which Christ exercises this his Office It is the Church Calae Instit lib. 4. ca. 1. De Ecclesia Zanch Miscellan 2. part pag. â—1 seqq item Confess cap. 2â— How many waies is Church taken Two waies in a large or in a more strict signification What is the Church taken in the large acceptiâ—n It is the multitude or company of all such men Syst Theol. pag. 371. as haue the word of God preached vnto them in which company there bee many Hypocrites which doe not beleeue truly and therefore are damned for euer What is the Church as it is strictly taken It is that number and company of men which are elect of Christ by faith vnto eternall life Syst Theol. pag. 383. And this company is wont to be parted into two rankes the one Militant the other Triumphant That company of the elect and godly is called the Militant Church which remaineth yet on earth but the Triumphant is that company of the faithfull that is already in Heauen And so the rule of the Fathers is to be vnderstood Non peruenit ad praemia Christi qui relinquit ecclesiam Christi Cypr. Non Deus huic pater est cui non Ecclesia mater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianz. He shall neuer bee a member of the Church Triumphant that hath not beene a member of the Church Militant But whereas the Church is diuided into the visible and inuisible Church that is no true diuision to speake properly but only a distinction of diuers respects in the Church For the Church is said to bee visible in respect of the men themselues which are in the Church and may bee seenâ— and inuisible in respect of the internall graces to wit of faith and other gifts of the holy Spirit which are not so obuious to the senses Which must be noted against the Papists who would haue the Church to bee a glorious appearing company which may by the very senses be pointed out and acknowledged by the externall pompe of ceremonies as Bellarmine affirmeth The Church is as visible as the common wealth of Venice Contrary whereunto our Sauiour speaketh Luk. 17.20 The Kingdome of God commeth not with obseruation where it is apparent enough out of the Text hee speaketh of the Church in this world namely that it shall be no such glorious company as should bee knowne by externall ceremonies and obseruations or by solemnities aparrelling of Senatours of Counsellors and other such like What are to be considered about the Church The Head the Members and the Proprieties Who is the Head of the Church Syst Theol. pag. 374. Christ alone is the Head of the Church aswell of the Millitant as the Triumphant which is confirmed first by apparent testimonies of holy writ Ephes 1.12 God hath put all things vnder the feete of Christ and hath appointed him ouer all to bee the Head to the Church which is the body And Ephes 4 15. Christ is the head by whom the whole body is coupled and knit together Col. 1.18 Christ is the Head of his Body the Church A like place there is Col. 2.19 It is proued secondly by reason because euery head ought to infuse vigor and liuely vertue into all the members as our head for instance infuseth liuely spirits into euery part of our body for sense and motion but Christ alone can infuse that liuely vigour into the members Ergo. True say the Papists Christ is the Head of the Church Obiect but he is the inuisible Head therefore there is neede of another visible Head who must bee Christs Vicar on earth and Peter the Apostles Successour to wit the Pope of Rome Soluti Whereunto we answer that in this strange doctrine of the Papists there are contained many puddles of errour The first errour is that Christ hath neede of a Vicar or Deputie on earth whereunto wee oppose these arguments First there is no Vicar but implyeth the weaknesse of the principall Regent or Gouernor For therfore Kings haue their Deputies because they bee but weake men not able to looke vnto all their Subiects by themselues but Christ is an omnipotent King Secondly Hee needeth a Deputie who cannot vpon all occasions bee euery where present with his Subiects but Christ is alwaies euery where present with his members as hee promiseth Matthew 28.20 Wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together in my name there am I is the midst of them that is immediately am I present with them Ego fidentur dieo quia quisquis se vniuersalem sacerdotem vocat vel vocari desiderat in elatione sua Antichristum praecurrit Greg. Mag. Galu Instit lib. 4. cap. 6. as the Hebrew phrase teacheth The second errour is that they thinke it a righteous thing for some one man and he a Bishop or Minister of the Church to attribute vnto himselfe this power to bee the vniuersall Head and Gouernour of the whole Church whereunto wee oppose these Arguments First because Christ doth plainely forbid primacie in the Church Matth. 