so that God onely is able to bestow grace and he alone can appoint true signes of grace For as he onely hath authority to seale the charter pardon in whose iurisdiction it is to grant it so likewise God giueth the pledges and tokens of his grace which sheadeth the graces of the Spirite into our hearts Wherefore the reuerent Sacraments of the Church none can institute by his authority but onely God and hence it is that the signes haue the names of the thinges signified None but Christ himselfe could say of the bread This is my body none but hee could say of the cup This cup is the new Testament in my bloud none but hee breathing on his Apostles could say Receiue the Holy Ghost none but hee could make the water in Baptisme to be the lauer of regeneration Let vs see what good and profitable vses arise from this Vse 1 doctrine First if the Sacraments bee the ordinances of God then they depend not on the worthinesse or vnworthinesse fitnesse or vnfitnesse vices or vertues of the Minister but all their efficacy and force hangeth on the holy institution of Christ Iesus The Ministers impiety wickednesse maketh not a nullity of the Sacrament neyther hindereth the fruite of the worthy receiuer no more then the piety and godlinesse of a faithfull Minister can profite an vnworthy receiuer Indeede the Church must indeuour that they bee cleane which beare the Vessels of the Lord Esay 52 11. and that the Ministers thereof may bee holye and vnblameable according to the Apostles r 1 Tim. 3 2. rule but we must not measure the profit of the receiuer by the person of the Minister If a theefe do steale a sack of corne we see if he sow it it groweth vp and bringeth foorth increase because the fault resteth not in the seede which is good but in the sower which is euill so doth the Sacrament profite the faithfull howsoeuer hee bee vnfaithfull that doth administer it Wee see if the seede-man haue foule filthy and vncleane hands that soweth yet if the seede be cleane sweete and faire it prospereth so the holy things of God ſ Euill Mininisters may deliuer the good things of God cannot be defiled by the corrupt and sinfull life of the Minister while he deliuereth nothing of his owne but dispenseth the ordinances of God Thus we see that whether the Minister be good or euill godly or vngodly an heretick or a Catholike holy or prophane the effect is all one the worthines of the Sacrament dependeth not on man but proceedeth from God and therfore all such as contemne the Sacraments of God for the sacriledge of man shal beare their condemnation whosoeuer they are The two sons of Ely Hophni and Phinehas were t 1 Sam. 1 22.23 exceeding sinners against the Lord yet because the people of Israel abhorred the sacrifices of God and trode his worship vnder their feete the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the whole land and hee denounced u 1 Sam. 6 11. sore iudgements against thē So then the offence of the Priests was no defence of the people but as the Priests gaue the offence the people tooke it so God boūd thē together in the same iudgement So we must know God will not beare the contempt of his ordinances vnder any pretence whatsoeuer of the Ministers wickednes vnworthines if his hand be corrupt let thy heart be vncorrupt though his sins be his own yet the Sacram. be Gods he may minister cōfort to thee tho he bring none to himselfe as the workmē that builded the Arke prepared a means to saue other but were drowned thēselues or as the bels tho they moue not themselues yet serue to bring others to the exercises of religion or as the Scribes that pointed the way to the wise-men but themselues vouchsafed not to step out of doores to enquire after Christ The eares of corne do carry the corne with the chaffe to be purged and cleansed in the barne though the chaffe be vnprofitable yet it profiteth the corne as the Lanthorne holdeth the candle to giue light vnto others that are the passengers As gold is gold of whomsoeuer it is giuen and receiued so the Sacrament is truely a Sacrament whether it bee giuen of a good or euil Minister so is it with the word of God This appeareth by the words of Christ our sauiour Math. 23. The Scribes and Pharisies sit in Moses seate a Mat. 23 2 3 all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe but after their workes do not for they say and do not Albeit then the Scripture condemneth such as giue offences yet such as take offence are not thereby iustified let vs magnifie the ordinances of God and then we may expect a blessing at his hands This is that which the b 1 Cor. 3 6 7 Apostle teacheth I haue planted Apollos watered but God gaue the increase So then neyther is he that planteth any thing neither he that watreth but God that giueth the increase Wherefore the people of God notwithstanding the wickednesse and vnworthines of the Ministers may safely and with a good conscience vse their ministry both hearing the word frō their mouths and receiuing the Sacraments at their hands and both of them are effectuall and auaileable vnto saluation neither do they defile themselues by their corruption The Donatists in former times the Anabaptists in our daies teach that such scandalous Ministers as giue offence can profite vs nothing at al nor further our saluation nor doe vs any good that being defiled themselues by their sins they defile also the Sacraments Heereunto they bring the saying in the law of Moses Whatsoeuer the vncleane person toucheth shall be vncleane the soule that toucheth it shal be vncleane vntill euen Likewise they alleadge the wordes of Haggai the Prophet If a man beare holy flesh in the skirt of his garmant with his skirt do touch bread or pottage or wine or oyle or any meat shall it be holy The Priests answered and said No. Then said Haggai If one that is vncleane by a dead body touch any of these shall it be vncleane The Priests answered It shall be vncleane So is this people and so is this Nation before me saith the Lord and so is euery worke of their hands and that which they offer there is vncleane Therefore whensoeuer the Ministers are polluted with vices they do pollute prophane whatsoeuer they handle I answere these words are corrupted depraued by these heretikes The Prophet saith not by way of application so doe you pollute the Sacram. and sacrifices of the people but the drift of the place is to shew vnto vs that our works are polluted and abhominable in the sight of almighty God and vtterly reiected of him except they proceed from the fountaine of a pure heart faith vnfained so that albeit they be in their nature neuer so good
requisite that the minâ—ster should kneele at the deliuering of it as they pretend it is much more reasonable that the people kneele in the receiuing of it And albeit the former maner of answering Amen noted by the ancient and obserued by the people be not prescribed in our Liturgy as a law and commandement yet I doubt not but it is both intended by the Church and practised of euery good Christâ—an as a duty For when the minister saith according to the forme of administration vsed among vs The body of our Lord Iesus Christ which was giueÌ„ for thee preserue thy body and soule to euerlasting life c. who is it indued with any true feare of God and faith in Christ that doth not ioyne with him in heart secretly and seriously answere Amen If then we subscribe to that prayer in our soules to our selues although we do not answere to hâ—m with an audible voice how should it not be rather want of reuerence in vs to sit then fear of Idolatry in vs to kneele And it were not hard to produce the exaÌ„ple of some that haue formerly vsed to fit who hauing a tender conscience haue bin troubled that they sate did not vse the gesture of kneeling iudging of themselues that they did not receiue it in that reuerent maner which they ought If any say Obiection kneeling hath beene abused to Idolatry which is a grieuous sin I answere rather we should say that abuse hath bin committed in the time of kneeling But graÌ„t it to be so Answere this doth not touch vs at al who haue separated the abuse do retain the lawful vse of it We abhor the worshipping of the signes the committing of Idolatry eueÌ„ our aduersaries being iudges we haue purged the gesture of kneeling froÌ„ all pollution vse it onely to expresse our reuerence and deuotion If any shall wonder as it Why there is so little mention in antiquity of sitting standing or kneeling at the Communion and aske the question how it commeth to passe that there is so little mention of kneeling or sitting or standing in all Antiquity I answere with that honourable Lord of Plessis in another cause though for substance not farre different The Apostles and Ancients haue not pressed any thing but that which was of the ordinance and appointment of God leauing all the rest indifferent to the arbitrement determination of such as gouerned the Churches who haue authority to take order in such things as are lawfull and yet are neither commanded nor forbidden in the word I will lay before the eyes of those that are contrary minded two points to bee considered Many standing against the Ceremonies do yeeld to kneeling and then I will ende this Controuersie First it cannot be denyed which experience teacheth that diuers euen among those that haue stood against the Ceremonies yet do stand against them do neuerthelesse nothing dissent in opinion from the order prescribed in the Church but conforme themselues in practise to the same and haue beene authors and perswaders of conformity vnto others as might easily be prooued by sundry witnesses so that these two causes must be seuered and diuided Secondly it will be very hard if not vnpossible to alledge the testimony of any learned man before our times No writers vntill 〈◊〉 times hold it vnlawfull to kneele so farre as I or others of greater reading can remember that held it absolutely wicked or vnlawfull to kneele at the taking of the Sacrament and therefore there is iust cause that others inferior vnto them should suspect their owne iudgement If then the most or at the least many euen among those that yeeld not to some other Ceremonies of the Church do notwithstaÌ„ding kneele at the Crmmunion with all reuerence and all the learned troope of classicall writers account this kneeling to bee lawfull indifferent in it selfe why should we be so wedded to our owne opinions as to fasten an imposition of impiety and idolatry vpon it as we do as if all were wicked persons and idolaters that submit themselues vnto it This point I haue briefly touched in this place Booke 3 ca 6. but handled more at large in the Booke it selfe whereunto I referre the Reader for farther and fuller satisfaction where I haue produced as godly and sauoury writings as I thinke are any in our age to the end that if we be led by the iudgement of men who set a byas vpon our iudgement we may also haue many that are as sufficient to ouerwaigh and ouersway the others Neuerthelesse I begin not without some cause to suspect before hand that I am like to incurre the displeasure of such as are contrary minded whom I haue no thought or purpose to offend but rather to winne to that which I am perswaded is the truth And albeit I haue protested sufficiently touching my soundnesse and sincerity in this behalfe Pag 434. yet I feare offence will be taken where none is eyther giuen or intended therefore if any shall vnchristianly and vncharitably censure me I wâ—ll comfort my selfe in the cleerenes of mine owne conscience so that if mine aduersary should write a book against me Iob. 31 35 36 surely I would take it vpon my shoulder and binde it as a Crowne vnto me 1 Cor. 4 3. I haue learned to say with the Apostle With me it is a very small thing that I should bee iudged of you or mans iudgement yea I iudge not mâ—ne owne selfe I cannot forget the words of iust Iob when he was scoffed and scorned of his friends he appealed from them to the sentence of the Almighty chap. 16. Ioh. 16 19 Behold my witnesse is in heauen and my record is on high It is noted of Alcibiades when one lifted vp his staffe to strike him if hee would not hold his peace that trusting in the iustice of his cause the strength of the truth he answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Plutar. Smite so that thou wilt heare So it shall be no great griefe vnto mee to be taunted by the tongue or traduced by the pen if I may either strengthen any that wauer or recouer any that wander or confirme any that stand it is enough I haue my desire and a good recompence for my paines Now I proceede to buckle with the common aduersary both of them and vs I meane the popish sort who as they haue notoriously corrupted the maine pointes of religion so none more horribly then the Sacraments Sundry nouelties taught in the Church of Rome and by no meanes more then by the blasphemous Masse and the Idolatrous seruice belonging to that Idoll I haue oftentimes maruelled with what face or forehead they can aske of vs where our Church was before Martin Luther or Iohn Wickliffe as if it were vnknowne or vnheard of in the former times whereas theÌ„selues are not able to declare or demonstrate where the Romane
downe branches k Mat. 21 8. from the trees the Citty moued and Children crying in the Temple Hosanna to the Sonne of Dauid they l Iohn 12 16. vnderstood none of those things at the first But when Iesus was glorified then remembred they that these things were written of him and that they had done such things vnto him If then at the present time of our hearing or receiuing we finde not nor feele the fruite and comfort we desire let vs not doubt and despaire but waite on God who in his owne apointed times will make his owne ordinances auaileable to all his seruants Thus much of the things that are common to the word and Sacraments In the next place let vs see m Difference betweene the word and sacraments what they haue proper peculiar and so differ one from another First forasmuch as the Sacraments are appurtenances and dependances to the word and are applied to this end to seale vp our communion with Christ our fellowship one with another it appeareth that in men of riper yeares the teaching and hearing of the word preached and the open confession and profession of faith did go before participation of the Sacraments as Math. 28. n Mat. 28 19. Goe teach all Nations that is make them Disciples of Christ gaine them to the faith as the word signifieth and then baptize them Thus Philip taught the Eunuch before hee baptized him Acts 8. to whom when the Eunuch said What letteth mee to be baptized Philip answered If thou beleeuest with all thine heart thou maiest and he said I beleeue that Iesus Christ is the Son of God And Acts 10. Can any forbid water that these should not be baptized which haue receiued the Holy-Ghost as well as we Indeede touching childrens baptisme there is another especiall respect to be had of which we shall speake afterward But touching others this is the 1. difference betweene them that whereas the word was offered euen to such as were out of the Church not hauing heard of the name of Christ and none excluded or debarred from the hearing of it whether beleeuers or vnbeleeuers holy or prophane Iew or Gentile Barbarian or Schythian 1 C. 14 No person being an vnbeleeuer or Infidell was euer admitted to the Sacraments although he should offer himselfe for that had beene to giue t Mat. 7 6. that which is holy to Dogges and to cast pearles before Swine but such only as were instructed in the faith and had made publike confession thereof as members of the Church Another difference is in the necessity end and vse aswell of the one as of the other The preaching of the word is the ordinary meanes and instrument of the Holy-Ghost to beget and begin faith in vs except God doe deale extraordinarily which of vs is not to be looked for and none hath entrance to Christ but by faith so that men if they will be saued must heare it But the Sacraments are of another nature they cannot ingender faith in vs we must bring faith with vs least we partake them vnworthily so that hee which beleeueth and could not come to the Sacraments is yet partaker of saluation Wherefore the necessity of them is not simply and absolutely so great that without exception a man cannot bee saued without them for it is the contempt not the want of them that bringeth danger and damnation Thirdly it may sometimes fall out that in a visible Church the word preached may be found as an essentiall note of the Church without the Sacraments and yet be a true Church of God so that the word may be without the Sacraments but the Sacraments cannot be without the word as a writing may bee without a seale but not the seale without the writing set a seale to a blanke and it is vaine voyde and vnprofitable Last of all the preaching of the word rouseth and affecteth onelye one of the senses to wit the eares wee see it not wee touch it not wee handle it not only wee heare the sound thereof but the Sacraments are offered to the eyes as well as to the eares so that wee doe euē behold Iesus Christ as it were crucified before vs nay they moue and stirre vp the rest of the senses whereby wee may vnderstand what they bring to what ende they serue and how they doe auaile vnto our faith making vs after a sorte to handle Christ with our hands and to see him with our eyes to taste him and touch him with our whole body Wherefore they do u How the sacraments are more effectuall then the word more seale vp then the word not that God is more true of his promise when he worketh by signes then when he speaketh by his word but in respect of the manner of teaching and receiuing because by his Sacraments hee representeth his promises as it were painted in a Table a Horat. lib. de arte pocti Segnius irritant animos demissa per aures quam quae sunt oculis subiecta fidelibus c. and setteth them foorth liuely as in a picture before our eyes that we may not only heare but see handle touch taste and euen digest them Againe the promise of the Gospel is more effectually declared and sealed vp by the Sacraments then by the bare word not for the substance and matter it selfe but for the manner of working which is heere full perfect and more effectuall so as that which wee perceiue and receiue by many senses as hearing and seeing is more sure and certaine then that which is discerned by hearing onely Hitherto of the agreements and differences betweene word and Sacraments and we haue shewed that so soone as God gaue his word immediately he seconded the same with his Sacraments The vses which wee are to make Vse 1 heereof are these First seeing God contenteth not himselfe with the word onely but addeth the Sacraments in all ages and times of the Church which proceedeth partly through his owne goodnesse and partly through mans weakenesse we ought to bee so farre from despising the Sacraments that contrary-wise we must confesse the benefite vse and worthinesse of them can neuer be sufficiently magnified and commended nor they with sufficient reuerence be receiued Wee are dull to conceiue his promises slow to remember them we are full of doubtting vnbeleefe we are like to Thomas b Iohn 20 25. one of the Disciples we will not beleeue them vntill in some sort we see them in some measure feele them in our hearts Wherefore God hath ordained these mysteries and holy actions to keepe in continuall memory his great benefits bestowed vpon man to seale vp his promises and as it were to offer vnto our sight those things which inwardly hee performeth to vs and thereby strengtheneth and increaseth our faith through the working of his Spirit in our soules An house the more props and postes it hath to sustaine support it the more weake and
aboue to strengthen his faith and assure him of the promise of God hee neglected and contemned the same through prophanenesse of heart albeit he answered in words hee would not tempt the Lorde This man is worthily branded in the Scripture with the note of a wicked man Verse 12. 2 Chron. 28 22. and hath it set vpon him as a mark whereby he may be knowne for asmuch as in refusing to receiue a signe beside all his other sinnes he breaketh out into many sinnes and sheweth his contempt vnthankfulnesse hatred pride infidelity and hypocrisie So it is with such as liue among vs What sinnes they commit that neglect the vse of the Sacraments and loue not to come to the Table of the Lord. First they are disobedient to God refuse to doe that which hee commandeth them to doe They contemne the ministry of those whome God hath sent to offer vnto vs the seales of his loue the assurances of his promises and the pledges of our saluation To rebel against God is no small sinne and to deny openly without feare and without shame to obey his will Secondly such as absent themselues from the Sacraments are most vnthankefull vnto God who spareth our weakenesse and offereth vnto vs wholesome stayes as it were firme and strong pillars to vphold our faith Such as haue the greatest and strongest faith and haue attained to the highest measure of assurance doe yet in this life stand as much in neede of the Sacraments as a ruinous building doth of shores and supporters or a weake body doth of meat and nourishment Thirdly they are guilty of the greeuous sinne and horrible crime of hatred against God because like to Ahaz as much as lyeth in them they would haue the glory of God darkened that it might not shine and the truth of God buried that it might not appeare in the performance of his promises If these men were perswaded in their hearts that the neglect of the Sacraments is a secret hatred against God and an vniust detaining from him the praise and honour that is due to his great name they wold make more conscience of this sinne then commonly they doe Fourthly such as come not vnto them with feare and reuerence are possessed with spiritual pride and presumption which is a dangerous disease and so much the more dangerous by how much it is the lesse espied For these men do imagine they haue strength of faith greater then indeed they haue and in that high and haughty conceit of their owne guifts doe contemne the vse of the Sacraments as neede-lesse and superfluous things These are they that say they are rich and haue need of nothing and yet know not that they are wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked these are heart-sicke and yet feele it not and are neere without speedy repentance vnto condemnation For as the sicke man that refuseth wholesome medicines soueraigne preseruatiues increaseth his disease and draweth death willingly and wilfully vpon himselfe so such persons as regard not the Sacraments which god as the spiritual Physition of our soules offereth vnto vs as meanes to restore vs and recouer vs from the venemous poison of vnbeleefe which wee haue drunke from our first parents doe by little and little harden themselues and iustly perish in the euill way Fiftly they bewray their infidelity and an euill perswasion of the truth power of God as Ahaz did when he refused the signe which of his grace and goodnes was offered vnto him He saide he would not aske a signe neyther tempt God but because he asked not a signe therefore he tempted God So doe all they that refuse to helpe the weakenesse of their faith by the vse of the Sacraments they tempt God and make tryall whether hee will saue them or can saue them without those ordinary meanes that he hath ordained This is a true and certaine rule that all they which haue faith will bee carefull to strengthen their faith such as haue no faith at all regard not any meanes whereby they may obtaine faith as they that haue life in them seeke to sustaine it but the dead stirre not hand or foote Lastly such persons as care not to be present at the Sacraments haue their hearts possessed with hypocrisie and deepe dissimulation and do indeed and in truth no better then mocke God and godlinesse They professe themselues to be desirous to know God and to serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde in asmuch as they are partakers of the worde howbeit because they regard not to resort to his Table and to sit downe with him as his guests they are farre from that truth and inward sincerity that ought to be in all the seruants of God Thus then we see how many sinnes do concurre and meet together in all such as doe not constantly and conscionably frequent the Sacraments which must be duely considered of vs least by heaping vp all these sins in the necke one of another wee also bring downe from heauen vpon our heads many punishments and plagues according to our iust deseruings For inasmuch as the Lord not onely sent the blessed Seede for the redemption of mankinde for the remission of sinnes and for the brusing of the Serpents head but ordained for vs Sacraments to bee pledges of his promises testimonies of his faithfulnesse and remedies of our distrust we must confesse and thankfully acknowledge the bottomelesse depth of his mercy towards vs who vouchsafeth to bee our God to bee reconciled vnto vs being vile miserable sinners to make a league and couenant with dust and ashes and to deliuer his onely sonne to suffer the bitter death of the shamefull Crosse And withall wee must confesse and labour more and more to feele our owne blindnes and infidelity which mercy we would easily forget vnlesse it had beene continually represented before our eyes CHAP. 2. What a Sacrament is IN euery treatise and discourse it is necessary first to know a Arist poster lib. 2. cap. 1. whether a thing be before we consider what it is We haue heard before that there are Sacraments euer haue beene in the Church of God Now then let vs consider what they are that first the matter handled may be defined For in vaine we shall reason and speake of the Sacraments vnlesse we vnderstand what a Sacrament is But before wee set downe any description of it it shall not bee amisse to speake somewhat of the word The name in so many letters and sillables is not indeed in the Scripture no more then the worde Trinity catholike Consubstantiall and such like which being now generally receiued is not to be reiected seeing the doctrine contained vnder it agreeth with the Scripture and nothing thereby is added to the Scripture Now as the fathers of the Greeke Church called these holy rites by name of Mysteries because the substance of them was onely knowne to the members of the
Sacrament For no signe hath the substance and essence of a Sacrament vnlesse it be receiued Though there bee a Minister to administer it a word to warrant it a signe to represent it yet vnlesse there be a fit person to receiue it ther can be no Sacrament If the Minister should sprinkle water and alleadge the words of institution where there is no party to be baptized this were a prophaning not a solemnizing of Baptisme or if hee should take bread and wine with prayer and thanksgiuing where none are present to communicate and receiue this were to commit sacriledge not to deliuer a Sacrament Wherefore vnlesse there be a body to be washed and except there bee Communicants to partake the Supper there can bee no Sacrament This appeareth by the words of God vnto Abraham b Gen. 17 12. giuing vnto him circumcision saying Euery male childe of eight daies old shall bee circumcised This also appeareth in the c Mat. 28.19 words of Christ speaking of baptisme and charging the Apostles to baptize the nations in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost Where he teacheth that it is not sufficient to take water but there must be a washing So when he speaketh of his Supper d Mat. 26 26 27. he saith Take yee eate ye drinke ye so that there must not onely be bread but giuing taking and eating there must not onely be wine but giuing taking and drinking thereof This truth being euidently deliuered let vs see how it may be profitably applied First of all must the Sacraments Vse 1 necessarily be receiued Then it teacheth that the Sacraments without their lawfull vse are no Sacraments at all they are no signes of grace if they bee not vsed This condemneth the keeping reseruing holding vp and carrying about with pompe ostentation the Lords Supper offering vp kneeling downe vnto and adoring a piece of bread all which are horrible prophanations of that comfortable Sacramēt wherby the people is robbed and depriued of a precious part of their peace in Christ The bread feedeth not the body reuiueth not the spirits strengtheneth not the heart by looking and gazing vpon it by touching and handling it but by eating digesting and feeding vpon it so doth the Sacrament strengthen faith not by reseruing and keeping it but by vsing and receiuing of it For Sacraments are actions not dumbe shewes Christ saide not Heare ye see ye gaze ye on but Baptize ye eate yee drinke ye doe yee this in remembrance of me Vse 2 Secondly are the receiuers an outward part of the Sacrament Then the persons that are to receiue must know that diuers duties are to be done and performed of them The persons then that are to receiue must ioyne with the Minister in prayer in quickning their faith in the couenant and promises of God beholding the former workes of the Minister blessing breaking pouring out and distributing ratifying them in their hearts and lastly by receiuing and applying to themselues the visible signes For as we haue shewed if the words of baptisme should be rehearsed ouer the water and no person be present to be baptized it is no baptisme so if the words of institution in the Supper should bee spoken and repeated without eating without drinking without receiuing it were no Sacrament Wherefore we must all learne to detest the e Bellar desacram Euchar. lib. 4. cap. 2. absurd opinion of Bellarmine and other procters of the Romish religion which teach that the bread wine being once consecrate whether they bee receiued or reserued whether they be distributed to be eaten drunk or whether they be kept in boxes vessels of the church for daies moneths and long times and carried solemnly in procession are notwithstanding stil the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ Against which dotage we spake in the former vse and shall speake f Book 3. c. 6. more in the third booke following Vse 3 Lastly if the receiuing be an outward part then wee are not to rest in the outward participation for so farre went Iudas in the Passeouer so farre went Simon that sorcerer in baptisme and so farre went g Cor. 10.1 2.3 5. the Israelites as the Apostle sheweth They were all baptized vnto Moses in the cloud and in the sea they did all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke c. yet with many of them was not God pleased but they were ouerthrowne in the Wildernesse And therefore Iohn Baptist said to the Pharises and Saduces when he saw them come to his baptisme h Mat. 3 7 8. O generation of vipers who hath forewarnd you to flee from the anger to come bring foorth therefore fruite worthy amendment of life Now our righteousnesse must exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies if we would enter into the kingdome of heauen Let vs all therefore haue this profitable meditation so often as wee deale with the Sacraments and come vnto them we must looke further thē to the outward sight we must consider more then the externall signe otherwise as we approach without preparation so we depart without edification And thus much of the foure outward parts of a Sacrament to wit the Minister the word the signe and the receiuer CHAP. VIII Of Consecration BEfore we proceed to the inward parts of a Sacramēt answerable to the outward by a fit proportion it shall not be amisse in this place to speake somewhat of the Consecration of a Sacrament First we must consider what it is for the truth being knowne it will cast downe error as the light scattereth the darkenesse To consecrate then a What consecration is is to take a thing from the ordinary and common vse and to appoint it to some holye vse This therefore is consecration sanctification and dedication of the outward signes to apply them vnto an holy purpose This is done partly by the Minister partly by the people and partly by them both The Minister taketh the water in Baptisme which signifieth the blood of Christ and he poureth it on the persō of the baptized he taketh the bread and wine and poureth it out he deliuereth them both the people take and receiue they eate and drinke in remembrance of Christ and both Minister and people ioyne in prayer and thanksgiuing vnto God the Father for the mystery of our redemption accomplished by Christ our Sauiour so that the Sacrament is consecrated by the whole action of the Minister and people together This maketh the difference betweene common water and the water in Baptisme this maketh the difference betweene that bread and wine of the Supper and the bread and wine which is vsed for ordinary meat and drinke True it is in nature in essence in substance there is none but in the end and vse Common water wee vse for the washing of our bodyes but the water in Baptisme is sanctified by prayer to another
