Church of Rome when any iudgement or calamity is vpon them carry forth their breaden-God on procession hold him vp to be seene and adored and thereby thinke to haue themselues deliuered and Gods wrath to be appeased These neuer thought of turning to God with all their hearts and of changing their liues but ascribe saluation and deliuerance to the Arke it selfe and attribute power to the outward signe which of it selfe and in it selfe was no better then a few boards ioyned
that ye are my Disciples if ye loue one another This is my commandement that ye loue one another as I haue loued you greater loue then this hath no man that a man bestow his life for his friends ye are my friends if ye do whatsoeuer I command you This likewise the d Col 3 12. Apostle teacheth that we may know him to be the scholler of the same maister Col. 3. As the elect of God holy and beloued put on tender mercy k ndnesse humbleres of minde meeknes long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell vnto another euen as Christ forgaue you eueÌ„ so do ye and aboue all these things put on loue which is the bond of perfectnesse As euery one hath a comfortable experience in his owne heart of Gods mercy toward him in the pardon of his sinnes which are many and great so let him shew mercy againe as he hath receiued mercy and deale vnto others kindly as God hath dealt gratiously toward him Our Sauiour Christ auoucheth this Math. 18. in the parable of the lender that had many debters he called them to e Mat. 18 23 take an account of them and forgiueth the debt hauing compassion on him that was not able to pay but when hee was departed and had found one of his fellow-seruants which ought him an hundred pence he laid hand on him thratled him and cast him in prison till he should pay the debt TheÌ„ the Lord called him and said O euill seruant I forgaue thee all that debt because thou prayedst me Oughtest thou not also to haue pitty on thy fellow-seruant euen as I had pitty on thee So his Lord was wroth and deliuered him to the tormenters till he should pay all that was due to him Then followeth the application of the whole So likewise shall mine heauenly Father do vnto you except ye forgiue from your hearts each one his brother their trespasses Now the Lords Supper was ordained of God for this end that it might be a band of loue and a chaine to vnite and ioyne vs together among our selues that if it were possible we should not breake from him as Paul teacheth 1. Cor. 10. We that are many f 1 Cor. 10 17 are one bread and one body because we all are partakers of one bread Wherefore this Supper may fitly be called a Sacrament of vnity and a seale of our agreement one with another Behold heere a chaine consisting of many linkes to knit vs together that we breake not from God and our brethren Do we not all come to one table Do we not all eate of the same bread Do we not all drinke of the same cup Is not the same loafe compact of many cornes Is not the same wine pressed out of many clusters Do we not all ioyne together in the same receiuing Were we not baptized into the same baptism What a shamefull thing is this full of infamy and reproach to see the branches of the same vine the sheepe of the same shepheard the children of the same Father the seruants of the same Maister the fellowes of the same houshold the heires of the same kingdome the guests of the same banket the obtainers of the same promise the partakers of the same hope the members of the same body and the professors of the same faith to contend and striue one against another to delight in brawling fighting quarrelling and to nourish hatred malice reuenge rancor spite enuy biting backbiting one of another If Ephraim be set against g Eâ—â—y 9 â—1 Manasses and Manasses against Ephraâ—m if brother bee diuided against brother if we bite one at another let vs take heed least we be consumed one of another The Sons of God are renewed into the Image of God to resemble their heauenly Father in true holines and do all weare the same cogniâ—ance liuery For the Sacraments are the marks of Christs sheepe whereby they are knowne and discerned so that al our dissentions diuisions raylings â—eu lings disgracings and defacings one of another tend to the reproach and dishonour of our common â—ather and do giue an heauy testimony against our soules with God and his elect Angels For how do we approach vnto God how do we come into his presence With what hearts do we pray before him vnto him Are we not taught h Math. 6 12. to aske forgiuenesse of our sinnes as we forgiue the trespasses done vnto vs If then we be malicious and enuious and cary the fresh remembrance of wrongs in our hearts to pursue them with reuenge do we not pray against our selues Do we not beseech God to poure vengeance vpon vs Do we not open our mouthes to our owne destruction For when wee vse our tongues to say i Luke 11 4. Lord forgiue vs for euen we forgiue is it not asmuch as if we should pray forgiue vs not Lord for we do not we wil not forgiue others Therefore after the forme of prayer giuen to the Disciples Christ addeth If yee do forgiue Men their trespasses your heauenly Father will also forgiue you but if ye do not forgiue men their trespasses no more will your Father forgiue you your trespasses And as he exhorteth that when they stand and appeare before the Altar k Mark 11 25 they must forgiue so when we appeare at the Lords Table we must forgiue if we haue any thing against any man that our father also which is in heauen may forgiue vs our trespasses Now if we would be directâ—d to know whether this loue bee in vs or not we may try our owne hearts by these l 1 Cor. 13 4. holie properties and blessed effects described by the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. Loue saith he suffereth long it is bountifull loue enuieth not loue doth not boast it selfe it is not puffed vp it disdaineth not it seeketh not her owne thinges it is not prouoked to anger it thinketh not euill it reioyceth not in iniquity but reioyceth in the truth it suffereth all things it beleeueth all thinges it hopeth all things it endureth all things Heere we may see what manner of loue ought to bee in vs. Euery one of vs must endeuour that all the parts of this description may rightly agree to euerie one of vs and trulie be found in vs toward all men euen our enemies as we see Iesus Christ hath left vs an example of his loue m Luk. 23 35 when hee prayed for his enemies that crucified and cruelly entreated him father forgiue them for they know not what they do and this did StepheÌ„ to those that stoned him lord lay not this sin to their charge This is the truth let vs acknowledge it This is the way let vs walke in it this was their practise let vs follow it Thus we haue shewed the necessity of examination of our selues before we come to the Lords Supper and declared the parts wherein it standeth and the
manner how it is to be performed If we come furnished with these things with sauing knowledge with iustifying faith with vnfained repentance with a louing and longing reconciliation toward our brethren among whom we liue hauing as much n Rom. 12 15. as is possible Peace with all men yea euen our enemies let vs not abstaine from the Lords table by reason of some fraileties and infirmities in vs for God couereth them o and wil not bring them into remembrance as we see 2 Chro. 30. A multitude of people had not clensed themselues yet did eate the Passeouer but not as it was written wherefore Hezekiah prayed for them saying The good God be mercifull toward him that prepareth his whole heart to seeke the Lord God the God of his Fathers though hee bee not clensed according to the purification of the Sanctuary and the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people Where we see that because their heart was vpright sincere their wants and imperfections were not imputed vnto them For God respecteth the truth of the inward parts and pardoneth their sinnes that thus prepare their hearts to seeke him So then p The sacrament is not honoured by abstayning from it they were greatly deceiued that thought they honoured the Sacrament by abstaining from it it is not honoured but dishonoured not hallowed but prophaned not regarded reuerently but reproched greeuously by our wilfull abstinence q 1 cor 11 28 as the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 11. Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. He doth not say let him proue himselfe and so let him abstaine For the Sacrament is abused as well by forbearing hauing examined our selues as by not examining our selues and receiuing vnworthily And thus much of Examination and the manner to be obserued therein CHAP. 20. The conclusion containing an abridgement of the whole Treatise together with a confirmation of some parts and passages of it THe effect of that which hath beene deliuered hitherto in these Bookes may thus be gathered into a short sum and abridgement We haue a The sum of the first Book declared that God in al times and ages of the Church from the first being of our first parents hath to his word and promises annexed Sacraments as conduites of grace and seales of assurance b Gen. 2 9 c for the confirmation of them thereby magnifying his owne mercie toward his people shewing our weaknesse and vnworthynesse and condemning such as oftentimes desire to come to the Lords Table but esteeme little of the preaching of the word and such as are diligent in hearing of the worde but carelesse in comming to the Sacraments and manifesting Gods goodnesse to vs in giuing vs such helpes as if a man should put a staffe in his hand that is weake and readie to fall whereas the word and Sacraments haue one and the same Author they are instruments of the same grace their whole force effect dependeth on God they require faith c Hebru 4 2. to be mingled with them and they profit not alway at the verie moment of hearing