by faith and yet this is by a spirituall presence not by a locall or bodily presence or placing by a Sacramental presence and such as belongeth to a couenant not by a naturall presence the body bloud of Christ are present by such a kinde of presence as faith requireth would haue not as the bodily mouth such a one as the spirit requireth and not the letter such a one as the purpose of Christ calleth for not a Capernaiticall interpretation and therefore rather we should by our minde be caried vp into heauen then to haue the blessed and glorious flesh of our Lord Iesus Christ pulled out of heauen vpon this miserable earth to imagine his inuisible descending into the bread and againe his ascending into heauen after the holy supper is celebrated Hitherto concerning the earthly matter in the holy Supper now concerning the outward action The outward action in the Lordes supper as in other Sacraments is two fold one of the minister that administreth the Lords supper and another of a faithfull man vsing the holy supper The action of the minister that administreth the holy supper is two fold the sanctifying of the bread and wine and the administring of it Of the sanctifying of the bread The sanctifying of the bread and wine is an action of the minister whereby according to the commandemēt of Christ he ordaineth the bread and wine to a holy vse The reciting of the words of the institutiō and promise is done for the blessing of the bread and wine that is to say that of the cōmon bread wine they might be made holy signes of the body bloud of Christ Which consecrating sanctifying and appointing of the bread and wine to a holy vse was called of old writers a change that is to say such a chaunging as belongeth to Sacraments Of the change belonging to Sacraments Which chaunging of the earthly matter is not a change of the substāce as the Papists erroniously affirme but a change of the end because the bread wine are no more common meat and drinke but serue to a holy end and vse For the mysticall signes Theod Dial. 2. euen after sanctifying doe not loose their owne nature Paul after the blessing calleth the bread still bread The administring of the earthly matter is the other part of the ministers actiō wherby he administreth the earthly matter in the holy supper And that administring is two fold partly of the bread partly of the wine Of the administring of the bread there are two parts the breaking and the distributing Of the breaking of the bread The breaking of the bread is an action of the minister whereby is signified that the bodie of Christ was no lesse certainely offered and broken on the crosse for me then I with my eyes see the bread of the Lord broken for me The distributing of the bread is an action of the minister whereby is signified that the body of Christ is as certainely offered to me as the bread broken is certainely offered to me Of the administring of the wine there are also two parts the powring of the wine into the cup and the distributing of the cup. The powring out of the wine is an action of the minister whereby is signified the shedding of the bloud of Christ done on the crosse The distributing of the cup is an action of the minister whereby is signifyed that the bloud of Christ is as certainely giuen vs as the cup is certainely deliuered vnto vs. Thus farre concerning the action of the minister now concerning the outward action of a faithfull man vsing the holy Supper The outward action of a faithfull man vsing the holy supper is two folde the receiuing of the bread and wine and thankesgiuing The receiuing of the bread and wine is an action of a faithfull man vsing the holy supper wherby he eateth the bread and drinketh the wine to signifie that he doth as certainely by faith eate the body of Christ and drinke his bloud as hee doth certainely with the mouth of the body eate the bread and drinke the wine out of the cup. To eate the body of Christ is to be made a partaker of the benefites of the couenant of grace that is to say of reconciliation iustification and regeneration in Christ of adoption c. Abraham did eate the flesh of Christ before that by his owne substance he had any being in his manhood We eate the flesh of Christ no otherwise then Abraham did neither are wee made partakers of the flesh of Christ otherwise then Abraham was Ioh. 6.51 1. Cor. 10.16 This eating is onely spirituall because it is done by faith and the spirite Whereby it appeareth that the beleeuers only doe eate the body and drinke the bloud of Christ the reprobate doe not because they haue no faith Now the flesh of Christ in that respect only that it was slaine and dead for vs is eaten to quicken the godly the bloud of Christ onely as it was shed on the crosse is drunke for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes For although Christ being once dead and raysed from the dead dyeth not anie more and so is not now any more in the state of humiliation but of glory yet the Sacraments leade our faith to the sacrifice of Christ performed on the crosse as Christ sayth Doe this in remembrance of me and Paul sayth As oft as you shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cuppe yee shall preach the death of the Lord vntill he come Hitherto concerning the receiuing of the bread and wine now concerning thankesgiuing Thankesgiuing is an action of a faithfull mā vsing the holy supper by which through true faith he thinketh speaketh of Christs death to his praise 1. Cor. 11.26 Thus farre concerning the parts of the Lordes Supper now concerning the preparation of a faithfull man before the vse thereof Of the preparation of a faithfull man before the vse of the holy supper The preparation to the vse of the holy Supper is two fold inward and outward The inward preparation is spiritual which consisteth in a mans examining of himselfe or in trying his owne worthinesse or vnworthinesse The worthinesse and vnworthinesse of those who come to the holy Supper and the effects of them both are two folde either of the person or of the vsing The worthines of the person is faith or the righteousnesse of Christ imputed by fayth which whosoeuer hath they are worthy guests receiue this food to eternal saluatiō Therfore the worthines of the person cōsisteth in faith alone and the effect of it is the escaping of eternall punishment The vnworthines of a person is infidelity wherewith whosoeuer are possessed they are vnworthy of this table and receiue to themselues iudgement and eternall damnation The worthinesse of the vsing is true reuerence inward and outward forgiuenes loue a serious bewayling of sinnes repentance the meditation of the benefites of Christ the
the table of the Lord. 1. Cor. 10.21 Therefore thou doest come to the banket of Christ thou art his guest as oft as thou doest eat and drinke of this supper The Lords supper commeth in the roome of the Paschall Lambe therefore it doth also keepe the analogie or proportion thereof For both the one and the other is a Sacrament of nourishment and spirituall bringing vp And as the eating of the Paschall Lambe was often vsed so also the vsing of the Lords Supper is oftentimes performed For as the Passeouer was the nourishing of Iudaisme so the Lords Supper is the nourishing of Christianity which nourishing often times standeth in neede of meat and drinke that is to say restoring and renewing euen as our life doth daily want refreshing which is performed by meat and drinke The parts of the Lords Supper as of other sacraments are two the earthly matter and outward action in the Supper The earthly matter in the Supper is two fold the bread and the wine Because we liue not only by meat but by drinke also The bread in the holy Supper is a signe or image of Christs body giuen to death for vs. Ioh. 6.35.48.50.51.55.56 The wine in the holy Supper is a signe or image of Christs bloud shed on the crosse for vs. Therefore the bread also is called the body it selfe and the wine or cup in which the wine is is called the bloud it selfe Not that the body of Christ descendeth from the seate of his glory out of heauen and doth hide it selfe inuisibly in the bread and his bloud in the wine which opinion is most absurd but therefore the bread is called the body of Christ because it is a signe remembrance token figure similitude and image of his body giuen for vs. And the wine or cup is called the new Testament or couenant in the bloud of Christ because it is a signe of the new Testament or couenaunt that is to say of reconciliation wrought with God by the bloud of Christ shed vppon the Crosse for the forgiuenesse of sinnes The bread by a metaphor is called the body of Christ deliuered for vs because the bread being broken is a signe calling into our remembraunce or imprinting in vs and as it were setting before our eyes the breaking that is to say the crucifying of the body of Christ The wine by the same metaphor is the bloud of Christ because it is a signe calling into our remembrance and imprinting in vs the shedding of Christs bloud done on the crosse for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Yea the bread is not a signe of his glorious body as it is now already glorified but of his body deliuered vnto death of his body broken on the crosse and slayne for our sakes as the Lord expresly sayth This is my body which is giuen for you And the wine is not a signe of his bloud contayned in the veines but of his bloud shed on the Crosse or as it was shed as the same Lord expresly testifieth And therefore the body of Christ is not now in the bread because it is already glorious and shall not before the last day descend from heauen vnto this miserable earth neyther is his bloud already in the wine because he once shed his bloud and died now he sheddeth it no more death shall no more raigne ouer him By the bread being broken is represented vnto vs as by a similitude a certaine image his body that suffered for vs. For the whole action of the Lords Supper is to be referred to this end that we might preach the death