hath giuen vnto vs that we should be called the sonnes of god he loued us gratiously and free'y he loued vs when we were enemics nvto him and spared not his owne sonne but gaue him to death for vs all doe not these thinges deserue loue againe are we not bound to shew duty for these mercies and loue to our brethren for this loue of our God and yet many regard neither these blessings of god neither to walke in vprightnes of hart before him Chap. 15. Of the third vse of a Sacrament THus much of the second vse the third vse of the Sacraments is to be badges and markes of our Christian profession that therby one of vs should acknowledge an other to be of one houshold and of one family of one society and as it were birds of one feather For heereby we doe manifest whose we are whom weserue to what house we belong and to what people and church we are thereby gathered into one religion and distinguished from other sects we are gathered into one church and knit together in one as Eph. 2. Remember that ye being in times past Gentiles in the flesh and called vncircumcision of them which are caled circumcision in the flesh made with hands ye were at that time without Christ without God without hope but now in Christ Iesus ye which once were farre off are made neare by the blood of Christ. The Iewes by circumcision were distinguished from other people and the name of vncircumcifed was reprochfull they were accounted vncleane vnholy persons for the vncircum cised males wer to be cut off from the number of the people of god So by baptisme we are seperated from all other religions and are consecrated only to christian religion and such as continue vnbapti sed with contempt of that sacrament we take them not for our brethren nor for the people of god nor for members of his church because they refuse to take the sacrament of baptisme as the badge and cognizance by which they shoulde be known such as are Athiests Infidels Sarazens Turkes Persians Moores Iewes and other nations that want this mark to be discerned to belong to the family of christ Christ Iesus sending out his Apostles bad them teach and baptize the Gentiles to whom he directed them therefore where the word and Sacraments are there is a church and congregation of the people of god And he that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued And hereunto commeth that saying When the Apostles had exhorted the people to amend their liues and to saue themselues from that froward generation Then they that gladly receiued the word were baptized and they continued in the Apostles doctrin and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers and the same day there was added to the Church three thou sand soules Thus we see that by the sacraments as by certaine bandes and chains God knitteth and bindeth his people to himselfe and keepeth them in his couenant least they shold fall away to infidelity And the people are warned that by these outward signes they differ from the barbarous and vnbeleeuing gentiles and consequently should indeuour and prouide that they likewise differ from them in those thinges that are signified by those signes This osfereth to our considerations very good vses First heereby we are put in mind of our dignity and excellencie Such is our priuiledge and prerogatiue that we do bear the badges of christ our Lord. How do men in this world desire to weare the cloath and shroud themselues vnder the badges of great persons of countenance to protect them how much greater preferment is it to be the seruants of Christ to be gathered vnder his wings and to be his disciples whose seruice is perfect freedome and protection from all euils and whose badges are instrumentes of his sauing graces If this be the glory of the faithfull let vs seeke to maintain our dignity and freedom according as Iohn teacheth Beholde what loue the father hath giuen to vs that we shoulde be called the sonnes of god for this cause the world knoweth you not because it knoweth not him And againe in his gospell As manie as receiued Christ to them he gaue prerogatiue to be sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name which are borne not of blood nor of the flesh nor of the wil of man but of god Whereas on the other side the estate and condition of vngodly men is base vile miserable and contemptible they liue to themselues and to sinne they die to iudgement and condemnation What can be more fearfull what can be more wretched Secondly if we weare the cloath and badge of Christ then we must be bold in the faith and holde out our profession notwithstanding dangers and fear of death For we serue one that is able to beare vs out We see how men belonging to those that are of high place are many times imboldned ther by in lewd practises How much more ought we that haue learned christ to be incoraged in the faith and not to shrink back for fear of offence This was the commendation of the church of Pergamus I know thy works and where thou dwellest euen where Satans throne is and thou keepest my name and hast not denied my faith euen in those daies when Antipas my faithful martir was slaine among you where Satan dwelleth So Christ our sauiour taught his disciples Whosoeuer shal confesse me before men him 〈◊〉 I confesse also before my father which is in heauen But who soeuer shal deny me before men him wil I also denie before my