20.26 Luke 22.26 Secondly because the Apostles themselues diuided the Office of the Apostleship among themselues for that they saw that one man could not bee ouer all Churches As the Scripture witnesseth Galath 27.8.9 where Paul saith When they saw that the Gospell of vncircumcision was committed vnto me as the Gospell of Circumcision vnto Peter and when Iames and Cephas and Iohn which were counted Pillars knew of the grace giuen vnto me they gaue vnto me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship that wee should doe the Office of the Apostles among the Gentiles and they execute the same Office among the Jewes Thirdly Moses who was a farre greater man then the Pope could not beare the burden of iudging the people of Israel alone but was constrained â—o part it as it is Exod. 18. much lesse therefore can the Pope gouerne the whole Church PlanuÌ„ est Apostolis interdicitur dominatus Bern. Quicunque desiderauerit primatum in terra inueniet confusioneÌ„ in caelo Distinct 40 cap. multi The third errour is that they faine Peter to haue bin Head of the Church whereas not withstanding 1 Christ flatly forbiddeth Peter and his other Apostles to seeke after this Head ship and secondly Paul to the Gal. 2.7 in plaine tearmes saith that Iames and Peter and John were counted or thought to be pillars that is by an erronious conceire they were taken to be such by them who might by the abuse of that title deceiue the Galathians They obiect that place Mat. 16.18 Thou art Peter Obiection and vpon this Rocke super hanc Petram will I build my Church Whereunto wee answer Solut. that hee saith not and vpon thee Peter will I build my Church but wee say this is the intention and scope of Christs speech namely to commend the confession of Peter Tu es Petrus supra hanc petram c. sapius ex posui vt sâ—per hunc intelligeretur quem confessus
est Petrus dicens tu es Christus filius Dei viui Non enim dictum est ei Tu es Petra sed tu es Petrus Petra autem erat Christus quem confessus Simō dictus est Petrus Aug. which hee setteth out by a Paranomasie or allusion vnto the name of Peter as if he said I rightly set vpon thee the name of Peter see the first Chapter of Iohn where Christ gaue Peter his name because thou in the name of the other Apostles hast made such a confession and vttered such a doctrine as vpon which as it were on a Rock my Church shall bee builded First then Christ commendeth Peter in the person of Peter all the Apostles for that they beleeued Christ to be the Sonne of God Secondly hee sheweth the profit and fruit of that confession to wit for that this doctrine and confession was to bee the foundation whereupon Christs Church should bee built so that it should neuer bee ouerturned by Satan Otherwise that Peter neuer vnderstood these words of himselfe as if hee were that stone or Rocke vpon which the Church is reared he himselfe professeth openly 1 Pet. 2.4 where hee saith that Christ is that very stone vpon the which the Church was to bee built The fourth errour is that they take for certaintie than Peter was Bishop of Rome and so consequently that hee was at Rome which not withstanding is vncertaine neither can it be firmely proued that Peter was euer at Rome but the contrary for that place which before wee cited Gal. 2. is very remarkable namely in that Paul did so deuide the Apostleship and part it with Peter they shaking hands on the motion that Paul should goe to the Gentiles to conuert them and Peter should labour in the conuersion of the Iewes This promise the right hand being giuen vpon it Peter should haue broke if hee had gone to Rome to conuert the Gentiles neither doe we reade that two Apostles went into the same Citie especially it being so farre off to preach the Gospell Wherefore sithence by the confession of all it is apparent that Paul preached the Gospel at Rome what neede was there that Peter should come thither especially at the very same time As the Papists say that they were both at Rome in Nero his time II. Out of the last Chapter of the second to Timoth v. 16. In my first defence saith Paul when I appeared before Nero there was none that stood to mee but all forsooke me I pray God it be not laid to their charge But if Peter had then beene Bishop of Rome as the Papists will haue it what a disgracefull thing had it been and vnworthy a Bishop to forsake his brother and his owne companion Bellarm. saith that Peter was at that time gone abroad to visite the Churches But wee answer that it was not meete that he should goe away then when hee should haue assisted his brother but should rather haue put off the visitation vnto some other time which hee would haue done doubtlesse if hee had beene at Rome Againe I say that Bellarm. coines that answer of his because he neither backs it with any place of Scripture nor of any Historian but speaketh it out of his owne braine III. This may be concluded by the circumstance of time for they say that Peter was 25 yeares at Rome and 7 yeares at Antiocheia which make 32 yeares and yet they say that Peter was crucified at Rome vnder Nero and that hee came to Rome the 2 of Claudius the Emperour Now Claudius raigned but 13 yeares and Nero 13 so that both their Regiments lasted but 26 yeares Secundum Hieronym how then could Peter come the 2 of Claudius and continue 27 yeares Bishop of Rome and yet be crucified vnder Nero IV. We say that Eusebius and Hierome who are of that opinion doe not agree with themselues yea and Hierome especially manifestly contradicts himselfe For when as hee in one place had said that Peter was crucified vnder Nero afterward expounding those words of Ch. Mat. 23. Luk. 11.49 Behold I send unto you Prophets c. Flatly affirmes that Peter was crucified by the Iewes at Ierusalem When the Ancients therefore are opposite vnto themselues hereby it may appeare that they knew no certainetie in this point and consequently we see how much we are to detest the impudencie of the Popes which set downe for certainety that Peter was Bishop of Rome The fift errour is that they inferre the Pope of Rome to bee Peters successour for first there is no sure ground to euince that Peter was euer at Rome how then could the Pope of Rome succeed Peter Secondly if wee grant this to the Papists out of pitty Calu. Instit l. 4. c. 7. §. 