of the Lord vntill he come The metaphor seemeth to be more conuenient in the laying open of these wordes because not the bread simply but the bread broken by a certaine similitude doth represent the body broken as Paul sayeth that is to say deliuered vnto death For the breaking of the bread putteth vs in mind of the breaking of the body of Christ as it were by a certaine picture set before our eyes Christ did not simply call the bread his body but the bread which is broken But to what end As I see with mine eyes that the bread is broken for me so I am certainely confirmed in my faith that the body of Christ was giuen vnto death for me Secondly as certainely as the minister of the word doth giue me the bread broken so certainely doth Christ giue me his body deliuered to death for my sake That this is the naturall meaning of the words of Christ by this it appeareth For Christ commaundeth to doe all these things in remembraunce of him and Paul expoundeth that saying yee shall preach the death of the Lord vntill he come Christ truely hath not said the bread is the signe of my body but because he ordayned the Sacrament he speaketh of it as the Scripture is alwayes wont to speake concerning Sacraments vnder a metaphor calling the signe by the name of the thing signified And therefore the faithfull comming to the holy Supper when they behold with the eyes of the body the Sacramentall bread they are admonished that withall by the eyes of faith they behold and embrace the body of Christ broken or crucified vppon the crosse for vs. For therefore the bread hath the name of the body not that the faithfull should stand vppon the bread onely or seeke the body of Christ in the earthly Element but that they should by faith lift vp themselues into Heauen whither he did ascend and where he is and by the eyes of faith should behold and eate the vnspotted Lambe that was slaine for them on the heauēly Altar the Church nameth it saying Lift vp your hearts By the same metaphor the bread which we breake is by Paul called the communion of the body of Christ the cuppe of blessing which we blesse is called the communion of the bloud of Christ 1. Cor. 10.16 Because by this bread and cup as by a seale the faithfull are assured that they haue communion that is to say fellowship with Christ Both the matters that is to say the earthly and heauenly are indeede present in the holy Supper the former indeede bodily and visibly but the other spiritually by the sight which faith affordeth vs. We with the eyes of the body see the bread and wine but with the eyes of the soule that is to say with faith we see the body and bloud of Christ Therefore as certainely as we see the bread and wine to be present so certainely doe we beleeue that the body and bloud of Christ is present to vs yea we doe not beleeue that it is the Lords supper except his body bloud be present to vs. Otherwise if they were absent how could it be made the partaking of the body and bloud of Christ for the partaking is not of things that are absent but present But the body and bloud of Christ are truly present to the faithfull that is to say to those who receiue it
inward or outward The outward calling is a calling which is done by the Ministers of Gods word And that is two fold effectuall or vneffectuall Mat. 22.2 The effectuall calling belongeth to the elect in whose harts the word preached doth abide The vneffectuall calling belongeth to the reprobate in whose harts the word of God either findeth no abode or else vanisheth away so that it is become to them the sauour of death and a matter of more grieuous condemnation Thus much concerning the outward calling now concerning the inward The calling that is inward is a calling which is wrought by the holy spirit by whoÌ„ the father draweth vs and giueth vs to his sonne Iohn 6.37.44 and 17.11 Hitherto concerning our calling to Christ now concerning our calling to some office The calling to some office is the separating of a fit person to some office Rom. 1.1 Thus farre concerning our calling now concerning Gods couenant Gods couenant is a bargaine which God hath made with meâ— in which God promiseth to men some good requireth of them again that they performe those things which he commandeth And that couenant is either eternall or temporall The eternall couenant is a couenant in which God promiseth men eternall life And that is two fold the couenant of workes or the couenant of grace The couenant of workes is a bargaine of God made with men coÌ„cerning eternall life to which is both a condition of perfect obedience adioyned to be performed by man also a threatning of eternall death if he shal not performe perfect obedience Gene. 2.17 The couenant with Moses is the couenant of workes The repetition of the couenant of workes is made by God Exod. 19.5 Deut. 5.2 1. King 8.21 Heb. 8.9 and that chiefly for foure causes 1. That God by all meanes might stirre vp men to performe obedience 2. That euery mouth might be stopped and all the world might