assumption is false for b Psal 51.7 Dauid confesseth that he was conceiued in sinne and for that the infants of the faithfull are members c 1. Cor. 7.14 of the Church i◠followeth that they also are purged by the bloud of Christ and therefore we must graunt them the seale thereof which is Baptisme XI Lastly where they say that none in the Apostles time was baptized but he that made profession of his faith before that is true onely of such as were a Act. 2.41 Act. 8.12 Ibid. v. 37.38 of yeares but that the infants of such as professed the faith and were baptized were also baptized in like manner we haue before plainly proued in the 7. Aphorisme CHAP. XXVI Of the Lordes Supper I. APHORISME THe Supper of the Lord is the second Sacrament of the a Mat. 26.28 Mar. 14.24 Luke 22.20 1. Cor. 11.25 new Testament or couenant of grace wherein by the b Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14 22. Luke 22.19 1. Cor. 11.24 breaking of bread and powring of the wine into to the cup the passion shedding of the bloud of Christ is figured represented as it were set before our eyes and next by giuing taking eating and drinking of these elementes the c Mat. 26.28 promise of the d Iohn 6.51.53.54.58 remission of sinnes and life euerlasting purchased by the passion of Christ and by his bloud shed in a word by that his precious death the promise of their cōmunion e 1. Cor. 10.16.17 and c. 12. vers 13. as members with their head Christ Iesus is sealed to all the beleeuing worthy receiuers wherby it cōmeth to passe that the faithful sweetly rest in the fauor of God obtained for them by his sons death and so feed with f 1. Cor. 3.7.8 him spiritually and dayly grow vp in a holy communiō with Christ II. And that the holy Supper is a Sacramēt of the new couenant it may appeare by the very words of the institution which the Lord pronounced of the cup saying This cup is the new Testament or couenant in my bloud that is a Sacrament of the new couenant III. We call the Lordes Supper the second Sacrament of the new Testament in respect of Baptisme which is the first For like as in the old Testament there were two principall Sacramēts Circumcisiō the Passeouer so there are two in the new Baptisme and the Lordes Supper which directly answer them succeede in their places And as none was admitted to the Passeouer but the a Exo. 12.48 Circumcised so none must be receiued to the Supper but the Baptized IIII. The commandement of Christ contained in the institution is in these wordes Take ye and eate ye Take ye and drinke ye and do this in remembrance of me V. Againe it is manifest by the wordes of the institution that Christ vsed bread and wine in this Sacrament VI. In the breaking of bread in the Lordes Supper we follow both the Lordes a Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14.22 Luke 22.19 1. Cor. 11.24 cōmaundement and his b Ibid. example for the Lord did not onely breake the bread and so by breaking it did consecrate the same a Sacrament of his body but also commāded this bread so blessed so broken to be receiued and eaten as the liuely symbole and Sacrament of his precious body broken that is crucified for vs. And the c 1. Cor. 11.23 Apostle saith that he receiued of the Lord which he deliuered to the Corinthians concerning the administration of this Sacrament and this d 1. Cor. 10.16 breaking of bread he both commaunded commended vnto them To be short then the breaking of bread is an essentiall ceremonie in the Lordes Supper for that this is the principall end thereof to represent seale and set before vs the passion and breaking of e 1. Cor. 11.24 the body of Christ The same reason is of the powring forth of the wine if we cōpare it with the shedding of the bloud of Christ VII The passion of Christ is set before vs in this Sacrament in a liuely manner as by a Gal. 3.1 preaching of the Gospell VIII We receiue Iesus Christ and his holy spirite most comfortably by the word for it is Gods holy ordinance and instrument to cōuay his graces into our minds harts and consciences and that mighty power to confer and giue vs the spirite of grace the spirite of faith the spirite of adoption the spirit of sanctificatiō of wisedome c. IX But there is difference betweene the participation of Christ by the one and by the other for the Lord first by his word confers grace but grace and faith once giuen are strengthned and increase dayly by the Sacraments X. Againe the Lord by the word workes onely by one sense in vs namely the sense of hearing whereby comes knowledge so faith Rom. 10.14.15 And this sense in deede is now since the corruption of our nature the sense of learning and vnderstanding and so the principall to breed beget faith in vs but before the fall of Adam the sight I take it was the principall sense to receiue and learne wisedome and vnderstanding in the vewe and consideratiō of the workes of God See Bradfords Sermō of the Supper The Lord therfore in the Sacrament hath respect to the sight