Rome translateth it therefore Matrunonie is a Sacrament Answeare If by this word Mistery we vnderstād a Sacramēt 2. Thes chap. 2. ver 7. Ephe chap. 5. ver 32. iniquity shal be a Sacramēt for the Apostle makes mentiō of the Mystery of iniquitie Besides this Mystery pertayneth not to the carnall mariage of man and wife but to the spirituall mariage of Christ and the Church S. Paules wordes doe warrant this this is saith he a great secret but I speake concerning Christ and the Church Obiection for Matrimonie Mariage is a signe of a holy thing therefore it is a Sacrament Answere The argument folowes not for if to bee a signe of a holie thing bee sufficient to make a Sacrament I confesse mariage is a Sacrament because it resembles the coniunction of Christe and his Churche but by this meanes we are like to haue more then seuen sacramentes for then Christes washing of his disciples feete his imbracing of young children in his arme and almost all his actions because they are signes of holy thinges must goe for Sacramentes Obiection for extreeme vnction Is any man sicke among you let him call for the Elders of the Church Iam. chap. 5. verse 14.15 and let thē pray for him anoint him with oyle in the name of the Lorde and the prayer of fayth shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp c. The Apostle setteth downe a commaundement in these wordes let him call for the Elders of the Church and the element in these words anoint him with oyle and a promise aunexed to the element in these wordes and the Lord shall rayse him vp therefore extreeme vnction is a Sacrament Answere I graunt there is a comaundement an element and a promise but because that commaundement is not giuen to vs nor that promise belongs to vs annointing with oyle which was vsed in the Primitiue Church must not in that case be vsed of vs and therefore neyther is nor must bee accounted a Sacrament for vs. Circumcision had the worde of institution and a sensible outward element but because che commaundement and promise was giuen to the Israelites and not to vs it was a Sacrament to them but is not so to vs. Secondly the Apostle Iames speaketh of an extraordinary gift of healing by anoynting with oyle as the Euangelist Marke reporteth Mark chap. 6. verse 13. whiche extraordinarie gift of healing being ceased many yeeres past what extreeme folly is it to retayne annoynting with oyle which was a signe of that gift Thirdly the annointing with oyle vsed in the Primitiue Churche is very vnlike the extreme vnctiō of the Popish Church Saint Iames woulde haue all sicke folkes to be anointed his woordes are playne is any sicke c. The Papistes do anoynt them onely which are at deathes dore Saint Iames promiseth recouerie of health to the sicke which were anointed in the Prinitiue Church which promise was accordingly perfourmed his woordes are manifest and the Lorde shall rayse him vp the Papists may promise recouerie to them whō they anoint but they are not in case to performe it for they haue not the gift of healing If they woulde answere they haue it they might bee iustly conuinced of great both vanitie and crueltie vanitie for vaunting of that which all the worlde sees they haue not crueltie for not curing those sicke men and women whom they see to die presently after their anointing Lastly the anointing in S. Iames time and curing of the sick extraordinarily by that meanes and godly praiers did make greatly for the confirmatiō and increase of religion at the first planting of the Gospell Acts. chap. 5. vers 15. Act. chap. 19 verse 12. as Peters shadowe and Paules Napkinnes did The extreme vnction of the Papistes neyther cures sicke men nor increases religion but nourishes superstition and prooues gaynefull to the popish priestes 3 It is not in any mās power to make a Sacrament The Israelites had two Sacraments Gene. cha 17 vers 10.11 Exod. cha 12 verse 3. Mat. cha 21 verse 25. Circumcision and the passeouer God himself was the authour of them both Christ asking the Pharises whether Iohns Baptisme were from heauen doeth giue vs very clearely to vnderstande that it was not to be allowed for a sacrament vnles it had bin commanded of almightie God The Apostle remembring that by one spirite we are all baptised into one body 1. Cor. cha 12 verse 13. doth manifestly teach vs that the Sacramentes are not the worke of any man but of the spirit of God Saint Paule doth not take vpon him to institute the