and receiuing Notwithstanding some differences we finde betweene them as namely in the greater necessitie of the word then of the Sacraments Infidels were neuer barred from hearing the worde when they would become d 1 Cor. 14 24 hearers thereof and whereas the word affecteth one onely of the sences to wit the hearing the Sacraments are offered to the eies as well as to the eares and fo in some sort become more effectuall then the word Touching the word Sacrament it is drawne from martiall Discipline and properly signifieth the Souldiers Oathe whereby he bindeth himselfe to his Captaine which word being vsed by the old Latine Interpreter is now beecome ordinary and common in the Church which is not mentioned in so many Sillables in the Scriptures And howsoeuer the word be often taken in a large and generall signification yet as we take it in these Bookes e What a Sacrament is a Sacrament is a visible signe and seale ordained of God whereby Christ and al his sauing graces by certaine outward rites are signified exhibited and sealed vp vnto vs. This description being receiued teacheth vs these points first that the force of the Sacraments dependeth not on the worthinesse or vnworthinesse of the Minister but vpon the ordinance of God f Mat. 23 2 3. so that an euill Minister may deliuer the good things of God And this was the cause that g Iohn 4 2. Christ Iesus baptized none but his Disciples baptized that wee might learne not to esteeme of the effect of the Sacraments by the fitnesse or vnfitnesse of the Ministers Besides wee are admonished heereby of the weakenesse of our Faith which needeth to be strengthened and this is the reason why so long as we liue in this world wee must vse the Sacraments because our Faith is alwaies weak and vnperfect and needeth helpes to further it meanes to encrease it and proppes to stay it And therefore the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 11 36. As often as ye eate this bread drinke this vp ye do shew the Lords death till he come Furthermore we learn that there is no vse of the Sacraments in the kingdome of heauen where all things are come to perfection Now when that which is perfect is come 1 Cor 13 10. then that which is in part shall be done away Againe h Deutro 4 2 none must adde vnto them none must take ought from them none must any way abuse them contrary to the institution and ordinance of God Lastly we learn from hence that the Sacraments are not bare and naked signes of Christ absent i 1 Cor. 10 16 but sure and certain seales of Gods promises and of the righteousnesse of Christ who is offered vnto all but receyued onely of the faithfull so that the presence of vngodly men meeting vs at the same Table cannot any way hurt vs in our worthy receiuing In a k In a Sacrament consider his Parts and his Vses Sacrament we are to consider two thinges his Parts and his Vses The parts of a Sacrament are l The partes are outwarde and inward partly outward and partly inward The outward parts are m The outward parts of a Sacrament are foure the Minister the Worde the Signe the Receyuer these foure First the Minister lawfully called is necessarily required If then the Minister will not administer them or if priuate persons will administer them n Math. 28 19 they sinne against God the one for not performing the duties of his calling the other because hee runneth beyond the bounds of his calling The second outward part o Esay 6 6 7 is the word of institution consisting of a Commandement and a promise so that it is required of vs to vnderstand the words of institution to ioyne the worde with the Sacraments and to discharge
in the externall worke placing holinesse and remission of sinnes in the deede done and thus the thing signified is little regarded and wholy abolished r Gen. 41 4. as the euill fauoured and leane-fleshed Kine did eate vp the fat well-fauored this was Pharaohs dream and the other is mans deuise For these men giue all to the outward receiuing placing holinesse and remission of sinnes therein and thinking themselues sure and secure when the bread and wine is taken at the Lords table Thus all hypocrites libertines and carnall Gospellers doe for all the religion deuotion and godlinesse of these idle and ignorant professors standeth in outward resorting to the Church and in an outward taking of the communion of the body blood of Christ which is to make an Idoll of the signe and to flatter themselues in their euils to their owne destruction For albeit a man haue beene baptized and haue receiued the Lords Supper yet if hee liue wickedly and walke after his owne lusts the Sacraments shall auaile and aduantage him nothing at all but further his condemnation Vse 3 Lastly hath the Sacrament some partes outward and some inward some seene and some not seene with bodilye eyes Then it giueth occasion both to parents to teach their children the meaning of these mysteries and to declare vnto them the ordinances of God as likewise to children and the yonger sort to aske and inquire of their parents to heare and learne of them the doctrine of the Sacraments thereby to know the mercifull promises that God hath made to his people This appeareth Å¿ Exod. 12 26.27 chap. 13 14 15. directly where the fathers are forewarned to teach their children the hidden mystery of the Passeouer When your children aske you what seruice is this yee keepe then yee shall say It is the sacrifice of the Lords Passeouer which passed ouer the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians and preserued our houses So likewise Ch. 13 14. speaking of separating and sanctifying the first borne for the seruice of God hee chargeth parents to whet this doctrine on their children and to instruct them how God with a mighty hand and outstretched arme brought them out of Egypt out of the house of bondage Againe t Iosh 4 6 7.8 21 22 23. wee see when the Lord had parted the waters of Iordan that the people might passe he commanded Ioshua to set vp 12. stones in memoriall of the mighty and miraculous worke of God for his people against their enemies and when their children should aske them in time to come what was meant by those stones they should answere that the waters of Iordan were cut off before the Arke of the couenant of the Lord. Hee would not onely haue themselues to profite by his wonderfull workes but to retaine the remembrance of them he would haue their posterity to know the cause occasion thereof and so glorifie his name for euer Heereunto we may fitly ioyne u Psal 78 2 3 4 5 6 7. what the Psalmist saith I will open my mouth in a parable I will declare high sentences of olde which wee haue heard and knowne and our fathers haue told vs we will not hide them from their children but to the generation to come we will shew the praises of the Lord his power also and his wonderfull workes that he hath done that the posterity might know it and the children which should be borne should stand vp and declare it to their children that they might set their hope on God cannot forget the workes of God but keepe his commandements All these things serue to this purpose to shew that it is a duty and burden laide on the shoulders of all parents to acquaint their children with the workes of God especially with the benefits of our redemption wrought by Christ for our saluation If they aske the question why Infants are baptized and washed with water into the name of the holy Trinity wee must make plaine vnto them the meaning of that mystery Wee must say vnto them My children a How to teach our childâ—en the meaning of the Sacraments this is a signe of the Couenant of Gods mercy to vs and our duty to God it is a mystery of our saluation and teacheth that beeing in our selues vncleane vnrighteous vnholy and sinfull our soules are washed by the blood of Christ euen as the water in baptisme washeth our bodyes wherein the mercy of God is so much the more maruailous in our eyes insomuch as the Iewes were entred into the couenant by cutting lancing and effusion of bloud in circumcision Againe before they come to yeares ro receiue the holy Supper of the Lord we must informe them at home and declare the institution of that Sacrament and the comfortable vses thereof to them so they may afterward come to this Communion with better warrant of their worke with greater comfort to themselues and with lesse danger to their soules Wee must teach them that as the bread is broken and the Wine powred out so the body of Christ was crucified and his blood shed for the remission of our sins and that if we beleeue in the Lord Iesus we are nourished in our soules to eternal life by the passion of Christ our Sauiour as certainly as our bodies are nourished with the creatures of bread wine Notwithstanding there is a generall defect of this duty in many parents neither are children ready to inquire learn at home neither are parents able to answere any thing in these matters of God waywardnes in the one worldlines in the other ignorance in them both hath taken away all care and conscience from them touching these holye and heauenlye mysteries so that neyther the one teacheth nor the other learneth neyther the Childe enquireth nor the father answereth CHAP. IIII. Of the first outward part of a Sacrament THe outward partes of a Sacrament are such things as a What outward parts are vnder a certaine similitude and sikenesse do represent and signifie heauenly thinges to assure vs they are as truely prelent and offered vs as wee behold with our eyes and receiue with our hands the earthly things giuen vnto vs. The outward parts of a Sacrament are in number b Foure outward parts of a Sacrament foure First the Minister Secondly the word of institution Thirdly the signe Fourthly the receiuer All these and euery one of them are needful to the beeing and nature of a Sacrament take them away or any of theÌ„ and you take away the substance and bring in a nullity of the Sacrament If there be no Minister no word no element no receiuer there is no Sacrament If there be wanting eyther Minister to deliuer it or word to institute it or element to represent it or receiuer to take it wee cannot assure our selues to haue any SacrameÌ„t of God but rather a tradition and inuention of our owne In this
