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
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
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
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
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
a Sacrament is now we are to consider in it two thinges first his parts then his vses for in handling these two points wee shall see what is the nature of a Sacrament The parts of a Sacrament are of two sortes some outward open sensible earthly visible and signifying some are inward hidden spirituall heauenly inuisible and signified For the nature of a Sacrament is partly earthly and partly heauenly If wee had beene wholy a spirite without body hee would giue vs his guifts spiritually without a bodye but seeing wee are soule and bodye he giueth vs his Sacraments that so wee may apprehend spirituall guifts by sensible thinges The outward part is one thing and the inward part is another thing the outward is applyed to the bodye the inward is applyed to the soule and conscience This diuision and distinction of parts a Rom. 2 28.29 appeareth plainely in sundry places of holy Scripture as Rom. 2. Hee is not a Iew which is one outward neâ—ther is that circumcâ—sion which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew which is one within and the circumcision is of the heart in the Spirite not in the letter where wee see hee maketh circumcision to stand of two parts part in the flesh and part in the heart partly in the spirite and partly in the letter Heereunto commeth b Col. 2 11. that saying Ye are circumcised with circumcision made without hands so that there is a circumcision without and there is another within by the vertue of Christ The same we may say of Baptisme there is a baptizing of the body and there is a baptizing of the soule the body is washed with water the soule is clensed by the precious bloud of our sauiour Christ which is the hidden and mysticall part of the Sacrament This appeareth by many examples recorded in Scripture Simon the sorcerer though he were baptized with water yet his heart was not right in the sight of God he remained c Acts 8 13 21 23. in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity so that albeit hee were baptized yet he was not regenerated The Israelites were partakers of the d 1. Cor. 10 1 2 3 4 5. outward signes not of the inuisible grace They were all baptized vnto Moyses in that cloud and in that sea they did all eate the same spirituall meate they all dranke the same spirituall drinke yet with many of them God was not pleased The like may be saide of Iudas one of the twelue he did eate the Pascall lambe as wel as the rest of the Apostles but he did not eate Christ who is the lambe vndefiled and without spot as the other did This is that also which Iohn the e Mat. 3 11. Baptist teacheth Indeed I baptize you with water to amendment of life but hee that commeth after mee is mightier then I whose shooes I am not worthy to beare hee shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire where as the Baptist maketh two baptizers himselfe and Christ so hee distinguisheth their actions his owne to wash with water and the action of Christ to wash with the Holye Ghost Neither neede wee to seeke farre for reason to perswade any to beleeue this truth that the nature of a sacrament is neither wholy outward or wholy inward but taketh part of both seeing nothing can bee a signe of it selfe but a signe is a signe of another thing and seeing they are mysteries they haue an hidden meaning and spirituall vnderstanding If the water in Baptisme had not grace annexed vnto it it could not be a mystery We see the signe we see not the grace which is inuisible Now let vs come to the vses These parts though distinguished really one from another Vse 1 that the outward parts cannot bee the inward the earthly cannot be the heauenly the seale can not bee the thing sealed the token cannot bee the thing betokened nor contrariwise for this were to alter nature and mingle heauen and earth together yot in respect of the proportion betweene the signe and the thing signified and of the coniunction of them to the faithfull which receiue both the one and the other one part is affirmed of the other For wee must vnderstand that the Scripture in regard of this vnion speaketh of the Sacraments two waies to wit properly and figuratiuely Properly when that which belongeth to the signe is giuen to the signe and when the thing signified is giuen and applyed to the thing it selfe and thus each part hath his owne as Circumcision is called i Gen. 17 11. the signe of the Couenant And the blood of the Lambe is called k Exod. 12 13 a signe these are plaine and proper speeches and without figure Againe when it saith l Lu. 21 19 20. My body which is giuen for you my bloud m 1 Cor. 5 