father which is in heauen Wherefore this condemneth those that say I will keepe my conscience to my selfe none shall know my religion but God and my selfe I will not be to forward for feare of after reckonings nor any way countenance such as be forward These men while they suppose to keep their religion to themselues do indeed proclaime openly that they are of no religion For if they did truly beleeue in their harts they would likewise confesse with their tongues according to the saying of the Apostle If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the lord Iesus shalt beleeue in thine hart that god him raised from the dead thou shalt be saued for with the hart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation And the Apostle Iames teacheth vs to trye faith by workes as gold by the touchstone Chap 2. Shew me thy faith by thy works and I wil snew thee my faith by my works So then let vs not be ashamed of the Gospell of Christ Which is the power of God to saluation to euerie one that beleeueth and not shrink for troble as deceitfull cloath in the wetting least our maister be ashamed of vs before his father and the holy Angels Th'rdly if the Sacraments be as badges to shew foorth our profession then it
and pricked with vnfained sorrow for all our iniquities This is the right vse the true end and the sound comfort following and flowing from the death of christ To conclude we must learne and hold for euer that we haue the beg nning and chiefe cause in our selues which did crucifie christ and crush him with most bitter sorrows let vs then be reuenged of our sins and do al despite we can vnto them let vs endite them arraigne them accuse them condemne them and naile them to his crosse let vs kil thē mortifie them and bury them in his graue for euer This is the first end of the supper which is sanctified by the breaking of the bread and pouring out of the wine declaring vnto vs that as the body of our lord was broken and by violent meanes afflicted so his blood gushed out and flowed plentifully out of his gaping and bleeding wounds This must be our meditation whensoeuer we come to the lords table Chap. 13. Of the second vse of the lords supper THe second vse of the lords supper is our spirituall vnion and communion with christ This the Apostle declareth 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 body of christ Whereby he meaneth that the faithfull which come conscionably worthily to the lords table are ioyned and vnited to whole Christ by the bread Sacramentally by faith instrumentally by the holy ghost spiritually and by them all most effectually For we take the bread into our hands and likewise we take the cup into our hands as christ commaunded saying Take ye eate ye drinke ye diuide ye Neither do we lay them apart or hide them aside or reserue them in a boxe or abstaiue from them but when we haue taken them we eate we digest them we are nourished by them and they are turned into our substance So christ being eaten of the Godly by faith is vnited to them by his spirit as we haue shewed before whereby they are made one with christ and he one with them And as meate plentifully prepared daintily dressed and only seene vpon the table doth not nourish the body or take away hunger so if the gospell be preached and the sacraments administred except we apply the promises of the gospel and beleeue that christ withal his gifts is ours they prosit nothing towards our saluation Such therefore as lawfully and worthily come to the lords supper as to a table richly furnished and to a banket liberally prouided must not onely generally beleeue that Christ suffered in the flesh and dyed for sinners but particularly for themselus yea communicateth himselfe and al his gifts to them aboundantly as certainly as themselues eate of the bread and drinke of the cup. This vnion and communion is neere and wonderfull great and therefore the apostle fitly calleth it a mistery euen a great mistery speaking of christ and of the church For what vnion can bee greater then that which is betweene the thing nourishing and the thing ' nourished We haue nothing in Adam but that which conueyeth death vnto vs so that is is needefull to be ioyned to one which maie giue life to vs that as we die in Adam so wee may liue in him This vnion cannot by reason be expressed or fully vnderstood As Christ in the daies of his flesh had a dubble kindred one earthly and carnal kindred the other spirituall that by faith receiued his worde and beleeued in his name of whom he said Behold my mother and my Brethren for whosoeuer shall do my fathers will which is in heauen the same is my brother sister and mother so is it in this vnió and felloship with him one is outward and bodily which al mankinde hath with him in that he is partaker of our flesh and blood the other inward and spirituall whereby we are made partakers of him and of al his sauing graces to euerlasting life As Christ was borne of the Virgin Mary and vnited our nature to him taking vpon him not the Angels nature but the seed of Abraham euery reprobate hath this vnion with him in that he tooke vpon him the shape of a man but there is a mysticall and marueilous vnion whereby he dwelleth in vs by faith whereby we are truely coupled to him made partakers of him deliuered from sin and made heires of euerlasting life quickning and sustaining vs