saluation annexed vnto the vsing of them are voide and nothing worth hereby the imagined and deuised Sacraments of the Church of Rome are condemned which deliuereth that it hath not receiued of the Lord and imposeth that to bee beleeued which it neuer learned in the word Hereby the last annoyling or extreame vnction is excluded wanting the word to warrant the continuall practise of it Also their confirmation hath neyther worde to institute the practise nor element ro assure any grace nor promise to approue any vse True it is they haue words to administer it but they are words of men not of God vnwritten not written of tradition not of Scripture The like might bee saide of mariage though we confesse and acknowledge it to bee an holy ordinance and m Heb. 13 4. honourable institution of God yet was it made no Sacrament hauing no word of institution no promise of sanctification and saluation annexed vnto all the faishfull vsers thereof neyther is it an instrument whereby God applyeth Christ and his sauing benefits to the comfort and consolation of his children Wherefore to conclude this point wee affirme that neyther the sonnes of Romulus at Rome nor of Remus at Rhemes shall euer be able to shew and proue that they are to be acknowledged receiued as Sacraments of the church which haue no warrant of the worde to command them nor promise annexed to assure the sauing graces of Christ to the worthy receiuers of them But such are their fiue pretended Sacraments of confirmation penance orders matrimony and extreame vnction wanting eyther the word or promise or both and therefore wee cannot receiue we cannot acknowledge we cannot beleeue them Thus much of the second outward part namely the word of institution CHAP. VI. Of the third outward part of a Sacrament THe third outward part of a Sacrament is the a The signe is an outward part of the Sacrament element or outward signe For wheresoeuer there is a Sacrament there must of necessity be a signe such as water is in baptisme and bread and wine in the Lords supper not of their owne nature but by the ordinance of God which are sanctified by the especiall word and prayer Therefore Iohn the Baptist baptized with water Christ when he instituted his last Supper tooke bread and brake it and gaue it to his Disciples Likewise hee tooke the cup wherein was the fruite of the Vine as appeareth when he b Mar. 14 25. saide I will drinke no more of the fruite of the Vine vntill that day that I drinke it new in the kingdome of God Seeing then it is cleare there must in euery Sacrament be a visible signe that may be seene and handled let vs see how we may profitably apply this to our instruction First seeing the signes and Sacramental rites are outward parts we must take heede wee ascribe not too much to the outward signe and so commit idolatry to the creature For the Water in Baptisme hath not power in it selfe force to wash away sin but by the ordinance of God it is made a signe and seale of regeneration Euen as the water of Iordan where Iohn baptized was no better then the waters of others places and Countries neyther had any strength and vertue to cleanse the Leapars that washed in it yet by the blessing of God Naaman the Syrian c 2 King 5 12 14. washing himselfe seauen times therein according to the direction of the Prophet was cleansed and healed of his leaprosie So the water vsed in the Sacrament of baptisme is in nature and substance the same with ordinary and common water neither hath it vigor and vertue to cleanse the soule yet by the institution of God it is appointed to seale vp the assurance of remission of sinnes Notwithstanding this confidence in the outward signe which in it selfe is as nothing hath since the fall of man rested and remained in his corrupt nature flattering himselfe and deceiuing his owne soule This fond and false opinion was in Adam immediately after his transgressiō he did attribute too much to the tree of life which had in it selfe no more life then the rest of the trees in the garden and therefore God would thrust him out of the garden e Gen. 3 22. least he should beguile himselfe with that conceite and imagination Thus did the Israelites trust too much in the Arke a signe of Gods comfortable presence and protection attributing saluation thereunto saying f 1 Sam. 4 3. It may saue vs out of the hands of our enemies therefore God ouerthrew them and gaue them into the hands of the Philistims The like we might say of their circumcision they gloried much of it and rested altogether in it and thought themselues wholy discharged by it howsoeuer they liued and whatsoeuer they practised This is the common error of the ignorant people they imagine they haue done God good seruice and sufficiently discharged their duty when they haue beene at the Communion albeit they know not what they haue receiued nor how it is to bee receiued albeit they know not nor vnderstand the meaning of the institution nor to what end it was ordained If they can say Lord wee haue eate and drunke in thy presence wee haue beene at thine owne Table wee haue sit downe with thee as thy guests we haue beene partakers of thy Supper they blesse themselues in their owne ignorance and thinke thēselues as sound Christians as any that liue in the Church Thus do these silly soules deceiue themselues and instead of the comfort of the Spirite they heape vpon themselues further damnation if they see any wilfully abstaine and and sent themselues from communicating comming to the Sacraments they are ready to condemne them and cry out against them and pronounce sentence vpon them howbeit they neuer consider their owne wayes that it were better neuer to receiue the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord then to receiue ignorantly brutishly and vnworthily forasmuch as they are guilty of the bodye and blood of Christ Not that any should bee nourished or encouraged in their wilful recusancy but that al persons should learne to know what they do and whereabout they goe and wherefore they do receiue and so walke in the light as children of the light and thereby finde comfort rest in their owne hearts Againe we are taught hereby that they are no Sacraments Vse 2 that haue no signe no seale no element to signify to strengthen and to seale vp the promises of saluation For as we shewed before that euery Sacrament must haue Gods word to warrant it so must it haue an outward signe to approue the receiuing of it and to signifie the spiritual grace offered by it Heereby we learne what to hold of transubstantiation a doctrine teaching that the bread wine is turned into the very bodye and blood of Christ namely that it is a very fable to mocke fooles withall For
hearer so is it in the Sacraments they haue their efficacy and operation howsoeuer the heart of the Minister be disposed And as Isaac intended not to blesse Iacob but Esau m Gen. 27 1 4 33. yet it hindered not the purpose and determination of God so the corrupt intent the wandering imagination and rouing conceite of the Minister cannot hinder the blessing of God in the Sacraments being his owne ordinances For the force of the Sacrament dependeth no more vpon the intention of the giuer then it doth vpon the intention of the receiuer Againe if the right receiuing of the Sacrament depend vpon the intent of the Minister what assurance can any man haue that he hath euer receiued or shall euer receiue a Sacrament What perswasion can we haue in our hearts that wee were euer baptized What knowledge that we were euer partakers of the body and blood of Christ in the Supper of the Lord Doth not this leaue vs vncertaine and vnsetled without comfort without fruite without benefit by comming to the Sacraments and setteth the poore distressed consciences of men vpon the rack Alas wee cannot know the heart n 1 Cor. 2 11. and vnderstand the intents thereof For what man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirite of man which is within him Furthermore were not this hard dealing and extreame cruelty in God to hang the saluation of men vpon the pleasure of the Minister wherby our faith and saluation shall alwaies be doubtful and should it not be vniust in God to make the euill of the Minister to hurt the receiuer Besides shal it rest in the power of the Priest if this be a power whē the people of God are * Mat. 18. gathered together in the name of Christ and long earnestly to bee satisfied with his grace to send them away empty and so to frustrate their assembly because his heart is straying and his wits a wool-gathering And if his intention be a matter of so great importance what priuiledge hath the receiuer that cometh with faith aboue him that commeth without feeling Or what shall become of their owne doctrine Ex opere operato Ex opere operantis that the Sacrament profiteth and is auaileable being barely done performed if it depend vpon the working and operation of the Sacrificer To draw to an end of this question o Bellar. lib. 1. de sacra c. 28. our aduersaries themselues confesse that the Church cannot iudge of things that are inward whereupon wee frame this reason If the Church cannot iudge of things inward then it cannot iudge of the intent of the Minister but they confesse it cannot iudge of inward things therefore not of the intent of the Minister consequently althogh they be present at the action they remaine doubtfull of consecration Wherefore Bellarmine foreseeing the inconuenience and absurdity of this vnreasonable vncomfortable assertion confesseth that if one of their Masse-Priests in his ministration p Bellar. lib. 1. de sacra ca. 