7. which is shedde for many for remission of sinnes we must vnderstand the wordes literally as they lye Figuratiuely when the signe is giuen to the thing signified and called by the name of it as Christ is called n 1 Cor. 5 7. the Passeouer the o Ioh. 1 29. Lambe of God his flesh is also saide to bee meate indeede and his blood drinke indeede the holy Spirite is called p Eze. 36 25. water or else the name of the thing signified is giuen to the signe as bread is called the q Mat. 26 28. body of Christ the cup is called the new Testament These speaches must bee taken figuratiuely and vnderstood by a change of name according to the intention and meaning of the Holy-Ghost so that we must beware that we doe not take or mistake the signe for the thing nor the thing for the signe seeing the parts are distinguished in nature though ioyned in the person Againe albeit by Gods ordinance these parts bee so vnited that by taking of the signe the faithfull are made partakers of the thing signified no lesse truely then the outward signes are receiued of our bodily senses yet wee must conceiue and consider that these outward inward parts remaine distinct and vnconfounded and therefore we must take heed we take not one for another we must not ascribe too much to the outward parts and so take them for the inward which hath beene the occasion of sundry errors from time to time Some attribute too little to the out-ward signe and some ascribe too much both waies the Sacrament is abused and the parts are misapplyed Hence sprang as a ranke weede in the Lords corne the doctrine of transubstantiation or carnall turning of the substance of bread into the bodye whereby the signe is swallowed vp the outward substance with them quite abolished for their fained Christ hath consumed the outward signe as the rich deuoureth and eateth the poore Thus the signe is consumed and too little regarded Others on the other side cleaue too much to the outward signe and rest
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
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
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
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
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
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
present with vs. If any say How can this be Obiection Can that which is absent from vs be present with vs Can heauen be in earth or earth be in heauen Heereunto I may most iustly answere Answere although this be a great mystery and maruellous in our eyes yet we must confesse and consider that the Holy-Ghost is the author of this vnion and as it were the Conduit-pipe of this coniunction who by his diuine power ioyneth together things that are seuered in place begetteth faith in vs which is the instrument hand f 1 Ioh. 17 20. whereby we receiue and apply Christ with all his guifts vnto our selues as Ioh. 17. Father I pray thee for such as beleeue in mee that they may be one as thou O Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in vs. Heereunto commeth the saying of Paul Ephe. 3. Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith Likewise Acts 13. By him euery one that beleeueth is iustified that is absolued and discharged And Iohn 3. So many as beleeue in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life Thus we see our fellowship with Christ is from the Spirit and by our faith The Spirit is the principall worker faith is the meanes and the instrument Neither must this coniunction seeme vnto vs impossible through the great distance and distinction of place For there are diuers manners of presences that which is present to the sight is not present to the hand Molin de Eucharist cap. 2. and that which is present to the eare is not present to the eye that which is present to the body is not present to the soule and things present to the soule are oftentimes absent from the body Things are said to bee present with vs according as they cause themselues to bee perceiued of our senses or of our soules Whereby it appeareth very plainely after what fashion Christ may be said to be presēt with vs in his Supper to wit according as he communicateth himselfe vnto vs which is to our spirits not to our bodies and therefore his presence is spirituall and not corporall And the Apostle telleth vs Romanes 8. Rom. 8 9 11. that the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in vs which teacheth vs how we are vnited to Christ namely by the bond of one and the same Spirit dwelling both in him and in vs. Thus is the coniunction wrought betweene him and vs so that there is another presence which is true and in deed besides that which is bodily This is that which we reade in the Apostle Iohn 1 Ioh 4 13. Heereby know we that wee dwell in him and hee in vs because he hath giuen vs of his Spirite And Paul