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
comfort in trials and tribulations to consider that howsoeuer by sicknesse by persecution by imprisonment wee may be separated from the Supper of Christ u Rom. 8 35. yet we cannot be separated from Christ though we may be hindred from eating him sacramentally yet wee cannot bee hindred from eating him spiritually though we may be kept from eating the bread and drinking of the cup of the Lord yet we cannot by the malice of Sathan or violence of his instruments be kept from feeding vpon Christ by faith to saluatioÌ„ And in this case God will accept the will for the deed if there be in vs a desire to be partakers thereof for as the word of God is not bound so his grace is not tyed vp Againe other receiue Christ onely sacramentally and not spiritually who are partakers of the outward Elements of bread and wine and so receiue the bare signes of the body and blood of Christ For as they are said to eate the true body of Christ spiritually which receiue Christ with the mouth of the soule that is by a true faith and are truely ioyned to him so they eate him sacramentally that handle eate and drinke the signes and seales of his true body but because they want faith they want the meanes to receiue Christ himselfe Thus many haue bin baptized that were neuer regenerated and inwardly purged a Act. 8 23. appeareth in Symon the sorcerer whose heart was not vptight so that albeit he were partaker of the Sacrament of regeneration and repentance yet he remained in the gall of bitternes and in the bond of iniquity So many haue resorted to the Lords Supper that neuer drew nourishment or strength of faith from him to life and saluation and thus many thousands in the world come to the Sacraments but because they come vnworthily they depart away vnprofitably Let no man therefore slatter himselfe in the worke done but labour to come aright that so he may finde comfort to his soule Moreouer some neither receiue Christ spiritually nor sacramentally and such are they that neuer come to Christ nor receiue the sacraments of Christ such are they that liue cut of the bosome of the Church as it were out of the Arke of Noah as Infidels Iewes Turkes Sarizens Persians and such like these must needs perish in the deepe floods of Gods endlesse iudgements For as Christ is the fountaine of life and the well-spring of all b Câ—â— 1 19 â— â— heauenly treasures that accompany saluation and the Sacraments his instruments whereby these graces are conueyed vnto vs the Church the parties to whom both these belong so such as are without Christ without the Sacraments without grace without the Church and consequently without the priuiledges that pertaine to the heires of his eternall kingdome lye in darkenesse and in the shaddowe of death c Mat â—5 26. and are as Dogges to whome the childrens bread doth not belong Lastly other receiue Christ both spiritually by faith sacramentally with the mouth who are partakers both of the signes and of the things signified who â—â—g Tract â—5 â—4 Iohan eate of the bread of the Lord and the bread which is the Lords And thus the Apostles that sate at the table with Christ at his last Supper did receiue him applying the outward part to their bodies and the inward part to their soules Also thus all the faithfull that come to the table of Christ to the end of the world doe receiue him spiritually and sacramentally to the great comfort of their owne soules and thus must euery one of vs seeke to come to Christ whensoeuer wee come to the Sacrament of Christ Wherefore we see what difference distinction is to be made betweene those that receiue Christ that we be not deceiued in the manner of the receiuing of him Againe seeing onely the faithfull are the inward part of Vse 2 this Sacrament it is not to be administred to such as shew themselues vnfaithful and vnrepentant so farre as they may be knowne so to be Such as are without faith without repentance without sanctification haue no right and interest in this blessed communion For if euery one should without difference be admitted and receiued the Church of God which is a blessed fellowship of Saints should be turned into a stye of vnclean swine a stable of vncleane beasts a cage of vncleane birds and as Christ speaketh the e Ioh. 2 16. Luk 19 46. house of God should be made a denne of theeues God did shut out of his f Ezek. 44 9. sanctuary euery stranger vncircumcised in heart and in the flesh he commanded also the Priests to put a difference betweene the holy and prophane betweene the cleane and vncleane Hitherto belongeth that saying of Christ Mathew 7. Giue ye not that which is holy to dogges neither cast ye your pearles before swine least they tread you vnder their feet and turning againe all to rent you If therefore such as remaine in grosse and open sinnes of blasphemy swearing contempt of Gods word adultery fornication vncleannes wantonnesse drunkennesse maliciousnesse and such like offer themselues at any time with the rest of the members of the Church to partake this Supper and as it were infectious leapers come into the Lords host g Leuit. 13 â— 45 46. Num. 5 â— 3. to bee admitted to the sacrifices it is the Pastors duty to vse the power of the keyes and barre them from this Sacrament vntill there appeare in them the testimonies of repentance and the confession of their offences Should not the shepheard seuer the rotten and infected sheepe from the rest of the fold Doth not h 1 Cor. 5 6. a little leauen sower the whole lump Will an housholdder admit into his house euery one that vanteth himselfe to be of the houshold The Idolaters by the light of nature i Hesiod liber oper dier Eustath in Iliad lib. 1. Virg. Aeneid lib. 2. 6. would not suffer all to approach to their sacrifices their heathenish sacrifices but cryed out that prophane persons should be packing and get them thence and not i presume to offer with vnwashen hands Such as haue a very cleere fountaine and spring of waters committed vnto them if they see filthy swine come toward it k Chrys hom 83 in Mat cap 37. must not suffer them to trouble the spring and annoy the water Shall they then that haue the sacred and hallowed spring not of common water but of the precious blood of Christ springing vp to eternall life committed vnto them l Zeph. 3 4. suffer such as are notoriously defiled with sin to prophane the blood of Christ and make a mocke of him to their owne destruction Wherefore such as are open wicked persons are not without opeÌ„ repeÌ„tance to be admitted to the Sacram. of the Supper but to be separated from the Church as dead members from the body as withered branches from the tree and