23 that Peter was at Rome yet it doth not follow that the Pope of Rome was Peters successour for the Turke also hath his seate at Constantinople notwithstanding it doth not follow that the Turke is the lawfull Emperour of the East or of Greece the Emperours before hauing their lawfull residency and abode at Constantinople for the place makes not the succession lawfull but two things there bee which make lawfull succession first the power giuen of God secondly the imitation of the Predecessors in life and manners As Cyprian saith in a certaine place and after him Ambrose and Hierome Cathedram Petri non tenet qui fidem Petri non tenet True succession is succession in doctrine and hee cannot bee said lawfully to hold the Chaire of Peter who holdeth not the doctrine of Peter But neither of these the Pope of Rome hath first whence will hee proue that God hath giuen him that power to sit at Rome as the Monarch of the Church surely hee cannot bring so much as one letter out of the Scripture of God to proue this nay Christ inioyned the contrary to his Disciples to wit that one of them should not desire to bee aboue another 2. The true succession which is in doctrine the Pope of Rome hath not for if the Decrees of the Pope and the Epistles of Peter be compared together there will appeare as great difference betwixt them as betwixt light and darkenesse yea we are about to proue by and by that the Pope of Rome is the Ringleader of Idolaters so farre is he off from being Peters successor in Doctrine Which be the members of the Church They bee all the Faithfull which doe beleeue in Christ vnto eternall life for they all are vnited to Christ euen as the members of our body vnto their head They are vnited I say by the holy Spirit who produceth such like motions in them as are in the humane nature of Christ assumed that is hee maketh that the Faithfull become partakers of the Sacerdotall Propheticall and Regall power which is in Christ About which matter Peter Epist 1. c. 2. v. 9. speaketh most sweetly You are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood a holy Nation a people
giuen for vs and the wine may notifie and assure vs of the blood of Christ shed for vs. Wherein consists the fitnesse which true Bread hath to signifie the Body of Christ It consists in three things 1. that like as the bread is broken so the body of Christ was broken and torne vpon the Crosse for vs as Paul saith This bread it is the communiâ— of the body of Christ 2. Thâ— like as bread hath the force of nourishing so the body oâ— of Christ giuen for vs vnâ— death hath power to refresâ— our consciences forlorne and almost spent and pined away by reason of sinne 3. Like as bread doth not only nourish but it doth also strengthen our body so the body of Christ in like manner deliuered vnto death for vs hath power continually to cherish and sustaine our drooping miserable consciences Wherein consists the correspondencie that Wine hath vnto the Blood of Christ In three things also first euen as the wine is poured out into the Cup and poured also out of the Cup so the blood of Christ sprung out of his body and was shed vpon the Crosse Secondly euen as wine hath the power of reuiuing and quickning or of heating and moystâ—ning of our body and of increasing vitall and animall spirits so the blood of Christ or the merit of the blood of Christ hath the power of quickning our Consciences benummed and dryed vp by reason of sin Thirdly euen as wine maketh glad the heart of man and hath great vertue in it to cheare vp the mind so the merit of Christ or the bloud of Christ worketh an vnspeakable ioy in our soules whereof Dauid speaketh Psal 51. Restore vnto me my ioy againe J haue heard what the foundation of the Lords Supper is in respect of the Sacrament it selfe or the things themselues now tell mee what is their ground and foundation which doe vse it or the foundation in respect of vs It is true Faith whereby wee doe so looke vpon these signes as they signifie remember and assure vs of the body blood of Christ Si quis maÌ„ducauerit ex ipso non morietur in aeternum Hoc pertinet ad virtutem Sacramenti non ad visibile Sacramentum Qui manducat intus non foris qui manducat corde non qui premit dente Aug Quasi non possit tangi quum iam ascenderit at vtique poterit sed affectu non manu voto non oculo fide non sensibus Bern. and so coÌ„sequently of his whole merit and so likewise of assured remissioÌ„ of our sins following vpoÌ„ that merit For in the supper of the Lord remissioÌ„ of sins is not granted vnto vs neither hath the Bread or the Wine any power to purifie from sinnes as the Papists peruersly doe imagine But our Faith is confirmed strengthned by thâ—se signes in the remission of sinnes which was granted and giuen vnto vs before that wee approached the Supper Wherein consists that Faith which