saith Romanes 8. Rom. 8 9. Hee that hath not the Spirite of Christ hee is none of his For as by one and the same soule all the members of the body are knit and coupled with the head and so doe liue in like manner all the faithfull albeit they remaine vpon the earth and their head be in the heauens are really vnited with him through one and the same Spirit and being vnited do liue thereby Ioh. 6 63. The like wee may say of faith whereby Christ dwelleth in our hearts Ephesians 3 17. Eph. 3 17. And our Sauiour teacheth that by beleeuing in him we eate his flesh and drinke his blood Iohn 6 35. Ioh. 6 35. If then any aske how we may obtaine and hold fast Christ Iesus seeing hee is absent from vs Or how wee may put forth our hands to take him sitting at the right hand of his Father in heauen I answere with Austine August tract 50 in Iohan. fide mitte et tenuisti Send forth thy faith and thou holdest him fast Thus Christ being absent from vs is present with vs for except he were present with vs he could not be possessed of vs nor communicated by vs. These are the two hands giuen vnto vs which the soule hath to wit the Spirit and faith The hands of the body lay hold on bodily things the hands of the soule lay hold on spirituall things There is a presence also to the sight We see the Sun daily with our eyes which though it be scituate in the heauens separated frō vs in place cōmunicateth his effect power to vs that dwel on the earth neither doe we maruell thereat and yet is the Sunne but a creature subiect vnto vs and distributed to all the people vnder the whole heauen to serue their vse Shall not Christ then the Sonne of righteousnes make vs truely partakers of his flesh by the vnsearchable power of his Spirit and the supernaturall guift of a liuely faith who can as easily ioyne together things farre off as those that are nigh Are not the faithfull seuered in place and scattered through the world ioyned as neerely together as the mēbers are h 1 Ioh. 1 3. to become one body whereof Christ is the head As the Apostle teacheth That which we haue seene and heard declare wee vnto you that ye may also haue fellowship with vs and that our fellowship also may be with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ We see this likewise liuely laid out before vs in the estate of marriage though the husband and wife be sundred for a time and separated one farre from another yet the band of matrimony doth so ioyne and vnite them that the wife is one flesh with her husband albeit he be a thousand miles distant from her so is it betweene Christ and the faithfull he loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it and they are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones which coupling and combining together with Christ is wrought as we haue shewed by the Spirit principally by faith instrumentally by both most effectually Wee neede not therefore any carnall bodily presence of Christ to ioyne vs to him seeing it is truely and certainely performed by these meanes whereby we grow to a perfect man in him For as the Sunne is more comfortable to the world by his refreshing beames and sweete influence being absent then if his naturall body and compasse lay vpon the earth so the flesh of Christ being in the glory of his Father much more comforteth and refresheth our soules and bodies by his heauenly grace and spirituall influence then if he were present fleshly before our eyes And as the Sunne not discending from heauen nor leauing his place is notwithstanding present with vs in our Chambers in our houses in our hands and in our bosomes so Christ being in the highest heauens not comming downe nor forsaking his glorious habitation yet i Mat. 28 20. neuerthelesse is present with vs in our congregations in our hearts in our prayers in our meditations and in the Sacraments But of this we shall haue occasion to speake more in the chapter following and wee haue already spoken some-what of it in the
swallow him vp But Christ expoundeth himselfe and declareth that he meant not carnally but spiritually I◠is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speake vnto you are spirit and life that is the flesh of Christ thus eaten thus chewed thus digested bodily carnally and grosly cannot profit but truely and spiritually taken it is meat indeed Whereby it appeareth that the flesh and blood of Christ are not bodily nourishment for then we should hold his body in our hands eate it with our mouths teare it with our teeth swallow it downe our throats concoct it in our stomacks and haue it distributed to our fleshly parts Now to shew a What it is to eate the body of christ spiritually what it is to eate spiritually and to pull off the garment of this similitude that the truth may more plainely appeare by spiritual eating we do not vnderstand that which is fained standing