and all other senses for in and by the Sacrament the soule doth not onely heare Christ as in the word but also see Christ touch Christ smell tast and so feed vpō Christ and all his benefites XI The principall parts of this Sacrament are to seale and ratifie that promise of Christ wherin he assureth vs that his flesh is a Iohn 6.55 meate indeed and his bloud is drinke indeede to feed vs vnto life euerlasting and in that he saith he is the b Ibid. v. 51. bread of life whereof who so eateth shall liue for euer it is ordained I say to seale that promise and to this effect to send vs vnto the crosse of Christ where that promise was performed and fulfilled in euery respect For the flesh of Christ was made vnto vs the bread of life or that meate which quickeneth vs in that it was c Ibid. crucified for vs. XII This meate we can not eate but by a Iohn 6.35 faith and this drinke we can not b Ibidem drinke but by faith XIII Againe to eate the flesh of Christ by faith and to drinke his bloud by faith is to receiue by faith the promise of God which testifieth that the flesh of Christ was crucified for vs that his bloud was shed for vs that is for the remission of our sinnes XIIII The fruite which followeth this spirituall meate and drinke is a spirituall a Iohn 6.57 1. Cor. 5.8 ioy in God and the increase of our b 1. Cor. 10.17 communion with Christ for this dependeth vpon the confirmation of our faith XV. Againe
Prou. 8. v. 15. Wisedome that is the sonne of God speaketh By me kings raigne and princes decree iustice Dan. 2. v. 21. God taketh away kingdomes setteth vp kings Rom. 13. v. 1. Paule saith He that resisteth power resisteth the ordinance of God V. The office of the Magistrat is to be the a Deut. 17.18.19 keeper of both the Tables of Gods law therefore his principall care must be to set vp and to defend the b Deut. 15.5 2. King 23. 2. Chron. 29. pure worship and seruice of God Next to do iudgement c Ierem. 22.3 Psal 82.3 4. Rom. 13 3.4 Gene. 9.6 and iustice that is to punish the euill to defend and reward the good VI. Againe if neede so require the Magistrat is bounde to defend the subiect with a Deut. 20. Luke 3.14 Mat. 8.10 Act. 10.4 armes and those dominions which are committed to his charge VII Notwithstanding when Magistrates punish either their subiects or their enemies they ought to haue a speciall care that they giue no place to their owne affections but respect onely the discharge of their dutie VIII The Magistrate may by good right require and demaund of his subiectes a Ro. 13.6.7 tributes and customes and he may vse the same not onely for the discharge of his publike seruices but also for the b 1. Sam. 8.11 c. Gen. 44.22.23 Dan. 2.41 honour of his house and for the preseruation of his owne state and dignitie IX And thus farre of the Magistrate now for the lawes we must first obserue that God hath three kindes of lawes the law morall ceremoniall and iudiciall X. The summe of the Morall law is comprized in the a Exod. 20. Deut. 5. Decalogue consisting in the loue of God and the neighbour and for that it is an euerlasting rule of iustice it must continue euer in force XI The Ceremoniall law was the a Gal. 3.14 pedagogie of the Iewes vntill the coming of Christ and therefore Christ being come it is b Col. 2.16 Ephes 2.15 abrogated XII The Iudiciall law in as much as it was properly applyed to the Iewes bindeth not the Christian Magistrate yet in appointing the a Leu. 24.16 Deut. 13.5 punishments of grieuous sinnes it bindeth no lesse the Christian Magistrate at this day then it bound the Magistrates of the Iewes XIII And thus farre of the lawes The third part is of the subiectes The dutie of subiectes towards their Magistrates first is to esteeme of them and a Rom. 13.7 reuerence them as the ministers and messengers or b Rom. 13.4 vicegerents of God next with readinesse of minde and in all obseruance to c Ibid. v. 1. and 5. 1. Pet. 2.13.14 obey them Lastly not to intermeddle with publique affaires nor to d 1. Pet. 4.15 enterprise anie thing without their commission XIIII They are bound also to obey them that vniustly a 1. Pet. 1.18 Ier. 27.12 and tyrannically rule ouer them so long as they commaund nothing that God hath forbidden and forbid nothing that God hath commaunded for in this case we must keepe that rule of S. Peter VVe must obey b Act. 4.19 and 5.29 God more then men and that rule of Christ c Mat. 22.21 Giue vnto Caesar those things which are Caesars and vnto God those things which are Gods A SVPPLEMENT OR ADDITION FOR THE CLEERING AND opening of the doctrine of the Lords Supper WHEREAS our Lord Iesus Christ the 6. of Iohn saith in expresse words that his flesh is a Ioh. 6.55 meate indeed his bloud is drinke indeed And againe b Ibid. v. 53. Vnlesse ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you For the right vnderstanding of these wordes and doctrine which at the first sight seemeth so strange and to the Capernaites whom Christ then taught most repugnant to