as food which preserueth the life of the bodie If the arme ioined to the body haue no life no sence no benefit of vitall spirits it is no part of the bodie though it be vnited to it so the wicked liuing without faith are as it were sencelesse they haue no forgiuenes of sinnes no sanctification no saluation and therefore are no true members of Christ. If he poure not life and grace into them they are not his members if he kill not sinne in them they are not vnited spirituallie vnto him The bodily vnion with him shall profit nothing it is the spirit that giueth life Seeing then the receiuing of the bread and wine which turne into our substaunce teacheth the misticall vnion between Christ and his members we learne first from hence that all the faithfull and godly are truly made partakers of Christ and his graces as the members receiue life from the head and the tree moisture from the root For euen as the wife ioyned to her husband in marriage is thereby made partaker of his body and goods hath interrest with him in the commodities of this life and loketh for norishment food fellowship protection and gouernement from him so being made one with christ we are indued with his he auenly gifts and blessings This must be our comfort in all dangers and tentations in all tryals and assaults to consider that we are one with christ we are not only dear vnto him but nearely ioyned with him as members to the head as the wife to the husband and as the braunches to the vine and therefore can neuer be seperated from him in life or death Secondly this streight vniting of the faithfull to Christ sheweth that the vngodly haue no part nor fellowship in him and with his graces though they be ioyned to a communion of the same nature and haue many common gifts of knowledge and vnderstanding yet Christ neuer dwelleth in them with his sauing graces and with his spirite of sanctification he possesseth not their harts he worketh not in them a particular perswasion of their reconciltation to God neither an hungring desire aboue all things to bee at vnity and peace with him neyther a distaste and dislike of sinne neyther the comfortable spirite of grace and prayer all which are in some measure in all the saithful Wherfore although they may bee cloathed with the flesh of Christ they cannot be said to be couered with the grace of Christ although they be
23 1 Psal 15 3 Q what is the tenth commaundement A Thou shalt not couet Q what is forbidden and commaunded in this law A The first motions and lustes to sin before consent are forbidden and loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience is required Rom. 7 7 Q 〈◊〉 any man able to 〈◊〉 these commaundementes A No man is able to 〈◊〉 them Rom iii. xxiii i Ioh i 8 Galath iii Q In what estate stand we by meanes of the breach of the law A We are the children of wrath and euerlasting damnation Gal 3 x Q What is the second part of religion A Faith to beleeue whatsoeuer God hath set down in his word the sum whereof is contained in the apostles creed consisting of twelu articles Q what is the first Article A I beleeue in God the father almighty maker of heauen and earth Q what is the second Article A And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. Q what is the third Article A which was conceiued by the holy ghost borne of the Virgin Marȳ Q what is the fourth Article A Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into hell Q what is the 〈◊〉 Article A He rose a gaiue the third day from the dead Q What is the 〈◊〉 article A He ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of god the father almighty Q What is the seuenth article A From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead Q What is the eight article A I beleeue in the Holi-ghost Q What is the ninth article A I beleeue the holy Catholick church the communion of Saints Q What is the tenth article A I beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes Q what is the eleuenth article A I beleeue the resurrection of the body Q what is the twelfth article A I beleeue the life euerlasting Q what are the 〈◊〉 points of this Creed A Two concerning God or concerning the church Q what consider you in God A The vnity and the trinity 1 Iohn 5 7. Q what beleeue you of the vnity A I beleeue that in substance there is one only true and almighty God 1 cor 8. 4 Deut. 6 4 Q what beleeue you of the Trinity A I beleeue that in one God there are three distinct persons the father the sonne and the Holyghost Math. 28 19. and 3 16. 17 Q what beleeue you of God the father A I beleeue that he is almightie and therefore hath made all creatures good and gouerneth all things wel Gen. 1 1 Nehem. 9. 6 act 4. 24 Q what beleeue you of the 〈◊〉 A I beleeue that we being borne dead in finnes he came into the world to be a mediatour betweene God and man 1 Tim 2 5 Q what meane you by a mediator A I beleeue that he was sent to reconcile vs to his father and his father vnto vs and so to make peace between God and man Esa 9. 6 Eph 2 16 Q What is required of a mediatour A Two natures Iohn 1 14 Heb. 5. 