the forgiuenesse of sinnes and of our adoption in Christ Doth not the ſ Rom. 8 15 16. Holy Ghost testifie vnto vs particularly the adoption of children the remission of sinnes and saluation of our soules As Rom. 8. Wee haue not receiued the Spirite of bondage to feare but the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father the Spirite beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God In these words Gods sanctifying Spirit our sanctified spirit are made the two witnesses of our adoption This we must certainely beleeue by faith And this made the Apostle t Rom. 8 38.39 most confident in the end of the same Chapter saying I am perswaded that neyther death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. If any obiect we may hope well for forgiuenes of sins but we cannot beleeue the same I answere Faith and hope cannot be separated they doe alwayes as louing friends accompany each other they are neuer sundered and diuided so that if we may be assured of our saluation by hope it followeth we may be certainely perswaded True hope followeth true faith as the effect doth the cause and no man can truely hope that is not truely assured Besides this is the property of hope u Rom. 5 4 5. it neuer maketh any ashamed they shall not be confounded and disappointed they shall attaine vnto the thing hoped for according to the doctrine of the Apostle Experience bringeth foorth hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. Hitherto of the first end of a Sacrament CHAP. XIIII Of the second vse of a Sacrament THe second end of a Sacrament is this a The second vse of a Sacrament is to be a seale of the Couenant It serueth to bee a seale of the Couenant betweene God and vs that hee will bee our God and we will be his people as Gen. 17 I am God b Gē 17 1 11 all-sufficient walke before me and be vpright The Sacraments are assured testimonies and confirmations of the fauour and good will of God who is well pleased toward vs in Christ his Sonne By them as by certaine pledges giuen and receiued God of his great mercy doth as it were binde himselfe to vs wee binde our selues to him to remaine his people and to walke in obedience before him for they bee as strong chaines to compasse vs as sure cords to hold vs and as fast knots to keepe vs that we do not depart from him and cast off the feare of his name Circumcision was a seale of Gods promise to Abraham and a seale of Abrahams faith and obedience toward God But let vs see what c What the couenant is betweene God man this couenant is what are the Articles of agreement betweene God and vs and what things each part interchangeably couenanteth and contracteth each toward other The couenant of God in respect of himselfe hath three parts He promiseth d Rom 11 26 Ier. 33 8. Esay 43 25. first of all forgiuenesse of our sinnes for The deliuerer shall come out of Sion and shall turne away the vngodlinesse from Iacob and this is my couenant to them when I shall take away their sinnes Secondly the adoption e Ier. 31 31.32 33. 2 Cor. 6 16.18 Zach. 8 8. of sonnes and acceptation of vs to be his children ioyned with the promise of his cōtinuall fauour loue grace and protection as Iere. 31. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will make a new couenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iudah not according to the couenant that I made with their fathers when I tooke them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt the which my couenant they brake although I was an husband vnto them saith the Lord but this shall be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people Behold the indenture of couenants written by the finger of God wherein for better assurance he hath bound himselfe to forgiue our sins promised to be our mercifull God And to the end there might be a paire of these indentures interchangeably giuen each to other party the Lord by the hand of the Apostle writing to the Hebrewes hath drawn as it were the counterpane of the former word for word expressed as it is in the Prophet f Heb. 8 10 11 so that we haue a paire of indentures of couenants to shew the stablenes of his counsell The 3. part of the couenant in respect of God is g Reuel 21 4.7 the promise of the full possessiō of the heauenly inheritance and of eternall glory after this life as Reuel 21. God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine for the first things are passed he that ouercometh shal inherit all things Also cha 2. To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradice of God he shall not be hurt of the second death he shal haue power giuen him ouer the Nations and rule them with a rod of iron he shal be cloathed with white array and I wil not put his name out of the booke of life hee shall be a pillar in the Temple of God shal go no more out I will grant to him to fit with me in my throne euen as I ouercame fit with my Father in his throne Thus we see how God on his part by writings and euidences promiseth to giue to his people remission of sins adoption of sons possession of heauen he hath couenanted by word by oth to performe these things neither is he as man that he should lie nor as the son of man that he shold deceiue These are great grants of great blessings by our great God to the great good cōfort of his childrē For what greater blessings can there be then being miserable sinners to be graciously pardoned being vtter enemies to bee freely accepted as sonnes beeing bondslaues and prisoners of hell to be made heires of heauen and saluation Againe the couenant on our part requireth three conditions for when men intend to couenant and contract one with another they set downe articles as well on the one side as on the other First faith to God to beleeue his promises as Iohn 3.16 God so loued the world that hee hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him
owne hearts so often as we see it administred let vs not rest in it as in a worke done to another and nothing concerning our selues but euermore helpe our inward affection by the outward action and alwayes as the eye of the body beholdeth the Minister let the eye of our faith be fastened â—iâ—mely vpon the Father who maketh the Sacramentall rites auaileable which are openly done before vs for our edification Vse 2 Againe it teacheth that we must not rest in the outward washing not in the externall actions of the Minister but euer consider what is offered to our considerations therin and when the Father offereth to vs his Sonne let vs not refuse him For he that satisfieth himselfe with the outward worke is as he that catcheth after the shaddow and regardeth not the substance or as one that maketh much of the garmeÌ„ts but respecteth little the body it selfe which ought to be had in greatest price and estimation The Minister taketh the water and washeth the bodye which is a pledge of a farther thing for then doth the Father apply the promise of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting to the person baptized as if he should speake with a loud voice and call the party by his name while the outward signe is powred on the body I freely wash away thy sinnes and giue vnto thee the pardon of them and bestow vpon thee eternall life so that thou turne vnto me and beleeue in Christ thy Sauiour Let vs then as true beleeuers by a speâ—iall faith reâ—eiue and apprehend his mercifull promises and rest in them Let this cause vs to turne vnto him by vnfained repentance and to walke with all obedience in his waies Seeing therefore he doth so graâ—iously assure vs of his great mercies with his owne hand seale woe vnto vs if we be not muâ—h moued and affected with it Vse 3 Lastly is God the Father an inward part of baptisme Then we must take heed wee giue not that to the Minister which is proper to God the Father whereby he iâ—â—obbed of the honour and glory due to his great name The Minister may wash the body and cleanse the flesh but can goe no further he medleth not with sanctification of the conscience from dead workes which is not in the power of mortall man to do so that God giueth the thing and men giue the signe yea while the Minister ofâ—â—eth the one God the Father giueth the other CHAP. IX Of the second inward part of Baptisme THe second inward part of baptisme a The second inward part of baptisme iâ— the holy Spirite is the Spirite of God hauing relation to the word and promise of God Thiâ— b Mat. 3 11.10 appeareth Mat. 3 11. He baptiâ—eth with the Holy Ghost and with fire And verse 10. When Christ waâ— baptized the heauenâ— were opened vnto him and he saw the Spirit descending like a Doue and lighting vpon him So the apostle 1 Cor. 6. saith Ye are washed ye are sanâ—tified ye are iustâ—fied in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God And chap. 12. of the same Epistle By one Spirite wee are all baptiâ—ed into one body whether we be Iewes or Grâ—eâ—ianâ— whether we be bond or free and haue beene all made to drinke into one Spirite And Tit. 3. According to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new both and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost which he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour All these testimonie teach vs that the holy Spirite of God iâ— a necessary inward part of this Sacrament and that the baptisme of the Spirite ioyned to the word giueth force vnto it who worketh in our souleâ— that which water doth in our bodies so that without the Spirite it is nothing From hence we learne that it is not the dipping of vs Vse 1 into or the sprinkling of vs with water by the Minister that maketh vs partakers of Christ but it commeth from the vertue of the Spirite who in time performeth what is represented by outward signes and promised by the word Againe we learne heereby that the Spirite is true God Vse 2 equall with the Father and the Sonne For who is able to make the word and Sacraments auaileable but onely God Seeing then this is the proper worke of the Holy-Ghost to open the heart to teach the conscience to seale vp to the day of redemption and to helpe our infirmities in hearing in praying and receiuing the Sacraments hee must needs be acknowledged to be true God the c 1 Cor. 12 4.5 8 9 10 11. Reuel 1 4. giuer of these graces So we see that in the forme of the administration of this Sacrament the blessed Spirite is named and rehearsed d Mat. 28 19. and hath his order together with the Father and the Sonne This therefore is a principle of our faith to be learned confessed and beleeued Vse 3 Thirdly we are heereby to take heede and beware that we giue not to the word that which is proper to the Spirit he ingrafteth vs into Christ he keepeth vs that we fall not from Christ he maketh the word and promise of the institution profitable vnto vs without whom it should be vnto vs as sounding brasse or a tinckeling Cymball Wherefore as GOD the Father in mercy maketh the promise so his Spirite must assure it to the Consciences of all the faithfull Vse 4 Lastly let vs learne whensoeuer we come to the word or Sacraments to craue the gracious assistance of the blessed Spirit to guide direct and regenerate vs to eternall life to sanctifie vs e 1 Ioh. 5 7. and to assure vs of Gods endlesse fauour in Christ Iesus as 1. Ioh. 5. There be three which beare witnesse in heauen the Father the Word and the holy Sp rit and these three are one The Holy-Ghost by his grace and vertue worketh in vs stedfastly to beleeue the truth of Gods word and the gracious promises of saluation as he is the author beginner and begetter of faith in vs so he increaseth it maketh vs fit to receiue Christ and to apply him with all his guifts vnto our soules and sendeth vs into the full fruition and possession of Christ He is our comforter to certifie vs of our reconciliation to God and to make vs reioyce vnder the Crosse knowing that f RoÌ„ 5 3 4 5. tribulation bringeth foorth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shedde abroad in our hearts by the Holy-Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. He is the earnest and seale of our inheritance by whom wee are sealed vp to euerlasting life Thus we see that howsoeuer the increase and strength of faith is assigned to the Sacraments yet this grace proceedeth from the Holy-Gkost who is vnto our faith as marow vnto the bones as moysture vnto the tree and as a coÌ„fortable raine vnto the fruites of the
Father the word of institution is made effectuall by the holy Spirit the bread and wine are signes and seales representing the body and blood of Christ the outward actions of euery receiuer do note out the inward actions and spirituall workes of the faithfull Thus then the agreement answereth aptly and the proportion falleth fully betweene the parts c The agreemēt between the outward and inward parts As the Minister by the words of institution offereth vnto the Communicants the bread and wine to feed thereupon corporally and bodily so God the Father by the Spirit offereth and giueth the body and blood of Christ to the faithfull receiuers to feed vpon them spiritually Hence it is that the outward actions of the Ministers and the outward actions of the receiuers are said to be signes of the second kinde and therefore may fitly bee called parts of the Supper Now then let vs remember the sensible and externall actions of the Minister that thereby we may consider the spirituall and inward actions of God the Father And first of all the taking of the bread and wine into his hands and the consecrating or blessing of them by repeating the promise by prayers and thanksgiuings doth seale vp these holy actions of God the Father by which he from all eternity euen before the foundation of the world did separate elect ordaine chuse and call his Sonne to performe the office of a Mediator betweene God and man and when the fulnesse of time came did send him into the world to performe that office whereunto he was appointed This wee see proued vnto vs in many places as Iohn 6. Labour not for the meate which perisheth but for the meate that endureth vnto euerlasting life which the Sonne of man shall giue vnto you for him d Ioh. 6 27. hath God the Father sealed that is hath installed him into his office to reconcile men vnto God and to bring them to euerlasting life And Gal. 1. Iesus gaue himselfe that he might deliuer vs from this present euill world e Gal. 1 4. according to the will of God euen our Father So that whatsoeuer Christ did he did it by the will and appointment of his Father According to the testimony of the Apostle Heb. 5. Christ tooke not to himselfe this honor to be made the High Priest f Heb. 5 5. but he that said vnto him Thou art my Sonne this day I begat thee gaue it him And as the Father ordained him to that office so in time he sent him as the Euangelist witnesseth g Luke 4 18. The Spirit of the Lord is vpon me because he hath annointed me that I should preach the Gospell to the poore binde vp the broken hearted preach liberty to the captiues c. So likewise 1 Ioh. 4. Heerein is that loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and h Ioh. 4 10. sent his Sonne to bee a reconciliation for our sins And Gal. 4. When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the law that he might redeeme them that are vnder the law Thus we see the inward actions of God the Father answering to the outward actions of the Ministers who being rightly called of God do worke with him and are the dispensers of his secrets Vse 1 Now let vs come to the vses of this part First of all this sealing and sending of his Sonne serueth to confirme and assure vs of our saluation in Christ For seeing God hath annointed and appointed him into this office our faith cannot faile our confidence cannot fal our hope cannot make ashamed i Rom. 5 5. seeing the loue of God is thus shed abroad in our harts through the Holy-Ghost k Rom. 8 16. who beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the children of God by whom wee l Eph. 4 30. are sealed vnto the day of redemption Vse 2 Againe let vs seeke saluation no where else then in him alone whom God the Father hath sealed and set apart to that end For euen as the body is nourished by no other meats and drinkes then by such as m Deut. 8 3. Mat. 14 4. God hath appointed to this purpose n Ezek. 14 13 Leuit. 25 26 as a staffe to sustaine vs so is the soule fed by no other meanes then God hath before ordained The cause of our saluation is in the loue of God toward vs which is notably represented by the taking and blessing of the outward elements He might haue left vs to our selues to worke out our owne destruction but his mercy is greater then his iustice Thirdly by these outward actions of the Minister we Vse 3 must seeke confirmation strength of our faith being assured that God the Father tooke his Sonne and appointed him to these ends We must not wander and gaze about and thinke we haue nothing to do but when we take and receiue the bread and the cuppe into our hands we must in euery sacramentall rite consider the things signified and ponder in our hearts the fitnesse and agreement betweene them both So then as we behold with our bodily eyes the Minister representing the person of the Father taking blessing and separating the bread and wine to that bodily vse so surely and certainely wee must learne that God the Father hath ordained and sent his onely begotten Son o Mat. 17 5. and 3 17. in whom he is well pleased to be the Mediator for the pardon of our sins Hence we see the infinite loue of God toward vs and let vs labour to comprehend p Eph. 3 18.19 the length bredth height and depth thereof that spared not his own Sonne q Rom. 32. but gaue him for vs all vnto the death hence we see that exceeding compassion of the Son that loued his enemies more then himselfe and accounted not his owne life precious to himselfe hence we see the gracious and glorious worke of our redemption wherein the mercy and iustice of God r Psal 85 10. meete together and kisse each other teaching vs to take sweet delight and comfort in the meditation thereof day and night with all thanksgiuing hence wee haue assurance of saluation and consolation in all troubles and tentations hence we see the greatnes of our owne sinnes that could not be pardoned but by the death of the Son of god and therefore we must hate them with an vnfained hatred as our greatest most dangerous and deadly enemies and lastly hence we see that if God the Father thus loued vs we ought earnestly to loue him againe and to serue him in all duties of holinesse and true righteousnesse neither ought we to loue him onely but for him all our brethren as the Apostle reasoneth 1 Ioh. 4 11. Brethren if God so loued vs wee ought to loue one another Thus we haue shewed how the taking of the bread by the Minister signifieth the