all reason and that the same may minister cōfort vnto our soules which is the right end and vse of this celestiall veritie two questions principally must be cōsidered The first is VVhat kind of meate the flesh of Christ is The second How or in what maner this meate is to be eaten The same question may be made also cōcerning the cup as VVhat kind of drinke the bloud of Christ is and in what maner must we drinke the same Now then as concerning the first question If the flesh of Christ bee meate indeede as is before shewed it must be either a corporall or spirituall foode Corporall foode is that which nourisheth him bodily that feedeth thereupon and this to speake after the vsuall maner and properly is called meate Spirituall food is that whereby the soule or spirit of him which eateth is fed and nourished and this is called meate improperly tropically metaphorically because it hath the likenesse of meat properly so called For like as by natural food so properly called the bodie is nourished and sustained so by that spirituall meate the spirit and soule of man is cherished as nourished The same reason and description may be giuen of the corporall and spirituall drinke And now it is certaine that neither the flesh of Christ is a corporall food nor his bloud corporall drinke for that no bodily substance is fed preserued either by the flesh or by the bloud of Christ For to effect this the flesh of Christ must bee eaten with the mouth chewed with the teeth swallowed vp digested and so turned into that nourishing * Chilus iuyce in the stomach whereof bloud is ingendred and so deriued or sent into all partes of the bodie to be vnited thereunto or altred and chaunged into the substance thereof that the body may receiue his growth and preseruation therby And so in like maner the bloud of Christ if the bodie were to be nourished thereby must be drunke vp with the mouth swallowed c. But these things are against all reason and horrible to be spoken And this was the verie cause why the Capernaites did so tremble at the speech of Christ touching the eating of his flesh tooke it so in euil part saying c Ioh. 6.52 How can this man giue vs his flesh to eate and againe d Ibid. v. 60. This is an hard saying who can heare it For they vnderstood Christ to speake those words of a bodilie food which were to be taken with the mouth for the nourishment of the body Wherefore seeing that it is manifest by these absurde consequents that the flesh of Christ is no meate for the body it followeth that it must be a spirituall foode and his bloud spirituall drinke whereby the spirite and soule of man is fed and preserued vnto life euerlasting like as mans body is nourished and kept in this temporall fraile life by corporall meat and drinke And this Christ himselfe seemeth to haue said in these wordes It is e Ibid. v. 63. the spirite that
quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the wordes that I speake vnto you are spirite and life And whereas the most of the best interpreters of these times expounde these wordes of Christes Deitie as if the same were vnderstood by the word spirite so that Christes meaning as they say is that the power of quickning doth proceede from the Deitie of Christ so that his flesh hath power to quicken vs as it is the flesh of the sonne of God crucified for vs. This exposition no doubt is sound and good yet I thinke this be the most simple and naturall sense if by the word spirit we vnderstaÌ„d the holy Ghost that the meaning should be thus my flesh which I said must be eaten to attaine eternall life profiteth nothing to effect this if ye eate the same corporally as you Capernaites vnderstand me but it is the spirit which quickneth that is the holy Ghost quickneth the harts of the faithfull and nourisheth them vnto life euerlasting by working in them effectually to beleeue in me and so to eate my flesh and to drinke my bloud spiritually that is by faith whereby they are well assured that my flesh was crucified for them and my bloud shed for them for the remission of their sinnes The wordes therefore saith he which I speake vnto you of the necessitie of eating my flesh to attaine eternall life these wordes I say are spirite and life that is must be vnderstood of the effectuall working of the holy Ghost in the harts of the elect to worke eternall life in them euen by faith Moreouer for the better vnderstanding of this point in what sense the flesh of Christ is and may truly be said to be our spirituall foode we must expresse also in what manner it is made meate for vs. And this Christ taught vs in very plaine wordes in that Sermon where he saith I am that f v. 51. liuing bread that is the quickning bread or that bread that giueth life which came downe from heauen If any man shall eate of this bread he shall liue for euer and the bread that I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world In these last wordes which I will giue for the life of the world Christ sheweth