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
the Minister the outward signes are giuen by the hands of the Minister whether he be good or euill but the truth and substance of the Sacraments is giuen by God the Father Whosoeuer confoundeth these parts and workes robbeth God of his glory depriueth himselfe of the grace of Christ offered and maketh flesh his arme Wherefore as the workes of God and of the Minister are distinct so must these parts remaine distinguished howsoeuer to the faithfull they are not separated and sundred as in the publishing and preaching of the Gospel the Minister speaketh vnto the outward man and the sound therof entreth into the eare g Act. 16 14. but it is God that openeth the heart and speaketh to the conscience of the faithfull hearer Secondly it serueth to strengthen our faith and helpe Vse 2 our weakenesse when we come to the Sacrament So often as we see the Ministers of God appointed by him deliuering the signes and setting them apart to their ends for which they were ordained we must behold with the eie of faith God the Father offering his Sonne to those that can receiue him For if we come aright we may assure our owne hearts that what the Minister doth outwardly the same the Father performeth inwardly then which there cannot be a greater comfort Let vs therefore behold with our eyes the Sacramentall rites let vs heare the promises that God maketh vnto vs God the Father will verifie them who hath h Iohn 6 32. sealed vp his Sonne vnto vs. My Father giueth you that bread from Heauen Hee will as surely giue Christ as the Minister deliuereth the bread wine Albeit the Sacraments should be ministred by some hypocrite and wicked man yet they haue as much force and as great efficacy as if they were ministred by faithful and godly men The vertue of the Sacraments hangeth vpon the Minister no more then the goodnesse of seede dependeth vpon the sower which if it light in good ground wil bring forth plentifull fruit albeit it be sowne of an vngodly and vnskilfull man Thirdly consider heere the difference betweene a Sacrament and a Sacrifice For wee learne from Vse 3 hence that God the Father in the Sacraments doth giue his owne Sonne to the true receiuers True it is a Sacrament and a Sacrifice haue some affinity and agreement the one with the other They haue this in common that both were instituted of God and haue him for the author of them In both of them there are outward actions which haue inward significations for the killing of beasts shewed plainely what our condition is both that we are guilty of death and could not be deliuered but by an offering for sinne and that Christ Iesus is the true oblation to be offered to God vpon the Altar of the Crosse for our sinnes Neuerthelesse they differ also in diuers respects as first in the end The end of a Sacrament is not to offer it vp to God but that it bee offered to vs and receiued of vs. The Minister offereth the signe God the Father offereth the thing signified wee receiue the outward element at the hand of the Minister wee receiue the inward grace at the hand of God But the nature of a Sacrifice is that we giue it or offer it vp to God according to his owne ordinance whereupon also it is called an offering or oblation True it is also that some of the Sacraments of the old Testament vnder the law were after a sorte externall Sacrifices as the Paschall Lambe howbeit it is not so in the Sacraments of the Church of Christ because the perfect Sacrifice of Christ once onely offered hath abolished and abrogated all outward Sacrifices Againe they differ the one from the other in the outward forme and manner of doing Leuit. 16 5. For the Sacrifices were burned in part or in whole with fire to note out the purity of Christs Sacrifice and the eternall Spirite Heb. 9 14. by which he was offered to God whereas they were properly called by name of Sacraments which were eaten or applyed to the bodye and therefore altar was appointed for the Sacrifices but a Table for the Sacraments that were eaten CHAP. X. Of the second inward part of a Sacrament HItherto of the first inward part a The second part of a Sacrament is the holy Spirite the second inward part of a Sacrament is the holy Spirite as Math. 3. Hee shall baptize you b Mat. 3 11. with the Holy-Ghost and fire So in Christs Baptisme when he was baptized prayed the c Luke 3 22. Holy-Ghost descended in a visible shape like a Doue vpon him And Paul saith d 1 Cor. 12.13 By one Spirite we are all baptized into one body whether we be Iews or Graecians whether we be bond or free and haue been all made to drinke into one Spirite And the Apostle layeth downe the circumcision of the heart by the Spirite Rom. 2 29. Hee is a Iew which is one within and the circumcision is of the heart in the Spirite So the same Apostle Titus 3 5 6. According to the mercy of God he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost which he shed on vs abundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour Nothing can bee fruitefull and profitable without his gracious worke in vs he worketh and setleth the worde of promise in our hearts and therefore we must necessarily hold the blessed Spirit to be an inward part of the Sacrament making it and all other ordinances of God auaileable Vse 1 Now let vs proceed to the vses of this point being the second inward part And first of all is the Spirite of God the sealer vp of the promises after that we beleeue according to the doctrine of the Apostle After that ye beleeued f Ephes 1 13. ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise Then as often as we heare the promise vttered by the Minister it confirmeth vs that the Father by his Spirit worketh the same in our hearts The water in baptisme cannot by any force and vertue inherent in it wash our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God as it hath power to wash away the filth and corruption of our bodies The bread and wine in the Lords Supper haue no inherent strength to nourish the soule to eternal life as they haue to strengthen the body they are instruments of the Holy Ghost who worketh by them to the great comfort of the faithfull Grace is not contained and shut vp in them as water in a vessell or as a medicine in a boxe the Spirite helpeth our infirmities sealing vp to our consciences the fruite of the word that is heard and of the Sacramentall signes that are seene But because this doctrine is contradicted by the defenders of the Popish faith it shall not be amisse briefly to propound their chiefest obiections whereby they would proue that the outward signes in
the Lords Supper When we receiue the outward signes God the Father offereth his Sonne all his graces with him to confirme our faith therby The signe is but a figure and token Christ is the truth substance This we shewed before Chap. 2. in the description of a Sacrament that therein Christ and all his sauing graces are truely offered sealed vp and giuen to the faithfull that beleeue in his name Heereunto commeth the doctrine of the Apostle where he teacheth that the Iewish Sacraments being in the truth of them the same with ours did signifie b 1 Cor. 10 1 2 3 4 5. Christ for They dranke of the spirituall Rocke that followed them and that Rocke was Christ So he doth teach elsewher that by baptisme we c Gal. 3 27. put on Christ we are buried into his death and are planted d Rom. 6 4 5. Col. 2.11.12 into the similitude of his resurrection Wherefore this is the vse and end of the Sacraments to leade our faith to the onely Sacrifice of Christ once offered vpon the Crosse as to the onely ground-worke and foundation of our saluation as touching the other Sacrament the same Apostle sheweth that the breaking of the bread sealeth vp the e 1 Cor. 10.16 communion of his body and the pouring out the wine the communion of his blood So then this is an euident plaine and manifest truth confirmed by testimony of the Scripture that Christ is the matter and substance of a Sacrament Vse 1 Heereby we gather great strength of faith If Christ be offered with all his merites then let vs lay hold vpon him and not let him goe let vs stretch forth the hand of faith and receiue him into our hearts Wherefore when Sathan assaulteth vs touching our faith in Christ and affiance in his promises perswading vs we are not elected iustified and indued with faith and thereby seeketh to cut off our hand from applying or to blinde our eye from looking vpon the brazen Serpent that is Christ sitting at the right hand of his Father let vs runne vnto him let vs hunger and thirst after his righteousnesse let vs acknowledge him to bee our wisedome our righteousnesse our sanctification and redemption and let vs looke for our saluation from him and in him What though our faith be fraile and weake What though it be as a graine of a Mustard-seede which is very little and small What if it bee but as the growth and strength of a Childe which is ready to fall except he be stayed vp yet this weake this small this little this fraile this feeble faith is able and sufficient to ingraft vs into Christ A childe taking a staffe in his hand is able to hold it as truely though not as strongly as a man so if wee lay holde vpon Christ by faith though we doe it with many wants much weaknesse yet it shall serue and suffice vs to saluation For God looketh not so much to the perfectiō as to the truth of faith neither so much to the measure as to the manner of our beleeuing Euen as f Mar. 8 24. the blinde man in the Gospel when he began to perceiue the mouing of men and saw them walking as trees when yet hee could not discerne their bodies did as truely and certainly see them as other did though not so cleerely plainely and distinctly So when we haue the least sparke of faith it will as truely assure vs of our saluation as a stronger The poore prisoner that lyeth in a deepe and dark dungeon may as wel discerne the light of the Sunne at a little hole and creuice as he that walketh in the open ayre so albeit we be compassed about with ignorance doubtings weakenesse and manifold fraileties of the fles◠yet by a dimme light and sight of faith we may certainly apply vnto vs the mercies of GOD and the merites of Christ as well as if we had a strong and perfect perswasion of our election and saluation before the foundations of the world Thus we see howsoeuer the faithfull may be afflicted yet g 2 Cor. 4 8 9 they are not distressed thogh tempted yet not ouerwhelmed though cast downe yet they perish not For h 1 Iohn 5 4. this is their victory that hath ouercome this world euen their faith whereby they apprehend Iesus Christ who is offered of God the Father in the Sacraments to all the faithfull Secondly if Christ be giuen vs how should not the Vse 2 Father with him giue vs all things else as the i Rom. 8 32.22 23. Apostle concludeth If God spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not with him giue vs al things also When we enioy him we enioy al things if we want him it is nothing though wee abound in all things else Wherefore when the Father gaue him for vs it is more then if he had giuen to vs heauen and earth For hauing right interest in him we haue possession of all things his righteousnes his sanctificatiō his obediēce his innocency whatsoeuer he hath is made ours He that hath Christ who is the Lord of al cānot doubt but he is made partaker of that which is his He that hath Christ who is heire k Heb. 1 2. of al things may assure himself to be made fellow heire with him This is it the Apostle saith l 1 Cor. 3 21. Let no man reioyce in men for all things are yours whether it bee Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death whether they be things present or things to come euē al are yours ye Christs Christ Gods Whē a parcel of ground is purchased and made ours thereby the profit and commodity thereof is made ours also so whē Christ by the free donatiō o◠God the father is giuē vnto vs his righteousnes obedience becommeth wholy ours together with him Hee then that hath Christ hath al things he that hath not Christ hath nothing howsoeuer he thinke himselfe to be somthing If we haue him giuen vnto vs let vs take no thought for any other thing whatsoeuer He is the maine and greatest guift the rest are but appurtenances vnto it or dependants vpon it Let vs therefore watch ouer our hearts that they be not set vpon other guifts more then vpon him and reioyce more in that the Father hath giuen vs his owne Sonne then if wee had receiued a great possession and an earthly kingdome Vse 3 Thirdly is Christ the substance and inward part of a Sacrament the signe being as it were the body and the thing signified as the soule Then there hath been from the beginning the same truth of religion the same faith and the same meanes of faith Wee haue had the same Sacraments for substance throughout all generations There was a difference in the manner and outward dispensation according vnto the seuerall ages growth of the Church
our owne vnrighteousnesse And heereby wee may examine our selues whether Christ be in vs or not for then the body is dead because of sinne but the spirite is aliue through righteousnesse This is that which the Apostle teacheth 2. Cor. 5 17. If any man be in Christ let him be a new creature old things are passed away behold al things are become new So the Prophets prophesying of the kingdome of Christ do foretell of a new heauen and new earth Esay 65 17. signifying thereby that all such as belong to Christ and haue him dwelling in them by faith must bee renewed and regenerated by water and the Holy Ghost He is not as a dead body that hath no working but hee worketh wheresoeuer he commeth and dwelleth and altereth al those that are truely partakers of him not in substance but in qualitie giuing them new mindes new wils new affections and a new conuersation Happy are they that finde this change in them for they shall bee saued in that great day of the Lord the day of account when the mouth of iniquity shall be stopped and all the vngodly put to silence Thus much of the third inward part of a Sacrament CHAP. XII Of the fourth inward part of a Sacrament THe a The last inward part of a Sacrament is the faithful receiuer last inward part of a Sacrament is the faithfull receiuer desiring apprehending receiuing hungring and thirsting after Christ There is required a faithfull receiuer if wee would receiue Iesus Christ faith must of necessity goe before without this there is no iustification without this there is no saluation as Rom. 14. Whatsoeuer b Rom. 14 23 Heb. 11 6. is not of faith is sinne And Heb. 11. Without faith it is vnpossible to please God Iudas executed the function of an Apostle hee was partaker of the Passeouer yet he ceased not to remaine an hypocrite a diuell and the childe of perdition c Iohn 17 12. that the Scripture might be fulfilled Neither was he bettered or sanctified by that Sacrament or by the vse thereof Ananias and Sapphira his wife d Acts 5 4 9. being in the number of Disciples were no doubt baptised of the Apostles had also receiued ofttimes the Lords Supper yet they continued in their wickednesse lying and hypocrisie the Sacrament did not take away their wickednes nor giue them a iustifying and sauing faith e Acts 15 9. which purifieth the heart by repentance and worketh new obedience in the soule The like we haue said of Simon the sorcerer f Acts 8 23. who albeit he were baptised yet remained in the gall of bitternes and in the bond of iniquity Wherefore the Apostle teacheth that the word profited not g Heb. 4 2. because it was not mingled with faith in those that heard it If the signes be receiued without faith they hurt not that Gods guifts and ordinances hurt of themselues but not being receiued aright they hurt through our sinne and default As the word not receiued by faith is an empty sound without force so the Sacrament is an vnprofitable and a naked shew without substance Wherefore the Sacraments in regard of the vnbeleeuers and vngodly are no Sacraments to them because to them they are not seales of the righteousnesse of faith True it is they remaine Sacraments in respect of God who offereth his owne Sonne but they loose their strength and force toward the vnfaithfull that do abuse and contemne them h Rom. 2 25. as the Apostle expresly teacheth Circumcision verily is profitable if thou keepe the law but if thou bee a transgressor of the law thy circumcision is become vncircumcision The same Apostle speaking of such i 1 Cor. 11 20. as vsed the Lords supper without true godlines and due preparation saith This is not to eate the Lords Supper denying that to be which was not done as it ought to be Wherefore seeing the right vse of the Sacrament is Vse 1 when such as are truely conuerted vse them aright we learne diuers instructions that flowe and follow from hence First that the reprobate though God offer the whole Sacrament to them doe receiue the signes alone without the things signified they haue the bare title without the thing the vanishing shadow without the body the outward letter without the Spirite the empty boxe without the oyntment and the creature without the Creator They are washed with the element of water but not with the grace of regeneration They eate the bread and drinke the wine but they are not partakers of the bodye and blood of Christ Iesus to saluation They eate k Panem domini non panâ—m dominum â—ugust hom in Ioh. 65. the bread of the Lord but they eate not the bread the Lord because the signe without the right and holy vse thereof is not an auaileable Sacrament to the receiuer of it Wee see therefore the wicked partake not Christ although they partake the signes of Christ l Ioh. 20 6 7. as they that found his cloathes but missed his body Secondly we see heereby that the elect ordained to Vse 2 eternall life but not yet called and conuerted to the Lord and to the obedience of his wil though they come often to the Sacraments yet do in like manner receiue the bare signes without the things signified because as yet they want faith and repentance What then Doe they nothing differ from the reprobates In this they differ not for the present time from the Reprobate Notwithstanding that receiuing of the Sacrament which for the time present was vnfruitefull and vnprofitable shall after in them haue his good effect as the Corne that lyeth long couered in the earth at the length doth come vp and flourish For the Sacrament receiued before a mans conuersion is afterward to the beleeuer and penitent sinner ratified and so becommeth profitable wherby the vse of the Sacrament which before was vtterly voide and vnlawfull doth then become lawfull comfortable as we see in the word heard without fruite and faith by an vnbeleeuer is made a word of saluation afterward when he is conuerted Vse 3 Lastly the elect already conuerted and sanctified by the Spirite of God do to their profite comfort and saluation receiue both the signe and the thing signified together yet so as that for their vnworthy receiuing therof which hapneth through their manifolde infirmities and often relapses into sinne they are subiect to temporal punishments for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus Heereunto cometh that saying 1 Cor. 11.30 For this cause many are sicke and weake among you and many sleepe for if wee would iudge our selues wee should not bee iudged of the Lord. Where the Apostle teacheth that God brought a iudgement vpon his owne house and punished this Church with weaknesse sicknesse and death it selfe for their vnreuerent vnworthy and disordered receiuing of the Lords Supper
Although many among them no doubt were elected and all of them professed the Gospell of the kingdome yet God visited their want of preparation and reuerence with diuers diseases and great mortality n Leuit. 26 14 25 21. Deut. 28 15 16 20 21. according to the threatning annexed to the lawe If ye will not obey me nor do all these commandements if yee shall despise mine ordinances or your soule abhorre my lawes then will I do this vnto you I will appoint ouer you fearefulnes a consumption and the burning ague to consume the eyes and to make the heart heauy And if ye walke stubbornely against me and will not obey mee I will then bring seauen times mee plagues vpon you according to your sinnes Wherefore whē we haue receiued grace to beleeue and haue tasted the first fruites of the Spirit to the comfort of our soules we must not be puffed vp in our knowledge we must not grow secure but stir vp the guifts of God in vs when they begin to waxe faint Let vs seeke to preuent his iudgements before they come which wee may do by iudging our selues by making inquiry into our owne waies and by searching the reines of our hearts with purpose to condemne all ignorance error security and vngodlinesse and as it were to take punishment of our selues then this would follow thereupon wee should not be iudged and punished of the Lord. This then is the remedy to auoide the sinne of vnworthy receiuing A man thus visited with sicknesse weaknesse and diuers kinds of diseases and smitten with the stroke of Gods owne hand cannot possibly be restored by any creature in heauen or earth and yet behold the Lord hath not left vs without meanes to remooue them and take them away to wit by taking away the cause that wee may remoue the effects The cause of these puninshments is taken away by iudging our selues Now a man in iudging of himselfe o What we are to do in iudging our selues must performe foure things First he must examine himselfe of his sinnes Secondly hee must confesse them himselfe to be guilty as the poore prisoner that standeth at the barre No denying of the fact no defending of the fault no hiding of the offence no iustifying of our person can procure our pardon the way to haue forgiuenesse is to acknowledge our owne wickednesse Thirdly he must condemne himselfe and giue sentence against himself without partiality Fourthly he must pleade pardon for the remission of his sinnes and neuer rest vntill he giue him peace of conscience restore him to the ioy of his saluation CHAP. XIII Of the first vse of a Sacrament HItherto of the parts of a Sacrament both outward and inward now we come to the vses thereof For vnlesse we know the vse vnderstand the end why they were ordained it shall not profite vs to know the parts Euery thing must be referred to his right vses and proper ends so must the Sacraments be The ends are especially a Three chief vses of the sacraments these three First to strengthen faith Secondly to seale the couenant betweene God and vs. Thirdly to be a badge of our profession Touching the first ende the Sacraments serue for the better confirmation of our faith as appeareth 1. Pet. 3. where the Apostle hauing set downe the drowning of the world and the preseruing of Noah by the Arke he saith our baptisme b 1 Pet. 3 21. directly answereth that type which is a taking to witnesse of a good conscience and sauing vs by the resurrection of Christ So then by faith confirmed in Baptisme we haue an infallible assurance in the death of Christ of our saluation Many indeede come to the Sacraments are present at baptisme are partakers of the Lords Supper that feele no strength of faith no increase of Gods graces no spirituall growth in the body of Christ so that they worke not saluation in them but further their condemnation For the Sacraments as we haue shewed giue not grace but more firmely surely and comfortably confirme faith they apply and seale vp Christ crucified The Sacraments cannot giue faith to the faithlesse neyther were they instituted to the end men should beleeue but because they doe beleeue as meat was not giuen that men should learne to eate but that they eating might be nourished Faith indeed receiueth them c August de ciuit dei lib. 25. cap. 25. and then they serue to nourish it And they confirme not faith by any inherent power included in them but the holye Spirite applyeth Christ to vs and frameth this comfortable conclusion in our hearts All such as are conuerted and doe rightly vse the Sacraments shall receiue Christ all his sauing graces But I am conuerted and doe rightly vse the Sacraments Therefore I shall receiue Christ and his graces Thus doth the Comforter comfort all those that come rightly and religiously to the Lords Table Now if wee would enquire and search after the reasons of this first end we should finde that one cause why they confirme faith is because God is true in his promises he confirmeth and maketh good that which is gone out of his mouth All the d 2 Cor. 1 20. promises of God in Christ Iesus are yea and are in him Amen vnto the glory of God through vs. For as Princes seales confirme their charters assure their grants and make certaine their pardons so do Gods Sacraments witnesse to our hearts and consciences that his words and promises are true and are established to continue for euer For as he declareth his mercies by his word so hee sealeth and assureth them by his Sacraments Againe this appeareth by the example of Abraham who first beleeued the promise and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse being yet vncircumcised and afterward receiued the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnes of faith as the Apostle e Rom. 4 9 10 11. teacheth We say that faith was imputed vnto Abraham for righteousnesse How was it then imputed when he was circumcised or vncircumcised Not when hee was circumcised but when he was vncircumcised c. Where he sheweth that Abraham was iustified in vncircumcision but yet was afterward circumcised that the guift of righteousnes might be confirmed in him The f Acts 8 36. Eunuch likewise beleeued before he receiued baptisme therfore it sealed vp the increase of his faith of Gods graces And Acts 2. They that gladly receiued the words of Peter g Acts 2.41 10 44 47 48. and 22 16. were baptized And as Peter preached to Cornelius and others of the Gentiles The Holy Ghost fell on them all which heard the word and he said Can any forbid water that these should not be baptized which haue receiued the Holy Ghost as well as we So he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Wherefore when the Minister washeth with water it representeth our burial with
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
