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A22474 The badges of Christianity. Or, A treatise of the sacraments fully declared out of the word of God Wherein the truth it selfe is proued, the doctrine of the reformed churches maintained, and the errors of the churches of Rome are euidently conuinced: by pervsing wherof the discreet reader may easily perceiue, the weak and vnstable grounds of the Roman religion, and the iust causes of our lawfull separation. Diuided into three bookes: 1. Of the sacraments in generall. 2. Of Baptisme. 3. Of the Lords Supper. Hereunto is annexed a corollarie or necessary aduertisement, shewing the intention of this present worke, opening the differences among vs about the question of the supper, discouering the idolatry and diuisions of the popish clergy, ... By William Attersoll, minister of the Word of God. Attersoll, William, d. 1640.; Attersoll, William, d. 1640. Principles of Christian religion. aut 1606 (1606) STC 889; ESTC S115827 366,439 472

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and pricked with vnfained sorrow for all our iniquities This is the right vse the true end and the sound comfort following and flowing from the death of christ To conclude we must learne and hold for euer that we haue the beg nning and chiefe cause in our selues which did crucifie christ and crush him with most bitter sorrows let vs then be reuenged of our sins and do al despite we can vnto them let vs endite them arraigne them accuse them condemne them and naile them to his crosse let vs kil thē mortifie them and bury them in his graue for euer This is the first end of the supper which is sanctified by the breaking of the bread and pouring out of the wine declaring vnto vs that as the body of our lord was broken and by violent meanes afflicted so his blood gushed out and flowed plentifully out of his gaping and bleeding wounds This must be our meditation whensoeuer we come to the lords table Chap. 13. Of the second vse of the lords supper THe second vse of the lords supper is our spirituall vnion and communion with christ This the Apostle declareth The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of christ Whereby he meaneth that the faithfull which come conscionably worthily to the lords table are ioyned and vnited to whole Christ by the bread Sacramentally by faith instrumentally by the holy ghost spiritually and by them all most effectually For we take the bread into our hands and likewise we take the cup into our hands as christ commaunded saying Take ye eate ye drinke ye diuide ye Neither do we lay them apart or hide them aside or reserue them in a boxe or abstaiue from them but when we haue taken them we eate we digest them we are nourished by them and they are turned into our substance So christ being eaten of the Godly by faith is vnited to them by his spirit as we haue shewed before whereby they are made one with christ and he one with them And as meate plentifully prepared daintily dressed and only seene vpon the table doth not nourish the body or take away hunger so if the gospell be preached and the sacraments administred except we apply the promises of the gospel and beleeue that christ withal his gifts is ours they prosit nothing towards our saluation Such therefore as lawfully and worthily come to the lords supper as to a table richly furnished and to a banket liberally prouided must not onely generally beleeue that Christ suffered in the flesh and dyed for sinners but particularly for themselus yea communicateth himselfe and al his gifts to them aboundantly as certainly as themselues eate of the bread and drinke of the cup. This vnion and communion is neere and wonderfull great and therefore the apostle fitly calleth it a mistery euen a great mistery speaking of christ and of the church For what vnion can bee greater then that which is betweene the thing nourishing and the thing ' nourished We haue nothing in Adam but that which conueyeth death vnto vs so that is is needefull to be ioyned to one which maie giue life to vs that as we die in Adam so wee may liue in him This vnion cannot by reason be expressed or fully vnderstood As Christ in the daies of his flesh had a dubble kindred one earthly and carnal kindred the other spirituall that by faith receiued his worde and beleeued in his name of whom he said Behold my mother and my Brethren for whosoeuer shall do my fathers will which is in heauen the same is my brother sister and mother so is it in this vnió and felloship with him one is outward and bodily which al mankinde hath with him in that he is partaker of our flesh and blood the other inward and spirituall whereby we are made partakers of him and of al his sauing graces to euerlasting life As Christ was borne of the Virgin Mary and vnited our nature to him taking vpon him not the Angels nature but the seed of Abraham euery reprobate hath this vnion with him in that he tooke vpon him the shape of a man but there is a mysticall and marueilous vnion whereby he dwelleth in vs by faith whereby we are truely coupled to him made partakers