in what maner his flesh should be foode for vs and that is in that he will giue it vnto the death for our life that is to merite for vs life euerlasting offring it as Priest himselfe a holy sacrifice to God his father And that this is the naturall sense of this relatiue * Quam ego dabo which in this place as if the Lord had said quatenus cam dabo in that or for that I shall giue it it is verie manifest by the matter it selfe which is handled in that place For if we shall not so vnderstand those wordes as tending to declare the former maner of that thing which is here intreated then that word must note some diuision of a generall into specials as if Christ had two kindes of flesh of which the one he would giue for the life of the world the other he would not giue But this interpretation is manifestly false and contrary to the articles of our faith wheron we ground the truth of Christes incarnation Therefore that exposition of the relatiue which in this place is verie true and natural and vsed to declare the forme and manner of that thing which is there proposed or disputed vpon And the very same interpretation is there of the words of the Lord in the institution of his holy Supper where of that bread broken he speaketh on this wise This is my bodie which is giuen or broken for you that is in * Quatenus asmuch as or for that it is broken or giuen for you For that holie bread or as Paule calleth it that bread of the Lord is not simplie the Sacrament of the Lordes bodie that is doth not simplie signifie and testifie that the Lord hath a true bodie but signifieth and testifieth that the Lords body is broken or giuen for vs that is was offred on the Crosse with the feeling of Gods wrath to make satisfaction for our sinnes And in like manner must we speake and thinke of the other wordes which the Lord pronounced of the holy cup or wine saying This is that my bloud of the new Testament or couenant which is shed for you and for manie for the remission of sinnes that is in asmuch as or for that it is shed c. By the premisses it is now manifest that the flesh of Christ hath in it the nature of meate not simplie but in a certaine respect that is in asmuch as it was crucified for vs. Like as the body is said to be visible in respect of the colours thereof Now concerning the second question in what maner we eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his bloud I answer Such as the meate and drinke is such must be the maner of the eating and drinking thereof but the flesh of Christ is spirituall meate and his bloud is spirituall drinke as is aforeshewed Therefore the flesh of Christ is eaten spiritually or in a spirituall manner and his bloud is drunke also in the same manner Now to eate the flesh of Christ and to drinke his bloud spiritually is to eate with the mouth of the spirite that is of the soule to wit by faith Again to eate the flesh of Christ by faith and to drinke his bloud is nothing else but to beleeue in Christ or to beleeue that the flesh of Christ is crucified for thee and that his bloud is shed for thee for the remission of thy sinnes This Christ himselfe sheweth in the same Sermon where he propoundeth two propositions or sentences signifying one thing which are these he that beleeueth g v. 47. in me hath eternall life and h v. 54. he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life The matter also and argument there handled requires this interpretation of the words of Christ for if he meant by that phrase of eating his flesh one thing and by that of faith another thing then this consequent would follow we must haue not one but two wayes to life euerlasting one by eating the flesh of Christ the other by faith But the way to eternall life is but one which is Christ alone receiued by faith or faith in Christ our Sauiour both come to one effect And yet the better to vnderstand this point consider a little what the nature of faith is And this is knowen by his next and proper obiect which is the Gospell or that testimonie which God hath giuen vs of his loue and grace for and through Iesus Christ for faith resteth vpon the Gospell as the blessed and infallible testimonie of God And the Gospell testifieth of Christ that is of his person and office and of all his benefites towardes vs that is to say that Christ is the only begotten sonne of God which for our sake and for our saluation came downe from heauen and was made man of the virgine Marie that he liued an holy life according to the law of God and hath brought vnto vs from the bosome of his father the counsell of God concerning our saluation who being righteous suffered for vs that are vnrighteous vnder Pontius Pylate was crucified dead c. And like as the Gospell testifieth these things vnto vs so the Sacramentes also testifie the same for they are seales of the Gospell and as it were a Gospell seene and a Gospell felt He therefore that beleeueth these holy testimonies of God in so doing he spiritually feedeth vpon the bodie of Christ spiritually drinketh the bloud of Christ And thus doth Augustine De doctrina Christ Lib. 2. cap. 16. expounde this place of Christ Vnlesse saith he ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you He seemeth to commande a horrible fact and a thing most detestable It is a figure commanding vs to communicate with or to become partakers of the Lordes passion and to lay vp sweetely and comfortably in memorie that his flesh was crucified and wounded for vs thus saith Augustine After the same maner doth Mr Iohn Caluin that famous diuine of our age lay open those wordes of Christ in his booke of Institutions the 4. booke Chap. 17. sect 5. FINIS R D DEVS â—â—â—â—T ASTRIS