27. intend to doe as the Church of Geneua doth it sufficeth to make a Sacrament effectuall and of force This is the confession of a knowne and sworne enemy Wherby we see that howsoeuer they say we haue no Ministers no ordination no consecratiō no Church that our Sacraments are no better then the feasts of Ceres and Bacchus and lay many false accusations to our charge that the Supper of the Lord with vs is no Sacrament but a bare signe without grace without effect without vertue yet they are constrained to confesse and yeeld thus farre that if a Masse-munger purpose to do as the reformed Churches do his doing is effectuall and the Sacrament is good The effect of this point is this that if we desire to be comforted assured of Gods fauour whē we come to his Supper we must not hang the profit of his ordinances vpon the weak vnstable foundation of Popish intentions And if there were no other point in controuersie betweene the Church of Rome and vs then this which now we haue in hand it were sufficient to make vs abhorre and abiure the Popish religion in which they that liue cannot assure thēselues whether euer they were baptized or receiued the Lords Supper or were married or absolued of their sinnes whether they haue any Sacraments any Priests or any Popes forasmuch as all these hang vpon the slender thred of the Priests intention The Apostle saith Rom. 14.23 Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne But they cannot directly proue or know whether the Priest going about his businesse intended to baptize thē or to deliuer the Eucharist vnto them or to marry them because they know not his heart and therefore in their adoration and worshipping of the Sacrament they may be Idolators and cannot secure themselues from feare of committing Idolatry For if the substance of bread wine remaine in their nature it followeth by necessarie consequence that they fal downe to a piece of bread and commit greeuous Idolatry in the grossest kinde whereof the Gentiles would be ashamed The like might bee saide of their Sacrament of Orders It is not to be proued or knowne that hee which ordered the Pope had an intention to giue him Orders They say it is an high point of faith to beleeue that the Bishop of Rome is the successor of Peter the Vicar of Christ and the head of the Church yet if the Priest that baptized the Pope had no intention to baptize him then is he no member of the Church much lesse the head of it and if he that ordained him had no intention to ordaine him then is he no Priest much lesse the high Priest and therefore they must rest altogether doubtfull and vncertaine whether Clement or Paul or any other sitting in the Popes Chaire and sea of Rome be true Pope and thereupon cannot assure themselues whether the Decretals which passe vnder the name of Popes were indeed their Decretals whose names they carry Popish shifts to iustifie the Priests intention True it is notwithstanding the grossenesse of this assertion they haue inuented sundry shifts to couer their owne shame and nakednesse but they are as figge-leaues which are easily pulled away Among the rest two are most principall which do not suffice to heale the wound but serue rather to make it wider First of all when they are vrged and pressed that the Priests purpose and intention maketh the people alwaies in doubt and leaueth them in a maze and mammering what they doe so that they oftentimes adore an vnconsecrated Host and call that God which is no God but a bare bit of bread Pope Adrian wil haue the Host adored with condition with a secret reseruation to himselfe I adore thee if thou be Christ. And therefore Thomas of Salisbury forbiddeth a man precisely to beleeue that it is the body of the Lord. Thus though they fall downe with great deuotion at the eleuation of their God
an high and holy duty to God and our children Indeede i Baptisme not precisely tied to a certaine day we are not precisely tied to a certaine day in Baptisme as the Iewes were to the 8. day in their circumcision but that which the 8. day was to them a conuenient and orderly time is to vs. Now what time can be more conuenient more comely more fit then the Sabboth day following when the Church is assembled That so it may be administred rightly reuerently religiously and conueniently in the publike meetings of the faithfull Againe the needlesse and carelesse deferring of this work hath a greeuous threatning k Gen. 17 14. annexed of assured punishment and iudgement as it is set downe The vncircumcised male in whose flesh the foreskin is not circumcised euen that person shall be cut off from his people because he hath broken my couenant Whereby we see that whosoeuer shall neglect circumcision and not suffer himselfe to bee circumcised or shall approue the negligence committed by his parents shall be none of the people of God but shall be shut out from the society barred from the fellowship of the faithfull both in this world and in the world to come vnlesse he repent of this sinne And that the l Exod. 4 24. neglect of Gods ordinaÌ„ce draweth his wrath appeareth in the example of Moyses The Lord met him and would haue killed him because his son was not circumcised He had dwelt in the land of Midian an Idolatrous country 40. yeares he began to sauour of the manners thereof but hauing called him to bee a Gouernor of the people would not be appeased toward him vntill he had reformed his owne house For if any cannot m 1 Tim. 3 5. rule his owne house how shall he care for the Church of God Now whereas he had two sons borne vnto him in Midâ—â—â— the elder no doubt was circuÌ„cised the eight day according to the order and ordinance of God why then did he deferre the circumcising of the younger No doubt he was scorned derided among them for circumcising his first borne his enemies were those of his owne house euen the wife that lay in his bosome yea he being then weak in faith loued the praise of men more then the praise of God and therefore the Lord would haue slaine him Albeit the signe of circumcisioÌ„ seemed base and contemptible in outward shew and to sauour of great cruelty toward little children yet God would not suffer the deferring and neglecting thereof to goe without punishment Although grace bee not tyed to the Sacraments and that we may be saued without them yet it is not left to the disposition of men whether they will come to them or not God wil not haue the outward signes contemned of vs for if we will be in the couenant we must not despise the seale of the couenant Furthermore are the outward parts vnited to the inward Vse 3 Then this serueth as a speciall meanes to comfort the very lowest estate of men and the poorest degree in the Church that they doubt not of the fatherly fauor of God toward them but bee assured of their acceptation with God who will make them partakers of his eternal blessings in his kingdome as well as other whose condition is greater and higher in the world When God gaue circumcision to Abraham hee commanded him to circumcise n Gen. 17.12.13.27 all his seruants bond or free as well borne in his house as bought with his money thereby signifiing that he adopted them for his children and that albeit they were Abrahams bond-men o 1 Cor. 7.22 yet they were the Lords freemen So vnto baptisme wee admit and receiue the poore as well as the rich â—he seruant as well as the maister the low as well aâ— the high without respect of persons When the Lord instituted the Passeouer p Exod. 12.3 the Lambe was eaten of all the congregation So touching the Lords Supper it is an holy banket for all degrees and conditions whatsoeuer and therfore q 1. Cor. 11.21.22 the apostle checketh the Corinthians for this abuse that whereas the poorest soule eating of the bread drinking of the cup is as welcome to Christ the gouernor of the feast as the richest they did despise the poore and shamed them that had not All these things duely considered serue to assure the very meanest lowest simplest in the Church that they are made heires of eternal life as well as other as they are partakers of the signe with other if they beleeue with faithfull Abraham This the Apostle r Gal. 3.28 Col. 3.11 teacheth There is neither Iew nor Graecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ And Col. 3. There is neither Graecian nor Iew circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond free but Christ is all and in all things Vse 4 Fourthly are there outward rites signes and persons as externall parts of baptisme And are there likewise inward parts whereby we are consecrated to God teaching that wee haue vowed to renounce the lusts of the world and to forsake the workes of the Diuell Then this Å¿ They are to be reproued that depart out of the Church before baptisme be solemnized condemneth those that depart out of the Church before this holye and publike action bee taken in hand Baptisme belongeth not onely to the witnesses and parties that bring the child but to all the members of the Church that we may learne by our presence thereat to renew our faith and repentance vnto God These men do too much disgrace and deface the dignity of this Sacrament not vouchsafing to remaine at the administration thereof as if it were not worthy to bee solemnized before them whereas they should quicken their faith in the couenant of God by beholding the works of the Minister and ratifying them in their hearts t Luke 1.58 as we reade Luke 1. where they are said to circumcise because they were all present at the worke consenting to prayers and thanksgiuings of the Church u 1 Cor. 11.5 as also the Apostle saith Women pray and prophesie in the Church when they sit still are partakers of the prayers and preaching vsed in the publike assemblies And as no member is cut off by excommunication a 1 Cor. 5.4 but in presence of all to be witnesses thereof to ratifie their griefe for the losse of a member of their body so in b Reasons rendred why the assembly should remaine altogither vntill Baptisme be finshed Baptisme it is required to witnesse and approue the publike worke by their presence and to assure themselues therby with ioy comfort that a fellow-heir is made partaker with them in the communion of Saints Moreouer the excellency of this Sacrament is as great as of the other they are of like woorthinesse in themselues and to bee