the law of God which must bee the glasse of our u Iam. 1 23 liues to behold our offences and the very ground-work of this examinatioÌ„ Againe are we charged to try out our waies and examine Vse 2 our selues Then wee learne from hence to acknowledge a difference between Baptisme and the Lords supper For Baptisme is due to the whole Church and euery member thereof whether olde or young to all Infants who are the children of faithful parents that haue giuen their names to Christ and are entred into the profession of the Gospell And howsoeuer confession of faith fruites of repentance are required of the elder sorte as wee haue shewed yet touching infaÌ„ts it is sufficient if they be born in the church of such as are members of the church But the Supper of the Lord belongeth onely to such as are able to examine themselues to try their owne hearts and to remember his death which things cannot agree with children As we see in the passe-ouer not all the children of the faithfull were admitted thereunto but onely such as could enquire and require a reason thereof b Exod 12 2â— and did desire to be instructed of their parents and such as had learned to make the law a frontlet before their eyes and a signe vpon their hands that so the doctrine of God might not depart out of their mouths Besides if we consider the outward workes in both the Sacraments aright c This ouerthroweth the opinâ—on of Innocentius Augustine Musculus others who teach it to be fit and needfull that children be admitted to the Supper Innocent 1. Epist ad patr Concil Mile Aug epist 107 ad Vitalem Muscul loc CoÌ„muâ—titul de Euchâ—r we shall plainely see the truth of this diuersity For in Baptisme the action of the Minister is to wash the body with water which requireth not discretion in him that is to be baptized forasmuch as we can clense and wash the things that are without reason without vnderstaÌ„ding without sense and without life But in the Sacra of the Supper a reuerent giuing an attentiue hearing a certaine vnderstanding of that which is spoken a wise receiuing and eating a careful considering of whom to take what to take is required in the outward worke how much greater iudgment is required to know that God the father giueth the body blood of his Son to be receiued by faith Thus theÌ„ this examinatioÌ„ maketh a distinctioÌ„ between both the Sacraments of the new testament sheweth that it is not necessary to the saluation of infants that they come to the Lords table Thirdly seeing no man must presume to come thether without a serious examination of himselfe d Sixe sorts of persons barred from the Lord supper it debarreth Vse 3 from the Lords Supper sixe sorts of persons to wit the vnbaptized children idiots ignorant persons prophane persons and all sorts of Infidels First of all such as are not yet entred into the church by baptisme whatsoeuer their knoledge and faith is cannot claime any priuiledge or right to this Sacrament Secondly if there be a necessity of searching and trying our selues it excludeth all Infants and children in age who vnderstand not what the holy Spirit speaketh in this Sacrament what God the Father offereth what the Son performeth what faith receiueth they know not what it is to eate Christ spiritually and to be nourished by him effectually Thirdly all foolish furious and mad-men being such idiots as that they want the vse of naturall gifts of reason wit discretion and iudgement the defect wherof whatsoeuer they are in age and yeares maketh them as children in gifts not being able to examine themselues are to be separated Fourthly howsoeuer many haue yeares of discretion and the common vse of naturall gifts of vnderstaÌ„ding yet if they neither haue the knowledge of God nor the knowledge of themselues nor the knowledge of the doctrine of the Sacraments and other fundamentall points of religion they are not to be admitted but refused Fiftly if they haue al these things and want neither baptisme nor ripenesse of age nor yeares of discretion nor vse of reason nor knowledge of the doctrine which is according to godlines yet if they remaine prophane vngodly vnrepentant stubborne malicious reuenging open contemners of God of godlinesse and of his word Idolaters adulterers blasphemers drunkards and such in whom appeareth no amendment of life these and such like are not interessed in this Sacrament Lastly it excludeth shutteth out all such as are without God in the world al Atheists Infidels Turks Iewes and Hereticks all such as haue not yeelded themselues to the Church of God haue not made profession of their faith and such as are worthily excommunicated from the Church by the power of the keyes which are no better theÌ„ heathen Publicans Where by we see that all not yet baptized infants children that want years al furious foolish persons that want the vse of reason al blind ignorant persons that want the knowledge of God and of themselues all vnrepentant persons that bring not with them faith and repentance all Infidels and vnbeleeuers with others that are out of the bosome of the Church are to be kept backe from this Supper being such as either cannot or will not submit themselues to this holy and necessary duty of examination thereby hauing no right or title to come to his table For such as haue not the Church to be their mother cannot be nourished with this meate of the Church to wit the Supper of the Lord. Among all these that are thus excluded we do not name the hypocrite because his wickednes is in his heart and kept secret to himselfe and therefore the Church can take no notice of him but leaueth him to God who searcheth the heart and trieth the raines Fourthly if all persons are to prepare themselues to this Vse 4 Sacrament then none are willingly and wilfully to abstain and refraine from comming vnto it For as such sinne grieuously who present themselues vnworthily to this blessed Communion so doe they greatly offend on the other side that of set purpose absent themselues from this spirituall banket prouided for them God is dishonored both these waies as well by receiuing vnreuerently as by abstaining carelesly from this Sacrament For he lyeth vnder an heauie e Ier 48 10. curse deseruedly that doth any of the Lords workes negligently Euen as the patient which being sick maketh no account of the diet which the Physition hath prescribed is no lesse blame woorthy then hee that abuseth it disorderly inasmuch as both sorts do it oftentimes to their danger and destruction so is hee no lesse faulty that maketh no reckoning of the receite which the chiefe Physition of our Soules the Lord Iesus hath appoynted then hee that misuseth and misapplieth the same because both doe it with great perill and hazard to themselues We know that such as