of him deliuered from sin and made heires of euerlasting life quickning and sustaining vs as food which preserueth the life of the bodie If the arme ioined to the body haue no life no sence no benefit of vitall spirits it is no part of the bodie though it be vnited to it so the wicked liuing without faith are as it were sencelesse they haue no forgiuenes of sinnes no sanctification no saluation and therefore are no true members of Christ. If he poure not life and grace into them they are not his members if he kill not sinne in them they are not vnited spirituallie vnto him The bodily vnion with him shall profit nothing it is the spirit that giueth life Seeing then the receiuing of the bread and wine which turne into our substaunce teacheth the misticall vnion between Christ and his members we learne first from hence that all the faithfull and godly are truly made partakers of Christ and his graces as the members receiue life from the head and the tree moisture from the root For euen as the wife ioyned to her husband in marriage is thereby made partaker of his body and goods hath interrest with him in the commodities of this life and loketh for norishment food fellowship protection and gouernement from him so being made one with christ we are indued with his he auenly gifts and blessings This must be our comfort in all dangers and tentations in all tryals and assaults to consider that we are one with christ we are not only dear vnto him but nearely ioyned with him as members to the head as the wife to the husband and as the braunches to the vine and therefore can neuer be seperated from him in life or death Secondly this streight vniting of the faithfull to Christ sheweth that the vngodly haue no part nor fellowship in him and with his graces though they be ioyned to a communion of the same nature and haue many common gifts of knowledge and vnderstanding yet Christ neuer dwelleth in them with his sauing graces and with his spirite of sanctification he possesseth not their harts he worketh not in them a particular perswasion of their reconciltation to God neither an hungring desire aboue all things to bee at vnity and peace with him neyther a distaste and dislike of sinne neyther the comfortable spirite of grace and prayer all which are in some measure in all the saithful Wherfore although they may bee cloathed with the flesh of Christ they cannot be said to be couered with the grace of Christ although they be
Gospell exclude no man vnlesse we exclude our selues Infidelity doubtfulnes and despaire are very grieuous sinnes and strike at the very hart of God We must vnder hope beleeue aboue hope with faithfull Abraham The mercies of God and the merits of Christs obedience are infinite higher then the heauens deeper then the earth broader then the sea stronger then the lawe mightier then the Deuill and greater then all the sinnes of the world Besides God doth measure the obedience due to him rather by the affection then by the action rather by the desire to obey then by the outwarde performance of it Moreouer when one sinne is forgiuen all the rest are likewise forgiuen euen as 〈◊〉 of one sinne bringeth with it repentance of all knowne sinnes For the giftes and calling of God are without repontance Last of al we admonish them to consider that grace and faith howsoeuer they may be smothered are neuer wholly taken away by sinnes of infirmity but thereby are manifested and magnified Touching their families we say vnto them call them before you exhort them to cleaue vnto god with full purpose of heart to loue him to walke before him in feare and reuerence and to serue him in righteousnes all the daies of their life gyue them charge to learne beleeue and obey the true religion and doctrine of saluation set downe in the writinges of the Prophets and Apostles God commended Abraham for this sayinge I knowe him that he will commaund his sonnes and houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lorde to doe righteousnes and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that he hath spoken vnto him Dauid gaue Salomon his sonne a notable and right noble charge before he died speaking thus to him standing before him and before the princes and peeres of the kingdome Thou Salomon my sonne know thou the God of thy fathers and serue him with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth al harts and 〈◊〉 al the imaginations of boughts if thou seeke him he will be found of thee but if thou for 〈◊〉 him he will cast thee off for euer I each them that child-hoode and youth are vanity teach them to remember 〈◊〉 creator in the daies of their youth teach them to read the scripture and to practile in their liues and conuersations what they haue read and learned Instruct them to auoide idlenes to eschew euill company to giue themselues to prayer and hearing the preaching of the word Warne thy children to loue God to reuerence their mother and to loue one another Warn them to speake euill of no man and beware of taking Gods name in vaine Put them in minde that God is their father their creator their