had equally and indifferentlie in like price and estimation they are both commanded and instituted by the same authority of Christ there is the same matter and substance of both to wit Christ with al his benefits there is this one and the same end of both the encrease and strengthning of our faith therfore why should one Sacrament bee so much extolled aboue the other and preferred before the other So that whereas many come to the Lords Supper few remaine and abide in the Church at the administration of Baptisme Seeing then as louing Sisters they goe hand in hand together and are the deare daughters of one Father what reason is there that one should bee magnified and the other disgraced The whole assembly heareth the worde preached and deliuered by the Minister the Sacraments are Instruments of our Iustification by Faith c Christ is after a sort preached in baptisme as well as the word preached sauing that the worde worketh by Hearing onely the Sacraments serue by the senses of Seeing Handling and Tasting as well as hearing to strengthen and encrease Faith in our hearts and therefore it is requisite that we ioyne in the one as well as in the other Furthermore the excellency and worthinesse of Baptisme appeareth herein in that it was instituted of God sealing vp his gracious couenant in that it was sanctified by Christ being baptized of Iohn and in that it was beutified by the heauenly reuelation of the blessed Trinitie appearing thereat so great honour so great dignity preheminence was neuer giuen to any Ceremonie Did God institute it and shall wee contemne it Did Iesus Christ come to Iohns baptisme and shall we disdaine to be at the Baptisme of Christ Was the holie Trinitie present and will we be absent True it is some of the sacrifices and burnt offerings were d Gen. 4 5. coÌ„pared with Heb. 11.4 miraculously consumed by fire from heauen but what is this to the glorious presence of the Maiesty of God the blessed Trinity declaring to vs thereby that God the Father Iudg. 13 20. 1 King 18.38 2 Chron 7 1. God the Son and God the holy Ghost are alwaies present at the administration of Baptisme and truely performe that which is outwardly figured and represented Here heauen was open which for our sinnes was shut against vs here the Spirit descended in the visible forme of a doue vpon Christ to signifie vnto vs that beeing deliuered from the terrors of sinne and iudgement we are at peace with God e Ma. 3 16 17 The voice of the Father is heard from heauen saying This is my sonne in whom I am well pleased All these things note out the speciall force and dignitie of this Sacrament It is not therefore to bee administred in a corner of the Church with three or foure persons present to witnesse the Baptisme the rest of the bodye of the Congregation beeing departed but in the face and open view thereof forasmuch as God to deliuer it from contempt hath giuen it visible markes of greater honour The Apostle f 1 Cor. 12 23 saith 1 Cor. 12. Our vncomelie parts haue more comelinesse on for our comely parts neede it not but God hath tempered the body togither and hath giuen more honour to that part whâ—ch lacked As God hath dealt with our bodies so hath hee done in this Sacrament That which is most subiect to contempt dishonour and disgrace God hath lifted vp with sundry excellent preheminences prerogatiues as we haue seene in Christs baptisme And albeit there may be a differeÌ„ce in the person baptized one high another low one noble another vnnoble one rich another poor yet there is none in the substance of the baptisme Seeing then God so highly esteemeth of this ordinance it serueth to conuince to accuse and to condemne their carelesnesse and negligence that refuse to be present at baptisme or if they vouchsafe to bee present for a while yet they are talking and attend not vnto it and depart before the ende of the whole action and rush out of the Church before the name of God be praised and the whole worke finished g Luk. 3 21. Act. 22.16 and concluded with prayer as it was Luke 3. It came to passe as all the people were baptized and that Iesus was baptized and did pray the heauen was opened And Act. 22. Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sinnes in calling on the name of the Lord. Wherefore we are not to depart before God hath beene prayed vnto and praised for his benefits The Apostle chargeth that h 1 Cor. 14 26 40. all things in the Church be done in order and comlinesse Now what can bee more comely and conuenient i Ezek 46 10. then that the Churches begin the exercises of their holy religion together and end them together Forasmuch as nothing is done in the assembly which tendeth not to the edification of the whole body Vse 5 Lastly if in euery true baptisme there be outward inward parts vnited each to other then the baptisme of Iohn and of Christ are in nature and substance all one Contrary to the doctrine of the k Concil Trid. sess 7 can 1. Trent-couÌ„cel that teacheth If any shall say that the baptisme of Iohn hath the same force with Christs baptisme let him be accursed Although it be no matter of faith nor greatly necessary in these dayes to dispute of Iohns baptisme seeing no man or woman is now baptized by his hands yet we will shew the truth of this point out of the scriptures l The baptisme of Iohn and of Christ are in substance one the same that they are all one in substance and effect not of any other kind and nature For first Iohn preached the baptisme of repentance to remission of sins they haue therefore the same doctrine the same word the same promise m Mar 1 4. the same repentance the same forgiuenes of sins as they had the same outward element of water And the Apostle teacheth that there is n Eph. 4 5.6 One body one spirit one hope of the calling one Lord one Father one faith and one baptisme Secondly the baptisme of Iohn was consecrated and sanctified in the person of Christ for Christ was baptized with the baptisme of Iohn Thirdly it may appeare as we will proue Chap. 4. that Iohn baptized into the name of the blessed Trinity Fourthly neither Christ nor his Apostles rebaptized any that were baptized by the ministry of Iohn Apollos did know onely the baptisme of Iohn o Acts 18 25.26 he is taken and instructed further in the faith and wayes of the Lord but we reade not that he was baptized againe Fiftly if Iohns baptisme were not the same with our baptisme it would follow that Christ was baptized with another baptisme then we are and that our baptisme was not sanctified in the persoÌ„ of Christ which taketh away our comfort consolation that we
as Christ sometimes did to that slothfull person c Luk. 19 12. Thou euill seruant out of thine owne mouth will I iudge thee These make three sorts of baptisme of water of blood of the Spirit whereby they confesse that the want of baptizing with water is not damnable in al seeing that want may be supplyed either with shedding of their blood for testimony of the truth or by spiritual regeneration ingrafting into the body of Christ To conclude do we desire the custome and practise of the Church It is well knowne that in Thessalia d Socra lib. 5. cap. 22. Bellar. de sacra bap cap. 26. the Sacrament of baptisme was celebrated but once in the yeare namely at Easter In other places thrice in the yeare and sometimes not vntill the houre of their death when they were going the way of all flesh Constantine the great was the first christian Emperor that reformed the Church yet he was not baptized till e Tripart hist lib. 3 câ—p 12. the time of his death And Valentinianus a christian Emperor died without baptisme yet doth Ambrose giue him his due commendation f Orat. de obit Valentâ—n and doubted nothing of his saluation Shal we do these good men these worthy Emperors these godly Christians this wrong as to thinke they were damned who were the chiefe pillars and protectors of the true Christian and Catholike religion Or if the Churches aboue mentioned had holden this hard opinion that the want of baptisme was a signe of reprobation would they haue deferred it in the houre of death whereby sometimes they were preuented or administred it at certaine times onely of the yeare True it is that custome is not to be followed neither the negligeÌ„ce of those Bishops to be allowed but it teacheth thus much that in deferring baptisme they differed in iudgement from the now-Church of Rome and concurred in opinion with the reformed Churches for which causes their practise is alledged The reasons vsed to maintain the absolute necessity of this Sacrament to saluation are weak not worth the answering First they obiect g Gen. 17 14. Obiection Answere the threatning annexed to circumcision The vncircumcised male shal be cut off froÌ„ his people To this I answere first God commandeth infants to be circumcised the eight day before which time they were forbidden to circumcise Wherfore infants that dy before the 8. day were not bound and obliged by this law And seeing there h Rom. 5 13. can be no transgression where there is no law they are not damnd because they are vncircumcised seeing God called many out of this life before they were capable of this Sacrament Againe the commination and threatning is not to bee vnderstood generally of all but of such as are growne vp not of children but of men as appeareth by the reason For he hath broke my couenant This cannot be applyed to infants i Caietan in cap. 7. Genes who albeit they haue not actuall faith yet cannot be said to contemne grace to refuse the couenant to reiect the promises or to lye in infidelity and hardnesse of heart Wherefore it belongeth vnto those onely that being growne vp and come to yeares shall approue the negligence of their parents and will not suffer themselues to be circumcised Therefore the childe of Moses whose circumcision was through negligence deferred was not punished but the fault was imputed vnto Moseâ— himselfe Exod. 4 24. Now as to Peter saying Thou shalt k â—â—hn 13 8. neuer wash my feet Christ answered If I wash thee not thou hast no part in me so to the Israelite that should haue saide I will neuer be circumcised this threatning might fitly be applyed If thou wilt not be circumcised thou hast no part in God no portion in his blessing no assurance of his promises in this life or of his kingdome in the life to come Lastly to be cut off from the people doth not signifie to be condemned for euen the negligence and contempt of the Sacrament is pardonable where repentance followeth as we see of such as came vnreuerently and vnworthily to the Lords Supper among the Corinthians l 1 Cor. 11 30 31. who were punished with diseases and death it selfe yet the soule no doubt was saued in the day of the Lord. Sometime therefore that phrase of speaking signifieth temporall iudgements of God on men their families m Psal 55 24. for their wickednes Sometimes it signifieth the Magistrates iustice inflicted on malefactors n Deut. 13 59 who beareth not the sword in vaine which is expounded afterward Thou shalt surely kill him Sometimes it signifieth to be cut off from the bosome of the Church o Exod. 12 15 19. which is done by the high and dreadfull censure of excommunication Whosoeuer eateth leauened bread from the first day vntill the seauenth day that person shall be cut off from Israell the interpretation of which words is added verse 19. That person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israell So the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 5. Hee which hath done this thing should be p 1 Cor. 5 2.13 put from among you that is from your company fellowship as verse 13. Put away from among your selues that wicked man Thus wee are to vnderstand the threatning in this place that such as contemne circumcision eyther themselues or allow the same contempt and negligence of others shall no longer bee reckoned and reputed among the people of God but be separated from them and to be as an heathen and a publican Againe q Ioh. 3 5. they obiect Iohn 3. Obiection 2 Vnlesse a man be borne of water and the Spirite hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God therefore say they it is necessary to saluation to be baptized This is the reason of r Bellar. lib 1 de bapt ca. 4. Bellarmine and Å¿ Hosij confess cap. 35. Answere of others I answere first it is not necessary in this place by water to vnderstand materiall water but the grace of Christ purging and cleansing as water doth which interpretation may be gathered by conference of a like place Math. 3.11 He shall baptise t Ioh 3 11. with the Holy-Ghost and with fire that is by the Spirite of God which is as it were fire lightening our hearts with the knowledge of God inflaming them with his loue and purging them from euill affections So when wee are saide to be borne againe by water and the Spirite he meaneth by the Spirite shewing forth in vs the force power and property of water as if he should say we are borne of water which is the Spirite u Ioh. 7 38 39 4.21 as Ioh. 7 38 39. Againe if it were ment of water in baptisme it must be vnderstood according to a like a Ioh. 6 53. sentence Ioh. 6. Vnlesse you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee shall not
haue life in you which must be vnderstood of such as are of yeares and growne in age And thus Innocentius the third in the b Decret Gregor lib. 3. tit 42 c. 3. decrees expoundeth it so doth Peter Lumbard c Lumb sent lib. 4. dist 4. maister of the Sentences So then if they will be tryed eyther by their owne Pope which is their holy father or by Peter Lumbard which is their grand-maister this place cannot be inforced against infants that dye before they be baptized but must be reâ—erred to men of greater yeares We reason not thus farre to iustifie and allow the sluggishnesse and neglect of carelesse parents vnder colour and pretence of this that the saluation of the child dependeth not vpon the participation of the Sacrament but to shew that if it cannot be obtained as it ought to be desired or if by godlesse parents it be deferred and neglected yet saluation is not tyed and glued to the outward water The neglect of the Sacrament is a notable marke of a despiser and therefore the Pharisies are saide to haue reiected the counsell of God against themselues beeing not baptized of him Luke 7 30. It is strange to consider what childish excuses and pretences parents vse to iustifie their negligeÌ„ce in performing this good duty to their Children For baptisme is necessary in respect of God that hath commanded it in respect of the Church the lawfull vse of it being a note of the true Church and in respect of the promise annexed vnto it Neuerthelesse it is not simply necessary to saluation as though without the washing of water one could not be a member of Christ True it is to euery one that beleeueth baptisme must necessarily be either actually receiued or earnestly desired receiued if it may be had desired if it cannot be had For as the true desire of grace is grace indeed in Gods acceptance so the desire of baptisme is accepted of God as baptisme And therefore simply the want of it without neglect cannot bring danger of daÌ„nation Away then with the doctrine of the Church of Rome touching the absolute necessity of baptisme and touching Children that dye without it a beastly and bloody d Let none obiect the opinion of Augustine for he thought it necessary to saluation that children shold receiue the Lords Supper as well as baptisme De peccâ—tor meâ—t lib. 1. cap. 24. doctrine ioyned with rigor and cruelty full of terror and feare vncharitable in it selfe presumptuous by entring into Gods secret iudgements impious by binding him to second causes and ordinary meanes iniurious to thousands of poore infants discomfortable to all good parents and blasphemous against the bottomelesse mercy of a gracious God who hath saide e Gen. 17 7. I will bee thy God and the God of thy seede where he maketh a couenant of saluation with vs and our children not adding any condition of baptisme if it cannot be had as it ought to be If it cannot be had by the infant the Spirit of God doth worke the effectuall knitting of them to the body of Christ by a secret working as pleaseth him in stead of ordinary meanes For when our Sauiour had said Mar. 16. He that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued he doth not adde contrariwise he that is not baptized shall be damned f Maâ— 16 16. but annexeth onely Hee that beleeueth not shall be condemned Thus we haue shewed the malice and madnesse of Sathan against poore infants and how he hath vsed proud and pestilent instruments to effect his purpose partly the Anabaptistes who deny baptisme to their bodies and partly the Papists who deny saluation to their soules for want of baptisme CHAP. VI. Of the fourth outward part of Baptisme THe last outward part of baptisme is a The last outward part of baptisme is the body washed the body that is washed For wee haue shewed before that the Sacraments without their vse are no Sacraments And albeit the worde ioyned to the signe make a Sacrament yet this presupposeth a Minister to administer it and a receiuer to take it and then the rule is most certainely to bee admitted Now whether the whole body should be washed or a part of the body whether it should be washed once or oftner whether it should be dipped or sprinkled we are neither curiously to enquire nor seriously to contend nor rashly to determine but rest in practise of the Church and in the custome of the country as in a thing in it owne nature indifferent The dipping and plunging into the water vsed by Iohn Baptist and the Apostles in Iudea and such hot regions are not a necessary rule to be drawne into imitation especially in these colde quarters and countries For the word doth not onely signifie to diue to put and plunge into the water but to dip to sprinkle and to wash This sprinkling doth very fitly answere to the signification of water For the apostle Peter teacheth that we are elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through the sanctification of the Spirit vnto obedience sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ as 1. Epistle of Peter chap. 1. 1 Pet. 1.2 verse 2. which is signified by outward baptisme and was shaddowed by sprinkling of blood vnder the law Neyther may we imagine that the efficacy of baptisme dependeth vpon the quantity of water that is vsed and imployed no more then the force and vertue of the Lords Supper dependeth vpon the quantity of the bread and wine which wee receiue They then are much deceiued that would bring in an absolute necessity of dipping Children into the water as if without it they were not lawfully baptized For as we noted before the word importeth euen simply any washing of what sort soeuer as Marke 7. It is said of the Pharisies that comming from the market they eate not except they wash 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this outward washing of the bodye from filth representeth the inward clensing of the soule from sinne Heereunto the Apostle alludeth when he affirmeth that we are saued according to the mercy of God our Sauiour by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost Tit. 3.5 Eph. 5 25 26. Titus 3 verse 5. And else-where he saith Ehesians 5. verses 25 26 Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it that hee might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word So then the ceremony vsed among vs to sprinkle water vpon the face of the child cannot be reproued or condemned but standeth with the ordinance of God as well as dipping in the water and therefore the Apostle saith to the Hebrewes Chap. 10.22 Let vs draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith Heb. 10 22. hauing our hearts sprinkled from an euill conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Hence it is that Cyprian writing of this argument in his Epistles teacheth
the Acts of the Apostles Chapter 9 Act. 9 37 verse 37. when Tabithae a woman full of good workes and almes-deeds was dead They washed her and laid her in an vpper Chamber or whether he meane it of the greeuous afflictions which the faithfull suffered for the Gospels sake vnto death as if he had said Why do we suffer aduersity vnto death Or why am I in ieopardy euery houre Or wherefore do I fight with beasts at Ephesus if there be no resurrection What shall all these aduantage me if the dead rise not Let vs rather eate and drinke for to morrow wee dye Both these interpretations are good and godly and in both these senses and significations the word is taken as wee haue shewed in the first chapter of this booke Wherefore to conclude this point it is no doctrine nor determination of the Apostle either that dead men should be bâ—ptized any more then they should be taught and instructed or that any of the liuing should vndertake the Sacrament of baptisme for the dead Conc. Carth. 3. can 6. and the counsell of Carthage hath decreed accordingly that the weake brethren must beware they doe not beleeue that such as are dead and departed hence may be baptized Thirdly The third abuse they are reprooued that admit such to bee partakers of baptisme as are Infidels and do not professe the faith nor repentance toward God The apostle Peter preaching vnto the Iewes saith Repent and hee baptized euery one of you â—n the name of Iesus Christ Acts 2. verses 38.41 And afterward Luke addeth Act. 2 38 41. They that gladly receiued his worde were baptized And Christ our Sauiour saith in the first place Hee that beleeueth Mar. 16 16. and then addeth in the second and is baptized So that both faith and repentance are required in all those of yeares that are to bee baptized And the reason is euident because without repentance the olde man is not put off and without faith the newe man is not put on Now the Sacrament of Baptisme is a Sacrament of regeneratioÌ„ through the blood of Christ Wherefore to admit such as are vnbeleeuers and vnrepentant sinners what is it but euen to tread vnder foote the blood of Christ and to make a mocke of the new Testament This barreth out very strongly from this priuiledge of the Church all Turkes Iewes Infidels and all sauage nations whatsoeuer that haue not the knowledge of true religion but remaine in blindnesse and ignorance of Iesus Christ and his Gospell and on the other side it teacheth that baptisme is by no meanes to bee denyed vnto them which make profession of faith and repentance Heere before wee do proceede any further we will answere a few questions that may bee demanded touching diuers persons whether they may bee bapâ—ized or not The first question shall be whether the infants of Turkes Iewes Whether the Children of Iewes Turks may be baptized and such like barbarous nations may be baptized I answere that eyther their parents or such are in stead of parents giue consent to haue them baptized or they will not giue their consent If they will not agree that their children should be baptized they ought not to be baptized against the liking and good will of their parents but if they be content and desirous they may be admitted and receiued vnto Baptisme This determining of the question holdeth touching infants and infants onely For all such as are of full age and are come to yeares of discretion to desire baptisme may not nor ought not to depend vpon the consent of parents but whether they be willing or vnwilling they must beleeue in Christ professe the faith practise repentance and desire to be entred into the Church saying with the conuerted Eunuch Acts 8.36 Act. 8. See heere is water what hinders me to be baptized And Philip said If thou beleeuest with all thine heart thou maiest For euery man should follow Christ his maister albeit his parents should disswade him or forbid him Howbeit for infants the case is otherwise they are vnder the iurisdiction of their parents and they rule ouer them so that they cannot without wrong and iniustice be taken from them to whom by the law of nature they do properly belong And therefore Christ commanded not the widdowes sonne whom he raised from the dead to follow him Luk. 7 15. but deliuered him to his mother neither could he be compelled to follow him against the good will of his mother for that had beene to abrogate and abolish the authority of the parents ouer their children But if they can be perswaded and will be contented to haue them baptized then they haue no wrong at all done vnto them for iniury cannot be offered to them that are willing Such fathers giue some hope that in time themselues wil professe the faith in this case the Church is as a tender mother ouer such infants and therefore may iustly and rightly baptize them Thus much touching their children that are out of the bosome of the Church The next question is touching the children of those which indeed liue within the doores of the Church but yet are prophane and vngodly who are in the Church Whether the children of prophane and impenitent persons may be baptized but not of the Church whether they may be baptized or not I answere if the infants of such impenitent persons be brought and offered to be baptized they cannot nor ought not to be barred and excluded from it For albeit their parents be wicked men and vnworthy of any grace or priuiledge of the Church eyther for themselues or their posterity yet it is no reason that their impiety should any way hurt or hinder the saluation of their Children that are borne in the Church or shut them from the meanes of furthering their saluation Heereunto commeth the saying of the Prophet Ezekiell The soule that sinneth shall dye Ezek. 18 20. the sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father neither shall the father beare the iniquity of the sonne c. If any obiect and say Obiection The children of the faithfull onely are to be baptized because onely those infants are iudged to be in the couenant and onely holy I answere two things Answere first that in this point we are not to regard the vngodlinesse of such as are their naturall parents of whom they were begotten but the godlinesse of the Church in which and of whom they were borne for the Church is as it were their mother Secondly we must consider not onely their immediate parents but their forefathers and ancestors which haue led a godly and holy life So that albeit they be the children of vnfaithfull parents in respect of the Fathers of whom they came in the flesh yet they are not the children of such if we regard the ancient Fathers and the Church wherein they were borne which is their mother To this purpose Paul
to the Eunuch Acts 8. If thou beleeuest thou maiest Thus we see that the children of those that professe the faith belong to the Church of God the children of Pagans belong not to the Church of God loe how great a difference there is betweene them Heereby then the children of the faithfull are discerned and distinguished from the prophane multitude of Atheists Epicures Libertines Arrians Anabaptists Turkes Sarazens Persians and other barbarous nations g Eph. 2 1â— which are without Christ without hope without God in the world whereas the holy seede of all the faithfull belong to the Church of God and are reckoned in the company of the Church For this h Rom. 11 6. cause the Apostle calleth the whole posterity of Abraham holy that is consecrated and hallowed to God If the roote be holy the branches are also holy Not that the children of the faithfull do want originall sin or that they gather any actuall holinesse or inherent righteousnes by carnall generation and propagation from their parents but because by benefit of the couenant of God and by force of his gracious promise they are separated from prophane Infidels and brought into the bosome of the Church as Noah was into the Arke Fiftly this doctrine that children are commended to Vse 5 God infranchized into the heauenly Citty setteth forth the honour and glory of God For is not God greatly glorified when he sheweth himselfe true in his promises and hath mercy vpon the faithfull i Deut. 7 9. for a thousand generations And is not occasion offered vnto vs continually to glorifie him Can we deserue that God should be our God Nay do we not deserue that he should not be our God And yet behold he will bee the God of our children also Let vs therefore neuer forget his mercies let vs fill our mouths or rather our hearts with his praises let vs confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men Sixtly all parents are heereby wonderfully comforted Vse 6 they haue their faith strengthened and are confirmed in the loue of God when they see themselues so beloued of God that it descendeth and floweth euen to their Children as they are assured by this visible signe This is that worthy and wonderfull promise which we must receiue by k Gen. 17 7. faith Gen. 17. I will be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee I will establish my couenant betweene me and thee and thy seed after thee A sentence to be written not onely in Gold but in the tables of our hearts to dwell with vs for euer When wee must leaue the world and our families in poore estate behind vs and go vnto the Father let vs not be dismayed discouraged or discomfited this is the stay of our hope this is the staffe of our comfort this is our anker-hold that he will not shut vp his mercy toward our children but be a gracious God to them as he hath beene to our selues so that we may assuredly say vnto them with faithfull Abraham l Gen. 22.8 My sonne God will prouide Let vs bee content with those things that we haue for he hath saide m Heb. 13 5.6 7. Iosh 1 5. Hâ—g 2 9. I will not faile thee neither forsake thee so that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper neither will I feare what man can doe vnto me Godlinesse is great gaine and he that is truely godly is truely rich He that hath Christ hath all things he that wanteth him wanteth all things Heauen and earth are the Lords all the gold and siluer are his who hath promised to be an husband to the widdow eyes to the blinde a couering to the naked a father to the fatherlesse and he will not forget his kindnesse toward vs for euer Wherfore let vs lift vp n Heb. 12 12.13 our hands and our hearts which hang downe let vs strengthen our weake knees and make straight steps vnto our feet God is able to worke contentednes in all his seruants whose power is best seene in our weakenes and whose glory shineth brightest in our greatest wants Remember o Psal 37.25 34 8 9 10. what the Prophet saith Psal 37. I was young and now am olde yet I neuer saw the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread And againe Tast ye and see how gracious the Lord is blessed is the man that trusteth in him Feare the Lord ye his Saints for nothing wanteth to them that fear him The Lyons do lacke and suffer hunger but they which seeke the Lord shall want nothing that is good Loe how the man shal be blessed that feareth God not only in his owne person but in his children p Psal 115 13 14. Ier. 32 38 39. inasmuch as our seed is no lesse deare to him then we are as Psal 115. He will blesse them that feare the Lord both small great the Lord wil encrease his graces toward you and toward your children And to the same purpose the Prophet Ieremy chap. 32. saith They shal be my people I wil be their God and I will giue them one heart one way that they may feare me for euer for the wealth of theÌ„ and of their children after them Let vs al rest in his words and rely vpon his mercifull promises He is not as man that he should lye nor as the sonne of man that he should deceiue He hath said he wil be our God and the God of our seed that we leaue behind vs. Behold O Lord the words of thine owne lips consider the promises that are gone out of thine owne mouth We know thou art true and faithfull in all thy sayings thou wilt not alter the things which thou hast writteÌ„ with thine owne finger on thee we waite and in thee we put our trust let it be vnto thy seruants according to thy free promise and according to thy gracious couenant that we may feele the accomplishment thereof in our soules Seuenthly al parents are heereby to be warned and admonished Vse 7 that seeing the promise of forgiuenes of sinnes and the kingdome of heauen belongeth to their seed and consequently the signe and seale therof they must be carefull to bring them vp q Eph. 6 4. in the true knowledge and feare of God as Eph. 6. Fathers prouoke not your children to wrath but bring them vp in instruction and information of the Lord. So Moses teacheth Exod. 12. Exod 12 26.27 When their children should aske them touching the Paschal Lambe that then it is their duty to declare and deliuer to them the true cause and occasion thereof Likewise so often as we consider how our children are by grace accepted by baptisme consecrated vnto God and so made heires of life and saluation it standeth vs vpon to plant and water the sauing knowledge of Christ Iesus in them For what should it profit vs to leaue them great riches