Lordes Supper in the Church of Corinthe 1. Cor. cha 11 verse 23. but for the reformation of such abuses as had crept into that holy Sacrament deliuers that to them which he receiued of the Lorde The name of the Lordes Supper doeth teach vs that Iesus Christe was the authour of it A Sacrament can neuer be without promise of saluation all men of the worlde can not of them selues promise any thing to vs of our saluation Therfore they neither can nor ought of them selues to institute or erect any Sacrament 4 Whether the sacraments of the old and newe Testamēt are all one and how they differ Circumcision was to the Israelites a Sacrament of regeneration Baptisme is so to vs. By Circumcision the Israelites were incorporated into gods visible Church so are we by Baptisme Circumcision was to them a signe of Gods couenant so is Baptisme to vs. The Paschall Lambe was to the Israelites a sacrament of that immaculate Lambe Christe Iesus by whose blood their redemption shoulde bée wrought the bread and wine in the Lords Supper is a Sacrament to vs of Christes body and blood which is giuen and shed for vs. The Israelites did eate the same spirituall meate whiche wee doe 1. Cor. chap. 10. verse 2. because there was one and the selfe same substance of their Sacraments and ours that is to say the partaking of Iesus Christ vnto life euerlasting The Sacramentes of the Israelites touching the external signes do differ from ours but theirs ours are a like if we consider the thinges signified by them For in their Sacramentes was expressed the death of Christ which was then to come in ours is expressed the death of Christ already past The new Sacraments instituted of Christ are plainer and clearer then the Sacramentes vnder the Lawe as the Gospell is playner and clearer then the Lawe but the thinges signified in and by their sacramentes and ours are not contayned more in our Sacramentes then in theirs 5 The Sacramentes must not bee administred at all aduenture to euerie one The Passeouer was one of the Sacraments amongest the Israelites Exod chap. 12. vers 48. It was not lawefull for any that was vncircumcised to eate of it It is not lawfull to giue the precious treasure of Gods worde to them which do contemne it Mat. chap. 7. verse
substance of our bodies must consist of Arcidentes The popish sorte call vs Sacramentaries that is to say such as doe abolish the force vse of the Sacrament If our doctrine did ouerthrow the Analogie of the Sacrament is theirs doth we might iustly be called Sacramentaries TransubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ was borne in yâ— coâ—cel of Laterane in the yeere of our Lord 1215. Obiection Christ said at the institution of the holy supper Math. chap. 26. ver 26. This is my body therefore the substance of the bread is changed into the body of Christ Answere This argument hangs together like saÌ„d c. If Christ wheÌ„ he reached bread vnto his Apostles did giue his body really substantially to be eaten of them then had Christ many reall substaÌ„tial bodies at in one the selfe same time place which is a grosse absurditie I confesse that Christes speech this is my body when he had giuen the bread to his Apostles is a very true speech If it be a true speech it must bee true either properly and literally or figuratiuely If it be true properly literally then whatsoeuer may bee saide of Christes body as that it was borne of the blessed virgine suffered dyed rose againe c may be applied to the brend in the Sacramente whatsoeuer may be said of the bread as that it was sowen reaped threshed baked c may bee likewise applied to Christes bodie which no man that feareth God can admit If Christs speech be vnderstanded literally he did commaunde a foule and haynous thing which is sufficient to proue it a figuratiue speech Leb 3. cap. 16 de doct Chri. according to Augustines rule If any doe aske me what I take to be the true meaning of Christes words This is my body My aunswere is that they are notably expounded by S. Paule when he saith the bread which we breake 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 16. is it not the partaking of the body of Christ Question If Christ be not bodily present in the sacrameÌ„t what do Gods childreÌ„ receiue wheÌ„ they are partakers of the holy supper Answere They receiue the food of life immortality they eate life drink life when the sacrament is reached vnto them they receiue as bread wine for the nourishing of their bodies so the body bloud of the Lord Iesus for the most comfortable nourishing of their soules If any either drowned in Popery or inclined to it shall peruse this which I haue written I referre him for his further instruction to a notable treatise of Christs body and bloud writteÌ„ by Bertram vnto the Emperour Charles the great This Bertrame was both a Priest and a Monke and liued in the yeare of our Lord 840. 