preseruer their redeemer their sanctiher yea their iudge that shall come to iudge the quick and the dead and reward euery man according to his workes We must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ that euery one may receiue the things which are done in his bodye whether good or euill Put them in remembraunce not to oppresse or defraud any man for the Lorde is an auenger of all such thinges who will not blesse euil-gotten goodes but send his cursse vpon them and they shall not prosper Admonish them to shew forth their faith by good workes and to shew mercy accordinge to their powers Lastly to honour their princes parents maisters and all superiors Thus we instruct men to liue and to die that dying they may liue with God in his kingdome Thus we annoint the sicke with precious balme that shall not breake their head and with the inward and inuisible oyle of Gods grace and mercy Thus we warne them to prepare the oyle of faith in their lampes and to keepe a good conscience toward God and man that they may with ioy and comfort depart in peace render vp their soules into the hands of god cheerefullie meeting the bride-groome and entring with him into his kingdome So then the people loose nothing by 〈◊〉 of the materiall oyle the want thereof being supplyed with exhortations admonitions reproofes consolations prayers and supplications more desired of the sicke and more auaileable for the sicke And thus much of extream vnction and the other forged Sacraments whereof some wanting the outward signe some the spirituall grace signified some the word of institution some the promise annexed and all of them the commandement of Christ and testimony of the scripture we cannot admit them for any Sacramentes and so we conclude that there are only two Sacraments of the Church vnder the Gospell which are Baptisme and the Supper of the Lorde The ende of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE of the Sacrament of baptilme being an honorable Badge of our Dedication to Christ containing the true doctrine therof overthrowing the errots of the church of Rome and deliuering the comfortable vse of this Sacrament to all the people of GOD. CHAP. 1. Of the Word Baptisme and what it is HItherto we haue spoken of the Sacraments in General togither with the partes vses and number of them now we come to the first sacrament which is Baptisme being an Honourable badge whereby we are dedicated vnto Iesus Christ This word in Scripture hath many significations First in the natiue and proper signification it signifieth to dippe to diue and plunge vnder water as Mat. 3 16. Iohn 3 22 23 Act 8. 38 39. Secondly to cleanse and wash any thing with water euen when this sacrament is not administred as Mark. 7 wher it is said the Pharisies did not eat except first they washed So Heb. 9 x the old tabernacle did consist in washings Thirdly it signifi th the Crosse afflictions myseries persecutions and inward vexations of the spirite as Luk 12 50. where Christ saith I must be baptized and how am I grieued 〈◊〉 I be baptized And 〈◊〉 12. 22. Are ye able to drinke of the cuppe that I must drinke of and be baptized with the baptisme that I shal be baptized withall Fourthly it is taken for a liberall and plentifull distribution of the graces and gifts of God as Act. 1 5. Iohn baptized with water but ye shal be baptized with the Holy-ghost within these few dates that is ye shall receiue a greater measure of the gifts of God then ye haue done before Fiftly the word is taken for the doctrine of Iohn which he deliuered before he administred the Sacrament of baptisme as Act. 18. 25. Where Apollos is said to be an eloquent man and mighty in the scripture knowing nothing but the baptisme of Iohn Lastly it is taken for the whole worke and action of the sacrament of baptisme as Math 28 19. Go vnto all nations teach and baptize them and in this last sence we are now to speake of it Let vs therefore see what this Sacrament is Baptisme is the first Sacrament whereby by the outward 〈◊〉 of the body with water once into the name of
circumcised He had dwelt int h land of Midian an Idolatrous country 40. years he began to sauour of the manners thereof but hauing called him to be a gouernor of people would not be appeased toward him vntill he had reformed his owne house For if any cannot rule 〈◊〉 owne house how shall he care for the church of God Nowe whereas he had two sonnes borne vnto him in Midian the elder no doubt was circumcised the eight day according to the order and ordinance of God why then did he deferre the circumcising of the younger No doubt he was scorned and derided among them for circumcising his first borne and his enemies were those of his owne house euen the wife that lay in his bosome yea he being then weake in faith loued the praise of men more then the praise of God and therefore the Lord would haue slaine him Albeit the signe of circumcision seemed base and contemptible in outward shew and to sauour of great cruelty toward little children yet God woulde not suffer the deferring and neglecting thereof to goe without punishment