seed to remember the ordinance of God that baptisme is the seale of his couenant and lastly to make them diligent in nurtering and instructing them in true religion that so their children may learne betimes to become the children of God For what can more inslame vs and set an edge vpon vs to bestow paines and labour in the teaching and training of them vp in the feare of God and the knowledge of his waies then to consider that God loueth them and vs and sheweth himselfe the God both of them and of vs. Lastly this comfort reacheth to the infants themselues that are baptized Comfort to infants baptized when they shall marke that they are solemnly set into Christ and receiued into the bosome of the Church For they haue this lauer of regeneration as it were a pawne of Gods loue alwaies lying by them and committed vnto their trust to apply it in time of need to the assurance of their iustification and sanctification to the strengthning and confirmation of them in all tentations against terrors and feares of conscience Ionathan Sauls son tooke comfort from hence and an occasion to rest and trust in God and to assure himselfe of his helpe when hee spake to his armor bearer Come let vs go ouer vnto the garrison of these vncircumcised 1 Sam. 14 6. it may be that the Lord wil work for vs for there is no restraint to the Lord to saue by many or by few The like we see in Dauid wheÌ„ he was to encounter with Goliah and to deliuer the host of Israel from that blasphemous enemy Thy seruant slew the Lyon and the Beare that tooke a Lamb out of the flocke 1 Sam. 17.26 now this vncircumcised Philâ—stim shall be as one of them seeing he hath defied the armie of the liuing God Wher we see how they coÌ„fort themselus in that which they went about because themselues were circumcised bare a sign of the couenant in their flesh because they had to do with those that were vncircumcised Thus ought our baptism wherby we haue put on Christ as a garment to be as a shield and buckler to defend vs in the houre of tentation and as armour of proofe against the assaults and fiery darts of the Diuell assuring our selues that our engrafting into his body is not an idle ceremony but serueth to make vs strong in the Lord and in the power of his might who will bee neere vnto vs and stand round about vs in the day of trouble Thus much touching the fourth and last inward part of Baptisme CHAP. XII Of the first vse of baptisme HItherto we haue handled the parts of baptisme both outward and inward now let vs proceed to the vses the last point to be obserued in this Sacrament The vses of baptisme are in number a Three vses of baptisme three first to shew our planting ingrafting and incorporating into the body of Christ Secondly to seale vp the remission and forgiuenesse of all our sinnes Thirdly to teach vs to dye vnto sinne and liue vnto righteousnesse and true sanctification These ends b Rom. 6 3 4.5 6. appeare euidently by the words of the Apostle Rom. 6. Know ye not that all we which haue beene baptized into IESVS CHRIST haue beene baptized into his death We are buried then with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised vp froÌ„ the dead to the glory of the Father so we also should walke in newnesse of life For if wee bee planted with him to the similitude of his death euen so shall wee be to the similitude of his resurrection knowing this that our olde Man is crucified with him that the body of sinne mâ—ght be destroyed that henceforth we should not serue sinne In this place the Apostle seteth before vs the former ends of baptisme expresly Touching the first vse c The first vse oâ— baptism is to shew our ingrafting into Christ he sheweth that by it is signified and sealed our vniting setting d 1 Cor 12 13. and inserting into the body of Christ to remaine in him for euer as branches in the vine as 1. Cor. 12. By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body whether we be bonde or free where he teacheth that by baptisme we become one body with Christ And Gal. 3. All ye that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ This coniunction with Christ is not bodily or naturall it is not by bands in the flesh it is not by neerenes of blood for such wee see may be separated as the father from the sonne the husband from the wife the brother from the sister but this is wholy mysticall and spirituall aboue reason and aboue sence because it is wrought not by naturall wayes as by ioynts sinewes arteries ligaments and such like but by spirituall meanes to wit by the power of the Spirit and by vertue of faith he sendeth downe his Spirit wee send vp our faith First he must send downe his Spirit because all goodnes is of him Indeed we loue him but it is because he loued vs first giuing vs e Rom. 8 15. the Spirit of adoption to cry Abba father Indeed we come vnto Christ to be eased and refreshed as he commandeth but it is because f Ioh. 6 44. the father draweth vs. Indeed we perseuer in faith and loue but this is because he perseuereth in louing of vs. Indeed we repent and turne vnto God but this is because hee g Ezek. 36 26 27. taketh away our stonie heart and giueth vnto vs an heart of flesh Secondly as he putteth his Spirit within vs so our faith mounteth vp to the heauens and apprehendeth Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father And thus his Spirit descending our faith ascending and both of them ioyning the members to the head the branches to the vine vs to Christ being once ingrafted h Ioh. 15 5 6. we are neuer separated as Ioh. 15. He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth foorth much fruite for without me ye can doe nothing If a man abide not in me he is cast foorth as a branch and withereth and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they burne No man can be partaker of Christs benefits to saluation which is i We are ioyned to Christ in spirituall mariage not made one with him As a woman cannot be partaker of the riches and honour of some great man haue interest in his person except she be ioyned to him in marriage that they become one body and one flesh and as the members cannot draw life from the head except they bee ioyned with it so there is no partaking of Christ except there be an vnion and communion with him k Ioh. 6 53. as himselfe teacheth vs Ioh. 6. Verâ—ly verily I say vnto you except yee eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood yee haue
to this false coÌ„clusion which is no better then a diuelish tentation that because we are weake in grace therefore we will not come to the Sacrament to receiue strength of grace and increase of faith whereas we ought to reason thus within our selues I feele mine owne infirmities and know how weake my faith my hope my loue my repentance and all the rest of the graces of God are in me I will therefore repaire with all diligence to the Supper of the Lord which he hath appointed for the increasing and strengthening of all good things in me The last point necessary for vs to consider is this that Christ came into the world to saue sinners and to redeeme them that were lost that is such as feele themselues to be sinners and know themselues to be as lost sheepe going astray and desiring to returne vnto the shepheard and Bishop of their soules 1 Pet. 2 25. True it is God requireth that we should come vnto him as wel furnished with grace and replenished with faith as may bee yet hee will reiect none that presenteth himselfe before him with any grace albeit he haue neuer so little a measure prouided that these two cautions and conditions be obserued that the faith grace be true and sound not in shew and appearance onely Secondly that there be in him an endeauor and striuing for more grace and a greater faith But if we thinke we haue enough and need no more we haue iust cause to suspect our selues that we neuer as yet knew what true grace meaneth To conclude then we must vnderstand that it is not the weakenes of grace which is heere reprooued and reiected but the contempt of grace not such weaknesse of faith as is in the faithfull but such contempt of grace as was in the prophane heart of Esau who solde his birth-right and contemned the blessing Gen. 25. Gen. 25.34 The next obiection that these sluggards vse is The seauenth obiection that they say the Sacrament is as phisicke to purge clense the soule and therefore as it is not good to take phisicke often so it is not good to take the Sacrament often Surely these are Physitions of no value that cannot discerne a difference betweene phisicke for the body and phisicke for the soule It is dangerous to the body to be euermore purging and taking of pils which giue no nourishment to the body but take away good humors as well as bad It is not so with the Supper of the Lord it containeth holy and wholesome nourishment in it through the ordinance of God and can neuer depriue vs of any good guift and grace of the soule Besides we are daily sicke in soule not in the body and therefore we haue often need to seeke remedy for our sicknesses and infirmities Furthermore all phisicke to the taste of the body is bitter and grieuous and lothsome it is not so with this phisicke it is most sweet and pleasant to the soule and reioyceth the heart of euery true beleeuer This comparison therefore is not to be vrged farther then the point wherein it may be compared namely that as they that are weake and sickly vse the meanes and remedy of phisicke to very good purpose eueÌ„ for the recouery of strength and health so whensoeuer we finde in our selues spirituall diseases to abound and weaknes of faith to assaile vs we must haue recourse to this Sacrament to confirme strengthen vs in the promises of saluation The meaning then is not that as phisicke is best when it is sildome taken so the Sacrament is best taken when it is sildome taken For as this Supper is truely called spiritual meat for vs because as meat feedeth the body so the Supper of the Lord nourisheth the soule yet we cannot conclude froÌ„ hence that we should as often receiue it as we receiue our meat In like manner when it is resembled fitly to phisicke the which being rarely taken worketh most effectually we may not conclude that therefore the more sildome the Sacâ—ament is receiued the greater fruite it will bring vnto vs for then we conclude against our selues and stretch the similitude farther then the purpose and intent of it The eight obiection The next obiection which I will touch is that some say a man by sildome receiuing shall be the better prepared when he doth receiue whereas if he shall presume to come often he cannot be so aduised as he ought neyther so thoroughly examine himselfe as he might by continuall exercising of himselfe in this work I answere Answere heere are another sort that pretend great deuotion zeale reuerence and loue to the Sacrament and with all great feare to come vnworthily howbeit all these goodly shewes and colourable excuses are but as Adams figge-leaues patched together to couer their shame These may be fitly compared to idle and slothfull Ministers who to excuse their negligence in preaching alledge for themselues that the more sildome they preach the more learned and profound Sermons they make and the better they shall be prepared and furnished to speake to the people Now as they deale with the people so do the people deale with them As they sow sparingly so the people reape sparingly heare sparingly and receiue sparingly A carelesse ministry maketh a carelesse people But as this colour of fitting himselfe the better shall not excuse the Minister in his negligence â— Tim. 4.2 if he preach not in season and out of season so it shall not be allowed as a iust and lawfull defence for the people to pretend that their sildome receiuing is recompensed by their sufficient preparation when they do come If this might be allowed and warranted for a good plea then the most careles receiuers should be the best receiuers A false plea that the sluggard vseth and such as come most sildome should aboue all others deserue to be most commeÌ„ded So touching the rest of the exercises of our religion it would follow that such as heare the least should be the best hearers they that pray most rarely should pray most reuerently and they that resort sildome to the house of God should be chiefly commended all which we know to be contrary to reason truth piety and religion If a man were dangerously sicke and required the present helpe of the Physition will this patient neglect his health and go to him at his owne leysure vnder colour of comming better furnished and prepared to tell him what his disease is Or will he not rather make all the hast he can that he may the sooner haue helpe We are all of vs as sicke men we haue many sins as noysome diseases that hang about vs and beset vs on euery side Rom. 6 23. the least wherof are mortall if they be not cured by the precious blood of Christ shall we then delay to go to the Physition of our soules vnder pretence of giuing him better information of our estate and laying open
to themselues or receiue it at the hands of some priuate persons I answere it was an ancient practise of the n Beza quaest resp d. Sacr. Church to carty the Sacramēt vnto the sicke when it was administred in the Church besides albeit in extremity of sicknes the Minister be wanting we leaue not the sicke without counsell and comfort For this we teach this we are ready to maintaine this we would haue all beleeuers in health and in sicknesse to recall and remember that if they stedfastly beleeue that the Lord Iesus hath suffered death vpon the Crosse for them if they particularly apply vnto themselues his precious merits for their redemption if they earnestly remember the benefits of his bitter passion with all thanksgiuing and if they truely repent them from the bottome of their hearts of al their sins they do eate and drinke effectually o Ioh. 6 54 55 56 57 58. and to their soules health profitably the body blood of Christ our Sauiour although they doe not receiue the Sacrament with their mouth If they do not thus the Sacrament receiued cannot profite them This serueth to comfort the weake and to keepe them within the lists and limits of their proper calling Lastly seeing the former actions of the Minister are done plainely in the sight of all it is the duty of euery one to giue diligent heed and to haue weighty consideration of these outward ceremonies by the meditation thereof to confirme their faith and to make the outward works to further the inward graces For they are offered to our sences not that we should rest in them but that our weaknes by them should be helped and we by them lift vp our hearts to thinke vpon greater things This serueth to reproue those that omit the breaking of the bread and deliuering of it being broken into the hands of the Communicants True it is some make too much of the breaking of the bread others esteeme too little of it and both sorts are to be reproued and a middle course betweene them both is to be retained One sort much more streight and rigorous then is meet The first opinion offend in the excesse who make the breaking of bread to be simply necessary and an essentiall part of the Supper as that without it there can be no Sacrament The reason whereupon they build is the title giuen to this Sacrament that it is called the breaking of bread and this breaking of the bread is said to be the Communion of the body of Christ 1 Cor. 10 16. Obiection 1 Cor. 10.16 From whence they reason thus The bread broken is the Communion of the body of Christ Therefore the bread vnbroken is not the Communion of the body of Christ Answere This is a broken argument that cannot hold and so weake in strength that it cannot vphold it selfe If one should argue thus A man is a creature going vpright therefore a man not going vpright but crooked as not a man Or thus The body of man hath armes and hands and legges therefore if it want eyther arme or hand or legge it is not the body of a man all men see this will not follow This onely will follow that such a man is not a sound man and such a body is not a perfect body so it will onely follow that the Sacrament is not an entire but a maimed Sacrament where the bread is not broken Wherefore these men do great wrong to many reformed Churches which haue not yet this ceremony among them while they dare pronounce that they haue no Supper at all because they are destitute of this rite which iudgement of theirs sauoureth of the want both of verity charity The second opinion Another sort offend on the contrary side to wit in the defect who make this breaking to be meerely indifferent and not necessary accidentall and not of the substance They confesse that the Lord Iesus at his last Supper did truely breake bread but that he did it as a thing indifferent and according to ordinary custome Besides they affirme that this breaking signifieth the distributing or deuiding of the bread to others But one of these is contrary to the other the former ouerthroweth the latter and the last destroyeth the first For if Christ did truely breake bread in his Supper then it followeth that to breake bread in the Supper is not onely to deale the bread but to giue it into seuerall parts being broken as he saith distinctly Hee brake it and gaue it to his Disciples Mat. 26 26. Againe if breaking and distributing be all one then is not the breaking which they omit a rite indifferent but very necessary forasmuch as the giuing of the Supper to the Communicants is so necessary that without it there can be no Sacrament These therefore are they that ouerthrow themselues The third opinion The third opinion is the sounder of such as hold a meane way betweene both extreames that the breaking of the bread is no essential part of the Supper neither yet an indifferent ceremony both which are two dangerous rockes on which sundry mē suffer ship-wrack but a necessary ceremony not as though without it there were no Supper at all but as a part seruing to perfect the whole which wanting the Supper ceaseth not to be howbeit it is not intire and compleat For this rite is not as the head or the heart in mans body without which there could be no body but as the hand or the foot without which it is a body albeit a maimed or a lame body So likewise touching this holy Supper without bread without blessing without giuing there can be no Supper it is as much as if the head were cut off or the heart pulled out or the braine perished But without breaking the Supper remaineth albeit maimed and vnperfect as if the body wanted an eye or an arme Besides How the breaking of the bread is necessary it is the will of Christ that this ceremony should be obserued so that it may be said to be necessary in two respects first in regard of the making perfect of the Sacrament secondly in regard of the commandement of Christ Now that this necessitie may appeare how great it is let vs consider the reasons wherby it is proued that this beaking where it is ought to be continued and where it is not ought to be restored The first reason First of all we haue the example of Christ who said of himselfe Learne of me euery action of Christ about the Supper is our instruction But in the first institution of the Supper he brake the bread which he had blessed and did distribute it to his disciples Therefore it behoueth vs to do the like Obiection Neither let any obiect that the manner of Christs beaking and of his Apostles is vnknowne or vncertaine Answere For the Lord doth not command vs or tie vs precisely to vse that forme which hee vsed
transubstantiated into water Fiftly they cannot agree with what words their consecration is wrought whether accidents be without their subiect whether the accideÌ„ts nourish no lesse then the substance of bread and wine likewise what the rats and mice do eate how and from whence the wormes are oftentimes ingendered in their Eucharist so consume it whether the shewes of bread be the body without the blood the shewes of wine the blood without the body Sixtly soone after the Apostles had receiued the Supper into their stomackes Luk. 22 44. Christ Iesus did sweate great drops of blood trickling downe to the ground and was afterward buffetted mocked spit vpon and crucified Now they dare not say that this body of Iesus so spitefully and contumeliously intreated swet any drops of blood in the stomacks of the Apostles or was by the Souldiors apprehended and buffetted vnder the formes of bread and wine and therefore they make at one the same time a double Christ one Christ suffering in the garden and on the Crosse another not suffering in the Disciples one Christ apprehended and another not apprehended one Christ sweating another not sweating one Christ buffetted by the Souldiors and another not buffetted Seauenthly they confesse that Christ both administred and participated of this Sacrament with his Apostles whereof will follow that Christ did eate himselfe and did drinke himselfe and seeing they hold his body is in the cuppe they must also hold that hee did drinke his owne body From whence ariseth a flat and expresse contradiction for to say that the body of Christ was all whole in his stomacke is to affirme that that which is within containeth that which is without as if the scabberd were in the sword or the cup in the wine or the purse in the mony Thus they make the outward part to bee within the inner and without the inner that is without and not without yea whereas they affirme that the body of our Lord is greater then the formes of bread which containe it they make that which is contained greater then that which doth containe it that is the treasure wider and larger then the casket in which it is locked contrary to al the rules of reason the principles of nature and the maximes of the Mathematicks Eightly they say that the body of Christ is all whole in heauen and all whole in the pixe and yet they renounce the Vbiquity of his bodye and holde that hee is not in place betwixt both so that they make a distance betweene the body of Christ and the body of Christ and therefore withall they make him lower then himselfe and higher then himselfe and separated from himselfe Ninthly they teach that the body of Christ in the Masse hath all the dimensions and parts of an humane body distinct in their naturall scituation and yet they teach that there is not so small a piece of the host where that body is not whole so that his head shall bee where his feet are and his feet where his head is And touching his blood they say it is shed in the Masse and yet notwithstanding they call it an vnbloody sacrifice so that by their reckoning there is blood not bloody and a shedding of blood not bloody as if a man should say whitenesse which is not white heate which is not hot or coldnesse which is not cold Thus they had rather say and vnsay and be at discord with themselues then to accord with vs and the truth They thinke it reason to deny all reason a sencelesse thing to be iudged by the senses These opeÌ„ and euident contradictions so stifly auouched stoutly defended that an humane body should fill no place and yet should be in an hundred thousand diuers places haue length without being extended be whole in euery crum of the bread are so grosse and palpable absurdities that they do estrange the Turkes and Infidels from imbracing the Christian religion Auerrhoes It is noted of an Arabian Spaniard writing vpon the 12. booke of the Metaphysickes that his soule should hold with the Philosophers since the Christians worship that which they eate The Pagans mocke at this as a brutish conceite Cicer. de nat Deor. lib 3. as among others it appeareth by Tully in his third booke of the nature of the Gods who saith thus Thinkest thou any man to be so mad as to beleeue that that which he eateth is his God So that this monstrous deuice imbraced in the Church of Rome as a maine pillar that holdeth vppe the house hindreth the faith offendeth the ignorant bringeth the doctrine of Christ into reproach hardeneth the hearts of the enemies of the Gospell and mingleth heauen and earth together It were infinite c See D. Sutl de mâ—ss l b. 5. cap. 10. to note out all their contentions and contradictions these may suffice to shew how the enemies of God fight one against another and al of them with their owne shaddowes And thus much of the late doting deuice of transubstantiation which is the soule life of their popish religion the denyers or doubters wherof they pursue with fire and sword more eagerly then such as are enemies to the blessed Trinity The last generall vse is this If Christ deliuered both these signes not onely the bread but the wine also to his Disciples then both kinds by the Minister are to be deliuered f Christs people must receiue the supper vnder both kinds and both kinds by the people are to be receiued not bread alone nor wine alone but bread and wine the bread in token of his body giuen for vs and the wine in token of his blood shed for vs. This is the ordinance of Christ this is agreeable to the Scripture Notwithstanding the church of Rome hath decreed that it is not necessary for the people to communicate in both kinds holdeth them g Con. Trident. sess 21 cap. 2. accursed that hold it necessary for the people to receiue the cup consecrated by the Priest Thus it appeareth they labor nothing more then to take from the faithfull the sweet comfort of the Lords Supper This is a sacrilegious corruptioÌ„ of Christs institution deuised by Sathan broached by Antichrist published by his adherents in the corrupt times of most palpable darknesse as may appeare by these reasons First if none may drinke of the consecrate wine but the Priests then none should eate of the bread but Priests so that they must either exclude the people from both which I trust they dare not or admit them to both which as yet they do not For to whom Christ said h Mat. 26 26.27 Take and eate to those gaue he the cup and said Drinke ye Wherefore the signes being both equall all communicants must drinke of the one as well as eate of the other there being the same warrant for the one that there is for the other and the let that would barre the one will hinder
Father the word of institution is made effectuall by the holy Spirit the bread and wine are signes and seales representing the body and blood of Christ the outward actions of euery receiuer do note out the inward actions and spirituall workes of the faithfull Thus then the agreement answereth aptly and the proportion falleth fully betweene the parts c The agreemēt between the outward and inward parts As the Minister by the words of institution offereth vnto the Communicants the bread and wine to feed thereupon corporally and bodily so God the Father by the Spirit offereth and giueth the body and blood of Christ to the faithfull receiuers to feed vpon them spiritually Hence it is that the outward actions of the Ministers and the outward actions of the receiuers are said to be signes of the second kinde and therefore may fitly bee called parts of the Supper Now then let vs remember the sensible and externall actions of the Minister that thereby we may consider the spirituall and inward actions of God the Father And first of all the taking of the bread and wine into his hands and the consecrating or blessing of them by repeating the promise by prayers and thanksgiuings doth seale vp these holy actions of God the Father by which he from all eternity euen before the foundation of the world did separate elect ordaine chuse and call his Sonne to performe the office of a Mediator betweene God and man and when the fulnesse of time came did send him into the world to performe that office whereunto he was appointed This wee see proued vnto vs in many places as Iohn 6. Labour not for the meate which perisheth but for the meate that endureth vnto euerlasting life which the Sonne of man shall giue vnto you for him d Ioh. 6 27. hath God the Father sealed that is hath installed him into his office to reconcile men vnto God and to bring them to euerlasting life And Gal. 1. Iesus gaue himselfe that he might deliuer vs from this present euill world e Gal. 1 4. according to the will of God euen our Father So that whatsoeuer Christ did he did it by the will and appointment of his Father According to the testimony of the Apostle Heb. 5. Christ tooke not to himselfe this honor to be made the High Priest f Heb. 5 5. but he that said vnto him Thou art my Sonne this day I begat thee gaue it him And as the Father ordained him to that office so in time he sent him as the Euangelist witnesseth g Luke 4 18. The Spirit of the Lord is vpon me because he hath annointed me that I should preach the Gospell to the poore binde vp the broken hearted preach liberty to the captiues c. So likewise 1 Ioh. 4. Heerein is that loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and h Ioh. 4 10. sent his Sonne to bee a reconciliation for our sins And Gal. 4. When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the law that he might redeeme them that are vnder the law Thus we see the inward actions of God the Father answering to the outward actions of the Ministers who being rightly called of God do worke with him and are the dispensers of his secrets Vse 1 Now let vs come to the vses of this part First of all this sealing and sending of his Sonne serueth to confirme and assure vs of our saluation in Christ For seeing God hath annointed and appointed him into this office our faith cannot faile our confidence cannot fal our hope cannot make ashamed i Rom. 5 5. seeing the loue of God is thus shed abroad in our harts through the Holy-Ghost k Rom. 8 16. who beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the children of God by whom wee l Eph. 4 30. are sealed vnto the day of redemption Vse 2 Againe let vs seeke saluation no where else then in him alone whom God the Father hath sealed and set apart to that end For euen as the body is nourished by no other meats and drinkes then by such as m Deut. 8 3. Mat. 14 4. God hath appointed to this purpose n Ezek. 14 13 Leuit. 25 26 as a staffe to sustaine vs so is the soule fed by no other meanes then God hath before ordained The cause of our saluation is in the loue of God toward vs which is notably represented by the taking and blessing of the outward elements He might haue left vs to our selues to worke out our owne destruction but his mercy is greater then his iustice Thirdly by these outward actions of the Minister we Vse 3 must seeke confirmation strength of our faith being assured that God the Father tooke his Sonne and appointed him to these ends We must not wander and gaze about and thinke we haue nothing to do but when we take and receiue the bread and the cuppe into our hands we must in euery sacramentall rite consider the things signified and ponder in our hearts the fitnesse and agreement betweene them both So then as we behold with our bodily eyes the Minister representing the person of the Father taking blessing and separating the bread and wine to that bodily vse so surely and certainely wee must learne that God the Father hath ordained and sent his onely begotten Son o Mat. 17 5. and 3 17. in whom he is well pleased to be the Mediator for the pardon of our sins Hence we see the infinite loue of God toward vs and let vs labour to comprehend p Eph. 3 18.19 the length bredth height and depth thereof that spared not his own Sonne q Rom. 32. but gaue him for vs all vnto the death hence we see that exceeding compassion of the Son that loued his enemies more then himselfe and accounted not his owne life precious to himselfe hence we see the gracious and glorious worke of our redemption wherein the mercy and iustice of God r Psal 85 10. meete together and kisse each other teaching vs to take sweet delight and comfort in the meditation thereof day and night with all thanksgiuing hence wee haue assurance of saluation and consolation in all troubles and tentations hence we see the greatnes of our owne sinnes that could not be pardoned but by the death of the Son of god and therefore we must hate them with an vnfained hatred as our greatest most dangerous and deadly enemies and lastly hence we see that if God the Father thus loued vs we ought earnestly to loue him againe and to serue him in all duties of holinesse and true righteousnesse neither ought we to loue him onely but for him all our brethren as the Apostle reasoneth 1 Ioh. 4 11. Brethren if God so loued vs wee ought to loue one another Thus we haue shewed how the taking of the bread by the Minister signifieth the