11 The wicked doe not eate Christes bodie in the Sacrament Christ cannot be separated from his spirite which spirite of Christ because the wicked haue not they caÌ„not be partakers of Christ Hee that eateth Christ shall liue by Christ Iohn chap. 6. verse 57. Iohn chap. 6. ver 56. Iohn chap. 15 ver 5. the wicked shal not liue by Christ He that eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud abideth in me I in him The wicked doe not abide in Christ because they bring not forth much fruite The meate of the soule is not eaten of theÌ„ which haue not the mouth of the foule Cyprian writes that the wicked doe licke the rocke De coena Domini but that they sucke from thence neyther hony nor oyle because they are quickned neither with any sweetnes of charity nor with any moysture of the holy spirit besides that they neyther iudge themselues nor discerne the sacraments For further proofe of this poynt I referre the learned reader to Cyprians treatise of the holy Supper Question Whosoeuer shall eate this bread drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthely 1. Cor. chap. 11. ver 27. shall be guiltie of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. The wicked are guiltie of the bodie bloud of the Lord therefore the wicked doe eate the bodie drinke the bloud of the Lorde Answeare The argument folowes not and the wicked are guilty of the body bloud of the Lorde because they eate drinke vnworthely the bread wine which are sacrameÌ„ts of the body and bloud of the Lorde For the iniury done to the Sacramentall signes reacheth to the thinges which are signified by them If the princes cloth of estate be abused it is a grosse fault and the iniury reacheth to the person of the Prince Obiection The wicked man is guiltie of the Lords body because hee discerneth not the Lords body 1. Cor. chap. 11. ver 29. therefore by eating Christes body he is guilty Answere The argument followes not for not to discerne the Lords body is to make no difference betweene the sacrament of Christes body coÌ„mon meate to abuse it which is a grosse sinne being committed against the sacrament reacheth vnto Christes body it selfe 12 Christes bodie is note uery where The Apostle Peter saith that heauen must containe Christ vntil the time that all things be restored Act. chap 3. ver 21. that is to say vntill Christes second comming The Angels say that Christ is taken vp into heauen c. Acts chap. 1. ver 11. If he be taken vp into heauen touching his body which must needs be the meaning of the Angels wordes how is Christes bodye in many places at once If Christs body be in many places at once then Christs body is infinit if it be infinite then Christes humanity is eyther abolished of made infinite by being turned into the godhead which are grosse heresies fauour the moÌ„strous opinioÌ„s of Eutiches SchweÌ„kfeldins Obiection The diuinity humanity are vnited in Christ therefore where the godhead is the maÌ„hood is likewise but the godhead is euery where therefore the manhood is euery where Answeare The person of Christ is but one and yet in doth so coÌ„sist of two natures that the proprieties of ech nature doeth must remayne whole without confusion to their seuerall natures For to deny or confounde the proprieties Lib. 4. cont Eutish is to confounde the natures Vigilius saith that Christ is contayned in a place by the nature of his fleshe and is not contayned in a place by the nature of his godhead Epist 57. ad Dardanum Augustine is very pleÌ„tifull flat for this point in one of his epistles I confesse that the proprieties of Christes maÌ„hood may be applied to his godhead contrarimise that the proprieties of his godhead may bee applied to his maÌ„hood but yet without coÌ„fouÌ„ding the natures as for exaÌ„ple Christes passion doth pertaine to his flesh according to the proprietie of nature and if pertaynes to the worde that is to saye Christes godhead according to the person Vigil lib. 2. cont Eutich because there is one and the selfe same person both of the worde and