be made subiect to the condemnation of God for not performing perfect obedience Rom. 3.19 3. That he might manifest mans sinne and naughtinesse Rom. 3.19.20 and 7.7.8.9.10.11 4. That he might thrust vs forward to seeke to be restored in the couenant of grace Gal. 3.22 and 5.23 Thus much concerning the couenant of workes now concerning the couenant of grace Of the couenaÌ„t of grace The couenant of grace is the reconciling of the elect with God by the death of the only mediatour Rom. 8.30 2. Cor. 5.17.18.19.20.21 Heb. 9.15 The mediatour That onely mediatour is our Lord Iesus Christ who onely doth reconcile vs to his father by his satisfaction and merit Gene. 3.15 and 11.35 Gal. 3.12.13.14 Gene. 15.18 17.2.10.11 Exod. 6.4 the Epistle to the Heb. Chap. 7.8.9 10. The couenant made with Abraham is the couenant of grace Actes 3.25 The couenant of grace is also called the Testament because this reconciliation was made and ratified by the death of the testatour Christ comming betweene Heb. 9.16.17 Christ purchased reconciliation between his heauenly father and vs by his death and there withall left it vnto vs no otherwise theÌ„ parents dying doe leaue their goods to their children And that perpetually is one and the selfe same if we consider the substance thereof as there is but one Church in all ages one true faith ReligioÌ„ of Saints one God one mediatour Christ but one sacrifice for sins but one righteousnesse redeÌ„ptioÌ„ of the world one manner for all the ages of the world to obtaine saluation namely by faith in Christ Heb. 13.8 Reuel 13.8 1. Tim. 2.5 Rom. 12. and 4.3 Ephes 1.10 Rom. 9.5 Col. 1.18 Ephe. 2.21 Actes 4.2 Mat. 11.27 Iohn 14.6 Luke 10.24 Iohn 8 56. Gene. 3.15 and 22.18 But by the circumstances it is called the old or new Testament It is called the old Testament or couenant because it was hid from the faithfull by diuers shadowes and figures before Christ was manifested in the flesh Gene. 12.7 Heb. 9.4.18 Exod. 24.8 It is called the new TestameÌ„t or couenaÌ„t because it is clearely manifested to the faithfull by Christ himselfe shewed in the flesh Heb. 8 6. Therefore the faithfull in the old Testament had Christ as yet couered in a type or rather they looked for a true manifestation of him but we haue him manifested indeede They had figures we haue the thing it selfe they did reioyce in outward and ceremoniall things we triumph in spirituall and the things signified without types Ierem. 31.31 Matth. 26.28 1. Cor. 11.25 Heb. 8.9.10 and Chap. 9. and 10. Of the couenant of grace there be two parts the promise of grace the answering againe of a good conscience The former respecteth God the later respecteth the faithfull Heb. 8.10.11.12 Of the promise of grace The promise of grace is the first part of the couenant of grace by which God promiseth freely his benefites purchased by Christ vnto all those who beleeue in Christ The benefites purchased by Christ for vs and promised in the Gospell are these the giuing of the holy spirit the communion with Christ and our preseruation in this communion and the giuing of eternall life Of the giuing of the holy spirit The giuing of the holy spirite is a benefite of God by which he giueth vs his holy spirite who maketh vs partakers of Christ and of all his benefites Of the knowledge of the holy spirit there be two parts the first concâ—rning the person of the holy spirite the second concerning his office If we consider his person he is true God equall with the father and the sonne Actes 5.3.4 Gene. 1.2 Math. 28.19 Mar 16 15. But the office of the holy spirite is this that by him the father and the sonne doe shew foorth their power and execute the decrees of their will in creating sustaining and mouing all things but chiefly in mouing the harts of those that heare Gods word and in sanctifying and quickning the elect with eternall saluation Thus farre concerning the giuing of the holy spirite now concerning our communion with Christ Of our communion with Christ Our communion with Christ is the benefit of God whilest he giueth to the beleeuers Christ himselfe and his merits that he might powerfully worke in them eternall life Iohn 3.16 Rom. 8.32 That is also called our ioyning vnion knitting together with Christ our ingrafting into Christ the eating of Christes flesh the drinking of Christes bloud the bringing of vs vnder one head ioyning into one body vnder one head to wit Christ Ephes 1.10 our washing in the bloud of Christ the quickning of vs the raysing of vs from the dead the placing of vs in heauen together with Christ Ephes 2.5.6 Now the communion of all Saintes with Christ is one and the selfe same that is to say onely spirituall There is not a bodily entrance and remayning of Christ within the bodies of the Saints neither doth Christ dwell spiritually in some and bodily in other some but in all beleeuers spiritually onely And that is