Although grace be not tyed to the sacraments and that we may bee saued without them yet it is not left to the disposition of men whether they will come to them or not God will not haue the outward signes contemned of vs for if we will be in the couenant we must not despise the seal of the couenāt Furthermore are the outward parts vnited to the inward then this serueth as a speciall meanes to comfort the verie lowest estate of men and the poorest degree in the church that they doubt not of the fatherly fauor of God towarde them but bee assured of their acceptation with God who will make them partakers of his eternall blessinges in his kingdome as well as other whose condition is greater and higher in the world When god gaue circumcision to Abraham he commaunded him circumcise all his seruants bond or free as well borne in his house as bought with his money thereby signifying that he adopted them for his children and that albert they were Abrahams bond-men yet they were the Lords free men So vnto baptisme wee admit and receiue the poore as well as the rich the seruant as well as the maister the low as well as the high without respect of persons When the lord instituted the passeouer the lambe was eaten of all the congregation So touching the Lords supper it is an holy banket for all degrees and conditions whatsoeuer and therefore the Apostle checketh the Corinthians for this abuse that wheras the poorest soule eating of the bread and drinking of the cup is as welcome to christ the gouernor of the seast as the richest they did despise the poore and shamed them that had not All these things duly considered serue to assure the very meanest lowest and simplest in the church that they are made heires of eternall life as well as other as they are partakers of the signe with other if they beleeue with faithfull Abraham This the Apostle teacheth There is netther Iew nor Graecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are al one in Christ. And Col. 3. There is neither Graecian nor Iew circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbarian Scithian bond free but Christ is all and in all things Fourthly are there outward rites signes and persons as externall parts of baptisme And are their likewise inward parts whereby we are consecrated to God teaching that we haue vowed to renounce the lusts of the world and to forsake the workes of the deuill Then this condemneth those that depart out of the church before this holy and publike action be taken in hand Baptisme belongeth not onely to the wittnesses and parties that bring the child but to all the members of the church that we may learne by our presence therat to renew our faith and repentance vnto God These men do too much disgrace and deface the dignity of this sacrament not vouchsafing to remain at the administration therof as if it were not worthy to be solemnized before thē wheras they should quicken their faith in the couenant of god by beholding the works of the minister and ratifieng them in their harts as we read Luk. 1. wher they are said to circumcise because they were al present at the work consenting to prayers and thanks giuings of the Church as also the Apostle saith Women pray and prophesie in the church when they sit stil and are partakers of the praiers and preaching vsed in the publike assemblies And as no member is cut off by excommunication but in presence of al to be witnesses therof to ratifie their grief for the losse of a member of their body so in Baptisme it is required to witnesse and approoue the publike worke by their presence and to 〈◊〉 themselues thereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and comfort hata fellow-heire is made partaker with them in the communion of Saintes Moreouer the excellency of this Sacrament is as great as of the other they are of like worthynes in themselues and to be had equal and indifferently in like price and estimation they are both commaunded and instituted by the 〈◊〉 authoritye of Christ there is the same matter and substance of both to wit Christ with all his benifits there is 〈◊〉 one and the same end of both the increase and strengthning of our faith therfore why should one Sacrament be so much extolled aboue the other and preferred before the other So that whereas many come to the Lords Supper few remaine and abide in the Church at the administration of baptisme The whole assembly heareth the word preached and deliuered by the minister the Sacramentes are instruments of our iustification by faith as well as the worde preached sauing that the word worketh by hearing only the Sacraments serue by the senses of seeing handling and tasting as well as hearing to strengthen and encrease faith in our hearts and therefore it is requisite that we ioyne in the one as well as in the other Furthermore the excellency and worthynesse of baptisme appeareth heerein in that it was instituted of God sealing vp his gratious couenant in that it was sanctified by Christ being baptized of Iohn and in that it was beautified by the heauenly reuelation of the blessed Trinity appearing thereat so great honour so great dignity and preheminence was neuer giuen to any Ceremony Did God institute it and shall we contemne it Did Iesus Christ come to Iohns baptisme and shal we disdaine to be at the baptisme of Christ Was the holy Trinity present will we be absent True it is som of the sacrifices and burnt offerings were miraculously consumed by fire from heauen but what is this to the glorious presence of the maiesty of God the blessed Trinity declaring to vs thereby that God the father God the son and God the Holy-ghost are alwaies present at