is Christ Iesus offered by God the Father in the Vse 2 right vse of the Sacraments then God doth not deceiue or delude those that come vnto them If any that come to the Sacraments depart without grace without Christ without fruite the cause is in themselues the fault is not in God for l Christ is offered to all but receiued onely of the faithfull he offereth Christ to all euen to the vnfaithfull but they haue not hands to receiue him If a Prince should offer a rich present and he to whome it is offered haue no hand to receiue it he goeth away empty When the Sunne giueth light vpon the earth if men shut their eyes and bee wilfully blinde they receiue no profite by it When God offereth himselfe and his graces to vs by his word and Gospell if we stop our eares and harden our hearts it turneth to be the fauour of death to death so is it in the Sacraments when wee come to them God doth not feede our eyes with naked vaine and idle shewes but ioyneth the truth with the outward token and giueth the grace signified with the signe If we bring the hand of faith with vs which openeth the gate of the kingdome of heauen for vs Christ is both offered and giuen to vs. But howsoeuer the signe be alwayes inseparably ioyned with the grace that is signified in respect of God yet hence it followeth not that both of them are of all receiued For the outward signe is offered to the hand to the senses and instruments of the bodye which because all bring with them all are partakers of the outward parts But Christ who is signified by the signe is offered to the soule and faith of the receiuer m 2. Thes 3 which because many want they loose the fruite of their worke and the benefite of their labour Thirdly if the right receiuers receiue Christ and with Vse 3 him all sauing graces needfull to eternall life then the presence of vngodly men that come to the same Sacraments with vs and meete vs at the same Table cannot hinder and hurt vs in our worthy receiuing The vnbeleeuers and vnrepentant persons come indeed into the assembly of the faithfull to heare the worde of God read preached and expounded and as they come without faith so they depart without fruite yet their company defileth not the sauing hearer So is it in the Sacraments I confesse it were to bee wished that the Church were pure without spot and perfect without corruption faire without blemish and they euen n Gal. 5 12. out off that trouble the same yet sometimes it o Reuel 2 14.20 wanteth that good censure and godlye seuerity which is required to separate such as may infect with the leauen of their life and doctrine Againe as the faith of the wise and worthy receiuer cannot sanctifie the conscience of the hypocrite and offensiue liuer so the infidelity or iniquity of another shall not barre the faithfull soule from fruitfull receiuing to his saluation according to that p Ezek. 18 20 saying The righteousnesse of the righteous shall be vpon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be vpon himselfe Euery one is to prooue and examine himselfe not to enter into the consciences and conuersations of other men wee shall giue an account of our owne wayes and workes not of the deformities of others which we cannot reforme and redresse Furthermore as in an Army euery man hath his standing so in the Church euery man hath his calling it is not in the q Priuat men are not to meddle with the censures of the church power of priuate persons but of the Gouernors of the Church to draw out the censures of the Church against notorious offendors and therefore in their slacking and negligence the people must tollerate that which they cannot amend and not make a separation or rent in the Church as the manner of some is disturbing the peace quietnes thereof Vse 4 Fourthly if Christ be offered giuen and sealed vp to vs in the Sacraments then the Sacraments must be holden of vs in great price and estimation for their profites sake not lightly to be regarded but reuerently to be esteemed They that respect Christ in whom the tresures of al graces are laide vp must regard the Sacramentes of Christ and such as reiect them reiect Christ with all his benefites Vse 5 which who so doth sinneth against his owne soule Lastly if they be signes and seales of grace offered then the Sacraments make not a Christian no more then the seale giueth the purchase or possession The faithfull and the children of the faithfull are true Christians differing from Pagans and Heathen before they be baptized The Sacraments are signes not causes of grace And whosoeuer is not a Christian before he receiue baptizme baptizme can make him none which is onely the seale of the graces of God and his priuiledges before receiued The worde of God and the Sacraments of God are both of one nature but the word is not able to conferre grace but onely to declare and publish what God will confer inasmuch as to some it is the sauour r 2 Cor. 2 16. of death to death therfore also the Sacraments of themselues do not confer and bestow grace hauing it tyed vnto them or shut vp in thē For if the Sacramentes did actually and effectually giue grace by inherent power and vertue in themselues it would follow from hence that euery person baptized is certainely saued and hath his sinnes remitted or else that his sins remitted may returne and remaine and bee againe imputed But when God graciously pardoneth sinne ſ Ezek. 18 22. he remembreth it no more Besides that which is proper to God ought not to be ascribed to the creature Againe we see Abraham was not iustified by his circumcision hee was iustified by his faith for t Gen. 15 6. Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse and afterwarde hee receiued u Rom. 4 10 11. circumcision to bee the signe and seale of his iustification Notwithstanding the Sacraments may bee saide to conferre the grace of regeneration and remission of sinnes as they are instruments vsed of God and as they are pledges tokens to vs. They are meanes to offer and exhibit to the beleeuer Christ with all his benefits wherby the conscience is assured of comfort saluation as the Princes letters are saide to saue the life of a malefactor whereas they only signifie to him and others that it is the Princes pleasure to fauor him Again they may not vnfitly be said to giue vs grace because the signe exhibiteth the thing signified the out-ward washing of the bodye is a pledge and token of the grace of God so that whosoeuer vseth the signe aright shall receiue forgiuenesse and life euerlasting CHAP. III. That the parts of a Sacrament are partly outward and partly inward WE haue seene what
