consider and confesse that we haue not loued and feared God we haue not beleeued depended vpon him in all estates as we ought but haue oftentimes feared and loued the creatures aboue him we haue preferred a filthy pleasure before him wee haue doubted of his promises through vnbeleefe and relyed vpon an arme of flesh and blood We haue beene carelesse Command 2 in the worship of God we haue not prayed vnto him with stedfast assurance to be heard we haue not serued him in spirit and in truth as he requireth of vs but hypocrisie hath crept into our best actions and meditations we haue more laboured after the outward shewes and appearances of religion then to expresse the power of godlinesse and haue more esteemed to seeme to others to be true Christians then to be such indeed We haue not reuerenced the Command 3 eternall Maiesty of God as is meet to doe who is infinite inuisibe vnchangeable we haue not blessed and praised his name with thanksgiuing for all things and at all times as well for aduersity as prosperity We haue not heard read and meditated in his word with such affection reuerence and zeale as is requisite when occasion hath beene offered to speak of the works of Gods prouidence we haue not acknowledged in them the greatnes of his wisedome power and goodnes as we ought nay rather the glorious and dreadfull name of God which ought to be more deare vnto vs then our owne liues hath beene blasphemed dishonoured and abused by vs. Touching the Sabboth wee Command 4 must consider and confesse how we haue prophaned it we haue beene more carefull to follow our worldly workes affaires then to seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse hauing had more care of the body then of the soule we haue sent out our seruants to dispatch our businesse on that day and haue not suffered them to attend on the businesse of the Lord for the saluation of their soules and our selues haue neglected the ministry of the word of God haue defiled his sanctuary and haue polluted that holy day with feasting playing sporting drinking idlenesse and other vanities Wee haue not yeelded reuerence to superiors for conscience sake nor beene affrayed to offend them as God hath commaunded we haue not alwaies spoken Command 5 of them and their gouernment as we should wee haue not had such a reuerence opinion and perswasion of our Pastors and teachers as wee ought which haue the charge of our soules and labour among vs in the Lord. Againe we haue not beene carefull to teach and instruct such as are vnder vs as our Children Seruants and whole family as wee are bound praying with them in our houses exhorting them in all wisedome conferring with them in all gentlenesse and furthering them in all the waies of godlinesse Touching the sixt Commaundement we haue not loued Command 6 our Neighbours as our selues procuring their good as our owne wee haue broken out thorough debate contention chyding reuyling brawling quarrelling and reuenging we haue not reioyced at the good and prosperity of our bretheren but when GODS eye haih beene good towards them in blessing them we haue repined and grudged at it Wee haue not possessed the vesselles of or bodies in holinesse and honour as the Temples of the Holye-Ghost knowing we are bought with a price we haue not tamed and brought into subiection this flesh as we should to make it in all respectes subiecte and obedient vnto the spirite wee haue not made a couenat with our eies with Command 7 our eares with our tongues to turne them from all vncleane sights wanton wordes and filthy communication but haue suffered them to wander after vnlawfull lust and concupisence neither haue wee vsed such sobriety abstinence and temperancie as hath beene fit to keepe vnder our affections but riotousnesse excesse in apparrell surfetting sloathfulnesse idlenes pride and fulnesse of breade which were the sinnes of Sodome Ezekiel 16. are vsed in many places as for drunkennes it hath taken away the heartes and euen washed away the braines of many Wee must confesse that our dealinges with our neighbours in Command 8 buying selling bargaining and contracting haue not bin with such vprightnesse soundnesse iustice sinceritie and truth as God requireth we haue bene giuen to oppression couetousnesse and hard dealing one towards another and not considered that godlinesse is great gain if a man be contented with that he hath that if we haue food and rayment we must bee content and can carry nothing with vs out of this world we haue not at all times beene giuen to mercie and compassion towards the poore for the maintenance of them and their families especially in times of famine derth pestilence sickenesse and other mortalities and necessities Command 9 Wee must acknowledge that we haue not Loued the truth in the inward parts neither maintained the credit and good name of men as wee ought but haue beene addicte to lying enuying backe-byting flattering or defaming one of another and to heare others with comfort and delighte to do the like we haue not beene couragious and constant to confesse and defend the truth against the enemies thereof but haue beene ashamed to set our selues against lies errors and slanders we haue kindled the coales of contention by false furmises carrying of tales and publishing of infirmities vnto the great damage hurt and hinderance of our brethren Command x. Lastly we must remember to shut vppe this confession that our whole Nature is vile and wretched the heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things and past finding out wee are sinful as an euil tree which can bring forth nothing but euill fruite our thoughts are vaine and corrupt our first motions and imaginations are euil against the law of God that saith k Exod 10 17 Thou shalt not lust requiring a pure heart towards our neighbors holy cogitations of the spirit and a continuall conflict against euil affections and lusts of the flesh Thus must euery one of vs araigne and endite our selues Thus wee must accuse our selues and condemne our owne workes Thus wee must search our owne wayes confessing that if l Iohn 3 20 our owne hearts accuse vs God is greater then our hearts and knoweth all thinges Then let vs appeale to the throne of grace let vs desire saluation in Christ for his mercies sake let vs cast all our comfort vpon him couering our faces through shame of our sinnes that are past humbling our selues through griefe of them that are present and working out our saluation with a feare of that which may come heereafter If thus we iudge our selues God will acquite vs if thus we condemne our selues God will iustify vs if wee accuse our selues he will discharge vs if we be displeased with our selues for our sinnes God wil bee well pleased with vs and cloath vs with the righteousnesse of Christ But if wee stand vpon our owne righteousnesse and worthinesse if we say we haue
or difficulty to say this is my body when he gaue a signe of his body declaring thereby that by these words My body he vnderstood the signe of his body expounding the former by the latter It is also very waighty and worthy to be considered Epist 23. which he writeth in his Epistle to Boniface If the Sacrament had not a resemblance of the things whereof they are Sacraments they should not be SacrameÌ„ts at all but because of this most commonly they take the name of the things themselues so then as the Sacrament of Christs body is after a sort the body of Christ and the Sacrament of Christs blood is after a sort the blood of Christ so the Sacrament of faith is faith If he had verily beleeued that it is really the bodye of Christ he would neuer haue said this Sacrament is after a certaine fashion the body of Christ as euery man would laugh vs to scorne if we should say that Paul was after a sort a man or Peter was after a sort a man who were men truely and indeed And in another place he saith e Tract 50 in Iohan. Wee haue euer Iesus Christ according to the presence of his Maiesty but according to the presence of his flesh hee hath truely sa de to his Disciples Mee shall ye not haue alwayes Mat. 26 11. Origen also is plaine for vs writing vpon Mat. 15 Mat. 16 11 where he saith f Orig hom in Mat. 15. This meat which is sanctified by the word of God by prayer as touching his matter goeth downe into the belly and is voyded into the draught Let vs come to Chrysostome who aboue al the rest is vehement in his amplifications excessiue in the hight of his eloquence being desirous to draw the people to a reuerence of this Sacrament to redresse the abuses thereof crept in of which he complaineth in all places of his workes yet when hee speaketh properly he teacheth as others teach and writeth as others write as when he saith g Chrysost hom 83 in Math. If Christ be not dead wherof is this Sacrament a signe and token And likewise in that place When our Lord gaue the Sacrament he gaue w ne And if he gaue wine then by consequent hee gaue bread also which ouerthroweth such as h Dureus in Whâ—t say he took bread but gaue it not he tooke wine but gaue it not If these places bee not plaine and pregnant enough heare yet much plainer He demandeth i Hom. 24 in 1 Cor. What is this bread He answereth himselfe The body of Christ now least any should imagine some change of substance and the maintainers of Transubstantiation begin to lift vp their eares he addeth immediately And what are they made which partake thereof He answereth The body of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in the same place he telleth vs We must mount on high like Eagles if we will come neare to that body And in the vnperfect worke vpon Mathew if that worke be Chrysostomes k Câ—â—â—â—ost oper inâ—â—â—â—â—r Mat. hom 11. If it bee so dangerous a thing to transferre to priuate vses those sanctisied vessels in which the true body of Christ was not but the mystery of his body how much more the vessels of our bodies which God hath prepared for his habitation But of all other testimonies none is more euident then an Epistle of his written to Caesarius in the time of his banishment which albeit it be not printed among his workes l Pet. Martyr loc class 4. c. 10. sâ—ct 31. yet is auouched to be extant in the Library at Florence Before the bread be sanctified wee call it bread but when the grace of God hath sanctified it it is surely freed from the name of bread and is thought worthy to be called the body of our Lord though the nature of bread remaine in it True it is m Bellar. de Euchar. lib. 2 cap. 22. Bellarmine denyeth that euer he wrote any such thing howbeit Gregory of Valence admitteth the words confesseth the place and yet goeth about to shift it off and to weaken this witnesse as if it were not written by that godly and golden Father n Greg. de Valen lib. de transub but by one Iohn of Constantinople Thus he would delude and deceiue his Reader forasmuch as that Iohn was no other then Iohn Chrysostome and Iohn Chrysostome was Bishop of Constantinople Their owne glosse maketh this exposition o De Cons dist 2. Vocatur corpus Christi id est significat corpus Christi It is called the body of Christ that is it signifieth his body Adde to these the witnes of Maximus the Greeke p In eccles Hierar Scholiast who opposeth the signes to the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these things are signes but not the truth I will shut vp all these authorities and allegations with the words of Gelasius Bishop of Rome q Gelas in his booke of two Natures Surely the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ which wee receiue are diuine things for that also by them we are made partakers of the diuine nature and yet neuerthelesse the substance nature of the bread and wine do not cease to remaine Can any speake more cleerely and euidently then these do Or haue any of our owne writers written more plainely and distinctly against popish Transubstantiation How then are they deceiued that thinke we wrest the words of Institution Or that we impose vpon the people more to bee beleeued then can be collected concluded out of the Scripture or that we teach and receiue more as authenticall out of Caluine Beza and other later authors then the ancient Fathers euer deliuered I wil briefly answere an obiection which these produce out of Cyprian in his Tract of the Lords Supper Obiect r Cyprian de coen dom This bread is changed not in shape but in nature and by omnipotency of God is made flesh To which I reply 4. things First Answere a change of nature doth not euermore import a change of substance A wicked person when he repenteth and turneth vnto God changeth his nature but the alteration is in quality not in substance there is a kinde of conuersion but no Transubstantiation Secondly this booke is but a bastard it beareth vpon it the name of Cyprian but it is a counterfeit Å¿ Censur patruÌ„ authore Rob. Coco pa. 75 as is sâ—â—ficiently and substantially prooued euen by the confession of the Papists themselues And whosoeuer will vouchsafe to reade the booke it selfe may easily discerne by the style as it were by the smell that it came out of some Couent or Cloister it is in many places so barbarous Thirdly if the word Nature should be taken for Substance in this place it must expresly contradict sundry testimonies of those writers which wee haue alledged before who deny that the nature of bread is changed that is
ruinous it is whereas if it were strong enough it needed nothing to beare it vp euen so seeing God contenteth not himselfe with bestowing vpon vs and blessing of vs with his word but giueth vnto vs together with his word his holy Sacraments also so that our faith is not onely vnderset with the one but vnderpropped with the other it serueth to lay before our eyes our weakenesse our distrust and our vnbeleefe For if we had fulnesse and perfection of faith we should haue no neede eyther of the worde or Sacraments and therefore when this world shall haue an end the ministry of the word shall cease and the administration of the SacrameÌ„ts shall be abolished Seeing then the word is not sufficient but the Sacraments were added for further assurance wee must in this behalfe consider the great goodnesse of God towards vs who doth not onely giue vs faith by his word as by his sauing instrument but hath also added to his word Sacraments or seales of his promise and grace that by the lawfull vse of them he might vphold and strengthen our faith through his blessed Spirit For in asmuch as the Lorde not onely sent the blessed seede for the redemption of mankinde for the remission of our sinnes and for the brusing of the Serpents head but ordained for vs Sacraments to bee pledges of his promises testimonies of his faithfulnesse and remedies of our distrustfulnesse we must freely confesse and thankfullye acknowledge the bottomlesse depth of Gods endlesse mercy towards vs who vouchsafeth to be our God to be reconciled to vs being vile and miserable sinners to make a league couenant with dust and ashes and deliuer his onely Sonne to suffer the shamefull death of the Crosse for vs. And withall wee must â—abor more and more to feele our owne blindnesse distrust infidelity and peruerse nature wee would easily forget this mercy of God vnlesse it had beene continually represented before our eyes Againe seeing nothing is offered and giuen in the Sacraments Vse 2 which is not published in the Gospell seeing they cannot bee where there is no word and seeing the same Christ with all his benefits is propounded in both it meeteth with a common corruption and lamentable practise among many professors that desire and craue especially in sicknesse and extremity often to come to the Lords Table but esteeme little of the preaching of the word and that seeme to languish with a longing after the Sacrament but neuer mourne and lament for want of the word which is as great an error and madnesse as if one should euer looke vpon the seale of his writings but neuer regard the conueiance of his estate Is there not one God the author of both Is there not one Spirite that sealeth vp his promises by both Is Christ deuided that speaketh euidently vnto vs in both How is it then that many desire the Sacrament of the Lords supper seeme to pine away through want thereof who neuer wish or regard the preaching of the Gospell which is the foode of the soule the key of the Kingdome the immortall seede of regeneration and the high ordinance of God to saue those c Ro. 1 16 and 10 14. that beleeue And whence proceedeth it but from palpable ignorance in the matters of God and their owne saluation to be much troubled that the Sacrament is not brought vnto them and yet neuer couet to haue a worde of comforte spoken to them in due season Let all such persons vnderstand that as the Minister d Acts 15 21 and 19 4 and 2 42 40. is charged from God to teach euery Sabboath day and to preach the word in season and out of season to deale the bread to the hungry and to giue vnto euery one in the family his portion so is it required of all the people to desire the sincere milk of the word of God that they may grow thereby which howsoeuer it bee to them that perish foolishnesse yet to such as are called e 1 Cor. 1 24. it is the wisedome of God and the power of God Thus Origen a man excellently learned among the Ancients one of the most ancient saith When yee receiue the Lords supper with al heed reuerence ye take heed that no smal peece fal froÌ„ it by negligence to the ground how theÌ„ do you think it is a matter of lesse heinous offence to neglect his word then his body Wherby we see in the iudgement of this Father and Doctour of the Church the losse of the word is as great a want as the losse of the Sacrament and the neglect of the word is as high an offence as the neglect of the SacrameÌ„t for asmuch as one God is the author of them both and the worker by them both Wherefore we are deceiued if wee make account that there is lesse danger in neglecting the word of God then in neglecting the Sacrament of his last supper but wee must take heede that while wee willingly desire the one wee doe not wilfully despise the other For wee must carefully consider that as the Sacrament is a visible word so the worde is a speaking Sacrament and as God lifteth vp his voice vnto vs in the one so hee reacheth out his hand vnto vs in the other Wee must as well heare when hee calleth as receiue when hee offereth Now by his word preached hee calleth by his Sacraments administred hee offereth his graces vnto vs and as wee must haue hands stretched out for the one so wee must haue eares opened for the other Lastly seeing the Sacraments are so neerely linked together Vse 3 and ioyne as friends hand in hand one with another it checketh all such as are content to come ordinarily and vsually to heare the word and will scarce misse one Sermon howbeit when the Sacrament of the supper is administred they are so sencelesse and secure that except it bee at Easter when they come to it of custome rather then of conscience for feare rather then of faith they make small reckoning of it neither thinke it their duty to resort vnto it Woe vnto all them that vnioyne and put asunder those things which God hath coupled together woe vnto such as doe the worke of the Lord negligently or deceitfully This is to serue him 〈◊〉 halfes and to worship him after our owne inuentions For as it is a counterfeit repentance to leaue one sinne and cleaue to another so it is a fained holinesse to follow one ordinance of God and to omit or forsake another True repentance standeth in denying of all sinne and true religion consisteth in practising of all good things of God Among many that are often hearers of the worde you shall not finde many that are often receiuers of the Supper of the Lord. These are like vnto Ahaz mentioned in the Prophet Esay when God offered vnto him a signe and bad him aske it eyther in the depth Esay 7 11. or in the height