O father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in vs. He ereunto commeth the saying of Paule Ephe 3. Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith Like wise Act 13. Byhim euery one that beleeueth is iustified that is absolued and discharged And Iohn 3. so many as beleeue in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life Thus we see our fellowship with christ is from the spirit and by our 〈◊〉 The spirit is the principall worker faith is the meanes and the instrument Neither must this comunction seem vnto vs impossible throgh the great distance and distinction of place We see the sun daily with oureies which though it be scituate in the heauens and seperated from vs in place communicateth his effect and power vnto vs that dwell vppon the earth neither doe we maruell thereat and yet is the sunne but a creature subiect vnto vs and distributed to all the people vnder the whole heauen to serue their vse Shall not Christ then the sonne of righteousnesse make vs truely partakers of his flesh by the vnsearchable power of his spirit and the supernaturall gift of a liuely faith who can as easily ioyne together things farre off as those that are nigh Are not the faithfull seuered in place and scattered through the world ioyned as neerely together as the members are to become one body where of Christ is the head As the Apostle teacheth That which we haue seene heard declare we vnto you that ye may also haue fellowship with vs and that our fellowship also may be with the father with his son Iesus Christ. We see this like wise lively laid out before vs in the estate of 〈◊〉 though the husband and wife be sundred for a time and separated one farre from another yet the band of matrimony doth so ioyne and vnite them that the wife is one flesh with her 〈◊〉 albeit he be a thousand miles distant from her so is it betweene Christ and the faithfull he loued the church and gaue himselfe for it and they are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones which coupling and combining together with Christ is wrought as we haue shewed by the spirit principally by faith instrumentally by both most effectually We need not therfore any carnall and bodily presence of Christ to ioyne vs to him seeing it is truely and certainely perfourmed by these meanes whereby we grow to a perfect man in him For as the Sunne is more comfortable to the world by his refreshing beames and sweete influence being absent then if his naturall body and compasle lay vpon the earth so the flesh of christ being in the glory of his father much more comforteth and refresheth our soules and bodies by his heauenly grace and spirituall influence then 〈◊〉 he were present fleshly before our eyes And as the Sunne not discending from heauen nor leauing his place is not withstanding present with vs in our chambers in our houses in our hands and in our bosomes so christ being in the highest heauens not comming downe nor forsaking his glorious habitation yet neuerthelesse is present with vs in our congregations in our heartes in our praiers in our meditations and in the sacraments But of this we shall haue occasion to speake more in the chapter following and we haue already spoken of it in the former bookes Chap. 10. Of the third inward part of the Lords Supper THe third inward part is the body and blood of christ that is the body of our Lord deliuered vnto death for vs and his blood shed for the remission of sinnes and consequently whole christ This is the chiefest part of this sacrament For the bodie and blood of Christ are thus made and separated to be the liuelie meat of our soules and haue that force and efficacy of 〈◊〉 in our soules which bread and wine haue in our bodies This is the cause why Christ often calleth himselfe the bread of life Ioh. 6. I am that bread of life this is that bread of life vvhich commeth dovvn from heauen that he vvhich eateth of it shold not dye I am that liuing bread if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer Thus euery receiuer is giuen to vnderstand that as God doth blesse the bread and Wine in his Supper to preserue strengthen and comfort the body of the receiuer so Christ apprehended and receiued by faith doth nourish vs and preserueth body and soule vnto eternall life Hee died in the flesh that he might quicken vs and he poured out his blood 〈◊〉 hee might clense vs from our sinnes Wherefore whensoeuer as the Lordes ghests we see the bread on the Lordes table we must set our mindes on the body of Christ when we behold the