the Sacraments haue force and power to saue and iustify sinners howsoeuer the persons be disposed that partake them then to frame short answeres to euery one of them For what needed this inward part of the Sacraments to wit the working of the holy Ghost if the outward washing were effectuall to saue and to sanctifie the soules of all them that are baptized Grace is not tied to the Sacraments And if these graces were so tyed to the Sacraments that al which vse them should be iustified by them we make thē more effectuall then the word of God it selfe is forasmuch as all that heare the worde are not saued by it nor transformed into the obedience of it nor receiue life from it nor are regenerated by it Iohn the Baptist who was the first Minister of that Sacrament confesseth that hee could doe no more then wash the body it lay not in his power to giue grace and to baptize with the Holy Ghost Besides wee see all in our daies are brought to be baptised but all these are not by it regenerated Acts 8 13. as in the Apostles times Simon himselfe was baptised yet he remained an hypocrite and was destitute of true faith that ioyneth vs to Christ But because we haue handled this point before let vs come to such obiections as the aduersaries haue made and mustered together Bellar. de Sacra lib. 2 cap. 4. which are taken partly from types and figures and partly from places of Scripture wrested from their true and naturall meaning Touching the types borrowed some from the olde and some from the new Testament albeit it were sufficient to make this generall answere that similitudes parables and comparisons do not proue yet least we should seeme thereby to turne our backs and yeeld to the enemy I will not sticke to propound them in particular and vouchsafe to yeeld vnto them a particular solution Obiection 1 The first type is drawne from the history of the creation Gen. 1. The Spirite moued vpon the waters to make them fruitefull As then the water receiued a certaine liuely force from the Spirit to bring forth the creatures so doth baptisme to make vs new men receiue strength from the Spirite Thus doth Bellarmine reason I answere Answere this maketh directly against himselfe and therefore he layeth about him like a blinde man who instead of his enemy striketh himselfe For heereby it appeareth that the Sacraments do not giue grace ex opere operato that is by the force and vertue of the worke done and that words vttered haue no power but by the Holy Ghost For as the Spirit gaue force to the waters wherby the creatures were fostered and formed which were not of themselues auailable to giue life being as it were dead and without any vigor euen so the Spirit maketh the water in baptisme serue to signifie and seale vp our regeneration and not the bare and outward element The bodye of man without the soule is dead and without life so the water without the Spirite cannot conferre grace It is the Spirite that quickneth without it the water is as common water Obiection 2 Another obiection is from the history of the flood Genesis 7 17. and the drowning of the Egyptians in the redde sea Exodus 14. and the passing of the Israelites through the Riuer Iordan to the land of promise Ioshua 4. where it appeareth that the waters themselues saued his people I answere Answere If the waters in the flood had a proper power to saue and preserue why did they not saue all the world aliue Why were any of the creatures at all drowned Againe this robbeth God of his honour and glory to whom onely it is due and giueth it to the element to which it is not due For if Noah had beleeued that the waters could of themselues haue saued him he should haue set vp an altar as a monument to the waters and not builded one to God the Lorde Genesis eight verse 20. But the Scripture ascribeth all to the mercy and clemency of God toward that remnant and remainder of mankinde because hee had seene Noah righteous and religious in that generation before him Genesis 7 verse 1. Therefore it is said hee found grace in the sight of the Lord Genesis 6 verse 18. That the Lorde stablished his couenant with him Genesis 6 verse 18. That the Lorde had him enter with all his houshold into the Arke Genesis 7. verse 1. That the Lorde shut him in the Arke when he was entred Genesis 7 verse 16. That the Lord remembred him while he was in the Arke Genesis 8. verse 1. And after the ceasing and decreasing of the waters brought him out of the Arke Genesis 8 verse 16. So that whereas the waters had of their owne nature ouerwhelmed them euen the proud waters had gone ouer their soule to haue drowned them God in mercy saued them that they might ascribe the praise of their preseruation to the Lord of Hoasts not to the power of the waters And if the Israelites had beene deliuered at the red sea and in passing ouer Iordan by the strength of the waters they would haue erected a trophee to them not haue sung a song vnto God Another type is taken from Circumcision Genesis 17. Obiection 3 whereof Paul speaketh Colosians 2. Yee are circumcised with circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sinnes of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ buried with him in baptisme and Baptisme then is like vnto circumcision but circumcision that is outward did truely and effectually cut off the flesh and was not onely a testimony of cutting it away I answere Answere the Apostle reproueth such as would ioyne the ceremonies of the lawe with the Gospell of Christ whereas now we haue no need of them at all hauing the truth with vs of those shaddowes And touching circumcision there is no need to haue it brought in vse into the Church forasmuch as we are inwardly circumcised by the power of Christ So that there was a twofold circumcision as there is also a two-fold Baptisme the one outward in the body the other inward in the heart the one administred by the hand of the Minister the other finished by the grace of the Spirite Besides if the outward cutting off the foreskinne of the flesh were alwaies effectual to cut away the corruption of the soul how is it that they teach that the Sacraments and Sacrifices of the olde Testament were so farre from giuing grace Rhem. on Heb. 10. remission and iustification that they were but shaddowes obscurely representing the graces of the new Testament How can they reconcile themselues when they make this difference betweene the old new Sacraments that the old did onely signifie the new containe and conferre grace and sanctification Thirdly if the outward cutting off the flesh did by the worke done giue grace and that the signe were not to be separated from the thing