was made by the father of the family and did signifie that God would giue his son that he might be sacrificed for the sinnes of the world 1. Cor. 5.7 The action of the faithfull receiuer was also two fold the eating of the Paschall Lambe and thankesgiuing By the eating of the Paschall Lambe was signified the participation of Christs passion 1. Cor. 5.7.8 In the thankesgiuing was remembred to the praise of God the benefite of bringing forth the people of God from the bōdage of Egypt as also the benefite of the deliuerance that should be from the spirituall Egypt that is to say from the bondage of sin both which were to be wrought by the sacrifice of the Messias Exod. 12.24.26 13.8.9.10 Thus farre concerning the ordinary Sacraments of the old Testament now concerning the extraordinary The extraordinary Sacraments were those which were extrordinarily both before the instituting of the two ordinary Sacraments as also those which were added to them afterward Before the ordinary Sacraments were the sacrifices from Adam euen to Abraham Genes 4.4 The extraordinary Sacraments which were added to the former two were also two The Baptisme of the cloud and of the sea and the supper of Manna and of the water flowing out of the rocke The Baptisme of the cloud and sea was an extraordinary Sacrament in the old Testament whereby the Israelites being vnder that cloud and passing through the sea were all baptized into Moses in that cloud and in that sea 1. Cor. 10.1.2 The supper of Māna of the water flowing out of the rocke was a Sacrament of the old Testament whereby the Israelites were nourished with meat sent from heauen to signifie the spirituall nourishment of the flesh of Christ and did drinke the water flowing out of the rock to signifie the spiritual drink of the bloud of Christ 1. Cor. 10.3.4 Hitherto concerning the Sacraments of the old Testament now concerning the Sacraments of the new Testament Of the Sacramēts of the new Testament A Sacrament of the new Testament is that which being by Christ himselfe instituted for his owne Church came in the roome of the Sacraments of the old Testament Matt. 26.26 28.19 The Sacraments of the new Testament are two Baptisme and the Lords supper Of Baptisme Baptisme is a Sacrament of the new Testament wherby is signified and sealed vp to vs that we are as certainely washed in the bloud of Christ from sinnes as our body is certainly washed through water in the name of the father the sonne and the holy Ghost Mat. 28 19. Acts. 2.38 Mat. 3.11 Mark 16.16 Rom. 6.3 Mar. 1.4 Luk. 3.3 Baptisme commeth in the place of Circumcision and kepeth the analogy and proportion thereof for both of them is a Sacrament of entrance into the Church and of regeneration And as the Israelites were but once circūcised so we are but once baptized onely because we are but once borne onely and as circumcision was the first beginning of Iudaisme so Baptisme is the first beginning of Christianity Of Baptisme there are two parts the water of Baptisme and the outward action in Baptisme By the water of Baptisme is signified the bloud of Christ shed on the crosse Heb. 12.24 1. Pet. 1.1 Zach. 13.1 Ezec. 36.25 The outward action in Baptisme is two fold the one of the minister administring Baptisme the other of a faithfull man vsing Baptisme The action of the minister is two fold the sanctification of the water and the outward washing The sanctification of the water is the appointing of it to this end that it might signifie the bloud of Christ The outward washing is a signe seale and very sure pledge of the inward washing whereby we with the bloud of Christ are washed from sins Reue. 1.5 Rom. 6.3 1. Cor. 1.6.11 1. Pet. 3.21 Eph. 5.26 1. Ioh. 1.7 For as the filthinesses of the body are purged with water so our sinnes are taken away by the bloud of Christ Reue. 1.5 7.14 1. Cor. 6.11 Gal. 3.17 1. Ioh. 1.7.3 Therefore the outward Baptisme is called the washing of regeneration Tit. 3.5 The washing away of sinnes Acts 22.16 not because the washing is properly and by it selfe that by which we are regenerated for we are properly regenerated by the holy spirite but because it is the signe and seale of the inward washing that is to say of regeneration and adoption according to the forme of the couenant I will be thy God and the God of thy seede The minister washeth outwardly with water but Christ washeth inwardly with his bloud Mat. 3.11 Reue. 1.5 Thus farre concerning the action of the Minister administring Baptisme now concerning the actions of a faithfull man receiuing Baptisme The actions of a faithfull man vsing Baptisme is also two fold the receiuing of Baptisme and thankesgiuing In the receiuing of Baptisme is signified that the infant is by the bloud of Christ so certainely washed from sinnes as his body is certainly sprinckled and washed with water Reuel 7.14 Ezech. 