in the externall worke placing holinesse and remission of sinnes in the deede done and thus the thing signified is little regarded and wholy abolished r Gen. 41 4. as the euill fauoured and leane-fleshed Kine did eate vp the fat well-fauored this was Pharaohs dream and the other is mans deuise For these men giue all to the outward receiuing placing holinesse and remission of sinnes therein and thinking themselues sure and secure when the bread and wine is taken at the Lords table Thus all hypocrites libertines and carnall Gospellers doe for all the religion deuotion and godlinesse of these idle and ignorant professors standeth in outward resorting to the Church and in an outward taking of the communion of the body blood of Christ which is to make an Idoll of the signe and to flatter themselues in their euils to their owne destruction For albeit a man haue beene baptized and haue receiued the Lords Supper yet if hee liue wickedly and walke after his owne lusts the Sacraments shall auaile and aduantage him nothing at all but further his condemnation Vse 3 Lastly hath the Sacrament some partes outward and some inward some seene and some not seene with bodilye eyes Then it giueth occasion both to parents to teach their children the meaning of these mysteries and to declare vnto them the ordinances of God as likewise to children and the yonger sort to aske and inquire of their parents to heare and learne of them the doctrine of the Sacraments thereby to know the mercifull promises that God hath made to his people This appeareth Å¿ Exod. 12 26.27 chap. 13 14 15. directly where the fathers are forewarned to teach their children the hidden mystery of the Passeouer When your children aske you what seruice is this yee keepe then yee shall say It is the sacrifice of the Lords Passeouer which passed ouer the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians and preserued our houses So likewise Ch. 13 14. speaking of separating and sanctifying the first borne for the seruice of God hee chargeth parents to whet this doctrine on their children and to instruct them how God with a mighty hand and outstretched arme brought them out of Egypt out of the house of bondage Againe t Iosh 4 6 7.8 21 22 23. wee see when the Lord had parted the waters of Iordan that the people might passe he commanded Ioshua to set vp 12. stones in memoriall of the mighty and miraculous worke of God for his people against their enemies and when their children should aske them in time to come what was meant by those stones they should answere that the waters of Iordan were cut off before the Arke of the couenant of the Lord. Hee would not onely haue themselues to profite by his wonderfull workes but to retaine the remembrance of them he would haue their posterity to know the cause occasion thereof and so glorifie his name for euer Heereunto we may fitly ioyne u Psal 78 2 3 4 5 6 7. what the Psalmist saith I will open my mouth in a parable I will declare high sentences of olde which wee haue heard and knowne and our fathers haue told vs we will not hide them from their children but to the generation to come we will shew the praises of the Lord his power also and his wonderfull workes that he hath done that the posterity might know it and the children which should be borne should stand vp and declare it to their children that they might set their hope on God cannot forget the workes of God but keepe his commandements All these things serue to this purpose to shew that it is a duty and burden laide on the shoulders of all parents to acquaint their children with the workes of God especially with the benefits of our redemption wrought by Christ for our saluation If they aske the question why Infants are baptized and washed with water into the name of the holy Trinity wee must make plaine vnto them the meaning of that mystery Wee must say vnto them My children a How to teach our childâ—en the meaning of the Sacraments this is a signe of the Couenant of Gods mercy to vs and our duty to God it is a mystery of our saluation and teacheth that beeing in our selues vncleane vnrighteous vnholy and sinfull our soules are washed by the blood of Christ euen as the water in baptisme washeth our bodyes wherein the mercy of God is so much the more maruailous in our eyes insomuch as the Iewes were entred into the couenant by cutting lancing and effusion of bloud in circumcision Againe before they come to yeares ro receiue the holy Supper of the Lord we must informe them at home and declare the institution of that Sacrament and the comfortable vses thereof to them so they may afterward come to this Communion with better warrant of their worke with greater comfort to themselues and with lesse danger to their soules Wee must teach them that as the bread is broken and the Wine powred out so the body of Christ was crucified and his blood shed for the remission of our sins and that if we beleeue in the Lord Iesus we are nourished in our soules to eternal life by the passion of Christ our Sauiour as certainly as our bodies are nourished with the creatures of bread wine Notwithstanding there is a generall defect of this duty in many parents neither are children ready to inquire learn at home neither are parents able to answere any thing in these matters of God waywardnes in the one worldlines in the other ignorance in them both hath taken away all care and conscience from them touching these holye and heauenlye mysteries so that neyther the one teacheth nor the other learneth neyther the Childe enquireth nor the father answereth CHAP. IIII. Of the first outward part of a Sacrament THe outward partes of a Sacrament are such things as a What outward parts are vnder a certaine similitude and sikenesse do represent and signifie heauenly thinges to assure vs they are as truely prelent and offered vs as wee behold with our eyes and receiue with our hands the earthly things giuen vnto vs. The outward parts of a Sacrament are in number b Foure outward parts of a Sacrament foure First the Minister Secondly the word of institution Thirdly the signe Fourthly the receiuer All these and euery one of them are needful to the beeing and nature of a Sacrament take them away or any of theÌ„ and you take away the substance and bring in a nullity of the Sacrament If there be no Minister no word no element no receiuer there is no Sacrament If there be wanting eyther Minister to deliuer it or word to institute it or element to represent it or receiuer to take it wee cannot assure our selues to haue any SacrameÌ„t of God but rather a tradition and inuention of our owne In this
as we haue seene the truth of the doctrin let vs consider the vses therof First is the Minister of the substance of the Sacram. and a principall part of Christs institution Then he must consider it is his duty being authorised frō God by his Church to sanctifie the outward elements and administer the same to deliuer the outward signes offer thē to the receiuers His workes therefore are to put apart consecrate the signs to an holy vse to open declare the couenant of God to pray for his blessing promised vpon his owne ordinance to giue thanks for the blessed worke of our redemption to offer giue and deliuer aright the cretures so sanctified in baptisme to sprinkle with water wash the body to be baptized in the Lords supper to deliuer the bread to be eaten and the wine to bee drunke to the spirituall nourishment of the Church So then the Minister ought not to refuse to baptize such as are broght vnto him Shall the seruant refuse to doe the worke of his maister When Christ the maister shall say Goe and baptize shall he answere againe I will not when the Centurion saith to his seruant Goe he goeth when he saith Come he cometh If the Lord keeper of the Kings broad seale should proudly and presumptuously disdaine to set the seale to the Princes letters pattents were he not well worthy to bee displaced and remoued So if the Minister through enuy or hatred or any other sinister affection which ought not to be harbored in their breast shall refuse to put the seale to the Lords Couenant and hinder little children from comming to Christ he deserueth iustly to be displaced and to beare office no longer in the citty of God but to be remoued for his contempt q 1 King 2 35 as Salomon put downe Abiathar Vse 2 Secondly is it a necessary point of the Sacrament that it be ministred by a Minister Then it condemneth all those that put these seales into a wrong hand and all priuate persons that violently rush vpon this calling and take vpon them to meddle with the administration of the Sacraments with vnwashen hands seeing the dispensatiō of the word and Sacraments is so linked annexed and ioyned together by God that a deniall of licence to do the one is a deniall to do the other and contrariwise the licence to one is licence to the other Christ neuer gaue to priuate persons any such commandement hee neuer committed to them any such office hee neuer commended to their care these holy actions he neuer called thē to this honor he neuer laide vpon them this charge and therefore they haue no part nor fellowship in this businesse If notwithstanding these restrainings of authority from them they will run and rush forward where they should hang backeward their sinne lieth at the doore their punishment hastneth and their iudgement sleepeth not Lastly if the Minister be an outward part of the Sacrament Vse 3 we must beware and take heede wee ascribe not to the Minister that which is proper to Christ and so rob him of the honour due vnto his name The Minister may offer the signe hee cannot bestow the thing signified hee may baptize the bodye hee cannot cleanse the soule hee may deliuer the bread and wine hee cannot giue the body and blood of Christ Iohn may wash with water hee cannot giue the Spirite Man indeed pronounceth the word but God sealeth vp his grace in the heart man sprinkleth the bodye with water but God maketh cleane the soule by the blood of Christ man may take away the filth of the flesh but Christ must purge the conscience from dead works who is that blessed Lambe of God that r Iohn 1 29. taketh away the sins of the world For as Paul ſ 1 Cor. 3 6. planteth and Apollos watereth but God giueth the increase so the Minister offereth the element and outward signe but God giueth the heauenly grace It belongeth to the Minister to handle the externall part it belongeth as a peculiar dignity to Christ to bestow grace to giue faith regeneration t Mat. 3 11. and forgiuenesse of sinnes and to baptize with the Holy-Ghost This truth Iohn confesseth I baptize with water but one commeth after mee who is mightier then I he shall baptize you with the Holy-Ghost Where we see he maketh a flat opposition betweene himselfe and Christ betweene his baptisme and the baptisme of Christ As on the one side wee must take heede of the contempt of him that teacheth and ministreth the Sacraments because the contempt of the word Sacraments doth necessarily follow the contempt of his person so we must beware we attribute or giue not to him more thē his right lest the power of the word force of the Sacraments be attributed to his person whereby men rob God of his glory spoile themselues of the fruite of them both This was it wherein the n 1 Cor. 1 22. Corinthians offended when they said I am Pauls I am Apollos I am Cephas I am Christs Wherefore to keepe a golden meane betweene too much and too little we must doe as if a Prince should send vs some present by one of the meanest messengers of his house we would receiue him fauourably and entertaine him honourably for the guifts sake which he bringeth vnto vs but the guift it selfe we would receiue for the Kings sake from whom it was sent So it becommeth euery one of vs to doe God hath committed to his messengers and Ministers the word of reconciliation we must haue them in singular loue for their workes sake that labour among vs but the worde Sacraments we must receiue for the Lords sake from whō they come Thus much of the first outward part to wit the Minister CHAP. V. Of the second outward part of a Sacrament THe second outward part of a Sacrament a The word of institution a necessary part of the Sacrament is the word necessarily required to the substance of a Sacrament for b August in Ioh. 13. Tract 18. the word is added and ioyned to the element and there is made a Sacrament This sacramental word is the word of institution which God in each Sacrament hath after a speciall manner set downe consisting partly of a commandement by which Christ appointeth the administration of Sacraments and partly of a promise annexed wherby God ordaineth that the outward elements shal be instruments and seales of his graces as for example when Christ saith c Mat. 28 19. Goe teach all Nations and baptize them there is a commandement to warrant the vse practise of Baptisme the promise likewise is in the next words Into the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost So touching the other Sacrament of his supper when he saith d Mat. 26 26.27 Take ye eate ye drinke ye do this in remembrance of me loe there is the commandement