Fathers appointing of his Son the Ministers blessing the Fathers separating and setting apart his Sonne to his office the Ministers deliuering of the bread the Fathers giuing of his Sonne If then wee draw neere to the Lords table with faith reuerence and repentance nothing can be more sure and certaine to vs then the taking and receiuing of Christ for when we receiue the bread from the Minister wee withall receiue the body of Christ offered by the hand of God the Father so that as we are assured of the one we need not doubt of the other Vse 4 Lastly the breaking of the bread pouring out of the wine and deliuering of them both into the hands of the Communicants seale vp these actions of God his chastising of his Sonne and breaking him with sorrowes vpon the Crosse for our redemption offering him vnto all euen vnto hypocrites and giuing him truely to the faithfull with all the benefits of his passion Indeed the Minister giueth the outward signes to all receiuers but God giueth and applyeth onely to the faithfull the shedding of Christs blood for the daily increase of their faith and repentance But heere it may be obiected Obiection that not a bone of him was broken t Exod. 12 45 as it was figured by the Passeouer and performed at his passion the verifying and accomplishment whereof we reade Iohn 19 36. I answere Answere there is a double breaking of Christ one corporall whereof the places before doe speake the other figuratiue whereby is vnderstood u Esa 53 4.5 hee was tormented and euen torne with paines as Esa 53. He was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed Lo what is meant by the breaking of the bread his soule was tormented his spirit was crushed his hands and feet were pierced he sweat drops of Water and blood and cryed out aloud vpon the Crosse My Maâ— 27 46. God my God why hast thou forsaken me Wherefore let these rites be rightly marked and obserued of vs for our comfort and consolation Let vs when wee see the bread broken and wine poured out meditate on the passion of Christ how he was wounded and torne for our transgressions Although not a bone of his body was broken in pieces yet hee was broken with afflictions bruised with sorrowes and tormented with bitter anguish of his soule by whose stripes we are healed by whose condemnation we are iustified by whose agonies we are comforted by whose death we are quickened Whosoeuer resteth in the outward workes done before his eyes neuer attaineth to the substance of the Sacrament Thus much of the first inward part CHAP. IX Of the second inward part of the Lords Supper THe second inward part is the a The second inward part of the Lords Supper is the holy Spirit holy Spirit who assureth vs of the truth of Gods promise As we haue in the word of truth the forgiuenes of sins increase of faith groweth in sanctification a great measure of dying to sin and a greater care to liue in newnes of life promised vnto vs so doth the Spirit worke these things b Rom. 8 15. Gal. 3 2 5. in the hearts of all the faithfull This appeareth in many places Rom. 8. Ye haue receiued the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father the same Spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God To one is giuen by the Spirit the word of wisedome to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit to another is giuen faith by the same Spirit all these things worketh one and the selfe same Spirit distributing to euery man seuerally as he will So then as we are weake in faith and slow to beleeue so wee haue the Spirit giuen vnto vs to helpe our infirmities and to open our hearts to receiue the promises For the Lord Iesus raigning continually in his Church and performing the office of a Prophet doth make the words of his Ministers liuely by his Spirit in our hearts and causeth them to be of perpetuall force and efficacy assuring vs of his promises made vnto vs and vniting the signe with the thing signified This truth being cleared the vses offer themselues Vse 1 to be câ—nsidered And first of all inasmuch as the Spirite worketh these things in the hearts of all the faithfulll from hence we gather that such as neuer finde any change or renewing of the minde or reformation of life after the receiuing of the Sacraments may iustly suspect themselues whether euer they had faith or not and whether euer they repented or not and therefore ought to vse the meanes to come by faith and repentance For the worke of the Spirite accompanieth the outward worke in the elect of God as also we see in the hearing of faith preached he must open the heart that is closed vp before wee can receiue with meekenesse c Iam. 1 21. the word of that is grafted in vs which is able to saue our soules Indeed euery person present may heare the words of institution may see the wine poured out may eat of that bread and drinke of that cup as they may also heare the sound of the voice that commeth vnto them but the whole force effect and power resteth onely in the Spirit of God sealing vp the truth and substance of those things in the hearts of all the Children of God Vse 2 Againe seeing these things are done and performed by the working of the Spirit they are confuted and conuinced that thinke they cannot be made partakers of the body and blood of Christ and be vnited to his flesh vnlesse his body be shut vp vnder the accidents of bread and shewes of wine and so his flesh be giuen vnto vs carnally that we may eate him with our mouths and conuey him into our stomackes But we see heere the Holy-Ghost is the bond of this vnion he worketh in vs faith which pierceth the heauens and layeth hold on Christ It is said of Abraham the Father of the faithfull that d Ioh. 8 56. he reioyced to see the day of Christ he saw it and was glad For as we cannot see him with our bodily eyes nor heare him with our bodily eares nor touch him with our bodily hands no more can wee taste or eate him with our bodily mouths By the hand of faith we reach and apply him by the mouth of faith we receiue and eate him Let vs beleeue in Christ and we e Aug. tract in Iohn 26. 27. haue eaten Christ let vs not prepare our teeth and our belly but a liuely faith working by loue Wherefore albeit the humane nature of Christ goe not out of the highest heauens yet we that liue vpon the earth are partakers of his bodye contained in the heauens and his flesh and blood are communicated to vs as truely and effectually as if he were there
signified how commeth it to passe that Ismael being circumcised as well as Isaack and Esau circumcised as well as Iacob yet one beeing borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the Spirite Genesis 21. Galathians 4.29 the other was not beloued of God neyther had grace giuen vnto him as the Scripture saith Rom 9 13. Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated Lastly the outward circumcision that is in the flesh may bee out of the Church and receiued of them that are no members of the Church as it was of the Idumeans Ismaelites Samaritans and such as were strangers from the couenant as also the Turkes and Sarazins receiue it in our daies So is it with baptisme it doth not bring vs iustification by the outward worke done but sometimes it may go before the signe and sometimes follow after The like might be said touching Manna giuen vnto the Israelites Exod. 16. and the water of separation Num. 19. We may ioyne all these together because the force of them is alike and therefore the answere to the one is an answere to the other The next type is touching the cleansing of Naaman the Obiection 4 Syrian by washing seauen times in Iordan 2. Kings 5. as then those waters did truely heale him so the water in baptisme doth heale the soule and iustifie the sinner I answere Answere this is to draw from a wrong supposition a false conclusion forasmuch as euen those waters had no such inherent power or secret vertue but onely for the present by a miraculous dispensation of God they cleansed him of his leprosie neyther had they of themselues any other hidden vertue included in them then the Riuers that wer in Damascus 2 Kings 5 12. And therefore Naaman being cleansed did not magnifie the strength of that water aboue all other Riuers in other regions but the great mercy of God toward him and promised he would worship no other God but the God of Israel The next type is from the poole of Bethesda Iohn 5. Obiection 5 which healed all manner of diseases at the mouing of the waters and the waters in Siloam wherewith the blinde man is commanded to wash Iohn 9. I answere Answere the Scripture is plaine that an Angell went downe at a certain season into the poole troubled the water without which moouing and stirring of it no cure was wrought at any time Againe if this power had beene naturall and inseparably tyed vnto it then the water would haue cured and healed all the whole multitude of impotent persons of blinde of hâ—lt and of withered that should step into it contrary to the expresse words of the text Whosoeuer did first after the troubling of the water step into it Iohn 5 4. was made whole of whatsoeuer disease he had So that the poore impotent man which had an infirmity 38. yeares needed not to haue complained that no man when the water was troubled would put him into the poole but while hee was comming another stepped downe before him And touching the blinde man he was not healed and helped eyther by the spittle or the clay or the waters or by the force of all them together which had of theÌ„selues serued and sufficed rather to haue hindred the sight then to haue opened the eyes it was the miraculous worke of Christs own hand who worketh sometimes aboue means and sometimes contrary to meanes Thus much touching the obiections arising from sundry types and allusions which hee hath heaped vp and hudled out of the olde and new Testament Now touching the obiections drawne from expresse Obiection 1 places we will briefly runne them ouer forasmuch as many of them conclude not for them but against them First of all Iohn Baptist saith I baptize you with water but hee that commeth after mee shall baptize with the Holy-Ghost Math. 3. I answere Answere Iohn sheweth in these words that he was onely the Minister of the outward signe and could worke nothing in the hearts of men whereas Christ whoÌ„ he pointed out and of whom he spake would bestow the Spirite vpon them and those things which belong vnto their saluation Euen as the Apostle speaking of his ministry doth notably in other words expound this saying of Iohn 1 Cor. 3. I haue planted Apollos hath watered but God giueth the increase so that neither he that planteth nor he that watereth is any thing but God that giueth the increase That which Paul vttereth touching the preaching of the word and Iohn of the Sacrament of Baptisme we may fitly transferre and aptly apply to the Supper of tho Lorde wherein the Minister doth distribute the bread and deliuer the cup of the Lord but the Lord himselfe doth feed those that beleeue in him with his body blood which is meate indeed and drinke indeed The next testimony is taken out of Marke 16 16. Hee Obiection 2 that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued Heere the force of sauing is ascribed to baptisme not to faith now it cannot saue but by iustifying and washing away the filthinesse of our sinnes I answere Answere in the Apostles dayes men of yeares and not infants onely were baptized in regard whereof profession of faith and confession of sins did go before Math. 3 6. They were baptized confessing their sinnes Againe Christ our Sauiour teacheth that saluation dependeth on faith Iohn 5 24. He that beleeueth is passed from death to life he neuer said Whosoeuer receiueth the outward baptisme is passed from death to life It is faith that ioyneth vs to God and not the washing of the body with water Lastly if grace were tyed to the outward signe hee would haue said He that is not baptized shal be damned whereas Christ saith onely Hee that beleeueth not shall bee damned Neuerthelesse faith and baptisme are both ioyned together that euery one should submit himselfe to the ordinance of God and know that to the guift of faith he must annexe the vse of the Sacraments The third testimony is borrowed from the conference Obiection 3 of Christ with Nicodemus Iohn 3. Except a man bee borne againe of water and the Holy Ghost hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God I answere Answere It is not necessary to vnderstand this place litterally of the water in baptisme but of the grace of Christ which cleanseth the soule as water doth the body which in other places is called The water of life Iohn 4 11. and 7.38 where speaking of the water of life the Euangelist addeth This hee spake of the Spirite which they that beleeued in him should receiue Againe water is ioyned with the Spirit in this place as fire is ioyned with the Spirite in another place Math. 3 11. He shal baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire but there is no necessity nor so much as probability there to vnderstand fire properly why then should we take water properly in this place and wherefore in places that are like should wee seeke a meaning
it did appertaine to the children of the Iewes vnder the old Testament vnlesse peraduenture we will say that our Sauiour Christ by his comming hath restrained or diminished the grace and loue of his Father which were detestable blasphemy against the Father and an horrible reproch against the Sonne of God From hence then we reason thus If the infants of the Iewes were circumcised then the children of Christians are to be baptized but the infants of the Iews were circumcised therefore also the children of Christians are to be baptized Against this reason sundry exceptions are taken by the aduersaries of this doctrine Obiection which are not vnworthy the consideration They say circumcision was a signe of mortification it was tyed to be administred the eight day and that women ought not to be baptized if baptisme were like to circumcisioÌ„ inasmuch as they were not circumcised I answere Answere these obiections wil easily appeare to be very cauils and meere dreames of idle and addle braines if we diligently obserue both wherein circumcision and baptisme agree and in what points they differ They e Wherin circumcision baptisme agree agree first in one author of them both that is God himselfe who first appointed the Minister of circumcision which was Abraham and Iohn the Minister of baptisme whereof hee was called the Baptist Secondly in the chiefe and principall ends for which they were instituted namely to seale vp the promises of grace by Christ Thirdly by both of them is wrought our visible receiuing into the Church the Iewes were receiued by circumcision the Christians are entred by baptisme Lastly by both of them our mortification regeneration newnesse of life and iustification are signified So then they fully agree in the ends which they respect and in the things which they signifie to wit in the substance and nature of the things themselues The same Christ is promised in circumcision and giuen in baptisme Againe circumcision and baptisme differ f Wherin circumcision baptisme differ onely in certaine circumstances first in the forme and manner of dooing as circumcision was administred by cutting away of the foreskin effusion of blood but baptisme by washing and sprinkling with water Secondly in the outward signe which is indifferent in both Thirdly in the circumstance of time for circumcision promised from God grace and mercy in the Messias to come baptisme in the Messias already exhibited Fourthly in the subiects or persons that are partakers of them circumcision belongeth onely to the male children but baptisme is common to male and female Notwithstanding g How womeÌ„ were after a sort circumcised howsoeuer the bodies of the men children alone were imprinted yet through them the women were after a sort made partakers and companions of circumcision so that albeit God commanded onely the males to haue this signe in their flesh yet the females were not excluded from being members of the Church nor accounted strangers from the Couenants of promise For as the man is the h 1 Cor. 11 8. head of the woman so they were accounted as circumcised in the man yea they were reckoned and numbred with the men namely the vnmarried with their father and the married with their husbands Now that their circumcision was thus comprehended in the men so that it was vnto theÌ„ in stead of circumcision to be borne of the circumcised may be gathered by many places as Luk. 13. Where the woman which Christ healed of a spirit of infirmity bound together is called i Luk. 13 11. the daughter of Abraham to signifie that the priuiledge of his posterity belonged no lesse to her and all women that were faithfull then to the males and that she was as well his daughter as they his sonnes Likewise Gen. 34. the sonnes of Iacob communing with Hamor after their sister was humbled and abused said vnto them k Gen. 34 14.15 16. We cannot do this thing to giue our sister to an vncircumcised man for that were a reproofe vnto vs but in this we will consent vnto you if ye will be as we are that euery man-châ—ld among you be circumcised then we will giue our daughters to you c. where these two are set as contrary one to another our sister and the vncircumcised which teacheth that they were accounted as circumcised in the males so that it was enough to them to be born of parents that were circumcised Fiftly they differ in the setled time which is limited for circumcision being precisely and necessarily tied to the 8. day but in baptisme it is not so there is greater liberty left to the church yet the Sabboth following would not without vrgent cause be omitted Sixtly circumcision was instituted for the Israelites that were the seed of Abraham but Baptisme was instituted for all Nations that are willing to ioyne themselues to the fellowshippe of the Churches of Christ that professe his name of whatsoeuer Land and language they be Lastly circumcision was to endure onely till the comming of the Messias but the body being come the figure must cease whereas baptisme is to continue vnto the end of the world l Mat. 28 20. as our Sauiour teacheth Mat. 28. Teach and baptize and loe I am with you vntill the end of the world Wherefore the circumcision of the Turkes and Tartars which liue in infidelity and of the Moores which professe christianity vsed at this day is nothing worth albeit they retaine the outward signe and ceremony because the institution of it was only to endure vntill the blessed times of the Gospell Thus we see that notwithstanding the differences betweene circumcision and baptisme in circumstances of time manner of doing yet being in substance and effect the same the argument standeth strong and inuincible as a brazen wall prouing the baptizing of infants in the time of the Gospell from the commandement of circumcising infants in the time of the Law Againe m The practise of the Apostles let vs consider the practise of the Apostles and ages succeeding in this point For albeit it be not expressed that any infant was baptized by the hands of the Apostles yet we finde in diuers places that whole families and housholds haue beene baptized in which no doubt were many infants sucklings n Act. 16 13.33 1 Cor. 1 14 16. Acts 18 8. and 2.37 38.39 as Act. 16 15. Lidia being conuerted to the faith was baptized and all her houshold And againe verse 33 of the same Chapter the Iaylor was baptized and all that were with him So was Crispus the chiefe Ruler of the Synagogue and his houshold baptized and the houshold of Stephanus Furthermore when Peter commanded the Iewes newly conuerted to the faith of Christ and hungring after saluation in him whom before they had crucified to bee baptized he addeth this as a reason For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all that are a farre off euen as many