Fathers appointing of his Son the Ministers blessing the Fathers separating and setting apart his Sonne to his office the Ministers deliuering of the bread the Fathers giuing of his Sonne If then wee draw neere to the Lords table with faith reuerence and repentance nothing can be more sure and certaine to vs then the taking and receiuing of Christ for when we receiue the bread from the Minister wee withall receiue the body of Christ offered by the hand of God the Father so that as we are assured of the one we need not doubt of the other Vse 4 Lastly the breaking of the bread pouring out of the wine and deliuering of them both into the hands of the Communicants seale vp these actions of God his chastising of his Sonne and breaking him with sorrowes vpon the Crosse for our redemption offering him vnto all euen vnto hypocrites and giuing him truely to the faithfull with all the benefits of his passion Indeed the Minister giueth the outward signes to all receiuers but God giueth and applyeth onely to the faithfull the shedding of Christs blood for the daily increase of their faith and repentance But heere it may be obiected Obiection that not a bone of him was broken t Exod. 12 45 as it was figured by the Passeouer and performed at his passion the verifying and accomplishment whereof we reade Iohn 19 36. I answere Answere there is a double breaking of Christ one corporall whereof the places before doe speake the other figuratiue whereby is vnderstood u Esa 53 4.5 hee was tormented and euen torne with paines as Esa 53. He was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed Lo what is meant by the breaking of the bread his soule was tormented his spirit was crushed his hands and feet were pierced he sweat drops of Water and blood and cryed out aloud vpon the Crosse My Maâ— 27 46. God my God why hast thou forsaken me Wherefore let these rites be rightly marked and obserued of vs for our comfort and consolation Let vs when wee see the bread broken and wine poured out meditate on the passion of Christ how he was wounded and torne for our transgressions Although not a bone of his body was broken in pieces yet hee was broken with afflictions bruised with sorrowes and tormented with bitter anguish of his soule by whose stripes we are healed by whose condemnation we are iustified by whose agonies we are comforted by whose death we are quickened Whosoeuer resteth in the outward workes done before his eyes neuer attaineth to the substance of the Sacrament Thus much of the first inward part CHAP. IX Of the second inward part of the Lords Supper THe second inward part is the a The second inward part of the Lords Supper is the holy Spirit holy Spirit who assureth vs of the truth of Gods promise As we haue in the word of truth the forgiuenes of sins increase of faith groweth in sanctification a great measure of dying to sin and a greater care to liue in newnes of life promised vnto vs so doth the Spirit worke these things b Rom. 8 15. Gal. 3 2 5. in the hearts of all the faithfull This appeareth in many places Rom. 8. Ye haue receiued the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father the same Spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God To one is giuen by the Spirit the word of wisedome to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit to another is giuen faith by the same Spirit all these things worketh one and the selfe same Spirit distributing to euery man seuerally as he will So then as we are weake in faith and slow to beleeue so wee haue the Spirit giuen vnto vs to helpe our infirmities and to open our hearts to receiue the promises For the Lord Iesus raigning continually in his Church and performing the office of a Prophet doth make the words of his Ministers liuely by his Spirit in our hearts and causeth them to be of perpetuall force and efficacy assuring vs of his promises made vnto vs and vniting the signe with the thing signified This truth being cleared the vses offer themselues Vse 1 to be câ—nsidered And first of all inasmuch as the Spirite worketh these things in the hearts of all the faithfulll from hence we gather that such as neuer finde any change or renewing of the minde or reformation of life after the receiuing of the Sacraments may iustly suspect themselues whether euer they had faith or not and whether euer they repented or not and therefore ought to vse the meanes to come by faith and repentance For the worke of the Spirite accompanieth the outward worke in the elect of God as also we see in the hearing of faith preached he must open the heart that is closed vp before wee can receiue with meekenesse c Iam. 1 21. the word of that is grafted in vs which is able to saue our soules Indeed euery person present may heare the words of institution may see the wine poured out may eat of that bread and drinke of that cup as they may also heare the sound of the voice that commeth vnto them but the whole force effect and power resteth onely in the Spirit of God sealing vp the truth and substance of those things in the hearts of all the Children of God Vse 2 Againe seeing these things are done and performed by the working of the Spirit they are confuted and conuinced that thinke they cannot be made partakers of the body and blood of Christ and be vnited to his flesh vnlesse his body be shut vp vnder the accidents of bread and shewes of wine and so his flesh be giuen vnto vs carnally that we may eate him with our mouths and conuey him into our stomackes But we see heere the Holy-Ghost is the bond of this vnion he worketh in vs faith which pierceth the heauens and layeth hold on Christ It is said of Abraham the Father of the faithfull that d Ioh. 8 56. he reioyced to see the day of Christ he saw it and was glad For as we cannot see him with our bodily eyes nor heare him with our bodily eares nor touch him with our bodily hands no more can wee taste or eate him with our bodily mouths By the hand of faith we reach and apply him by the mouth of faith we receiue and eate him Let vs beleeue in Christ and we e Aug. tract in Iohn 26. 27. haue eaten Christ let vs not prepare our teeth and our belly but a liuely faith working by loue Wherefore albeit the humane nature of Christ goe not out of the highest heauens yet we that liue vpon the earth are partakers of his bodye contained in the heauens and his flesh and blood are communicated to vs as truely and effectually as if he were there
present with vs. If any say How can this be Obiection Can that which is absent from vs be present with vs Can heauen be in earth or earth be in heauen Heereunto I may most iustly answere Answere although this be a great mystery and maruellous in our eyes yet we must confesse and consider that the Holy-Ghost is the author of this vnion and as it were the Conduit-pipe of this coniunction who by his diuine power ioyneth together things that are seuered in place begetteth faith in vs which is the instrument hand f 1 Ioh. 17 20. whereby we receiue and apply Christ with all his guifts vnto our selues as Ioh. 17. Father I pray thee for such as beleeue in mee that they may be one as thou O Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in vs. Heereunto commeth the saying of Paul Ephe. 3. Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith Likewise Acts 13. By him euery one that beleeueth is iustified that is absolued and discharged And Iohn 3. So many as beleeue in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life Thus we see our fellowship with Christ is from the Spirit and by our faith The Spirit is the principall worker faith is the meanes and the instrument Neither must this coniunction seeme vnto vs impossible through the great distance and distinction of place For there are diuers manners of presences that which is present to the sight is not present to the hand Molin de Eucharist cap. 2. and that which is present to the eare is not present to the eye that which is present to the body is not present to the soule and things present to the soule are oftentimes absent from the body Things are said to bee present with vs according as they cause themselues to bee perceiued of our senses or of our soules Whereby it appeareth very plainely after what fashion Christ may be said to be presēt with vs in his Supper to wit according as he communicateth himselfe vnto vs which is to our spirits not to our bodies and therefore his presence is spirituall and not corporall And the Apostle telleth vs Romanes 8. Rom. 8 9 11. that the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in vs which teacheth vs how we are vnited to Christ namely by the bond of one and the same Spirit dwelling both in him and in vs. Thus is the coniunction wrought betweene him and vs so that there is another presence which is true and in deed besides that which is bodily This is that which we reade in the Apostle Iohn 1 Ioh 4 13. Heereby know we that wee dwell in him and hee in vs because he hath giuen vs of his Spirite And Paul saith Romanes 8. Rom. 8 9. Hee that hath not the Spirite of Christ hee is none of his For as by one and the same soule all the members of the body are knit and coupled with the head and so doe liue in like manner all the faithfull albeit they remaine vpon the earth and their head be in the heauens are really vnited with him through one and the same Spirit and being vnited do liue thereby Ioh. 6 63. The like wee may say of faith whereby Christ dwelleth in our hearts Ephesians 3 17. Eph. 3 17. And our Sauiour teacheth that by beleeuing in him we eate his flesh and drinke his blood Iohn 6 35. Ioh. 6 35. If then any aske how we may obtaine and hold fast Christ Iesus seeing hee is absent from vs Or how wee may put forth our hands to take him sitting at the right hand of his Father in heauen I answere with Austine August tract 50 in Iohan. fide mitte et tenuisti Send forth thy faith and thou holdest him fast Thus Christ being absent from vs is present with vs for except he were present with vs he could not be possessed of vs nor communicated by vs. These are the two hands giuen vnto vs which the soule hath to wit the Spirit and faith The hands of the body lay hold on bodily things the hands of the soule lay hold on spirituall things There is a presence also to the sight We see the Sun daily with our eyes which though it be scituate in the heauens separated frō vs in place cōmunicateth his effect power to vs that dwel on the earth neither doe we maruell thereat and yet is the Sunne but a creature subiect vnto vs and distributed to all the people vnder the whole heauen to serue their vse Shall not Christ then the Sonne of righteousnes make vs truely partakers of his flesh by the vnsearchable power of his Spirit and the supernaturall guift of a liuely faith who can as easily ioyne together things farre off as those that are nigh Are not the faithfull seuered in place and scattered through the world ioyned as neerely together as the mēbers are h 1 Ioh. 1 3. to become one body whereof Christ is the head As the Apostle teacheth That which we haue seene and heard declare wee vnto you that ye may also haue fellowship with vs and that our fellowship also may be with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ We see this likewise liuely laid out before vs in the estate of marriage though the husband and wife be sundred for a time and separated one farre from another yet the band of matrimony doth so ioyne and vnite them that the wife is one flesh with her husband albeit he be a thousand miles distant from her so is it betweene Christ and the faithfull he loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it and they are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones which coupling and combining together with Christ is wrought as we haue shewed by the Spirit principally by faith instrumentally by both most effectually Wee neede not therefore any carnall bodily presence of Christ to ioyne vs to him seeing it is truely and certainely performed by these meanes whereby we grow to a perfect man in him For as the Sunne is more comfortable to the world by his refreshing beames and sweete influence being absent then if his naturall body and compasse lay vpon the earth so the flesh of Christ being in the glory of his Father much more comforteth and refresheth our soules and bodies by his heauenly grace and spirituall influence then if he were present fleshly before our eyes And as the Sunne not discending from heauen nor leauing his place is notwithstanding present with vs in our Chambers in our houses in our hands and in our bosomes so Christ being in the highest heauens not comming downe nor forsaking his glorious habitation yet i Mat. 28 20. neuerthelesse is present with vs in our congregations in our hearts in our prayers in our meditations and in the Sacraments But of this we shall haue occasion to speake more in the chapter following and wee haue already spoken some-what of it in the
former bookes CHAP. X. Of the third inward part of the Lords Supper THe third inward part is a The third inward part of the Lords Supper is the body blood of Christ the body and blood of Christ that is the body of our Lord deliuered vnto death for vs and his blood shed for the remission of sinnes and consequently whole Christ This is the chiefest part of this Sacrament For the body and blood of Christ signified by the bread and wine are thus made and separated to bee the liuely meat of our soules and haue that force and efficacy of feeding in our soules which bread and wine haue in our bodies This is the cause why b Ioh. 6 48 50 Christ often calleth himselfe the bread of life Ioh. 6. I am that bread of life this is that bread of life which commeth downe from heauen that hee which eateth of it should not dye I am that liuing bread if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer Thus euery receiuer is giuen to vnderstand that as God doth blesse the bread and wine in his Supper to preserue strengthen and comfort the body of the receiuer So Christ apprehended and receiued by faith doth nourish vs and preserueth body and soule vnto eternall life He dyed in the flesh that he might quicken vs and he poured out his blood that hee might clense vs from our sinnes Wherefore c How the sacramentall rites do serue to strengthen our faith whensoeuer as the Lords guests we see the bread on the Lords Table we must set our mindes on the body of Christ when we behold the cup of the Lord we must thinke vpon the blood of Christ when we looke vpon the bread broken and the wine poured out we must consider how the body of Christ was pierced punished crushed crucified torne tormented and his blood poured out for our sakes when we feele that by bread our bodies are nourished strengthened and by the wine our vitall spirits are comforted refreshed we beleeue that by the body of Christ deliuered to death for vs we are fed to euerlesting life and that by his blood poured out vpon the Crosse our consciences are sanctified and we feele his quickening power which doth confirme vs in our communion with him Thus is this part of the Supper spiritually to bee applyed thus are the bread and wine made a Sacrament to vs not bare signes thus the memoriall of Christs death is repeated which albeit it were once finished on the Crosse and now his passion is past long ago yet to the faithfull in regard of the force it is still fresh and alwaies present Now it is not without cause and good consideration that Christ would haue the bread first deliuered as a signe of his body then afterward the wine as a signe of his blood seuerally and apart administred because his body and blood are not represented to vs as his humanity now dwelleth glorious in the heaueÌ„s but as he was offered vp a sacrifice on the crosse his blood being shed out of his body For to the ende it may be nourishment to vs it must bee crucified For as corne of it selfe is not fit food for vs vnlesse it be threshed winnowed ground and baked for vs so is it touching Christ he must suffer be crucified and dye that wee may liue by him and raigne with him This is the truth which in this point is to be considered Vse 1 Now let vs lay open the vses which of vs are to be learned Is Christ the inward part of the Lords Supper represented by the bread and wine offered to all but receiued only of such as are faithfull then his body is not inclosed in the bread or in the accidents of bread nor his blood included in the wine or vnder the shewes of wine d Against the real presence he is not personally locally carnally corporally naturally really substantially and sensually present in the Sacrament The question is not e The true state of the question set downe whether the words of Christ be true for they are knowne confessed and beleeued so that as he is the truth so all his words are words of truth neither is the question whether the Sacrament be a bare signe or bare figure we say Christ is truely represented sealed and exhibited neither is the question whether God be omnipotent almighty this is a part of our faith an Article of christian beleefe neither is the question simply of the presence of Christ whether he be truely and vndoubtedly present in the Sacrament of his last Supper we acknowledge and receiue as much For Christ is present among vs sundry waies by his Spirit by his grace by his diuinity by faith dwelling in our hearts he is present in his word he is present in the ministry of baptisme he is present in the Sacrament of his body we onely deny that grosse and fleshly presence which many go about to fasten vpon vs. But the whole question is of the meaning and vnderstanding of the words of institution and of the manner of his presence We confesse teach the people committed vnto vs that Christs f Confess Gal. lic art â—7 Confess Anglic. art 12. Cal instit lib. 4. cap. 17. body and blood are truely verily and indeed giuen vnto vs that we truely eate and drinke them that we are releeued and liue by them that we are made bone of his bone that Christ dwelleth in vs and we in him yet we say not that the substance of bread and wine is abolished or that Christs body descendeth from heauen or is grosly corporally present in the Sacrament we are taught to lift vp our hearts to heauen g Col. 3 1 2 3 where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God the Father and there to seed vpon him But heere is the state of the question and controuersie betweene vs. The Church of Rome teacheth that after h Con. Trid. sess 13. cap. 1. the words of consecration the bread and wine are abolished and the body and blood of Christ come in place so that they make them corporally present not onely in the Sacrament to be eaten with the mouth but in the pixe in the Masse and in their solemne processions where is neither eating nor drinking Yea Berengarius in his recantation was taught to say and forced to subscribe that i De con dist 2. ego Bereng Christ is in the Sacrament sensibly or sensually is touched with the fingers diuided broken rent with the teeth and not onely the accidents Moreouer they make it to be eateÌ„ not only of euill men but of beasts and to fill vp the measure of blasphemy to be cast out into the draught as some of them haue taught and affirmed Thus then the difference standeth betweene vs they hold that Christs body and blood are carnally eaten of wicked men without faith of brute beasts without reason
name And 1 Cor. 10. The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the Communion of the bodye of Christ Wherefore when we do faithfully and worthily take the bread and the cup into our hands we must consider that withall we take and receiue Iesus Christ himselfe offered vnto vs. When we eate the bread and drinke of the cup and so apply them to our bodily vses we must consider that we apply Christ Iesus to our selues euen to our soules particularly that he is meate indeed and that he is drink indeed vnto vs if we bring with vs the hand of faith For faith is like c Faith is like the mouth of a vessell the mouth of a vessell if you poure liquor vpon it all the day long vnlesse the mouth of the vessell be open to receiue it the water is spilt on the ground and the vessell remaineth empty so may a man come to the Lords Table euery month receiuing the bread and wine that represent whole Christ yet except he bring with him faith which is the mouth of the soule he receiueth not Christ vnto a spirituall life to be his righteousnesse and sanctification And this is the reason why we receiue a little portion and a smal quantity as well of bread as wine d Concil Nicen. ex Biblie vatican because the end of our eating and drinking serueth for the sanctification of the Spirit not for the filling of the body Now let vs see what vses are offered to our consideration Vse 1 in the meditation of this truth First seeing onely the faithfull are partakers of the things signified in this Sacrament we see all do not receiue alike there is a difference to bee made among receiuers But as they which snatch after the leaues of the tree and let go the fruite want the profite of their labours so is it among many men in this world who take the signe of Christ but let go Christ Now as Moses intreating of things e Leuit. 11 4. cleane and vncleane noteth out foure sorts of beasts some onely chew the cud and some onely diuide the hoofe some neither chew the cud nor diuide the hoofe some both chew the cud and diuide the hoofe or as in the dayes of the Gospell some were circumcised in heart not in flesh as f Gal 2 â— Titus some were circumcised in the flesh not in the heart as Esau Iudas and many others some were circumcised neither in flesh nor in the Spirit g Eph 2 â—â— as the Gentiles and some were circumcised both in the flesh and in the Spirit h Act. 16 â— as Timothy so there is a difference among receiuers i Foure 〈◊〉 oâ— receiuers some receiue Christ only spiritually not sacrameÌ„tally some onely sacramentally not spiritually some neyther receiue him spiritually nor sacramentally and some receiue him both spiritually and sacramentally Of these we wil speake briefly and in order as they haue beene propounded The spirituall eating is by faith whereby we are made one with Christ and partakers of his benefits without the Sacraments k Ioh. 6 5â— whereof Christ speaketh Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him Thus to eate him is to beleeue in him and therefore hee vseth these words l Ioh. 6 2â— â—3 35. as being of one force to beleeue in him and to eate him to drinke him and to come vnto him This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in him whom be hath sent I am that bread of life he that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Againe m Ioh. 6 â—â— 40. Christ attributeth the same fruite effect to them that beleeue in him that he doth to them which eate his body and drinke his blood therefore by eating and drinking he meaneth nothing but beleeuing He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life And in the 40. verse of the same Chapter hee saith This is the will of my Father that euery one that beleeueth in the Sonne should haue eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day Heereby we may see that Christ attributeth the same to beleeuing which in the other place he did to eating and drinking so that the meaning of Christ is that to beleeue in him is to eate him And thus many receiue Christ eating and drinking his body and blood that neuer came to the Sacraments Heere peraduenture some will obiect Obiection If this doctrine be true then are the Sacraments needlesse For if we may eate Christ by saith spiritually without any vse or comming to the Lords Supper to what end serueth the Supper Answere It seemeth by this to bee made void and superfluous God forbid for the Sacraments are the holy ordinances of Christ by his blessing appointed for our helpe and benefit so that the most perfect Christians of the strongest faith haue need to seeke the strength of faith against weakenesse and wauering in the promises of God Notwithstanding we must confesse to the glory of God and the great comfort of many persons that the faithfull soule may and doth often feed vpon Christ to saluation beside the vse of the Sacrament For the spirituall grace is not of necessity tyed to the outward signes as if without them God cannot or doth not sometimes bestow the same We see in the Acts of the Apostles n Act. 10 2 44 Cornelius and his company was sealed with the Spirit of God before the receiuing of the outward Sacrament Abraham beleeued the promise being strong in faith o Rom. 4 18.10 18. vnder hope beleeued aboue hope before circumcision was giuen vnto him Thus also the beleeuing theefe vpon the Crosse though he did neuer receiue the Sacrament of Christ yet he did eat the body and drinke the blood of Christ to eternall life so that he beleeued in him p Luk. 23 10 and was the same day with him in Paradise He was not crucified for the professioÌ„ of Christ but was condemned for the merit of his transgression neither did he suffer because he beleeued q Lamb sâ—nt lib. â— dist ca. 1. but hee beleeued while he suffered He was not baptized he receiued not the Lords Supper yet his r Rom. 10 â—0 faith saued him spiritually eating the true food of euerlasting life as Rom. 10. With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation for the Scripture saith whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed According to that in the Prophet The iust shall liue Å¿ Hab. 2 4. by faith And Ioh. 11. I am the resurrection and the life he that beleeueth in me though he were dead yet he shall liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in me t Ioh 11 25 26. shall neuer dye This ministreth great
comfort in trials and tribulations to consider that howsoeuer by sicknesse by persecution by imprisonment wee may be separated from the Supper of Christ u Rom. 8 35. yet we cannot be separated from Christ though we may be hindred from eating him sacramentally yet wee cannot bee hindred from eating him spiritually though we may be kept from eating the bread and drinking of the cup of the Lord yet we cannot by the malice of Sathan or violence of his instruments be kept from feeding vpon Christ by faith to saluatioÌ„ And in this case God will accept the will for the deed if there be in vs a desire to be partakers thereof for as the word of God is not bound so his grace is not tyed vp Againe other receiue Christ onely sacramentally and not spiritually who are partakers of the outward Elements of bread and wine and so receiue the bare signes of the body and blood of Christ For as they are said to eate the true body of Christ spiritually which receiue Christ with the mouth of the soule that is by a true faith and are truely ioyned to him so they eate him sacramentally that handle eate and drinke the signes and seales of his true body but because they want faith they want the meanes to receiue Christ himselfe Thus many haue bin baptized that were neuer regenerated and inwardly purged a Act. 8 23. appeareth in Symon the sorcerer whose heart was not vptight so that albeit he were partaker of the Sacrament of regeneration and repentance yet he remained in the gall of bitternes and in the bond of iniquity So many haue resorted to the Lords Supper that neuer drew nourishment or strength of faith from him to life and saluation and thus many thousands in the world come to the Sacraments but because they come vnworthily they depart away vnprofitably Let no man therefore slatter himselfe in the worke done but labour to come aright that so he may finde comfort to his soule Moreouer some neither receiue Christ spiritually nor sacramentally and such are they that neuer come to Christ nor receiue the sacraments of Christ such are they that liue cut of the bosome of the Church as it were out of the Arke of Noah as Infidels Iewes Turkes Sarizens Persians and such like these must needs perish in the deepe floods of Gods endlesse iudgements For as Christ is the fountaine of life and the well-spring of all b Câ—â— 1 19 â— â— heauenly treasures that accompany saluation and the Sacraments his instruments whereby these graces are conueyed vnto vs the Church the parties to whom both these belong so such as are without Christ without the Sacraments without grace without the Church and consequently without the priuiledges that pertaine to the heires of his eternall kingdome lye in darkenesse and in the shaddowe of death c Mat â—5 26. and are as Dogges to whome the childrens bread doth not belong Lastly other receiue Christ both spiritually by faith sacramentally with the mouth who are partakers both of the signes and of the things signified who â—â—g Tract â—5 â—4 Iohan eate of the bread of the Lord and the bread which is the Lords And thus the Apostles that sate at the table with Christ at his last Supper did receiue him applying the outward part to their bodies and the inward part to their soules Also thus all the faithfull that come to the table of Christ to the end of the world doe receiue him spiritually and sacramentally to the great comfort of their owne soules and thus must euery one of vs seeke to come to Christ whensoeuer wee come to the Sacrament of Christ Wherefore we see what difference distinction is to be made betweene those that receiue Christ that we be not deceiued in the manner of the receiuing of him Againe seeing onely the faithfull are the inward part of Vse 2 this Sacrament it is not to be administred to such as shew themselues vnfaithful and vnrepentant so farre as they may be knowne so to be Such as are without faith without repentance without sanctification haue no right and interest in this blessed communion For if euery one should without difference be admitted and receiued the Church of God which is a blessed fellowship of Saints should be turned into a stye of vnclean swine a stable of vncleane beasts a cage of vncleane birds and as Christ speaketh the e Ioh. 2 16. Luk 19 46. house of God should be made a denne of theeues God did shut out of his f Ezek. 44 9. sanctuary euery stranger vncircumcised in heart and in the flesh he commanded also the Priests to put a difference betweene the holy and prophane betweene the cleane and vncleane Hitherto belongeth that saying of Christ Mathew 7. Giue ye not that which is holy to dogges neither cast ye your pearles before swine least they tread you vnder their feet and turning againe all to rent you If therefore such as remaine in grosse and open sinnes of blasphemy swearing contempt of Gods word adultery fornication vncleannes wantonnesse drunkennesse maliciousnesse and such like offer themselues at any time with the rest of the members of the Church to partake this Supper and as it were infectious leapers come into the Lords host g Leuit. 13 â— 45 46. Num. 5 â— 3. to bee admitted to the sacrifices it is the Pastors duty to vse the power of the keyes and barre them from this Sacrament vntill there appeare in them the testimonies of repentance and the confession of their offences Should not the shepheard seuer the rotten and infected sheepe from the rest of the fold Doth not h 1 Cor. 5 6. a little leauen sower the whole lump Will an housholdder admit into his house euery one that vanteth himselfe to be of the houshold The Idolaters by the light of nature i Hesiod liber oper dier Eustath in Iliad lib. 1. Virg. Aeneid lib. 2. 6. would not suffer all to approach to their sacrifices their heathenish sacrifices but cryed out that prophane persons should be packing and get them thence and not i presume to offer with vnwashen hands Such as haue a very cleere fountaine and spring of waters committed vnto them if they see filthy swine come toward it k Chrys hom 83 in Mat cap 37. must not suffer them to trouble the spring and annoy the water Shall they then that haue the sacred and hallowed spring not of common water but of the precious blood of Christ springing vp to eternall life committed vnto them l Zeph. 3 4. suffer such as are notoriously defiled with sin to prophane the blood of Christ and make a mocke of him to their owne destruction Wherefore such as are open wicked persons are not without opeÌ„ repeÌ„tance to be admitted to the Sacram. of the Supper but to be separated from the Church as dead members from the body as withered branches from the tree and