hearer so is it in the Sacraments they haue their efficacy and operation howsoeuer the heart of the Minister be disposed And as Isaac intended not to blesse Iacob but Esau m Gen. 27 1 4 33. yet it hindered not the purpose and determination of God so the corrupt intent the wandering imagination and rouing conceite of the Minister cannot hinder the blessing of God in the Sacraments being his owne ordinances For the force of the Sacrament dependeth no more vpon the intention of the giuer then it doth vpon the intention of the receiuer Againe if the right receiuing of the Sacrament depend vpon the intent of the Minister what assurance can any man haue that he hath euer receiued or shall euer receiue a Sacrament What perswasion can we haue in our hearts that wee were euer baptized What knowledge that we were euer partakers of the body and blood of Christ in the Supper of the Lord Doth not this leaue vs vncertaine and vnsetled without comfort without fruite without benefit by comming to the Sacraments and setteth the poore distressed consciences of men vpon the rack Alas wee cannot know the heart n 1 Cor. 2 11. and vnderstand the intents thereof For what man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirite of man which is within him Furthermore were not this hard dealing and extreame cruelty in God to hang the saluation of men vpon the pleasure of the Minister wherby our faith and saluation shall alwaies be doubtful and should it not be vniust in God to make the euill of the Minister to hurt the receiuer Besides shal it rest in the power of the Priest if this be a power whē the people of God are * Mat. 18. gathered together in the name of Christ and long earnestly to bee satisfied with his grace to send them away empty and so to frustrate their assembly because his heart is straying and his wits a wool-gathering And if his intention be a matter of so great importance what priuiledge hath the receiuer that cometh with faith aboue him that commeth without feeling Or what shall become of their owne doctrine Ex opere operato Ex opere operantis that the Sacrament profiteth and is auaileable being barely done performed if it depend vpon the working and operation of the Sacrificer To draw to an end of this question o Bellar. lib. 1. de sacra c. 28. our aduersaries themselues confesse that the Church cannot iudge of things that are inward whereupon wee frame this reason If the Church cannot iudge of things inward then it cannot iudge of the intent of the Minister but they confesse it cannot iudge of inward things therefore not of the intent of the Minister consequently althogh they be present at the action they remaine doubtfull of consecration Wherefore Bellarmine foreseeing the inconuenience and absurdity of this vnreasonable vncomfortable assertion confesseth that if one of their Masse-Priests in his ministration p Bellar. lib. 1. de sacra ca. 27. intend to doe as the Church of Geneua doth it sufficeth to make a Sacrament effectuall and of force This is the confession of a knowne and sworne enemy Wherby we see that howsoeuer they say we haue no Ministers no ordination no consecratiō no Church that our Sacraments are no better then the feasts of Ceres and Bacchus and lay many false accusations to our charge that the Supper of the Lord with vs is no Sacrament but a bare signe without grace without effect without vertue yet they are constrained to confesse and yeeld thus farre that if a Masse-munger purpose to do as the reformed Churches do his doing is effectuall and the Sacrament is good The effect of this point is this that if we desire to be comforted assured of Gods fauour whē we come to his Supper we must not hang the profit of his ordinances vpon the weak vnstable foundation of Popish intentions And if there were no other point in controuersie betweene the Church of Rome and vs then this which now we haue in hand it were sufficient to make vs abhorre and abiure the Popish religion in which they that liue cannot assure thēselues whether euer they were baptized or receiued the Lords Supper or were married or absolued of their sinnes whether they haue any Sacraments any Priests or any Popes forasmuch as all these hang vpon the slender thred of the Priests intention The Apostle saith Rom. 14.23 Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne But they cannot directly proue or know whether the Priest going about his businesse intended to baptize thē or to deliuer the Eucharist vnto them or to marry them because they know not his heart and therefore in their adoration and worshipping of the Sacrament they may be Idolators and cannot secure themselues from feare of committing Idolatry For if the substance of bread wine remaine in their nature it followeth by necessarie consequence that they fal downe to a piece of bread and commit greeuous Idolatry in the grossest kinde whereof the Gentiles would be ashamed The like might bee saide of their Sacrament of Orders It is not to be proued or knowne that hee which ordered the Pope had an intention to giue him Orders They say it is an high point of faith to beleeue that the Bishop of Rome is the successor of Peter the Vicar of Christ and the head of the Church yet if the Priest that baptized the Pope had no intention to baptize him then is he no member of the Church much lesse the head of it and if he that ordained him had no intention to ordaine him then is he no Priest much lesse the high Priest and therefore they must rest altogether doubtfull and vncertaine whether Clement or Paul or any other sitting in the Popes Chaire and sea of Rome be true Pope and thereupon cannot assure themselues whether the Decretals which passe vnder the name of Popes were indeed their Decretals whose names they carry Popish shifts to iustifie the Priests intention True it is notwithstanding the grossenesse of this assertion they haue inuented sundry shifts to couer their owne shame and nakednesse but they are as figge-leaues which are easily pulled away Among the rest two are most principall which do not suffice to heale the wound but serue rather to make it wider First of all when they are vrged and pressed that the Priests purpose and intention maketh the people alwaies in doubt and leaueth them in a maze and mammering what they doe so that they oftentimes adore an vnconsecrated Host and call that God which is no God but a bare bit of bread Pope Adrian wil haue the Host adored with condition with a secret reseruation to himselfe I adore thee if thou be Christ. And therefore Thomas of Salisbury forbiddeth a man precisely to beleeue that it is the body of the Lord. Thus though they fall downe with great deuotion at the eleuation of their God
the Minister the outward signes are giuen by the hands of the Minister whether he be good or euill but the truth and substance of the Sacraments is giuen by God the Father Whosoeuer confoundeth these parts and workes robbeth God of his glory depriueth himselfe of the grace of Christ offered and maketh flesh his arme Wherefore as the workes of God and of the Minister are distinct so must these parts remaine distinguished howsoeuer to the faithfull they are not separated and sundred as in the publishing and preaching of the Gospel the Minister speaketh vnto the outward man and the sound therof entreth into the eare g Act. 16 14. but it is God that openeth the heart and speaketh to the conscience of the faithfull hearer Secondly it serueth to strengthen our faith and helpe Vse 2 our weakenesse when we come to the Sacrament So often as we see the Ministers of God appointed by him deliuering the signes and setting them apart to their ends for which they were ordained we must behold with the eie of faith God the Father offering his Sonne to those that can receiue him For if we come aright we may assure our owne hearts that what the Minister doth outwardly the same the Father performeth inwardly then which there cannot be a greater comfort Let vs therefore behold with our eyes the Sacramentall rites let vs heare the promises that God maketh vnto vs God the Father will verifie them who hath h Iohn 6 32. sealed vp his Sonne vnto vs. My Father giueth you that bread from Heauen Hee will as surely giue Christ as the Minister deliuereth the bread wine Albeit the Sacraments should be ministred by some hypocrite and wicked man yet they haue as much force and as great efficacy as if they were ministred by faithful and godly men The vertue of the Sacraments hangeth vpon the Minister no more then the goodnesse of seede dependeth vpon the sower which if it light in good ground wil bring forth plentifull fruit albeit it be sowne of an vngodly and vnskilfull man Thirdly consider heere the difference betweene a Sacrament and a Sacrifice For wee learne from Vse 3 hence that God the Father in the Sacraments doth giue his owne Sonne to the true receiuers True it is a Sacrament and a Sacrifice haue some affinity and agreement the one with the other They haue this in common that both were instituted of God and haue him for the author of them In both of them there are outward actions which haue inward significations for the killing of beasts shewed plainely what our condition is both that we are guilty of death and could not be deliuered but by an offering for sinne and that Christ Iesus is the true oblation to be offered to God vpon the Altar of the Crosse for our sinnes Neuerthelesse they differ also in diuers respects as first in the end The end of a Sacrament is not to offer it vp to God but that it bee offered to vs and receiued of vs. The Minister offereth the signe God the Father offereth the thing signified wee receiue the outward element at the hand of the Minister wee receiue the inward grace at the hand of God But the nature of a Sacrifice is that we giue it or offer it vp to God according to his owne ordinance whereupon also it is called an offering or oblation True it is also that some of the Sacraments of the old Testament vnder the law were after a sorte externall Sacrifices as the Paschall Lambe howbeit it is not so in the Sacraments of the Church of Christ because the perfect Sacrifice of Christ once onely offered hath abolished and abrogated all outward Sacrifices Againe they differ the one from the other in the outward forme and manner of doing Leuit. 16 5. For the Sacrifices were burned in part or in whole with fire to note out the purity of Christs Sacrifice and the eternall Spirite Heb. 9 14. by which he was offered to God whereas they were properly called by name of Sacraments which were eaten or applyed to the bodye and therefore altar was appointed for the Sacrifices but a Table for the Sacraments that were eaten CHAP. X. Of the second inward part of a Sacrament HItherto of the first inward part a The second part of a Sacrament is the holy Spirite the second inward part of a Sacrament is the holy Spirite as Math. 3. Hee shall baptize you b Mat. 3 11. with the Holy-Ghost and fire So in Christs Baptisme when he was baptized prayed the c Luke 3 22. Holy-Ghost descended in a visible shape like a Doue vpon him And Paul saith d 1 Cor. 12.13 By one Spirite we are all baptized into one body whether we be Iews or Graecians whether we be bond or free and haue been all made to drinke into one Spirite And the Apostle layeth downe the circumcision of the heart by the Spirite Rom. 2 29. Hee is a Iew which is one within and the circumcision is of the heart in the Spirite So the same Apostle Titus 3 5 6. According to the mercy of God he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost which he shed on vs abundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour Nothing can bee fruitefull and profitable without his gracious worke in vs he worketh and setleth the worde of promise in our hearts and therefore we must necessarily hold the blessed Spirit to be an inward part of the Sacrament making it and all other ordinances of God auaileable Vse 1 Now let vs proceed to the vses of this point being the second inward part And first of all is the Spirite of God the sealer vp of the promises after that we beleeue according to the doctrine of the Apostle After that ye beleeued f Ephes 1 13. ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise Then as often as we heare the promise vttered by the Minister it confirmeth vs that the Father by his Spirit worketh the same in our hearts The water in baptisme cannot by any force and vertue inherent in it wash our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God as it hath power to wash away the filth and corruption of our bodies The bread and wine in the Lords Supper haue no inherent strength to nourish the soule to eternal life as they haue to strengthen the body they are instruments of the Holy Ghost who worketh by them to the great comfort of the faithfull Grace is not contained and shut vp in them as water in a vessell or as a medicine in a boxe the Spirite helpeth our infirmities sealing vp to our consciences the fruite of the word that is heard and of the Sacramentall signes that are seene But because this doctrine is contradicted by the defenders of the Popish faith it shall not be amisse briefly to propound their chiefest obiections whereby they would proue that the outward signes in
that is vnlike Lastly these words cannot enforce any thing to proue that there is any inherent force in the outward element seeing the Spirite is ioyned with it which addeth power and giueth efficacy to the water as it doth also to the worde in all the sauing hearers of it for as the word is a bare sound without the Spirite so baptisme cannot saue without the Spirite Obiection 4 The last testimony and witnesse is produced out of the Acts of the Apostles Chap. 2.38 where Peter exhorteth the Iewes that were at his preaching pricked in their hearts to beleeue in Christ Iesus whom they had betrayed and crucified saying Repent and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Christ for the remission of sinnes and chap. 22 16. where Ananias perswadeth Paul to bee baptized and to wash away his sinnes calling on the name of the Lord. In both which places forgiuenesse of sinnes is ascribed to baptisme and therefore it giueth and conferreth grace I answere Answere It is the beleeuing in the name of Christ that washeth away sinnes and purgeth our consciences from dead workes forasmuch as he maketh the outward worke auaileable by the inward grace of the spirite Againe hee ioyneth inuocation of the name of God with the outward signe which hath the promise of saluation annexed vnto it as the Apostle testifieth Rom. 10 13. Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall bee saued Thus we haue seene the principall pillars of the Romish error beaten and battered in pieces euery reason that caryeth any colour laid euen with the ground so that we are wholy to ascribe to the Spirite of God the lauer of regeneration and the answere of a good conscieÌ„ce toward God Againe is the Spirite of God an inward part of the Sacraments Then wee must learne and remember that we can neuer heare the word or receiue the Sacraments with fruite and comfort without the speciall assistance and inward operation of the Spirite of God Therefore the Prophet ioyneth the Spirite and word together Esay 59. I will make this my couenant with thee saith the Lord g Esay 59.21 my Spirite that is vpon thee and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seed from henceforth and for euer A man indeede hath power to heare the word and to receiue the Sacraments his will is free in these outwarde workes but hee hath no power or strength to doe them with profite and comfort except it be giuen him from aboue Though we heare neuer so much though wee communicate neuer so often the Spirit must open our hearts as he opened the heart of Lydia So 1 Iohn 2. That annointing h 1 Ioh. 2 27. which ye receiued of him dwelleth in you and ye neede not that any man teach you but as that same annointing teacheth you of all things and it is true and is not lying Likewise Acts 10. Peter preached the Gospell to Cornelius and his houshold and while he yet spake to them The i Acts 10 44. Holy-Ghost fell on them all which heard the worde So also the Apostles being sent out with their commission and commanded to preach the Gospell to euery k Mar. 16 20. creature it is noted that they went forth and preached euery where and the Lorde wrought with them and confirmed the worde with signes that followed And Iohn 14. The l Iohn 14 26. Comforter which is the Holy-Ghost whom the Father will send in my name hee shall teach you al things bring al things to your remembrance which I haue told you Pharaoh often heard Moses Aaron but he harkened not but hardned his heart because there was no inward touching or teaching of the Spirite The Israelites had heard seene the wonderful things of God yet they profited not in faith in repentance in regeneration and the reason is rendred Deuter. 29. Yee haue seene all m Deut. 29 2.3 4. that the Lord did before your eyes in the Lande of Egypt vnto Pharaoh and vnto all his seruants and vnto all his Land the great tentations which thine eyes haue seene those great myracles and wonders yâ—â— the Lord hath not giuen you an heart to perceiue and eyes to see and care to heare vnto this day When wee come to heare the word which is a word of power of life and of saluation when wee come to receiue the Sacraments which are signes of Gods graces and seales of his promises we see many returne as ignorant peruerse corrupt froward rebellious hard-harted and disobedient as they came to these ordinances of God and whence commeth this how falleth it out and what may bee the reason heereof Surely it is not in him that n Luke 13 24. Rom. 9 16. willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy who giueth eyes to see eares to heare heart to vnderstand to whom hee thinketh good in his heauenly pleasure Wherefore our dutye is seeing the natural man perceiueth not the things that are of the Spirite of God to pray vnto him to giue vs wisedome to see our corruptions blindnesse ignorance and hardnesse of heart Vse 3 Thirdly doth the Spirit worke in vs by the word Are the word and Spirite ioyned together and doth he teach vs by meanes of the word and Sacraments then we must not separate the Spirite from the worde and Sacraments as the Anabaptists do o Against anabaptists depending on reuelations which depend vpon reuelations and inward inspirations vpon priuate motions and diuine illuminations without the word They will not be taught by the word they wil not be strengthened by the Sacraments but take away the vse of both following their owne foolish fansies and diuelish dreames They boast of the Spirite of God and are led by the spirit of the Diuell We must for our direction and practise learne that as to rest vpon the Spirite without the worde is phantasticall and heriticall and the mother of al errors so the worde and Sacraments without the Spirite are no better then a dead carkasse without life an empty sound without substance a naked shew without truth an empty casket without the treasure and therefore we must knit them together and assure our selues that the Spirite speaketh euidently in the Scriptures the Spirite worketh effectually by the Sacraments and the Spirite helpeth our infirmities to profite by them both CHAP. XI Of the third inward part of a Sacrament THus much wee haue spoken touching the holy Spirite being the second inward part the third inward part a Christ is the 3. inward part of a Sacrament is Iesus Christ crucified the very subiect and substance of all Sacraments He was represented by circumcision and the Paschal Lambe by Manna and the water that flowed out of the Rocke and hee is represented in baptisme and in