as the Lord our God shall call Obiection Answere Neuerthelesse will some say we reade not directly that any infants were heere baptized in these places But do we reade that any were excluded And seeing the scripture expresseth all the houshold who shall dare to debar infants Are not they a principal part of the house Besides if the baptisme of children be not to be beleeued because it is not named and expressed wee might with as good reason shut out women from the Lords Supper if any were as great an enemy to the communicating of women as many are to the baptizing of Children seeing we do not expresly reade that they were admitted to the Lords table in the Apostles times Besides by like reason we may say that the Apostles were not baptized because we do not reade it But the argument is weake and nothing worth to argue from not written to not done forasmuch as many things were done which are not written Iohn 20.30 and 21 25. Wherefore childrens baptisme is no humane tradition no apish imitation no ancient corruption of this Sacrament but is grounded on the vnblameable practise of the Apostles which hath the force and strength of a coÌ„mandement Thirdly Christ by his owne example alloweth and approueth their baptisme as we see Mar. 10. when the Disciples rebuked those that brought little children to Christ that he might touch them he said o Mar. 10 13 14 15. Suffer little children to come vnto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdome of God verily I say vnto yâ—u whosoeuer shall not receiue the kingdom of God as a little child he shall not enter therein Where we are to obserue that he saith not of these only is the kingdome of heauen but of such like infants which shall be in al ages and times of the Church In this act of Christ embracing the Infants brought vnto him and sharply rebuking his Disciples that forbad them we are to consider that he commandeth children to be brought vnto him addeth a reason To such belongeth the kingdome of heauen If any obiect Obiection It is said he imbraced them it is not said he baptized them or if any reply and say that there is no agreement and resemblance betweene baptizing and imbracing I answere Answere he layeth his hands vpon them he prayeth for them hee commendeth them to his Father and saith The kingdome of heauen is theirs All this is a great deale more then to giue them the outward signe For if reason require they should bee brought to Christ why should they not bee receiued to baptisme which is a signe of our vnion with Christ If the kingdome of heauen belong vnto them why should the signe be denied vnto them whereby the doore of entrance into the church is opened Why should we driue them away from Christ whom Christ calleth himselfe Neither let any say these children were of yeares growne vp in age able of themselues to come and repaire to Christ For the Euangelist vseth such * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words as signifie such young Infants as are babes and hang vpon their mothers breasts p Luk 2 12.16 and 1.44 therefore by comming in this place he meaneth to draw neere or to haue accesse Againe they were such as were brought to Christ by q Luk. 18 15. others Luk. 18.15 they were caried in their armes they walked not on their feete and Christ also tooke them in his owne armes Besides heereto agreeth the practise and custome of the primitiue church for no Teacher so profound no Doctor so learned no Writer so ancient which doth not refer the beginning heereof to the r Orig. lib. 5. comment ad Rom. Hieron in fine lib. 3. contra Pelag. August de bap paruuâ— cap. 20. libri de Origen animae precise times of the Apostles Let the Anabaptists and aduersaries of this truth tell vs who was the first author and inuenter of childrens baptisme if they refer it not to Christ who first administred it What was his name if they can tell let them not hide it Let them declare the time when it began Let them shew the place where it was deuised Let them name the childe first baptized and in what assembly or church it was If they cannot do these or any of them let them acknowledge the baptisme of children to be the ordinance of God and not of man warranted both by doctrine of the Scripture and practise of the church Moreouer if there were no writer to auouch this ancient truth yet is it in it selfe very right and reasonable For do we not see and behold daily very babes and infants Å¿ ChildreÌ„ admitted to câ—ppi holds by custoâ—e of the Mâ—nour among men oftentimes among men admitted to their inheritance haue they not liuery and season of land and haue they not the wand or turfe taken into their hands according to the vse of the country or custome of the Manour of which they holde They know not what is done they perceiue nothing what the Lord of the Manour or stewarde speaketh vnto them yet we see among the wisest men in this world this is not thought foolish neither is such an admission called into question but they are afterward instructed what they haue done what they haue vndertaken taken vpon them what seruices and duties they owe what their Lord requireth of them and how they hold their lands Thus they are admitted in their infancy to a temporall inheritance and possession this they hold to the ende of their life and of the validity of such entrance no tenant maketh doubt Why then should it seeme vnreasonable to giue them baptisme the signe of the couenant beeing borne heires of the promise that after they come to discretion they may make vse of it as the rest of the members of the Church They shall vnderstand afterward that which they vnderstand not for the present yet if it please God to take them in mercy to himselfe from the miseries of the world before they know the mystery of their baptisme he worketh extraordinarily by waies best knowne to himselfe the force of their baptisme in their hearts and sealeth vp their engrafting into Christ Iesus If then children haue the white wand deliuered vnto them to assure them of the inheritance which they hold let none deny vnto them the partaking of this Sacrament whereby they are assured of an eternal inheritance howsoeuer for the present time they are not capable of the knowledge thereof Lastly the priuiledges and prerogatiues of children are no lesse then those of elder yeares For infants are a part of the Church of God t Children are Christs sheepe and members of his body they are the sheepe of Christ they are the children of the heauenly Father they are inheritors of the kingdome of heauen they are redeemed with the blood of Christ and engrafted into his body why then should they not beare the marke
declare our selues to be his seruants and vow our selues to be his souldiors and therefore bee sure of this and set it downe as an infallible truth that Sathan will bee our professed enemy both alluring of vs vnto himselfe and his seruice and discouraging of vs from resting vnder the banner of our chiefe Captaine Christ Iesus our Lord. This then ought to be the continuall vse of our baptisme throughout the whole course of our life so often as we think vpon it or see the same Sacrament administred vnto others to remember what place we are called vnto and what a strong enemy we are to encounter withall that his threatnings do not discourage vs nor his allurements entise vs nor his subtilties deceiue vs nor his roarings deuoure vs and by al these which are so many baites and snares to entrap vs let vs be made more wary and watchful that we may know both his pollicy and our owne infirmity his strength and our owne weaknes Christ our Sauiour was no sooner baptized of Iohn but by and by he was tempted in the wildernes as appeareth Math. 3 16. compared with Math. 4 1. Mat. 3 10. and 4 1. Acts 7 23. When it came into the heart of Moses to visite his brethren then his trouble began and he was driuen out of the Land of Egipt Paul liued in great credit among the Pharisies and in much fauour with the Iewes Acts 9 23. but when he was once baptized and made a Preacher of the Gospell he was neuer free frō trouble but was vexed with iniuries and laden with al kinde of slanderous accusations This is a meditation most needfull to be thought vpon When we are baptized we renounce the Diuell and all his workes wee receiue the Presse-mony of Iesus Christ and giue our names to be inrolled in his muster booke we are thereby become his souldiors and fight his battels against sin We haue bound our selues to become his seruāts to do that which is acceptable to God profitable to our brethren and comfortable to our owne conscience and to adorne our liues with a godly conuersation But if we fight vnder the banner of Sathan Who are reuolters from their baptism swarme with loose and vngodly practises we reuolt from our baptisme albeit our names are registred in the number of the baptized Moreouer hast thou through weaknes and infirmity fallen into some sin to the dishonor of thy God to the wounding of thine owne conscience to the slander of the Gospel or to the scandal and offence of thy weak brother Haue recourse to thy baptisme as vnto a board after shipwracke as vnto a medicine after sicknesse as vnto a plaister after wounding or as vnto a staffe after falling that thou maiest receiue strength courage and comfort to thy soule For albeit baptisme be once onely administred for the reasons before alledged chap. 1. of this present booke yet it being once deliuered and receiued testifieth that all our sinnes past present and to come are washed away and shall