36.25 To be washed with the bloud of Christ is is to be made partakers of the benefites of the couenant of Grace that is to say to be reconciled iustified regenerated adopted by God to be his sonnes to be endued with the freedome of the sonnes of God and so forth The outward man feeleth the force of the water but the inward man feeleth the powerfull working of the bloud of Christ Euen Infidels are washed with water but beleeuers onely with the bloud of Christ Therefore all who are Baptized are not regenerated but onely the beleeuers Now not onely those that are of yeares of discretiō are to be Baptized but also infants 1 Because they also do pertaine to the couenant of the grace of God 2 Because to them also belōgeth the promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes through the bloud of Christ 3 Because they belong to the Church of God 4 Because they are redeemed by the bloud of Christ 5 Because to them is promised the holy Spirite 6 Because they are to be discerned from the children of Infidels 7 Because also in the old Testament infants were circumcised Thankesgiuing is eyther presently done by the party Baptized if he be of yeares of discretion or else it is performed by the the witnesses in his stead if he bean infant who yet when he commeth to ripe yeares ought afterward in the whole course of his life to be thankefull to God for this benefite Hitherto concerning Baptisme now concerning the Lords Supper Of the Lords Supper The Lords Supper is a sacrament of the new Testament by which is signified sealed vp vnto vs that we are as certainely nourished to eternall life by the body of Christ crucified and by his bloud shed as we do certainely with the mouth of our body eate the bread broken and drinke the wine out of the cup. Mat. 26.26.27.28 Mark 14.22.23.24 Luk. 22.19.20 1. Cor. 10.16.17 11.23.24.25 12.13 In the fame sense it is called
in preaching in administring the Sacraments in visiting the sicke and captiue and in other things pertaining to the holy ministery Thus farre concerning Deacons now concerning Deaconesses Deaconesses are widowes who serue to the vses of the poore and sicke Act. 6.11 Tim. 5.9 Hitherto concerning the Ministers of the church now concerning the hearers The hearers are all the rest of the saints in the Church besides the ministers whose duty is willingly to submit themselues to the ecclesiasticall discipline and to further it according to their ability with gifts labour and by what meanes soeuer they can Heb. 13.17 1. Tim. 5.17.18 Otherwise they are called ley men priuate men Thus farre concerning the proper gouernment of the church now concerning the common The common gouernment of the Church is that which doth pertaine to all the members of the whole body of the Church And that appeareth in the ecclesiasticall counsels for euery one may and ought to be heard in them so that it be done duely and in order Of counsels The ecclesiasticall counsell is an assembly instituted for the causes of the Church Otherwise it is called a Synode But the cause of calling together of counsels is two fold One that the Church may defend the sincere doctrine comprehended in the word of God against hereticks and approoue it by open testimony Act. 15. In this regard the Church is called the piller or ground of truth to wit whereof it is a faithfull witnesse 1. Tim. 3.15 The other that it might appoint lawes or rules of the ecclesiastical gouernment according to the diuers respects of times places and persons The counsell is generall or particular Generall is that which is gathered in the name of the whole Church as was that of the Israelites 1. King 18.19 and of the Apostles Act. 15.6 The particular counsell is that which is gathered in the name of some certaine church And that is called prouinciall or nationall when the chosen ministers of the church of one prouince or nation meete together The Synod of some choise of learned and godly men is to be gathered together by the authority of the magistrate We must not make any decree concerning the order and manner of conferring with the aduersaries except the magistrate be present or else men chosen by the magistrate The order must be according to method The positions must be definitions distributions short axiomes The manner of disputing must be alwayes by syllogismes But all things that are done by writing are to be subscribed with the very hand of those who are to confer or if they do rather choose to deale by speach the sayings of both parties are to be written by approoued notaries of good credit and chosen by the consent of either partie which afterward both parties may ouersee and confirme it by adding the subscription For this truly is the iust and sincere forme of conference that so falsehood may be preuented The positions of the conference which are propounded must be vndoubted and very few also let not liberty be giuen to wander from them neyther yet are all the iudgements and interpretations of priuate men to be defended but euery part must clearely propound and defend his owne iudgement for it is neither needefull nor necessary that all the iudgements and sayings of all men be approued by vs. For why should we defend the particular iudgement and authority of other men if we our selues be of another minde The controuersies after both