we receiue not because he ordained them not Secondly the Apostle Paul admonisheth the Corinthians to beware of Idolatry not to flatter themselues or to thinke themselues the members of Christ therefore should escape the iudgement of God because they had the Sacraments for the Church of the Israelites had as great priuiledges as they they had the same Sacraments e 1 Cor. 10.1.2 3 4. the same Baptisme the same Supper in substance and effect yet God was not pleased with them but ouerthrew them in the wildernesse If then the Corinthians had any moe then these two they might haue iustly replied We grant indeed in respect of these they are equall with vs but we haue other which they had not wherein they are inferior to vs and we superior to them and therefore are preferred before them If then the Apostles reason conclude strongly we may hence gather directly that there are onely two and no other Sacraments because the Apostle mentioneth no moe where he purposeth to set forth the priuiledges of the Iewes to make them equall with the Gentiles Wherefore wee must receiue two Sacraments onely or else the Apostle hath reasoned weakely Furthermore the same Apostle 1. Corinthians 12.3 purposing to shew that many members of the Church are one body in Christ coupled by him as by ioynts prooueth this point by a full enumeration ot the Sacraments being pledges of our setting into the body of Christ and continuall nourishment in the same when he saith As by one Spirite we are all baptized nto one body whether Iewes or Gentiles so we haue all beene made to dri ke into one Spirite Where the Apostle sheweth that all the faithfull by the effectuall working of the Holy-Ghost are made one body in Christ which hee confirmeth by the two sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper without mention of any moe Moreouer another reason may be framed by comparing the Church of the Iewes with the Churches of the Christians in regard of their ordinary Sacraments There are no moe Sacraments deliuered in the Gospell then were prefigured vnder the lawe for their Sacraments were types answering to our Sacraments as 1 Pet. 3 21. Our baptisme answereth the figure of the waters refresenting the same that our Baptisme doth True it is the Sacraments of the old Testament were not g Iewish Sacraments not figures of Christian Saâ—â—ments figures of the Sacraments of the new Testament for then their Sacraments should be the signe and ours should be the thing signified and so there should be Sacraments of Sacraments which were foolish and absurd Againe the Iewish SacrameÌ„ts should be signes of things altogether vnknown vnto them not giuen them of God for they were vtterly ignorant of Baptisme the Lords Supper Besides that auncient people should be saued by beleeuing baptisme the Lords Supper to come for doubtlesse they were saued by beleeuing that which their Sacraments did signifie but they were not saued by beleeuing Baptisme and the Lords Supper but by beleeuing in Christ to come Lastly the old Sacraments should haue one signification and the new another for the old should signifie the new and the new should signifie Christ and all his benefits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Notwithstanding the Sacraments of the new testament succeed in the roome of those of the old and signifie the same things that they doe baptisme k Col. 2 11.12 came in place of circumcision and the Lords Supper is come in place of the Paschall Lambe as appeareth in that it was administred presently after it Luke 22 14.15 to declare the abrogating of the one and establishing of the other As then there was the same faith and the same way of saluation by Christ m Reuel 13.8 who was the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world n Heb. 13 8. hee was yesterday and to day and the same for euer so had the Iewish rites respect to o 1 Cor. 10 3 4. Christ and al of them are reduced to our two Sacraments Wherfore as the Iewes had only 2. ordinary Sacraments Circumcision the Passeouer as appeareth p Exod. 12 48 If a strâ—nger dwell with thee and will obserue the Passeouer of the Lord let him circumcise all the males the belong vnto him So the ordinary Sacraments of Christs Church are Baptisme and the Lords Supper agreeing to the same Now the 5. other Sacraments newly inuented were not prefigured in the law they succeed not in the place of their ceremonies they are not answerable to any types of Iewish rudiments therefore they are no Sacraments Fiftly these two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper are altogether perfect and sufficient not onely to enter and plant a Christian into the Church but also to retaine him in it and therfore all other are friuolous vaine and superstitious as superfluous branches to bee pared away Now that they are sufficient to these purposes appeareth by the effects vses of them What other grace can we haue then to be borne againe in Christ to haue iustification forgiuenes of sins and all priuiledges of eternall life and then afterward to be nourished and kept continually in him All these are fully represented and sealed vp to vs in these two whereupon it followeth that Christ who ordained the fewest and best Sacraments vnder the Gospell appointed these and no moe Thus then wee may gather that by the institution of Christ by the argument of the Apostle by comparison of the Iewish ceremonies and by the sufficiency of the two Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper that these are the onely two Sacraments the rest are forged and counterfeit Sacraments they seale not vp Christ q August in Psal 40. they neuer flowed out of his side r Iohn 19 34. from whence issued onely water and blood Lastly this number of 2. Sacraments appeareth not onely by the testimony of ancient Fathers but by the confession of the aduersaries For howsoeuer in many other controuersies their words are many and their arguments probable and very specious yet for the auouching of 7. Sacraments they are dumbe and silent and are not able to produce the reuerent witnesses of the elder time Bellarmine prooueth the word Å¿ Bellar. de esâ—â—ct sacr lib. 2. cap. 24. Sacrament sometimes to be giuen to al the seauen but this is when the word is taken in a large and generall signification for any mysticall signe and token t Câ—nsur Colon dâ—al 7. pag 248 which may signifie some other thing and may more properly be called a signe then a Sacrament as the couering of the head in the woman was a signe of subiection laying on of hands in ordination of the ministry is a signe of their separation to that worke and of Gods presence to assist them with his grace and blessing the Saboth day was a signe of the heauenly rest In this sense Augustine calleth the u Aug. de sim lib.
receiue as the doctrine of Christ and agreeable to the Prophets and Apostles as appeareth 2 Cor. 7. where Paul setteth downe the effects or fruites of true repentance This is our doctrine and the doctrine of the Church of God touching repentance let vs consider a little the popish penance and what they teach touching it and we shall see plainely that heauen and earth light and darknesse are not more opposite then their deuices and inuentions are to the truth For they haue forged a new Sacrament which they cal Penance What popish penance is when a man is contrite for all his sinnes and maketh a full and sufficient reckoning vp rehearsall of them all in the eare of the Priest of whom he is enioyned to make satisfaction after he is absolued of them So that this new coyned Sacrament consisteth of these foure counterfeit parts The parts of popish penance the contrition of the heart the confession of the mouth the satisfaction of the worke and the absolution of the Priest Thus they abuse the name of a Sacrament when they apply it to these things as we shall see afterward Againe they require all these things as necessary to saluation in all that are of yeares of discretion whereby they lay snares for mens soules and set them vpon the racke requiring an impossibility at their hands forasmuch as no man can haue perfect sorrow nor number vp all his sinnes nor yet make satisfaction for them and therefore this Penance is not a boord to escape shipwracke neyther physicke for the soule but the high way to desperation Lastly they make the performance of all these things meritorious and teach that remission of sinnes is obtained by them which tendeth to the reproach and dishonour of Christ Let vs speake somewhat of these in order Touching the first point to wit Contrition we grant that godly sorrow of heart for sinne is necessary to repentance as also to haue a true feeling of sinne and an hatred and detestation of it howbeit it is no part the repentance but onely the right and ready way that leadeth to it because the more sinne doth presse vs and afflict vs the more we learne to flye to the mercy of God in his Sonne Christ But they teach that this Contrition ought to be perfect and that the greatnesse of the griefe must be answerable and equiualent to the greeuousnesse of the sinne they make it a necessary meane and cause of iustification and apart of satisfaction for our sinnes that we deserue by it remission of them and therefore their doctrine is diuelish and blasphemous translating vnto mortall and sinfull men that which is proper to Christ the Son of God The next point is Confession Such as the Scripture alloweth and approueth we admit and acknowledge as first publike confession of the whole Church acknowledging theÌ„selues before the coÌ„gregation to be grieuous sinners in the sight of God consenting to the Minister that conceiueth the prayer and crauing pardon of our heauenly Father in the name of Christ our Sauiour This is practised continually of al the faithfull met together they begin the exercises of religion with this publike humiliation Nehe. 9 3. Nehe. 9 3. For wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together in his name where he is in the midst of them there is alwayes confession of sinne forasmuch as there is nothing can with-hold good things from vs but our owne vnworthinesse Secondly there is a priuate confession when a man poureth out his hart before God alone and desireth forgiuenesse of his sins This did Dauid Psal 32 5 and â—1 1.2 Luke 18. this did the Publican practise and so doth euery beleeuing soule almost at all times For we do all of vs finde continuall occasions to poure out our meditations before him to keepe vs from sinne to hold vs vp in tentations and to weaken the power of sin daily in vs. Thirdly there is another confession when such as are banished from the Church and excluded from the Sacraments and excommunicated out of the society of the faithfull do openly acknowledge their offences and desire to be reconciled to the Church which they haue notoriously offended as we see in the example of the incestuous Corinthian 2 Cor. 2.6 2 Cor. 2 6. who humbled himselfe before God asked forgiuenes of the Church Fourthly there is a kinde of confession of such as haue offended their brethren not that which wee mentioned before belonging to ecclesiasticall discipline but a priuate acknowledgement of the iniuries and wrongs done vnto them and a crauing of forgiuenes at their hands which duty the offenders are bound to performe and the offended are bound to grant according to the rule of charity Mat. 5 24 and 6 14. and 18.15 For we are all charged to reconcile our selues vnto our brethren and to forgiue as we desire to be forgiuen Lastly there is a lawfull and lawdable kind of confession pertaining to such as are troubled in conscience for sinne and desire to finde comfort and to be at peace with God These are to make confession of that particular sinne which lyeth heauy vpon their heart eyther to the Minister if he haue the tongue of the learned and bee able to minister a word of comfort in season Iam. 5.16 or to some other faithfull and godly brother that their spirits may be raised vp refreshed by their prayers All there sorts of confession we know to be good and therefore receiue but what are they to the auricular confession secretly whispered in the eare of an ignorant and sottish Priest wherein men are enioyned to confesse all particularly at the least all their mortall sins Rhem. annot vpon Iohn 20. whether they be committed in minde heart will and cogitation onely or else in word and worke with all the necessary circumstances and differences of the same This they will have done once a yeare in the holy time of Lent before the Lords Supper bee receiued at Easter This is a meere inuention of carnal men not an institution of God forasmuch as Christ neyther by commandment neyther by example ordained any such auricular Confession or particular enumeration of all our sinnes of which we shal speake further in the third booke where we intreat of the preparation required of such as come to the Table of the Lord. The third point is satisfaction and it is true that the iustice of God must be satisfied forasmuch as hee can neuer forget to be iust but it is folly and madnes blockishnesse and sencelesnesse nay high presumption and blasphemy for flesh and blood to thinke that they can make recompence to God for their sins and fully satisfie his iustice For who is able to beare the burthen of his wrath Psal 90.11 For who can pay a price sufficient for his sinnes or who dare offer to the righteous God the rags and patches of his owne workes to merite thereby his fauour What is the
Secondly this forme of administratioÌ„ teacheth vs to assure our own harts of Gods protection defence f Gen. 20 16. as a wife doth of her husbands tuition and preseruation of her from al dangers Let vs looke for life saluation gouernment and nourishment from him alone in Christ For as he calleth vs from the fellowship of Sathan of sin and of the world to haue fellowship with himselfe so he promiseth to bee our aide and defence in time of need on whoÌ„ we are in euery estate and condition to depend The last part of the description g The vse of the last part of the description of baptiâ—me sheweth The inward cleansing of the soule by the blood of Christ This teacheth that they abuse baptisme that in the outward worke seeke remission of sinnes as though the force of washing away sinnes were found in the elemeÌ„t of water Baptisme therefore is not the washing away of sinnes onely the blood of Christ clenseth vs from all sinne 1 Iohn 1 7. Againe this declareth the perpetuall vse of it in the Church seeing it hath this effect to assure remission and forgiuenes of sinnes vnto this let vs bring our children of this let vs make them partakers froÌ„ this let vs by no meanes keepe them and in this let vs continually renew our couenant with God CHAP. II. That the parts of Baptisme are partly outward and partly inward HItherto wee haue shewed how baptisme is taken and what it is In baptisme we are to consider 2. things a In baptisme two things are to be considered his parts and his vses his parts and his vses For in the former booke when we spake of the Sacraments in generall hauing shewed what a Sacrament is we descended to his parts and vses wherein the perfect knowledge thereof consisteth so we wil obserue the same in handling the doctrine of the Sacraments in particular The parts of baptisme are first to be opened the vses are to be reserued to their proper place The parts are two b 1 Pet. 3 21. Mar. 1 1 Act. 2 38. the outward and the inward parts This appeareth 1 Pet. 3. Whereof the baptisme that now is answereth that figure which is not a putting away of the filth of the flesh but a confident demanding which a good conscience maketh to God and saueth vs by the resurrection of Iesus Christ Where the Apostle teacheth that sinne cannot bee washed away by that outward water but by Christs inward working which the outward baptisme doth shaddow In like manner Mar. 1. Truth it is I haue baptized you with water but hee will baptize you with the Holy-Ghost where the Baptist sheweth that hee baptized outwardly but the force of it proceedeth from Christ who baptizeth inwardly So Acts 2. Peter said vnto them Amend your liues and bee baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and ye shall receiue the guift of the Holy-Ghost Where the Apostle declareth that in such as repent and beleeue the vertue of the Holy-Ghost is ioyned with outward baptisme Hence it is that the Apostle writing to the Hebrewes Chap. 6.2 maketh mention of the doctrine of baptismes speaking in the plurall number because it hath two parts the inward baptisme of Christ and the outward baptisme of the