we must bring to the Lords Supper thereby to be confirmed and strengthned It consists in two things First in a sure trust and confidence whereby wee beleeue for certaine that Christs body was giuâ—n and his blood shedde for vs that is for that person that commeth to bee partaker of the Lords Supper Secondly it consisteth in application whereby wee appropriate vnto our selues Christs passion steadfastly beleeuing that wee as Christs members are so made one with Christ our head that as hee suffered for our sinnes euen so the pardon for all those sinnes for his passion sake we should as certainely be perswaded of as if we our selues had beene crucified and there haue giuen our owne proper bodies and shed our owne hearts blood I haue heard as concerning the foundation and ground of the Lords Supper it remaineth that I heare somewhat of the end or the finall cause for which the Lords Supper was instituted and for which it becommeth mee to communicate at the Lords Table The end or finall cause is first in respect of Christ then in respect of our selues In respect of Christ Reliquit nobis Christê° ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Monumenta suae salutaris passionis quae proposuimus iuxta eius maÌ„data Basil the end is the commemoration of that his most bitter passion which he endured for vs both in his soule and in his body A commemoration I say that is a gratulatorie remembrance to the end that for that so great a benefit and vnutterable loue towards vs we should in the publike assembly and congregation in the very face of the Church yeeld together with that remembrance most heartie thankes As Christ saith Doe this in remembrance of me 1 Cor. 11.24 in an Eucharisticall or thankefull wise Whereupon this Sacrament is also called the Eucharist for this principal vse of the Lords Supper In respect of our selues the vse of the Lords Supper is either Primary or Secondary What is the Primarie vse of it in respect of our selues It is two fold First the confirming and establishing of our Faith as touching the forgiuenesse of our sinnes for Christs body giuen vnto death for vs and for his blood shed vpon the Crosse likewise for vs. The other vse is the nourishing strengthning reuiuing and chearing of our consciences which were by the burthen of sin oppressed withered and disconsolate Which is the secondary vse arising from the former It is three fold first the consecration of our selues that euen as Christ offered himselfe once vpon the Altar of the Crosse for vs so we should in this publike action of the Church offer vp our selues and our whole life euen all that are ours vnto God and his Sonne Secondly the publike confession of the faith to wit that by these externall symboles and tokens as by a military marke and badge wee may testifie vnto what company we belong and to what religion wee adioyne our selues Thirdly the obligation of our selues that wee should also by this publike action in the sight of the Church bind our selues to loue our neighbour and to doe the workes of charitie especially to them that are partakers with vs in the same beliefe and religion And hereupon it was that the Ancients called this Supper of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a loue-feast and that they were alwaies wont which came vnto the Supper to giue some Almes vnto the poore that so they might testifie how that by the vse of the Lords Supper they were obliged to performe workes of loue and charity towards their Neighbours And this is the true doctrine of the Lords Supper drawne out of the onely word of God Syst Theol. pag. 459. Calu. Iustit lib. 4. ca. 18. and taken from the nature of Sacraments But contrariwise the Masse is an horrible monster an Idoll of Antichrists owne making consisting of diuers horrible blasphemies whereby the whole dignitie and excellencie of the Lords Supper is defaced and quite taken away namely while they say that
now for our behauiour there obserue thus much The duties which are required of vs in the celebration of the holy Communion are of two kinds either Generall See Master Brinsleys true Watch 1 part page 183. of the eight Edition or common to this and other times or Peculiar and proper to this seruice I. The generall and common duties are to ioyne with the Congregation in confessing of sinnes in singing of Psalmes and Hymnes in hearing with reuerence and deuotion Gods holy word preached in praying and the like Secondly touching the proper duties more peculiarly belonging to this seruice Corpus Christi dicimus esse caâ—auer nosque opporiere esse aquilas vt intelligamus in altum subuâ—landum esse si velimus ad Christi corpus accedere haec â—nim aquilaruÌ„ mensaâ— est non graculorum Chrys and our behauiour in the receiuing of those holy Mysteries as the Church hath retained it there is a commandement giuen that wee lift vp our hearts to the Lord. And wee must indeed be as Eagles soaring vp to heauen by hauing carefull meditations on heauenly and iâ—uisible things a rising from the due consideration of the things themselues offered vnto vs that is the outward elements of bread wine as also from a regard full contemplation of euery action in that holy ministration First therfore when we see the bread and wine set before vs on the Lords Table wee know that they are appointed