6 Q what are they A The diuine nature and the human nature Heb 2 16 Q what beleeue you of 〈◊〉 diuine nature A I beleeue that he onely is the naturall sonne of God and therefore God and our Lord Heb. 1 3 Q what beleeue you of his humane nature A I beleeue two things his entrance into the world and the things that followed the same Luke xxiiii xxv xxvi Q what haue we to consider in his entrance into the world A Two things his conception and his birth Q what 〈◊〉 you of his conception A I beleeue he was begotten by the myraculous power and working of the Holi-ghost Luke i 35 Math i. xviii Q what 〈◊〉 you of his birth A I beleeue that he tooke flesh and was borne of a virgine whose name was Mary Math. 1 xx Esa 7 xiiii Q what be the things that followed his entrance and comming into the world A two his fufferings and his glorie Luke xxiii xxv xxvi 46 Q what were his sufferings A Of two sorts in bodie or soule Q what were his sufferings in body A I beleeue that Pontius Pilate the iudge giuing sentence his hands and feet were nailed to a crosse and thereby dying his body was buried in manner as others were and lay for a time vnder the dominion of death Iohn xix xviii 1 cor xv 3 4 Actes xiii xxviii 29 Psal. xxii xvi Q what 〈◊〉 you of his sufferings in soule A I beleeue that he suffered in his soule the fierce wrath of his father kindled for our sinnes to deliuer vs from the curse of the law Luke xxii 44 Gal 3 xiii Q what things are to be considered touching his glory A Three things eyther his glory which is past or present or to come 1 Pet 3. xxi xxii act i. xi Q what beleeue you touching his glorie past A His resurrection and his assention act 1 2 3 Q what beleeue you touching his resurrection A I beleeue that although for a space his bodie laie dead in graue yet after three dayes he raised it vp and gaue it life againe Math 28 6 2 cor 13 4 Ioh x 17. xviii Q what beleeue you of his ascending into heauen A I beleeue that his body being vnited againe to his soule he was personallie taken vp into the heauens after that he had bene conuersant vpon the earth 40 dayes acts 1 9 Q what is his glory present A He sitteth at the right hand of the father Marke 16 19 Q what meane you thereby A I beleeue that his father hath aduanced him into the highest honour and hath committed vnto him the gouernement of all things in heauen and earth Heb. 1 3 Psal. 110. 1 Q what is his glory to come A He shal come from heauen to iudge the quick and the dead Math. 25 31 Act 1 xi Q what meane you thereby A I beleeue that in the end of the worlde all flesh shall appeare before him both of those that haue bene deade from the beginning of the world and of those also that then shall be liuing and that then as an vpright iudge he shall throw the wicked into perpetuall cursednesse and aduance the righteous to euerlasting blessednes Math 25 32 33 1 Thes. 4. 16. 17. Reuel 20. 12 xiii x iii. Q what beleeue you of the Holy-ghost A I beleeue that he is God proceeding from the father and the sonne and 〈◊〉 all the children of God Rom 8 xi Q what beleeue you of the Church A Two things first that there is one holy Catholicke church Secondly that there are 〈◊〉 giuen vnto it Math xvi 18 Q what meane'you by a chruch A The whole company of the faithfull seruants of God which euer wer from the beginning which also be now and shal be to the end of the 〈◊〉 of which number I beleeue that I am one Iohn 10. 16 Q why do you call it holy A because none can be 〈◊〉 to God vnlesse he
like the bitter and cursed waters making tryall of the suspected wife wherupon the counsell of wormes determineth that If any monasterie be suspected of theft let him bee purged by the taking of the sacrament Thus Sybicon Byshop of Spire in the counsell of Mentz did by it purge himselfe of adultery about the yeare 1100 an vse neuer intended by the spirite of God nor practised by anie of the Apostles to institute it to discouer secretes Likewise somtimes it is taken to be good against inchanters and inchantments sometimes to bee good for the remedy and recouery of sickenes to deliuer soules out of purgatory to preserue from the plague to saue cattell to cure the feuer to recouer again things lost to take away tooth-ache to cleere the eyes and what not All these fancies and supposed ends of this Sacrament agree not with the institution of christ nor with the former vses set down which now we come to handle and to proue 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 christ with all thanksgiuing this he commaunded to vs at his last 〈◊〉 from vs which ought much to stick in our minds because the last words of a deare friend ready to part from vs do often times leaue behind both deepe impressions and deuout affections in vs. Indeede when we read of the passion and death of christ it doth not much moue vs to heare it opened and expounded it moueth in a farther degree but more then these to haue before our eies a visible representation of the crucifieng of christ in his last supper doth moue vs most of all The institution of this Sacrament hee did in wisedome reserue till the approaching of his death that we might not forget him when he is gone from vs. So god the father after the vniuersal flood drawning the whole world for a remembrance of his mercy in deliuering Noah and his family from the waters and of his promise made neuer to destroy it so againe left to them and al posterity the 〈◊〉 bow When he had iustly smitten the first borne of the Egyptians and gratiously saued the first borne of Israel he commaunded Moses to sanctifie to 〈◊〉 al the first born that first openeth the womb to remember the day in which they came out of the land of Egypt