cup of the Lord we must thinke vpon the blood of christ when we looke vpon the bread broken and the Wine poured out we must consider how the body of chirst was pierced punished crushed crucified torne tormented and his blood poured out for our sakes when we feele that by bread our bodies are nourished and strengthned and by the wine our vitall spirits are comforted and refreshed we beleeue that by the body of Christ deliuered to death for vs we are fed to euerlasting life and that by his blood poured out vpon the crosse our consciences are sāctified and we fele his quickning power which doth confirme vs in our communion with him Thus is this part of the supper spiritually to bee applyed thus are the bread and wine made a sacrament to vs and not bare signes thus the memorall of christs death is repeated whichalbeit it were once finished on the crosse and now his passion is past long ago yet to the faithfull in regard of the force it is stil fresh and alwaies present Now it is not without cause and good consideration that Christ would haue the bread first deliuered as a signe of his body and then afterward the wine as a signe of his blood seuerally and apart administred because his body and blood are not represented to vs as his humanity now dwelleth glorious in the heauens but as he was offered vp a sacrifice on the crosse his blood being 〈◊〉 out of his body For to the end it may be nourishment to vs it must be crucified For as corne of it selfe is not fit foode for vs vnlesse it bee threshed winnowed ground and baked for vs so is it touching christ he must suffer be crucified and dy that we may liue by him and raigne with him This is the truth which in this point is to be considered Now let vs lay open the vses which of vs are to be learned Is christ the inward part of the Lordes Supper represented by the bread and wine offered to all but rcceiued onely of such as are faithfull then his body is not inclosed in the bread or in the accidents ofbread nor his blood included in the wine or vnder
vnworthinesse in receiuing the Supper Chap. 16. Of the knowledge of God the first part of examination AS we haue waighed the necessity of preparing and examining our selues so let vs consider the manner how it is to be performed Such as will in an holy manner prepare themselues to celebrate the Lords Supper to the glory of God and comfort of their owne soules must diligently acquaint themselues with these 4. pointes with knowledge faith repentance and reconciliation to those whom they haue offended It is required of all persons that come to this Sacrament to know the grounds of religion and vnderstande the doctrine of the sacramentes Secondly to beleeue in christ and to looke for saluation in him alone inasmuch as there is no other name vnder heauen by which we must be saued So then we must come with faith which is the hand to apprehend christ Thirdly to abhorre and detest our sins to hate them with an vnfained hatred as our deadly and most dangerous enemies and to haue godly sorrow for them which may cause repentance not to be repented off Lastly to loue our bretheren truely and sincerly yea euen our enemies If we find not these things in our selues we must carefully vse al holy meanes appointed for this purpose to begin them in vs otherwise our estate will proue to be fearefull and dangerous We must with al sincerity conscience and zcale vse prayer the word read and preached conference meditation and such like helpes as may further them in vs. If we do find them in vs though feeble and in great want and weakenesse we are not to abstaine from the sacrment but to come thereunto to seeke strength of faith encrease of obedience Wherfore our sauiour calleth such vnto him come to me all ye that are weary and sore laden and I will ease you take my yoke on you and ye shall find rest vpon your soules for my yoake is easie and my burden is light And Chap 12. A brused reede shall he not breake and smoking flaxe shall he not quench till he bring forth iudgment vnto victory Touching the first we are to obserue that such as wil come aright to the lords Supper must haue the knowledge of Gods word which is the foundation and ground-work of faith We must know what to beleeue and must learne the doctrine of saluation out of the Scripture Our Sauiour Christ in that heauenly prayer which he made a little before his passion vseth these words to his father This is eternall life to know thee to be the onely very God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. We must know how miserable all men are of themselues that we are seperated from God the children of wrath by nature as wel as others and the very firebrands of hel They that want this knoledge cannot iudge aright of the partes and vses of this Sacrament nor desire this heavenly meate which nourisheth to eternall life So then knowledge must necessarily go before faith for it is the nature of faith to beleeue that which it knoweth and therefore where there is small knowledge there is a little faith and where there is no knowledg ther can be no faith according to the doctrine of the Apostle Roman 10. Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God The knowledge required of vs when we approach to this Sacrament standeth in these two pointes first in the knowledge of God Secondly in the knowledge of our selues In these two braunches standeth the first part of examinarion And these two pointes are so neerely ioyned and knit together that no man can throroughly know God vnlesse he know himselfe and no man can haue the perfect knowledge of himselfe except he know God in whom he liueth moueth and hath his being Vnder these two heads many particular points are containd necessary to be known of those that offer themselues to bee partakers of this sacrament First that there is onely one God that hath made himselfe knowne in three persons the Father the sonne and the Holy-ghost Secondly that God made man and all other creatures good and gouerneth all thinges well Thirdly man did fall through the entisement of the Deuill and his own wilful disobedience in breaking the commandements of God Fourthly there are ten commaundements diuided into two tables where of the foure first commaundements concern our duties to God the sixe last our dutyes toward our neighbour Fiftly we cannot keepe these commandements nor any one of them but we breake them daily in motion in thought in worde and in deede the breache where of deserueth the cursse of God that is all miseries in this life death in the ende of this life and Hell fire after this life Sixtly there is no meanes or remedy in ourselues or in any creature but onely in Iesus Christ the eternal son of god who is god man God that he might ouercom death and man that he might die for our sins He hath pacified gods wrath fulfild the righteousnes of that law sanctified our nature adopted vs to be the children of god and maketh our duties though weake acceptable to his father Seuenthly all haue not deliuerance by him but onely such as beleue in Christ whose obedience and righteousnes is made ours by a liuely faith whereby we are perswaded that through him our sinnes are forgiuen and wee made the children of God Eightly faith is a gifte of God applying Christ and al his merits particularly to our selues and teaching that he is a Sauiour vnto vs. Ninthly beeing saued by christ thrugh faith we may not liue as we list this vnspeakeable mercy teacheth vs to deny all vngodlinesse and all worldly and sinfulllusts to to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present euill world and to walk in newnes of life because no vnrighteous person shal enter into the kingdome of heauen Tenthly this faith which bringeth forth a reformed life is wrought in our heartes by the Holy-ghoaste through the preaching of the word being truely expounded and profitably applyed with doctrin confutation exhortation correction reformation and consolation and it is encreased besides by reading praying and receiuing of the sacraments Eleuenthly touching prayer we haue a perfect platforme left vs by Christ in the Gospell which containeth sixe petitions the three firste concerning the glorie of God and the three last concerning the necessities of our owne bodies and soules 12. the sacraments are another help to strengthen and increase faith which are outward signes and seales ordained of God to assure vs that Christ all his sauing graces are giuen vnto vs. These are two in number Baptisme the Sacrament of our regeneration and new birth assureth vs by the washing of water that our sins are for giuen by the blood of Christ and wee borne a new to god The Lords supper assureth vs that by bread and wine giuen and receiued according to gods ordinance
like vnto him in regarde of this naturall body yet they are not indued with his heauenly spirit they haue many 〈◊〉 through him but they want such as accompanie saluation chap. 14. Of the third vse of the Lordes supper THe third vse of the Lordes supper is a spirituall communion aud growth with our brethren to bee one bodye with them flowing from the communion which we haue with Christ. For as the vnion betweene brethren and sisters of the same bloode and of the same flesh springeth from the neer coniunction they haue from father and mothers as from a fountaine and as the vnity and concord among seruants of the same society ariseth by meanes of the same maister so the faithfull that haue communion with christ haue likewise communion one with another This Paul testifieth euidently writing to the Corinthians We that are many are one breade and one body because we all are partakers of one bread This is to be vnderstood of that communion and fellowshippe which the members haue one with another who receiue food and norishment from the same table therby professing themselues to be of the selfe same family and houshold Besides by the vniting together of many graines is made one bread of many clusters of Grapes one wine is pressed out so out of many members groweth vp one body of the church which is the body of christ This maketh much to the reconciling renueing and maintayning of friendship that we are all partakers of one