A Godly and shorte Treatise of the Sacraâ—eâ—â—s VVritten by Robert Some By one spirite are we all baptised into one body whether Iewes or Grecians whether bond or free and haue bin all made to drinke into one spirit 1. Corinth chap. 12. verse 13. Imprinted at London for Geo. Bish Anno. 1582. To the right honourable his very good Lord master the Lord Robert Dudley Earle of Leicester Baron of Denbigh knight of the most noble order of the gatter Maister of the Queenes Maiesties Horses and one of her highnesse most honourable priuie Counsell Robert Some wisheth increase of Gods giftes by Iesus Christ IT hath pleased God to deale verie graciously with your L. your thankfulnesse to his Maiestie wil notably appeare if you goe on in doing your best for the increase of Gods religion The high way to compasse this is the calling for and placing of such in the lande as by gods blessing are able and willing to profite his Church When fitt men are found out they must haue both defence maintenance defence that for well doing they be not discouraged maintenaÌ„ce that they may attende vpon Gods seruice without distraction of minde If this were put in practise almightie God should bee better serued then he is and our gracious soueraigne Queene Elizabeth more heartely obeyed then shee is Howe singlie many parts of this realm are furnished with teachers all the worlde doth see the enemie with great ioy the godly with great grief The cause of this mischiefe is either great want of iudgement or great corruption in theÌ„ which do preferre are preferred to ecclesiasticall liuings The first of these is a grose fault but the latter is intollerable sin as is manifestly proued in the nexte leafe after this epistle Our Vniuersities both haue and do bread vp many excellent meÌ„ and may well be coÌ„pared to the Apple tree of Persia which in good mesure doth bud blossoÌ„ beare fruit al times of the yere Before that students do come to excellent passe their paines and charges are verie great for without labour and Gods blessing learning is not come by and without expence studie cannot be maintayned When students are furnished with knowledge are they prouided for is good done to theÌ„ for the churches greater good it is verie cleare that they are singly rewarded and the case of manie both in the vniuersities abroad doth sufficieÌ„tly proue this But answere peradueÌ„ture wil be made that these studentes must vse meanes for their preferment If by meanes we vnderstande coasting vp down the couÌ„trey for liuings Iudg. chap. 17. verse 8. it was the practise of Michahs priest is at no haÌ„d to be liked of if by meanes be vnderstood either buying of places right out or departing with some part of the coÌ„modities it is a grieuous plague must bee taken head of for it infecteth both the taker the giuer some other partes of the Church of God the taker because it maketh him thinke vily of religion when he sees feeles the corruption of a teacher the giuer for besids the present shipwrack of a good conscience he is driuen to sell deare because he bought deare the church of God for it pesters it with vnfit corrupt both teachers gouernours wherby gods honor is greatly defaced the good subiects of the land very greuously offended I may add to this that this mischief if it not in time meete with will be the vndoing of Cambridge and Oxford and consequently bring forth Barbarisme Gene. cha 47 verse 22. The priestes of Egypt were carefully prouided for in the time of famine and shall a number of our learned preachers almost famish in the florishing estate of the realme of England The popish sort are very carefull that the Popes plough goe forwarde they spare neither cost not labour to increase superstition Howe bountifully their priests are dealt with euery man may see and their liberalitie doth more hurt Gods religion then we are aware of Shall they prouide extraordinarilie for theirs and shall ourgodly and learned students not haue that prouision which of right belongs vnto them they which are seruante to any meÌ„ of trade are after a time in case to maintaine theÌ„selues theirs and shall the vniuersitie diuines after many yeeres studie and great expense be compelied for want of maintenance either to commend themselues to the staffe and waller or betake themselues to some other course many seruants in court for a litle and meane seruice receiue great good of their Lordes and masters