When he had miraculously fed the Israelites with Manna from heauen that men did eate Angels food 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 work So likewise being deliuered by the precious bloode of christ from the floods of sin 〈◊〉 haue gone ouer our heads and eased of the heauy burthen that pressed downe our hearts we haue receiued baptisme to keepe vs in remembrance thereof that wee are ciensed from the filthynes of sin Again being nourished with christs body crucyfied his blood shed for vs we are coÌ„manded to vse this mistery 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 Christes sacrifice on the crosse is taught by the Apostle So often as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cup ye shew the lords death till he come In like manner the Euangelist Luk of the bread he saith Do this in remembrance of me and of the cup 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 sinnes wounded him we our selues crucified him we euen we were the causes for he was chastised for vs that by death he might deliuer vs from death and from him that had the power of death Our euill motions our vile thoughtes our corrupt wordes and our sinfull works did set on worke Pontius Pilate Herod Annas Caiphas Iudas the Gentiles and the Iewes who were but instruments as the crosse nailes the hammer and spear these were as our seruants and workemen in the euill action of his crucifieng Wherefore to speake the truth not Sathan the tempter not Iudas the Traytor not Caiphas the highpriest not Pilate 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 souldier that pierced him not the executioners that railed 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 instrumentes that crucified the Lorde of glory who shall receiue according to their workes when they shall see him whom they haue pierced but to teach vs chifely to accuse and condemne our selues We bound him with cords we beate him with rods we buffeted him with fistes we crowned him with thornes wee reuiled him with our mouthes we railed at him with reproches we nodded at him with our heads we thrust him through with 〈◊〉 we berraied him with a kisse we pierced his hands and feet with nailes we crucified him betweene two theeues wee 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 fâ—lts and offences procured these things to be done vnto him we were the doers of them and the dea'ers in them And surely then we are profitably grounded in the doctrine of the passion of Christ when our haits cease to sinne and we are pricked with an inward griefe of those great and grieuous transgressions 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 〈◊〉 teacheth chap. 53. He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastssement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes 〈◊〉 are healed the Lord haih layd vpon him the iniquity of vs all Seeing then christ was slaine for our sins let vs kill sin in our selues seeing he dyed 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 owne Instes that they raigne not in our mortall bodies seeing his hart was pierced with a speare let vs haue our hearts thrust through pierced
receiuing and laying hold vppon Christ and all his benefits Euen as the hand stretched forth layeth hold vpon a thing and pulleth the same vnto it so doth saith apply the sauing promises of the Gospell to the soule as the Apostle teacheth Gal. 3. That the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that wee 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 beleeuinge the same to belong vnto our selues The scripture calleth Christ a redeemer indefinitely Iob calleth him his redeemer particularly Iob 19. I knowe that my redeemer lyueth The Scriptur setteth out the lord as the god of his church Thomas vpon a special feeling of Christs fauor toward him acknowledgeth him to be his Lord and his 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 to her selfe an accounteth him her sauiour Luke 1. My spirit reioyceth in god my sauiour The Scriptur maketh Christ the L. and protector of his church Elizabeth maketh a speciall application thereof calling him her lord Luk. 1 Whence commeth this to me that the mother of my Lord should come vnto me It is an Article of our holy and christian faith to beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes this must euery one beleeue this must euery one hold this must euery one apply 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 worlde thus to beleeue whether we respect Christ or our selues 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 mercy but when Satan shall fift him when his owne hart shall accuse him when sinne shall he heauy 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 moisture into the drought of Summer if then he can stand vpright and build himselfe vpon the rock when the floods come when the winds blow and beat vpon his house and when the ground shaketh vnder his feet this man with boldnesse and confidence may truely say and seale it vppe for an euerlasting truth My sinnes are forgiuen me For if then he can comfort himselfe in his God and apply his gratious mercies to his owne fainting hart and cry out Though the Lorde would kill me yet still I wil trust in him this is the property of a sounde faith against which the strongest gates of hel shal not preuaile This appeareth euidently vnto vs