Minister The outward parts therefore are one thing and the inward parts are another that which is seene is one thing and that which is vnderstood is another thing This diuision of the parts of Baptisme affoordeth diuers Vse 1 good vses and putteth vs in minde of sundry holy duties And first of all are there outward and inward parts of Baptisme Then we learne heereby that the outwarde parts are no vaine ceremonies no fruitelesse rites no vnprofitable actions that may bee neglected or contemned but auaileable signes and effectuall seales of the sprinkling of Christs bloud for the forgiuenesse of all our sins Againe seeing there is such an vnion of the parts betweene themselues we must not contemne or despise or deferre baptisme Wherefore the faithfull all delaies reasons and pretences set apart haue speedily prepared themselues to do that which God commandeth We haue a worthy example in Abraham c Gen. 17 22.26 when God required him to circumcise himselfe his sonne and all the males of his house and thereby to vncouer all their shames hee doth not inquire why God required this at his hands hee doth not complaine or consult with flesh and blood ouer all doubts faith got the victory and subdued reason vnder her and caused him with diligence readines and expedition to submit himselfe to fulfill the Lords will and performe it the same day that he commanded it Of this duty likewise we see Paul was d Act 22.16 and 18 8. admonished by Ananias immediately after his conuersion Acts 22. saying Why tariest thou Arâ—se and be baptized and wash away thy sinnes in calling on the name of the Lord. Whereby he sheweth that this tarrying and delay in the matters of God maketh vs culpable in his sight True it is it is not e Bernard epist 77. the want of Baptisme simply that is daÌ„nable as is shewed afterward but the contempt of the Sacraments is dangerous without repentance damnable f Luke 7 30. as appeareth The Pharisies and expounders of the law despised the counsell of God against themselues and were not baptized of him Wee know all neglect and contempt in heauenly duties g Ier. 48.10 is euill and bringeth with it a certaine curse as the Prophet saith Cursed is hee that doth the worke of the Lord negligently We see in humane and worldly things wise men will not deferre the sealing of their writings and calling of witnesses when they haue giuen a promise to other or made a bargaine with other knowing that vnnecessary delay may breed vnrecouerable danger as we see by the example of Ieremy when hee had h Ier. 32 9 10 Gen. 23 16.17 18. bought a field of his vncles son presently he weighed him the siluer enrolled it in a book of remembrance he signed it he tooke witnesses and left it written in roles or records hauing an instrumeÌ„t or euidence fairely drawn and sealed with the common seale if any thing should be called in question in time to come The like we see in Abraham long before when hee had bought a possession of the Hittites for the buriall of his dead he weighed out payed Current mony among Merchants so the field and the caue that was therein with all the trees and appurtenances that were therein was made sure to him for a possession As these men when they had made the purchase would not delay the taking of assurance and security the like delaying and vnnecessary putting off the time from Sabboth to Sabboth from meeting to meeting ought to be shunned of vs otherwise though we should be free from coÌ„tempt wee cannot excuse our selues of the neglect of
and euident For to teach publikely is a token of authority and rule ouer others inasmuch as the teacher is higher in place and authority then hee that is taught as Paul was brought vp at the feete of l Act. 22 3. Gamaliell and as the lesse is blessed of m Heb. 7 7. the greater Therefore the woman should not be admitted to be a maister in Israell a teacher of the Church and an instructer of men as 1 Tim. 2. where the Apostle forbiddeth them to teach publikely and to vsurpe authority ouer the man but requireth of them to be in subiection not to challenge dominion Againe such is the n 1 Pet. 3 7. Eccl. 7 29 30. frailenes and weaknesse of that sexe that they are easier to be seduced and deceiued and so fitter to be authors of much mischiefe being the weaker vessels therefore Paul hauing set downe the doctrine that women should not take vpon them to teach in the Church and so preach in the assembly of men presently alledgeth this reason o 1 Tim. 2 13 14. Gen. 3.6 that The woman was first deceiued of the diuell and was in the transgression hee made choise of her and made her an instrument to beguile her husband For albeit that women be capable of the doctrine of godlinesse and many examples of learned women are extant euery where and in euery nation which might easily bee produced and that such were of ability sufficient to teach the Church yet shamfastnesse and modesty the speciall ornaments of that sexe do not suffer them to enterprize and execute that function which requireth courage and boldnesse in the discharge thereof True it is among the Gentiles in their sacrifices and solemnities were women-Priests fit Priests for such purposes fit Ministers for such Gods but in the Church of God neither vnder the law nor vnder the Gospell were they allowed to serue at the Altar or to offer the sacrifice or to meddle with the seruice of holy things and therefore it is vnlawfull to haue a womanish Ministry And as Moses teacheth in the booke of Deuteronomy Deut. 22 5. that it is an abhomination for a man to put on womans apparell so it is not onely vnseemely and vndecent but vnlawfull vngodly for a woman to put on that boldnesse and manlinesse which appeareth in the countenance of a man and to put off the bashfulnesse and demurenesse which shee ought to carry with her Salomon in the description of a vertuous woman among other laudable properties as partes of her office obserueth that shee seeketh wooll and flaxe and worketh diligently with her hands Prou 31 13 19. she layeth her hands to the spindle and her hands hold the distaffe Prou. 31 13 19. It is neuer noted as the part of a good woman that she stretchech out her hand to water and baptizeth the children that are in danger Let her meddle in matters of another nature she hath nothing to do to handle these holy things True it is the gouernment of the family vnder her husband is committed and the training vp of her children in the feare of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commanded vnto her 2 Tim. 1 5. 1. Timothy 5.14 As also Lois the grandmother and Eunice the mother of Timothy bestowed no small paines to plant the vnfained faith of Christ Iesus in him howbeit they neuer presumed to baptize their children much lesse the children of others So then to commit the office of the ministry to women or any part of it were as much as to turne the nature of things topsie turny and to bury and abolish the ordinance of God For hee that should be beneath is seated aboue and he that shold be in subiection is indued with soueraignty and authority The keyes of the kingdome of heauen are committed to men not to women if then they enter into the seruices of the Church they do it by a wrong key and are no better then intruders Furthermore the Minister representeth Gods person in this holy worke and therefore he onely can offer and deliuer with power and authority the outward signe which answereth fitly to the inward matter Shall priuate persons vsurpe to be the Lords messengers to bring his letters and seales not called not allowed not authorized It cannot be without intruding of themselues and dishonour to God and confusion in the Church For as none can wash vs from our sinnes but Christ onely so none can beare his person in the outward Sacrament of the inward washing but hee whom Christ himselfe hath appointed if we will receiue the benefit of the holy seale of baptisme for the assurance of our conscience p The people cannot with comfort assure themselues to receiue a Sacrament at the hands of priuate persons that wee are washed from our sinnes And if the will and pleasure of a Prince do make that onely to be his seale which he hath set apart to seale his grants withall so that albeit another may be made right of the same matter iust of the same forme and fashion and in all points like vnto it no difference beeing to be seene betweene them yet the same is none of the Princes seale but a counterfeit stampe then how much more ought the knowne and reuealed will of the eternall God which is that they onely should minister the Sacraments that haue a publike calling and allowance therevnto to haue that authority that no Sacraments can be warranted to bee his seales but such as are signed by his Officers Againe q Beza lib. de Quest in sacra quaest 140. 141 suppose the Princes seale should bee stollen away which he hath appointed to seale his grants withall and should be set too by him that hath no authority not being the keeper thereof there can by no meanes growe any assurance of comfort to the party that hath it applyed to his writings so if it were possible to bee the seale of God which a woman should set too yet for that she hath stolen her patent and vsed it contrary to Gods commandement I see not how any man can perswade his owne heart by it to be partaker of a Sacrament but his comfort is weakened and impaired and his conscience left in doubt and perplexity Moreouer this may yet farther appeare by a comparison a forme of reasoning often vsed in the Scripture comparing different actions of things done by a calling with such as are done without a calling whereby we shall see that to haue a lawfull calling to do a thing giueth life liking and allowance vnto the dooing For wee must not onely consider what is done but also who is the dooer What is the reason that Ioab Captaine of the hoast r 2 Sam. 3.27 and 20 10. 1 King 2 5. killing Abner and Amasa two more righteous then himselfe was reserued to iudgement Å¿ Num. 6 25.7 8. whereas Phineas killing Zâ—niri and Coâ—bi it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse
with all care before the Lord of whom wee ought earnestly to beg and desire his Spirit to teach vs the truth of our Baptisme the assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and the purging of our consciences from dead workes We come oftentimes and ordinarily to this Sacrament we see children incorporated into the Church and sealed vp to be members of Christ and yet sildome or neuer remember what vow we haue made to God and whose we are by our profession no not in the present worke doth any such cogitation or consideration enter into the hearts of many yea the most sort see the water sprinkled and heare the words pronounced but esteeme it little as a matter belonging nothing at all vnto them There is none that come to heare the word and to receiue the Lords Supper but they thinke it pertaineth no lesse if not more to them then it doth vnto others but touching baptisme and making any vse at all of it they put it farre from them they know they are already baptized and are to be baptized no more they turne it passe it ouer slightly to the infant that is brought to the well-beloued friends and neighbours that bring it saying to themselues as the Pharisies did in another case to Iudas Mat. 27 4. what is that to vs see thou to that But we cannot so shift ouer the matter our baptisme will cleaue more closely vnto vs it hath made such an impression in vs and sticketh so neere vnto vs that it can neuer be blotted out nor wiped away it summoneth vs to God and telleth vs that we are not our owne but he challengeth vs wholy to himselfe and will not let vs no from him Vse 4 Lastly is the cleansing and purifying of the foule represented by the washing of the body Then from hence ariseth vnto vs great comfort in baptisme namely that it is no idle no needlesse nor superfluous thing but of great power force and vertue For the water is not bare water but the water of regeneration being rightly vsed and administred by those onely that are lawfully called to the office and haue a warrant from God and commission from the Church to that purpose It belongeth not to any priuate persons men or women much lesse to children to make a toy or sport of it as it is said of Athanasius that being yet a childe not knowing what he did Ruffin lib. 1. cap 14. 1 Cor. 13 11. or with what he medled hee baptized Of whom we may say as Paul doth 1. Cor. 13. When I was a child I spake as a châ—lde I vnderstood as a childe I thought as a childe but when I became a man I put away childish things Or as the wise man doth Eccl. 11. Eccl. 11.10 Baptisme admiâ—istred in sport is no baptisme Childhood and youth are vanity Heereby can come no sanctification nor cleansing of the soule and therefore are they deceiued that receiue it for good and ratifie it for authenticall forasmuch as euery such baptisme vndertaken by priuate persons in case of necessity or by children after an apish imitation is no baptisme at all neither is that water consecrated water but common and prophane and therefore consequently that washing or sprinkling is to bee accounted as common and prophane also If a Child should take vpon him to minister the Supper of the Lord that knoweth not what it meaneth and charge the people to examine theÌ„selues that hath not learned as yet to examine himselfe all men must confesse this were a great prophanation of this SacrameÌ„t by no meanes to be suffered or if he should step vp into the chaire of Moses and offer fondly and childishly to vtter the word of God who would regard it Or who would care for it Shall we say this were to administer the Supper of the Lord or to preach the Gospell of Christ Or shall we imagine that any fruit or benefit can come hereby So may we say of Baptism it is prophaned by vnfit persons not profitably administred But to leaue these abuses which we haue touched conuinced before let vs see what are the comforts that arise from this inward part of this Sacrament which are of diuers sorts for hence floweth as from a plentifull spring comfort to the whole Church comfort to the parents of the persons baptized comfort to the infants themselues Comfort to the whâ—le Chuâ—ch It reacheth to the whole Church because when it beholdeth water sanctified and set apart for baptisme and spirituall washing of the soule represented by the outward cleansing of the body they may see as it were Christ crucified and his blood poured out before their eyes When we feele our hearts at any time cast downe by the sight of our sins and finde the burthen of theÌ„ to be intollerable vnto vs we must lift vp our eyes to heauen and in a sweet meditation of this holy sprinkling of the blood of Christ assure our consciences therby that he hath washed them all away that they shall not be imputed vnto vs nor be able to worke our condemnation We are also put in minde heereby that we are fellow-members of one and the same body forasmuch as we haue all one baptisme Ephe. 4. Eph. 4 5. as we haue all one Lord and Father all one faith and hope of eternall life Hence it is that at the birth of Iohn the Church reioyced comming together to haue him circumcised Let vs therfore be ready to ioyne together in this worke in praier and thanksgiuing let vs addresse our selues to be as witnesses and approuers of it that wee may receiue comfort by it being euermore taught and confirmed in the truth of our baptisme and remembring what we haue promised to God that we may be carefull to performe our promise and fearefull to breake couenant with him In this respect the Church is said to circumcise * Luke 1 59. 1 Cor. 11 5. and to prophesie and make prayer because it ioyneth together in these holy actions We haue all of vs one entrance into the Church whereby we professe to go al one way to walk one course to leade one manner of life to serue the same God Comfort to parents Secondly this comfort extendeth more principally particularly toward the parents themselues then it doth in generall to the whole Church For they see their seed together with themselues ioyned to the Church and washed with the blood of Christ they haue the ancient promise of God verified vnto them I will be thy God and the God of thy seed GeÌ„ 17. which ministreth great matter of ioy vnto theÌ„ so that they should reioyce more in this mercy shewed toward them then if they could make theÌ„ heires of the world and leaue them owners of a kingdome Howbeit this comfort carrieth with it sundry duties putteth them in minde to be thankfull to God who hath verified his couenant to them and their