be reaped by it we hope better things of many of them albeit we thus speake For howsoeuer they do not at the present time and in the act of receiuing feele comfort yet neuerthelesse they may finde it and haue it Wherefore consider with me and beare away with thee these fiue things First if thou shouldst vtterly abstaine from the Supper of the Lord it is not to be doubted but that albeit thou feele not thy selfe any whit the better by thy coÌ„ming to it thou shouldst feele thy selfe many degrees the worser And albeit thou feele not thy selfe after thy receiuing to be so good as thou desirest yet if thou camst not at all thou shouldst finde thy selfe to be worse then thou art Now it is some good to hinder that which is euill and to keepe from vs that which is worse .. Thus it is with many that come to the word of God albeit it do not worke their conuersion yet it keepeth them from much corruption that otherwise they might and would fall into Secondly it is one thing to haue grace and another thing to feele grace for a man may haue grace and yet not feele it especially in time of tentation as a man likewise may haue life in him and yet not feele it And although he do not feele it through violence and extremity of the disease yet we cannot truly conclude that he is dead without life so albeit we do not feele any comfort in our hearts it is a false conclusion that therefore we are without comfort we liue by faith not by feeling Heb. 2 4. We may beleeue though we do not presently perceiue it God doth oftentimes giue faith and yet will haue vs waite a long time for the feeling of it Dauid had lost his feeling as also the inward ioy of the Spirite yet euen then he ceased not to haue faith and the Spirite the worker of faith Restore to me the ioy of thy saluation and take not thy holy Spirit from me Psal 51 12. So then faith goeth not alwayes with feeling Thirdly euery man must submit himselfe with conscience to Gods ordinance and then he may be assured he shall in his good time finde comfort Let vs be ready to do for the good of our soules as we are content to deale for the recouery of the health of our bodies Such as are sicke and want health make hast to haue the helpe of the Physition and they continue to vse his counsell albeit they finde not present helpe Let vs do likewise in seeking the health of our soules we must proceed to vse the meanes carefully which God hath ordained for comfort and albeit helpe come not by and by out of Sion yet we must not be discouraged but waite with patience for the appointed time We see touching our ordinary meate in sicke persons though they feele small strength and corroboration by it yet no doubt they are strengthened through it and receiue some nourishment from it euen while they know it not and feele it not or else they could not liue so may it be with vs wee may haue some strength of the inner man some guift of faith and some comfort of the Spirite albeit we do not suddenly feele it and presently perceiue it Fourthly we must set downe this as an infallible rule that neuer faileth no man was euer made better by with-drawing himselfe from the SacrameÌ„t For be it that we haue vsed often-times the Supper of the Lord No man can be made better by abstaining from the Supper and haue found no comfort in it nor fruite by it do we thinke to reape any benefit by abstaining from it and neuer comming to it It was neuer heard of from the beginning of the world that any hath growne either richer in grace or stronger in faith by keeping himselfe from any of Gods holy ordinances This is as possible as it is to see in the darke time of the night by keeping himselfe from the light of the Candle and abstaining from the place where it is set in the Candle-sticke to giue light to them that are in the house Lastly we must not stint God nor limit him a time when to make vs feele comfort like the vnruly patient that will not be cured except he be cured out of hand He will try our faith and patience whether we wil depend vpon him or not Our Sauiour saith The winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it commeth and whether it goeth so is euery one that is borne of the Spirite Iohn 3 8. 〈◊〉 3 8. We know not how or which way the Spirite worketh in vs but in time we shall perceiue the worke what it is to our great and endles comfort Now we proceed to another obiection The fift obiection Some say that often receiuing will breed and bring forth a loathing as in our common prouerbe we say too much familiarity often breeds contempt I answere Answere these persons that thus obiect may seeme to be great friends to the Sacrament and to be very iealous of the honour of it as if they could by no meanes abide to haue it disgraced or despised and yet they are deadly enemies vnto the Supper vnto themselues vnto the Saints of God yea to God himselfe and seeke cunningly craftily vnder a colour of deliuering it from contempt to rob the Church of the comfortable vse of it These would haue it to be as the fruites of the earth that come but once a yeare Thus do some others also secretly vndermine the faith of Gods people that could be content the word might no longer be preached vnto them and say that the common preaching of the Gospell maketh it to be contemned If this were so yet the fault is not in the word but in such as are of the common sort of Christians who care not which end goes forward whether they haue the word or Sacraments or prayers or Churches or religion or Christ himselfe they do not greatly regard neither trouble themselues much with these things but as Gallio answered the Iewes touching the worship of God and saluation by Christ Act. 18. Act. 18 14 1â— If it were a matter of wrong or wiâ—câ—ed lewdnes reason would that I should beare with you but if it be a question of words and names and of your law looke ye to it for I will be no Iudge of such matters So do these men deale with God his people touching the chiefe mysteries of Christian religion and the high ordinances of God appointed for our saluation they esteeme them as friuolous and superfluous things that might well be spared They regard nothing but the matters that concerne this present life and serue to fill the pursse and to feed the belly But as God hath dealt bountifully with vs so he would haue the word of the kingdome preached in season and out of season by his Ministers
also our ioyning our selues with them who are of the same mysticall body be they neuer so many that receiue with vs this holy Supper in respect whereof this Sacrament hath beene called a communion Vse 1 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 communioÌ„ one with another then what gifts soeuer we haue receiued from Christ we must imploy them to the benefit good of others If God haue giuen vs knowledge we must vse it to instruct the ignorant if the gift of zeale we must apply 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 things of this life this worldâ— good we must communicate them to others according to their want and our 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 shineth the earth flourisheth the Bee gathereth the beast laboureth to profite others And wherfore haue we all receiued moysture from the roote light from the Sun fruit from the tree water from the fountaine euen life from Christ but to impart it to others as freely as wee receiued This is taught vs in many places c 1 Pet. 4 10. 1 Cor. 12.7 Let euery man as he hath receiued the gift minister the same one to another And in another place The manifestation of the Spirit to giuen to euery man to profite w thall God hath tempred the body together least there should be any diuision in the body that the members might haue the same care one of 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 shal say Giue an account of thy stewardship d Luk. 16 12. for thou maist bee no longer Steward Againe is the Lords Supper the bond of charity And Vse 2 doth it put vs in minde of our communion with the Saints and fellowship which one hath with another then al such as receiue the same doctrine imbrace the same religion meete at the same table e Aug. tract 26 in Iohan. must be vnited in Christian loue gentlenesse meekenesse and patience one toward another supporting one another bearing the burthen one of another being alike affected and disposed guided by one spirit nourished by the milke of the same word acknowledging one Father professing one faith liuing in one body walking in one calling looking for one kingdome worshipping one LORD meeting at one Supper and washed with one Baptisme for our regeneration and sanctification f Eph. 4 1 2 â— Ruth 1 16 1â— according to the saying of the Apostle Ephesians 4. Walke woâ—thy of the vocation whereunto ye are called endeuoring to keepe the vnity of the Spir t 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 baptâ—sme one God and Father of all which is aboue all and through all and in you all And in the same g Phil. 2.1 â— 3 Episâ—le to the Philippians If there be any consolation in Christ iâ— any comfâ—rt of loue if any fellowshippe of the Spirit if any compassion and mercy fulfill my ioy that ye bee like minded hauing the same loue beeinâ— of one accord and of one iudgement that nothing be done through contention And Luke Act. 4. describing the h Act. 4 3â— 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 be fellowes of one houshold and members of one body and euermore bring with vs this fruit of loue to the Lords Supper otherwise we shall neuer be the Lords guests If brethren that are the children of the same father malice and maligne one another will not the father be angry And if fellow-seruants brought vp in one family fall together by the eares wil not their Maister be displeased and offended Seeing theÌ„ God hath vouchsafed to call vs his children to admit vs into his house to nourish vs at his owne Table and to preserue and reserue vs to his heauenly kingdome he wil take from vs all these priuiledges and prerogatiues if we bee hatefull and hating one another and deale with vs not as with his owne children but as with his vttter enemies Vse 3 Lastly this end of the Supper serueth to reproue al such as professe their vnion with Christ the head but hold not the bond of peace among themselues who doe much deceiue themselues and faile in the duty which he requireth of them For whosoeuer is fast and firmely vnited vnto the head must needes bee more firmely vnited vnto the the body because all the life that is in the body proceedeth from the head We must not therefore thinke that loue is required onely in preparing our selues to this Sacrament but it standeth vs greatly vpon to come in loue to depart in loue and to continue in loue yea as we increase the times of receiuing 〈◊〉 4 10. drawing neere to the Table of the Lord again and againe so we should labour to increase in loue as it were to double our affection toward our brethren It is a vaine thing solemnely to professe before God and men and the holy Angels and al the world that we come in loue and are in charity with al persons if by and by we be ready vpon the least occasion to take vp hatred and contention and to fall out one with another For we shall need no â—â—her witnes against vs to seale vp our condemnation then this Sacrament of the Supper except we shunne and shake off these vipers not from our hands but from our hearts All such as come with enuy hatred rancor malice and desire of mischiefe are as a generation of vipers seeking to eate out the bowels one of another because these are as it were the poyson or venome of the minde Let vs not make the seale of righteousnesse to be a signe vnto vs of certaine iudgement hanging ouer our heads 1 Cor. 11 18.30 as it fel out among the Corinthians who nourished diuisions among them therefore were iustly and sharply chastened of God many waies Do not the members of our naturall body loue one another Yes they seeke the good one of another the foote enuyeth not the hand nor the hand the eye nor
learne how wretched and miserable we are by nature and what remedy God hath ordained for our deliuerance We shall neuer feele the sweetnesse of Gods mercy vntill we finde the greatnes of our owne misery We caÌ„not perceiue how greatly we stand in need of Christ vntill we know our owne wofull and wretched estate by reason of sin Such then as are ignorant in these necessary points of Christian religion and especially in the doctrine of both the Sacraments can neuer come aright vnto them can neuer shew forth the Lords death can neuer discerne his body but blindly run on to the danger of their owne soules Wherefore it standeth all men vpon to desire the sincere milke of the word r Pet. 2 10 that they may grow thereby to seeke after knowledge as for siluer and after vnderstanding as precious stones A loathing stomacke neuer well digesteth the meat that is put into it and he that is full despiseth the Hony-combe What is the reason that they remaine blinde in the matters of God and their owne saluation and as bruite beasts in vnderstanding Surely because they desire not the wayes of God they regard not his feare they contemne knowledge as Esau did the blessing and the Israelites did their Manna For no man truely desired the knowledge of God and of godlinesse vnfainedly but he had the meanes offered vnto him at one time or other Cornelius desiring to be throughly instructed in the way of saluation was directed by the Angell to send for Peter Å¿ Act 11 13. Who should speake words vnto him whereby he and his houshold should be saued Thus Dauid going the way of al flesh instructeth his son Salomon t 1 Chr. 28 9. Thou Salomon know thou the God of thy Fathers and serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind if thou seeke him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for euer This is it also which the Prophet proclaimed 2 Chro. 15. O Asa and all Iudah Beniamin heare yee me the Lord is with you while yee bee with him and if ye seeke him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you Likewise the Euangelist teacheth that when Zaccheus sought to see Iesus he shewed himselfe vnto him he entred into his house and that which is more into his heart u Luk. 19 3. c and that day saluation was begun in him in his family being made the childe of Abraham Hereby is fulfilled that which the Prophet speaketh Psal 145. The Lord is neere a Psal 145.18 c. vnto all that call vpon him euen to all that call vpon him in truth he will fulfill the desire of them that feare him he will also heare their cry will saue them Where he teacheth that if we truely desite knowledge we shall effectually obtaine it God wil not be wanting to vs if we be not wanting to ourselues When the Eunuch came to Ierusalem exercised himselfe in the Scriptures in reading the Prophet for increase of knowledge as he sate in his chatiot did not the Lord direct Philip to go to him b Act. 8 â—8 â—9 ioyn himselfe to his chariot by whom he was farther instructed baptized So shall it be with all that hunger thirst after the doctrin of godlines they shal not be left destitute but be filled with the knoledge therof to their endles comfort The hand of God is not shortned he is as ready to help vs as euer he was c Mat 5 6. according to the promise of Christ Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnes for they shal be filled Hereunto tendeth the general promise deliuered in the general words of him that is the author of grace d Mat. 7 7 8 Aâ—k and ye shall receâ—ue sick and ye shal find knock it shal be opened vnto you for whosoeuer asketh receiueth he that seeketh findeth to him that knocketh it shal be opened Here we haue an excellent comfort and encouragement to consider that our holy indeuours shall not be in vaine in the Lord. CHAP. XVII Of faith in Christ the second part of Examination HItherto we haue spoken of knowledge which is the first part of this examination Now a man may haue knowledge and yet want faith Wherefore the a The second part of examination is to proue whether we haue faith or not next point which we are to try and proue is our faith in Christ For euery man receiueth so much as he beleeueth he receiueth according as our Sauiour speaketh to the woman of Canaan Mat. 15 O woman great is thy faith be it vnto thee b Mat. 15 23. and 9 29. as thou desirest And the Apostle saith to the same effect c Heb. 4 2. Vnto vs was the Gospell preached as also vnto them but the word that they heard profitted theÌ„ not because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it All those are worthy receiuers that ground theÌ„selues on the free fauour of God in Christ Iesus beleeue theÌ„selues to be deliuered by him from eternall daÌ„nation and desire daily to go forward in godlines Hereunto commeth the exhortation of Paul 2 Cor. 13. Prooue your selues d 2 Cor. 13 5. whether ye be in the faith examine your selues know ye not your own selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be refused This true faith is the mouth of the soule whereby we receiue Christ crucified to our saluation Wherefore it is required of vs not onely to haue knowledge and vnderstanding in the mystery of our redemption but likewise a iustifying faith e What a true faith is which is a wonderfull gift of God whereby the elect doe apply Christ and the sauing promises of the Gospell to themselues particularly We must know f Gal. 1 4. the purpose and ordinance of God appointing and setting apart Iesus Christ to be the person in g The handâ— of faith what they are whom and by whom he hath decreed determined the saluation of al the elect Againe we must haue a perswasion of Gods true meaning toward vs in offering saluation through Christ and that all sufficiency and ability is in him to saue vs whereupon we shall feel a sweet and comfortable resting vpon him in whom God meaneth to saue vs. These are the handes whereby we apply Christ to our selues both by knowing that he gaue himselfe for our sinnes according to the will of GOD euen our Father and by relying on his all-sufficiency to performe that high worke of redemption whereunto he was sealed and ordained This faith is not borne and bred with vs but is vvrought in vs by the Holy-ghost h 2 Thes 3 2. who is therefore called The Spirit of Faith Except he giue it no man can haue it it is natural to vs to presume on the one side and to