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
together and therefore through their vaine confidence c 1 Sam 4 10 c they were destroyed the Arke was taken the two sonnes of Ely were slaine and the whole hoast was discomfited Thus is it with the Sacrament and with such as come without faith to the Sacrament The Sacrament indeed is holy the sacramentall rites are holy the bread and wine are holy but let them be receiued of persons that are prophane and vnholy they make the Sacraments to themselues vnholy so far are they from conferring grace and holinesse to all receiuers of theÌ„ For can the Sacraments make him holy that is vnholy Or a godly man that is vngodly Or make him to feare an oth that is a blasphemer They cannot nay to such the Sacraments become vnholy and the receiuers grow more vnholy as Iudas did after the partaking of the Passeouer Wherefore God as a iust Iudge would driue Adam out of the garden of Eden least puttâ—ng forth his hand to the tree of life hee should d Gen. 3 22. take and receiue it vnworthily thereby e Mercer in 3. cap. Gen. Aralis Franc. Iun. in Gen. prophaning the Sacrament and so eate to himselfe iudgement The sacrifices were holy ordinances of God yet when men that liued vngodly came vnto them they turned to bee sinne to them so is it with all those that come without faith feeling to the Supper of the Lord let vs not therfore be faithlesse but faithfull Lastly if the faithfull onely receiue with profite then Vse 4 such as are hypocrites and wicked liuers cannot bee partakers of the body and blood of Christ no more then God and Sathan can be ioyned together True it is such may receiue the bare signes but they receiue them to their condemnation because f Wicked meÌ„ do not recâ—iue Christ through want of faith repentance they offend God repell Christ from them and all his benefits and draw vnto themselues temporall and eternall punishments For no man can eate Christ and withall eat his owne damnation Againe whosoeuer eateth the flesh of Christ and drinketh his blood shall liue for euer and hath Christ dwelling in him to saluation for Christ can neuer be separated from his sauing graces but the vngodly shall not liue for euer by Christ with God For Christ is not eaten with the teeth or mouth as in the Gospell he directly determineth Ioh. 6. Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life my flesh is meat indeed my blood is drinke indeed g Ioh. 6 14. he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him But Infidels and wicked persons haue not eternall life neither abide in Christ therfore by the doctrine of Christ our Sauiour h Aâ—g tract in 〈◊〉 25. they neither eate his flesh nor drinke his blood We must open the eyes of our faith to behold him and the mouth of our soule to receiue him for by faith onely we are made partakers of him which the vngodly want hee that i Ioh. 4 14. drinketh of the blood of Christ shall neuer be more athirst Thirdly we know that Sathan the Prince of darknesse ruleth in all the hearts of the children of disobedience and sitteth in their Consciences 2 Cor. 14 4. as the God of this world and filleth them full of iniquity as we see in the example of Iudas Now if these receiue the body of Christ then Christ and the diuell should dwell in one subiect together and be ioynt possessors of one and the same house Luk. 11 21. but this cannot be these cannot be at one these can neuer be friends reconciled there is no m 2 Cor. â— 14 fellowship betweene righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse there is no communion betweene light and darknesse there is no concord betweene Christ and Bel all Fourthly the Apostle teacheth that where Christ is n Rom. 8 9. he worketh mortification and dying to sinne Rom. 8. If any haue not the spirit of Christ the same is not his and if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life for righteousnesse sake But the wicked are not dead to sin they are dead in their sins and trespasses and they haue sinne not only remaining but raigning in them therefore Christ cannot be in them Fiftly where Christ is there are all things necessary to saluation and to whom God giueth his Sonne o Rom 8 31. to him he giueth iustification sanctification redemption repentance remission of sinnes and eternall life as Rom. 8. If God be on our side who shall be against vs Who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how should he not with him giue vs all things also But the wicked haue not these guifts accompaning saluation they are not iustified they are not sanctified they are not regenerated therefore they cannot haue Christ from whom these flow Sixtly we are charged to try and p 2 Cor. 13 5. proue our owne hearts whether Christ be in vs or not that thereby we may discerne of our estate and standing in the faith 2 Cor. 13. Proue your selues whether ye are in faith examine your selues know ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates To what purpose serueth this tryall and examination if Christ may be in vs and yet we remaine reiected Wherefore Christ cannot bee in vs if we be not approued but refused of God Seuenthly if such as eate the bread of the Lord vnworthily do withall eate the body of Christ it will follow froÌ„ hence that to eate is no longer to eate but to reiect and refuse For these two take ye and eate ye are ioyned together by Christ himselfe so that the eating it selfe is a kinde of receiuing As then he that refuseth the bread cannot bee said to eate the bread so they which reiect the bodye of Christ cannot eate the body of Christ for if they did eate it they would also take it and receiue it Lastly the Apostle chargeth the Church of the Corinthians not to eate things sacrificed to Idols in q 1 Cor. 10 20. the Idols temple because they cannot be partakers of Christ and the diuell nor drink of the cup of Christ and of the cup of diuels 1 Cor 10 20. These things which the Gentiles sacrâ—fice they sacrifice them to diuels and not vnto God and I would not that ye should haue fellowship with the diuels ye cannot b e partakers of the Lords Table and of the table of diuels Where he sheweth that a man may come poluted with Idoll sacrifices to the Lords Supper but then he cannot be partaker of Christ indeed and in truth Thus we see the doctrine of the Church of Rome striken to the ground which hold it as a principle of their faith and teach it to others that wicked men do receiue eate r Bel. de Sacra Euch. li
of this Sacrament agree not with the institution of CHRIST nor with the former vses set downe which now wee come to handle and to prooue out of the doctrine of the Apostles themselues Touching the first and principall end that is the remembrance meditation and shewing forth the death of Chrst with all thanksgiuing this he commanded to vs at his last departing from vs which ought much to stick in our minds because the last words of a deare friend ready to part from vs do oftentimes leaue behind both deepe impressions and deuout affections in vs. Indeed when we reade of the passioÌ„ and death of Christ it doth much moue vs to heare it opened expounded it moueth in a farther degree but more then these to haue before our eyes a visible representation of the crucifying of Christ in his last Supper doth mooue vs most of all The institution of this Sacrament he did in wisedome reserue till the approching of his death that we might not forget him when he is gone from vs. So God the Father after the vniuersal flood drowning the whol world for a remembrance of his mercy in deliuering Noah and his family from the waters and of his promise made f Gen. 9 14. neuer to destroy it so againe left to them and all posterity the Rainbow When he had iustly smitten the first borne of the Egiptians and gratiously saued the first borne of Israel he commanded Moses g Exo 13 1 2 to sanctifie to him all the first borne that first openeth the wombe to remember the day in which they came out of the land of Egipt When he had miraculously sed the Israelites with Manna from heauen that men did eate Angels food h Exod. 16 32 he would haue a golden pot ful of it to be reserued in the Arke of remembrance for the better remembrance of so great a worke So likewise being deliuered by the precious blood of Christ from the floods of sin that haue gone ouer our heads and eased of the heauy burthen that pressed downe our hearts wee haue receiued baptisme to keepe vs in remembrance thereof that we are cleansed from the filthinesse of sin Againe being nourished with Christs body crucifyed and his blood shed for vs we are commanded to vse this mystery to continue an holy remembrance of his death and passion to our endlesse comfort This end to wit to be to vs a remembrance of Christs sacrifice on the Crosse is taught by the Apostle So often as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cup i Luk. 22 19 ye shew the Lords death till he come In like manner the Euangelist Luke of the bread saith Do this in remembrance of me and of the cuppe Do this as oft as ye shall drinke it in remembrance of me by declaring his death And we declare the Lords death when we publikely confesse with our mouth and beleeue with the heart that our whole hope and affiance for life and saluation is surely set in the Lords death that we may glorifie him by our confession and exhort others by our example to glorifie him because his death is our life his passion is our saluation his suffering is our reioycing We our selues are the principall and proper causes that he was torne and tormented our sins wounded him we our selues crucified him we euen we are the causes for he was chastised for vs that by death he might deliuer vs from death and from Heb. 2 14. him that had the power of death Our euill motions our vile thoughts our corrupt words and our sinfull works did set on worke Pontius Pilate Herod Annas Caiphas Iudaâ— the Gentiles and the Iewes who were but instruments as the Crosse nailes the hammer and speare these were as our seruants and workemen in the euill action of his crucifying We are all of vs ready to accuse and condemne these men wee complaine against them and pronounce sentence vpon them because they offered so great iniuries to our sweet Sauiour We lay all the blame vpon others we sticke not to call Pilat a corrupt Iudge Herod a time-seruer and a man-pleaser Annas and Caiphas brethren in euil Iudas the sonne of perdition the Iewes and Gentiles notorious offendors but all this while we haue forgotten our selues Wherefore to speake the truth not Sathan the tempter not Iudas the traytor not Caiphas the high-Priest not Pilat the chiefe Iudge not the Iewes that conspired against him not the false witnesses that accused him not the band of men that scorned him not the passengers that nodded their heads at him not the souldior that pierced him not the executioners that railed at him and nailed him on the crosse are so much to be accused and reproued for his sufferings as we we I say our selues and our owne sinnes Not that we can excuse those cursed instruments that crucified the Lord of glory who shall receiue according to their works l Zâ—ch 12 10. Iob. 19 37. when they shall see him whom they haue pierced but to teach vs chiefly to accuse and condemne our selues We bound him with cords we beate him with rods we buffetted him with fistes we crowned him with thornes we reuiled him with our mouths we railed at him with reproches wee nodded at him with our heads we thrust him through with speares we betraied him with a kisse we pierced his hands feet with nailes we crucified him between two theeues we condemned him through false witnesses we poured shame and contempt vpon his person we iudged him as plagued and smitten of God For inasmuch as our faults and offences procured these things to bee done vnto him we were the dooers by them and the dealers in them and the causes of them And surely then we are profitably grounded in the doctrine of the m Who they are that profit aright by Christs passioÌ„ passion of Christ when our hearts cease to sinne and we are pricked with an inward griefe of those great and grieuous transgressions n 1 Ioh. 3 6. Esay 53 5 6. whereby as with speares we pierced the side and wounded the very soule of the immaculate lambe of God as Ioh. 3. Who so sinneth neither hath seene him nor knowne him And the Prophet Esay teacheth cha 53. He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed the Lord hath laide vpon him the iniquity of vs all Seeing then Christ was slaine for our sins let vs kill sin in our selues seeing he died for vs let vs labour that sin may be dead in vs seeing he was crucified for vs and our saluation let vs crucifie our own lusts that they raigne not in our mortal bodies seeing his heart was pierced with a speare let vs haue our hearts thrust through pierced and pricked with vnfaigned sorrow for all our iniquities This is the right vse this is the true end this
themselues why they refuse to ioyne with the people of God among vs that come with loue and zeale to his Table I haue not to doe with them in this place they were for the most part carelesse men secure in the matters of God and sencelesse in al good things but those that now we are to encounter withall pretend greater care and conscience in the worship of God then our selues These are they of the separation who haue left our Church as no Church and abhorre our Sacraments as no Sacraments and reuile our Ministers as no Ministers And yet if they would confesse the trueth and giue God the glory they must for the most part of them acknowledge that they receiued to beleeue in our Church were begotten a new by our ministery and haue reaped strength of faith by our Sacraments if they may bee called ours which are deliuered by vs but instituted by God Neuerthelesse I wish and desire from the bottome of my hearte that our Church were once so happy as to separate notorious offenders to cut off all occasion of this question But because we cannot yet obtain this mercy through our sinnes and that through the iniquity of the times euill men preuaile wee must not consider so much what ought to be among vs as how farre wee ought to submit our selues neither should we fixe our eyes so much vppon that which is wanting and missing in our Church as what great guifts and good thinges GOD hath vouchsafed vnto vs and bestowed vpon vs we confesse we are not in all poyntes that which we should be howbeit by the grace of our GOD wee are farre from that which they charge vs withall But let vs see what they obiect Obiection 1 Cor. 5.11 First they alledge that we are forbidden to eat and drink at our common Tables with them 1 Cor 5 From hence they reason from an vnequall comparison of the lesse to the greater that if we may not doe that which is lesse then wee may not eate and drinke with them at the LORDS Table which is the greater I answere Answere this consequent will not follow For wee cannot conclude the abstaining at the Lords Supper from their company whose company we are to auoide at our owne table It is in our owne power for the most part to depriue whome wee will of our priuate Suppers but it lyeth not in vs to barre whome we please from the Lords Supper This belongeâ—h to the officers and ouer-seers of the Church But as in the priuate family euery one may not be a gouernourâ— and in the Common-wealth euery person may not be a Magistrate to order the affaires thereof so is it in the Church no man may seuer the holy from the prophane but such as are called to sit in the sterne of it Again they alledge the sentence of the Prophet Come Obiection 2 out from among them and separate your selues from them and touch no vncleane thing Esay 52.11 2 Cor. 6 17.18 Esay 52 11. 2 Cor. â— 17. Answere I answere three things First the place must be vnderstood not somuch of the separation by place as by affection not somuch of the company as of the coruptions of others Secondly Paul speaketh of the communion of Idolatry which is nothing at all to the holy Communion which is commaunded vnto all Christians without any such limitation as these would bring in For they can neuer proue any such exception to wit that we may abstayne if we see any offer themselues to receiue which doe seeme to vs vnworthy Lastly here is mention of such as were straungers from the faith and did not so much as professe the Christian Religion and therefore it serueth not their purpose who refuse to communicate at the Table of the Lord with such as embrace Christianity and make profession of the Gospell albeit peâ—aduenture their life be not answerable thereunto so that thâ—y abuse this place who will by no meanes bee brought to come to the Supper of the Lord when they perceiue those to haue accesse vnto it whome they account wicked and prophane Ioseph and Mary frequented the sacrifices in the publike assemblies at Ierusalem at the solemne feasts Luk. 2. So did Christ himselfe as appeareth in many places of the Gospell The Church was then full of scandals as a body full of sores but because he had no calling nor commission to remedy those euils he chose rather to ioyne himselfe with the company of the wicked theÌ„ to separate himselfe from the Sacraments and other holy things Thus it was with Simeon Hannah Zachary Elizabeth and other of the faithfull There are two certaine rules with which I will conclude First that our being in company with the wicked vnwillingly not willingly by compulsion not by free election shall not hurt vs. It is our delight in them and desire of them and striuing to be with them that bringeth danger vnto vs but if it be against our will there is no feare of being infected by them The second rule is this that we are greatly hurt in our saluation and wounded in our soules by separation from the exercises of our religion and therfore there is no iust cause why we should leaue the fruite of the one for the presence of the other It is a part of Gods spirituall worshippe to heare his word and indeed one of the principall seruices we can performe vnto him yet may a Christian lawfully heare it where there are Infidels and vnbeleeuers yea not onely communicate with them but be glad that they will vouchsafe to communicate with vs. And touching ioyning in prayer and participation of the Sacraments if it were in our choyce and liberty to auoid them wee might not ioyne with them nor make one among them but because we haue no power nor authority to make any separation wee ought not to refuse or renounce the seruice of God which is enioyned and commanded vnto vs and let vs take heed least while wee go about to separate our selues from the wicked we separate our selues from God himselfe For there is no man that forsaketh his worship but after a sort forsaketh God seeing that to cleaue vnto him and not to his worshippe is vnpossible and to diuide betweene these which are alwaies ioyned together is to turne him into an Idoll And thus much touching Examination in generall CHAP. XVI Of the knowledge of God the first part of Examination AS we haue waighed the necessity of preparing and examining our selues so let vs consider the manner how it is to be performed Such as will in an holy manner prepare themselues a Four points required in Examination of our selues to celebrate the Lords Supper to the glory of God the discharge of their duties and comfort of their owne soules must diligently acquaint themselues with these foure points with knowledge faith repentance and reconciliatioÌ„ to those whom they haue offended First it is required of all persons that come
to this Sacrament to know the grounds of religion and vnderstand the doctrine of the Sacraments Secondly to beleeue in Christ and to looke for salâ—ation in him alone inasmuch as there is no other name vnder heauen by which we must be saued So then we must come with faith which is the hand to apprehend Christ Thirdly to abhorre and detest our sins to hate them with an vnfained hatred as our deadly and most dangerous enemies and to haue godly sorrow for them which may cause repentance not to be repented of Lastly to loue our brethren truely and sincerely yea euen our enemies If we finde not these things in our selues we must carefully vse all holy meanes appointed for this purpose to begin them in vs otherwise our estate will prooue to be fearefull and dangerous We must with all sincerity conscience and zeale vse prayer the word read and preached conferrence meditation and such like helpes as may further them in vs. If we do finde them in vs though feeble and in great want and weaknesse we are not to abstaine from the Sacrament but to come therunto to seek strength of faith and increase of obedience Wherefore b Mat. 11 28 our Sauiour calleth such vnto him Come to me all ye that are weary and sore laden and I will ease you take my yoke on you and yee shall finde rest vpon your soules for my yoake is easie and my burden it light And chap. 12. A bruised c Mat. 12 26 reeds shall he not breake and smoaking flax shal he not quench till he bring forth iudgment vnto victory Touching the first we are to obserue d The 1. part of examination is knowledg of Gods word that such as will come aright to the lords supper must haue the knowledge of Gods word which is the foundation and ground-worke of faith Wee must know what to beleeue and must learne the doctrine of saluation out of the Scripture Our Sauiour Christ in that heauenly prayer which hee made a little before his passion vseth these words to his Father e Iohn 17 3. This is eternal life to know thee to be the onely very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ We must know how miserable all men are of themselues that we are separated from god the children of wrath by nature as wel as others and the verie fire-brands of hell They that want this knoledge cannot iudge aright of the parts and vses of this Sacrament nor desire this heauenly meate which nourisheth to eternall life So then knowledge must necessarily go before faith for it is the nature of faith to beleeue that which it knoweth and therefore where there is small knowledge there can bee but little faith and where there is no knowledge there can be no faith acording f Rom. 10 17. to the doctrine of the Apostle Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God The knowledge required of vs when we approach to this Sacrament standeth in these two g What particular pointes â—re necessâ—tie to be knowne oâ— al that com to the Communion pointes first in the knowledge of God secondly in the knowledge of our selues In these two branches standeth the first part of examination And these two points are so neerely ioyned and knit together that no man can thoroughly know God vnlesse he know himselfe and no man can haue the perfect knowledge of himselfe except he know God in whom h Acts 17 28 he liueth mooueth and hath his being Vnder these two heads many particular points are containd necessary to be known of those that offer themselues to bee partakers of this Sacrament First that there is onely one God that hath made himselfe knowne in three persons Iohn 5 7. the Father the Sonne and the Holy-ghost Secondly that God made man and all other creatures good and gouerneth all things well Thirdly man did fall through the enticement of the Deuill and his own wilfull disobedience in breaking the commandements of God Fourthly there are ten commaundements diuided into two tables whereof the foure first commaundements concerne our duties to God the sixe last our duties toward our neighbour Fiftly we cannot keepe these commandements nor anie one of them but wee breake them daily in motion in thoght in word and in deed the breach wherof deserueth k Deut 27 25 the curse of God that is all miseries in this life death in thâ— end of this life and hell fire after this life Sixtly there is no meanes or remedy in our selues or in any creature but onely in Iesus Christ the eternall Son of God l Luke 1 35 who is God and Man God that he might ouercom death and Man that he might die for our sinnes Hee hath pacified Gods wrath fulfilled the righteousnesse of the Law sanctified our nature adopted vs to be the children of God and maketh our duties though weake acceptable vnto his Father Seuenâ—hly all haue not deliuerance by him but onely such as beleeue in Chrâ—st m 1 Cor. 1 30. whose obedience and righteousnesse is made ours by a liuely faith whereby we are perswaded that through him our sinnes are forgiuen and we made the children of God Eightly faith is a gift of God applying Christ and all his merits particularly to our selues and teaching that he is a Sauiour vnto vs. Ninthly beeing saued by Christ through faith n Luke 1 74 we may not liue as we lift this vnspeakable mercie teacheth vs to deny all vngodlinesse and all worldly and sinnefull lusts to liue soberly righteouslie and godly in this present euill world and to walke in newnesse of life o Ephesia 6 5 because no vnrighteous person shal enter into the kingdome of heauen Tenthly this Faith which bringeth foorth a reformed life is wrought within our heartes by the Holie-ghost p Rom 10 14. through the preaching of the word being truely expounded and profitably applyed with doctrine consutation exhortation correction reformation and consolation and it is encreased besides by reading praying and receyuing of the Sacraments Eleuenthly touching prayer wee haue a perfect platforme left vs by q Mat 6 9. Christ in the Gospell which containeth 6. petitions the three first concerning the glory of God and the three last concerning the necessities of our owne bodies and soules Twelfely the Sacraments are another helpe to strengthen and increase faith which are outward signes and seales ordained of God to assure vs that Christ all his sauing graces are giuen vnto vs. These are two in number Baptisme the Sacrament of our regeneration and new birth assureth vs by the washing of water that our sins are forgiuen by the blood of Christ we borne anew to God The Lords Supper assureth vs that by bread and wine giuen and receiued according to Gods ordinance Christ is giuen vs to be our spirituall nourishment to euerlasting life These grounds of religion must be knowne and vnderstood that we may