be forgiuen The fruite or efficacy of the Sacrament is not to be restrained and tyed to the present time of personall receiuing but extendeth it selfe to the whole course of our life afterward Euen as that voice which said in the beginning Gen. 1. Encrease and multiply and replenish the earth was spoken indeed but once howbeit it hath alwayes his effect and operation Chrysost homil de prod Iud. nature working to generation so the words in baptisme which are once onely pronounced I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost are effectuall forcible and auaileable all the dayes of our life and sound aloud continually in our eares as if they were vttered afresh and as if we heard Christ say particularly vnto euery one of vs as he did to the man sicke of the palsie Sonne bee of good cheere thy sinnes bee forgiuen thee Mat. 9 2. Mat. 9 2. Vse 3 Thirdly seeing the washing of the bodye betokeneth the cleansing of the soule it teacheth that baptisme is not to be handled in sport It is a serious action of the Church to be administred in the presence of God the author of it it is not as a stage-like gesture that may be counterfeited represented for a shew only To this purpose there is required a cleere plaine and euident rehearsall of the words of institution that the promise made of God may be vnderstood of the hearers and especially a calling vpon the name of God the Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost True it is what manner of element is to be applyed and what forme of baptizing is to be vsed is limited and expressed in the Scriptures but what admonitions and exhortations or what prayers and supplications are to be made the Scripture doth not determine nor deliuer but leaueth it free as shall bee thought fit for the edification of the Church of Christ By the vertue of this inuocation of the name of God and vsing the words of institution according to the commandement of Christ it commeth to passe that the sprinkling of water is made a certaine pledge of the sprinkling of the bloud of Christ 1 Pet. 1. 1 Pet 1 2. Titus 3 5. a signe of our regeneration and of remission of sins For what folly were it to imagine that the power of God is weaker in one Sacrament then in the other That his word should be operatiue in the one and idle or of no force in the other Hence it is that the Fathers of the Church do oftentimes reason from baptism vnto the Supper of the Lord. Epiphanius saith Epiph. contra haer lib. 3. ca. 52 Euseb Emissen The strength of the bread and the vertue of the water are made powerfull in Christ c. Eusebius Emissenus applying himselfe to declare what manner of change is made in the bread and wine of the Supper layeth it out by a familiar comparison with that which is wrought in the regeneration of man hee continueth one and the same to wit in substance and yet is become quite another manner of man through the growth and increase of faith Wherefore it must be ministred with great reuerence and we should attend religiously vnto it no lesse then we ought to do to the word of God and to the Supper of the Lord forasmuch as one Christ is offered yea eaten and drunken in them all The Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation it is the immortall seed of regeneration Rom. 1 16. it offereth vs the forgiuenes of our sinnes and worketh in vs the same that baptisme and the Lords Supper and it maketh vs one with Christ who is the substance of the word and Sacraments and he is communicated to vs in them both Wherefore whensoeuer we come to be partakers of baptisme and to bee present at it we must come with a reuerent and religious consideration of those holy actions and set our selues
where to lay his head not the kingdomes and gouernments of this world for his kingdome is not of b Ioh. 18 36. this world but the forgiuenes of sins and euerlasting life obtained by the body of Christ giuen and his blood shed for vs and our redemption Wherefore if God haue so loued vs if Christ haue not spared his owne life to giue vs life and saluation how bitter ought our sins to be vnto vs and how ought we to striue against them If we will hate enemies heere are enemies for vs to hate if we will seeke reuenge against enemies let vs fight against them that seeke our ouerthrow and the destruction of our soule and body There is no reconciliation and attonement to be made with these enemies if thou kill not them they wil kill and condemne thee for euer Hitherto of the names giuen to this Sacrament CHAP. II. What the Lords Supper is AS we haue in the former chapter considered the names and titles attributed to this Sacrament so now we wil see what the Lords Supper is For we shall neuer vnderstand the nature thereof except we be able to define or describe it Therefore a What the Lords Supper is the Lords Supper is the second Sacrament wherein by visible receiuing of bread and wine our spirituall communion with the bodye and blood of Christ is represented This description is plainely proued by the b Mat. 26 26.27 1 Cor. 10 16.17 1 Cor. 11 24.25 institution of Christ by the first celebration of it and by other apparent testimonies of holy Scripture First I say it is the second Sacrament because such as haue interest in the Lord Supper must be first partakers of the other Sacrament for Christ and his apostles ministred it to those that were before baptized And how should they be continually nourished and fed at his table who are not knowne to be of his house nor admâ—tted members of his family We must be receiued into his protection and iurisdiction before we sit downe at his table for our refection They then that are in the house must be fed and fostered in the house the seuerall parts of the family haue the priuiledges of the family it is not lawfull to take the childrens bread and giue it vnto strangers Now baptisme is the true bath of our soules to clense our sores and an honourable badge whereby we are dedicated to the seruice of Christ and haue interest in the priuiledges of the Church sealed vp being partakers hereof we come with comfort to the Lords Supper Vnder the law none vncircumcised c Exod 12 4â— were admitted to the Passeouer as appeareth Exodus 12. If a stranger will obserue the passeouer let him circumcise all the maleâ— that belong vnto him If then the vncircumcised had bin admitted the Passeouer had beene prophaned Wherefore it is not enough for vs once to bee baptized and admitted into the number of the people of God we must also be partakers of Christs Supper When as by baptisme we are brought into the Church of God wee are afterward nourished by this heauenly banket to eternall life Againe I say in the former description that by the bread and wine the bodye and blood of Christ are represented Heerein consisteth the substance of this Sacrament he was truely giuen for vs and his blood was shed for the remission of sinnes least our faith should wander least our hope should wauer Therefore he saith to his Disciples d Lâ—ke 22 19.20 Mar. 14 24. This is my body which was giuen for you this is the cup of the new testament which was shed for you and for many for the remission of sinnes Vse 1 Now that the description of the Lords Supper is prooued let the vses thereof in the next place be declared Hereby we learne first that God doth not lye nor dally with vs when we come to his heauenly table but doth truely offer those benefits in Christ which are represented to all that are admitted thereunto and therefore the apostle said e 1 Cor. 10.3 4. they did all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke Indeed many of them did receiue onely the outward signes and did refuse or neglect the spirituall grace so liuely represented and truely offered vnto them but the greater was their sinne who laboured for the meate that perisheth f 1 Ioh. 6 27. but reiected the meat that endureth to euerlasting life Likewise Christ in the administration of his Supper saith g Mat. 26 26. take eate this is my body When he biddeth vs take doth he not giue When he chargeth vs to eat and drinke doth he not offer When he commandeth vs to doe this doth he not apply the thing signified If then we come to this Supper and depart away without Christ and without comfort the cause is in our selues he is come neere vnto vs he standeth as it were at the doore knocking being ready to enter he mercifully offereth himselfe vnto vs but we refuse him we will none of him we bid him depart from vs and shut the entrance of our hearts against him Vse 2 Againe we see heere the excellent price and preheminence of the Lords Supper howsoeuer to those whose faith it doth not nourish whose assurance it doth not confirme and whose saluation it doth not further it is turned into most hurtfull and deadly poyson yet it is an holy banket for the Lords guests an instrument of grace a medicine for the sicke a pledge of saluation a comfort for the sinner an assurance of Gods promises a seale of our faith an helpe for the weake meate for the hungry drinke for the thirsty and a refuge for the distressed in time of tentation Is not this a worthy dignity Is not this a great priuiledge and an high prerogatiue So that we must highly regard and reuerently esteeme this mystery of our religion and badge of our profession to the glory of God and our owne comfort He that is not moued heereby to a reuerent regard thereof hath no sparke of Gods Spirit in him but lyeth in darknesse and discomfit Let vs then make good vse of it all the dayes of our lifes and not abuse it to our destruction It is not enough to seeme religious and pretend reformation of our euil waies what time we do receiue it and to hang downe our heads like a bulrush for a day and immediately after to runne into all excesse of riot We see how many abuse themselues and the Sacrament giuing themselues to feasting and banketting and surfetting and haue soone forgotten where they haue bin what they haue done whom they haue serued and how they haue appeared before the presence of the eternall God We see also in others how contentions and brawlings breake out which seemed smothered and suppressed for a time like lightning and thunder out of a Cloud or like fire couered vnder the ashes whose flame kindleth afterward