in the example of Abraham who beleeued that of his old weake withered and as it were dead body should spring children like the sande on the sea-shore and like the starres of heauen for multitude and that he should haue a seede in whom himselfe and all the nations of the world should be blessed If hee had consulted with flesh and blood what discourses might a naturall man alledge to 〈◊〉 the crediting of this promise yet hee doubted not hee disputeth not the matter but beleeued that the weake shoulde bee made strong that the barren should be made fruitfull and a ioyfull mother of children that the dead should be made aliue 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 bear and bring foorth plentifull 〈◊〉 So what can bee more difficult and hard then for vs to beleeue and be perswaded that by the death of Christ we shall haue euerlastinge life by his shame and dishonour we shall haue glory and praise that by his wounds and reproaches we shall haue the curing and healing of our 〈◊〉 that by his agonies and bloody sweate wee shall haue peace and rest by his condemnation we shall haue saluation Is not this after a sort in hell to see heauen in cursing to see blessing in humiliation to see exaltation in death to see life in condemnation to lay holde of saluation in feeling of sin to beleeue the pardon of sinnes lastly in out vnrighteousnes and misery to bee both righteous and accepted to eternall life and in the breach of the lawe to beleeue the fulfilling of the law This is indeede to haue the sauing faith of Gods elect And to say that this is an easie matter or a small thinge is plainely to betray and difcouer that wee never knew what true faith meaneth For this faith let euery one of vs labour that we may specially and particularly apprehend the promises as the Apostle declareth Galatians 2 I am crucified with Christ but I liue yet not I any more but christdiueth in me and in that that I nowe liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the sonne of God who hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for me And againe I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith hencefoorth is 〈◊〉 vppe for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lorde the righteous iudge shall giue vnto me at that day Where wee 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 general faith this is the faith of the reprobates yea the Deuils know it and haue as great a part and portion therein as we yet they tremble at the remembrance of their iudgement to come as Iames sheweth Thou beleeuest there is 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 be 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 apply and appropriate vnto our selues the promises of saluation We must not onely see them a farre off but feele them in our harts We must beleeue not onely that christ is a sauior but that he is our sauior and our redeemer Thus we must euery one of vs for his owne part make proper to himselfe all the riches and graces that are in chist Iesus because in giuing himselfe to vs he giueth al his benefits in that he is God he maketh vs after a sort partakers of the diuine nature being heir of al things in heauen and earth and Lord of the world he maketh al things ours whether life or death whether things
promise the partakers of the same hope the members of the same bodye and the professors of the same faith to contend and striue one against another to delight in brauling fighting quarrelling and to norish hatred malice rancour spite enuy biting and backbiting one of another If Ephraim be set against Manasses and Manasses against Ephraim if Brother be diuided against brother if we bite one at another let vs take heed least we be consumed one of another The sonnes of God are renewed into the image ofGod to resemble their heauenly father in true holines and doe all weare the same cognizance and liuery For the Sacraments are the marks of Ch. sheepe whereby they are knowne and discerned so that all our discentions diuisions railings reuilings disgracings and defacings one of another tend to the reproch and dishonour of our common father and do giue an heauy testimony against our souls with God and his elect Angels For how do we approach vnto God how do we come into his presence With what harts do we pray before him and vnto him Are we not taught to aske forgiuenes of our sins as we forgiue the trespasses done vnto vs It then we be malicious and enuious and carry the fresh remembrance of wronges in our hearts to pursue them with reuenge do we not pray against our selues Do we not beseech God to poure out vengance vpon vs Do we not open our mouths to our owne destruction For when wee vse our tongues to say Lord forgiue vs for euen we forgiue is it not asmuch as if we should pray forgiue vs not Lord for we do not we will not forgiue others Therefore after the forme of prayer giuen to the Disciples Christ addeth If ye do forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly father will also forgiue you but if ye do not forgiue men their trepasses no more will your father forgiue you your trespasses And as he exhorteth that when they stand and appeare before the Altar they must forgiue so when we appeare at the Lords table we must forgiue if we haue any thing against any man that our father also which is in heauen may forgiue vs our trespasses Now if