despaire on the other side but to beleeue which is seated in the middest is supernaturall To haue a dead faith commeth of our selues but to haue a liuely faith proceedeth from God to whome we ascribe all glory and praise Now the proper office and function of this iustifying faith standeth in apprehending receiuing and laying hold vppon Christ and all his benefites Euen as the hand stretched foorth layeth hold vpon a thing and pulleth the same vnto it so dooth faith apply the sauing promises of the Gospell to the soule as the Apostle teacheth Gal. 3. That the blessing of Abraham might come vnto the Gentiles through Iesus Christ i Gal 3 14 that we might receiue the promise of the Spirit through Faith Where he teacheth that we embrace and receiue the precious promises of saluation and forgiuenesse of our sinnes by faith beleeuing the same to belong vnto our selues The Scripture calleth Christ a redeemer indefinitely Iob calleth him his redeemer particularly Iob 19 25. I know that my Redeemer liueth The Scripture setteth out the Lord as the God of his Church Thomas vpon a speciall feeling of Christes sauour toward him l Ioh 22.28 acknowledgeth him to be his Lorde and God Iohn 20. Thou art my Lord and my God The Scripture propoundeth Christ as the Sauiour of his people the blessed virgin taketh this as spoken vnto her selfe m Luke 1 â—â— and accounteth him her Sauiour My spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour The Scripture maketh Christ the Lord Protector of his church Elizabeth maketh a speciall Luk. 11 43. application thereof calling him her Lord. Luk. 1 Whence commeth this to me that the mother of my Lord should come vnto mee It is an Article of our holy and Christian faith to beleeue the forgiuenes of sins this must euery one beleeue this must euery one hold this must euery one apply o Math. 5 2. as Christ did to the sick man of the Palsey Mathew 9. Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee It is the hardest thing in the world thus to beleeue whether we respect Christ or our selues An hardthing to beleeue It is an easie matter for a man when he neither knoweth nor feeleth the burden of sin to say he hath faith and beleeueth in Gods mercie but when Sathan shall sist him when his owne heart shall accuse him when sinne shall lye heauie vpon his soule when the vnsupportable and vnsufferable anger of God shall presse his conscience to the nethermost hell and the flame thereof consume his bones and turne his moysture p Psalm 32 4. into the drought of Summer if then he can stand vpright and build himselfe q Math 7 24. vpon the rocke when the floods come when the winds blow and beat vpon his house and when the ground shaketh vnder his seete this man with boldnesse and confidence may truely say and seale it vppe for an euerlasting truth My sinnes are forgiuen mee For if then he can comfort himselfe in his God and apply his gracious mercies to his owne faint heart and cry out r Iob. 13 15. Though the Lorde woulde kill me yet still will I trust in him this is the propertie of a sound faith against which the strongest gates of hell shall not preuaile This appeareth euidently vnto vs in the example of Abraham Å¿ Ro. 4 17 c who beleeued that of his olde weake withered and as it were deade body should spring children t Genes 1â— 5 like to the sande on the Sea shore and like the Starres of Heauen for multitude and that hee should haue a seede in whome himselfe and all the nations of the world should bee blessed If hee had consulted with flesh and bloode what Discourses might a naturall man alleadge to hinder the crediting of this promise yet he doubted not he disputeth not the matter but beleeued that the weake should bee made strong that the barren should be made fruitfull and a ioyfull mother of children that the dead should be made a liue to dwell with a family springing out of his owne body which was to reason as vnlikely and vnpossible as for a dry and dead tree pulled vp by the rootes to bud beare and bring foorth plentifull fruit So what can be more difficult and hard then for vs to beleeue and be perswaded that by the death of Christ we shall haue euerlasting life By his shame and dishonour we shall haue glory and praise That by his wounds and reproches we shal haue the curing and healing of our sores That by his agonies and bloody sweate we shall haue peace and rest By his condemnation we shall haue saluation Is not this after a sort in hel to see heauen In cursing to see blessing In humiliation to see exaltation In death to see life In condemnation to lay hold of saluation In feeling of sinne to beleeue the pardon of sinnes Lastly in our vnrighteousnesse and misery to be both righteous and accepted to eternall life and in the breach of the law to beleeue the fulfilling of the law This is indeed to haue the sauing faith u Tit. 1 1. of Gods elect And to say that this is an easie matter or a small thing is plainely to betray and discouer that we neuer knew what true faith meaneth For this faith let euery one of vs labour that we may a Gal. 2 20. specially and particularly apprehend the promises as the Apostle declareth Galathians 2. I am crucified w th Christ but I liue yet not I any more but Chrict liueth in me and in that that I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the Sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me And againe b 2 Tim 4 â— I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith hence forth is laâ—d vp for me a Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue vnto me at that day Where we see a speciall application to himselfe of the benefits of CHRIST and therefore it is not sufficient to beleeue that Christ came into the world that he was crucified died was buried rose againe from the dead and ascended into heauen for this is a generall faith this is the faith of the reprobates yea the Deuils know it and haue as great a part and portion therein as wee yet they tremble at the remembrance of their iudgement to come as Iames sheweth c Iames 2 19 Thou beleeuest there it one God thou doest well the deuils also beleeue and tremble There is more required of vs then to beleeue the histories and doctrine of the Scriptures to bee true and to make an outward profession of it to vnderstand and assent vnto the couenant of grace made by Christ that it is certain and shal be verified in the members of the church we must besides this generall and confused faith applie and appropriate vnto
our selues the promises of saluation Wee must not onely see them a farre off but feele them in our hearts Wee must beleeue not onely that Christ is a Sauiour but that he is our Sauiour and Redeemer Thus wee must euerie one of vs for his owne part make propâ—r to himselfe all the riches and graces that are in Christ Iesuâ— because in giuing himselfe to vs hee giueth all his benefiâ—s in that he is God he maketh vs after a sort d 2 Peter 1 4â— partakers of the diuine nature being heire of all things in heauen and earth e 1 Cor 3 22. and Lord of the world hee maketh all thinges ours whether life or death whether things present or thinges to com recouering in him the possession of those things which we lost â—n Adam being the beloued sonne of the father hee maketh vs acceptable and well-pleasing vnto him leading captiuity captiue and giuing giftes f Eph. 4 8. to men hauing Dominion ouer the diuell sinne hell the world the flesh and all our enemies he protecteth vs that they cannot ouerthrowe vs and hath g Reuelat. 1 6 made vs Kings and Priests to God euen his father in that he is happie and immortall he maketh vs partakers of his blessednesse and immortality When we shall seuerally and particularly apply all the actions and benefits of Christ our Lorde vnto our selues wee may boldly come to the Lords Table where we shall finde Christ and enioy him to our endlesse comfort knowing that we liue alwaies by faith but not alwaies by feeling Neither are we to abstaine and hang back from comming to the Supper nor to dispaire of our selues nor to bee too much cast downe when we feele sundry defectes and wants in our faith For h There are 2. degrees of true faith there is a weake and feeble saith which is yet a true faith as well as the strong faith There are two degrees of faith profitable to be knowne and comfortable to be considered The weake faith i what a weak Faith is is an earnest and vnsaigned desire to bee reconciled vnto God in Christ which willing desire in vs God accepteth as the deede it selfe he accounteth the desire of faith as faith it selfe the desire of reconciliation and forgiuenesse of sinnes by the death of Christ shall be auaileable to worke out our attonement and redemption The strong faith is a full perswasion assurance k What a strong faith is of the mercies of God when the faithfull can truly say with the Apostle Rom. 8 38 l Roma 8 38. 39. I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor things present nor things to come neither Angels nor principalities nor powers neither hetâ—hth nor depth nor any other creature shall separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lorde To this assurance we labour to come and in this assurance we endeuour to grow and to go on from saith to faith and from strength to strength vntill we learne to stand fast as it were vpon the battlements of heauen and to set the world at defiance and to treade the earth vnder our feete saying with the Apostle Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Or who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ This is the greatest measure and highest degree of faith this is the top strength and full ripenesse of faith heere vnto wee are to striue and endeuour and neuer to giue rest vnto our soules vntill we be resolued and setled in our consciences that all our sinnes are assurredly pardoned and we accepted to euerlasting life This greatnesse of faith was in Abraham m Rom. 4 20 who was not weake but strengthened in faith being fully perswaded Hee that had promised was able also to do it All that liue in the bosome of the Church doe not attaine to this full measure of a perfect faith but euen as it is in the estate of the body we are Babes before wee come to be men of ripe yeares first we be weake before we be strong n 1 cor 3 1 â— first we are fedde with milke before wee can digest strong meate We see o Mar. 4 2â— Corne first in the grasse then in the blade before it come to the stalke and haue ripe corne in the eare There must bee in all things a beginning before there can be a proceeding to perfection The tree sendeth foorth his tender branches and putteth foorth his leaues before his fruite commeth So is it with euery Christian man and woman first they are babes in Christ and haue certaine seeds and beginnings of faith springing in them to eternall life afterward they grow from strength to strength from grace to grace from degree to degree p Roma 1 17. and from faith to fayth vntill they come to a full perswasion and assurance vvithout wauering q Psalme 23 6 which ariseth after many experiences of Gods manifolde mercies and fauours in the course of our liues as we see Psal 23. Doubtlesse kindnesse and mercie shall follow me all the daies of my life and I shall remaine a long season in the house of the Lord. Wherefore let vs not be dismayed discouraged when our faith is feeble for a feeble faith wil apply Christ as well as a strong faith it will drawe Christ home to dwell in our hearts r Ephes 3 17. through whom we shall not perish but haue euerlasting life He that had but a weak eie and a dim sight to behold the brazen Serpent in the wildernesse Å¿ Numb â— 1 â— was healed from the deadly stinging of the fiery serpents as well as he that saw clearly and perfectly afarre off He that hath but a leprous and sickly hand is able to holde that which is offered vnto it as well as a sound and strong hand So he that hath a little faith in the son of God shall neuer haue his saluation denied nor forgiuenesse of his sins kept from him if with an humble heart hee pray to God to haue them pardoned The Apostles beleeued that Christ was the Sauior of the world t Luke 24 â—5 yet they were ignorant of his death and resurrection which are the chiefe meanes of saluation and they are saide to be men of little faith So our Sauiour when the u Luke 17 5 6 Disciples had asked encrease of their faith declareth that if our faith be in quantity but as a graine of Mustard-seed it should be powerfull and effectuall seeing hee will not a Marke 2 23 quench the smoaking flaxe nor breake the bruised Reede but cherish the lost sparke and measure of grace giuen vnto vs from aboue This likewise was the faith of that Father whose childe was possessed with a dumbe and deafe spirit when Christ said to him b Math. 7 7 8 If thou canst beleeue all things are possible to him that beleeueth straight way he cried with tears
those from the number of Sacraments which want the warrant of the word The third outward part of a Sacrament is p Marke 1 5. the signe for wheresoeuer there is a Sacrament there must of necessity be an outward element so that neyther must wee make an Idoll of the Signe by aduancing it too high nor cleane abolish it as the Church of Rome dooth by their doctrine of Transubstantiation The last outward part is the q Gene. 17 12 Receiuer so that the Sacraments without their lawfull vse are no Sacraments at all so long as the signes are reserued and not applyed The inward partes also are Å¿ 1 Cor. 3.7 foure First God the Father offering and applying Christ Iesus as surely as the Minister doth the outwarde signe which is a great comfort to such as come to the Sacraments The second inward part of a Sacrament is t Titus 3.56 the holy Spirit working by the worde so that wee can neuer heare the word or receiue the Sacraments aright without the speciall direction and inspiration of the spirit of God neither must we hang vpon extraordinary reuelations which openeth a wide doore vnto all disorders inasmuch as the Spirite is not separated from the word The third inward part is Iesus u 1 Cor. 10 3 Christ who is the truth the life of all Sacraments nowe if God the Father haue giuen him vnto vs a Rom 8 32. how shal he not with him giue vs al things else Let vs therefore lay hold vpon him especially in all difcomfits and troubles when our faith is assaulted by the enemies of our saluation The last inward part is the faithfull Receiuer for except we b Ro 14 23 send out faith to bring Christ home to dwell with vs in our hearts we shall in vaine looke to receiue profite by the Sacraments so that the Reprobate who are vessels of wrath and the children of perdition cannot receiue Christ albeit they partake the signes of Christ As for the elect who are the Lords fealed vp to the day of redemption before their conuersion and gathering into the sheepefold of Christ they also onely receiue the outwarde signe without Christ inasmuch as they are without faith but after they are called with an holie calling effectually and haue receiued to beleeue vnfaignedly they are partakers both of the signe and of the thing signified These are the outward and inward parts Now there c Actes 8 36 is a fit proportion and agreement betweene these partes each verie aptly answering the other For euen as the minister by the word of Institution offereth and applyeth visibly the outward element to the bodie of the Receiuer so the father by the spirit offereth and applieth Iesus Christ inuisibly to the faithfull receiuer Wee shewed before that in a Sacrament wee are to obserue two points his parts and his vses Hitherto we haue spoken of all the parts both such as are outward and such as are inward Now it remaineth to handle his vses The vses of a Sacrament d 3. cheefe vses of a Sacrament are chiefelie three first e Rom. 4 11. to strengthen secondly f Ge. 17 1 11. to seale vp the couenant betweene God and vs thirdlie g Ephes 2 11 to be a Badge of our profession and as a banner displayed to witnesse our warefare vnder our chiefe Captaine Christ Iesus If these be the true vses and ends of the Sacraments then we learne to take notice of h Mark 9 23 our owne failinges and infirmities of Faith that GOD refuseth none for weakenesse and wauering of Faith i Rom. 4 11 that there is an assurance of Fayth to be attained vnto in this life that as God euermore keepeth his promise with his people k Num 23 15. who is not as man that hee should lie l 1 Iohn 3 13 nor as the sonne of man that hee should deceiue so must we be carefull to keepe the Articles of agreement betweene God and vs namely to beleeue his word to loue our bretheren to obey his will that the Sacraments belong not to the vnfaithfull and can do them no good at all forasmuch as they be effectual vnto vs by faith Lastly as our priuiledges are great to beare the badges of Christ our Lord so it teacheth that we are not our owne m 1 Cor. 6 19 20. but are bought at a great price not with n 1 Pet. 1 18.19 coruptible things as siluer and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lambe vnspotted and vndefiled Hitherto of the nature of the Sacraments now of the number of them as we vnderstand the word for such as are seales of our communion with Christ The Sacraments o The Sacraments of the new testameÌ„t are onely two of the new testament are two baptisme and the Lords Supper neither are there any moe left vnto the Church For Christ taught no moe p 1 Cor. 10 1.2 Act. 20 27. Sacraments to the Apostles the Apostles deliuered no moe to the Churches who yet were faithfull witnesses and reuealed the whole counsell of God without concealing and keeping backe of any doctrine which themselues had receiued Besides these two Sacraments are altogether perfect and sufficient both to enter a Christian into the Church and to retaine him continually in the same From this number of two Sacraments we learne first to acknowledge the great loue of God toward vs who hath eased vs of the r Act. 15 10. heauy burthen of infinite ceremonies prescribed in the law and deliuered vs Å¿ Aâ—g de dâ—â—â— Câ—â—â— â— 3. c. 9 a few Sacraments in stead of many Secondly we see heereby the difference betweene the old Testament and the new and betweene the Sacraments of the old Testament and the new they had sundry significant signes and ceremonies whose interpretation was not easily knowne vnto them Thirdly seeing God hath giuen vnto vs two signes and added two seales to his word and writings we ought to haue the stronger faith in his mercifull promises For wherefore hath he doubled the signes but that we should increase in faith as it were double our assurance of his graces Lastly this number of two ouerthroweth the number of seaueÌ„ Sacraments maintained in the Church of Rome which iust number was t 〈…〉 first broched by Peter Lumbard afterward ratified in the Counsell of Florence and lastly established in the Counsell of Trent and is now become the common doctrine of that counterfeit Church For besides baptisme and the Lords Supper which wee receiue they u The number of seauen Sacraments is faâ—se and forged haue installed into the number of SacrameÌ„ts Confirmation Penance Matrimony Orders and extreme Vnction contrary to the doctrine of the Scriptures contrary to the nature of Sacraments contrary to the euidence of sundry reasons And first of all a Confirmation no Sacrament Confirmation be lifted vp into the seate
part of baptisme The 4. outward part of Bapt. is the bodie that is washed Now such as are to be baptized must be within the Couenant Not to all and euery of them that haue life nor all that haue sense nor all that haue reason haue right to it and a priuiledge in it but the people of God by Couenant These are either men and women of riper years or else the infants of such who haue interrest in baptisme as well as the parents of whome they are borne This condemneth the Romish practise of Baptizing Belles as a most horrible prophanation of this Sacrament and serueth to set foorth the great loue of God vnto all beleeuers who vouchsafeth to bee their God and the God of theyr seede Hence likewise it appeareth d Infants haue interest in baptisme as well as their parents that infants are to be baptized For baptisme succeedeth in place of Circumcision the Apostles baptized e Colos 2 11. whole houses Christ calleth infants and sucklings f Act. 16 15 33 vnto himselfe and saith that vnto such belongeth the Kingdome of Heauen they are Christs sheepe and members of his body Hence we learne that the baptisme of Infants is no vnwritten tradition but a written and diuine institution taught in the Scriptures Consider also heereby the difference betweene baptisme and the Lords Supper g 1 Cor. 14 16 Mar. 10 13 14 15. and that all are conceiued in originall sinne Acknowledge also a difference betweene them and the children of Infidels and let parents be incouraged h Psal 51 5. to bring vp their children in the instruction and reformation of the Lord. Hitherto of the outward parts now follow i Eph. 6 4. the inward parts which also are four in number First k The inward parts of baptism are four God the Father represented by the Minister whereby our faith is greatly strengthned For whensoeuer the eie seeth the Minister powring water on the body faith beholdeth God the Father clensing the soule with the precious blood of his Son Christ The second part is the Spirit l Mat. 28 19 of God hauing relation to the word and promise of God and therefore whensoeuer we come to heare the word or to receiue the Sacraments we must craue the assistance of the Spirit to open our harts m 1 cor 12 12 as he opened the hart of Lydia If this inward teacher be wanting the eare heareth and the hand handleth but the hart is hardned The third inward part of baptism n Act. 16 14 is Christ represented by the water This serueth greatly to confirme our faith to consider with our selues when we behold with our bodily eyes the water poured vpon the body baptized o Act. 2 38. the blotting out of all our sins by the blood of Christ Iesus The 4. inward part is the soule clensed p 1 Pet. 3 21. most liuely and effectually represented by the body washed For the washing of the body representeth the clensing of the soule This teacheth that by nature we are corrupt and abhominable q Ep. 5 26 27 so that God must worke in vs both the will and the deed These are the foure inward parts of baptisme The agreemēt between these outward and inward parts r The proportion betwixt the outward and inward parts of baptisme is very euident Fot as the Minister by the word of institution applieth water to the washing of the body so the Father through the working of the Spirit applieth the blood of Christ to the clensing of the soule This distinction and proportion of the parts to wit the outwarde with the inwarde serueth to determine manie Controuersies vntimely raised hotly pursued and vncharitably continued among vs. For if we did aright discerne the outward baptism from the inward that which the Minister doth deliuer from that which God doth giue and bestow it might be a good meanes to dissolue sundrie doubts touching the sufficiencie and efficacy of this Sacrament whether it be impeached or abolished by the euill of the Minister which is of three sorts of heresy impiety and ignorance The first question is touching heresie Touching the baptis of the Heretickes whether baptisme ministred by an Hereticke be true baptisme or not I aunswere If Heretiques keepe not the substance of baptisme but erre in the foundation of religion and the doctrine of the Trinity their baptisme can be no baptisme Hence it is that Nicephorus Niceph. hist lib. 3. cap 33 maketh mention of a Minister that in the want of water baptized with sand but the party was again baptized and that most iustly But if they keepe the Doctrine of the Sacrament sound in substance and faile not in the essentiall partes of it such baptisme is good baptisme and ought not to be repeated For as the truth taught by Heretickes is Gods truth and auaileable to edification so long as they preach out of Gods word so baptisme administred by them is true baptisme so long as they obserue the institution of God entire and vncorrupt The second Question is touching the scandalous life prophane heart of the Minister whether it hinder the effect of the Sacrament or not Touching the baptisme of euil Ministers I answere it dooth not for as good prayers conceiued by euill men haue also audience vvith God so it is with the Sacraments albeit they be administered by euill men yet haue they acceptance with God And albeit the sonnes of Eli did occasion the people to abhorre the offerings of the Lorde yet it is their sinne to abstaine Iudas beeing sent out to preach ministered Baptisme also which was no doubt effectuall and sufficient to the Receyuers albeit he were a damnable hypocrite and the child of perdition True it is he receiued no benefit by the word or the Sacraments yet he might bee a meanes of doing good to others The light of the Sunne passeth by myrie and vnclean places and yet it is not defiled so the dignitie of the Sament is not hindred by the lewdnesse of the Minister The Sacraments brought vnto vs by loose Ministers which are no better then stumbling-blockes laide before the weake Aug. in Iohan. tract 5. are like water that passeth thorough a Chanell into a Garden it selfe receiueth no benefit by it howbeit the garden is watered and made fruitfull thereby Manie of the Priests and Leuites among the Israelites were vngodly and vnsanctified yet they both offered sacrifices and celebrated Sacraments which to the right partakers were feales of the Couenants and meanes to encrease faith Again there is no difference in respect of God between him that is prophane in heart and him that is prophane in life betweene him that is prophane outwardlye and him that is prophane inwardly forasmuch as they are both alike knowne vnto him But no man knoweth what is in the heart and therefore if prophanenesse did hinder the fruitfulnesse of the
iustification Secondly the Holy-Ghost who assureth vs of the truth of Gods promises This sheweth that he is true i Reuel 1 4. God equall with the Father and the Son proceeding from the Father and the Son This confuteth such as suppose no partaking of the body and blood of Christ except he bee giuen vs in a carnal and fleshy manner wheras the Spirit worketh faith in our hearts k Heb. 11.1 which is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene The third inward part of the Lords Supper l Luk. 22 19 is the body blood of Christ deliuered for vs vnto death This conuinceth such of a spirit of error who make vnbeleeuers and reprobates partakers of Christs body and blood thus his body should be prophaned m Ioh 6 5 and his sauing graces separated from his person But euen as where Sathan dwelleth possesseth the heart there alwaies raigne the works of darknes and damnation so the gifts of Christ accompanying saluation are inseparably ioyned with the person of Christ This also condemneth the reall presence and carnall eating of Christ which forgeth many Christs and reuiueth the heresie of Eutiches it crosseth sundry Articles of the Christian faith and maketh faithfull men like the vnfaithfull Barbarians that deuoured mans flesh and drunke his blood True it is Christ is truely present in the Sacrament howbeit not carnally and corporally but spiritually and mystically He hath giuen himselfe to be the food of our soules let vs hunger and thirst after him and lay hold on him to our saluation for n â— Ioh. 5 12. he that hath the Sonne hath life he that hath not the Son of God hath not life The last inward part is the faithfull receiuer who stretcheth forth the hand of faith so layeth hold on Christ and al his sauing graces For no maÌ„ can communicate with his body but the same is made partaker of his benefits Let vs all prepare the true and liuely faith o Tit. 1.1 of Gods elect and assure our selues that hypocrites and vnbeleeuers cannot possibly be partakers of the body and blood of Christ These are the foure inward parts also of the Lords Supper The similitude and relation p The proportion betwixt the outward and inward parts of the Supper of the outward and inward parts one to another standeth in this manner euen as the Minister by the words of institution offereth and giueth bread and wine to the Communicants to feed thereupon bodily so the Father by the Spirit offereth and exhibiteth the body and blood of Christ Iesus to the soules of the faithful to feed vpon them spiritually Thus much of all the parts of the Lords Suppeer now follow the vses to be vnfolded The q The vses of the lâ—d supper are three vses and profit which we reape by the Lords Supper are specially three First to shew forth with praise and thanksgiuing the death and the sufferings of Christ who his owne selfe bare our sins in his body on the tree by whose stripes r 1 Pet. 2 24 we are healed so that we haue the chiefe cause in our selues which did crucifie Christ Secondly to teach our communion with Christ being made flesh Å¿ Eâ—h 5 30. of his flesh and bone of his bones Hence we learne that al the godly and beleeuers are made partakers of Chrst and his graces This is matter of great comfort in our manifold trials and tentations that we are ioyned to Christ as members to the head t Rom. 8. â—3 and therefore neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things preseÌ„t nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to separate vs from the loue of GOD which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. But on the other side the vngodly and vnbeleeuers haue no part or portion in Christ and his graces they are as branches u Ioh. 15 6. cut off which wither and men gather them to cast them into the fire and to burne them Thirdly to declare and testifie our Communion fellowship and a 1 Cor. 10 17 agreement with our brethreÌ„ meeting together at the same Table and partaking together of the same Supper Wherefore seeing we haue not onely an vnion with Christ but a Communion among our selues we are the seruants of the Church to serue one another in all duties of loue to instruct them that are ignorant to raise them that are fallen and to binde vp the broken hearted to reconcile our selues one toward another and to keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Hitherto we haue handled the doctrine of the Lords Supper declaring what it is what are the parts and vses thereof the preparation to this worke followeth b 1 Cor. 11.28 consisting in the examination of our selues and trying our owne hearts by the touchstone of the law of God This duty is very necessary to be performed of vs c Ier. 17 9. for the heart of man is deceitful aboue al things and the secret corners of it past finding out We haue to deale with God in this businesse Great is the profit which we reape and receiue if we come rightly and reuerently prepared Great is the punishment procured by want of this tryall and examination And the d Hag. 2 14 Sacrament it selfe is defiled by vnworthy receiuing This preparation principally standeth in these foure points in the e Ioh. 17 3. knowledge of God and of ourseluess especially of the whole doctrine of the Sacraments in a f 2 Cor. 13 5 liuely faith in Christ seeing euery one receiueth so much as he beleeueth he receiueth in repentance g Psal 26 6. from dead workes and lastly in h Mat. 5 23. reconciliation toward our brethren hauing peace i Rom. 12.18 with all men and loue toward our enemies Thus I haue opened plainely yet truely the doctrine of the Sacraments deliuered in the Scriptures and taught in the reformed Churches I haue disclosed some part of the mystery of Iniquity and discouered and laid open the skirts of that great Idoll of the Masse the reproach of Christians the scorne of the Gentiles the offence of the weake and the occasion of ruine to many that stumble thereat to their own confusion The Lord God high possessor of heauen and earth and preseruer of his people that call vpon him put it into the hart of al Christian Princes and Rulers of the earth to pull downe this abhominable Idoll that hath aduanced it selfe against the kingdome of Christ and to deface this filthy monster that hath deceiued many who trusted in it The same Lord vouchsafe to reueale his truth to the ignorant to establish them that are weake and to confound all obstinate enemies to his truth to their Prince and to their Country for Iesus Christs sake Amen Amen FINIS A Table of the principall