bread and wine so taken from their coÌ„mon vse to an holy vse Wherby we are giueÌ„ to vnderstand that the outward creatures are reuerently to be vsed calling vpon the name of God and crauing his assistance to vse his ordinance as we ought to do and that we should ioyfully praise God for the gracious work of our ful redemption by Christ The third action is breaking the bread pouring out the wine which are necessary rites to be obserued hauing respect relation to the vnspeakable torments of Christ for vs who was pierced crucified made a curse for vs vpon the Crosse d Psal 22 16. Esay 53 5. as the Prophet teacheth He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him with his stripes we are healed Wherefore these Sacramentall rites of breaking and pouring out are not to be reiected and omitted being vsed by e Mat. 26 26. Act. 2 42. 1 Cor. 10 16. Christ practised by his Apostles and retained by the Churches Not as in the Church of Rome where they breake not to distribute to the people neither poure out the wine to giue vnto them as we shall shew at large in the end of this chapter So then we see that whole bread is not to be deliuered but that the bread is to be broken and the wine to be poured out to be distributed among sundry Communicants The last action of the Minister is to distribute the bread and wine and giue them into the hands of the people present Christ did not offer them vp to God but deliuered them to his Disciples All these being workes to be done and performed by the Minister in the administration of this Sacrament do note out the actions of God the Father scaling vp his Son vnto vs as we shall see afterward when we come to the inward parts Vse 1 Now let vs enter into the consideration of the vses of this part Are these the actions commanded in the word executed by Christ and to be performed by the Minister Then we see that such as are set apart to deliuer this Sacrament are not consecrated appointed Priests of the new testament to offer vp an vnbloody sacrifice for the quicke and dead as the Church of Rome teacheth and practiseth They are commanded as Ministers of God to deliuer the outward signes to the people not as Priests to offer them to God the Father they are appointed Preachers of the Gospell not Priests of the law which were to abolish the Priest-hood of Christ Wherefore wee must detest the blasphemy of these shamelesse shauelings f Stella Clericorum seâ—dis Serm. 3. that teach the Priest to be the maker of his maker that he which made them g Creâ—tura vobis mediantibus vobis gaue them power and authority to make him and so after a sort preferre themselues being the sacrificers before Christ who is the Sacrifice themselues being the creators before Christ the creature themselues the makers before Christ being made of them Thus these sacrificing Priests are not ashamed to speake and to bray aloud Secondly if the Minister be an outward part of this Sacrament then it belongeth not h Num. 3 10. Heb. 5 â— to priuate persons to deliuer Vse 2 it to others nor to take it to themselues and deliuer it to themselues when or where there is no Minister They may indeed apply to themselues the outward signes they may eate the bread and drinke the wine and in respect of the sacramentall rites do as the Minister doth yet for that they do it without a calling it is not a due administration but a true prophanation of this Sacrament of the Supper For let vs a little insist vpon the similitude before stood vpon If the keeper of the Princes broad seale be not in the way or for the present be not to be gotten shall any man presume to take it where it lieth without direction without commandement Such a one worthily beareth his punishment whosoeuer he be In like manner albeit one should earnestly desire the Sacrament of the body blood of Christ and euen faint in soule for the fruition of it finding himself in his longing affection able to take it himselfe without the assistance of another yet euery one must consider his guifts his standing his calling and place wherein God hath set him he hath not committed to priuate persons the administration of the Sacraments they may not preach the Gospell they may not baptize their children they may not meddle with the Lords Supper no more then common subiects may take the Princes seale if the keeper be not in the way Against this euident truth i Two obiections answered pretending that priuate meÌ„ may deliuer the Supper two things of importance may be obiected which I purpose to preuent before I proceed any farther For first this doctrine seemeth not to agree with that maxime and principle which before we haue resolued vpon namely Accedat verbum ad elementum fit Sacramentum that is Ioyne the word of institution to the outward signe and there is made a Sacrament Secondly it seemeth to leaue sicke persons without comfort in their hearts and peace to themselues if for want of a publike Minister themselues may not supply that want and giue vnto themselues this Supper These are the two obiections pretending and intending that priuate persons may at some times vpon some occasions haue some right and interest in dispensation of the Sacraments Touching the former point being a ruled case of Saint Augustine k Aug. Tract 80. in Iohan. 13 that if the signe be annexed to the word a Sacrament is ordained we doubt not to affirme the rule vndoubtedly to be true being truely and rightly vnderstood For the meaning is if there be an outward signe which is the matter and a word of institution which is the forme of the Sacraments l Aristot metaphys lâ—b 7. cap. 7. the essence of them is fully finished as if there be the matter forme of an house we conclude rightly there is an house Howbeit we presuppose there was a builder of the house to prepare the matter and to order the forme So the former principle doth presuppose a Minister to deliuer and a receiuer to receiue the Sacrament otherwise we shal also warre vnder the ensigne of our enemies vnawares who hold it to be the Supper of the Lord m Bellar. lib 4. de Euâ—b cap. 2. conâ—t Trâ—d fâ—ss 13. can 4 7. albeit there be no eating no drinking no receiuing thereof If therefore in the constitution of a Sacrament the institution of Christ touching taking eating and drinking must be obserued then we see that more is required then the signe the word in the worke of the Sacrament Againe touching the obiection of the sicke who seeme to be wholy left in distresse and discomfort if they may not lawfully administer the Supper
f Exod. 1â— 4. and taking his neighbour next vnto him in case of the insufficiency of one houshold to eate the Lambe but we neuer reade of killing two lambes and keeping two Passeouers vnder one roofe Besides the small remnant of the faithfull among the Iewes would no doubt rightly and religiously obserue the Passeouer after the example of their Lord and Maister rather according to the g Exod 13 6. precept of Moses then according to the practise of the Iewes in imitation of Christ h Ioh 13.1 â—am 18 18. rather then according to the tradition of the Elders Furthermore we are to consider that in eating the Passeouer they sorted themselues together according to the number of the persons able to eate vp the lambe for they were commanded to take i Exod. 12 4 5 A lambe without blemish a male of a yeare old and if the houshold be too little for the lambe he shall take his neighbour which is next vnto his house Now Christ with his twelue disciples alone were not sufficient to eate vp this Lambe of a yeare old especially if the Syrian kinde were great large as may be supposed by the k Arist histor Anno lib 6. cap 28 Pâ—r hâ—sâ— natur l b cap. 98 description of Aristotle Pliny and others Neither doth it appeare that any remained or was burned with fire l Exod. 12 10. according to the institution of God because the Euangelists declare that so soone as the Supper was administred and a psalme sung of thanksgiuing m Mat 2â— 30. they went out into the Mount of Oliues Why then should wee not think that Christ added annexed other to his family seeing his owne disciples sufficed not especially the blessed Virgin his mother who was not long from him n Ioh. 19 26.27 whom afterward after his departure he commended and committed to Iohn to be protected and prouided for who from that time tooke her home to his house as his owne mother To conclude we must consider that besides the lambe killed for the Passeouer whereby they were not all satisfied they had other meate to make vp their Supper as appeareth by the broth wherein the soppe was dipped Math. 26 23. Mark 14 20. Iohn 13 26. For the Lambe commanded by the ordinance of God to bee roasted had no sauce or broth appointed but onely sowre hearbes prescribed Exodus 12. So ther Fulk on Mat. 16. the learned obserue that there were three Suppets that night the first of the Pafchall Lambe of which the Euangelists say The Passeouer was prepared The second was an ordinary supper to feed and nourish the body such as was daily receiued whereunto wee must referre the dipping of the soppe in the platter inasmuch as the Passeouer had no such ordinance The third was after both the other to wit the Sacrament of the Lords Supper instituted to feed the soule and therefore was taken after the body was fedde Moreouer when the Disciples were sent to prepare a place to eate the Passeouer the man whom they met bearing a pitcher of water shewed them a large vpper roome furnished and prepared Mar. 14.15 now what need had there beene of such a large chamber if twelue guests onely had sate therein Wherefore albeit we confesse according to the Scripture that he sate downe with the twelue yet it followeth not heereupon that the twelue onely were present but that all the twelue were present at the Passeouer It was indeed prepared and prouided for the Disciples Mathew 26. 