for the nourishing and strengthning of our bodies but here wee must not stay Our hearts hereby are to bee led to meditate on the body and blood of Christ which is appointed to bee our soules nourishment to feede vs to eternall life for so he profâ—sseth of himselfe Ioh. 6.55 My flesh is meate indeed and my blood is drinke indeed Secondly when wee see the breaking of the bread and powring out of the wine our hearts are to be led to the meditation of the câ—uell death of the Crosse which Christ suffâ—red for the remission of our sinns when his most blessed body was broken and his most precious blood shed for the redemption of mankind Againe when we see that the bread which is broken giueÌ„ vnto vs by the Minister is all of the same loafe or at the least of the same graine and the wine whereof we drinke that it commeth from the same grape and receiued by vs in the same Cup wee are hereby to be led to the meditation on that communion which wee haue with all Gods Saints which are partakers of those holy mysteries and to the consideration of that vnion which we haue or should haue among our selues as members of one mysticall body whereof Christ Iesus is the head Lastly when wee eate that holied bread and drinke that consecrated wine wee know that they turne to nutriment for our bodies so coÌ„sequeÌ„tly that they grow into one substance with vs hereby are we led to a further meditation on our incorporation into Christ Iesus to bee made one with him and hee with vs so that hereby wee may assure our hearts of our reconciliation with God and of all the benefits of Christs death and passion for seeing Christ is become ours how shall not God with Christ giue vs all things And these are those holy Meditations whereupon we must bestow the best of our thoughts in that so sacred a businesse now as touching the triall of our soules after the receiuing of those holy mysteries note but this After that the Lord hath fed our soules so graciously at his owne Table we must take heede that wee proue not vnthankefull to the louing kindnesse of the Lord. And therefore it is required of vs that not for a day or a weeke or some small time but euen for euer continually to retaine a thankfull remeÌ„brance of those blessings wherof we are made partakers in Christ Iesus as also neuer to let sl p out of our mind that interchaÌ„geable promise which hath past betwixt God vs. The Lord promising to be our God we promising henceforth to become Gods faithfull obedient seruants to serue him in holinesse all the remainder of our life Whence the ordinary custome in these daies may worthily be reprehended for howsoeuer men for a day or a short space seeme to haue a Christian sense of that holy duty whereto they haue bound themselues by their pâ—omise yet notwithstanding within a while they returne with the Dogge to the vomit and with the Sow to wallowing in the mire Wherefore to good purpose it is that wee propose to our hearts a triall of our selues euen after our receiuing For though a man by the sight of the soyle may gather by some guesse what fruite will come vp yet when hee sees rhe fruite the matter is farre more sure And therefore because those Accidents Antecedent as repentance from dead workes faith in Christ and loue towards men may sometime deceiue vs it is good to put the matter out of all doubt to trie our selues afterward if wee can heare the Word more ioyfully if we trauell for the righteousnes of faith more soundly and make the score of our sinnes lesse then they were before And these indeed are comfortable fruites of the truth of our holinesse FJNIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR Recapitulation of the chiefe Points handled in this Treatise CHristian Religion is the seruing of God in Christ The actions thereof are most eminently 1. Meditation of Gods Word which testifies of Christ 2. Prayer vnto God through Christ 3. The vse of the Sacraments instituted by Christ Of the two first elsewhere here onely of the third Page 1. seqq That we may vse the Sacraments aright we haue neede of Preparation which in this Booke is both largely deciphered and concisely proposed â—reparation largely deciphered consists in 2. things Knowledge and Deuotion Our knowledge is either generall in points of Religion or particular about a Sacrament Our generall knowledge is either primarie and independant or secondarie and deriued The primarie and independant consists of a double doctrine I. Of God according to the Essence which is one and Persons which are three Pag 6. II. Of Gods Word or the Scripture of which see the definition Pag. 14. The diuision which is threefold Pag. 15. The Proprieties which are 3.1 It deriues its authority from God alone Pag. 21. â—2 It is perfect and sufficient to saluation Pag. 26. 3. In the Articles of Faith and matters necessary to saluation it is easie and perspicuous Pag. 30. The secondarie and deriued knowledge consists of two parts I. Of the End it selfe Saluation considered in respect of the life to come perfect or this present life inchoâ—te Pag. 38. Iâ— Of the Meanes to come by that End and that 's a double knowledge I. Of thy Miserie II. Of the Remedie for thy miserie Pag. 41. Thy misery is throughly knowne by the consideration of 4. things I. That which went before thy misery the Image of God