Church remained maintaining those opinions which that present Church holdeth They teach that which was neuer taught for sixe hundred some things which were neuer knowne for a thousand yeares after Christ Answere to those that ask where our Church was before Luther Mark 1 27. The true Church of GOD hath alwayes beene taxed with this imputation and accusation of nouelty as appeareth by the words of the Iewes to Christ the master and of the Philosophers to Paul the Scholler They say to Christ what new doctrine is this Marke 1 27. Wee know that God spake vnto Moses as for this fellow wee know not from whence he is Ioh. 9 29. Ioh. 9 29. So the Epicures Stoikes tooke Paul and brought him to Areopagus the highest Court in Athens saying May wee know what this new doctrine whereof thou speakest is Act. 17 19. Indeed in the hottest times of persecution Reuel 12.6 the woman fled into the wildernesse where she had a place prepared of God that they should finde her there a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes But what an absurd thing and how iniurious dealing is this to persecute vs with fire and faggot and to driue vs as poore banished men from place to place and from corner to corner and then to aske where our Church is and to complaine against it that it is inuisible Neuerthelesse that great Dragon and old Serpent which deceiueth the whole world Ver. 8 9. and all his instruments shall not preuaile because to the woman wer giuen two wings of a great Eagle that she might flye into the wildernesse to her place where she was nourished for a time Ver. 14. and times and halfe a time so that the gates of hell shall not be able to ouercome it and to preuaile against it And albeit the Church be vnknowne to the world and oftentimes to the particular parts themselues as it was in the dayes of Eliah 1 King 19 14 Rom. 11 3. 2 Tim 2 19. Galath 1.9 who complaineth that he was left alone yet it is not hidde from God who knoweth who are his and described fully in the Scriptures which cannot deceiue vs. If wee or an Angell from heauen should teach otherwise let him bee accursed It was our Church that shined with glorious myracles confirming the faith which we professe that was dyed with the blood of so many Martyrs confessing the truth which we imbrace It was our Church which conuinced the Arrians Macedonians Nestorians PelagiaÌ„s Manichees such like hereticks The general Councels celebrated in former times at Nice Popish opâ—nions not heard of for 600. yeares after Châ—ist at Constantinople at Ephesus and at Chalcedon stand on our side But where was the Popish Conuenticle which nowe boasteth it selfe to be the only Church for six hundred yeares after Christ which were the purest times Had they any Church any where that worshipped images that decked them and then ducked downe vnto them that held that the old vulgar Translation of the Bible is authenticall that no interpretation of Scripture is to be allowed against that sence which the Church of Rome holdeth that the Virgine Mary was exempted from originall sinne that the Scriptures are vnperfect and no sufficient rule of faith that the holy Scriptures and the traditions of the Church are to be reuerenced with equall affection that the Bishop of Rome is iudge of all controuersies of Religion Had they any Church vpon the face of the earth that beleeued that the Pope was euer called a God and the spouse of the Church that held that veniall sinnes are cleansed and done away with holy water that the Pope is aboue a generall Councell that the Pope may dispense by his omnipotency wâ—thin the degrees of affinity and consanguinity forbidden in the Law that by dispensing the merites of Saints by indulgences hee is able to deliuer Soules at his pleasure from the paines of Purgatory that the Pope defining out of his Chaire cannot erre Were all these or any of thâ—se preached or professed in the true Church of God which are now broached and beleeued in the Church of Rome But to passe ouer these as impertinent to this present Treatise New doctrins of Popery touching the Supper and to speeke onely to the matter in question concerning the Sacraments what Church did beleeue the reall presence or Transubstantiation or priuate Masses or receiued in one kinde or held that there are seauen Sacramenss neyther more nor lesse or beleeued accidents without their subiect or called the Sacrament his Lord and God or administred it in a strange tongue or lifted it vp ouer his head or worshipped it as his Maker and Creator All these are now made articles of faith and principles of religion such as without them a man cannot be saued yet which of them were imbraced for sixe hundred yeares I might adde more after Christ These were neuer heard off neuer dreamed off which are now the chiefest dreams of the Romish Prelates And no maruell For seeing they haue in a manner banished and buried the remembrance of CHRIST it may not seeme strange that they haue abolished his Supper instituted in memory of his death and passion Christ our Sauiour sitteth in heauen at the right hand of his Father and maketh continuall intercession for vs Sadeel de spiri manduc cap. 1 and wee must feed vpon him spiritually which is not a faigned or forged presence bred in our owne idle fansie and consisting of our priuate opinion neither doth it signifie and import that which is onely inuisible and not offered to the obiect of the eye or that we go about to turne and transforme the body and blood of Christ into a spirit but we call it spirituall eating and feeding vpon him spiritually The reasons why we are said to eate Christ spiritually for three causes First because the eating of Christs flesh and drinking of his blood is brought to passe by the worke of the holy Spirit for it may well be saide to be receiued in that manner seeing it is effected by that meanes Secondly because this mystery is wrought by the instrument of faith which we send vp to the Throne of God as the Eagle which mounteth vp to heauen inasmuch as it is opposed to the fleshly eating of him wherein the Papists are like to the Capernaites Ioh. 6. that dreamed of a carnall and corporall eating and drinking Ioh. 6 63. which profiteth nothing and helpeth no man and bringeth no good Thirdly because this most excellent and precious food belongeth to our spirituall and eternall life seeing wee receiue the signes not to nourish our bodies but to feed our soules The summe and effect of this Booke These things the iudicious Reader shall finde largely discussed in this Treatise which I haue therefore called The New Couenant because it layeth open the doctrine of the Sacraments which serue to confirme and strengthen vs in that Couenant and
the Minister the outward signes are giuen by the hands of the Minister whether he be good or euill but the truth and substance of the Sacraments is giuen by God the Father Whosoeuer confoundeth these parts and workes robbeth God of his glory depriueth himselfe of the grace of Christ offered and maketh flesh his arme Wherefore as the workes of God and of the Minister are distinct so must these parts remaine distinguished howsoeuer to the faithfull they are not separated and sundred as in the publishing and preaching of the Gospel the Minister speaketh vnto the outward man and the sound therof entreth into the eare g Act. 16 14. but it is God that openeth the heart and speaketh to the conscience of the faithfull hearer Secondly it serueth to strengthen our faith and helpe Vse 2 our weakenesse when we come to the Sacrament So often as we see the Ministers of God appointed by him deliuering the signes and setting them apart to their ends for which they were ordained we must behold with the eie of faith God the Father offering his Sonne to those that can receiue him For if we come aright we may assure our owne hearts that what the Minister doth outwardly the same the Father performeth inwardly then which there cannot be a greater comfort Let vs therefore behold with our eyes the Sacramentall rites let vs heare the promises that God maketh vnto vs God the Father will verifie them who hath h Iohn 6 32. sealed vp his Sonne vnto vs. My Father giueth you that bread from Heauen Hee will as surely giue Christ as the Minister deliuereth the bread wine Albeit the Sacraments should be ministred by some hypocrite and wicked man yet they haue as much force and as great efficacy as if they were ministred by faithful and godly men The vertue of the Sacraments hangeth vpon the Minister no more then the goodnesse of seede dependeth vpon the sower which if it light in good ground wil bring forth plentifull fruit albeit it be sowne of an vngodly and vnskilfull man Thirdly consider heere the difference betweene a Sacrament and a Sacrifice For wee learne from Vse 3 hence that God the Father in the Sacraments doth giue his owne Sonne to the true receiuers True it is a Sacrament and a Sacrifice haue some affinity and agreement the one with the other They haue this in common that both were instituted of God and haue him for the author of them In both of them there are outward actions which haue inward significations for the killing of beasts shewed plainely what our condition is both that we are guilty of death and could not be deliuered but by an offering for sinne and that Christ Iesus is the true oblation to be offered to God vpon the Altar of the Crosse for our sinnes Neuerthelesse they differ also in diuers respects as first in the end The end of a Sacrament is not to offer it vp to God but that it bee offered to vs and receiued of vs. The Minister offereth the signe God the Father offereth the thing signified wee receiue the outward element at the hand of the Minister wee receiue the inward grace at the hand of God But the nature of a Sacrifice is that we giue it or offer it vp to God according to his owne ordinance whereupon also it is called an offering or oblation True it is also that some of the Sacraments of the old Testament vnder the law were after a sorte externall Sacrifices as the Paschall Lambe howbeit it is not so in the Sacraments of the Church of Christ because the perfect Sacrifice of Christ once onely offered hath abolished and abrogated all outward Sacrifices Againe they differ the one from the other in the outward forme and manner of doing Leuit. 16 5. For the Sacrifices were burned in part or in whole with fire to note out the purity of Christs Sacrifice and the eternall Spirite Heb. 9 14. by which he was offered to God whereas they were properly called by name of Sacraments which were eaten or applyed to the bodye and therefore altar was appointed for the Sacrifices but a Table for the Sacraments that were eaten CHAP. X. Of the second inward part of a Sacrament HItherto of the first inward part a The second part of a Sacrament is the holy Spirite the second inward part of a Sacrament is the holy Spirite as Math. 3. Hee shall baptize you b Mat. 3 11. with the Holy-Ghost and fire So in Christs Baptisme when he was baptized prayed the c Luke 3 22. Holy-Ghost descended in a visible shape like a Doue vpon him And Paul saith d 1 Cor. 12.13 By one Spirite we are all baptized into one body whether we be Iews or Graecians whether we be bond or free and haue been all made to drinke into one Spirite And the Apostle layeth downe the circumcision of the heart by the Spirite Rom. 2 29. Hee is a Iew which is one within and the circumcision is of the heart in the Spirite So the same Apostle Titus 3 5 6. According to the mercy of God he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost which he shed on vs abundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour Nothing can bee fruitefull and profitable without his gracious worke in vs he worketh and setleth the worde of promise in our hearts and therefore we must necessarily hold the blessed Spirit to be an inward part of the Sacrament making it and all other ordinances of God auaileable Vse 1 Now let vs proceed to the vses of this point being the second inward part And first of all is the Spirite of God the sealer vp of the promises after that we beleeue according to the doctrine of the Apostle After that ye beleeued f Ephes 1 13. ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise Then as often as we heare the promise vttered by the Minister it confirmeth vs that the Father by his Spirit worketh the same in our hearts The water in baptisme cannot by any force and vertue inherent in it wash our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God as it hath power to wash away the filth and corruption of our bodies The bread and wine in the Lords Supper haue no inherent strength to nourish the soule to eternal life as they haue to strengthen the body they are instruments of the Holy Ghost who worketh by them to the great comfort of the faithfull Grace is not contained and shut vp in them as water in a vessell or as a medicine in a boxe the Spirite helpeth our infirmities sealing vp to our consciences the fruite of the word that is heard and of the Sacramentall signes that are seene But because this doctrine is contradicted by the defenders of the Popish faith it shall not be amisse briefly to propound their chiefest obiections whereby they would proue that the outward signes in
that is vnlike Lastly these words cannot enforce any thing to proue that there is any inherent force in the outward element seeing the Spirite is ioyned with it which addeth power and giueth efficacy to the water as it doth also to the worde in all the sauing hearers of it for as the word is a bare sound without the Spirite so baptisme cannot saue without the Spirite Obiection 4 The last testimony and witnesse is produced out of the Acts of the Apostles Chap. 2.38 where Peter exhorteth the Iewes that were at his preaching pricked in their hearts to beleeue in Christ Iesus whom they had betrayed and crucified saying Repent and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Christ for the remission of sinnes and chap. 22 16. where Ananias perswadeth Paul to bee baptized and to wash away his sinnes calling on the name of the Lord. In both which places forgiuenesse of sinnes is ascribed to baptisme and therefore it giueth and conferreth grace I answere Answere It is the beleeuing in the name of Christ that washeth away sinnes and purgeth our consciences from dead workes forasmuch as he maketh the outward worke auaileable by the inward grace of the spirite Againe hee ioyneth inuocation of the name of God with the outward signe which hath the promise of saluation annexed vnto it as the Apostle testifieth Rom. 10 13. Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall bee saued Thus we haue seene the principall pillars of the Romish error beaten and battered in pieces euery reason that caryeth any colour laid euen with the ground so that we are wholy to ascribe to the Spirite of God the lauer of regeneration and the answere of a good conscieÌ„ce toward God Againe is the Spirite of God an inward part of the Sacraments Then wee must learne and remember that we can neuer heare the word or receiue the Sacraments with fruite and comfort without the speciall assistance and inward operation of the Spirite of God Therefore the Prophet ioyneth the Spirite and word together Esay 59. I will make this my couenant with thee saith the Lord g Esay 59.21 my Spirite that is vpon thee and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seed from henceforth and for euer A man indeede hath power to heare the word and to receiue the Sacraments his will is free in these outwarde workes but hee hath no power or strength to doe them with profite and comfort except it be giuen him from aboue Though we heare neuer so much though wee communicate neuer so often the Spirit must open our hearts as he opened the heart of Lydia So 1 Iohn 2. That annointing h 1 Ioh. 2 27. which ye receiued of him dwelleth in you and ye neede not that any man teach you but as that same annointing teacheth you of all things and it is true and is not lying Likewise Acts 10. Peter preached the Gospell to Cornelius and his houshold and while he yet spake to them The i Acts 10 44. Holy-Ghost fell on them all which heard the worde So also the Apostles being sent out with their commission and commanded to preach the Gospell to euery k Mar. 16 20. creature it is noted that they went forth and preached euery where and the Lorde wrought with them and confirmed the worde with signes that followed And Iohn 14. The l Iohn 14 26. Comforter which is the Holy-Ghost whom the Father will send in my name hee shall teach you al things bring al things to your remembrance which I haue told you Pharaoh often heard Moses Aaron but he harkened not but hardned his heart because there was no inward touching or teaching of the Spirite The Israelites had heard seene the wonderful things of God yet they profited not in faith in repentance in regeneration and the reason is rendred Deuter. 29. Yee haue seene all m Deut. 29 2.3 4. that the Lord did before your eyes in the Lande of Egypt vnto Pharaoh and vnto all his seruants and vnto all his Land the great tentations which thine eyes haue seene those great myracles and wonders yâ—â— the Lord hath not giuen you an heart to perceiue and eyes to see and care to heare vnto this day When wee come to heare the word which is a word of power of life and of saluation when wee come to receiue the Sacraments which are signes of Gods graces and seales of his promises we see many returne as ignorant peruerse corrupt froward rebellious hard-harted and disobedient as they came to these ordinances of God and whence commeth this how falleth it out and what may bee the reason heereof Surely it is not in him that n Luke 13 24. Rom. 9 16. willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy who giueth eyes to see eares to heare heart to vnderstand to whom hee thinketh good in his heauenly pleasure Wherefore our dutye is seeing the natural man perceiueth not the things that are of the Spirite of God to pray vnto him to giue vs wisedome to see our corruptions blindnesse ignorance and hardnesse of heart Vse 3 Thirdly doth the Spirit worke in vs by the word Are the word and Spirite ioyned together and doth he teach vs by meanes of the word and Sacraments then we must not separate the Spirite from the worde and Sacraments as the Anabaptists do o Against anabaptists depending on reuelations which depend vpon reuelations and inward inspirations vpon priuate motions and diuine illuminations without the word They will not be taught by the word they wil not be strengthened by the Sacraments but take away the vse of both following their owne foolish fansies and diuelish dreames They boast of the Spirite of God and are led by the spirit of the Diuell We must for our direction and practise learne that as to rest vpon the Spirite without the worde is phantasticall and heriticall and the mother of al errors so the worde and Sacraments without the Spirite are no better then a dead carkasse without life an empty sound without substance a naked shew without truth an empty casket without the treasure and therefore we must knit them together and assure our selues that the Spirite speaketh euidently in the Scriptures the Spirite worketh effectually by the Sacraments and the Spirite helpeth our infirmities to profite by them both CHAP. XI Of the third inward part of a Sacrament THus much wee haue spoken touching the holy Spirite being the second inward part the third inward part a Christ is the 3. inward part of a Sacrament is Iesus Christ crucified the very subiect and substance of all Sacraments He was represented by circumcision and the Paschal Lambe by Manna and the water that flowed out of the Rocke and hee is represented in baptisme and in