in a conceit opinion or imagination neither that the body and blood of Christ are turned into a spirit but we meane by spirituall eating such a communion and participation of Christ as is wrought by the powerfull working of the Holy-Ghost inasmuch also as it is attained by faith onely and pertaineth to a spirituall and eternall life And howsoeuer the benefit of this coniunction reach vnto the body which thereby is mortified and sanctified and afterward shall be glorified yet this fruition of Christ is not called corporall but spirituall because this food doth not pertain to the maintaining of this present life but it is referred to the life which is eternall Now this life euerlasting is called spirituall albeit the bodies themselues shall be partakers thereof which therefore b 1 Cor. 15 44 by the Apostle are called spirituall bodies Thus then standeth the comparison as there is a present life that is bodily c Sadcel de Spirit Mand. cap. 1. so there is another life to be thought vpon which is spirituall and eternall as we are borne to this present life so are we borne againe to life eternal as this bodily life is sustained by bodily meat and drinke so Christ with all his merits and mercies is the food of the spirituall life as the body hath d Comparison betweene the bodily spiritual eating his mouth whereby the meat and drinke is receiued and so passeth into the body by bodily feeding so the soule hath her mouth namely faith which apprehendeh the most holy nourishment of the body blood of Christ and lastly as the meat by a naturall force is concocted and digested that it may passe disperse it selfe into the whole body so the efficacy of the Spirit beginning faith in vs doth so powerfully and mightily worke in our soule that it quickeneth vs through Christ to whom we are neerely vnited Thus we see we haue no carnall communion with Christ nor bodily eating of Christ Wherefore let the capernaiticall Papists or popish Capernaits prepare their faith not their teeth their soules not their bellies to eat the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood And if they be ashamed of the name of the Capernaits let them also be ashamed of the error of the Capernaits but if they cleaue to their error they must bee content to borrow their name for the name and opinion must go together Sixtly Christ exhorteth the people to beware of false Prophets that come in sheepes cloathes e Mat. 7 15. but indeed haue Wolues hearts saying If any shall say vnto you Loe heere is Christ or there f Mat. 24 23. beleeue it not behold he is in the desart go not forth behold he is in the secret places beleeue it not And the Apostle Paul exhorteth Col. 3. To seeke those things that are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God But if Christ lurke and lye hid vnder the accidents of bread and wine thē we might beleeue such as say Loe heere is Christ there is Christ he might be pointed out with the finger on euery Altar and so often as the Priest lifteth vp his Idoll he might say to the people behold heere is Christ whom wee haue newly made looke vpon him whom wee haue newly fashioned but then we must answere with Christ beleeue i◠not Seuenthly the Fathers vnder the law did eate the same spirituall meate and drinke the same spirituall drinke that the g 1 cor 10 1 2 Corinthians and other Christians did though they had differing signes they had the same Christ signified But they did not eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood bodily for as yet he was not come in the flesh therefore he is not present in his natural body in our Sacraments This Paul setteth downe 1 Cor. 10. They did all eate the same spirituall meat they did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of that spirituall rocke that followed them and that rocke was Christ Where the Apostles purpose is to proue h Aug. tom 6. tract in Ioh. 26 and in Psal 77 Gratian can inquit 80. that the Israelites were not in feriour to the Corinthians in respect of the Sacraments of Gods fauour and therefore had no more to boast of then the Israelites had whereupon he saith they had the same meat the same drinke the same Christ Now if they did not eat the same in substance which the Corinthians did eate then the Israelites were farre inferior to them touching their Sacraments and so the Apostles reason should be of no force Eightly Christ is in such sort in heauen in his humanity as that he is not on the earth i Mat. 9 15. Ioh. 13. c. with his body and consequently not in the Sacrament as we see Mat. 9. Can the children of the bride-chamber mourne as long as the bride-groome is with them But the daies will come when the bride-groome shall be taken from them and then they shall fast But if hee were remaining on the earth and contained in the pixe the bride-groome could not nor would not be takē