men make light account of it and what with some that reply carelesly we cannot come what with others that answere desperately we will not come the feast is vnfurnished God is dishonoured the people are vnprepared all the exercises of religion are lightly and slightly regarded I say vnto you that none of these men which were bidden shall tast of his Supper Againe another sort are as prophane as these which stand by as gazers and lookers on vpon them that do communicate and yet communicate not themselues What is this else then a further contempt of God Truely it is great vnthankfulnes to depart away for these depart away from the Lords table they depart from their brethren they depart from the heauenly anker of their soules but their fault is much greater when they stand by in contempt and wil not be partakers of this communion What can this be else but to haue the Minister of Christ in derision It is said to all that are present Take ye eate ye drinke ye doe this in remembrance of me With what face then with what countenance or rather conscience can ye heare these words sound in your eares and not bee touched Let vs therefore be drawne and perswaded to this duty by the benefit that redoundeth to the worthy receiuers and fruitefull partakers thereof and on the other side feare to offend by staying and standing still while the faithfull are partakers of this Sacrament of the Lords Supper Hence then are many carelesse Christians reproued that altogether neglect this duty and intermit often comming to the Sacrament as if it were an indifferent thing and an arbitrary matter for whereas they are content to heare the word oftentimes they will not come to the Table of the Lord so often as the lawe requireth and as the sluggard is wise in his owne eyes so haue these sundry excuses and diuers conceited reasons to keepe them from the performance of this duty Obiections of carelesse men why they come so sildome to the Lords Table Let vs therefore heare what they can say for themselues and examine the chiefe obiections vpon which they stand that so the truth may be cleared the diligent resorters to this Sacrament may be encouraged the dul and backward may be prouoked and pricked forward and all persons may be instructed aright how to behaue themselues touching this duty The first obiection ob ∣ iection The first is of such as say vnto vs they are not prepared what would you haue vs come before we are ready and prepared to it this were very dangerous forasmuch as he that receiueth vnworthily maketh himselfe guilty of the bodye and blood of Christ I answere Answere this is to excuse one sin with another and to add drunkennesse vnto thirst For it is one same to neglect the Lords Table it is another sin not to be prepared to come vnto it Howbeit such sleeuelesse and shameles excuses will not go for currant payment when the Lord of this feast shall visite his guests Neither do these men alledge their vnpreparednes by way of sorrowing for it but rather by way of boasting in it as it were glorying in their owne shame Christ Iesus commandeth vs to be so watchfull Mat. 24 44. that we should alwayes be ready for his second comming and to meet him in the Clouds how then ought euery soule among vs to be prepared and prouided with oyle in our lampes and with the wedding garment on our backes with our loynes girded and our lights burning that we may meete Christ in his ordinances and enioy his gracious presence in the Sacrament If then it be euill to be vnprepared then know that this is an idle excuse like Adams figge-leaues that could not hide his nakednes from God or like the slothfull seruants pretence who receiued iudgement from his owne mouth Againe others that are cast in the same mould The second obiection and smell of the same smoke alledge for themselues or rather indeed against thēselues that they are not in charity Alasse say they would you haue vs come in this fearefull manner when such a man and I are not friends hee hath wronged and abused me grosly Answere I cannot put it vp Thus do these men notably bewray both their hypocrisie and their impiety For dare they presume to pray vnto God or to heare his word breathing out malice and threatnings against their brethren All such hearing is in vaine all such prayers are abhominable they are sacrifices no more acceptable to God then to offer Swines flesh or to cut off a dogs necke Esay 66. Esay 66 3. What folly then and sottishnes is it to come ordinarily to the word and prayer yet to refuse to come to the Sacrament Doth not God hate and his soule abhorre thy comming to his word without charity as well as thy comming to his Supper without charity And how canst thou be fitte to come to the throne of grace that art not fitted to come to the Table of the Lord These men will seeme to haue some horrour of sinne in them and to haue a tender conscience toward God as if they durst not offend him or once meddle with the holy Communion howbeit they do but dally with God and deceiue themselues For who taught them or where haue they learned to make scrupple of conscience onely when they come to receiue the Sacrament to be altogether careles and dissolute of their behauiour when they resort to the house of God and performe other exercises of religion Either are they so simple to imagine that God looketh to our comming to his Table but regardeth not in what manner we come to his word But to passe from this point let them carry away these few rules First that one sinne cannot excuse another One sinne may aggrauate another and increase the iudgement for sinne ioyned to sinne maketh the sinner more sinfull but one sin can by no meanes make another sin to be no sin at all and therfore neuer excuse through thy want of charity thy neglect of Gods holy ordinance that willeth thee to come often to his Supper Secondly the loue of God cannot dwell in his heart that beareth no loue to his brother Hence it is that the apostle Iohn saith 1 Iohn 4. 1 Ioh. 4 10. If any man say I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lyar for hee that loueth not his brother whom he hath seene how can hee loue God whom hee hath not seene Thirdly so long as they liue in this estate the worship that they performe is not performed to GOD but to the Diuell forasmuch as they are his seruants and his workes they do and to him they yeeld obedience and of him they must looke for their reward They cannot pray aright no not so much as say the Lords prayer and if they do they sin in it and prouoke Gods iudgements against thē so long as they liue in hatred and malice
repentance without assurance of the loue and fauour of God without a sound resolution to liue a liuely meÌ„ber of Christ withou meditation of the benefits of his passion without acknowledgement of the greatnesse of the mercy shewed toward vs by consideration of the greatnesse of the torment that was prepared for vs for all this we may do and yet be condemned for not comming at all And let vs marke this as the last point and take it as a farewell that the cause of all these excuses and colourable pretences is the suffering of some one maister-sinne to raigne in vs there is one predominant or capitall sinne that thus hath the vpper hand ouer vs the which till it be pulled vp by the rootes will â—euer suffer any grace of the Spirit or duty of obedience to grow in vs. This maketh our hearts heauy and casteth vs into a dead sleepe that we cannot heare the voice of God Let vs therefore learne betimes to prepare our selues by humiliation by confession by prayer and by bewailing the want or weakenesse of grace in vs that so iudging our selues for our sinnes we may not be iudged of the Lord. CHAP. III. Of the first outward part of the Lords Supper HItherto we haue shewed what the Lords supper is and how to apply it to our instruction now we are to coÌ„sider in this Sacrament two things his parts and his vses as we haue shewed in the former bookes The parts are partly outward and partly inward A man is a compound creature made of flesh and of a reasonable soule as Athanasius speaketh in his Creed If the question were asked whether man were a mortall creature or immortall earthly or heauenly visible or inuisible no man could rightly answere without a distinction that he is earthly touching his body and heauenly touching his Spirit In like sort we must consider touching the Lords Supper which is made of an earthly and an heauenly thing and therefore if the question were demanded touching this Sacrament whether it be an earthly or heauenly thing we may answere it is both and must resolue that in part it is earthly and in part heauenly earthly in the signe and heauenly in the matter that is signified Let vs vnderstand this well and acknowledge the diuers natures and parts of it There had neuer risen so great diuision and confusion in the Church touching the Sacrament if this distinction had beene well obserued The ignorance of this point hath bred much strife and debate for whilst some iudge of it according to the inward thing and some according to the outward onely the truth of the Lords Supper hath beene buried in silence both sorts forgetting that the prouidence of God and his louing kindnesse did abase it selfe vnto our capacity not onely yeelding words to our eares but visible signes to our eyes whereby he would exhibite to our faith spirituall things The outward part is one thing the inward part is another thing the outward is taken in at the mouth the inward by the inward man the outward is turned into the nourishment of the body the inward worketh in vs to eternal life the outward is taken by some to their destruction but the inward alwaies to saluation This appeareth euidently by the words of the Apostle deliuering to the Church what he had receiued of the Lord and declaring how the same night he was betrayed Hee tooke bread and a 1 Cor. 11 23 22 25 Mat 26 26. 28 29. when hee had giuen thankes he brake it and said Take ye eate ye this is my body which is broken for you this do ye in remembrance of me After the same manner also He tookâ— the cup when he had supped saying This cup is the new testament in my blood this do as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me In these words we see both the outward parts propounded and the number of them defined and determined For heere are b Foure outward parts of the Lords Supper foure outward parts handled to wit the Minister the words of institution the bread and wine and the Communicants The first Minister thereof was Christ the words of institution are This is my body giuen for you this is the cup of the new testament in my blood the signes are bread and wine the first Communicants were the Apostles So then the Ministers must do that which Christ did and the people that which the Disciples did the actions of Christ are directions to the Minister the actions of the Apostles are directions to the people I am not ignorant that it seemeth hard and harsh to some to make the Minister and receiuer of the Sacrament to bee parts thereof I am not willing to contend about words and names where we agree in the substance of the matter forasmuch as euery one confesseth that these two are outward things which being wanting there can be no Sacrament Againe I haue declared in the first booke and the fourth chapter in what sence I call them parts to wit because the Minister standeth in the place of God and his outward actions do represent the inward actions of God the Father as is farther proued in the 8. chap. of this booke and the receiuer doth nothing in receiuing in eating and in drinking but it hath his inward signification as we may see in the 11. chap. following Lastly I would haue the indifferent reader vnderstand that I say no more then others of the learned haue said before me in other words howbeit in the same meaning who make two kinds of signes the one elementall the other rituall the one in the matter the other in the forme The signes elementall in this Sacrament are the bread and wine the signes rituall are the giuing and taking of the elements which are the proper actions of the Minister and of the receiuer Whether therefore you call the Minister and the receiuer signes or parts or outward things it is not greatly materiall so that we confesse and ioyne together in this that the outward actions performed as well by the one as the other haue a relation to some other thing resembled by them Let vs then see the actions of Christ He tooke bread he blessed he brake the bread he poured out the Wine he distributed and deliuered them both Wherefore the actions and workes of the Minister are c Foure actions of the Minister foure-fold First to take the bread and wine into his hands after the example of Christ who did it to shew that himselfe willingly giueth himselfe for his Church which serueth to strengthen our faith and perswasion of his loue toward vs in whose imitation the Minister doth it to represent the action of God the Father giuing his Son vnto vs for our full redemption The second action is blessing and giuing of thanks that is by prayer by thanksgiuing and by rehearsall of the promises of God together with the institution of Christ actually to separate the
sinne then his oblation and there should be another propitiation for the sins of the world And thus much of the popish Idoll of the blasphemous Masse Vse 4 Furthermore did Christ deliuer his last Supper to all his Disciples that were present Did none stand by and gaze on while other receiued Then heereby fall to the ground the priuate communions e Against priuate masses in the church of Rome of the popish Church where all is f Concil Trid. sess 22. cap. 6. deuoured by the Priest nothing deliuered to the people For whereas the ordinance of Christ and ancient order of the Church was for the Minister people to receiue the Sacrament together among them the Prest accompanied with his boy to make answere receiueth the Sacramēt himselfe alone without distribution made to others yea although the whole congregatiō be present and looke vpon him whereby God is dishonoured the communion is abolished the people of God are therby depriued and robbed of all comfort How is this a feast which the Priest prepareth for himselfe not for others receiueth by himselfe not with his brethren hee speaketh to himselfe and not to the assembly he vseth a strange tongue and no man knoweth what he meaneth the people is taught nothing they vnderstand nothing they heare nothing they receiue nothing and a few childish apish foolish and vnseemely gestures excepted they see nothing they taste nothing they partake nothing neither comfort of heart nor memory of Christ nor benefit of his passion But Christ in his last Supper did not eate vp all alone but after the Disciples had supped as Mathew g Mat. 26 26. setteth it downe he tooke bread blessed he brake and gaue it to them saying take ye eate ye neither did he drinke alone of the fruite of the vine but taking the cup he gaue thankes and gaue to them all saying Drinke ye all of this So then albeit a certaine number of communicants are not limited and determined yet Christ in these words appointeth a company to be present as appeareth by the number Take ye eate ye drinke yee all diuide ye it among your selues doe ye this in my remembrance ye set forth the Lords death when ye come together to eate tarry ye one for another as often as ye shall eate this bread These words cannot bee vnderstood of one particular man but necessarily import a great number of men nay the Philosopher teacheth that the word all must be verefied at the least h Arist lib. 1. de Cocl cap. 1. of the number of three which is the least and lowest number that would be admitted to this Supper Neither doe we reade that so soone as one was gained to the faith that the Apostles administred this Sacrament to him much lesse would they minister to themselues alone when none were conuerted in a nation or Citty Secondly Christ expresly commandeth vs to do as himselfe did when hee left this fare-well token and pledge of his loue to his Disciples saying i Luk. 22 19. Do this in remembrance of me But he after the words of consecration did not offer a sacrifice to his Father vnder shewes of bread and wine but gaue the bread and cuppe to his Disciples and left his owne example as a direction for vs to follow so that the distribution deliuerance of the signes is of the substance of the Sacrament as well as the breaking of the bread or pouring out of the wine and it is not lawfull in any sort to change the testament of Christ or to corrupt the meaning of the testator Thirdly the Apostle teacheth how he receiued from the Lord that which he deliuered to the churches that the people should eate of this bread and drinke of this cup k 1 Cor. 11 23 and proueth that the faithfull are made partakers of the Lords Table not by gazing or looking on while others eate but by eating not by standing stil while others drinke but by drinking as 1 Cor. 10. We that are many are one bread and one body because we are all partakers of one bread Fourthly the same Apostle reproueth the Corinthians which presumed to take the Supper of the Lord before others and did not tarry for their brethren when they came together to be partakers of the Sacrament as we see 1 Cor. 11. Euery man when they should eate l 1 Cor. 11.20 22. taketh his owne supper afore this is not to eate the Lords Supper And afterward Wherefore my brethren when ye come together to eate tarry one for another Now because the Corinthians brake this order ordinance he chargeth them to come vnreuerently to receiue vnworthily to eate and drinke iudgement vnto themselues Shall they then that are faithfull Christians patiently beare the iniury done them by these sacrificing Masse-mungers who neuer bid the Lords guests nor call them to his table nor tarry for them till they come to this heauenly banket but like the Priests of Bell do eate and drinke vp all themselues Fiftly the same Apostle willeth and warneth all persons which come to this communion diligently to proue examine n 1 Cor. 11 28 themselues and then to come to this Supper as we see 1 Cor. 11. Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup so that he would not haue any excluded from receiuing which haue tryed their harts by examining are thereby rightly prepared to this great worke Lastly the names giuen to this Sacrament noting the nature thereof do affoord vs a good consideration to strike through the heart of this priuate Masse being called sometimes the Supper of the Lord and sometimes a communion among our selues If it be an holy Supper and spirituall banket why are none bidden and called thereunto If it be a communion why doth the Priest vncharitably swallow all alone wherby they make it a communion but without company a supper but without guests meat but without eating drinke but without drinking a table but without sitting downe a participation but without any that are partakers a banket but without feeding thereat the people departing as hungry and thirsty as they came Wherefore as no man celebrated the Passeouer aright or receiued profit thereby but such as did eate the flesh therof so can none come to the supper of the Lord as he ought though he looke vpon others except he eate of the bread and drinke of the cup according to the commandement of Christ the author thereof But because the Church of Rome is neuer mad without reason let vs driue them out of all their shifts and starting holes wherein they go about to hide their heads First they aske the question What if Obiection 1 their be none worthy to communicate may wee not haue Masses without communicants I answere Answere this is to suppose an impossibility For wheresoeuer the word is truly preached it gaineth some to the faith Christ being in the