towell to the Altar to poure out water to wash their hands These are their higher Offices aboue the rest as the higher trees among the lower shrubs The lesser orders are foure in number First of doore-keepers these receiue the keyes of the Church doore to open the same Secondly of readers to reade the Bible to the people Thirdly of Exorcistes to call vpon the name of the Lord ouer such as haue vncleane spirites adiuring and coniuring them to come out in the name of God which power of commanding euill spirits is ceased in the Church Lastly Acolythes to prepare and carry torches and tapers when the Gospell is read to the people or the sacrifice is to be offered These seauen popish orders or rather plaine disorders and confusions we cannot receiue d Reasons rendred why orders are no Sacraments into the number of Sacraments of the Church For first orders are so fruitefull that this Bird hath hatched seauen young ones This Sacrament is so rich so ranke so riotous that it hath ingendered and brought forth seauen petty and pretty Sacraments and therfore these being numbred and patched vp to the former we should haue 13. Sacraments A goodly brood of a gallant egge For if euery one of these orders of doore-keepers readers exorcistes Acolythes subdeacons deacons and Priests be Sacraments we should multiply the number of Sacraments according to the number of these orders and so indeed of seauen wee should haue 13. Sacraments which were a very disorderly order or if you list to call it an orderly disorder And so Peter Lumbard maister of the Sentences e Sent lib. 4. dist 24 cap. 1. calleth not orders a Sacrament as speaking of one but Sacraments as speaking of many saying Orders are called Sacraments because in receiuing of them grace is conferred which is represented by those things that are there performed Neyther can they say they all make but one Sacrament seeing they are distinct offices one from another diuers in offices in institution in calling in ordination in ceremonies and in forme of consecration so that they may by as good right and as great reason make baptisme and the Lordes Supper one Sacrament as all these orders so diuers and distinct the one from the other Secondly Sacraments haue their institution from Christ Orders haue not their institution from Christ to bee Sacraments of the Church therefore Orders are no Sacrament Nay as they are retained and vsed in the Church of Rome they are no ordinance or institution of Christ at all For touching the offices of Priest-hood to offer vp the body of Christ for the quicke and dead of deacons to serue these Baals Priests at their Idolatrous altars of subdeacons of readers and of the rest they are not found in Scripture neyther were ordained by the Apostles neither were they receiued into the Church for many yeares after Christ and his Apostles The new Testament as it doth acknowledge no other sacrificer and sacrifice but Christ so it admitteth no Priests no Priest-hood but spirituall Priests and a spirituall Priest-hood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices of praise thanksgiuing vnto God as appeareth f Reuel 1 6. 1 Pet. 2 5.9 Christ hath washed vs from our sinnes in his blood and made vs Kings and Priests vnto God euen his Father And the Apostle Peter in his first Epistle Chap. 2. saith Ye also as liuely stones be made a spirituall house an holy Priest-hood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ And againe afterward Ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy Nation a people set at liberty that yee should shew foorth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darkenesse into his maruailous light Whosoeuer bringeth in another Priest-hood then this and maketh new Priests abolisheth as much as in him lyeth the Priest-hood of Christ Againe what will they say of offices and dignities in the Church greater then these the office of Pope of Cardinal of Patriarch and the rest of that vnholy hierarchy Will they discharge and cut off these from beeing Sacraments and aduance the baser orders of hedge-Priests and dumbe Deacons to so high a dignity What Do they abase and disgrace those greater places and thinke their Popes and Cardinals not worthy of that honour and authority Or do they thinke this Sacrament too vile and base to agree to those Prince-like dignities of the Church Or dare they preferre their Priest-hood their Readers their Deacons their doore-keepers their dog-keepers and the rest of that rabble before the Popedome the Cardinalship the Patriarchship Is not this high treason against their holy father and petty treason against the Cardinals and other of that generation Lastly Sacraments must haue an outward element and word of institution as hath beene often declared and prooued but their orders haue neither outward element nor word of institution therefore Orders are no Sacraments Seeing therefore they can shew no material signe added to the promise nor gracious promise added to the signe there can be no Sacrament of orders to seale vp and assure any mercy of God granted vnto vs. To omit that reason which we might presse vpon them namely that Orders are peculiar and proper to the Ministry and are no sanctified instrument to apply any generall and common grace of the Church Wherefore inasmuch as Orders haue neither outward signe nor promise of grace nor institution from Christ but disgrace the higher dignities of their Church and ouerthrow their owne chosen number of seauen Sacraments we conclude necessarily from these premises that orders are no Sacrament CHAP. XXI That extreme vnction is no Sacrament THe last fained Sacrament is the last annointing as they call it performed by the Priest in extremity whereby they teach that a Bellar. lib. 1. de extr vnct cap. 2. God assureth forgiuenesse of sinnes and promiseth ease of bodily disease if it bee so expedient if not the saluation of the soule in the life to come They vse this forme of words By this holy annointing and his most holy mercy God doth forgiue thee whatsoeuer that hast offended by seeing hearing smelling tasting and touching This vnction cannot be a Sacrament for b Extreame vnction can be no Sacrament sundry causes First themselues confesse that it hath not his institution from Christ For the Rhemists in their hereticall c Rhem testam Annotations vpon Mar. 6. confesse that there is onely a preparation vnto it And Peter Lumbard saith d Senten lib. 4. dist 23. cap. 2. It was instituted by the Apostle Iames. By this doctrine Christ should onely be a preparer of Sacraments not an appointer a beginner not a finisher of them So that they deale in this Sacrament as they do in other matters of our saluation for they make Christ a beginner of saluation but our selues the finishers of it therby shaking the foundation of our Christian faith Now these men are all accursed by the Conuenticle