his right hand he doth imbrace theÌ„ so that whether they liue they liue vnto the Lord or whether they dye they dye vnto the Lord whether they liue or dye they are the Lords This is true happinesse Furthermore we raise them vp with sweet comforts consolations of the worde of God against e 1 Cor. 15.54 55 56 57. Rom. 8 1 38.39 Phil 1 12. Ioh. 11 25. 2 Tim. 4 7 8. all terror and feare of death as 1 Cor. 15. Death is swallowed vp in victory ô death where is thy sting ô graue where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law but thankes bee vnto God which hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. And Rom. 8. There is no condemnation to theÌ„ that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirite I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels principalities powers nor thâ—ngs present nor things to come neither any creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Christ is to vs aduantage whether in life or in death Such as beleeue in him yea though they were dead shall liue Death is to vs as a sleepe and the graue as a bed of rest A crowne of righteousnes is laid vp for vs which the righteous iudge shall giue vnto vs so that an euill death can neuer follow where a good life hath gone before forasmuch as hee cannot possible dye ill who hath liued well Death indeed is a Scorpion or serpent but his sting is pulled out hee may well hisse but he cannot hurt he may well threaten but he cannot destroy for Christ hath quelled and conquered him Now f How sicke persons may put away the tediousnes paines of sickenesse to put away the griefe and tediousnesse of sicknes wee will and wish them to meditate on the things they haue heard and learned by the ministry of the worde from time to time in their health to consider with themselues how God sometimes suffereth the wicked to prosper for a time and flourish like a greene g Psal 37 35.36 37 38. bay tree how he punisheth them in the end reseruing wrath and iudgement for them how he blesseth or correcteth his children in this life how he hath prepared eternal torments for the wicked and vnspeakable glory for the godly but aboue all the workes of God h 1 Cor. 2 7.8 9. Psal 85 10 11 we teach them deepely to thinke vpon the glorious and gracious worke of our redemption wherein the infinite mercy and iustice of God doe meete together and kisse each other taking delight and comfort therein with all thanksgiuing Wherfore we perswade theÌ„ to beare the paines and griefes of sicknes with patience constant perseuerance because all sicknesse is Gods hand who being the God of the spirits of all flesh i 1 Sam. 2 6 7. killeth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp againe Thereby we are indeed chastened for our sins but they are nothing in comparison of that anguish and agony which Christ suffered for vs neither are they worthy of the exceeding glory which shall be shewed vnto vs and it is their duty to blesse God with all their hearts that they suffer no more seeing their afflictions if they were greater are inferior to their sins and seeing the same Lord that hath in mercy laid this gentle correction vpon theÌ„ made them to drink of his fatherly cup for their good might iustly punish them in all the parts of their bodies and in al the powers of their soules and then cast them into hel to haue their portion for euer with the Diuell and his Angels But God hath predestinated vs k 2 Tim. 2 11 12. to be like the image of his son so that the deeper we sinke downe in sorrowes the more perfectly we resemble Christ it is the great mercy of God we are not vtterly consumed that his louing kindnes is not at an end toward vs. The sicknes of the body is phisick for the soule for the striking of the one is the healing of the other by the Crosse wee must enter the kingdome of heauen and learne to loath the pleasures profits of this present life If they fall to despaire and doubting l Remedies against doubting and despaire of Gods fauour loue toward them in Christ m Ezek. 34 4. Luke 19 10. we labor to strengthen the weake and binde vp the broken hearted we are ready to leaue ninety and nine in the wildernes and seeke that lost one We bring them to God that hath striken theÌ„ and made the wound considering that the sonne of man is come To seeke and to saue that which is lost God is mercifull and his mercy endureth for euer he desireth not the death of a sinner but that he turne vnto him His mercy is ouer all the workes of his hands it is like the Ocean-sea where no bottome can be found or sounded It is the expresse commandement of God n 1 Ioh. 3 20. that wee should beleeue in Christ who hath triumphed gloriously against sinne against Sathan against hell against death against damnation against desperation The promises of the Gospell exclude no man o Esay 55 1 2 Mat. 11 28. vnlesse we exclude our selues Infidelity doubtfulnesse and despaire are very greeuous sinnes and strike at the very heart of God Wee must vnder hope beleeue aboue hope with faithfull Abraham The mercies of God and the merites of Christs obedience are infinite p Esay 54 10. higher then the high Heauens deeper then the earth broader then the Sea stronger theÌ„ the law mightier then the Diuell and greater then all the sinnes of all the world combined and heaped together Besides God doth measure the obedience due to him q Rom. 7.20 rather by the affection then by the action rather by the desire to obey then by the outward performance of it Moreouer when one sinne is forgiuen all the rest are likewise forgiuen euen as repentance of one sinne bringeth with it repentance of all knowne sinnes r Rom. 11 29. For the gâ—fts and call ng of God are without repentance Last of all we admonish them to consider that grace and faith howsoeuer they may be smothered are neuer wholy taken away by sinnes of infirmity Å¿ Rom. 5 20. but thereby are manifested and magnified Touching their families we say vnto them call them before you exhort them to cleaue t How sicke persons are to behaue theÌ„selues in respect of their families vnto God with full purpose of heart to loue him to walke before him in fear and reuerence and to serue him in righteousnesse all the dayes of their life giue them charge to learne beleeue and obey the true religion and doctrine of saluation set downe in the writings of the Prophets and
which are the members of Christ haue one and the same baptisme with our head Sixtly if the baptisme of Iohn were not one with the baptisme of Christ hereby the error of the Anabaptists should be confirmed for such as were baptized of Iohn should be rebaptized Seauenthly the Apostles themselues should not be truely baptized for they no doubt were baptized of Iohn some of them being first his Disciples otherwise they should be vnbaptized For Christ with his owne hands baptized none p Ioh 4 1 2. as appeareth Ioh. 4 1 2. and it is not likely that one of them baptized another yea they should baptize other into another baptisme then themselues had receiued Last of all Christ himselfe testifieth q Mat. 3 15. Luk. 7 29. that the baptisme ministred by Iohn pertained to the fulfilling of righteousnesse Mat. 3 15. and Luke testifieth that the Publicans and people being baptized of him iustified God but the Pharisies despised the counsell of God against themselues and were not baptized Wherefore seeing Iohn baptized with water in the name of the Trinity to remission of sins and that the blessed Trinity was present thereat wee conclude his baptisme was the same with ours r Difference betweene Iohns baptisme and Christs wherein onely heerein lyeth the difference in the circumstance of time Iohn baptized in Christ that shold suffer death and rise againe wee baptise in the name of Christ already dead and risen againe to life Against this euident Å¿ Obiections answered truth directly confirmed Bellarmine the Iesuite taketh diuers exceptâ—ons and maketh many obiections al which stumbling blocks lying in the way wherat many may stumble are to be remooued before wee conclude this Chapter For he reasoneth thus t Bel. lib. 1. de Bapt. cap 20. The baptisme of Iohn was instituted by Iohn himselfe not by Christ he was not the minister onely but the author thereof therefore it was no Sacrament at all especially of the new Testament and consequently not the same with the Baptisme of Christ I answer wee must consider in this reason the base and vile account that the Iesuites make of Iohns baptisme they make it an idle and vaine Ceremony without fruite or force and no Sacrament or seale of heauenly grace Againe if Iohns Baptisme were no Sacrament then Christ which receiued no other outward Baptisme receiued no Sacrament we should be baptised with another baptisme then Christ was Furthermore shall we hear with patience and hold our peace when these Iesuites or rather Iebusites ancient enimies of the people of god belch out their blasphemies and blot Iohns baptisme out of the number of Sacraments and admit their fiue false and forged Sacraments of Confirmation Pennance Orders Matrimony and extreame Vnction Lastly what intollerable boldnesse or blindnesse is there in these Bayards that make Iohn and not God to bee the appointer author and ordainer of his Baptisme contrary to expresse euidence of holy Scripture For seeing no man u Hebru 5 4. taketh this honour vpon him but he that is called of God as Aaron was shall we thinke he would vsurpe this office without Gods word and warrant and doth not Christ himselfe prâ—pound the question to the chiefe Priests Elders of the people touching Iohns Baptisme a Mat. 21 25. teach that he baptized and preached by the authority commandement of God Besides do not the Euangelists say b Iohn 1 6. he was sent of God and that the worde of God came to Iohn in the wildernesse and he came into al the coasts about Iordan preaching and baptizing Luke 3 2 3. yea Iohn himselfe testifieth that he was sent to baptize Ioh. 1 33. I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with water said vnto me vpon whom thou shalt see that Spirite come downe and tarry still vpon him that is hee which baptizeth with the holy Ghost Whereby appeareth that Iohns Baptisme was instituted of God not of Iohn and Iohn was not the author but onely the minister thereof Hence it is that Gaudentius saith Resp ad Paul diacon That Christ came to Iohns Baptisme as a sinner to wash away our sinnes in his body which could not be if Iohns baptisme did not wash away sinnes at all Againe c Math 3 11. he obiecteth and alledgeth Mat. 3 11. where Iohn himselfe saith I baptize with water but Christ shall baptize with the holy Ghost Whence he d Bel. lib. 1. de Bapt. cap. 21. gathereth that Christs baptisme gaue the holy Ghost Iohns Baptisme gaue not the holy Ghost therefore their Baptismes are not all one I answer these words were spoken to informe e Luk 3 15 16 the people that he was not that Christ so that they make a difference not betweene the Baptisme of Christ and of Iohn but between the persons of Christ and of Iohn betweene the minister of the Sacrament and the Instituter thereof For this is true of all the Ministers of Baptisme to the ende of the world that baptize in the name of the holy Trinity they poure on the water they can do no more they can goe no further Christ must giue the grace of regeneration and sanctification Moreouer f Bel. lib. 1. de Bapt. cap. 22. another obiection hee taketh out of Act. 19 4 5. where Luke speaketh of certaine Disciples at Ephesus to whom Paul saide Haue yee receiued the holy Ghost since ye beleeued And they sayde vnto him we haue not so much as heard whether there bee an holye Ghost g Act. 19 2 3 4 5 6 7. And he saâ—de vnto them vnto what were yee then baptized And they saide vnto Iohns Baptisme Then Paul saide Iohn verily baptized with the Baptisme of repentance saying to the people that they should beleeue in him which shal come after him that is in Christ Iesus And when they heard â—t they were baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus So Paul laâ—d his hands on them and the holy Ghost came on them and they spake the Tongues and Prophesied and all the men were about twelue In these wordes it should seeme at the first sight that Paule Baptized the Disciples of Ephesus vvith the baptisme of Christ which had before receiued the baptisme of Iohn If then he baptized them againe in the name of Christ whom Iohn baptized it followeth necessarily that the baptisme of Iohn was one and the baptisme of Christ another otherwise it should bee a needlesse and fruiteles repetition Besides this the place seemeth to fauour rebaptization is alleadged by dangerous hereticks to that purpose Wherefore the place being difficult the doubts diuers and the errors many that are gathered and sucked from hence as poyson froÌ„ wholesome hearbs let vs assay by the assistance of God to open the true and naturall meaning thereof If we shall weigh and consider the words aright according to the true interpretation thereof h August de doct Christ agreeable
to the drift of the place to the circumstances of the text to the propriety of the words to other testimonies of Scriptures and to the proportion of faith we shall see they fauour and further neither rebaptization maintained by the Anabaptists neither reall difference betweene Iohns baptisme and Christs defended by the Papists True it is there is in this Scripture a double History and narration inserted intermingled and infolded the one within the other which causeth some doubt obscurity but may easily be cleered and expounded For first of all the words ver 5. And they which heard it were baptized are are not the wordes of Luke the writer but of Paul the speaker continuing his speech of Iohns Disciples hearers and are not to bee vnderstood of the twelue Disciples as appeareth by the two i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greeke coniunctions which are vsed by the maisters of that tongue to ioyne and to disioyne hauing relation one to the other and knitting together the parts of the sentence answering fitly each to other k Mat. 3 11. Mat. 1 8 9. Act 1 5 6. as may bee seene in many places wherefore Luke speaketh not heere of Pauls baptisme but Paul speaketh of Iohns baptisme He setteth downe the office of Iohn verse 3. then he prosecuteth both the parts of it mentioning his preaching verse 4. and his baptizing verse 5. Againe these twelue abiding at Ephesus dwelling farre from the land of Iudea where Iohn preached baptized and liuing about 30. or 40. yeares after the death of Iohn could not heare his doctrin from his owne mouth or receiue baptisme at his hands Now whereas they are said to be baptized to Iohns Baptisme the meaning is l Act. 18 25. Mat. 21 25. Mar. 1 4. they imbraced and professed the same doctrine which Iohn preached by word and sealed with his baptisme Thirdly we haue a like example touching the Samaritans baptized by Phillip m Act. 8.14.15.16.17 The Holy-Ghost was yet come downe vpon none of them but they were onely baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus then laide they their hands on them and they receiued the Holy-Ghost Heere we are to obserue this order Phillip preached the people beleeued and were baptized afterward the Apostles hands were imposed and so the Holy-Ghost is receiued They gaue the gifts of the Holy Ghost by laying on of hands without baptisme Act. 8.17 Neither do we reade that laying on of hands was vsed in baptisme neither were these baptized againe but onely confirmed and strengthened by imposition of the Apostles hands So in this place the twelue Ephesian Disciples had embraced and receiued the doctrine that Iohn preached and were baptized in the name of Christ then the Apostle layeth his hands vpon them and they receiue the Holy-Ghost they are no more rebaptized then were the Disciples at Samaria Fourthly if the 4. and 5. verses were to be sundred and dismembred contrary to the vse of the Greeke particles which serue to conioyne the whole and to disioyne the parts of the sentence as though the one were spoken of Paul the other of Luke why doth Luke afterward ver 6. repeate and assume the name of Paul What need was there to make mention of him againe Doth not this shew that in the whole speech before hee had spoken of Iohn and his hearers that heard him preaching in the wildernesse Furthermore the Apostle neither accuseth nor condemneth the Baptisme of these Ephesians neither enquireth whether they were Baptized or no seeing they were in the number of the Professors of the faith and beleeuers of the Gospell for they are called Disciples but whether they had receiued the giftes of the holy Ghost Sixtly if such as haue beene once baptized were to be rebaptized because they are somtimes grossely ignorant and know not some necessary fundamentall point of religion concerning the Trinity concerning the offices or person of Christ and such like holy Principles the apostles themselues should haue beene baptized againe who conuersing with Christ hearing his Doctrine seeing his Miracles and knowing his behauiour had yet tasted little of his spirituall heauenly kingdome n Actes 1 6. Math. 20 21. Luke 22 24. but dreamed that the Messiah should haue a temporall and earthly kingdome The Samaritanes also should be baptized anew because being baptized they did not immediately receiue the holy Ghost Likewise Apollos shoulde bee baptized againe who was weake in knowledge vnderstanding onely the baptisme of Iohn yet hee was not re-baptized but Aquila and Priscilla tooke him and instructed him farther in the Fayth of Christ and in the wayes of God and if baptisme were so often to be repeated as God of his mercie sheweth vs the errours of our minde and faultes of our life howe often should we bee baptized Should not the faithfull manie times not onely in a yeare but sometimes in a day require Baptisme Besides wee must consider that these twelue Disciples were not ignorant of the holye Ghost the third person in Trinity but of the extraordinary and myraculous gifts of the holy Ghost which appeared in clouen Tongues on the apostles o Act. 8 17 18 19 10 44 45 47 19 6 as the words are taken For it were vnreasonable and absurd to imagine that such as are sayd to be Disciples schollers of Christ Professours of the Fayth and Members of the Church could bee ignorant whollie of the holie Ghost which Iohn saw come downe p Ioh. 1 32 33 vppon Christ in a very visible shape without the knowledge of which Spirite none can be â—aid to be a beleeuer and to be faithfull such are so farre from being admitted into the Church that they deserue not to sit in the Porch Neither may we thinke without intollerable iniury done vnto Iohn who was filled with the holye Ghost from his Mothers Wombe that he would euer haue receiued to his baptisme such rude and grosse Disciples as had neuer heard whether there were an holy â—host Last of all if Paul had baptized these twelue Disciples of Ephesus why are they passed ouer in silence and not rehearsed where of set purpose he q 1 Cor. 1 13.14 15. reckoneth vppe such as were baptized by him He declareth how he baptized Crispus Gaius and the houshold of Stephanas he maketh no mention at all of this History Nay if he baptized these might not the Corinthians haue taken exception against him accused him of falshood or forgetfulnes and albeit he speak properly and particularly of the Corâ—nthians yet afterward he extendeth his doctrine farther concludeth generally that hee knew not whether he had baptised any other which he wold neuer haue spoke if he had baptised the xii togither especially seeing he addeth Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the gospell And seeing thâ— former Epistle was written after this history as some suppose from Ephesus where these disciples dwelt r 1 Cor. 16 8.