vnderstanding God imputing vnto Christ the 1. Guiltinesse Of the beleeuer cause of his death 2. Disobedience 3. Corruption God imputing vnto the beleeuer the benefits of the 1. Passion Of Christ cause of his life 2. Righteousnes 3. Holynesse XVI The cause which moueth Gods mercy in our iustification is the a Rom. 3.24 25. Ephe. 1.7 1. Iohn 2.1 and 2. satisfaction and merite of Christ that is his b Rom. 5.19 Phil. 2.8 obedience vnto his father in his c Heb. 2.9 death for vs this obedience is d Rom. 4.6 imputed vnto vs for righteousnesse that is is accounted ours as if we had performed the same our selues XVII And to the end that this obedience and righteousnesse of Christ might be imputed vnto vs it was necessarie first that he should yeeld perfect obedience to the law of God himselfe liuing thereafter in all holynesse of life And to performe this it was necessarie also that he should be sanctified without sin from his beginning first conceptioÌ„ in his mothers wombe for if he had not bene a holy a Heb. 7.26 Priest and a b 1. Pet. 1.19 holy sacrificer he could not haue pleased God and so could not haue pacified him for vs. And yet further I ad that this our high Priest and mediator must be very c Act. 20.28 1. Iohn 1.7 God that the obedience of his death might be of price sufficient for our sinnes and meet to giue vs an euerlasting righteousnesse XVIII The doctrine of our free iustification shall then be comfortable and pleasant vnto vs when we shall present our selues as guiltie before the heauenly iudge and shall prostrate our selues and strip our selues as naked in his presence full of feare and care to be discharged from our sins considering the a Esa 33.14 perfection of Gods iustice and the b Iob. 4.17.18.19 imperfection of our righteousnesse yea the huge c Psal 19.13 Iob. 15.16 number and greatnes of our sinnes For thus come we at the last well prepared and ready to receiue the grace of Christ when we shal be truly cast down humbled with the liuely touch and feeling of our miserie and wants But contrarily such as either d Luk. 18.11 12.13.14 swell in the conceite of their owne righteousnesse or be drunke in the delights of their owne sins they liue in a secure contempt of Gods iudgement and shut vp against themselues the gates of Gods mercy XIX Furthermore if we admit not this doctrine of free iustification we shall rob God of his full a Rom. 3.19 and 25. 1. Cor. 1.30 and 31. Ephe. 1.12 14. chap. 2 v. 8.8.9 glory and our poore consciences of sounde peace b Rom 5.1 c. 8.35 Ephe. 3.12 and rest before his tribunall seate of iustice both which notwithstanding must be had granted XX. And we must further note that the whole course of our iustification is by grace and for our better vnderstanding in this point consider of foure sortes of men The first is of them which are neither inwardly nor outwardly called the secoÌ„d sort is of those contemners whom they commonly call Epicures which haue an outward but not an inward calling the third sorte is of hypocrites which desire some commendation of iustice by some shew of externall workes but specially by the ceremonies which appertaine to Gods worship these also haue their outward but not their inward calling the fourth sort of men are they which haue both an outward and inward calling whom Gods spirite doth regenerate by the Gospell and like these are none of the three former kindes XXI That the first kinde haue no righteousnesse but be meer vniust and impious before God hauing also no strength to do that which is good and to beleeue the promise of grace is very manifest euery where in Scripture as when al the sonnes of Adam are described in these wordes that they haue a Iere. 17.9 wicked rebellious harts that all the b Gene. 6.3 chap. 8.21 imaginations of their hart are only euill coÌ„tinually that their c Psal 94.11 thoughts are vaine that they haue no d Psal 36.1 feare of God before their eyes that not one of them doth e Psal 14.2 vnderstand or seeke after God Againe that when God doth enlighten vs with his knowledge he raiseth vs from f Iohn 5.25 death to life makes vs new g Ephe. 2.10 creatures that we be deadly and h Rom. 5.6.7.8 professed enemies vnto God before he receiue vs to grace in our iustification that we haue not loued i 