away And the same Euangelist Mat. 26 11. chap. 26. saith Ye haue the poore alwaies with you but me ye shall not haue alwaies Likewise Ioh. 13. Ioh. 13 1. and 14.2 3.28 17 11 12 13. When Iesus knew that his houre was come that hee should depart out of this world vnto the Father he riseth from Supper cha 14. I go to prepare a place for you but I will come againe If I go away to prepare a place for you I will receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may ye be also and verse 28. Yee haue heard how I said vnto you I go away and will come vnto you And chap. 17. Now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee Againe Act. 1. Yee men of Galile why stand ye gazing into heauen This Iesus which k Acts 1 11. is taken vp from
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
p. 50 they must not rest in outward receiuing p. 51. Rebaptziation vnlawful p 154. whence it arose p 155. Reconciliation pa. 283. 284. See Loue. Remedies against despaire p. 147. Remnants left after the Supper pa. 440 Repentance required of all communicants p 108 109 what it is p 123 538 not to be delayed p. 313. Reprobates receiue the signes alone p 87 Reseruation of the Supper p 386. Reuolters from babtisme p 2â—0 Rites Looke Sacramentall S Sacraments profit not alwayes by by p 3 they cannot beget faith p 5 a list and in need of them pa. 10 how more effectuaâ—l men the word p 11 the parts of them pag. 26 32. Sacrament what it signifieth p 14 not to be adored p 388 Sacraments instituted of God p 16 their force depends not on the minister pag 17 they cannot confer grace pag 25 they depend not on the intent of the minister pag 55 56 57 they seale the couenaÌ„t betweene God vs pag â—6 they are badges of our profession p 104. Sacraments why called mysteries pa 138. they profit not without the spirit p 253. Sacramental rites strengthen faith p 454. Sacramentall eating what p 483 Sacrifice how the Supper is p 397 Satisfaction no part of repentance p 127 reasons against it p 128 Seale signe how they differ p 15. Sermon not necessary before baptisme p 560. Sicke how to be comforted pa 142 how they may put away the paines of sicknes p 146 how they should behaue themselueâ— toward their families page 148 how they should comfort themselues wanting the Supper p. 328. Sinnes committed by such as come not to the Supper p. 10. Sitting at the Supper not necessary p. 407 408. Sitting of Christ not the same with ours p. 413 how the institution may be broken sitting p 417. Soule clensed an inwarde part of baptisme p 257. Spirit makes the Sacramenâ—s profitable p. 64 72 251 449 he is true God pa. 252 wee must craue his assistance comming to the word and Sacraments Ibid he ioyneth vs to Christ page 451. Spirituall eating what page 481. Spirituall sluggards page 312 313. Supper called by many names pag. 280 why called a Supper pa. 285 it is no sacrifice page 289 what it is p. 293. Supper how abused prophanely pa. 295 it must be often receiued p. 297 it is rightly a costly banket p. 303 it was instituted for the weake p. 310 how it is physicke p. 311 sixe sorts baried from it p. 514. Sufferings of Christ p 479 causes thereof in our selues p. 496 who profite aright by them p. 497. T. Testament of Christ p. 250. Tongue vnknowne see prayer Transubstantiation ouer throwne p. 45 354 it is full of contradictions p. 366 it is the life of popery p. 369. Types of baptisme p. 274. V. Victor poisoned in the Chalice p. 358. Vnderstanding of the instituion necessary p. 140. Vnction no Sacrament p. 139 the reasons thereof pa. 140 Vngodly not partakers of Christ pa. 502 thâ—y haue no benefit by the Sacraments p. 552. Vnion betweene Christ and the faithful p. 267. Vnleauened bread not necessary p. 382. Vnlawfull to stand by and not receiue page 298 299. Vses of the Sacraments p. 90 of baptism p 266 of the Supper p. 493. Vse of spirituall things breeds not contempt p. 307. W. Water an outward part of baptisme page 158 it cannot clenâ—e away si p 253 254. Weake faith applieth Christ p. 76 72 94 Weake haue interest in the Supper pag. 310. Weaknesse no cause to abstaine from the Supper p. 525. Wicked receiue onely the signes pa. 29 they are to bee separated from the Sacraments p. 485 they do not receiue Christ p. 400 Will see Testament Wine why chosen to bee the signe in the Supper p. 347 it may not be changed pag. 350 it is not to be mingled with water pa. 384. Word and Sacraments must go together pag 10 it is required to the essence of a Sacrament p. 38 no word no Sacrament p. 41 word of institution p. 337 it is expounded p. 338 it is a meanes of Consecration pa. 437. Woemen may not baptize pa. 177 178. no assurance to receiue the truth of a Sacrament from them p. 178. Woemen after asâ—râ— circumcised p. 226. Worthinesse of the Sacrament dâ—pends not on man p. 18. Y. Youth must remember God p. 248. FINIS