haue carried the burden of the building and those labourers that haue borne the heat of the day who albeit they haue written much of the Sacraments and themselues liued where they receiued eyther standing or sitting yet neuer wrote against kneeling nor condemned those Churches that practised it knowing very well that we are no more bound to follow them then they are to follow vs. Indeed they haue all of them abhorred kneeling to the bread but none of them haue abhorred kneeling at the receiuing of the bread and therefore let them that haue beene so earnest heeretofore for sitting at the Communion and to reason for the practise aâ—â— in the maintenance of it lay their hand vpon their mou and not so eagerly pursue that cause but be content to submit themselues to the order of the Church and let them learne to giue thanks to God the Father that we haue the Supper of the Lord so sincerely administred among vs and that they may so reuerently receiue it which in so pure and holy a manner is not either deliuered or taken in some other Churches where notwithstanding they ought to Communicate that liue in them So long as wee may take the bread and drinke of the cuppe of the Lord with hearing the word preached with prayers and praises offered to God let vs not striue and contend in indifferent things as we haue proued this to be which are to be ordered by the higher powers but yeeld obedience to the truth and be content to ioyne with our brethren as in the action of the Supper so in the gesture of the body that so with ioy of heart and comfort of Spirit with one minde with one mouth we may glorify our Father which is in heauen And if the best reformed Churches bee onely the competent Iudges in this case Pag. 50. to whose iudgement we are to conforme our selues as themselues confesse the question will soone be at an end forasmuch as there is no Church vnder heauen that we know nor learned writer before our times that I can vnderstand by the relation and obseruation of others to haue simply condeÌ„ned the gesture of kneeling at the Sacrament as vnlawfull I deny not but some haue held this ceremony needlesse vnprofitable in expedient and fit to be abolished but not impious vnlawfull Idolatrous in it selfe It is well said of Beza Beza epist 2. in his second Epistle that albeit the Sacraments be instituted by Christ and that by mans authority nothing ought to bee added to them or detracted from them yet not euery declining from the institution is to be accounted a corruption so that the intent and purpose of the Author of them be obserued When the Lord Iesus did ordaine his last supper it is most likely that the disciples receiued the bread and the cup not at the hands of Christ but one of another forasmuch as he tooke the cup and gaue thanks and said Take this and diuide it among your selues Luke 22 17. and that all of them did drinke of one and the same cup what then Shall wee say that those Churches offended or that the commandement of Christ is transgressed or that the institution is violated where one doth not deliuer the Sacrament to another but all receiue it at the hand of the Minister where they drinke also not of one but of diuers cups No in no wise because the taking of the Elements is necessarily required but the manner is not precisely appointed and prescribed And heereby also we see farther that we are not seruilely bound to cleaue to the example of Christ in the administration and participation of the Supper albeit on the other side we haue no purpose to oppose our selues any way against him but inasmuch as he hath left it free we haue made choice of that we thinke fit Thus I haue finished the point which I intended to bring backe our deceiued brethren and sisters to a willing submission to the orders of our Church in this behalfe I haue of purpose abstained from speaking of many other points which I might haue touched and peraduenture had beene fit to be obserued least I should exasperate any way those that are contrary minded and thereby driue them farther from that whereunto I goe about to perswade them and so wound those whom I desire to win For I am so farre from going about to kindle the coales of contention and mouing them any way to anger or bringing them to trouble whom I minde to gaine to the truth that if I haue let fall any thing from my pen that they which are contrary to me in opinion and to our Church in practise might take to be spoken to their disgrace or vttered in contempt of their persons I do heere freely condemne it my selfe before it come into other mens hands to be read of them I seeke for verity I striue not for victory In the matters of God we should be farre from bitternesse and especially in things of this nature we ought to be patient toward al men In all controuersies I account it an heauenly direction worthy to bee followed set downe by the Apostle Eph. 4. Eph. 4 31 32. Let all bitternesse and wrath and anger and clamour and euill speaking be put away from you and be ye kinde one to another tender hearted forgiuing one another euen as God for Christs sake hath forgiuen you And to conclude I say with the same Apostle in another place Gal. 6. Gal 6 16. As many as walke according to this rule peace be on them and mercy and vpon the Israel of God Thus much of the duties and rites to be practised of the Communicants as likewise touching the rest of the outward parts of the Lords Supper CHAP. VII Of the words of Consecration in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ALthough we haue spoken before sufficiently of consecration a Booke 1. ca. 8. what it is and how it is wrought to satisfie all such as are sober minded and simple louers of the truth yet because special points are heere to be obserued and that the aduersaries turne the true consecration into a certaine magical incantation to worke a miraculous or rather a monstrous transubstantiation it shall not be amisse to assume handle this point againe that therby the truth of God may be cleered the ignorant instructed the aduersaries satisfied and consequently their mouths stopped Consecration is a change or conuerting of the outward elements into another vse by obseruing the whole institution of Christ which giueth it his effect We confesse a turning and changing not of one substance into another not by abolishing of natures not by close pronouncing of certaine words but in the vse and in respect of vs c The vse of the elements is câ—anged the substance is not changed and in regard of the promise of God The water which flowed out of the rocke in the wildernesse signified the same to the Fathers
Fathers appointing of his Son the Ministers blessing the Fathers separating and setting apart his Sonne to his office the Ministers deliuering of the bread the Fathers giuing of his Sonne If then wee draw neere to the Lords table with faith reuerence and repentance nothing can be more sure and certaine to vs then the taking and receiuing of Christ for when we receiue the bread from the Minister wee withall receiue the body of Christ offered by the hand of God the Father so that as we are assured of the one we need not doubt of the other Vse 4 Lastly the breaking of the bread pouring out of the wine and deliuering of them both into the hands of the Communicants seale vp these actions of God his chastising of his Sonne and breaking him with sorrowes vpon the Crosse for our redemption offering him vnto all euen vnto hypocrites and giuing him truely to the faithfull with all the benefits of his passion Indeed the Minister giueth the outward signes to all receiuers but God giueth and applyeth onely to the faithfull the shedding of Christs blood for the daily increase of their faith and repentance But heere it may be obiected Obiection that not a bone of him was broken t Exod. 12 45 as it was figured by the Passeouer and performed at his passion the verifying and accomplishment whereof we reade Iohn 19 36. I answere Answere there is a double breaking of Christ one corporall whereof the places before doe speake the other figuratiue whereby is vnderstood u Esa 53 4.5 hee was tormented and euen torne with paines as Esa 53. He was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed Lo what is meant by the breaking of the bread his soule was tormented his spirit was crushed his hands and feet were pierced he sweat drops of Water and blood and cryed out aloud vpon the Crosse My Maâ— 27 46. God my God why hast thou forsaken me Wherefore let these rites be rightly marked and obserued of vs for our comfort and consolation Let vs when wee see the bread broken and wine poured out meditate on the passion of Christ how he was wounded and torne for our transgressions Although not a bone of his body was broken in pieces yet hee was broken with afflictions bruised with sorrowes and tormented with bitter anguish of his soule by whose stripes we are healed by whose condemnation we are iustified by whose agonies we are comforted by whose death we are quickened Whosoeuer resteth in the outward workes done before his eyes neuer attaineth to the substance of the Sacrament Thus much of the first inward part CHAP. IX Of the second inward part of the Lords Supper THe second inward part is the a The second inward part of the Lords Supper is the holy Spirit holy Spirit who assureth vs of the truth of Gods promise As we haue in the word of truth the forgiuenes of sins increase of faith groweth in sanctification a great measure of dying to sin and a greater care to liue in newnes of life promised vnto vs so doth the Spirit worke these things b Rom. 8 15. Gal. 3 2 5. in the hearts of all the faithfull This appeareth in many places Rom. 8. Ye haue receiued the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father the same Spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God To one is giuen by the Spirit the word of wisedome to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit to another is giuen faith by the same Spirit all these things worketh one and the selfe same Spirit distributing to euery man seuerally as he will So then as we are weake in faith and slow to beleeue so wee haue the Spirit giuen vnto vs to helpe our infirmities and to open our hearts to receiue the promises For the Lord Iesus raigning continually in his Church and performing the office of a Prophet doth make the words of his Ministers liuely by his Spirit in our hearts and causeth them to be of perpetuall force and efficacy assuring vs of his promises made vnto vs and vniting the signe with the thing signified This truth being cleared the vses offer themselues Vse 1 to be câ—nsidered And first of all inasmuch as the Spirite worketh these things in the hearts of all the faithfulll from hence we gather that such as neuer finde any change or renewing of the minde or reformation of life after the receiuing of the Sacraments may iustly suspect themselues whether euer they had faith or not and whether euer they repented or not and therefore ought to vse the meanes to come by faith and repentance For the worke of the Spirite accompanieth the outward worke in the elect of God as also we see in the hearing of faith preached he must open the heart that is closed vp before wee can receiue with meekenesse c Iam. 1 21. the word of that is grafted in vs which is able to saue our soules Indeed euery person present may heare the words of institution may see the wine poured out may eat of that bread and drinke of that cup as they may also heare the sound of the voice that commeth vnto them but the whole force effect and power resteth onely in the Spirit of God sealing vp the truth and substance of those things in the hearts of all the Children of God Vse 2 Againe seeing these things are done and performed by the working of the Spirit they are confuted and conuinced that thinke they cannot be made partakers of the body and blood of Christ and be vnited to his flesh vnlesse his body be shut vp vnder the accidents of bread and shewes of wine and so his flesh be giuen vnto vs carnally that we may eate him with our mouths and conuey him into our stomackes But we see heere the Holy-Ghost is the bond of this vnion he worketh in vs faith which pierceth the heauens and layeth hold on Christ It is said of Abraham the Father of the faithfull that d Ioh. 8 56. he reioyced to see the day of Christ he saw it and was glad For as we cannot see him with our bodily eyes nor heare him with our bodily eares nor touch him with our bodily hands no more can wee taste or eate him with our bodily mouths By the hand of faith we reach and apply him by the mouth of faith we receiue and eate him Let vs beleeue in Christ and we e Aug. tract in Iohn 26. 27. haue eaten Christ let vs not prepare our teeth and our belly but a liuely faith working by loue Wherefore albeit the humane nature of Christ goe not out of the highest heauens yet we that liue vpon the earth are partakers of his bodye contained in the heauens and his flesh and blood are communicated to vs as truely and effectually as if he were there
the eye the heart It would be strange in nature to see the hands beate and teare the face or the feet then what is it but euen monstrous in religion for one Christian to deuoure another to pray vpon another to swell against another and to do hurt one to another There is no difference of grapes when they are all in the wine-presse so there is no difference of Christians in respect of Christ comming to his Table so that being made one body in Christ there ought to be no diuision or contention among vs but we should be knit together in loue with so firme and fast a knot as may not bee broken Thus much of the third and last end of the Lords Supper CHAP. XV. Of Examination before the Lords Supper WHat the Supper of the Lord is what are the parts and vses thereof and what an heauenly banket it is for all worthy receiuers hath hitherto beene sufficiently declared now it followeth to set down a Examination necessary before we come to the Lords Table the way means how we may come worthily For the whole fruite of this Sacrament standeth in the right partaking thereof The right manner standeth in preparing our selues to come and in examining our selues before we come No great thing can be done well without good care and endeuour In all humane b Cicer de â—sâ—sic lib. 1. things of any importance nothing is attempted or atchiued without some preparation more or lesse going before according to the nature of the matter Before men sit downe to eate or drink their ordinary food before they sleepe before they wash before they walke before they worke some preparation goeth before Before the c rem 4 4. ground is tilled it is prepared Before the law was deliuered before the d Exo. 19 10. Sabboth was sanctified before the sacrifice was offered before the Passeouer was killed before the word was receiued before prayers were vttered the hart was in some sort prepared One of the greatest duties required of vs is to dye well whereunto all our life should be a preparation and euery day should be a meditation of death that we may not be found vnready vnprepared e Mat. 25 13. when the bridegroome shall come So the Supper of the Lord being an excellent mystery and the food of our soules whereby we receiue Christs body and blood there is required of euery one a trying prouing and examining themselues least seeking comfort by their comming they bring vpon theÌ„selues iudgement through want of preparing This truth deliuered hath the witnesse and consent f 2 Chr. 35.6 of many Scriptures for the confirmation thereof The Prophet 2. Chron. 