parties heard are finally to be determined From which determination deciding the ciuil magistrats are not to be excluded but admitted to it For both Zenas the Lawyer is highly commended by Paul and ioyned with Apollo as equall with him Tit. 3.13 Hitherto concerning the true church now concerning the false Church The false Church is that which followeth a false religion A false religion is what religion soeuer is contrarie to the word of God deliuered in the holy Scripture Whosoeuer embrace this are the enemies of Christ and his kingdome or true Church The enemies are either open or dissembled The open enemies are those who do manifestly shew thēselues enemies to the name of Christians And they are both blasphemous Iewes and Gentiles The blasphemous Iewes are the open enemies of the christian religion who though Iesus Christ the promised Messias be already manifested yet looke for an other and speake euil of the Lord Iesus and his mēbers neither will they beleeue the Gospell concerning Iesus Christ In them especially we must consider both their reiection and also restoring The reiection of the Iewes is a most iust punishment which by God is layd vpon thē whilest he hath blinded and hardened them being vnthankefull towardes Christ and his Gospell and reiected them from his couenant that he might call and adopt the Gentiles in their stead Act. 13.46 Rom. 11. chap. almost throughout And that is neither generall nor perpetuall Rom. 11. Of therestoring of the Iewes The restoring of the Iewes is a benefite of God when God after that the fulnesse of the Gentiles is come in into the Church shall conuert the Iewes that they being kindled with an emulation of the mercy shewed to the Gentiles might embrace that Gospell which concerneth Christ and be ingraffed againe into the couenant of Grace made with Abraham and their fathers and might be saued Rom. 11.23.24.25.26.27.28.29.30.31.32 Hitherto concerning the Iewes now concerning the Gentiles The Gentiles are open enemies to the Christian religion who worshippe false and counterfeit Gods And they be either Mahumets or other Pagans Mahumets are open enemies to the Christian religion who worship Mahumet and embrace the Alcoran deliuered vnto them by him They are also called Turkes Other Pagans are also besides the Mahumets which worship fained gods And thus farre concerning open enemies now concerning dissembled enemies The dissembled enemies of Christ and the true Church are those who vnder the name of Christ do fight against him and by many lying signes seduce men And they are eyther Antichristes or false Christs Antichrists are the dissembled enemies of Christ who euery manner of way are against the doctrine of Christ whose followers they professe themselues to be 1. Iohn 2.18.22 4.3 2. Ioh. vers 7. And the same are also called false Prophets Matth. 7.15 Antichrist is two fold for either he is against one part or other onely of the Christian doctrine or else almost against the whole bodie of it Of the first kind are all Heretikes Of Heretikes An Heretike is he who doth erre in the foundation of eternall saluation that is to say who doth fight against eyther the perfon or office of Christ and doth stubbornely perseuere in errour Many such haue been euen from the times of the Apostles and yet also there are some as Cerinthus Valentinus Marcion Sabellius Arrius Nestorius Ertiches Pelagius and others Of Antichrist Of the latter kind is that notorious aduersary of Christ who by an excellency
of God by which we do religiously call vppon God Psal 50.18 116.13 To it is opposed an idolatrous inuocation and the omitting of inuocation or sinne An idolatrous inuocation is a sinne when that is called vpon which is not God And of this first is the inuocation or sinne of the Gentiles Turkes Iewes and Papists The omitting of inuocation is a sin when inuocation so straightly commaunded by God is omitted as though God had no need of it Calling vppon God is either prayer or an oath Of prayer Prayer is a calling vppon God by which we aske of God such good things as are necessary for the soule and body and contrariwise do pray that euill things may be remoued Gen. 17.18 24.12 28. 2. â—2 11 Exod. 8.12 1. Sam. 17.19 1. King 8.15 And that 〈◊〉 either the absolute seruice of the deity or prayer proper to the mediator The absolute seruice of the deity is that which is properly directed to the deity and with that also wee worshippe Christ as hee is God and by which we attribute vnto him the honour of omnipotency knowing all things and being euery where present Of worshipping the mediator Christ Prayer proper to the mediator is that worship which is giuen to Christ both in respect of his person and of his office as to that mediator that is God and man For as the acknowledgement of Christ consisteth in the acknowledgement of his person and office so in inuocation we must thinke of Christ after either manner First he is to be called vppon as God the giuer of good things with the Father and the holy Spirite