charge what haue the studentes committed not to haue prouision of their own that is to say of the Churches charge Good my L. teÌ„der the studeÌ„ts cases seing almighy God hath giueÌ„ coÌ„maundement for their defence and prouision haue good care especially of such as are furnished by almightie God for the comfort of his Churche If your Lordship worke the good of these which I do and will pray for you shall do God great seruice he wil multiplie his blessings fauour vpon you As for them which are guilty of corruptioÌ„ either by taking or giuing money because their sinne is very great they must first make restitution of money Church liuings vngraciouslye come by then craue pardon humblie as almightie Gods handes for these grose enormities This order which I prescribe is gods order and therefore with al reuerence to his Maiestie must be liked of If restitution be not made by such as are in case to doe it their repentance is no repentaÌ„ce therefore the pardoÌ„ they looke for at gods haÌ„ds will not be grauÌ„ted theÌ„ I beseech almightie God either to giue these men vnfained repentance of his great mercy for the lesse hurt of the church or to coÌ„fouÌ„d theÌ„ of his iustice for the greater good of his church Aug. epist 54. ad Macedomum Nehem. chap. 5. verse 13. And as to Nehemias praier in another case of oppression the Lords people said AmeÌ„ so I doubt not but your Lorship and all which feare God both in the court other parts of this land wil say many a harty AmeÌ„ to this praier of mine against the spoyle of both church vniuersities I did present to your L. when I waited on your honor in the court a latin SermoÌ„ because it pleasd you to take it in good part I am now bold to offer to your L. a Treatise of the SacrameÌ„ts for another testimonie of my dutiful mind If it shal please you to peruse it I doubt neither of your profiting by it nor of your good accepting of it The stuffe in this treatise is very souÌ„d and hath in it varietie inough for the coÌ„passe of so short a writiÌ„g Thus desiring almightie God to increase his good gifts in your L. for the great good of this noble land for your own singuler comfort I take my leaue of your good L. in most humble maner At Cambridge the
vnto him Pigions turtle Doues If their abilitie serued not for these they offred a little meale The outwarde signes in the Sacraments are very meane and base things if wee looke on them with the eyes of our fleshe but they are most precious and singuler Iewelles if wee looke on them with the eyes of our fayth and do esteeme them according to the Lordes institution 10 The Sacramentes are not naked and bare signes In Baptisme the efficacie of Gods spirite is present to washe and regenerate those which appertayne vnto God The Lordes Supper is a spirituall banquet 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 3.4.16 wherein Gods children are truely and in deede fedde with the body and blood of Christ The apostle calleth the Sacrament spirituall meate and spirituall drinke and a litle after in the same chapter hee calleth the cuppe of blessing which we blesse the communion of the blood of Christe and the bread which we break the communion of the body of Christ The Sacraments are not bare signes because we haue the Lords institution they are seales of righteousnes and tokens of grace they are sure warrantes of Gods promises whereby God bindeth himselfe vnto vs and wee likewise stande bounde to his Maiestie so that God is our God and we are his people 11 The Sacramentes must haue the worde of God annexed to them For the worde of institution is the life of the Sacrament The Sacraments are seales of Gods word Rom. chap. 4. verse 11. Therefore where the word of intution is not there is no place left to the Sacraments There is no vse of that seale and in deede it deserues not the name of a seale whiche is put to an vnwritten either paper or parchment Take away the word of institution and what is the water of Baptisme but water Aug. Tract 80. in Iohan. The woorde of institution is added to the element it becomes a Sacrament 12 Gods Churche hath neede of Sacraments so long as it is in the worlde The fayth of Gods children is true that is to say not counterfaite but their faith is not perfit in this life The Sacraments are pillers of our faith Saint Paul hath these wordes as often as ye shall eate this bread and drink this cup 1. Cor cha 11 verse 26. ye shewe the Lordes death till he come whereby it is manifest that vntill Christes seconde comming wee haue both neede and vse of the Sacraments whereof wee shall haue neither vse nor neede in the life to come 13 The Sacramentes are higly to be esteemed The Sacramentes are pillers of our fayth they are glasses wherein we may beholde the riches of Gods grace which he reacheth vnto vs they are the Lordes couenauntes therefore they contayne promises whereby our consciences are lifted vp to the hope of eternall life Gods childrē receiue great benefit by baptisme Galath chap. 3. ver 27. 