18. Luke 22.11 but he had moe Disciples then they beleeuing in his name and professing the truth that they had learned of him and are oftentimes distinguished from the twelue which he called his Apostles Ioh. 6 66 67. But to leaue these considerations as coniectures wee answere the former obiection that inasmuch as Christ deliuered both signes to the same persons they might bar the people from the bread as well as from the cuppe For I would know why the bread is necessary but because it was instituted by Christ and retained by his Apostles Wherefore the institution maketh the one as requisite as the other Besides if other hereticks should arise as great enemies to the peoples partaking of the bread as the Church of Rome is to their communicating of the cuppe of the Lord how might they better be repressed and refelled then by alledging the first institution of Christ and shewing the practise of the Apostles So that the reasons broght to confute the one will serue directly to ouerthrow the other Moreouer the Disciples at the first ministration of the Supper performed not the office of the Minister nor any part of his duty but of the people Christ was the Minister thereof he tooke the bread he blessed he gaue the bread saying This is my body Likewise hee tooke the cup blessed and gaue the same saying This cup is the new testament in my blood On the other side the Disciples tooke it did eate and drinke which are the proper duties of all the people Lastly the Apostle saith not in the first person we eate and drinke as speaking of himselfe and other teachers of the Church but directing his speech to al o 1 Cor. 1 2. that are called and sanctified in Christ in euery place according to the inscription of the epistle he saith As often as ye shall eate this bread p 1 Cor. 11 26 and drinke this cup ye shew the Lords death till he come Now these Corinthians to whom he especially wrote could not liue vntil the second comming of Christ to iudgement therefore this eating this drinking belongeth to vs that liue in these daies and to all that cal vpon the name of God to the end of the world Obiection 2 Secondly they obiect against the former truth this out of Acts 2. They continued in the Apostles doctrine and in breaking of bread and cha 20. They came together to breake bread It is not said to deliuer the cup vnto the people q Act. 2 42. and 20 7. but to breake bread whereby they gather it was ministred vnto the people in one kinde onely and not in both I answere Answere by a common Synecdoche one part is put for the whole For among the Hebrewes this phrase in Scripture to eate bread is to receiue whole nourishment and full refreshing by eating and drinking as appeareth by r Esay 58 7. Lamon 4 4. Mâ—t. 15 33. Acts 20 11. many places where mentioning onely bread for food it were madnesse to imagine and gather that they drunke not Besides the Apostle sometimes putteth the other part to wit drinking of the Å¿ 1 Cor 12 13 cuppe for the whole celebration of the Supper as when he saith By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body and haue beene all made to drinke into one Spâ—rit where we see as our Sauiour added the vniuersall note drinke ye all of this and
you into heauen shall so come as yee haue seene him goe into heauen If then Christ according to his humane nature be not on earth how can his true body bee on euery Altar How can they eate him with their teeth How can they swallow him downe their throat Ninthly such an eating and drinking of the body and blood of Christ must be holden as is profitable and comfortable to the receiuers for nothing is more auaileable fruitefull then these being rightly receiued Mat. 26 26. hauing thereby remission of sinnes assured and eternall glory sealed vp vnto vs. But no fruite to our faith can come vnto vs by this kind of bodily eating the body carnall drinking the blood of Christ for wicked men haue as great a portion in this as the godly Nay by their owne doctrine it may bee eaten of Birds of Beasts of Mice of Dogs of Hogs of vermine to whom no profit no comfort no benefit can come whereas God would haue the flesh m Ioh. 6.50 of the Sonne of man to be eaten of those to whom it shall be auaileable to life and saluation as Ioh. 6. I am the liuing bread which came downe from heauen if any man eate of this bread hee shall liue for euer and the bread that I will giue it my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world Tenthly nothing can be more grosse barbarous or inhumane then to deuoure mans flesh and to drinke mans blood What doth more transforme men into sauage and cruell beasts Nay worse then beasts which deuoure not their owne kinde What is more contrary to the purenes and holines of Gods law n Psal 12 6 and 19 9. then this The words of the Lord are pure words as the siluer tryed in a furnace of earth fined seauen fold The feare of the Lord is cleane the law of God is spirituall holy iust and good And the Gospell bringeth saluation to all degrees and teacheth vs that we should deny all vngodlines and worldly lusts and that we should lâ—ue soberly râ—ghteously and godly in this present woâ—ld But what can be more repugnant to godlines sobernes and righteousnes then to teare with the teeth o Cyril anot 11. and iawes mans flesh and to drinke his blood from which the Capernaus abhoâ—red What more crosseth the religion of Christ the law of God the light of nature then man to deuoure man and the bowels of one to be in the bowels of another And are not their stomacks strong to digest this meat Did not God in the law coÌ„mand p Leuit. 17 13 to abstaine from eating the blood of beasts from strangled Did not the Apostles for a time renue it q Act. 15 20. among the Christians in respect of the weakenes of the Iewes because Moses was read in their Synagogue euery Sabboth day To what end should this be done if the Church had tasted the blood of Christ with their mouth or swallowed his bodye in their bellies And do not the Scythians and all the Gentiles that are not vtterly voide of humanity abstaine from mans blood and from deuouring his flesh Wherefore these men are worse r Hom Odis li. 10. Virg aeneid lâ—b 3. Plin. nat hist lib. 7. cap 2 â—â—â—d Mâ—t. li. 3. then the Scithians Barbarians Gentiles yea worse then the Canibals and Indies that eate their enemies but these deuoure Christ whom they call their Lord and Maister like Acteons hounds to compare one fable with another onely heere lye the differences they deuoured their Lord vnder the shape of a Stag or Hart they eate their maister vnder the formes of bread wine these fastened their mouths vpon their maister because they thought him absent and not present vnder that shape they openly confesse their Maister to be present and yet odiously professe to deuoure him with their iawes and swallow him in their stomacks wherefore these men are more cruell then they yea heerein they passe the Idolatrous Gentiles for the Egiptians did not eate those creatures which they adored as Gods but these doe deuoure their God and Sauiour like bread Eleuenthly if Christ be present in the Sacrament bodily and carnally in what body shall he be present Whether in his glorified body as he is in the heauens or in his mortall body as he was vpon the earth In one of these he must be present necessarily if hee bee present fleshly Whatsoeuer they answere they are taken on both hands and are strokeÌ„ downe as with a sword that hath two edges Dare they say he is present in his mortall body This cannot be For it is certaine he hath not now a mortall body but a glorified body this corruptible hath put on incorruption t 1 Cor. 15 54 this mortall hath put on immortality and death is swallowed vp in victory This the u Rom. 6 9.10 Apostle confirmeth this the Scripture teacheth this Christian faith beleeueth Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him For in that he dyed he dyed once to sinne but in that he liueth he liueth to God Likewise Heb. 7 25. This man because he endureth euer hath a Priesthood which cannot passe from one to another seeing he euer lâ—ueth to make intercession for them And chap. 9. of the same Epistle he is entred into heauen not that he should offer himselfe often but he was once offered to take away the sins of many These testimonies duely considered hee cannot bee present in a mortall body What then will they be helped to say he is present in his glorified body Then he cannot now be present in the Sacrament of the Supper as hee was present to the Apostles sitting at the table with them and preaching vnto them of his death he cannot be present in the same body that he did deliuer to his Disciples in the institution of his last Supper For the body of Christ was then mortall and not glorified then he had not suffered death vpon the Crosse he was not risen and ascended into the heauens to sit at the right hand of his Father so that they must seeke another place then these words of Christ a Mat. 26 26. This is my body this is my blood to build their reall presence and transubstantiation for they pointed out his mortall body because his body was not yet glorified when the Sacrament was instituted Besides what a miserable glorified body should this be to be subiect to the pleasure of euery Priest to come at his call to stay till he commandeth nay to suffer himselfe to be torne with the teeth of euery receiuer Wherefore the presence of his glorified body cannot be grounded vpon these words of Christ touching the Sacraments This is my body Neither let them say as Campâ—on that boasting Champion like another Goliah b 1 Sa. 17.10 challenging the hoast of God sometimes said in the Tower-conference that this is a fallation