we woulde be directed to knowe whether this loue be is vs or not wee may try our owne hearts by these holy properties and blessed effectes described by the Apostle 1 cor xiii Loue saith he suffereth long it is bountifull loue enuieth not loue doth not boast itselfe it is not puffed vp it disdaineth not it seeketh not her owne things it is not prouoked to anger it thinketh not euill it reioyceth not in iniquity but reioyceth in the truth it suffereth all things it beleeueth al thinges it hopeth al things it endureth al things Heere we may see what manner of loue ought to be in vs. Euery one of vs must indeuour that all the parts of this description may rightly agree to euery one of vs and truely be found in vs toward all men euen our enimies as we see Iesus Christ hath left vs an example of his loue when he praied for his enimies that crucified and cruelly entreated him father forgiue them for they know what they do and this did stephen to those that stoned him Lord lay not this sin to their charge This is the way let vs walke in it this was their practise let vs follow it Thus we haue shewed the necessity of examination of ourselues before we come to the Lordes supper and declared the parts wherein it standeth and the manner how it is to be performed If we come furnished with these things with sauing knoledg with iustifieng faith with vnfained repentance with a louing and longing reconciliation towarde our brethren among whom we liue hauing as much as is possible Peace with all men yea euen our enimies let vs not abstaine from the Lordes table by reason of some frailties and infirmities in vs for God couereth them and will not bring them into remembrance as we see 2. Chron 30. A multitude of people had not clensed themselues yet did eate the passeouer but not as it was writen wherfore Hezekiah praied for them saying The good God be merciful toward him that prepareth his whole hart to seeke the Lord god the god of his fathers though he be not clensed according to the purification of the sanctuarie and the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people Where we see that because their hart was vpright and sincere their wants and imperfections were not imputed vnto them For God respecteth the truth of the inward partes and pard oneth their sinnes that thus prepare their harts to seeke him So then they were greatly deceiued that thoght they honoured the Sacrament by abstaining from it it is not honoured but dishonoured not hallowed but prophaned not regarded reuerently but reproched greeuously by our wilfull abstinence as the Apostle teacheth 1 cor 11. let a man examin himself and so let him eat of this bread and drink of this cup. He doth not say let him proue himselfe and so let him abstaine For the Sacrament is abused as well by forbearing hauing examined our selues as by not examining our selues and receiuing vnworthily And thus much of examination and the manner to be obserued therein Chap. 20. The conclusion containing an abridgement of the whole treatise THe effect of that which hath bene deliuered hitherto in these Books may thus be gathred into a short sum and abridgement We haue declared that God in al times and ages of the church from the first being of our first parents hath to his word and promises anexed sacraments as seales of assurance for the confirmation of them therby magnifieng his owne mercy toward his people shewing our weaknes and vnworthines and condemning such as oftentimes desire to come to the Lordes table but esteeme little of the preaching of the word whereas the word and Sacraments haue one and the same author they are instruments of the same grace their whole force and effect dependeth on God they require faith to be mingled with them they profit not alway at the very moment of hearing and receiuing Notwithstanding some differences wee find betweene them as namely in the greater necessity of the worde then of the Sacramentes Infidels were neuer barred from hearing the word when they would become hearers thereof and whereas the word affecteth one only of the sences to wit the hearing the Sacraments 〈◊〉 offered to the eies as well as to the eares and so in some sort become more effectuall then the word Touching the worde Sacrament it is drawne from martiall discipline and properly signifieth the Souldiers othe whereby hee bindeth himselfe to his Captaine which worde being vsed by the olde Latine interpreter is now become ordinary and common in the Church which is not mentioned in so many sillables in the Scriptures And howsoeuer the word be often taken in a large and generall signification yet