bread made of many cornes and 〈◊〉 of the same cup of wine made of many clusters as the Apostle setteth downe 1. cor 11. Wee are all made to drinke into one spirit Wherfore we are not onely to look to our vnion with christ but also our ioyning our selues with them who are of the same misticall body be they neuer so many that receiue with vs this holy supper in respect whereof this sacrament hath bin called a communion Now let vs consider what vse may be made heereof to our selues Is this one end of the institution of christs last supper to lay before vs our communion one with another then what gifts soeuer we haue receiued from christ wee must imploy them to the benefit and good of others If god haue giuen vs knowledge we must vse it io instruct the ignorant if the gift of zeale we must applie it to kindle and stir vp others to remember from whence they are fallen if faith and sanctification we must bestow them to the gaining and winning of others if the outward thinges of this life and this worlds good we must communicate them to others according 〈◊〉 their want and out wealth their pouerty and our plenty The candle hath receiued light not for it selfe but for others The trees bring forth fruite the clouds drop downe raine the fountaines send downe water the Sun shiaeth the earth flourisheth the Bee gathereth the beast laboureth to profit others And wherefore haue we all receiued moysture from the root light from the sun fruit from the tree water from the fountain euen life from Christ but to impart it to others as freely as we receiued This is taughtvs in many placs Let euery man as he hath receiued the gift minister the same one to another And in another place The manifestation of the spirit is giuen to euerie man to profit withal god hath tempred the body together least there should be anie diuision in the body that the members might haue the same careone for another So then the gifts that we haue receiued of vnderstanding wisedome zeale exhortation reprehension and whatsoeuer gifts externall internall or eternall let vs consider that we are stewards not maisters of them and therefore must render and giue an account vnto the author and giuer of them when he shall say Giue an account of thy stewardshippe for thou mayest bee no longer Steward Againe is the Lordes supper the bond of charity and doth it put vs in mind of our communion with the saints fellowship which one hath with another then all such as receyue the same doctrine imbrace the same religion and 〈◊〉 at the same table must be vnited in Christian loue gentlenes meeknes and patience one towarde another supporting one another bearinge the burthan one of another being alike affected and disposed guided by one spirit nourished by the milke of the same word acknowledging one 〈◊〉 professising one faith liuing in one bodye walking in one callinge looking for one kingedome worshipping one Lorde meeting at one Supper and washed with one Babtisme for our ' regeneration and sanctification according to the saying of the Apostle Eph 4. Walke worthy of the vocation whereunto ye are called endeuouring to keeepe the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace there is one body and one spirit euen as ye are called in one hope of your vocation There is one Lord one faith one baptisme one god and father of all which is a boue all and through all and in you all And in the same epistle to the Philippians If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the spirit if any compassion and mercy fulfill my ioy that ye be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accord and of one iudgement that nothing be done through contention And Luke Act. 4. describing the notes of the Church of Christ saith The whole multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and one soule neither any of them said that any thing of that which he possessed was his owne but they had all things common Let vs acknowledge our selues to bee fellowes of one houshold and members of one body and euermore bring with vs this fruite of loue to the lords Supper otherwise we shall neuer be the Lords ghuests If bretheren that are the children of the same father malice and maligne one another will not the father be angry And if one fellow-seruantes brought vp in one family fall together by the eares will not their maister be displeased and offended Seeing then God hath vouchsafed to call vs his children to admitte vs into his house to nourish vs at his owne table and to preserue and reserue vs to his heaueuly kingdome hee will take from vs all these priuiledges and 〈◊〉 if wee be hatefull and hating one another and deale with vs not as with his own children but as with his vtter enemies Thus much of the third and last end of the Lords Supper Chap. 15. 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 al worthy receiuers hath hitherto bene sufficiently declared now it followeth to set downe the way and means how we may come 〈◊〉 For the whole fruit of this Sacrament standeth in the right partaking thereof The right manner standeth in preparing ourselues to come and