vouchsafeth to entertaine vs to receiue vs and to acknowledge vs for his children therefore wee must in euery estate depend vpon him honour him as our God serue him as our Maister obey him as our Lorde and looke for saluation from him as from our redeemer Againe as we haue beene baptized not in the name of one person alone not in the name of the Father alone or of the Sonne alone or of the holie Ghost alone but in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost so we must all beleeue and confesse as an article of our faith that the Trinitie in vnity and vnity in Trinitie is to bee worshipped For albeit there are three reckoned vp as speaking of many yet heere is also mentioned their name as speaking onely of one not of their names baptize them in the name of the three persons So many as deny the doctrine of the Trinity are iustly to be condemned of falshood and heresie Such is the Religion of the Iewes Greekes Turks Persians and in some sort the Papistes albeit in wordes these last acknowledge one God in three persons The Greeke Church at this day denieth in effect the God-head of the holy Ghost inasmuch as it holdeth him to proceede from the Father onely The Turks and Iewes do vtterly deny the deity both of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost the present Church of Rome more glorious in shew but not much more sound in faith hath defiled the whole Trinity with their Imagerie and set vp a false Christ partly denying him to bee GOD of himselfe and partly repealing all his offices so that howsoeuer they professe him in words and leaue him the name of a Sauiour yet they mâ—ke a mocke of his sacrifice and haue turned Christian religion into Anti-christian superstition Wherefore as we are baptized into the most worthy name of the blessed Trinity let vs hold fast the true profession thereof and renounce al errors and heresies oppugning our holy faith and depriuing vs of the sweet comfort we haue therein Vse 3 Thirdly are these words of institution baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost the outward forme of baptisme Then we hold that manner of baptizing must be retained this ought not to be changed no other ought to be vsed then this prescribed by Christ our Sauiour We must not therefore let passe or leaue out any of the three persons in Trinity as some hereticks haue done though we shal vnderstand the other by naming and speaking of one Obiection If any say that the Apostles baptized in the name of Christ as Act. 2.38 and chap. 10 48. Answere and 19 5. To this obiection I answere the Apostles do not set downe in those places the forme of baptisme or the words of institution but the substance and end which is to assure remission of sinnes in the name of Christ They shew not the forme but the fruite not how it should bee ministred but what spirituall grace is signified thereby For why should the disciples change the ordinance of their maister who deliuered nothing to the Churches but what d 1 Cor. 11 23 they receiued of the Lord Againe it cannot be denyed but that the Apostles e Act. 10 47. and 15 2. baptized in this forme in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost as Acts 10 ver 47. Can any forbid water that these should not be baptized which haue receiued the holy-Ghost as wel as we As if he should say these haue receiued the guifts of the Holy-Ghost therfore they may be baptized in the name of the Holy-Ghost And more plainely Act. 19. when the Disciples had answered Paul that they knew not whether there were an Holy-Ghost he saith Vnto what were yee then baptized Whereby he sheweth it was the manner and custome to baptize in the name of the Holy-Ghost and consequently of the whole Trinity The Euangelists also teach that at the baptisme of Iohn the Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost were present And as he baptized with the same matter why should we imagine hee obserued not the same forme that Christ commanded expresly to his Apostles Nay seeing in the baptisme of Iohn we haue proued there was the same promise the same grace the same vertue the same signe the same signification which was in the baptisme of the Apostles as we haue proued before why shold we only doubt of the words of institution Or why should we imagine that the forme should be altered and changed Wherefore we conclude that the Apostles would not alter any thing of the direct and expresse words of their Lord Maister f Mat. 28.19 prescribed Math. 28. where he chargeth them both what to preach and how to baptize For as he enioyneth them to teach the Nations to obserue whatsoeuer he commanded them so he willeth them to baptize in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost And as they altered nothing in the matter of teaching no more did they in the maner of baptizing considering that as the doctrine they preached was the doctrine of God so the Sacraments they deliuered were the SacrameÌ„ts of God and they had no more leaue in the one then liberty in the other If then any should baptize otherwise then in the name of the Trinity or should name the Sonne to be vnequall to the Father or should deny the proceeding of the Holy-Ghost or should baptize in the name of the Virgin Mary and the Saints this cannot be the Sacrament of Baptisme instituted by Christ but a ceremony made void and frustrate by our owne inuentions CHAP. V. Of the third outward part of Baptisme THe third outward part of Baptisme a Water another outward part of Baptisme is the element of water which is the matter whereof baptisme consisteth This truth is taught in diuers places of the new b Mat. 3 â— Iohn 1 31 33. Testament as Math. 3 9. Indeede I baptize with water And Ioh. 1 Because he should be declared to Israel therefore am I come baptizing with water I knew him not but he that sent mee to baptize with water he saide vnto me vpon whom thou shalt see the spirit come downe and tarry still on him that is hee which baptizeth with the holy Ghost So Acts 8 36. As they went on their way they came vnto a certaine water and the Eunuch sayde See heere is water what doth let me to be baptized Then hee commanded the Chariot to stand stâ—ll and they went downe both vnto the water both Phillip and the Eunuch and hee baptized him And Chap. 10. Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which haue receyued the holy Ghost as well as wee Nothing is so apt to set forth the bloode of Christ and his merits as water which is fit to clense and wash and leaueth no filth behinde vpon the body by which
as Christ sometimes did to that slothfull person c Luk. 19 12. Thou euill seruant out of thine owne mouth will I iudge thee These make three sorts of baptisme of water of blood of the Spirit whereby they confesse that the want of baptizing with water is not damnable in al seeing that want may be supplyed either with shedding of their blood for testimony of the truth or by spiritual regeneration ingrafting into the body of Christ To conclude do we desire the custome and practise of the Church It is well knowne that in Thessalia d Socra lib. 5. cap. 22. Bellar. de sacra bap cap. 26. the Sacrament of baptisme was celebrated but once in the yeare namely at Easter In other places thrice in the yeare and sometimes not vntill the houre of their death when they were going the way of all flesh Constantine the great was the first christian Emperor that reformed the Church yet he was not baptized till e Tripart hist lib. 3 câ—p 12. the time of his death And Valentinianus a christian Emperor died without baptisme yet doth Ambrose giue him his due commendation f Orat. de obit Valentâ—n and doubted nothing of his saluation Shal we do these good men these worthy Emperors these godly Christians this wrong as to thinke they were damned who were the chiefe pillars and protectors of the true Christian and Catholike religion Or if the Churches aboue mentioned had holden this hard opinion that the want of baptisme was a signe of reprobation would they haue deferred it in the houre of death whereby sometimes they were preuented or administred it at certaine times onely of the yeare True it is that custome is not to be followed neither the negligeÌ„ce of those Bishops to be allowed but it teacheth thus much that in deferring baptisme they differed in iudgement from the now-Church of Rome and concurred in opinion with the reformed Churches for which causes their practise is alledged The reasons vsed to maintain the absolute necessity of this Sacrament to saluation are weak not worth the answering First they obiect g Gen. 17 14. Obiection Answere the threatning annexed to circumcision The vncircumcised male shal be cut off froÌ„ his people To this I answere first God commandeth infants to be circumcised the eight day before which time they were forbidden to circumcise Wherfore infants that dy before the 8. day were not bound and obliged by this law And seeing there h Rom. 5 13. can be no transgression where there is no law they are not damnd because they are vncircumcised seeing God called many out of this life before they were capable of this Sacrament Againe the commination and threatning is not to bee vnderstood generally of all but of such as are growne vp not of children but of men as appeareth by the reason For he hath broke my couenant This cannot be applyed to infants i Caietan in cap. 7. Genes who albeit they haue not actuall faith yet cannot be said to contemne grace to refuse the couenant to reiect the promises or to lye in infidelity and hardnesse of heart Wherefore it belongeth vnto those onely that being growne vp and come to yeares shall approue the negligence of their parents and will not suffer themselues to be circumcised Therefore the childe of Moses whose circumcision was through negligence deferred was not punished but the fault was imputed vnto Moseâ— himselfe Exod. 4 24. Now as to Peter saying Thou shalt k â—â—hn 13 8. neuer wash my feet Christ answered If I wash thee not thou hast no part in me so to the Israelite that should haue saide I will neuer be circumcised this threatning might fitly be applyed If thou wilt not be circumcised thou hast no part in God no portion in his blessing no assurance of his promises in this life or of his kingdome in the life to come Lastly to be cut off from the people doth not signifie to be condemned for euen the negligence and contempt of the Sacrament is pardonable where repentance followeth as we see of such as came vnreuerently and vnworthily to the Lords Supper among the Corinthians l 1 Cor. 11 30 31. who were punished with diseases and death it selfe yet the soule no doubt was saued in the day of the Lord. Sometime therefore that phrase of speaking signifieth temporall iudgements of God on men their families m Psal 55 24. for their wickednes Sometimes it signifieth the Magistrates iustice inflicted on malefactors n Deut. 13 59 who beareth not the sword in vaine which is expounded afterward Thou shalt surely kill him Sometimes it signifieth to be cut off from the bosome of the Church o Exod. 12 15 19. which is done by the high and dreadfull censure of excommunication Whosoeuer eateth leauened bread from the first day vntill the seauenth day that person shall be cut off from Israell the interpretation of which words is added verse 19. That person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israell So the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 5. Hee which hath done this thing should be p 1 Cor. 5 2.13 put from among you that is from your company fellowship as verse 13. Put away from among your selues that wicked man Thus wee are to vnderstand the threatning in this place that such as contemne circumcision eyther themselues or allow the same contempt and negligence of others shall no longer bee reckoned and reputed among the people of God but be separated from them and to be as an heathen and a publican Againe q Ioh. 3 5. they obiect Iohn 3. Obiection 2 Vnlesse a man be borne of water and the Spirite hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God therefore say they it is necessary to saluation to be baptized This is the reason of r Bellar. lib 1 de bapt ca. 4. Bellarmine and Å¿ Hosij confess cap. 35. Answere of others I answere first it is not necessary in this place by water to vnderstand materiall water but the grace of Christ purging and cleansing as water doth which interpretation may be gathered by conference of a like place Math. 3.11 He shall baptise t Ioh 3 11. with the Holy-Ghost and with fire that is by the Spirite of God which is as it were fire lightening our hearts with the knowledge of God inflaming them with his loue and purging them from euill affections So when wee are saide to be borne againe by water and the Spirite he meaneth by the Spirite shewing forth in vs the force power and property of water as if he should say we are borne of water which is the Spirite u Ioh. 7 38 39 4.21 as Ioh. 7 38 39. Againe if it were ment of water in baptisme it must be vnderstood according to a like a Ioh. 6 53. sentence Ioh. 6. Vnlesse you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee shall not
the Gospell yet the office of teaching is not tyed to 30. yeares the age may be lesse if the guifts be great and fit for that calling Againe Christ stood not in need to be baptized in respect of himselfe being without originall or actuall sinne to be washed away and therefore Iohn at the first put him backe r Mat. 3 15. yet he would bee baptized for our sakes to fulfill all righteousnesse to sanctifie our baptisme in himselfe and that thereby we might know he was installed into his office But we stand in need to be baptized to seale vp the washing away of our sinnes and therefore there is great difference in this respect between Christ and vs. Besides the Euangelist doth testifie that albeit our Sauiour were baptized at thirty yeares of age yet hee was circumcised at eight daies old Now we haue prooued before that the same which circumcision was to the Iewes baptisme is to all Christians If then he in his infancy were circumcised then children in their infancy may be baptized and are not commanded to waite thirty years for baptisme is our circumcision as the Apostle teacheth but Christ in his infancy was circumcised Å¿ Luk. 2 21. when the eight dayes were accomplished therefore children in their infancy may be baptized Furthermore baptisme was not hitherto as yet in vse it was not commanded to be vsed when he was a childe and therefore he could not possibly be baptized vnlesse we wil imagine he might be baptized before baptisme was So that we see as he would not haue his circumcision deferred one day beyond the time appointed so hee was presently baptized so soone as baptisme was instituted of God and administred by Iohn Fiftly we are no more tyed to this circumstance of time in Christs baptisme then we are to other circumstances of time place and persons in the Supper he ministred it in an vpper Chamber and before his passion we in Churches before dinner and after his resurrection Lastly when the time appointed came that the promised Sauiour and redeeme of mankinde should manifest himselfe to the world then he shewed himselfe openly then he came to the preaching and baptisme of Iohn and began to publish the glad tidings of saluation t Mar. 1 15. and to exhort men to repent and beleeue the Gospell These are the chiefest obiections against childrens baptisme that ca â—y any shew and probability of reason which hitherto we haue dissolued and discussed And this is the second point before propounded Now as we haue seene the truth proued by the Scripture and maintained it against all the ignorant cauils of the Anabaptists and other Arrians of Transiluania that haue u Ministri Transiluan contra Trinit incarnationem domini oppugned this truth so let vs come to see the benefit of this doctrine and what profite commeth by baptisme of children that are without knowledge without vnderstanding without faith and without repentance What vse can there be of this Much euery way as well as by circumcising an infant of eight dayes olde First consider from Vse 1 hence a plaine and palpable error of the Church of Rome a Lindan lib. 4. panopl. Bellar. de verbo dei lib. 4. cap. 9. that teach that the baptisme of children is by tradition not by diuine institution from their word vnwritten not in the word of God written But we haue confuted the Anabaptists by the Scriptures and conuinced them by the institution of circumcision by the tenor of the couenant by the holines of their birth by their redemption through the blood of Christ and by the practise of the Apostles This is better armour these are stronger weapons this is a sharper sword to cut in sunder the corrupt heresie of the Anabaptists then the wooden dagger of humane tradition which the Church of Rome draweth out against them The Scripture is all-sufficient b 2 Tim. 3 16. to proue all truth and to beate downe all false doctrine that lifteth vp it selfe against God Wherefore we hold their traditions to be superstitions and their vnwritten verities are written lies As we retaine the baptisme of children so we haue alwayes bin ready to maintaine it by the old and new testament as by the sword of the Spirit against all the aduersaries thereof Secondly let vs learne from hence to acknowledge a difference Vse 2 betweene baptisme and the Lords Supper For in baptizing of Children not faith not repentance not regeneration is required but only to be borne in the couenant but the Supper of the Lord requireth knowledge discerning trying and examining of our selues which are not required neither can be performed of yong children who know not light from darknes nor good from euill Thirdly if infants haue interest in baptisme then hence Vse 3 it followeth that all are conceiued and borne in originall sin c Ioh 3 6. 1 Cor 15 22. Rom. 3 23 24. Eph. 2 1 2. and whatsoeuer is of the flesh is flesh So the apostle saith As in Adam all dy euen so in Christ shall all be made aliue There is no difference all haue sinned and are depriued of the glorious kingdome of God we must be iustified freely by his grace through the redemptioÌ„ that is in Christ Iesus by nature all are the children of wrath and borne dead in sins and trespasses infants not excepted We learne therefore that whatsoeuer is begotten of man is sinfull and corrupt it must be cut and pared away we must be renewed borne againe by the Spirite of God cleansing vs from our sins yea the children of the faithfull parents whose corruptions are mortified whose lusts are subdued whose flesh is tamed and brought vnder the obedience of the will of God are notwithstanding brought forth in sin because they are borne by carnall generation and not by spirituall regeneration as corne winnowed from the chaffe d August de poenit merit remiss li. 3. c. 18 yet groweth vp againe with it and as the fore-skin cut off from the parents returneth in the child Againe haue infants of the faithfull right to bee baptized Vse 4 Then acknowledge hereby the difference betweene them and the children of Infidels Iewes Pagans and Turks As the children of the Iewes being heires of the couenant were separated and distinguished from other children of the wicked Idolatrous nations and were therefore accounted the holy seed so for the same cause and reason the children of Christians e 1 Cor. 7 14. are called holy borne of either party and parent being faithfull and a beleeeuer and do differ from the prophane seed of Idolatrous people Indeed whosoeuer maketh a true profession of the faith which he holdeth and is ready to leade his life according to that confession though he be not the seed or child of the faithfull yet is to be baptized though he came of the race of Turks or Pagans f Acts 8 37. as appeareth by the speech of Philip