1. Ioh. 4.10 him before he loued vs that we be not purged from our vncleanesse by the bloud of Christ till the k 1. Cor. 6.11 holy Ghost worke our inward sanctification that then we begin to passe from death to life when through Christ we receiue l Phil. 1.29 grace to beleeue XXII Now for the second and third kinde that they haue no iustice to stand before God may appeare also manifestly for that the vncleanesse of their owne consciences is proofe sufficient that they be not as yet regenerate by the holy Ghost and this also bewrayeth their want of faith Whereby it appeareth that they be not as yet reconciled vnto God nor iustified before him for that this grace none can attaine vnto but by faith XXIII The hypocrites chalenge some iustice because of their glorious workes and obedience to the ceremonies but they are so farre from pleasing God herein that they highly displease him because with vncleane harts they prophane his holy worship For workes can not a Hag. 2.12.13.14.15 Esa 1.11.12.13.14.15 Prou. 15.8 purchase grace with God for any person but contrarily workes please God after that the person first hath founde fauour and grace with God And for this cause Moses writeth that the Lord respected b Gene. 4.4 Abell and his ofâ—fring in which wordes he teacheth that Abels oblation did therefore please God because Abels person pleased him and that pleased him by faith without which 〈◊〉 it is imopssible to please God c Heb. 11.6 for that therby mens harts are d Act. 15.9 purified For which cause also Paule saith to the Hebrues that Abel e Heb. 11.4 offred vnto God a better sacrifice then Cain for that Cain was an hypocrite and so without faith XXIIII Lastly for the fourth kinde albeit man regenerate by Gods grace haue some a 1. Cor. 4 4. righteousnesse of workes yet the same is not such nor so perfect as that it can staÌ„d before the iudgement seate of God because all their good works are b Rom 7.14 c. Phil. 3.13.14 imperfect and c Esa 64 6. polluted with corruptions and their sinnes following do d Eze. 18.24 bury all the remembrance of their former righteousnesse and good life XXV By the premisses we now see that not onely the beginning of our
b Psal 43. much as lyeth in him to professe himselfe a member thereof and to keepe in holy communion felowship with it XV. It is called the holy Church partly because it is washed a 1. Iohn 1.7 Eph. 5.25.26 purged by the bloud of Christ partly because it is sanctified by his b Rom. 8.1 Eph. 5.26.27 Psal 15. holy spirit and by Gods grace hath a c Ephe. 4.13 growth in sanctificatiō vntill at length it be fully perfected which shal be when this life is d Phil. 3.12 chap. 1.6 ended CHAP. XX. Of the Ministers of the Church I. APHORISME ALbeit God alone inlighteneth and ruleth the harts of his elect yet because it pleaseth him herein to vse the a 1. Cor. 3.5 2. Cor. 5.20 Ministerie of men it is our partes with b 1. Cor. 4.1 Gal. 4.15 reuerence to embrace those things which by his seruaunts he teacheth vs for our good instruction and comfort II. The seruants of God or Ministers are some continuing and as ordinarie some but for a time and as extraordinarie III. In the old Testament the continuing and ordinarie Ministers of the Church were Patriarches Priests and Leuites the temporall extraordinarie the Prophets IIII. In the new Testament the perpetuall and ordinarie are a Ephe. 4.11 Pastours b Ephe. 4.11 Teachers the temporall and extraordinary were the c Ephe. 4.11 Apostles d Ephe. 4.11 Prophets and e Ephe. 4.11 Euangelistes V. God reuealed himselfe to the Patriarches as a Gene. 3. Adam b Ge. 6.7.8.9 Noah c Gen. 12.13.15.17.18.21.22 Abraham d Gen. 25.11 22. c. 26.2.3.4.5 Isaac e Gen. 28.31.32.35 Iacob f Gene. 37. Ioseph by apparitions visions and dreames and so gouerned their families VI. He prescribed certain lawes by Moses for the Priestes and a In Leuit. Leuites that so they might by them gouerne the Church of Israell VII But as for the Prophets he raised them vp a Es 6. Ierem. 1. Ezech. 2. c. extraordinarily to b Esa 1. c. instruct and to c Esa 2. excite the people and the Priestes if they erred or were negligēt in their duties these did also foreshewe what d Esa 3.29 c. punishmentes should fall vpon Gods people for their negligence and what e Esa 13. c. euils should come vpon their enemies for their destruction but principally they comforted the faithful with Prophecies of Christs comming and therfore they preach often of his f Esa 7.14 conception g Esa 9.6 Mich. 5.2 natiuitie h Esa 53. passion death resurrection and euerlasting i Esa 11.59.61 c. kingdome VIII And thus farre of the Ministers of the old Testament now touching the Ministers of the new Testament The Lord in the beginning of his kingdome raised vp a Mat. 28.19 Apostles b Act. 11.27 Prophets c Act. 8.5 c Euangelistes and whē the Churches were founded planted by them he ordained that Pastors and d Ephe. 4.11 Teachers should succeede and continue for euer IX The Apostles were a Mat. 4.18 c. Ioh. 1.37 c. Act 9. 