vse to be a signe of the cleansing of the soule Bread and wine at mens tables in their houses are set before them for the nourishment of their bodies but at the Lords Table they are ordained of God to an higher and holier vse euen to bee signes of the body and blood of Christ This is noted by the Euangelists and by the Apostle Paul that b Mat. 26 26. Mar. 14 22. Luke 12 19. 1 Cor. 11 24. the Lord Iesus before he brake the bread and gaue it hee blessed and gaue thankes to his Father that hee had appointed him to bee the redeemer of the world and giuen him authority to institute this Sacrament in remembrance of his death and passion For whereas the Euangelist Mathew saith he blessed the other by way of exposition say Hee gaue thankes so that the blessing heere spoken of is Giuing of thankes which also appeareth Luke 9 16. compared with Ioh. 6 11. And the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 4. Euery creature of God is good if it be receiued with thanksgiuing for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer We see then that Consecration is when a thing is separated from a common and ciuill vse to a more speciall vse Iustin in Apol. 2 which is done by the authority of the word and by the vertue of prayer whereby it hath his ful force power and vertue The knowledge of this point serueth to cleere our Vse 1 doctrine to ouerthrow sundry errors of the Church of Rome First it sheweth that we hold and teach a consecration that is a sanctifying of the water in Baptisme and of the bread and wine in the Lords supper by the word by prayer and by thanksgiuing The bread â—â—d wine are changed not in nature but in quality not in substance but in vse not in essence but in the end not by force of certaine words but by Christs institution We acknowledge and confesse a consecration not a conuersion a sanctification of the signes not a transubstantiatioÌ„ of the substance into the body and blood of Christ Hee blessed and praised his Father as Mediator of the Church for the mystery of the redemption of mankinde and he g 1 Cor. 10 16 blessed the creatures that they might bee effectuall signes and serue for the confirmation and increase of our faith Secondly we are taught that consecration is not a bare and historicall reading of the Scripture neither a magical Vse 2 charme and incantation by force of certaine wordes as though these words This is my body being murmured and spoken ouer the bread and This cup is the new testament in my bloud whispered ouer the wine did fully finish a consecration and made the elements to bee immediately changed into the body and blood of Christ without any other obseruing of the institution For the Lord Iesus in pronouncing these words did not speake to the bread or to the wine but to his Apostles And hence it is that the forme of Christs giuing of thankes is not set downe by any Euangelist because our corruption and superstition is so great that if wee had the words we would ascribe power force to the words sillables and letters therfore the manner of his thanksgiuing is pretermitted This inclination of the heart is apparantly seene in the Romish Church who ascribe efficacy operation to the pronouncing of certaine words which is a part of sorcery a point of witchcraft Wheras we auouch that the whol action of taking breaking pouring out distributing eating drinking praying praising and rehearsing the institution of Christ are the consecration that is the separation of these creatures to this vse Thirdly if after the Sacramentall actions if after thanksgiuing to God if after prayer that we may vse the Creatures to the confirmation of our faith there doe follow consecration sanctification and change of the elements to another vse then the power effect and working of the Sacrament dependeth not vpon the intention of the Minister and therefore the h Concil Trident. sess 7. can 11. popish opinion is to bee refused and reproued that holdeth it to bee no Sacrament if the Minister haue not an intent and purpose in the administration thereof at least to do that which the church doth that is to consecrate the elements and to make a Sacrament If his mind bee not on his matters and his heart on his businesse in hand they holde it can be no Sacrament For otherwise saith Bellarmine If a Priest should reade the Gospell at the table of Prelates and religious men and in reading should pronounce these words This is my body this is my bloud then all the bread and wine vpon the Table should bee consecrate and changed into Christs body and blood which is not so because his intent is wanting Againe if a father should leade his son to the bath and there dip him in the water And say I wash thee in the name of the Father and though he think nothing of baptizing him yet it should be baptisme if an intent of baptizing were not required But I would gladly haue him answere this question What if a father should intend Baptisme by dipping his child in the bath whether that were baptisme or not Or suppose the Priest we spake of reading at the Prelates table should haue a minde and meaning to consecrate all the bread and wine vpon the table must it of necessity be a Sacrament and reall change of al Or admit the former Priest being in the saide Prelates wine celler supposing himselfe to bee in the Church and to stand at the Altar should pronounce the words of consecration with a purpose and intent to make a Sacrament should al the wine in that celler be turned into the blood of Christ Or if he being in a Bakers shoppe should there solemnely say This is my body with the foresaide resolution should all that bread be changed into the bodye of Christ Let them speake plainely let them tell vs directly what they hold I thinke they will not say so I am sure it is not so For other things are wanting that are needfull in this matter We haue shewed that a Sacrament is not made by bare pronouncing of certain words ascribing force to them after the manner of enchanters but the whole institution of Christ must be obserued k The Sacrament dependeth not vpon the intention of the Minister there must be distributing and receiuing there must bee prayer and thanksgiuing and from the vse of these followeth Consecration all which are wanting in the former examples and suppositions there is no taking no breaking no distributing no pouring out no receiuing no praying no thanksgiuing Wee see touching the word of God with what intent and vnder what pretence soeuer l Phil. 1 18. Mat. 23 2 3. it be preached if the Minister teach Christ crucified howsoeuer hee bee affected it may haue his effect in the heart and worke faith in the
the forgiuenesse of sinnes and of our adoption in Christ Doth not the ſ Rom. 8 15 16. Holy Ghost testifie vnto vs particularly the adoption of children the remission of sinnes and saluation of our soules As Rom. 8. Wee haue not receiued the Spirite of bondage to feare but the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father the Spirite beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God In these words Gods sanctifying Spirit our sanctified spirit are made the two witnesses of our adoption This we must certainely beleeue by faith And this made the Apostle t Rom. 8 38.39 most confident in the end of the same Chapter saying I am perswaded that neyther death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. If any obiect we may hope well for forgiuenes of sins but we cannot beleeue the same I answere Faith and hope cannot be separated they doe alwayes as louing friends accompany each other they are neuer sundered and diuided so that if we may be assured of our saluation by hope it followeth we may be certainely perswaded True hope followeth true faith as the effect doth the cause and no man can truely hope that is not truely assured Besides this is the property of hope u Rom. 5 4 5. it neuer maketh any ashamed they shall not be confounded and disappointed they shall attaine vnto the thing hoped for according to the doctrine of the Apostle Experience bringeth foorth hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. Hitherto of the first end of a Sacrament CHAP. XIIII Of the second vse of a Sacrament THe second end of a Sacrament is this a The second vse of a Sacrament is to be a seale of the Couenant It serueth to bee a seale of the Couenant betweene God and vs that hee will bee our God and we will be his people as Gen. 17 I am God b Gē 17 1 11 all-sufficient walke before me and be vpright The Sacraments are assured testimonies and confirmations of the fauour and good will of God who is well pleased toward vs in Christ his Sonne By them as by certaine pledges giuen and receiued God of his great mercy doth as it were binde himselfe to vs wee binde our selues to him to remaine his people and to walke in obedience before him for they bee as strong chaines to compasse vs as sure cords to hold vs and as fast knots to keepe vs that we do not depart from him and cast off the feare of his name Circumcision was a seale of Gods promise to Abraham and a seale of Abrahams faith and obedience toward God But let vs see what c What the couenant is betweene God man this couenant is what are the Articles of agreement betweene God and vs and what things each part interchangeably couenanteth and contracteth each toward other The couenant of God in respect of himselfe hath three parts He promiseth d Rom 11 26 Ier. 33 8. Esay 43 25. first of all forgiuenesse of our sinnes for The deliuerer shall come out of Sion and shall turne away the vngodlinesse from Iacob and this is my couenant to them when I shall take away their sinnes Secondly the adoption e Ier. 31 31.32 33. 2 Cor. 6 16.18 Zach. 8 8. of sonnes and acceptation of vs to be his children ioyned with the promise of his cōtinuall fauour loue grace and protection as Iere. 31. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will make a new couenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iudah not according to the couenant that I made with their fathers when I tooke them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt the which my couenant they brake although I was an husband vnto them saith the Lord but this shall be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people Behold the indenture of couenants written by the finger of God wherein for better assurance he hath bound himselfe to forgiue our sins promised to be our mercifull God And to the end there might be a paire of these indentures interchangeably giuen each to other party the Lord by the hand of the Apostle writing to the Hebrewes hath drawn as it were the counterpane of the former word for word expressed as it is in the Prophet f Heb. 8 10 11 so that we haue a paire of indentures of couenants to shew the stablenes of his counsell The 3. part of the couenant in respect of God is g Reuel 21 4.7 the promise of the full possessiō of the heauenly inheritance and of eternall glory after this life as Reuel 21. God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine for the first things are passed he that ouercometh shal inherit all things Also cha 2. To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradice of God he shall not be hurt of the second death he shal haue power giuen him ouer the Nations and rule them with a rod of iron he shal be cloathed with white array and I wil not put his name out of the booke of life hee shall be a pillar in the Temple of God shal go no more out I will grant to him to fit with me in my throne euen as I ouercame fit with my Father in his throne Thus we see how God on his part by writings and euidences promiseth to giue to his people remission of sins adoption of sons possession of heauen he hath couenanted by word by oth to performe these things neither is he as man that he should lie nor as the son of man that he shold deceiue These are great grants of great blessings by our great God to the great good cōfort of his childrē For what greater blessings can there be then being miserable sinners to be graciously pardoned being vtter enemies to bee freely accepted as sonnes beeing bondslaues and prisoners of hell to be made heires of heauen and saluation Againe the couenant on our part requireth three conditions for when men intend to couenant and contract one with another they set downe articles as well on the one side as on the other First faith to God to beleeue his promises as Iohn 3.16 God so loued the world that hee hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him
should not perish but haue euerlasting life And Cha. 14. Let not your heart be troubled ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me And Rom. 10. With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation for the Scripture saith whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed Secondly God requireth of vs loue toward our brethren for seeing he hath shewed so great loue toward vs k 1 Iohn 4 7 9 10 11. he exacteth loue of vs againe as Iohn exhorteth Beloued let vs loue one another for loue commeth of God and euery one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God heerein was the loue of God made manifest among vs because God sent his onely begotten Son into this world that wee might liue through him beloued if God so loued vs wee ought also to loue one another Thirdly he requireth as a necessary couenant to be kept on our part holines true obedience throughout the whole course l Iosh 24 24.25 2 Kings 29 3. of our life and conuersation This is repeated and vrged in many places of the word of God as Iosh 24. when they said they would serue the Lord their God obey his voice Ioshua made a couenant with them the same day ioyning God the people together So also Iosiah stood by the pillar and made a couenant before the Lord that they should walke after the Lord and keepe his commandements and his testimonies and his statutes with al their hart and with al their soul Likewise to the same purpose we reade 2. Chro. 15. They made a couenant to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers and whosoeuer will not seeke the Lord God of Israel shall be slaine whether he be small or great man or woman Thus we see the conditions of the couenant both what he promiseth to doe and what he looketh for at our hands He requireth of vs faith loue and obedience to become his people if we will haue him to be our God All these three parts of the couenant m 1 Iohn 3 23 24. are mentioned and expressed 1. Iohn 3. This is his commandement that wee beleeue in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue commandement for he that keepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he in him and heereby we know that hee abideth in vs euen by the Spirite that he hath giuen vs. The vses of the second end of a Sacrament are first to Vse 1 behold the exceeding loue of God toward his people vnworthy of his fauour Can there be a greater loue then this Certainly such as know the great rigor of the law the infinite iustice of God and the heauy burthen of sin and feele God to arraigne them the law to endite them their consciences to accuse them and their hearts to cōdemne them do finde nothing sweeter then to be eased of that burthen to be acquitted of that Iudge and to be freed from that condemnation For of all burdens sin is the heauiest of all wounds it is the deepest of all afflictions it is the greatest of all paines it is the sharpest and often presseth downe to the gates of hell Wherefore such as feele Gods mercy in their misery n Psal 32 1.2 may cry out with the Prophet in the reioycing of their spirite Blessed is he whose wickednesse is lightened and whose sin is couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity This kindnesse is so great that the eternall God should make a couenant with dust and ashes that it ought neuer to be forgotten of vs vs nor depart out of our hearts Againe let euery one be carefull to keepe the former Vse 2 conditions of the Couenant which are to loue him againe and our brethren for his sake o Luke 1 74.75 and to walke in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Our Sauiour Christ directing our loue to our brethren and teaching that the streames thereof should flow vnto our enemies sheweth that if we loue thē that loue vs the o Mat. 5 44.46 47. Publicans do the same if we be friendly to our brethren only this is no singular thing Behold p 1 Iohn 3 1. what loue the Father hath giuen vnto vs that we should be called the Sons of God he loued vs graciously freely he loued vs whē we were enemies vnto him spared not his own Son but gaue him to death for vs al do not these things deserue loue againe are we not bound to shew duty for these mercies and loue to our brethren for this loue of our God yet many regard neyther these blessings of God neither walking in vprightnes of hart Vse 3 before him Thirdly is God mā entred into a solemne couenant are the Sacraments seals of it Thē the contempt of the Sacraments is the contempt of God himselfe of his couenant made with vs and therfore worthily to be condemned and iustly to bee censured of the Church If men wer throughly perswaded of this truth I am perswaded they wold not shew this carelesnes prophanenes in coming to these ordinances of God They are not bare and naked promises but couenants of mercy fauour Euery couenant is a promise but euery promise is not a couenant Abraham had receiued many promises from God of reconciliation of posterity of blessing protection that he would be his buckler his bulwarke and his great reward and giue vnto his seed the land of Canaan yet we reade not that God as yet made a couenant with him vntill by a solemne rite and ceremony he established it Ge. 15. where we see that Abraham took an heiffer a shee-goate and a ramme and diuided them in the midst and laid each piece one against another In the same day the Lord made a couenant with him This he confirmed afterward by the signe of circumcision as also hee confirmeth his couenant with vs by two Sacraments If any were asked the question whether they would haue God to be their God gracious and mercifull vnto them they would answere it is their whole desire howbeit if we would haue God magnifie his mercy toward vs we must magnify make much of his sacram whereby he hath sealed vp his loue toward vs. Could Abraham haue God to be his God and the God of his seede and yet reiect circumcision commanded vnto him which was a signe of the couenant Could the Israelites acknowledge God to be the author of their deliuerance out of Egypt and yet refuse the Passeouer that was instituted in remembrance of their deliuery and of his mercy O that we could consider these things and learne them aright to make vs wise to God and to our selues If wee giue to any man a piece of mony to binde a bargaine that hath passed betweene him and vs we would thinke ourselues much abused if hee should not count himselfe tyed by
and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things written in those bookes according to their workes Wherefore when children shall come to yeares of discretion and vnderstanding they must heereby be pricked forward to an earnest care and indeuour to walke in the feare of God and to serue him in holines righteousnes all the dayes of their life by whom they were receiued for sonnes and adopted for his childreÌ„ by a solemne pledge of their adoption before they were able through their age to know and acknowledge him for their father This must serue as a strong confirmation of their faith both in life and death to assure them that God will neuer leaue them nor forsake them who so soone beginneth to giue them pledges of his loue and to shew himselfe to bee their God We see by common experience that a little child comming into the world is one of the miserablest and filliest creatures that can be deuised the very liuely picture of the greatest infirmity that can be imagined more weake in body and lesse able to helpe himselfe or shift for himselfe then any of the beasts of the field The other creatures which are also the worke of his hands by the secret instinct of nature so soone as they are come foorth seeke about for succour and sustenance It is not so with children they can neither seeke their owne good nor defend themselues from euill They are ready to fall into fire and water or any other danger they cannot take one bit of bread to feed themselues they cannot couer their owne nakednesse they must be caried in our armes swadled in clothes attired in apparell washed with water nourished with milke and afterward with meat and haue all things supplyed vnto them They would starue for cold sooner then come to the fire to warme themselues they can do nothing to saue or to serue themselues Thus man-kinde lifted vp into the highest seate of honour and made little inferior to the Angels is through sinne their reuolt from God fallen downe into the greatest misery and lowest degree of all wretchednesse Neuerthelesse in respect of the life to come God hath prouided much better for the sonnes of men then for others for they are no sooner come into the world but he taketh care for them he declareth himselfe a father vnto them he hath commanded them to be brought vnto him and to be baptized in his name to the end that so soone as they begin to breathe they might also begin to breathe liue anew or second life so soone as they begin to sucke the milke of their mothers breasts they might also sucke both the breasts of the Church and so finde the food of euerlasting life He giueth his Angels charge ouer them and receiueth them vnto mercy he reserueth them for his heauenly kingdome and in the meane season offereth vnto them many tokens and assurances of his good will toward them Let them therefore giue the g Prou. 3 9. Lam. 3 27 Psal 119 9. Eccle. 12 1. first fruites of their life to God let them learne to beare the yoke of obedience from their youth let them redresse and reforme their waies by taking heed to the word of truth and seeing God hath remembred them in their baptisme let them also remember their Creator in the dayes of their youth and begin to be wise betimes least death come suddenly and cut them off as the sluggard that fore-sloweth the seasons of plowing and reaping wisheth for them in vaine at another time of the yeare Thus we haue shewed the baptisme of children the certaine truth thereof hath beene euidently prooved the obiections against this truth alledged haue beene sufficiently answered and the vses of it to the great comfort of all faithfull parents and Children haue beene particularly remembred CHAP. VIII Of the first inward part of baptisme HItherto we haue handled al the outward parts of baptisme now wee are orderly to proceed to the inward parts The inward parts of baptisme are such as are represented by the outward Those are a Mat. 2â— 19.20 Mark 16 16. foure in number first God the Father secondly the Spirit thirdly Christ fourthly the soule clensed as we see Mat. 28. Teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost he that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued Heere we see these foure inward parts b Foure inward parts of baptiâ—me are named and expressed This is also euidently proued c Mat 3 11. in the baptisme of Christ where the Trinity of persons was manifested These inward parts do directly and fitly answere to the outward The Father is represented by the Minister the Spirit worketh by the word Christ is sealed by the water the soule clensed is signified by the body that is washed Now d The agreement betweene the outward and inward parts there is a notable agreement a singular vnion and fit proportion betweene these parts where the Minister hath relation and reference to the Father the word to the Spirite the water to Christ and the body dipped to the faithfull clensed For euen as the Minister by the word of institution taketh and applyeth the water to the washing of the body so God the Father through the working of the Spirite offereth and applyeth the blood of Christ to the clensing of the faithfull Hauing seene the proportion of the parts betweene theÌ„selues let vs consider of them particularly in order The e The first inward part of baptisme is God the Father first inward part is God the Father represented by the Minister The Minister calling vpon the name of God vseth the water to wash washeth the party baptized with the element of water which sealeth vp Gods incorporating ingrafting f Gal. 3 27. of the baptized into Christ and our spirituall regeneration Hence it is that when Iohn baptized the Father was present as president of the worke when loe his voice came from heauen saying This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased Now let vs come to the vses This serueth first of all to strengthen our faith in the remission Vse 1 of our sins in imputation of Christs righteousnes in mortification of sinne by the force of Christs death and in sanctification through Christs resurrection Wherefore although the Minister doth nothing touching or toward the cleansing of the soule yet in regard of Gods ordinance and our benefit the ministry of man is somewhat which whosoeuer despiseth doth despise GOD the the author of it For whensoeuer the eye of the body seeth the Minister powring on the water and washing the body we must behold by faith God the Father offering the blood of his owne Son to be water of life to our soules And let vs all make this vse of the Churches baptisme to the comfort of our
owne hearts so often as we see it administred let vs not rest in it as in a worke done to another and nothing concerning our selues but euermore helpe our inward affection by the outward action and alwayes as the eye of the body beholdeth the Minister let the eye of our faith be fastened â—iâ—mely vpon the Father who maketh the Sacramentall rites auaileable which are openly done before vs for our edification Vse 2 Againe it teacheth that we must not rest in the outward washing not in the externall actions of the Minister but euer consider what is offered to our considerations therin and when the Father offereth to vs his Sonne let vs not refuse him For he that satisfieth himselfe with the outward worke is as he that catcheth after the shaddow and regardeth not the substance or as one that maketh much of the garmeÌ„ts but respecteth little the body it selfe which ought to be had in greatest price and estimation The Minister taketh the water and washeth the bodye which is a pledge of a farther thing for then doth the Father apply the promise of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting to the person baptized as if he should speake with a loud voice and call the party by his name while the outward signe is powred on the body I freely wash away thy sinnes and giue vnto thee the pardon of them and bestow vpon thee eternall life so that thou turne vnto me and beleeue in Christ thy Sauiour Let vs then as true beleeuers by a speâ—iall faith reâ—eiue and apprehend his mercifull promises and rest in them Let this cause vs to turne vnto him by vnfained repentance and to walke with all obedience in his waies Seeing therefore he doth so graâ—iously assure vs of his great mercies with his owne hand seale woe vnto vs if we be not muâ—h moued and affected with it Vse 3 Lastly is God the Father an inward part of baptisme Then we must take heed wee giue not that to the Minister which is proper to God the Father whereby he iâ—â—obbed of the honour and glory due to his great name The Minister may wash the body and cleanse the flesh but can goe no further he medleth not with sanctification of the conscience from dead workes which is not in the power of mortall man to do so that God giueth the thing and men giue the signe yea while the Minister ofâ—â—eth the one God the Father giueth the other CHAP. IX Of the second inward part of Baptisme THe second inward part of baptisme a The second inward part of baptisme iâ— the holy Spirite is the Spirite of God hauing relation to the word and promise of God Thiâ— b Mat. 3 11.10 appeareth Mat. 3 11. He baptiâ—eth with the Holy Ghost and with fire And verse 10. When Christ waâ— baptized the heauenâ— were opened vnto him and he saw the Spirit descending like a Doue and lighting vpon him So the apostle 1 Cor. 6. saith Ye are washed ye are sanâ—tified ye are iustâ—fied in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God And chap. 12. of the same Epistle By one Spirite wee are all baptiâ—ed into one body whether we be Iewes or Grâ—eâ—ianâ— whether we be bond or free and haue beene all made to drinke into one Spirite And Tit. 3. According to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new both and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost which he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour All these testimonie teach vs that the holy Spirite of God iâ— a necessary inward part of this Sacrament and that the baptisme of the Spirite ioyned to the word giueth force vnto it who worketh in our souleâ— that which water doth in our bodies so that without the Spirite it is nothing From hence we learne that it is not the dipping of vs Vse 1 into or the sprinkling of vs with water by the Minister that maketh vs partakers of Christ but it commeth from the vertue of the Spirite who in time performeth what is represented by outward signes and promised by the word Againe we learne heereby that the Spirite is true God Vse 2 equall with the Father and the Sonne For who is able to make the word and Sacraments auaileable but onely God Seeing then this is the proper worke of the Holy-Ghost to open the heart to teach the conscience to seale vp to the day of redemption and to helpe our infirmities in hearing in praying and receiuing the Sacraments hee must needs be acknowledged to be true God the c 1 Cor. 12 4.5 8 9 10 11. Reuel 1 4. giuer of these graces So we see that in the forme of the administration of this Sacrament the blessed Spirite is named and rehearsed d Mat. 28 19. and hath his order together with the Father and the Sonne This therefore is a principle of our faith to be learned confessed and beleeued Vse 3 Thirdly we are heereby to take heede and beware that we giue not to the word that which is proper to the Spirit he ingrafteth vs into Christ he keepeth vs that we fall not from Christ he maketh the word and promise of the institution profitable vnto vs without whom it should be vnto vs as sounding brasse or a tinckeling Cymball Wherefore as GOD the Father in mercy maketh the promise so his Spirite must assure it to the Consciences of all the faithfull Vse 4 Lastly let vs learne whensoeuer we come to the word or Sacraments to craue the gracious assistance of the blessed Spirit to guide direct and regenerate vs to eternall life to sanctifie vs e 1 Ioh. 5 7. and to assure vs of Gods endlesse fauour in Christ Iesus as 1. Ioh. 5. There be three which beare witnesse in heauen the Father the Word and the holy Sp rit and these three are one The Holy-Ghost by his grace and vertue worketh in vs stedfastly to beleeue the truth of Gods word and the gracious promises of saluation as he is the author beginner and begetter of faith in vs so he increaseth it maketh vs fit to receiue Christ and to apply him with all his guifts vnto our soules and sendeth vs into the full fruition and possession of Christ He is our comforter to certifie vs of our reconciliation to God and to make vs reioyce vnder the Crosse knowing that f RoÌ„ 5 3 4 5. tribulation bringeth foorth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shedde abroad in our hearts by the Holy-Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. He is the earnest and seale of our inheritance by whom wee are sealed vp to euerlasting life Thus we see that howsoeuer the increase and strength of faith is assigned to the Sacraments yet this grace proceedeth from the Holy-Gkost who is vnto our faith as marow vnto the bones as moysture vnto the tree and as a coÌ„fortable raine vnto the fruites of the