Male nor Female therefore as well women as men may teach in the Church contrary to the expresse doctrine of the Scripture set downe by Paul himselfe I permit not a woman to speake in the Church 1 Cor. 14. 1 Tim. 2. But I will spend no moe words in answering such trifles Thus much concerning the obiections Now as the truth is plaine and euident so the vse is Vse 1 profitable and comfortable First if the minister be one outward part of baptisme then he must be ready and carefull to performe his duty which is to wash the vncleane body with water in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost to call vpon God and to follow the institution of Christ as it is left in the Scripture for his direction For if there be the outward sign of baptisme as the matter of the Sacrament if there be a party to bee baptized which is the receiuer and if there be a minister to administer it yet vnlesse he perform his duty there can be no baptisme So then we must know that the actions of the Minister i What are the actions of the Minister are double first there is required of him a sanctifying of the water secondly a washing of the party The sanctifying of the water is the separation and apointing of it by the word and prayer to this vse to signifie the bloude of Christ The outward washing is a certain pledge vnto vs of our inward washing by the blood and spirit of Christ Secondly if it bee the office of the Minister to baptize Vse 2 then this giueth direction and instruction to the people to whom to repaire and resort when they haue any Children to be baptized It is required of them to haue recourse to the ministers as to the officers of God We see in the affairs of the Common-wealth and in passing conueyances of houses of lands and of inheritances how carefull and circumspect men are to passe them where they ought to bee passed and in such Courts and vnder such officers as are authorized for such purpose that ther may be no error committed in the conueyance For whatsoeuer is done and passed before him that hath not his patent to warrant his practise is held to be voide and frustrate by maisters of that profession In like manner it standeth vs all vpon when a matter of an higher nature and of greater importance is in hand then the sealing and assuring of temporall possessions to looke carefully to the diligent performance of this speciall duty that the signing of our infants and sealing them in the Couenant be made by the hands of such Officers as are appointed by God for that purpose and by no other Vse 3 Thirdly this condemneth the abuse and prophanation of the Sacrament of baptisme in the church of Rome where women midwiues and priuate persons without any commandement of God nay contrary to his word take vpon them this part of the Ministers office to baptize children which they haue receyued from the Hereticke Marcion i Epip haere 42 who gaue women power to baptize which Epiphanius k Epi. con haer 2 teacheth the holy Mother of Christ was not permitted to do And the fourth Councell of Carthage Can. 100. hath without exception decreed that a woman ought not to baptize Such then as vsurpe this calling and approoue thereof neuer knewe the force of our adoption in Christ nor the strength of the couenant nor that the elect are saued by the good pleasure and will of God Therfore there is not that absolute necessity of baptisme vnto saluation which many suppose that for this supposed necessitie the ordinance of God should be broken and prophaned And a man may maruell why at such times they did not rather commit the matter to priuate men to baptize then to women whose sexe is further remooued from execution of this office not onely because they be vncalled and priuate men l 1 Tim. 2 11 12. 1 Cor. 14 34. but euen because they are women and thereby are wholly vncapeable though otherwise qualified of anie publike charge or function in the Church they are commanded to sit still and to bee quiet Besides if in time of this extreamity and necessity which is imagined it be permitted them to minister baptisme why should it not bee suffered in like necessity and danger of death that they minister the Lords Supper and preach the Gospell in case they be able and men vnable or vnwilling the dignitie of the one Sacrament being no lesse then the other the excellencie of the worde being as great as of them both If then women may iustly bee condemned when they shall presume to sit downe in the Chaire of Moses or to minister the Supper of the Lord they cannot be iustified if they vsurpe to minister baptisme For shall wee make a shameful and double diuorcement of those things that God hath coupled betweene the word and Sacraments and likewise betweene the one Sacrament and the other This â—s too great contumely and contempt offered to baptisme to allow it in those that may neither publikely preach nor lawfully minister the Lords Supper seeing their want to practise the one is no greater then to do the other In a priuate Family it is a great disorder to see the maister play the seruant and the seruant to do the office of the maister the husband to loose his authority and the Woman to step into his place In the Common-wealth it is a wonderful confusion to see base persons and peasants set on horsebacke Eccl. 10 6 7. and Princes walking as seruants vpon the ground Is this vnseemely and vncomely in the priuate house and in the Common-welth and it is not as vndecent in the Church when the distinct partes of the same office are diuided and parted asunder that priuate persons are set in Moses his chaire and pastors are put at the feete of the people Or when the Ministers of the word do occupy the place of Teaâ—hers and the administration of the Sacraments is committed or at lest permitted to the Parishioners and people and which is worse to Women And when different offices are so shuffled and shaken together that it cannot be determined to whom of right they do belong Wherefore let all priuate persons and Mid wiues consider with themselues the fearefull examples recorded in the Scripture of such as haue rashly p esumed to prophane the holy offices of the Church and how God hath often visited this great sinne with greeuous iudgementes sometimes with fire from heauen sometimes the earth opening her mouth sometimes with sodaine death and sometimes with the most filthy disease of the Leprosie whereby as by his voice from heauen he thundred downe on mens disobedience and so ratifieth this law of the necessity of a vocation calling for euer When the men of Bethshemesh pried into the Arke without a calling the Lord smote of the people fifty