and nailed vpon the Crosse is offended at him accounting it a foolish and weake meanes to saue mankinde that life should spring out of death glory come out of shame power proceed out of weakenesse and triumphant victory arise out of his contemptible sufferings but the faithfull soule acknowledgeth in this mystery of godlines the high hand and vnsearchable wisedome of God It may seeme ridiculous vnto some men i Gen. 17 10. that God should require circumcision of Abraham and of his houshold young olde bond and free maister and seruants to vncouer all their shames and to open the hidden parts of nature yet Abraham submitted himselfe to the ordinance of God Naaman the Syrian thought it a toyish precept and prescript when he was bidden to wash himselfe seauen times in Iordan hauing many Riuers in his owne country as good as that yet by k 2 Kings 5 11 12 14. obeying the Prophet he was cleansed of his leprosie The inhabitants of Iericho scorned Ioshua and the men of Israell when they saw them compasse their Citty strong walled l Iosh 6.20 and to blow with their Rammes hornes yet by this weake meanes the wall fell downe the enemies were destroyed the Citty was sacked and the people of GOD preuailed Christ seeing a blinde man and willing to heale him he spat on the ground m Ioh. 9 6. and made clay of spittle and annointed the eyes of the blinde with the clay and said vnto him Go wash in the poole of Siloam he obeyed he went he washed he returned seeing Thus doth God by simple base and weak things oftentimes confound the mighty strong and wise of the world that no flesh should reioyce in his presence and crosseth all the high conceits and proud imaginations of mans wil and wit Wherefore we must not follow our owne vnderstanding nor measure the matters of God by the crooked rule of our carnall reason Whosoeuer will yeeld obedience to God must deny himselfe and renounce his owne wisedom n 1 Cor. 3 18.19 and become a foole that he may be wise in God as 1. cor 3. Let no man deceiue himselfe if any man among you seeme to be wise in this world let him be a foole that he may be wise for the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God Thus we see that in the Sacraments we must vnderstand more then we see and beleeue more then we can behold Such as are without knowledge and faith comprehend no more of baptisme then the bodily eye directeth them vnto but the faithful conceiue the blood of Christ to be offered to purge the soule and conscience from all sinne o Gen. 2 10. as the riuer watered the garden of Eden CHAP. XI Of the fourth inward part of baptisme THe last inward part of baptisme is the soule a The soule clensed is the last inward part of baptisme cleansed most liuely represented by the bodye that is washed For as the outward receiuer giueth his body to be washed so the faithfull receiuer doth consecrate himselfe to God with ioy and forsake the flesh the world and the Diuell and feeleth the inward washing of the Spirit as Titus 3 5. According to his b Tit. 3 5. Eph. 2 26 27 mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost And the same apostle Eph. 5. Christ gaue himselfe for the Church that hee might sanctifie it and cleanse it by washing of water through the word that he might make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle Wherefore this outward washing of the body commanded by Christ signifieth vnto me that I am no lesse assuredly cleansed in his blood by the working of his Spirit from the spots of my soule that is from all my sins then I am outwardly washed by water whereby the staines of the body vse to be washed away and it bindeth vs that we ought euer afterward by our workes and deeds to declare newnes of life and fruites of repentance Vse 1 Let vs now come to the vses of this last part of baptisme Doth the washing of the body represent the clensing of the soule And doth the soking vp of the filthines of the flesh signifie the remouing of the remnants of rebellion Then we are all by nature vnwise vncleane vnrighteous vnregenerate vnholy disobedient disordered deceiuing and being deceiued we are the vessels of wrath the children of death the bond-slaues of Sathan the heires of damnation we haue our part and portion in the offence of Adam c Rom. 5 10. 7 23 24. as Rom. 5. By one man sin entred into the world and ch 7. I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading me captiue vnto the law of sin which is in my mēbers O wretched man that I am who shal deliuer me from the body of this death Hereunto also commeth that which the d Ioh 3 5 6 7. Euangelist setteth downe in the conference betweene Christ and Nicodemus Ioh. 3. That which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit maruell not that I said vnto thee ye must be borne againe For this cause are infants baptized because they are conceiued in sin borne in iniquity and cannot become spiritual but by a new birth wrought by the Spirit which is sealed vp by the water in baptisme Vse 2 Againe this serueth to strengthen our faith whē we behold the outward washing pouring out of the water and baptizing of the body it assureth the inward clensing of the soule by the blood of Christ offered to all and receiued of those that are elected to eternall saluation This then is the right and holy vse of baptisme Doest thou feele inwardly in thine heart that through the corruption of thy nature strength of concupiscence thou art moued tempted and prouoked to commit sin And doost thou feele thy selfe ready to yeeld to Sathan and so to fall from God into euill Begin to haue some holy meditation of that solemne vow which thou madest to God in baptisme when thou diddest consecrate and giue vp thy selfe wholy to his seruice and didst renounce obedience to the suggestions of Sathan to the allurements of the world and to the corruptions of the flesh For baptisme is the e Baptisme is a Christian mans ensigne to fight vnder it the battels of the Lord. Christian mans ensigne giuen of God to vs that we should fight as it were vnder it against al the enemies of our saluation ouercome It is the badge and banner of our Captaine that we shrouding our selues vnder his colours should not cowardly turne our backe in the skirmish but couragiously looke the enemy in the face nay tread him vnder our feete for euer For we must learne that when we are once baptized whereby wee put on the profession of Iesus Christ and receiue his cognizance we
baptized and washed with water we shall pay dearely for our defiling that sacred water which God hath appointed to so holy an vse True it is the water of it selfe is as nothing no other in substaunce and nature then that wherewith wee wash our hands but when once it is ioyned to the word and applyed to an holy end it is as it were an authentical seale which God hath engrauen in it Now he that counterfeiteth the seale of a Prince shall he not be punished Behold baptisme is the seale of God which serueth not to seale conueyances of earthly possessions as house and lands but to assure vs that we are called to the heauenly life and bringeth good assurance and warrant with it that we be washed from our sinnes by the blood of our Lord Iesus Christ and borne againe by his holy Spirit Shall we breake all and escape vnpunished Let vs not then boast of our baptisme and Christianity to say oh we are baptized we are christened we weare the badge of God these things these things I say will cost vs deare if we make not our baptisme auaileable to our selues and our owne soules by killing our corruptions for thereby l Eccl. 5 3. wee shew our selues like vnto the foole that maketh a vow and immediately after breaketh it For what a misery is this that scarce one of an hundred knoweth the right end of his baptisme and whereunto it auaileth So that albeit they boast of the outward signe yet they are no more sound Christians indeed then Turks and Pagans Infidels and miscreants inasmuch as they are no way mortified or renewed by repentance no way changed in the inward man but lye rotting in their sinnes and remaine in the condemnation of Adam These shall one day finde by wofull experience what a costly thing it is to take so deare a pawne of saluation at the hands of God in vaine Indeed we beare the name of Christ and we professe the Gospell yet you shall find a great number that know not this vse of baptisme nor to what end it was ordained They doe call it indeede their Christendome but are altogether ignorant of the nature thereof and are vnacquainted with the effect of it yea they bring their children to no other purpose to be baptized then because it is the vsual manner and common custome so to do being led thereunto not by the commandement of Christ but by the example of others forasmuch as they can giue no reason at all of that they do This will cost them deerely for abusing such a pledge-token at Gods hands seeing it is a meanes wherby we are vnited to our Lord Iesus Christ and ingrafted into his death and resurrection Wherefore whereas many haue receiued baptisme in their infancy and haue liued forty or fifty yeares in the world without knowing to what end they were baptized it had beene better for them that they had beene borne dead or perished in their mothers womb as an vntimely fruit then to haue vnhallowed so holy and precious a thing Thus much of the third and last vse of baptisme as also of the parts thereof and generally touching this whole Sacrament The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE of the Lords Supper being Christs farewel-token to his Church and a sweete pledge of his wonderfull kindnesse toward mankinde wherein the truth of this Sacrament is manifested the parts are deliuered the vses are shewed the Doctrine of the reformed Churches is cleared the errors of the Church of Rome are euidently conuinced and the meanes set downe how euery one is to be prepared to the worthy receiuing thereof with fruite and comfort CHAP. I. Of the names and titles of this Sacrament together with the reasons and vses thereof IN the former Booke wee haue spoken of baptisme the first SacrameÌ„t of the church together with the parts and vses thereof Now we are to set downe the doctrine of the Lords Supper which is the second Sacrament For after that God hath brought vs into his Church by baptisme and made vs as it were of his houshold seruants then as a good father of the family he feedeth vs spiritually with the flesh of his Sonne applying vnto vs the merit of his death and passion This a The Sacrament of the body and blood oâ— christ called by diuers names Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ is declared in the Scripture by diuers names to deliuer the nature thereof vnto vs. Sometimes it is called the communion as 1 Cor. 10. The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the b 1 Cor 10.16 communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ Sometimes it is called the Lords Supper as 1 Cor. 11 20. When yee come together into one place this is not to eate c 1 Cor. 11 20 the Lords Supper Thirdly sometimes it is called the breaking of bread as Acts 2. They continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship d Act. 2 42. and 20 7. and breaking of bread and prayers and cha 20. The first day of the weeke the Dâ—sciples being come together to breake bread Paul preached vnto them ready to depart on the morrow Fourthly sometimes it is called the table of the Lord as we see 1 cor 10. Ye cannot drinke the cup of the Lord and the cup of Diuels ye cannot be partakers of the Lords e 1 Cor. 10 21 table and of the table of diuels Moreouer we shall nothing offend if we call it the testament or will of Christ This cup is the f 1 Cor. 11 â—5 Mat. 26 2â— new Testament in my blood this do as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me and our Sauiour thus speaketh Mat. 26. This is my blood of the new testament that is shed for many for the remission of sins These are the chiefe and principal names giuen to this Sacrament in the Scriptures I am not ignorant that the ancient fathers and times succeeding haue giuen vnto it other names and not vnfitly but my purpose being not so much to alledge the counsels or Doctours of the Church as to instruct the simple and vnlearned I will content my selfe with expounding such termes and titles as are penned in the worde of God and pointed out by the Spirit of God Now then let vs render g Reasons rendred of the former names the reasons of such names as this Sacrament is entituled withall It is called the communion because wee haue a communion and fellowship with Christ and h 1 Cor. 10.17 he with vs both which are sealed vp in this Sacrament It is called the Lords Supper both because it was instituted by the Lord Iesus at his last Supper which circumstance of time the Church hath changed because therin is offered to vs a spiritual banket in which the faithfull are spiritually fed and nourished It is called the breaking of