35. saith Kill the Passeouer and sanctifie your selues and prepare your brethren that they may do according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses And the holy man Iob when the dayes of the banketting of his children were gone about sent and sanctified them and rose vp earely in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all Also the wise man Eccle. 4. Take heed to thy foote when thou entrest into the house of God and be more neere to heare then to giue the sacrâ—fice of fooles for they know not that they do euill Likewise the Prophet Ieremy Lament 3. Wherefore is the living man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinne let vs search and try our wayes and turne againe to the Lord. To the same purpose the Prophet Dauid saith Psal 4. Tremble and sinne not examine your owne heart vpon your bed and be still and Psal 119. I haue considered my waies and turned my feet into thy testimonies The Apostle Paul is very direct in this point as Gal 6.4 Let euery man proue his owne worke and then shall he haue reioycing in himselfe onely and not in any other Also 1. Cor. 11. Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup where he speaketh of purpose of the Lords Supper So then it is a duty required of all persons that come to the Lords Table or any other exercise of religion to search their owne hearts and consciences narrowly how they be affected disposed touching the discharge of this duty And if we would farther consider the necessity of this examination we should finde it standeth vpon many sufficient g Reasons of this duty of examination reasons and causes as vpon certaine foundations that cannot be remoued Do we not see men when they come into the presence of some honourable and noble person h Gen. 41 14. to addresse themselues to do it with all reuerence Ioseph being sent for to come before Pharaoh King of Egipt shaued his head and changed his rayment and Prou. 23. When thou sittest downe with a Ruler at meate consider diligently what is before thee Therefore when we sit at the Lords Table to sup with him and are admitted to be his welcome guests we ought much more to be carefull to sanctifie our soules with all solemnity Consider with me a little our owne practise We will not put our ordinary meates in a dish vnwashed nor our common drinks into a cup vncleansed and shall wee put the signes of bread and wine which are chosen instruments to conueigh Christ vnto vs into vnsanctified soules vnprepared hearts and filthy consciences Doth not our Sauiour Christ reproue such hypocrisie when he saith i Mat. 16 3. Ye can discerne the face of the skie and can you not discerne the signes of the times And if that vpper chamber where the Supper was first administred were trimmed and garnished should not our hearts bee prepared into the which it is receiued Shal Christ himselfe offer to come into our houses and shall not we sanctifie our hearts to entertaine such a guest This were too great carelesnes and contempt Moreouer waigh with me the profit that commeth to our selues to moue vs to this examination The comfort is great the fruite is excellent the benefit is vnspeakeable to those that partake the mystery of the Supper worthily they receiue Christ they receiue remission of sins they receiue saluation they receiue assurance of eternall life For if the woman diseased l Math. 9 20. with an yssue of blood loe twelue yeare comming behind Christ and touched onely the hemme of his garment was made vvhole then assuredly the spiritual receyuing of the body and bloode of Christ shall not bring lesse profit if the faith be equall which notwithstanding is wholy lost without preparation Ponder with me also how by neglect of this triall of our selues not onely this profite is lost but the Sacrament it selfe is after a sort defiled For howsoeuer it be in it selfe by the ordinance of God an holy and heauenly banquet yet vnto the vngodly vnregenerate and vnsanctified it becommeth vnholy and wholy earthly l Hag. 2.14 as the prophet Haggai teacheth Chapter 2. If a polluted
person touch an holy thing it shall be vncleane The person must be holy that will haue sound profite by the holie things of God the man that is vnholie defileth euery thing he toucheth the polluted person polluteth all thinges For as to m Tit. 1 15. the pure all things are pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minds and consciences are corrupted so the prophane person defileth all thinges and turneth wholesome meate into noysome poison We must therefore vse sanctifyed things with sadctifyed hearts and for spirituall meate wee must haue spirituall vessels Furthermore marke the great danger punishment that is procured and purchased by the want of preparation For the vnworthy receiuer is guilty n 1 Cor 11 27 of the body and blood of Christ as the Apostle specifieth 1 Cor. 11. Whosoeuer shal eat this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily shal be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. And againe He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his own iudgment because he discerneth not the Lords body for this cause many are sicke and weake among you and many sleepe Where he teacheth that such as come vnworthily vnreuerently and otherwise then such mysteries should be handled do despise tread vnder their feete Iesus Christ himselfe prouoke the Lords wrath and bring on themselues swift damnation Not that be is carnally and bodily present but because the reproach which is vsed to the signes toucheth the bodie and bloode of Christ signified by them Euen as if a man shoulde rent disgrace deface spit vppon treade and trample vnder his feete and villanouslie abuse the image seale and letters patents of a Prince he should be adiudged d Ren. Iaesae Maiestatis guiltie of a greeuous crime against the person of the Prince himselfe not which hee receyueth but despiteth so such as come vnthankefully and vnworthily to this supper are guiltie of his body not which they haue eaten but which they haue refused and reiected being offered vnto them and therefore are guilty of their owne death inasmuch as God with the signes offereth his owne Son Wherefore seeing the presence of God mooueth seeing our owne profit perswadeth seeing our owne practise furthereth seeing the defiling of the Sacrament and the danger of vnwoorthy receiuing teacheth and lastly seeing our owne iudgement in humane affayres when the daunger is not so great nor the losse so certaine cryeth out for this necessary preparation it standeth vs vpon before wee enter into this holy worke whereunto of our selues wee are more vnfit and vnto warde and which in it owne nature is most profitable to set our selues before the Lord who shal examine and iudge the quicke and the dead to search into our owne waies and to keepe a sessions in our owne soules to looke into our secret and hidden corruptions how wee haue gone forward or backeward in godlinesse to try whither wee haue a knowledge feeling and disliking of our sinnes and whether we haue any feare of Gods iudgments or faith in his promises or hope in his mercie to iudge our selues that we may not be iudged of the Lorde to labour to finde our speciall sinnes striuing against them by earnest prayer to God and condemning them for euer in our selues If we would thus iudge our selues we should not be condemned with the worldâ— Let vs be grieued for our naturall blindnesse Let vs acknoledge confusion of faces to be due vnto vs Let vs deepely imprint in our owne hearts the horror of our sins past and present The more we perceiue and discerne our owne vnworthines the greater shall be our fitnes to come to this Sacrament and the lesse we espy our owne imperfections the more we incurre the danger of Gods iudgements So then to touch vs with true humility and to breake our stony hearts in pieces with remembrance of our daily offences let vs often meditate on the death and passion of Christ who was forsaken scorned buffetted and crucified for vs he was led as a lambe to the slaughter and shunned not the shame of the Crosse then the powers of heauen and earth were moued p Mat 27 45 Iudea was darkened the earth quaked the stones claue in sunder the graues opened the Sunne was in the ful-moone eclipsed the vaile of the Temple was rent the dead were raised the theefe repented the Centurion glorified God and the whole order of nature was changed All these things doe set before vs the heinousnesse of our sins and the greatnes of Gods wrath which could not be appeased but by crucifying of the body and by shedding of the blood of Christ which is represented to vs as in a glasse in this Supper Thus we haue shewed by testimonies and effectuall reasons that as in the Passeouer they were commanded to chuse them a lambe q Exod 12 3. on the tenth day but to kill him on the fourteenth so that they had foure dayes liberty betweene the separating and the killing of him for preparation and sanctification of themselues in like manner in the Supper which is the same to vs that the Passeouer was to the Iewes the Spirit of God chargeth this duty vpon vs that we prepare our hearts reuerently thereunto Vse 1 Now as we haue seene the necessity of this examination let vs consider what vses are to be made thereof It is required of all Communicants that come to the Lords table diligently to examine themselues Then from hence it followeth that all men are bound to know the word of God and to be skilfull in the Scripture that thereby they may be able to try their owne hearts and examine themselues by that rule But if the rule be vnknowne the tryall spoken oft cannot be made the examination commanded cannot bee practised Especially there is required of vs the knowledge in the doctrine of the law not onely to be able to rehearse the words but to know the end and meaning of them the speciall braunches of them what are the duties commaunded what are the sinnes condemned for by r Rom 3 20. the Lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne and the Apostle had not knowne sinne Å¿ Rom. 7 7. but by the Law for hee had not knowne lust except the law had sayed thou shalt not lust As then hee that will trie Golde from Copper must haue his touchstone so hee that will rightly examine his obedience must familiarly be acquainted with the Canon of the Scriptures This our Sauiour teacheth t Iohn 5 3â— Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue eternall life they are they which testifie of me If then we search them they will giue vs light to search our selues And the Apostle requireth the Colossians Col. 3 16. to haue the word of God dwell plentifully in them in all wisedome Wherefore he that said examine your selues ment we should also know the Scriptures and especially
saying Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe Christ doth not reiect him for his weaknesse of knoledge and faith to teach that we should not despaire or be dismaide when we finde wauering wantes distrust and imperfection in our selues but rather confessing our frailty with that Father in this place pray to be strengthned and to haue our Faith encreased For whosoeuer vnfainedly desireth any grace of God tending to saluation shal receiue it if he continue c Reu 21 6. knocking at the gate of his Mercie it shall bee opened and his prayer shall be granted as Christ hath promised d Phil 1 6. I wil giue to him that is a thirst of the Well of the water of life Thus if wee long after the graces wanting vnto vs as the earth after a great drowth for the comfortable showers of refreshing raine vsing the meanes appointed of God to attaine them as earnest prayer reuerent attending on the continual hearing of his word diligent receiuing of the Sacraments being careful to giue honor and glory to him for his gifts we haue already of his onely mercie obtained and enioyed we shal be satisfied and replenished for then He that hath begun his good worke in vs will perfect the same in our hearts vntill the day of Iesus Christ Thus much of faith the second part of true examination which is the instrument whereby we lay hold vpon Christ and are made liuely members of him without which whosoeuer come to the Lords Supper depart awaie without fruite and comfort because of an action without faith commeth an end without fruite CHAP. XVIII Of Repentance the third part of examination THe next thing in this triall to be considered is a Repentance from dead works requyred of al that come to the Lords table repentance which is a renewing of the minde a change of the heart a turning of the soule and a reformation of our life and affections As knowledge is the beginning and as it were the verie fore-runner of faith like a Messenger going before his Maister to prepare for his comming so repentance is an especiall fruite of faith without which whosoeuer draweth neare to the Lords Table prophaneth the Sacrament and departeth without comfort For it is an altering of our liues and conuersations vnto God ioyned with a godly sorrow and detestation of all sin together with an vnfeined loue and desire of righteousnesse This appeareth in the chaunge of the whole man of our thoughts affections meditations and delights in all these the old man with his deceitfull lusts must be put off and the new man must be put on b Ephe â—â— 24 which after God is created vnto righteousnesse and true holinesse This duty is taught in diuers places of the Scripture Heereunto come the words of the Prophet Esaiah When c â—say 1 12. ye come to appeare before me vvho required this at your hands to treade in my Courts Bring no mo Oblations in vaine Incense is an abhom nation vnto me I cannot suffer your New Moones nor Sabâ—othes nor solemne daies it is iniquity nor assemblies And when ye shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eies from you and though yee make manie prayers I will not heare for your hands are full of blood Wash you make you cleane take away the euill of your workes from before mine eies cease to do euill learne to do well c. And Chap. 66. He that killeth a Bullocke d â—say 66 3. is as if he slew a man he that sacrificeth a sheepe is as if he cut off a Dogges necke he that offereth an oblation as if he offered Swines flesh he that burneth incense as if he blessed an Idoll yea they haue chosen their owne waies and their Soule delighteth in their abhominations Wherby the prophet meaneth that God accepteth no sacrifices without faith and repentance This also was figured and shadowed out by washing the Garments and chaunging the attire of such as came with c Gen 35 â— 3 their Oblations vnto God and prepared themselues vnto his seruice Thâ—â— Iacob commanded when he reformed his houshold and went vp with them to Bethell the house of GOD. Thus Moses prepared the people before the Lawe was deliuered in Mount Sinai And heereunto the Prophet Dauid alludeâ—h Psâ—l 26. I will wash mine hands in innocency O Lord and â—â—aâ—pâ—sseth 〈…〉 As if he should say I wil endeauor to liue most vprightly toward thee and toward men and so come and offer sacrifices at thine Altar Wherefore such as feele not themselues to haue penitent hearts to be humbled and grieued for their sins to sigh and grone vnder the burthen of them to tremble at God iudgments cannot come aright to this holy Supper but eate drinke certaine iudgement to themselues The broken and contrite heart is the path-way to heauen f 1 Cor 7 10.11 and an vnseparable companion of repentance This the Apostle teacheth 2 Cor. 7. Godly sorrow causeth repentance vnto saluation not to be repented off but worldly sorrow causeth death but behold this thing that yee haue beene godly sorry what great â—â—â—e it hath wrought in you yea what cleering of your selues yea what indignation yea what feare yea what desire yea what zeale yea what punishment Heere be the g Signs wherby to examin our repentance notes and tokens whereby we may try our repentance whether it be sincere or not It hath these signes to discerne it a care to leaue that sin into which we are fallen otherwise we haue not repented as Act. 2. They which had crucified the Lord of life and deliuered him into the hands of sinners were pricked in their hearts and said to Peter and to the other h Act 1. 37.38 Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do And Peter said vnto them Amend your liues and saue your selues from this froward generation The other signes of repentance are a confession of our sins to God a condemning our selues for them an holy and inward anger against our selues for our carelesnesse in looking to our owne waies a feare nor so much of Gods iudgements as least we fall into the same sins againe and so offend our mercifull Father a desire euer after to please God with all our hearts and last of all a renewing and punishing of our owne soules for our offences committed against him Now to the end we may repent aright and sit in iudgement of our selues according to the forme of God iustice it shall be needfull for vs i In examining our selues we must 〈◊〉 the order of the Comandements Command 1. to examine our selues by the ten words of the law and out of the same to frame ten seueral encitements against our selues whereby wee shall finde a great defect of righteousnes a great spoile of obedience a great accesse of disobedience and a great heape of all kinde of corruptions This then may serue and suffice for the true examination of our selues We must