saith If the first fruites be holy the lumpe is also holy and if the roote be holy Rom. 11 16. so are the branches Rom. 11. By the name of root in that nation of the Iewes he doth not vnderstand the next parents who peraduenture were prophane vngodly but those first parents of that people to wit Abraham Isaac and Iacob to whom the promise was made and the couenant confirmed that God would be their God and the God of their seed by an euerlasting couenant and therfore al their posterity which did not wholy forsake and renounce the true God of Israel and cleaue to the false Gods of the Gentiles which are no Gods but the workes of mens hands are within the compasse of the couenant and rightly iudged to be holy in regard of the holinesse of the couenant Among Gods owne people the Iewes we know that many were wicked persons yet was not circumcision the signe of the couenant euer denyed to their children In like manner the Sacrament of Baptisme may not be taken away from the childrē of such as are counterfeit Christians which professe Christ in words but deny him in their deeds forasmuch as euen they are in the Couenant in regard of the Elders of whom they descend and in regard of the whole Church in which they are borne and do liue Whether children born in adultery may be baptized This point being duely waighed and considered serueth to answere another question to wit whether children borne in fornication and adultery may be baptized I answere as such were circumcised in the Church of the Iewes so they may bee baptized and ought to be baptized in the Churches of the Christians And as the children of wicked Christians who hold true religion in iudgement but deny it in their practise are to be partakers of baptisme as we haue already prooued in the former question so may the children of the adulterer and of the whore prouided that there be some to answere and to vndertake for them besides their parents For it skilleth not what the next parents were out of whose loynes immediately they proceede neither is it materiall in this case whether the parents doe repent or not forasmuch as their children being presented by other then the parents themselues and brought vnto baptisme may not be reiected from the Church It pleaseth God in mercy to call some of them to beleeue and to bring them to saluation as we see in the example of Iepthah who was the sonne of an harlot and borne in fornication Iudg. 11 1. Heb. 11 32. yet he is commended in the Epistle to the Hebrewes and registred among the cloud of faithfull witnesses who through faith wrought righteousnesse out of weaknesse was made strong waxed valiant in fight and turned to flight the armies of the Aliens Heb. 11.34 So then albeit the children of harlots beare the brand of their parents shame and are oftentimes giuen ouer to follow the sinne of their parents yet if they hate their wicked waies God hath grace in store for them If then saluation belong to them so that they repent and beleeue how should any deny the outward washing with water vnto thē and barre them from the outward part which is the least part of the Sacrament And this doth Austine teach at large in his 75. epistle reprouing a certaine Bishop August epist 75. who for the wickednes of the father excommunicated the whole family thereby punishing the sonne for the sinne of the father the wife for the sinne of the husband and the seruant for the sinne of the maister contrary to the equall law of God that the sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father Ezek. 18 20. Whether the children of professed papists and Recusants be to be baptized Ezek. 18 The next question to be discussed and decided is whether the children of Recusants and professed Papists haue right to be baptized or not I answere two things first that their parents are such as were baptized in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost and they haue receiued true baptisme albeit corrupted with sundry superstitions Secondly albeit the papacy be not the true Church yet the true Church is in the papacy and to be gathered out of it and for this cause baptisme yet remaineth in the essentiall part of it so that such children as are baptized in the Church of Rome ought not to be rebaptized because the true forme of baptisme is obserued and likewise their children may be baptized in our Churches prouided that their parents desire this baptisme or consent vnto it as we noted before in disputing about the baptizing of the children of Turks Infidels and againe there be such sureties as wil vndertake the education and training vp of the child in the true knowledge of God and faith in Christ Iesus The last question which now I wil stand vpon is Whether the children of excommunicate persons may be baptized whether the children of excommunicate persons which are cast out of the Church and not holdē as members of it may be baptized or not I answere they cannot nor ought not to be kept from partaking of baptisme For first touching the parents that are excommunicate it lyeth not in the power of the Church to cut them off from the body of Christ for albeit they be separated frō the Church for some greeuous offence Beza epist 10. yet they are not open apostataes backsliders that combine themselues with the enemies of the Church and seeke the ruine of the Church and plot the ouerthrow of the Gospell Albeit for a season they bee put out of the visible Church it is not to their destruction but their conuersion and in the iudgement of charity we must hold them to be as decayed members which are as plants engrafted into Christ albeit for the present time they haue not any liuely and sensible feeling of the power of Christs Spirite in them They are as an arme that hath a dead palsie which though for a while it remaine without sense so that the body hath no vse of it nor benefit by it yet by the vertue of some strong medicine it may bee recouered and restored to the former strength and so made as whole and sound as the other A free-man belonging to any incorporation that is imprisoned for some crime remaineth a free-man still although for the time he be restrained and haue lost the vse of his liberty Againe parents are banished out of the Church for their owne personall sinnes but it is against the light of reason common equity that the personall sinnes of the father should interrupt and intercept the blessing of God from the Childe for then the prouerbe should be true that the fathers haue eaten sowre grapes Ezek. 18 2. and the childrens teeth are set on edge Ezek. 18. which the Lord would haue no more vsed in Israel Besides we are taught