once onely to be offered then he is not offered neither can be offered againe in the Masse And if the only oblation of Christ once offered by himselfe be sufficient al other oblations and sacrifices are vaine and superfluous For how is that perfect which is often repeated Eightly to make a lawfull sacrifice there is required necessarily a fit Minister lawfully called of God for o Heb. 5 4 5. no man taketh this honour to himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron so likewise Christ tooke not to himselfe this honour to be made the high-Priest but he that said to him Thou art my Sonne this day I begat thee gaue it him But Christ is the onely Priest of the new testament his Priesthood is immortall and eternall he liueth for euer therfore the popish Priest-hood is a plant neuer planted by the heauenly Father the p Ioh. 15 1.2 true husband-man and the popish Priests were neuer called of God to sacrifice the body and blood of Christ he gaue vnto them no such authority q Mat. 15 23. and therfore in time shall be rooted vp If they pretend the precept and planting of God let them shew their commission that we may see it and let them bring forth their charter that we may trye it otherwise we must take them for vsurpers and counterfeit Officers in the citty of God Ninthly the Apostle teacheth that without shedding of blood is no r Heb. 9 22. remission But in the vnbloody sacrifice of the Masse there is not effusion of blood he doth not suffer he is not killed he doth not shed his blood he doth not die therefore in the Masse is no remission of any sins Tenthly if Christ be daily offered in the Masse then he doth daily satisfie for sinne for the end of his offering is to make satisfaction as Rom. 4 25. Å¿ Rom. 4 25. He was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iust ficat on And Gal. 1 4. He gaue himselfe for our sinnes that bee mâ—ght deliuer vs from this present euill world But he doth not make satisfaction for our sinnes no more then now he dyeth and riseth againe for then Christ would not haue said t Ioh. 1â— 30. It is finished nor the Apostle * Heb. 9 12. He entred once into the holy place Wherefore no more sacrifice for sinne remaineth to be offered by such as iniuriously vsurpe the Priesthood of Christ Last of all al true Christians are Priests to offer vp their bodyes an acceptable sacrifice vnto God which is their reasonable seruice of God and to offer vp a broken and contrite spirit as 1 Pet. 3 9. Ye are a chosen generation u 1 Pet. 2 9. a royall Priesthood and an holy nation And Reuel 1. Hee hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood made vs Kings and Pr ests vnto God his Father These are the Priests that now remaine this is the Priesthood which we professe Whosoeuer maketh himselfe any Priest of another order in the new testament abrogateth and abolisheth the Priesthood of Christ being after the order a Heb. 6 20. Psal 110.4 of Melchizedech who was both King and Priest Now then as they commit sacriledge against Christ that presume to offer him vp an vnbloody sacrifice to God the Father to make peace and attonement betweene God and man so they adde another iniquity as drunkennesse to thirst making their oblation not onely profitable to take away the sinnes of the liuing but auaileable to clense b The Masse is no propitiatory sacrifice fâ—â— the dead â—o wit the price and redemption of â—oules the sinnes of the dead that are come to the end of their dayes Indeed we deny not but the Masse may be beneficial to the rabble of Fryers and sacrificing Priests that make it gainefull to themselues who through their sale and merchandize of Masses dwell stately go sumptuously fare delicately drinke wine in siluer and gold abound in pleasures and heape vp great aboundance of all riches shall we not now say the Masse is profitable But other profit of the Masses theÌ„ these to the Masse-mongers we know none We know we finde we feele them otherwise many waies pernitious in themselues dishonourable to God and hurtfull to the people For first the Sacrament was instituted to no such end and purpose as to helpe the dead and to be a propitiation for their sinnes For Christ said Take and eate this is my body drinke ye this is my blood but the dead cannot take any thing offered vnto them they can neither eate nor drinke wherefore this Supper being spirituall meate and nourishment for the soule cannot auaile the dead who are neither fed nor nourished Secondly it profiteth as much to be baptized for the dead as to receiue the Supper of the Lord for the dead for both Sacraments were instituted of Christ and there is the same respect of both But it can doe no good to baptize one for another the liuing for the dead therefore the liuing comming to receiue the Sacrament of the Supper cannot releeue the dead Thirdly there is no forgiuenesse of sinnes after this life we haue forgiuenesse in this life or neuer Whatsoeuer is bound on earth is bound in heauen Heere is the time heere is the place heere is the occasion offered to worke as the wise man teacheth Eccl. 9. All that thine hand shall find to do do it with all thy power for there is c Eccl. 9 10. neither worke nor inuent on nor knowledge nor wâ—sedome in the graue whither thou goest And Heb. 3. To day if ye will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Wherefore then is a sacrifice offered for the dead for whom there is no reliefe no redresse no remission Fourthly it is vaine to offer for those that haue ended their dayes and are already come to the end of their race d Ioh. 9 4. and 11 9 10. whose estate can neuer be changed This the Euangelist Iohn teacheth Chap. 9 4. The night commeth when no man can worâ—e and Chap. 11. Are there not twelue houres in the day If a man walke in the day hee stumbleth not because hee seeth the liâ—ht of this world And chap. 11.9 10. If a man walke in the night he stumbleth because there is no light in him And Paul 2. Tim. 4. I haue fâ—ught a good fight I haue sin shed my race I haue kept the faith from henceforth is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse But this is the estate of all the dead they are entred into iudgement they are not subiect to any change Lastly if the sacrifice of the Masse could wash away the sinnes of the dead theÌ„ the sacrifice of the Masse should surmount and exceed the sacrifice offered by Christ himselfe vpon the Crosse For this helpeth the liuing it auaileth not the dead and so we should haue other meanes to take away
for nourishment food fellowship protection and gouernment from him so being made one with Christ we are indued with his heauenly guifts 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 onely deare vnto him but neerely ioyned with him as members to the head as the wife to the husband and as the branches to the vine and therefore can neuer be separated from him in life or death We haue in him a communion of goods so that as he hath taken vpon him our sinnes and the punishments of them so he hath againe communicated to vs his righteousnesse and life and we may through his free guift challenge as our owne whatsoeuer is his We see in the corporall marriage so long as one is rich the other cannot be poore The Lord is our shepheard Psal 23 1. what then can we want Christ Iesus is rich to all that cal vpon him he is become all things vnto vs the light by which we see the life by which we liue the way wherein we must walke the doore by which we must enter the garment which we must put on the food whereby we must be nourished and strengthened Of our selues we are void of all good things We liue in darknes and in the shaddow of death we are borne dead in sinnes and trespasses we wander wide out of the way we haue no entrance into Gods kingdome the shame of our nakednesse appeareth to the loathing of our persons But through CHRIST IESVS both these defects are taken away and all the merits of his passion are made ours through this vnion which we haue in him sealed vp vnto vs in this Sacrament Vse 2 Secondly this straight vniting of the faithfull to Christ sheweth plainly 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 guifts of knowledge and vnderstanding yet Christ neuer dwelleth in them with his sauing graces and with his spirit of sanctification he possesseth not their hearts he worketh not in them a particular perswasion of their reconciliation to God neither an hungring desire aboue all things to be at vnity and peace with him neither a distast and dislike of sinne neither the comfortable Spirit of grace and prayer all which are in some measure in all the faithfull Wherefore although they may be clothed with the flesh of Christ they cannot be said to be couered with the grace of Christ although they be like vnto him in regard of this naturall body yet they are not indued with his heauenly Spirit they haue many priuiledges through him but they want such as accompany saluation and seale vp our redemption Vse 3 Lastly haue we a communion with Christ then wee may be assured by this holy Supper that there is also betweene him and vs a communion in all estates and he is touched with a compassion of all our infirmites In all our troubles he is troubled in our afflictions he is afflicted in our persecutions he is persecuted and he that toucheth vs toucheth the apple of his eye In the naturall body if at any time the foot be trodden vpon the head complaineth Why hurt you me and in the mysticall body if Saul make hauock of the Church at Damascus the head in heauen cryeth out by and by Acts 9 4. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me This putteth vs in minde of two things one concerning Christ the other concerning our selues First is there such an vnion betweene vs Are we so neerely knit together as the husband and the wife Similites expressing the vnâ—oÌ„ between Christ and vs. as the head and the members as the foundation of the house the rest of the building as the Vine and the branches as the nourishment the thing nourished Let vs learne heereby how Christ is affected toward vs he suffereth with vs when we suffer 1 Cor. 12.16 and accounteth our chastisements as his owne euen as when one member suffereth all the members suffer with it This is a notable comfort vnto vs in all sorrowes to consider that hee is very compassionate and pittifull toward vs he hath a feeling of our miseries and his soule is after a sort greeued for them Secondly as this sheweth how he is affected toward vs so it teacheth how we should be affected toward him If we be feeling members of his body there is nothing done against him or committed to the preiudice of his glory but we should bee greeued more then if it were done vnto our selues Psal 139 21. The Prophet did hate them that hated the Lord and was greeued with those that rose vp against him Riuers of waters did runne downe his eyes Psal 119 136. because men kept not his law But alasse where is this feeling to be found on our parts When the Lord is spitefully abused and wounded euen as it were vnto the heart who is wounded with him or accounteth himselfe euilly intreated We are as sencelesse men and haue not a teare to shed on his behalfe which argueth against vs and prooueth to our faces that the spirituall life is very weake in vs if there be any life at all CHAP. XIIII Of the third vse of the Lords Supper THe third vse of the Lords Supper is a spirituall communion and growth with our a The 〈◊〉 Supper is the band of charity brethren to be one body with them flowing from the Communion which we haue with Christ For as the vnion betweene brethren and sisters of the same blood and of the same flesh springeth from the neere coniunction they haue from father and mother as from a fountaine and as the vnity and concord among seruants of the same society ariseth by meâ—nes 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 b â—oâ— 1â— â—7 We that are many are one bread and one body because we all are partakers of one bread This is to be vnderstood of that communion and fellowship which the members haue one with another who receiue food and nourishment from the same Table thereby professing themselues to be of the selfe same family 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 renuing and maintaining of friendship that we are all partakers of one bread made of many cornes and drinke of the same cup of wine made of many clusters c 1 Cor. 12 13 as the Apostle setteth downe 1 Cor. 12 We are all made to drinke into one Spirit Wherefore we are not onely to looke to our vnion with Christ but
11 25 26. As often as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cup ye shew the Lords death till he come Thus the Lord Iesus speaketh Doe this as oft as ye shall drinke it in remembrance of me And haue we not many worthy and effectuall l Reasons rēdred to moue vs to frequēt the Lords Table considerations to moue such as professe the same doctrine to resort oftentimes to the same Table of the Lord It is the commandement of Christ so that we ought to make some conscience of this duty as of other commandements prescribed vnto vs. It is a commandement of God m Exo. 20 13 Thou shalt not steale Few but doe make some conscience thereof because it is Gods commandement So is this heere often to come to the Lords Table yet what little account is made heereof al the yeare long euery one seeth and the faithfull soule agreeueth The high God possessor n Gen. 14 12. of heauen and earth hath required and commanded it yet who regardeth The Lord hath spoken and yet who obeyeth If a father should command a duty of his sonne or a maister of his seruant he could not patiently endure to be disobeyed o Mal. 1 6. and shall we not thinke that God will require his lawes at our hands Againe to his commandement he hath annexed a promise which maketh our sin and vnthankfulnes the greater if wee shew not our selues ready in yeelding to this duty Besides seeing this Sacrament is a speciall prop to stay vp our saith and bringeth with it Christ and al his merits and heauenly treasures we are vtter enemies to our owne selues to our owne soules and to our owne saluation if we neglect so great mercy offered vnto vs. Wherefore it is not left free vnto vs and committed to our discretion to receiue or not receiue this were no lawfull liberty but vnlawfull licentiousnesse Heerein the faithfull finde very great comfort and an effectuall meanes to strengthen their faith Euen as the sicke man that feeleth his sicknes and knoweth his owne weaknes should haue a special care to looke to his stomack that thereby he may receiue nourishment and gather strength so we are all spiritually diseased assaulted of Sathan tempted of the flesh ouercome oftentimes of sin and must seeke strength of faith from this heauenly nourishment God of his compassion hath set vp his Sacrament as a signe vpon an high hill whence it may be seene farre and neere on euery side to raise vp such as are fallen to strengthē such as stand to comfort such as are weake and to call vnto him such as run away from him whereby he gathereth them vnder his wings It is as the brazen Serpent p Num. 23 9. that comming vnto it with a faith to be healed we might liue and not perish It is as a banner displayed that euery Christian Souldior should resort vnto it as vnto his owne colours to fight the battels of God against sin and Sathan It is as a royal feast of the great King whereunto we must go cheerefully as guests inuited to a comfortable supper to bee had in often vse and continuall remembrance to put vs in minde of his continuall mercy laid vp for vs in the blood of Christ and to ratifie and seale vp the same farre more liuely then the bare word onely When the words of Christs institution are spoken q Mat. 26 26.28 This is my body which is broken for you this is my blood which was shed for you When these words I say are read vnto vs out of the Scriptures they confirme our saith but much more when the Sacrament is seene with our eyes that we behold the bread broken and looke vpon the wine poured out but most of all when we taste and handle when we eate and drinke the outward signes Wee see when one maketh a bare promise to another with words onely betweene thēselues hee beginneth to doubt to whom the promise is made of the performance thereof if he adde an oath for confirmation the promise is more assuredly ratified but if he giue his hand writing and seale it to the party the matter is made out of doubt Thus we doe reason and helpe our faith We haue the promises of God we haue the oath of God we haue the words and writings of God we haue the seales and Sacraments of God these are not reserued in the Lords keeping but are put into our owne hands to see them to keepe them to vse them for our comfort and assurance I speake after the manner of men if we haue a free promise from an honest man penned fairely in writing ratified vnder his owne hand and seale and all giuen vnto vs to locke and lay vp we doubt not of the possession nor of our iust title vnto the same Now let vs consider the Lords doing and see what hee hath done for vs who is not as man that r Num. 23. he should lye nor as the sonne of man that he should deceiue God sent his Sonne ſ Gal. 4 4. into the world to take our nature vpon him to be like vs t Heb. 4 15. euen in his infirmities he named himselfe u Mat. 1 21. Iesus that is a Sauiour because hee should saue his people from their sinnes after his death he sent his Apostles to preach the glad tidings of remission of sinnes and euerlasting saluation he ordained his last Supper immediately before his death to testifie and assure them vnto vs not onely by sounding them in our eares but by beholding tasting smelling feeling and feeding to seale them in our hearts and also daily to be repeated and ministred vnto vs. Seeing then we haue both his promises and oath his word and writings his seales and Sacraments in our keeping what would we haue more He would not make halfe so much ado in assuring his promises if hee loued vs not he would not set such authentike seales to his deed and obligations vnlesse he meant good earnest His bare word and naked promise is very good payment but he respecteth our weaknesse whose mercifull kindnesse must not bee neglected through our vnthankfulnes Thus much of consecration and the vses thereof CHAP. VIII Of the first inward part of the Lords Supper HIther to we haue spoken of the outward parts of this Sacrament by doing whereof consecration is performed a What are the inward parts of the Lords supper now follow the inward parts to be considered For in Sacraments we must consider not what they be of themselues but what b August cont Maxim in li. 3. they signifie vnto vs. These inward parts are foure in number to wit first the Father secondly the Spirit thirdly the body and blood of Christ and fourthly the faithfull All these haue a sacramentall relation to the outward parts and declare the inward truth of them The actions of the Minister are notes of the actions of God the