Secondly we must thinke of him as of a mediatour and intercessour for whose sake we beleeue that wee are receiued and heard That worship of the mediatour is one not in respect or degree but in number And as our faith in the acknowledgment of Christ doth put a difference betweene the natures so also in the worshipping of him Therefore he the mediatour is worshipped not for his humanities sake which is created but because of his eternall and omnipotent deity For the deity the Creator of all things is the proper subiect of religious worship and not the humanity because it is a creature Cyrillus writing to Theodosius the king concerning the right faith saith Shall we therefore worship Emmanuell that is God with vs as a man Be it farre from vs for this sinne were a dotage deceipt and errour For in this wee should not differ from those who do worship the creature more then the creator and maker And as faith doth attribute to him according to either nature that which it ought according to the Scriptures so it doth demaund that in the worke of hearing as in the perfection of his duetie and obedience he should worke according to either nature that which is his owne to do According to the deity that he might behold the hearts heare the sighes of his seruants giue the holy Spirite and other good things according to his vnmeasurable wisdome and power But according to the humanity that he might of his own humaine will approoue the prayers and hearings of his people and in that might do that which is proper to him So the Church prayeth Reuel 22.20 Euen come thou Lord Iesus in which prayer it doth aske not that made manifest in his God-head he might come in the clouds but manifested in his humanity and so one and that selfe same Lord Iesus might deliuer and glorifie the Church by his diuine omnipotency or almighty power Thus much concerning the distribution of prayer now concerning the forme of prayer Of all other the Lords prayer is the best forme of prayer The Lords prayer is that which our Lord Christ himselfe hath taught vs. The expounding of the Lords prayer Mat. 6.9 Luke 11.20 Our Father which art in heauen and so forth Of the Lords prayer are foure parts an entrance petitions a confirmation and a conclusion Of the entrance there are two parts the first teacheth vs whom we ought to call vppon namely our father Our father is God Now we call God father for two causes 1 Because he hath begot the sonne to himselfe from eternity to wit Iesus Christ 2 Because he hath adopted vs to be his sonnes for Christ his sake But in our prayers we call him father for three causes 1 That we being about to pray might find a distinction between our inuocation and the prayers of Infidels turning our selues to this God who hath manifested himselfe in his sonne Iesus Christ 2 That a child-like feare and reuerence of God might be stirred vp in vs. 3 That we might pray with confidence certainly assuring our selues that we are heard of God as of a mercifull father because he hath adopted vs to be his sonnes because we are members of Christ because we call vpon him by Christ But we call him our Father for two causes 1 That so we might thinke that we are to pray not only for our selues but for other men also especially for those who are members with vs in the body of Christ sonnes of the same father in heauen 2 That we may pray the more boldly thinking this that the whole Church and euen the mediator as our brother doth pray with vs. This is the first part of the entrance the second followeth The second part is this which art in Heauen That God is in heauen it meaneth that he onely is omnipotent and alone can giue vs those things which we aske of him God truely is euery where Iere. 23.23.24 Esa 66.1 But heauen is as it were the ordinary Pallace of God in which is his throne and the chiefest glory of God doth appeare because God doth most magnifically manifest himself in heauen to the Angels blessed soules Psal 115.16 Psal 19. But these words which art in heauen are added for fiue causes 1 That we might not imagine any earthly and carnall matter of the heauenly maiesty of God 2 That we being about to pray might lift vp our minds from the earth to heauen Psal 25. 121. 3 That we might expect from the omnipotency and almighty power of God what things soeuer are necessary for soule body 4 That we might be mindfull of this that our God hath all gouernment of heauen and earth that he is present euery where and that he heareth and helpeth those that cal on him 5 That we should not direct or tie the worship of God to any place or thing besides his commandement So much concerning the entrance of the Lords prayer the petitions follow The petitions of the Lordes prayer are two fold the three former pertaine to the glorie of God and the three later to our own necessitie The first petition is this I. Petition Hallowed be thy name In it wee aske the hallowing of Gods name The hallowing of Gods name is the glorifying of God And that is done both by true faith and also