22. immediatly called of Christ and sent into the whole b Mat. 16.15 Act. 9 15. Rom. 15.15.20 world that so they might set vp the kingdome of God in all places X. He raised vp also at this time Prophets who had speciall a 1. Cor. 14.29 c. reuelation and gifts for the interpretation of holy Scriptures and these did sometimes foreshew by the spirite any matter of waight which should come either on the b Act. 11.28 Church or to any c Act. 21.10 one of the faithfull XI Againe the Apostles had the Euangelistes for their a Act. 16.1 companions whom they tooke with them to supplie their absence in preaching of the Gospell and in b Tit. 1.5 establishing the Churches and such were c 2. Tim. 4.11 Luke d 2. Tim 4.5 Timothie and e 2. Cor. 8.23 Titus XII Then folowed Pastours and Teachers which the Church can neuer want XIII And thus farre of Churches offices which did consist in the Ministerie of the word There be two other ordinarie also which ought to remaine euer in this a Rom. 12.8 Church Church-gouernement and the care of the poore XIIII Church a 1. Cor. 12.28 Gouernours are chosen men set ouer the people for b 1. Cor. 5. correction of manners assistantes with the Bishops and Pastours XV. The care of the poore partly belongeth to the Deacons a Act. 6.3 1. Tim. 3.8 c. or Collectors that distribute the almes partly to them which visite the sick such in Paules time were certaine b 1. Tim. 5.9 auncient and honest widowes XVI And thus farre of the duties of Church officers now as touching their calling these foure points are to be obserued first what kinde of persons are to be called secondly how thirdly by whom lastly with what rite or ceremonie they must be ordained XVII As concerning the first I say that Bishops and Pastours and Teachers are to be chosen that are of sound a 1. Tim. 3.2 c. doctrine and b 1. Tim. 3.2 c. holy life fit and c 1. Tim. 3.2 c. able to teach The d 1. Tim. 3.8 c. gouernors also must be furnished with good giftes wisedome and iudgement to discharge their duties XVIII Secondly in this election ordinance of the Ministers of Christ men must proceede in a religious feare and testifie the same before by a Act. 15.23 Act. 13.2.3 fasting and prayer XIX Thirdly they must be men approued and knowen of the a Act. 1.15 c. Act. 6.2 c. gouernors for knowledge and learning which haue a good name in the Church amōg the faithful for life and conuersation XX. Fourthly they were ordained in times past by the Apostles and their successors with a Act. 13.3 1. Tim. 4.14 2. Tim. 1.6 1. Tim. 5.22 imposition or laying on of handes which rite for comelinesse and order sake may well be obserued in these dayes so that we put no opinion of necessitie or of worship therein CHAP. XXI Of Church discipline and gouernement I. APHORISME ECclesiasticall cēsure or Church discipline is a a 2. Tim. 3.16 Mat. 18.15 2. Cor. 2.6 2. Thess 3.15 brotherly b Mat. 18.15 1. Cor. 5.11 2. Thess 3.15 correction according to Gods word wherby the faithfull are stirred vp to do their duties and so they further the saluation one of another II. This discipline is either common or proper common whereunto all ought to be subiect proper which pertaineth to the Ministers of the Church onely III. The common discipline doth respect a Mat. 18.15 16.17 three degrees in priuate or secret sinnes The first is that he that hath sinned be admonished and reproued priuatly of him to
by the Priest all their sins for whom the Masse is celebrated are purged whether they be as yet aliue or euē long since dead and in Purgatorie XXIII Lastly they sinne also grieuously whiles they adore that fained Christ as lying hid vnder the forme of bread CHAP. XXIIII Of Baptisme I. APHORISME BAptisme is the first Sacrament of the new Testament or couenant of grace wherein according to Christs a Mat. 28.19 institution the Christian is dipped in water or sprinkled with water by the Minister of the Church to represent the shedding of the bloud of Christ vpon the Crosse and to testifie to him that the remission of sinsis purchased for him by the bloud of Christ and to seale his regeneration by the holy Ghost which grace is purchased also fot the elect by the bloud of Iesus Christ and lastly to seale his communion and felowship with Christ in the kingdome of heauen and so in like manner the Baptised makes publique profession that his harts desire is to be one of the people and Church of God II. Whereas we say that Baptisme is a Sacrament we haue already shewed in the former Chapter what this word signifieth III. We ad that Baptisme is a Sacrament of the new Testament or couenant of grace because it was instituted by Christ after his incarnation first administred amongst the Iewes by Iohn the Baptist Christ himselfe next among all nations by the Apostles and their successours IIII. We call Baptisme the first Sacrament of the new Testament in respect of the second which is the Lords Supper for Baptisme is the Sacrament of our first