our saluation for he that hath the sonne hath life he that hath not the sonne of God hath not life The last inward part is the faith full receiuer who stretcheth forth the hand of faith and so layeth hold on Christ and all his sauing graces For no man can communicat with his body but the same is made partaker of his benefits Let vs all prepare the true and liuely faith of Gods elect and assure our selues that Hypocrites and vnbeleeuers cannot possibly be partakers of the bodye and blood of Christ. These are the foure inward partes also of the Lord supper The similitude and relation 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 feede the reupon bodily so the father by the spirit offereth and exhibiteth the body and blood of christ Iesus to the souls of the faithful to feed vppon them spiritually Thus much of al the parts of the Lords supper now folow the vses to be vnfolded The vses profit which we reap by the Lords sup are special three First to shew forth with praise and thanks giuing the death and the suffrings of chri who his own selfe bare our sins in his body on the tree by whose stripes we are healed so that we haue the chiefe cause in our selus which did crucifie christ Secōdly to teach our comunion wich christ being made flesh of his flesh bone of his bones Hence we learn that al the godly and be leeuers are made partakers of christ and his graces This is matter of great comfort in our manifold trials and tentations that we are ioynd to Ch. as members to the head and therfore neither life nor deth nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things presēt nor things to com nor hight nor depth nor any other creatur shal be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in christ Iesus our L. But on the other side the vngodly and vnbeleeuers haue no part or Portion in chri and his graces they are as branches cut off which wither and men gather them to cast them into the fire and to burn them 3 to declare and testifie our communion fellowship and agreement with our brethren meeting together at the same table and partaking togither of the same supper Wherfore seeing we haue not onely an vnion with christ but a comunion among our selus we are the seruants of the church to serue one another in al duties of loue to instruct them that are ignorāt to raise them that are fallen and to bind vp the broken hearted to reconcile our selues one to warde another and to keepe the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace Hitherto we haue handled the doctrin of the Lords supper declaring what it is what are the parts and vses thereof the preparation to this work followeth consisting in the Examination of our selues and trying our owne harts by the touchstone of the lawe of god This duty is very necessary to be performd of vs for the hart of man is deceitful aboue all things and the secret corners of it past finding out We haue to deal with god in this busines Great is the profit which we reap receiue if we come rightly and 〈◊〉 prepared Great is the punishment procured by want of this try all and examination And the Sacrament it self is defiled by vnworthy receiuing This preparation principally standeth in these 4. points in the knowledge of god and of ourselues especially of the whole doctrine of the sacraments in a liuely faith in Christ seeing euery one receiueth so much as he beleeueth he receiueth in repentance from dead works and lastly in reconciliation towarde our brethren hauing peace with all men and loue towarde our enemies Thus I haue opened plainly yet truely the doctrine of the Sacramentes deliuered in the Scriptures and taught in the reformed churches I haue disclosed some part of the mistery 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 weak and the occasion of ruine to many that stumble therat to their own confusion The Lord god high possessor of heauen earth and preseruer of his people that call vpon him put it into the heart of all christian princes and rulers of the earth to pull downe this abhominable Idoll that hath aduanced itselfe 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 Corollary THe Apostle Paule Christian Reader prophesieng of these last times in which Antichrist should be reueiled declareth that his comming shal be by the effectual working of Satan withall power signes lying wonders in al deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnes that so they might be damned which beleeue not the truth but haue pleasure in vnrighteousnesse In this discription the effectual working of this 〈◊〉 is set down but it is in those which 〈◊〉 For as God imparteth his power to his ministers and indueth them with his spirit to saue such as beleeue so doth Satan after an apish imitation giue power to his instruments and breath his spirit vpon them to condemne such 〈◊〉 receiue not the truth The manner and meanes of Antichrists preuailing in the children of disobedience is double to wit by worke and by worde His working is with great power which is seene by signes and lying wonders Now who it is in our daies that boasteth of wonders and I wot not what miracles Who maketh the power of working signes and miracles a note of the Church Who glory that they can euery day nay euery houre of the day miraculously transubstantiate the bread wine into the blood of christ who pretendeth that their real presence their images their priuate Masses other like superstitions haue been confirmed by miracles frō heauen Is not this the church of Rome which hath the Pope for her head her spouse and her foundation And is he not discerned by this note among other to be that very Antichrist described in scripture prophesied to com in the world 〈◊〉 now to the church and felt of euery christian Wherfore let vs carefully beware 〈◊〉 such signes and wonders carry away our eies and steale away our harts from the simplicity and sincerity of the Gospell The second meanes of his proceeding and preuailing is by word to wit by deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnes He is indeede an enemy to Christ and to his church how beit not open but secret not shewing