of the Sacraments or sit downe in this Chaire of honour because it wanteth the institution of Christ it wanteth an outward signe it hath no word to warrant it or promise of blessing for howsoeuer b Act 8 5 14 15 16 17. the Apostles by imposition of hands gaue the Holy-Ghost those miraculous gifts are now with-drawne from the Church of God Lastly they haue aduanced it aboue baptisme they administer it in a strange tongue hallow the greazy oyle to purifie soule and body True it is they alledge the example of the Apostles who vsed imposition of hands ouer those of Samaria Act. 8 14. But can they bestow the like miraculous guifts as the Apostles did vpon the Samaritans by laying on of their hands Indeed wheÌ„ Philip had catechised the Samaritans taught them the fundamentall points of Christian religion the Apostles came and prayed for them and laid their hands vpon them So likewise after that children haue in their owne persons made publike particular profession of their faith which others did professe for them in their name at baptisme We acknowledge that prayer may be made for them that strength of faith and increase of grace may bee giuen them by the Holy-Ghost to liue and dye in that faith wherof they haue made profession To which prayers we deny not but the ceremony of imposition of hands may bee added betokening the restraint of our desires to the parties whom we present to God and declaring thereby that wee pray for them that are before vs. But what is this to the cozenage and imposture of the Church of Rome that mock God and his people For the Apostles did not consecrate Oyle mixed with Balme nor annoint the Samaritans with such Oyle They did not crosse their fore-heads nor kisse their mouths nor clap their eares nor binde their faces with fillets nor forbid them to wash their heads neither vsed any such may-game as is now practised by the popish Bishops in their apish confirmation who haue it in greater estimation then the Sacrament of baptisme because they permit the administration of it to euery Priest yea to priuate persons yea to women yea euen to the Iewes and Infidels that are out of the Church whereas they reserue to the Bishops onely the power of Confirmation as if it had greater power to strengthen the soule against the Diuell Secondly c Penance is no sacrament their pennance instituted by bodily chastisements to make satisfaction for sin to God is no Sacrament of the new Testament nor any sacred thing being thus vnderstood For we acknowledge no other satisfaction d 1 Ioh 1 7. for sinne wherein God delighteth and the conscience of man resteth but only the death and obedience of Christ Besides true repentance hath been preached and practised from the beginning of the world after that sinne entred into the world Furthermore their pennance hath no visible signe as baptisme and the Supper of the Lord haue Thirdly e Matrimony is no Sacrament matrimony albeit it be a diuine ordinance honorable f Heb 13 4. among all estates yet can be no Sacrament of the Church of Christ because it was instituted before g Gen 2 18 the law it is ratified among the Infidels which are no members of the Church it hath no promise of grace and saluation ioyned to it and albeit it be honourable in all h 1. Cor 6 7.7 37. yet it is not necessary in all Lastly the Romaine Church esteemeth it as an vncleane thing a prophanation of holy orders a liuing in the flesh so that as with one hand they aduance it to a great dignity with the other hand they cast it downe with great disgrace and contempt as vnworthy of the high holy priest-hood Fourthly orders come in the next i Orders no sacrament place which are the officers and ministry of the Church but no Sacrament or Sacraments of the Church For then according to the number of orders wee should multiply the number of Sacraments Neither haue they any outward Element and visible signe Lastly we are come to extreame vnction which we suffer not to mask vnder the name of Sacraments but pull off the vizard therof because the church had the vse of anointing so long as it retained the miraculous gift of healing Besides it hath no worde of institution to warrant the continuall practise of it vntil the second comming of Christ Indeede the Apostles and Disciples were commaunded to annoint the sicke and so to heale them of their sicknes and if any man in our dayes haue this miraculous guifte of healing bestowed vpon him we like well that hee shoulde annoint the sicke and in the name of God vse the gifte bestowed vpon him But the Church of Rome annoint those whose case and condiâ—ion is without hope of amendement and recouery Thus a Medicine is turned into a Sacrament and a miracle is turned into a coniuring of Deuils and the Vnct on which was woont to heale the body is turned into a foolish ceremony vnprofitable both to the bodie and to the soule and yet it will require a large halfe houres worke to can oâ—e oâ—â— extreme vnction A great deale of time very all â—â—stowed Wherefore sâ—â—ing the word of God teacheth the number of two Sacraments onely and the Church of Rome enstructeth her children inâ—o the number of seauen Sacraments neither moe nor lesse they must pardon vs if wee hearken rather to the Scriptures then to their Traditions rather to God then to man rather to the author of trueth then to the spirit of error Neuerthelesse though wee thus speake we like wel the things themselues being rightly vnderstood at the repentance of the penitent confirmation of the faithful that are weake and newe called the order of the Ministery of the Church the visitation and comfort of the sicke the lawfull estate of honourable Matrimony as godly and profitable and that not onely in the new Testament but also in the olde so that we would haue no man slander vs or mistake vs herein as though we refused those things which be of themselues godly and good but vvee like not and allow not the deuising of newe Sacraments in them for which we haue no warrant in the word of God Hitherto we haue spoken of the Sacraments in generall The sum of the 2. Booke of their parts of their vses and of the number now wee come to speake of them in particular first of Baptism which is as it were the doore or gate of the Church then of the Lordes Supper which is the foode and nourishment of the Church And howsoeuer Baptisme hath sundrie significations yet as it signifieth that washing with Water which serueth to seale and assure the Couenant of the New Testament What Bapt is it is the first Sacrament wherein by the outward washing of the body with water once in the name of the Father of the son and of the holy