a Act. 2.4.1 Iohn 41. entrance and admission into the visible Church of Christ that we may be of the number of Gods childrē so accounted may enioy their b Ibid. v. 42. priuiledges And therfore men vnbaptised may not be admitted to the Lordes Supper like as in times past vnder the old Testament the Sacracrament of their first c Mat. 23.15 entrance into the Church was Circumcision and none d Exod. 13.48 vncircumcised was to eate the passeouer V. We say that the person to be Baptised ought to be a a Mar. 16.16 Act. 8.36.37.38 Act. 2.41 Act. 16.14.15.31.32.33 Christian by which name we vnderstand not onely men of yeares lately conuerted to the Christiā faith but also young b Act. 16.33 Exod. 12.48 infants the children of Christian parents whereby may appeare that the speach of the common people is erroneous when as desiring Baptisme of the Pastour of the Church for their infants they say God hath giuen me a child I pray you make it a Christian soule For Baptisme doth not make a Christian but signifieth and marketh vs for Christians VI. We adde further that Baptisme is to be administred by the Minister of the Church bicause Baptisme is a part of the Ecclesiasticall a Mat. 28.19 Ministerie which none may b Heb. 5.4 meddle with but they which are thereunto lawfully called for to whom Christ gaue cōmission to Baptise to them also he gaue charge to preach his holy word and what God hath ioyned together c Mat. 19.6 no man may put asunder Those women therfore sinne which in their fained cause of necessitie do administer this holy Sacrament yea they sin dangerously for baptizing without any commission frō God nay d 1. Cor. 14.34 1. Tim. 2.22 contrary to his word and for ascribing to any externall thing our euerlasting saluation which is to be sought only in the death of Christ and in the promise of grace The same is to be thought also if any man not called to the Ministery of the Gospell do Baptise VII Water onely is to be vsed in Baptisme and no other liquor for that Gods commandement is of water only and the practise of the faithfull seruauntes of God which first ministred the same as Iohn Baptist Christ and his Apostles and their successours can teach vs. VIII And whether the Baptized be dipped in water and that once or thrise or haue the water sprinkled or powred vpon him it is a matter indifferent and ought to be free in the Church according to the diuersitie of countreys For although it be manifest that dipping in the water was vsed in the a Iohn 3.23 Mat. 3.16 Act. 8.38.39 Rom. 6.4.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 primitiue Church yet the originall Baptizing doth signifie not onely to be dipped in the water but also to be wet with water any way IX Moreouer Baptisme is giuen vs of God to this end first for the confirmation of our owne faith to our selues next for the manifestatiō of our profession among mē X. Baptisme helpes our faith three wayes testifying vnto vs of three things which we receiue by faith for first it is an instruction and symbole thereunto of the a Act. 2.37 c. 22.16 remission of sinnes next of our b Rom. 6.4 Tit. 3.5 renouation by the holy Ghost lastly of our vnion and c Gal. 3.28 communion with Christ XI First concerning forgiuenesse of sins Baptisme both teacheth and sealeth the same in a speciall manner vnder the figure and type of washing a Act. 22.16 Soph. 5.26 Tit. 3.5.6 purging vs for as by water the filthines of the body is purged and washed away So by the bloud b Iohn 1.7 of Christ all the pollutions of the faithfull are washed and purged XII And this confirmation which we haue by Baptisme concernes the whole life all and euery one of the sinnes of our life for the bloud of Christ whereof Baptisme is the seale purgeth a 1. Iohn 1.7 vs from all sinne Therfore so oftē as we fall we should call our Baptisme to minde and thereby arme our selues that we may euer rest assured of the free pardon of our sinnes for that the bloud of Christ is that fotūaine which is b Zach. 13.1 opened to the house of Dauid and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem that is to all the faithfull to wash them from sin and from vncleanesse XIII Let no mā by this doctrine gather any libertie to sinne for this doctrine is not taught but for the consolation of them which be truly humbled and for afflicted soules and consciences Againe Baptisme doth no lesse warne vs of our a Rom. 6.4 mortification and dying vnto sinne then of the remission of our sinnes by Christ XIIII Therefore the second end of our Baptisme is our a Tit. 3.5 regeneration for this Christ promiseth to worke in vs by his holy spirite and so doth indeede and this grace also he merited for vs of his father by his death and passion XV. Where we must obserue that this renewing of nature is a Rom. 7. imperfect in this life but yet so be we renewed that this sinne dwelling in vs raigneth b Rom. 6.4 not nor hath dominion ouer vs but by the grace of Gods spirite is dayly more and more mortified