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 16. for all that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ by the Lords supper bicause the bread which we breake is the cōmunion of the bodie of Christ and the cup of blessing is the communion of the bloud of Christ If the Sacramentes are highly to be esteemed what shall we thinke of Pope Iohn the 23. for baptizing and beeing godfather to the great bell of Laterane in Rome of the popish sort for giuing out that we haue nothing but bare bread bare wyne in the holy communion The Sacramentes are highly to bee accounted of and honoured as holy mysteries but they must not bee honoured with diuine honour 14 The contempt of the Sacraments is very daungerous The contempt of Circumcisiō which was one of Gods sacraments was greeuously punished Gen. chap. 17 ver 14. Exod. chap. 4. ver 25. The Angell woulde haue killed Moses because his sonne was not circumcised Negligence in keeping the passeouer Nomb. chap. 9. ver 13. was greeuously punished It is a common a very soūd speech that not the want but the contēpt of haptisme bringeth condemnation The Messalian heretikes did condēne both externall signes Sacraments Obiection The Israelites were not circūcised in the wildernes by the space of 40. yeeres Iosue chap. 5. ver 7. Answere God commaunded the Israelites to goe on continually in their iourney If they had beene circumcised they had not bin able by reason of the sorenes of their bodies Iosue chap. 5. ver 8. to do as God commanded them so that Gods latter commaundement was a dispensation to thē for the omitting and deferring of circumcision Obiection The Apostles would not presse the Gentiles to be circumcised Acts. chap. 15 ver 24.28 Answere Circumcision after Christes ascensiō was not a necessary Sacrament but a thing indifferent that is to say which might for a time eyther be vsed or omitted If it had been a necessary sacramēt in the Primitiue Church Titus should haue beene circumcised Gala. chap. 2. ver 3. as Timothie was Besides circumcision after Christes ascension might not be thrust vppon the Gentiles Acts. chap. 16. ver 3. because Moses must giue place to Christ Iesus 15 The Sacraments during the time of the action of Baptisme and of the Lordes Supper are Sacramentes but after the action is ended they are no Sacramentes The elements in the sacrament during the time of the action which they serue for are true signes and pledges of the things signified by thē for in baptisme Christes bloud is propounded to vs as a lauer with which bloud we being washed are more and more graft into Christ buried together with Christ In the Lords supper Christes body and bloud is giuen to vs 1. Cor. chap. 10. ver 16. and that by distinct and seueral signes I meane the bread the wine as our true meate and true drinke vnto life euerlasting When the action of baptisme the Lords supper is ended the water in the font is no Sacrament but simple and common water and the bread and wine in the Lordes supper are not the Sacrament of Christes body bloud but commō bread and commō wine Therefore their fault is great which after the action of the Sacrament is ended eyther reserue any part of the elementes for Sacramentes or doe thinke that a mowse dogge or such like tasting or eating of the bread after the Lords supper is ended doe receiue the Sacrament whereas it is a certaine truth that if eyther mowse or dogge shoulde eate of the bread in the Lordes Supper during the time of the holy action they neyther doe receiue nor can be saide to receiue the Sacrament at any hande For seeing the Sacraments are seales of Gods promises touching eternall life it is certayne that no such seale is or can be giuen vnto or receiued by thē to whom Gods promise of eternal life in no wise doth appertayne 16 What good we receiue by the Sacramentes We are put in mynde by the Sacraments of Christes